tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82336730436943915362024-02-06T22:06:07.403-08:00Duncan's Guide to Life, The Universe and MoviesMovie Reviews, Writing, Musings and Meanderings, Life,<br> Politics and anything that I can think of!Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-2089441180860830302012-09-11T03:08:00.000-07:002012-09-11T03:08:33.707-07:00Digital Art - "Hellgirl"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsWGE7sa_uby-vxdoMJAaYWiFW3AbuODXtjxYdmaJXZ1Gu4sNVOy-gfnzvJu_WsfcYSnRo71A5yRFwFCMj1poCZxD5vUwg32quXhRQ3NJwZ2iLJlaW0wh4w1wJ8YbHc7z39l6RUt7Xb_h/s1600/hellgirl_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsWGE7sa_uby-vxdoMJAaYWiFW3AbuODXtjxYdmaJXZ1Gu4sNVOy-gfnzvJu_WsfcYSnRo71A5yRFwFCMj1poCZxD5vUwg32quXhRQ3NJwZ2iLJlaW0wh4w1wJ8YbHc7z39l6RUt7Xb_h/s400/hellgirl_banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This is (unsurprisingly) another of my <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/" target="_blank">ImagineFX</a> Forum weekly competition entries. Here's the brief of the competition:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26aBkxIrsZVU14lLQAYhFMDT9NdWD37SbZHRgQ6pU4vV7J6lJbVWQNibynDjXpUK99WTdz4V3jxUK1W2cD9B6AVG8IimLILvH_8II1GHTQ9wCI-qyzuYA6xBh36dyAHpxMzk3YZjXccGR/s1600/ifx_wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26aBkxIrsZVU14lLQAYhFMDT9NdWD37SbZHRgQ6pU4vV7J6lJbVWQNibynDjXpUK99WTdz4V3jxUK1W2cD9B6AVG8IimLILvH_8II1GHTQ9wCI-qyzuYA6xBh36dyAHpxMzk3YZjXccGR/s200/ifx_wip1.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simple pencil sketch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Title: <i>"Hellboy's Perfect Pin-up"</i><br />
<br />
Brief: <i>"Hellboy needs a girlfriend, a female equivalent, design his perfect companion."</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> Pretty straight forward! I started with a couple of rough pencil sketches till I came out with what you can see in the first image. I then photographed it and created a more refined digital line-drawing.<br />
<br />
Before going on to do the proper colour, I decided to try adding very rough quick colour, just to make sure I was happy with it, and work out the lighting.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOc4iCKX62OVdKGeSMvqQl-ULYMzs0Wdl4dlibETNrwGMl92getikXxXQ1fD9o90tUcP59V6noybVxI3Pf9Z4K5MBOJPfwYkRlvYYhVxbSeMSGZOkMS6SLGUEB2oErqLfcDrZ60zCRbX_/s1600/ifx_wip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOc4iCKX62OVdKGeSMvqQl-ULYMzs0Wdl4dlibETNrwGMl92getikXxXQ1fD9o90tUcP59V6noybVxI3Pf9Z4K5MBOJPfwYkRlvYYhVxbSeMSGZOkMS6SLGUEB2oErqLfcDrZ60zCRbX_/s200/ifx_wip2.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early rough colour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Once that was complete, I did the usual steps of laying down flat colour in the background and working over the top of that in lighter or darker shades.<br />
<br />
I was quite happy with the final illustration, but I wanted something of my own that wasn't based on someone else's ideas, so after the competition I re-worked the character into a more conventional and unspecific female adventurer (which you can see as the final image).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTbV7LOXNuUxCCafNjq1-bNM0QVCETMqxoyuKCK0fMm4SV494v39LTdsILD8I2UbNqnJi26Ckw4QXWE6_mOF1ul0kIPFQ2IsalGvm3tKMj9l9nP7_FtVH-8gSMT8BQY6V5Nxdto_nvs8v/s1600/ifx_hellgirl_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTbV7LOXNuUxCCafNjq1-bNM0QVCETMqxoyuKCK0fMm4SV494v39LTdsILD8I2UbNqnJi26Ckw4QXWE6_mOF1ul0kIPFQ2IsalGvm3tKMj9l9nP7_FtVH-8gSMT8BQY6V5Nxdto_nvs8v/s320/ifx_hellgirl_final.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final competition painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7x62_eVXF8jG86h-7JcC7OXj6hj9GulsG0bTDc0Z_I6-2leiug7x7722sE2cJgHkx5gQeBn946mubMB53Q-bqBZKFgXmM8ir4wAFRgxg1u5IzStskiCuSpJGygMqjF0KX0RM15DU9lYE/s1600/not_hellgirl(compressed).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7x62_eVXF8jG86h-7JcC7OXj6hj9GulsG0bTDc0Z_I6-2leiug7x7722sE2cJgHkx5gQeBn946mubMB53Q-bqBZKFgXmM8ir4wAFRgxg1u5IzStskiCuSpJGygMqjF0KX0RM15DU9lYE/s320/not_hellgirl(compressed).jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reworked 'original' character</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span></i></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-69806842773305961282012-08-17T15:45:00.002-07:002012-08-17T15:51:43.108-07:00Digital Art - "Varrish"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdDv9rlGMgq0Iob_jnWf4TQpeDZ_V3umOH9fXvCvqh_BvEr3yI7raxacYz207MpCEOVzIiAoUDJ2jiUv306NxEOMv1EHCd5pQKeLRhwavaEmhCsC_JUwp9R2bsRmzD16gBg4sf-FgIovD/s1600/varrish_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdDv9rlGMgq0Iob_jnWf4TQpeDZ_V3umOH9fXvCvqh_BvEr3yI7raxacYz207MpCEOVzIiAoUDJ2jiUv306NxEOMv1EHCd5pQKeLRhwavaEmhCsC_JUwp9R2bsRmzD16gBg4sf-FgIovD/s320/varrish_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpDbrI_nzk_VF6sbzbaWokbmWYPkuaUCrSZonMLmOiOScjIvDKIW_d0f63hgk1tBfs8xalLgPDRpESaJSgAP4suikb5VzWGvuc9T0n9R4sVoOtDn073wI5_6WxJRDOHnl6-NyxK4HgCAj/s1600/CT1-varrish-sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpDbrI_nzk_VF6sbzbaWokbmWYPkuaUCrSZonMLmOiOScjIvDKIW_d0f63hgk1tBfs8xalLgPDRpESaJSgAP4suikb5VzWGvuc9T0n9R4sVoOtDn073wI5_6WxJRDOHnl6-NyxK4HgCAj/s200/CT1-varrish-sketch.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Initial Pencil Sketch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This is yet another of my <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/" target="_blank">ImagineFX</a> Forum weekly competition entries. In this case. Here's the brief of the competition:<br />
<br />
Title: <i>"IFX Creature Design Cover"</i><br />
<br />
Brief: <i>"You have been asked to submit your design for the next creature design IFX cover. It must show at least the head and shoulders of the creature, looking at the viewer. Remember to leave space for any text with a generic comment. Include the IFX cover text in the font of your choosing. Please note this is just for fun and not an official cover challenge!"</i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTLkXHSv92FJ-2BaZesHeDGklrEsH8w_gOhen5djQMwFJ-pqgba7rpXF0FT39YT04DEN1yAUWq8NNm9BvC_PxG4EWS16ktRoq1e6bmhAB-7EpI2lywTp86R5fo0YecYwXh93LA1mvEfO3/s1600/CT1-varrish-wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTLkXHSv92FJ-2BaZesHeDGklrEsH8w_gOhen5djQMwFJ-pqgba7rpXF0FT39YT04DEN1yAUWq8NNm9BvC_PxG4EWS16ktRoq1e6bmhAB-7EpI2lywTp86R5fo0YecYwXh93LA1mvEfO3/s200/CT1-varrish-wip1.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">B&W initial paint-over</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I decided to use the competition as an excuse to also design a creature for the science fiction adventure book I am writing. I had already described this alien, so I just had to create it visually. <br />
<br />
I did a pencil sketch of the front and side view of the creature, which I photographed, and then used as a rough guide to paint over. It was a fairly straight forward painting task, but for the competition I also added a vague futuristic background. In retrospect, I realised this detracted from the creature design, and it works much more effectively with a relatively plain background.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXhhaHp0RseFSFjciCRFPjzvC-67Z5ZM9ZG2PS-lNR_LgHOfLG7todD73Qtd9fj1byK5cZ2DW1HCU9RCCnz-cxpJfcxcwbPmBakpOL1VYEKYvZj-NyNcuqHvYthVROeaplm4ePWzDvTeA/s1600/CT1-varrish-design.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXhhaHp0RseFSFjciCRFPjzvC-67Z5ZM9ZG2PS-lNR_LgHOfLG7todD73Qtd9fj1byK5cZ2DW1HCU9RCCnz-cxpJfcxcwbPmBakpOL1VYEKYvZj-NyNcuqHvYthVROeaplm4ePWzDvTeA/s320/CT1-varrish-design.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Design</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-30383406765307582952012-08-07T08:20:00.000-07:002012-08-07T08:20:15.643-07:00Digital Art - "Green Baby"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6swNnPJag_tt_yZRMgcD8DDvj7IJU7b2mJfYUgl55jb-qjeC0quQtcnSYGDRpc0RgqooKsV-w08Vy37JmameUZszJf2-J3lWblIPRzcAGITwsxFqutH-Vck-Eg6GhZDBy44ZInco2QIpw/s1600/euphy_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6swNnPJag_tt_yZRMgcD8DDvj7IJU7b2mJfYUgl55jb-qjeC0quQtcnSYGDRpc0RgqooKsV-w08Vy37JmameUZszJf2-J3lWblIPRzcAGITwsxFqutH-Vck-Eg6GhZDBy44ZInco2QIpw/s400/euphy_banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Yes, yes, I know it's been too long between posts. But I've finally returned to doing the Imagine FX magazine forum weekly competition, so here's the latest. Hopefully I'll have another for you later this week. Here are the details of the competition:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7We4yAt13lhWdTGUbhh2XJDuXwTbEUa-Ru_vLjPzcoee2w8UCd-SIR4pOK65uLucu94d5noFMvpG8AYwYMqHt6_SmaFeoZHck06ge5J5c4pbfOwAKgid-NYXPZO-9WLT8v1pBYfMTvQ6/s1600/ifx_wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7We4yAt13lhWdTGUbhh2XJDuXwTbEUa-Ru_vLjPzcoee2w8UCd-SIR4pOK65uLucu94d5noFMvpG8AYwYMqHt6_SmaFeoZHck06ge5J5c4pbfOwAKgid-NYXPZO-9WLT8v1pBYfMTvQ6/s200/ifx_wip1.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can see<br />
the rough sketch over<br />
some early painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Title: <i>"Baby Boom"</i><br />
<br />
Brief: <i>"Depict the baby or youngling of a fantasy or sci-fi creature. It could be a mythological beast or more modern fantasy creature, or alien, it's up to you but it should make it's parents go "awww" (though not necessarily anyone else)"</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> I won't give you any more details about where my design came from, suffice to say it's the baby version of some other characters I hope to write a children's story about, one day in the future.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPn0NS-m0CkBgDRT0cuxW4y4l9R2O_JnwQYrJaoUqS0MCUCM_3cSM8fUCWakxqaX-Xe11HTVEju2vC8UQKQOyT3_9yl4Oly1SUyQCMR72iQ1BRV8fln0vRTMVgl0-EZdW9WAiwpPxzC1U/s1600/ifx_wip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPn0NS-m0CkBgDRT0cuxW4y4l9R2O_JnwQYrJaoUqS0MCUCM_3cSM8fUCWakxqaX-Xe11HTVEju2vC8UQKQOyT3_9yl4Oly1SUyQCMR72iQ1BRV8fln0vRTMVgl0-EZdW9WAiwpPxzC1U/s200/ifx_wip2.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can see most of<br />
character is finished, but I<br />
have yet to start the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anyway, onto the painting... I did a VERY quick sketch in pencil for this one. I didn't even bother scanning it, I just photographed it on my phone and took it into Photoshop (I know, lazy!).<br />
<br />
I then simply painted over the top and added a few textures toward the end, to liven up things like the table and wall and an overall canvas texture to help that 'painted' feeling. Notice the baby looking up at the blurred silhouette of a parent in the foreground. I was quite happy with this painting, which only took a few hours overall.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcvVUnhG9LNEax7eut3Vwd1QwmFLPw4WNXkHQSVjF8_v8CKOJreWfeRNWlIEPDh9_zc1Fz_9t6V-09GuSmDmRXMPFkNCZ4z2HobRv-9t22YLBYmoyyptnZ6-fl9jv9-t2EkJVcx3YMTC3/s1600/ifx_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcvVUnhG9LNEax7eut3Vwd1QwmFLPw4WNXkHQSVjF8_v8CKOJreWfeRNWlIEPDh9_zc1Fz_9t6V-09GuSmDmRXMPFkNCZ4z2HobRv-9t22YLBYmoyyptnZ6-fl9jv9-t2EkJVcx3YMTC3/s320/ifx_final.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-8640937185459488832012-06-05T06:38:00.001-07:002012-06-06T06:01:41.407-07:00Prometheus 2D (2012) - Cinema Review (7.5/10)<b style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large;">Frustrating</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0aPbaebX__j8rbRvpBTztMgCwl5B6C_Qng_2naVP6gXRHIb4Ox971ryDzrzQ1W0umBlZVqvyXnxmkBTbHkMb2-EJE5IQ9SynWJgCSbwmyoNAHU5T0xNl1xBPfVMB9HbzrEE7-6cPrx9_Y/s1600/blog_prom_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0aPbaebX__j8rbRvpBTztMgCwl5B6C_Qng_2naVP6gXRHIb4Ox971ryDzrzQ1W0umBlZVqvyXnxmkBTbHkMb2-EJE5IQ9SynWJgCSbwmyoNAHU5T0xNl1xBPfVMB9HbzrEE7-6cPrx9_Y/s200/blog_prom_poster.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>Ahh, Prometheus... Probably my most anticipated film of 2012 along with John Carter. Directed by the near-legendary director Ridley Scott, Prometheus is a prequel to his own film, Alien, from 1969. For those of you who don't know (although I don't know what rock you've been hiding under if you don't), Alien went on to become one of the most highly considered and influential science fiction films of all time. <br />
<br />
In terms of Prometheus' relation to Alien, I'll try and give a little background. In Alien, A derelict alien spacecraft is discovered on a distant world, by a cargo crew who intercept what they think at first is a distress signal. It contains a terrible creature that goes on to decimate the crew. Really, there were two major elements in the film. The beast itself, and the mysterious alien vessel and race that it originated from. The film hints, but never states, that the creature was potentially a biological weapon of the race to whom the derelict belonged. <br />
As anyone who hasn't been in cryogenic freeze for the past forty odd years will know, it spawned a host of sequels and associated films that dealt only with the creature, yet strangely eschewed the mystery of its origin.<br />
Ridley Scott has finally decided to pick up that unused thread of the story with Prometheus, almost completely separating it from the eponymous creature of the other films.<br />
<br />
I've been a fan of Alien and its sequels for many years, but I always wanted to see someone make a film dealing with that mystery. So I was over the moon when Ridley decided to return to the franchise. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScvqVbijyb6vaX0bsSN2pVmi9x7wWGj3KlCT7tEtHO29PtkSLc4GYKWkrd_rSgupzsw5CEou15MfcKVxpxnyIrSBb1gsHWGGIhE4wn8Q4pATFZZDSNsqyLCdE4_5ba9b8FHLuovXsG4Na/s1600/blog_prom_pic4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScvqVbijyb6vaX0bsSN2pVmi9x7wWGj3KlCT7tEtHO29PtkSLc4GYKWkrd_rSgupzsw5CEou15MfcKVxpxnyIrSBb1gsHWGGIhE4wn8Q4pATFZZDSNsqyLCdE4_5ba9b8FHLuovXsG4Na/s320/blog_prom_pic4.jpg" width="320" /></a>The question then becomes, how well did he succeed? This is where it becomes frustrating. Prometheus is both simultaneously excellent and disappointing at the same time. Often the flaws in these kind of films come about from destroying the mystery of what went before. Oddly enough, that isn't where Prometheus goes wrong. If anything, that's where it succeeds, only to be maddeningly undermined by the most basic of elements that should have been the easiest. I'll warn you now, in order to cover these my review will contain spoilers, so read no further if you don't want to ruin the film for yourself.<br />
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Prometheus is a film that relies very much in its earlier stages on that old horror movie stalwart; 'characters do something stupid to get them into a situation'. The worst example is when two characters get lost in a series of underground corridors, when one of them was in fact the individual responsible for knowing how to map the area in the first place. Then those two characters are not only conveniently forgotten by the ship's crew during an evacuation, but they seem to forget about contacting the ship themselves, until such time as they can be conveniently 'lost'. So once we get past that... where do those two characters go? Just the very location they chose to avoid earlier.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXPiKuxPQcNzeq3WBG-BCiaPekTSbsOWqahxc4GwGNNZ4thOqgdj2tnQcYqlI6hUU01xP1fBAFVqeTJNwoC71AL230KVA6R_3RG6Hsy6C1TbmcepZHPhw6Y9JCfx9aXmGioLinD50umIk/s1600/blog_prom_pic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXPiKuxPQcNzeq3WBG-BCiaPekTSbsOWqahxc4GwGNNZ4thOqgdj2tnQcYqlI6hUU01xP1fBAFVqeTJNwoC71AL230KVA6R_3RG6Hsy6C1TbmcepZHPhw6Y9JCfx9aXmGioLinD50umIk/s320/blog_prom_pic2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The reason they left the main party and got lost, was because they had the sense to decide to try and return to the main ship early, rather than progressing into an unknown area with the foolish and irresponsible scientists. So for no real reason they decide to hole up in that very area the scientists opened up, when they are stuck for the night in the abandoned underground chambers. Of course it doesn't end there. A character scared enough to not enter this room earlier, is now quite happy to try and interact with an alien beast displaying characteristics suspiciously close to that of a cobra. Of course this results in a rather unhappy conclusion for the poor fellow.<br />
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All the while this top-of-the-line absurdly expensive exploration mission leaves no-one monitoring events while two of their crew are stuck alone in an alien environment, so that their fates are not only missed but seemingly unrecorded in a situation where surely everything would be recorded.<br />
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Then of course we have the old 'The air is breathable so let's take our helmets off' situation, without testing it in some manner first. <br />
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We also have a character deliberately infected with something that could have potentially endangered everybody, despite the fact that such an act was clearly sanctioned by someone who also wants any opportunity to survive and live forever.<br />
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Later, one of the best scenes is also one of the most annoying. I'll try not to give too much away, suffice to say a character has to perform a self-inflicted operation in order to save themselves from a creature. It's tense, disgusting, nail-biting stuff. Unfortunately it is accompanied by some sheer idiocy. The character reaches this situation after escaping two others who seemingly forget her actions and then leave her to perform all of this without interruption. Not only that, but no-one else on board seems to be alerted to this drastic situation and the thing it leaves on board, except for a slightly unconcerned acknowledgement by the android character. Is any of this making sense?<br />
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We also have a selection of characters that are poorly introduced. The original Alien is a master-class in the introduction of varied and distinct characters, partly through script, partly through direction and editing and partly through excellent actors. Prometheus manages this with a small handful of the characters, while leaving others practically skimmed over but later used in such a way as to imply we should have known and cared for them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuE6tyhGVQ8FhaTd5_5l41jOEEor8CSmctDKvPylNBZw4x7nGMDzpx4ez2GPlRtjtJOFAwcHex2lUujswaa2vaFIYDN9kzK4uvdDczQS1sU7TwtnMr-WdEBVsDoXsuzGDR0g57aWWnGOcK/s1600/blog_prom_pic3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuE6tyhGVQ8FhaTd5_5l41jOEEor8CSmctDKvPylNBZw4x7nGMDzpx4ez2GPlRtjtJOFAwcHex2lUujswaa2vaFIYDN9kzK4uvdDczQS1sU7TwtnMr-WdEBVsDoXsuzGDR0g57aWWnGOcK/s320/blog_prom_pic3.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>Meanwhile the most interesting character in the whole film (with the possible exception of the android), is wasted. Meredith Vickers, played by Charlize Theron (Aeon Flux, Snow White and the Huntsman), is kept alive until the final reel where you hope something will happen, and then simply disposed of in an all-too-convenient way without any purpose. In fact there are a few elements like that in the film. Things with potential, that are just conveniently forgotten or discarded.<br />
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What is good, you may ask? As always, Ridley Scott can produce the most visually impressive films. There is little doubting that Prometheus looks superb, even if some of that is due to the ideas and designs that go all the way back to Alien. The soundtrack is also quite enjoyable, though I can't say particularly memorable. Ridley clearly wanted to distance himself from the 'horror movie/haunted house' feel of the original Alien soundtrack. In fact this distancing is a 'theme', if you can call it that, throughout the film. It does not have the expected trademark 'darkness' you would expect it to easily have. He has not tried to create a straight forward horror film atmosphere, which goes some way to making the film feel atmospherically less predictable than it unfortunately ends up being.<br />
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The overall themes and ideas involved are what save the film from being a complete mess. The somewhat unresolved mystery of the 'spacejockey' creatures (as the mummified spacecraft pilot of the original film came to be known) keeps things interesting. Enough is revealed (or at least confirmed for fans) to keep it satisfying, whilst keeping and even introducing new mysteries. The ending for the lead character Elizabeth Shaw, played by Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), is sufficiently different and fun (even if her character is one of the least interesting), whilst the very end sets up a nice lead into the original film, albeit perhaps being a little too on-the-nose.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitA3-m-0hQVCZWpe4CrISFadxVsgVp9oyvhxD-pk6kzxx0Hq9Y-cSxKV-3hP_O5ax9aRavcAKgTsKPgOQrkgkwBrUZYkr4GlRtYXDTs3LudKHAYsTxOVlucbyjrmUWf3nAvU8yfN10VoNI/s1600/blog_prom_pic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitA3-m-0hQVCZWpe4CrISFadxVsgVp9oyvhxD-pk6kzxx0Hq9Y-cSxKV-3hP_O5ax9aRavcAKgTsKPgOQrkgkwBrUZYkr4GlRtYXDTs3LudKHAYsTxOVlucbyjrmUWf3nAvU8yfN10VoNI/s320/blog_prom_pic1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>If I was only thinking of the themes and general ideas in the story, I would say this was an excellent prequel to Alien. It's just a shame that it was let down by the otherwise more conventional aspects of the story that Ridley Scott has himself done so much better in the past. <br />
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Be prepared... For many, my next few comments will verge on sacrilegious. Oddly enough, the film's general themes have a lot in common with the much derided first Aliens versus Predator film. While Prometheus has a much more serious and refined feel, it surprisingly doesn't succeed as well in some areas. For example, Prometheus obligatory powerful billionaire character is in fact more stereotypical and less interesting than his own presumed ancestor in AVP. Likewise, while itself flawed in places, AVP suffers from fewer occasions of 'stupid person does stupid thing' to move the plot along. It's difficult to admit, but I think AVP also did a better job of introducing its characters and making us care about them. <br />
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I think Prometheus can be boiled down to three levels. Firstly, the main themes and ideas, secondly the overall script and characters, and lastly the visual feel, from the production design to the direction. The production design and direction are superb, at the top level. The main themes and ideas are excellent if not especially original or expanded. The script and characters veer between good to downright badly thought out, saved only by excellent actors and direction. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtp7QZGh2HQSCFVdU-Ajr440hUbtFSsOdFnrDY9wNQfTrwWw52YTIF6cPrdsRs6P4B6Ea7dT7XagiuRvWUxopHMoardIPA7pbOV5CQAk7dBacykrkc5P8olYJLKUv4TTRtZzCNi31ACF9H/s1600/blog_prom_pic5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtp7QZGh2HQSCFVdU-Ajr440hUbtFSsOdFnrDY9wNQfTrwWw52YTIF6cPrdsRs6P4B6Ea7dT7XagiuRvWUxopHMoardIPA7pbOV5CQAk7dBacykrkc5P8olYJLKUv4TTRtZzCNi31ACF9H/s320/blog_prom_pic5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>If I could sum up the whole film in one word, it would be 'frustrating'. What makes it so frustrating, is that the weaker parts were those that so easily should have been right, while the elements that could have easily gone wrong were actually quite successful. It could have been a great film and is instead more of a fascinating failure.<br />
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I'm still giving it a relatively high mark, because even as somewhat of a failure, Prometheus is an excellent film in comparison to most. It works on most levels, has some wonderful and thought provoking ideas (even if only in relation to its own universe), and looks superb. It's just a shame it fell flat with so many of the basics.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjr2SZPfKllWDF3aw3Jo5v2_NR-s1j6U4VxyCvt7157bfj3mYzp0zviN0h1OiwAtad7u6TWCVRhGj7ZSvnsP50k3FeOvI8ZLu7vfFLc3epKdWzddkLymQlQlPaihVnPprPyMMnJ35Zi0q/s1600/duncansguide_stars_7point5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjr2SZPfKllWDF3aw3Jo5v2_NR-s1j6U4VxyCvt7157bfj3mYzp0zviN0h1OiwAtad7u6TWCVRhGj7ZSvnsP50k3FeOvI8ZLu7vfFLc3epKdWzddkLymQlQlPaihVnPprPyMMnJ35Zi0q/s1600/duncansguide_stars_7point5.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">7.5/10</span></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-63804617148318633752012-05-03T15:53:00.003-07:002012-05-04T02:32:05.027-07:00Digital Art - "Rocket Girl"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwpkF0Yaxs0dP3ZzeNhyphenhyphen6fYWc17FAYFNDgT6atBG4T3L7GjS0dioc-DM5aqUtq4NpUOVF7nZQJacRsfJnJk2n1WDjBsWKiRgElASI6OBwd_SDU_KOBPkxmxfTsKyAHQYxRsh5u4YbTUg6/s1600/rocketgirl_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwpkF0Yaxs0dP3ZzeNhyphenhyphen6fYWc17FAYFNDgT6atBG4T3L7GjS0dioc-DM5aqUtq4NpUOVF7nZQJacRsfJnJk2n1WDjBsWKiRgElASI6OBwd_SDU_KOBPkxmxfTsKyAHQYxRsh5u4YbTUg6/s320/rocketgirl_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioj49a_k9gSERAphi5J_k2mLuEgFd7zA_h9XuTfvKG9IVILB9zklOYqXdmltklvStiEb292HH7cWNpfjtKiF6pmwkk6bCaV4pZOM0t9tlDkrGbl1tdm7VCz1CvrCk5LIVdhFoKJm1Ly2DX/s1600/rocketgirl_ifx_wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioj49a_k9gSERAphi5J_k2mLuEgFd7zA_h9XuTfvKG9IVILB9zklOYqXdmltklvStiEb292HH7cWNpfjtKiF6pmwkk6bCaV4pZOM0t9tlDkrGbl1tdm7VCz1CvrCk5LIVdhFoKJm1Ly2DX/s200/rocketgirl_ifx_wip1.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Initial digital sketch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This is another of my entries for the <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX magazine</a> forum weekly competition. I did this quite a few weeks ago, but have neglected to upload here to my blog, so I thought it was about time I did. And for those interested, this will be my 100th blog post!<br />
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Title: <i>"Rocketgirl Rita - a 50s' Sci-fi pinup"</i><br />
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Description: <i>"Rocketgirl Rita is a 50's pin up - she is renowned for being THE ultimate Sci-fi pin up"</i><br />
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Brief: <i>"Depict Rita in all her 50's sci-fi glory - include as many cliche's as you wish!"<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspgHZTLPuLotbER-UAU5aDAtvmQvqeGxIkqc812rbmEmcj7EyRd51wAsM0LpR1Dn2GrtMOPeOePlaMk-JwFeEp5DbgERZRVYeim7sfJssVh1fAXi3ofubWJFoJ6tj-ZqxYaNilIqUfchE/s1600/rocketgirl_ifx_wip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspgHZTLPuLotbER-UAU5aDAtvmQvqeGxIkqc812rbmEmcj7EyRd51wAsM0LpR1Dn2GrtMOPeOePlaMk-JwFeEp5DbgERZRVYeim7sfJssVh1fAXi3ofubWJFoJ6tj-ZqxYaNilIqUfchE/s200/rocketgirl_ifx_wip2.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Refined line drawing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This painting was done completely in Photoshop, with no scanned pencil sketches or similar. I started off with the idea of having four separate mini paintings of the character in various action poses, one in each corner, but unfortunately I realised I didn't have time.<br />
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The painting was completed over two evenings, firstly on the initial sketch and refining that to a sharp line drawing, and then adding colour and shading. When it came to painting the character, I used soft round brushes for speed, as they blend easily. Normally I avoid using them, because they tend to give digital paintings a cheap 'artificial' look, but I decided to risk it for the speed advantage.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGha9IP6mglQGcWULIq_i39k7TGD3-M4OC0zF2nINt4XMslvY-_NZv73_Xg7MKnGG1Z-aWSI8lmiRn0ZqSiW_fnw8r4YOnFwzOMBmtuzlzge15qcakOeiPXA7YYJKUiQ5QyYjqaqyIG6S9/s1600/rocketgirl_ifx_wip3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGha9IP6mglQGcWULIq_i39k7TGD3-M4OC0zF2nINt4XMslvY-_NZv73_Xg7MKnGG1Z-aWSI8lmiRn0ZqSiW_fnw8r4YOnFwzOMBmtuzlzge15qcakOeiPXA7YYJKUiQ5QyYjqaqyIG6S9/s200/rocketgirl_ifx_wip3.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With flat colour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>To mitigate this, I used textures to break up the artificial 'smoothness' of the character's skin and clothing. In order to really push the old poster feel, I also utilised a folded paper texture I had created some time ago for another painting (The WWII Power Suits, for those interested).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlfLDB4TfCi5kL6L636QcL9TBxfpIfdaLIUrufumk_xXBqtByPeGAeX7YB7V3NcvwUzfKOq7W_5x3IXbJ42RRbDnMg2KXvaDIh_BXlak1mj65duuxSr1ZKGAANJrFAEY1EQVBmBWTWI2p/s1600/rocketgirl_ifx_wip4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlfLDB4TfCi5kL6L636QcL9TBxfpIfdaLIUrufumk_xXBqtByPeGAeX7YB7V3NcvwUzfKOq7W_5x3IXbJ42RRbDnMg2KXvaDIh_BXlak1mj65duuxSr1ZKGAANJrFAEY1EQVBmBWTWI2p/s200/rocketgirl_ifx_wip4.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With initial shading</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlfLDB4TfCi5kL6L636QcL9TBxfpIfdaLIUrufumk_xXBqtByPeGAeX7YB7V3NcvwUzfKOq7W_5x3IXbJ42RRbDnMg2KXvaDIh_BXlak1mj65duuxSr1ZKGAANJrFAEY1EQVBmBWTWI2p/s1600/rocketgirl_ifx_wip4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlfLDB4TfCi5kL6L636QcL9TBxfpIfdaLIUrufumk_xXBqtByPeGAeX7YB7V3NcvwUzfKOq7W_5x3IXbJ42RRbDnMg2KXvaDIh_BXlak1mj65duuxSr1ZKGAANJrFAEY1EQVBmBWTWI2p/s1600/rocketgirl_ifx_wip4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a>This final version is slightly modified from the final I did for the competition, as afterwards I decided to modify a few elements. Namely, instead of keeping a texture on the 'moon', I left it with flat colour, to help the character stand out. Other than that, I merely touched up a few colours and minor details.<br />
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I was fairly satisfied with the final painting, considering how quickly it was done, and I hope you enjoy it too!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUOXhTWBA4NLx368y2BDEhmQ0rwYQNlAIG7FJPy6fL8QsR-R7aZrZ36vfz__InkSHgzNTcvgcQZq0Zed-A16YjNh3Zk6sVfK89d4y56_herkl31WGJcN2Ind_Mhxvjhodj0VbkSZBjt-t/s1600/rocketgirl_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUOXhTWBA4NLx368y2BDEhmQ0rwYQNlAIG7FJPy6fL8QsR-R7aZrZ36vfz__InkSHgzNTcvgcQZq0Zed-A16YjNh3Zk6sVfK89d4y56_herkl31WGJcN2Ind_Mhxvjhodj0VbkSZBjt-t/s320/rocketgirl_final.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-15895146183588253332012-03-31T14:22:00.000-07:002012-03-31T14:22:32.301-07:00The Thing (Prequel - 2011) - Home Cinema Review (6.5/10)<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><b>Hey, Sweden!</b></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YYr8-erIL9nkNX9TMsbNFuqwWxHlxQFas4G2ZmKjjt3btIjxj1Cq2PQeYc68NEGeXft3-b8SfhoyPrpeXJW7m9_9Z8Kcl8HRce0xJuxrn9xE46qx_-xJT2bhn_oCB5SNY74t-g7JRCkZ/s1600/blog_the_thing_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YYr8-erIL9nkNX9TMsbNFuqwWxHlxQFas4G2ZmKjjt3btIjxj1Cq2PQeYc68NEGeXft3-b8SfhoyPrpeXJW7m9_9Z8Kcl8HRce0xJuxrn9xE46qx_-xJT2bhn_oCB5SNY74t-g7JRCkZ/s200/blog_the_thing_poster.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>Although the name has been left confusingly the same, this 2011 version of 'The Thing' is in fact a 'prequel' to the 1982 film 'The Thing'. Firstly, I'll state that I'm a big fan of the original. In fact, it's high in my top ten films of all time, equal to 'Alien'. When I first heard they were creating a prequel, I'll admit I was disappointed they weren't giving John Carpenter (Director of the original) a chance to create the sequel he'd always wanted to, but I wasn't averse to the idea of a prequel either.<br />
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Both films are set in 1982, Antarctica. A Norwegian research base has discovered an ancient spacecraft buried deep under the ice for as long as 100,000 years, along with the corpse of a creature that froze to death trying to escape the wreckage. They make the mistake of digging it up...<br />
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In the original film, the events at the Norwegian camp serve as off-screen back story. They enhance the mystery because the main characters see the results of what happened, without yet knowing why. The prequel tells the tale from the Norwegian camp, leading up to the original film.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZa4NqY3dKd3j_Rmh9bDoFBXt55qMk5Bml49bzDRdRShPNDK4cRRY-9m3A3J646MzzjxIipPrP-iL8RamPZUe7AYS4wvo2THeXK46pkKVdsO2YWzt_1nqWgES5tYcJ_hMAaVPvjUez7cR/s1600/blog_the_thing_autopsy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZa4NqY3dKd3j_Rmh9bDoFBXt55qMk5Bml49bzDRdRShPNDK4cRRY-9m3A3J646MzzjxIipPrP-iL8RamPZUe7AYS4wvo2THeXK46pkKVdsO2YWzt_1nqWgES5tYcJ_hMAaVPvjUez7cR/s320/blog_the_thing_autopsy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Setting aside plot holes and contradictions and general film flaws for a moment, I found the biggest problem with the prequel is that it adds almost nothing to the story. Prequels by definition aren't necessary (since whatever story they're linked to obviously functioned before their existence), but if you're going to make them, you may as well truly add to the world they exist in. Regardless of what you think of the 'Star Wars' prequels, for example, there's no denying they add to the mythology of that universe. 'The Thing' is clearly not set in such an expansive realm, but there is more than enough room to grow the story. This film commits the sin of having that opportunity and not taking it. The only 'new' element is an interesting alternative to the 'blood test' scene from the original film. We do see inside the alien craft this time, but it is done in such a way as to add no information for the viewer, thus rendering it fun but pointless. <br />
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So what about the film in general? The acting is actually good. Unfortunately the script and direction gives the cast little to work with. The original film takes a team of several men, and over the course of the film each has a distinct and individual personality, partly through script, partly through direction, partly through picking a range of wonderful character actors. The prequel fails by not defining any of them in detail. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIzLuWhw_roFLFUV4jVoWnU_MFnNy6SihdytuNWN9swobFIbUrpy2hFmo35U9CZGXV2LAiKxdOWBoxS6vPrVKiaz15Oh5JsSpFaOc_rqWmHyQqm30xbCgsHoV4dEEDmqmjNcMQqX91hX9/s1600/blog_the_thing_winstead1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIzLuWhw_roFLFUV4jVoWnU_MFnNy6SihdytuNWN9swobFIbUrpy2hFmo35U9CZGXV2LAiKxdOWBoxS6vPrVKiaz15Oh5JsSpFaOc_rqWmHyQqm30xbCgsHoV4dEEDmqmjNcMQqX91hX9/s320/blog_the_thing_winstead1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The lead character, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Die Hard 4.0, Final Destination 3) fares the best, but what little definition her character has, can be attributed to her acting and not the script. The film jumps into the 'horror' side of the story far too quickly, cutting out time to establish the other characters, with the possible exception of the lead scientist who plays a part reminiscent of his parallel in the first B&W version of the story, 'The Thing from Another World'.<br />
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All-in-all it feels like a film on fast forward. It lacks the atmosphere or tension of the original film precisely because it does not spend time setting up the horror moments. Instead they just 'happen', and we are expected to be scared because of 'gory creature'. The original film worked so well, because it was really about the fear of isolation and the paranoia of not knowing who you could trust. The horror, superb as it was, merely emphasised this. The prequel is robbed of any such moments. You never feel isolated and lonely, and you never have time to join the characters in worrying who is a creature and who isn't, before the next one is revealed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBP-jWJZWXAzYyrihcrCd3f81cCpVfpgABpvL0TzIY9BTuzog3DNV8zP68UYzx1cFzdfsQR_nimE5WTSzUOexMkU6H_8tRxxpNEfRbZlNGiDDjKEdN2M2Rwekuofhs29PO8mk05wzzYalM/s1600/blog_the_thing_pic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBP-jWJZWXAzYyrihcrCd3f81cCpVfpgABpvL0TzIY9BTuzog3DNV8zP68UYzx1cFzdfsQR_nimE5WTSzUOexMkU6H_8tRxxpNEfRbZlNGiDDjKEdN2M2Rwekuofhs29PO8mk05wzzYalM/s320/blog_the_thing_pic1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The story never seems to know whether it wants to be a prequel, a homage or a remake. Sometimes things are introduced as if we should have the prior knowledge of the original (which alienates new viewers). Other moments are directly copied from the original in such a way as to imply a remake. <br />
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As for the creature effects themselves, we have another problem. The original is seen as a landmark in practical horror effects, that stand the test of time. They are beautiful and repulsive, created practically and filmed on-set. For the most part they feel utterly real, and even when they aren't perfect (though pretty damn close), they still work because the things were actual physical props dripping in fluids and tearing apart in front of our eyes. <br />
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The new film instead uses CGI effects, which while excellently done, stand out as CGI effects. This isn't a fault of the budget or the people who created them, it's simply a problem with modern CGI. It can do a great many things, but it still cannot recreate blood and gore and flesh as effectively as traditional effects. As a result, the creatures are never actually creepy or unnerving because the feeling in our gut tells us they aren't really there. It seems strange to think that in another twenty or thirty years, people will watch the original film and still feel that sick revulsion in their stomach at the realistic horror of the beast's transformations, while the modern big-budget film will look terribly fake.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKeuIpoPtTQDbvCVPOcDmyNmJ9qerUAArVOtiq5qKPbrJZYHimgHo4Q9DQBLs_VUjH0AbzzPOdfujGqfX7oNbq3CLs_XNxAp0M63KthKG-pV83z6bBHitYDnE55L9FQn6PY_JRroQz32z/s1600/blog_the_thing_autopsy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKeuIpoPtTQDbvCVPOcDmyNmJ9qerUAArVOtiq5qKPbrJZYHimgHo4Q9DQBLs_VUjH0AbzzPOdfujGqfX7oNbq3CLs_XNxAp0M63KthKG-pV83z6bBHitYDnE55L9FQn6PY_JRroQz32z/s320/blog_the_thing_autopsy2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Strangely enough, the sound is also a problem on the prequel. The original had screaming creature sounds that genuinely sent a shiver down the spine. The new film could have used the same sounds, but, apart from the occasional use, resorts to creating new ones that simply aren't as effective. <br />
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The musical soundtrack is also a disappointment. It's not bad, having been composed by Marco Beltrami, veteran of many a good film soundtrack (including a lot of horror films). Unfortunately the original film once again had an iconic and incredibly atmospheric score by veteran composer Ennio Morricone (Heavily influenced by the film's director, John Carpenter, who often creates his own scores), that Beltrami never matches. I don't like to criticise Beltrami, because I like a great deal of his other soundtracks, but I suspect he was told to create something different for the film, rather than emulate the original. It's just a shame that by doing so, it lacks the sombre and moody atmosphere it could have had. <br />
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Then we come to the continuity. This really is a head-scratcher. On the one hand we have a film that appears to go out of its way to carefully link itself to the original. For example, when the characters visit the burnt-out Norwegian camp in the original film, they find bodies and items in the camp that the prequel goes to great bother setting up. Then we have an absurd and glaring plot-hole. (Please stop reading if you want to avoid spoilers). The creature at the end of the prequel, escapes to the buried spaceship and by starting the engines, melts the ice above it. This creates two problems. One, the first film establishes with video footage that the Norwegian crew used Thermite charges to melt the ice above the buried craft, and reveal its surface. Two, if the crashed ship was still capable of flight, why did the creature not race to it earlier and why did it even leave the craft 100,000 years ago to freeze in the ice, instead of just taking off again? It makes no sense, especially in light of the efforts made to match continuity in other areas.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6KT_8WsI3XEzQGwZILZkP3PjroXaIRHViebWdp3EvOnmiYVSeUBgsvACXYjFjw9FT9YnV78s7rM6dlwkRjlwXL5xbcwv9y75AskzWwYiIUTUMMMkqNkZO7fWHPuCsOH0i4AVTkdyQkhq/s1600/blog_the_thing_twoface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj6KT_8WsI3XEzQGwZILZkP3PjroXaIRHViebWdp3EvOnmiYVSeUBgsvACXYjFjw9FT9YnV78s7rM6dlwkRjlwXL5xbcwv9y75AskzWwYiIUTUMMMkqNkZO7fWHPuCsOH0i4AVTkdyQkhq/s320/blog_the_thing_twoface.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Finally, I shall comment on the direction. John Carpenter, director of the original film, had an unmistakeable style that suited the building of tension and atmosphere, having already made classic films such as the original 'Halloween' and 'Escape from New York'. The prequel, while functional, never gives us anything that stands out. There are moments in the original where just the composition of a shot can create a wonderful sense of foreboding, or character, or story. This new film seems to suffer from a problem symptomatic of many recent movies, where the directors and/or editors appear afraid to linger on any one shot. Unfortunately it is usually such carefully composed shots that create tangible atmosphere.<br />
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I've spent a lot of time outlining the problems with the film, so it may come as a surprise when I say I didn't hate it. In comparison to many recent horror movies it is surprisingly not bad, and even quite effective during its middle portion, between a rushed beginning and a muddled finale. Its problems occur when compared to the original, which still towers far above it. The new film has many, many problems, but when taken on its own, it is an enjoyable enough experience. Over all, I think it is not unlike 'Predators'. A film that takes so many of its best moments from its progenitor but adds so little, that it becomes ultimately pointless. It serves simply as a reminder of how great the original was and makes you want to go back and watch that. It's a shame, as it could have been so much more.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9-zfjOKb8S_cmr3YFqNSI3eIXnKbWHuFn_hqE64QUiqmBArlTGEqOJiSm_hio-ZTyeNCnhVLlXd4WEs6Dw6JUskvS1qhs_RN1n-HsrMrItWY82RB6hhgG1MVfVS8T8mwxor7ZP8Gx8-X/s1600/duncansguide_stars_6point5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9-zfjOKb8S_cmr3YFqNSI3eIXnKbWHuFn_hqE64QUiqmBArlTGEqOJiSm_hio-ZTyeNCnhVLlXd4WEs6Dw6JUskvS1qhs_RN1n-HsrMrItWY82RB6hhgG1MVfVS8T8mwxor7ZP8Gx8-X/s1600/duncansguide_stars_6point5.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6.5/10</span></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-83710375794491139752012-03-16T10:03:00.000-07:002012-03-16T10:03:00.123-07:00Digital Art - "Waking Mars" and "Pendragon"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06YRAL4jncSmBAthi0K-0UkC8j4YzukvNwN4XONBwF1srwaVT1_QUHyZMd3lyfyhm9puGgx4HaN8XGxLXqVtdABypeUKpjIdUg57RACAWJv1c13MVl_4jH7w9Kt9S7QKCY7_UNbTKtdQa/s1600/mars_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06YRAL4jncSmBAthi0K-0UkC8j4YzukvNwN4XONBwF1srwaVT1_QUHyZMd3lyfyhm9puGgx4HaN8XGxLXqVtdABypeUKpjIdUg57RACAWJv1c13MVl_4jH7w9Kt9S7QKCY7_UNbTKtdQa/s400/mars_banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I thought it was about time I added a bit more artwork, and although these two piece are at least a good few weeks old now, I realised I hand't posted them, so here goes...<br />
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As usual, these were entries for the <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX magazine</a> forum weekly competition.<br />
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<b style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;">Waking Mars</span></i></b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KKfOI0rcr7Hr0iZ-R8mtClNww4g0a2pZdD9wg71X_4CBTJTNgE94TvHOMe9w9oXCV_NinDjtx06TRGH0mt-7j879q9nM3XfJnW2KYFZ9igYPiRgR-P8Y6oi1Wk0wIQbZLZp9CI0i0qPG/s1600/ifx_mars_wip_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KKfOI0rcr7Hr0iZ-R8mtClNww4g0a2pZdD9wg71X_4CBTJTNgE94TvHOMe9w9oXCV_NinDjtx06TRGH0mt-7j879q9nM3XfJnW2KYFZ9igYPiRgR-P8Y6oi1Wk0wIQbZLZp9CI0i0qPG/s200/ifx_mars_wip_1.jpg" width="139" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Work In Progress' illustration 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Title: <i>"Waking Mars"</i><br />
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Description: <i>"The year is 2050 and man is exploring the caverns on Mars. The expedition is run by The United Earth organisation who has spent billions on attaining the rights to any resources in this sector. During a routine mapping expedition, one of their survey teams stumbles across something unexpected. An hibernating dragon - now awakened by their presence, it is hungry and deadly."</i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGT9B015WyZ08PEfQC4MRLau6IdQzbEsD8xKFC4Mp5GTuG-Nve21H4TwGv8e1iACAV8u7psHlpONuNLKC6DKdZw2UFHH-s4s7lic_C4eleinHqn8G2czeDfZHfzAELROqkuzIGRaPz28X/s1600/ifx_mars_wip_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGT9B015WyZ08PEfQC4MRLau6IdQzbEsD8xKFC4Mp5GTuG-Nve21H4TwGv8e1iACAV8u7psHlpONuNLKC6DKdZw2UFHH-s4s7lic_C4eleinHqn8G2czeDfZHfzAELROqkuzIGRaPz28X/s200/ifx_mars_wip_2.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Work In Progress' illustration 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Brief: <i>"Create a Movie Poster for "Waking Mars" which displays the moment of discovery/awakening. Both dragon and human(s) need to be included in the composition, as well as the United Earth branding/logo."</i><br />
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I didn't leave myself enough time to finish this one properly for the competition, however, below you will see my final refined version.<br />
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In order to create it quickly, I drew it traditionally in pencil, then went over in ink and marker. Once scanned, I coloured it in Photoshop and added plenty of textures to bring it to life.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbL60cawT_hN6gPM6inUwROrg__e1pKmFMXy6E_gWSjHFH2OkHafrmnypbhz15hUM-qzw6hkNB-mEY4iNDlQBSaHytp144xWGo73V_Y-sKLQ1OUMMp-zfYsRkq0TfJxclbuciq7Y1gnVN/s1600/waking_mars_final(small).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbL60cawT_hN6gPM6inUwROrg__e1pKmFMXy6E_gWSjHFH2OkHafrmnypbhz15hUM-qzw6hkNB-mEY4iNDlQBSaHytp144xWGo73V_Y-sKLQ1OUMMp-zfYsRkq0TfJxclbuciq7Y1gnVN/s320/waking_mars_final(small).jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Waking Mars' Final</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I also wanted to give it an old movie poster feel, so as you will see, I've overlaid one of my own paper textures (if you remember the WWII Power Suit competition, you'll see when I originally created a few). The paper texture is all creased and folded and helps to give it the look as if it's been left in a drawer for a few years. <br />
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It's far from perfect, but it was a good experiment at how you can use colour, texture and light along with a few other little tricks, to bring life to something that was really quite quick and rough.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><i><b>Pendragon</b></i></span></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmftfO0mlir_4p05hl1S-MDe-sPAQyKlK9PiPJ1OQ2H-HiZY0mLe4lJqkUz7umvDtH3bu2Tj29dVleP1WNlbWE5LPMpo2wG3C-5Y3zWCKo_Z9ZQd-OLZCzvBuA33PtP3RM9YuVxmP25V6-/s1600/ifx_pendragon_wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmftfO0mlir_4p05hl1S-MDe-sPAQyKlK9PiPJ1OQ2H-HiZY0mLe4lJqkUz7umvDtH3bu2Tj29dVleP1WNlbWE5LPMpo2wG3C-5Y3zWCKo_Z9ZQd-OLZCzvBuA33PtP3RM9YuVxmP25V6-/s200/ifx_pendragon_wip1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Work In Progress' illustration 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Next we have: <i>"The Pendragon Castle of Camelot"</i><br />
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Description: <i>"Depict a Pendragon Castle of Camelot."</i><br />
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Brief: <i>"The castle can be anything from Fantasy style to historically accurate Roman constructions."</i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaLK48oW9tPKgvUGUiqTBdMaa0PFrbJRyB4aNTp260Jm8fGJ7bioPjxF2PenTcTL_JB7EVdHRBEcFWjsMxxmU_q7ErSR29Dc4OUJj404jynSz3yRoPn6GqUNbwdm2KsU2HS_ttS2fEcoc/s1600/ifx_pendragon_wip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaLK48oW9tPKgvUGUiqTBdMaa0PFrbJRyB4aNTp260Jm8fGJ7bioPjxF2PenTcTL_JB7EVdHRBEcFWjsMxxmU_q7ErSR29Dc4OUJj404jynSz3yRoPn6GqUNbwdm2KsU2HS_ttS2fEcoc/s200/ifx_pendragon_wip2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Work In Progress' illustration 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This one was created purely in Photoshop. No scanned drawings, only a couple of quick pencil sketches to get the layout straight in my head. I also wanted to experiment more with using Photoshop brushes that have a canvas texture, to see how it affected the overall look and style. <br />
<br />
It's not brilliant, and I hate how poorly the towers and city came out, but I'm quite happy with the other elements.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKpz6tTc6KniypHkvam5EfbZ6YOl1d_1WQ9SCuTyZAVLVo7SiN8lGB2-Y4E6Oq6cSxlRQWOCNcpOPoZNHivqBhzwYoueMwY1FJq5xDX75goB9BO9Sy4zHhAXJODmmMKRqMK59KAdMWeJg/s1600/pendragon_final(small).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKpz6tTc6KniypHkvam5EfbZ6YOl1d_1WQ9SCuTyZAVLVo7SiN8lGB2-Y4E6Oq6cSxlRQWOCNcpOPoZNHivqBhzwYoueMwY1FJq5xDX75goB9BO9Sy4zHhAXJODmmMKRqMK59KAdMWeJg/s320/pendragon_final(small).jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Pendragon' Final</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I hope you enjoy these two new paintings!<br />
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<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-47152669099491841522012-03-11T13:31:00.001-07:002012-03-11T14:13:57.930-07:00John Carter (2012) - Cinema Review (5/10)<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><b>What Could Have Been...</b></span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNPi4uWskHJRaaJc3fosYfhy7ktepI6l2XPehQlsCRzBvHZW1_JpILCXVsmlaVPkP2d-HSoi9tHZv8V-VxbmkKZOMD5IwNjQQBWQFubiVBu-RKRMNxsRYdKonNXItYYXOVLjulxnGhbco/s1600/jc_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNPi4uWskHJRaaJc3fosYfhy7ktepI6l2XPehQlsCRzBvHZW1_JpILCXVsmlaVPkP2d-HSoi9tHZv8V-VxbmkKZOMD5IwNjQQBWQFubiVBu-RKRMNxsRYdKonNXItYYXOVLjulxnGhbco/s200/jc_poster.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Where do I start? I have one major disadvantage in writing a review of <a href="http://www.disney.co.uk/john-carter/?ex_cmp=sem_g_uk:movies:jcm:00005:1211" target="_blank">'John Carter'</a>. I'm biased. 'John Carter' is based on the first of my favourite series of books, the 'Martian Tales' written by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Rice_Burroughs" target="_blank">Edgar Rice Burroughs</a> (Who is probably most famous for being the original author of Tarzan). The first book is called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Princess_of_Mars" target="_blank">'A Princess of Mars'</a> (First published as 'Under the Moons of Mars' in 1912). </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The wonderful thing about Burroughs' 'Martian Tales', is that although never before put to film, they have probably had far more influence on science fiction literature and cinema than anyone realises. Many of the greatest science fiction writers of the last century quote Burroughs' as a great inspiration, from Ray Bradbury to Arthur C. Clarke. A number of the most successful science fiction directors also cite them as major influence on their work, from George Lucas with the 'Star Wars' movies to James Cameron with 'Avatar'. 'Star Wars' especially stands out. Tatooine is where you can feel the most clear influences, alongside Geonosis in Attack of the Clones, with it's deadly amphitheatre games and wild creatures.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdf8r9dsRtx2ppDYQyDmRVel5NlUMTOwa3T7qvvmIJKIKSFdkTm9MaxSggLLC1dVA7_1pdgPEuIV936iaSS2Qhq9bIvwGc7fl3pkIiAObbzqF5K6TIPvfSl-g1dgeWKtTUnf0IitVDeLai/s1600/john-carter-movie-still08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdf8r9dsRtx2ppDYQyDmRVel5NlUMTOwa3T7qvvmIJKIKSFdkTm9MaxSggLLC1dVA7_1pdgPEuIV936iaSS2Qhq9bIvwGc7fl3pkIiAObbzqF5K6TIPvfSl-g1dgeWKtTUnf0IitVDeLai/s320/john-carter-movie-still08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Having recently re-read the first three books, I can honestly say they have aged wonderfully. His writing style may not stand up to critical analysis, but which is more important, that people enjoy reading his stories or that critics can't pick any holes? I have seen interviews with teenage readers who have been shocked at how modern and exciting the books are in comparison to other famous novels half their age.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Personally, I always felt Burroughs' writing had a lyrical flow, almost poetic. It may be a hundred years old, but it is as easy and enjoyable to read as any modern book. They crack along at an incredible pace, full of adventure, excitement, romance and outlandish wonderful imagination. There are eleven Mars books overall.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">To get back to the film... Book adaptations are always a tricky thing. Film and literature are two different mediums that require different methods to tell a story. I don't think anybody would expect a film maker to slavishly reproduce the exact story of a book whilst turning it into a film. On the other hand, change too much and you cease to be making a true adaptation. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmEjhI9jggcfSq7fTbc8GhpUENFOrZvJWu0WWExvwS675ct-DYe5MsPy2IWHnZanoXkblnseyDmx4LiJwMxLZkaxxKE35-odg_V8OlqN_FLerbl4NTP8fGId4YiL9CoQqF8Qsm0i1Dhet/s1600/john-carter-wdp01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmEjhI9jggcfSq7fTbc8GhpUENFOrZvJWu0WWExvwS675ct-DYe5MsPy2IWHnZanoXkblnseyDmx4LiJwMxLZkaxxKE35-odg_V8OlqN_FLerbl4NTP8fGId4YiL9CoQqF8Qsm0i1Dhet/s320/john-carter-wdp01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Where does 'John Carter' stand? Personally, I found it an extremely loose adaptation and an otherwise mixed bag. Names of characters and places are the same, many individual scenes have their origins in the books, and the creatures and overall world are reasonably accurate. Unfortunately it sort of ends there. The story has been changed so much with Hollywood clichés that it only vaguely resembles the general thrust of the original novel. If you boil them both down to “Boy travels to alien world, boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy fights to save girl from forced marriage to evil villain.”, then yes, they do have the same overall plot. Go beyond that, and things start to systematically fall apart.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The worst of all, is the complete loss of the characters themselves. Names and general background may be the same, but they are otherwise often different. John Carter himself is utterly changed. In the novel, he is an individual clearly searching for meaning and purpose, never quite at home on Earth. When he ends up on Mars (Or Barsoom, depending on your preference), it is as though destiny has taken a hand. You always feel he and the Princess of the title (Dejah Thoris) were always <i>meant</i> to be together and that Barsoom is his true home even if not his literal one.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVzvXfUKazhq1DhXisNFWZng0B1H1RdbQ0K9V_V1qxsYGiMskseqZzolTa9yd4Xji3h3uovH6SlYuCTWng_EIg7T-sZpRDFwtLi_k0EYMsWrvUZcPdyNds4GV1y6hwrCUO57GbMoBUR41/s1600/John_Carter_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVzvXfUKazhq1DhXisNFWZng0B1H1RdbQ0K9V_V1qxsYGiMskseqZzolTa9yd4Xji3h3uovH6SlYuCTWng_EIg7T-sZpRDFwtLi_k0EYMsWrvUZcPdyNds4GV1y6hwrCUO57GbMoBUR41/s200/John_Carter_01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Carter is also a hero who loves the thrill of battle. Not that he goes out of his way to find it, but he does not shy from it either. If he must rush into battle to save the ones he loves or to fight for his principles, then he will wholeheartedly jump in against impossible odds. He is an ex-soldier of clear-cut principle and nothing will stop him rescuing his one true love.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">John Carter of the film is a different creature altogether. He has become a cliché of the modern film world. The ex-soldier who has lost his family in some unknown tragedy and become cynical about life and humanity and fights for no-one. These are attempts to shoe-horn in some unnecessary 'emotional' back story, but in the process lose the core of the character. Give him a tragic past romance to overcome and you undermine the depth of the 'always meant for each other' romance. Give him a cynical lack of desire to fight for anything and you lose the sense of heroic and noble selflessness.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47_Qlbmu-An1T9Psw_BBZ5BwpJUHei_X3k4LDD9hOPxmQ-po5l_tNP8qkg7rFoQaOYi075FLNMq-sTiLClFx10lWUKkUk-TdgATIbPhAwoXY2iQEDbtlppzo_uK-_WE1Lh6UuqAp1lW7_/s1600/John_Carter_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47_Qlbmu-An1T9Psw_BBZ5BwpJUHei_X3k4LDD9hOPxmQ-po5l_tNP8qkg7rFoQaOYi075FLNMq-sTiLClFx10lWUKkUk-TdgATIbPhAwoXY2iQEDbtlppzo_uK-_WE1Lh6UuqAp1lW7_/s320/John_Carter_03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The writers and producers apparently wanted to give his character more of an arc, and turn his story into one of redemption. This is the first big mistake, in my eyes. It was already, in a subtle way, a tale of renewed life. John Carter found love and purpose on Mars that he lacked on Earth, but never in so typically contrived a way. I have no problems with the type of character described for the film, often perfect for many stories, but in this case it seems like a needless tacked on extra. Not to mention, in the world of modern cinema the literary John Carter is in fact a more original and rarely used heroic character, rather than the stereotypical brooding and grudging hero.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBDkhRGQlH2t8aSD6ydkDnEzOVeRxskgnhFLUBOAHsiltN80bxjBX_0Esbb1yXpveik1Y7ld6qyKNAyfJvL8Ub-RM87AkSG_7E7h1-DKlGM4esA7mFHtuowCkwo8_1D7FDaJ9D6g183P0/s1600/john-carter-img09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBDkhRGQlH2t8aSD6ydkDnEzOVeRxskgnhFLUBOAHsiltN80bxjBX_0Esbb1yXpveik1Y7ld6qyKNAyfJvL8Ub-RM87AkSG_7E7h1-DKlGM4esA7mFHtuowCkwo8_1D7FDaJ9D6g183P0/s320/john-carter-img09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The director of 'John Carter' is Andrew Stanton, known for directing Disney's 'Finding Nemo' and 'Wall-E'. This is his first live action film, and unfortunately it shows. With real actors, you can't make the broad and general strokes that work with animation. Here things feel rushed for the action scenes, and it sorely required more time to establish the characters.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">His portrayal of the lead character is also marred by going over-the-top. Yes, John Carter was meant to be incredibly powerful and capable of jumping great heights in the books, due to the lower gravity of Mars. However, in the film these elements are taken to absurd extremes. Carter is able to practically fly and can be thrown around with barely a scratch. It stretches the story from being about an incredibly skilled but very human hero with a few advantages that save him from time to time, into a bouncing superman.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8u8aKogK7He1kx2XyxZUwtMI6xo-Jt4pD-P2kvQbJSm6jI9E5jC1ptm6dJ3nHP4UsuIxgY1UuoBo5xRGCjbFIw9kSNQInKCL6SVL-YS3O1wC0VlEHcSvBk8xtGYsfqtmA5h0VX5hyp7sx/s1600/JC_gallery_heliumcity_940x529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8u8aKogK7He1kx2XyxZUwtMI6xo-Jt4pD-P2kvQbJSm6jI9E5jC1ptm6dJ3nHP4UsuIxgY1UuoBo5xRGCjbFIw9kSNQInKCL6SVL-YS3O1wC0VlEHcSvBk8xtGYsfqtmA5h0VX5hyp7sx/s320/JC_gallery_heliumcity_940x529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Stanton is supposedly a huge fan of the novels, but you wouldn't know it from the film. He appears to be one of those film makers who believes they know better than an author who's work has been popular and loved for a hundred years. Some of his statements in interviews imply that because the novels weren't considered Pulitzer prize winning works of greatness, they are open for drastic alteration. Forget the fact that these novels have out-sold and out-lasted any number of prize winners for a hundred years, and also influenced many of the greatest science fiction authors and film makers of the past century.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I'll try and stop myself going off on a tangent about all of the alterations, suffice to say they lose much of the impact of the novels. There are two major points I will make, though. The first three books form a trilogy with two key themes. Race and Religion. These are not at the first book's core, but would become prominent if sequels were made.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMR6CUrGMgljPM8N2nj9AC9mGl4K-60T9p2G3_WvIuXhFXS5wGtpUk3C1O9oPAKFbcLj8gEpJ7cQ4k0nTxjOubtWO9PFktQNgJmJnBbNoaI0laWm61FmwxjoEqDZdxMeoFdybvfaeW1OC/s1600/Dejah-Thoris-Warrior-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMR6CUrGMgljPM8N2nj9AC9mGl4K-60T9p2G3_WvIuXhFXS5wGtpUk3C1O9oPAKFbcLj8gEpJ7cQ4k0nTxjOubtWO9PFktQNgJmJnBbNoaI0laWm61FmwxjoEqDZdxMeoFdybvfaeW1OC/s320/Dejah-Thoris-Warrior-.jpg" width="199" /></a>Stanton has changed the Red Men of Mars to people with silly red tattoos (He claims, in an era where they can do practically anything with CGI, that the red make-up was too difficult). In the books, Mars has a variety of skin colours which all have their own agendas and beliefs. The Red Men are seen by John Carter to be, in many ways, the most noble and wonderful race of humanoid Martians because they are meant to be a mixture of all colours, exemplifying the greatness of the other races combined.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
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<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVcnkSR2SlHhq15zjYMfb1qIPTjvk-ZM5FIs-RKuZuggQI5TPLHtnzlGaU8Qeb1Huok0Y-erY7uSAcu8q1kiVl0PGMXeynXZIgilbT1cqh4eTpD_bJfVeyUW7Z15AZlE8GTOCS-UfOFvw/s1600/jc_char_main_mataishang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVcnkSR2SlHhq15zjYMfb1qIPTjvk-ZM5FIs-RKuZuggQI5TPLHtnzlGaU8Qeb1Huok0Y-erY7uSAcu8q1kiVl0PGMXeynXZIgilbT1cqh4eTpD_bJfVeyUW7Z15AZlE8GTOCS-UfOFvw/s200/jc_char_main_mataishang.jpg" width="200" /></a>Then we have the Therns. The film has turned them into planet-hopping shape-shifting aliens, and as such they can no longer serve the purpose they had in the books. Not only did they contribute to the themes of race, but also religion. The Therns were worshipped by the Red Martians, but revealed by John Carter to be false gods and in fact merely another race of mortals. The changes not only negate these points, but negate another overall storyline involving a different race in the second and third books (Which is when the Therns were introduced anyway, not in book one).</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">So Stanton's changes have not only altered less important elements, but rendered the core themes either impossible or at the very least drastically limited their potential impact and meaning. As for the replacement-plot, removing the elements that were borrowed from Burroughs, it makes what should be straight forward feel contrived and vague.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIVIuxbYzs2IevIEFde0ERlKCr9_1jxZCxdvV1PlkoCIBWdfaUhGyrPMwEZl-7xdmGcamp8v6pIvCvcxZUEmNf1DGm-syOCnj0nLZDw5uStKGI4NmOep9nzpldEDFP8mgvCETio-BUw4n/s1600/2012_john_carter_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIVIuxbYzs2IevIEFde0ERlKCr9_1jxZCxdvV1PlkoCIBWdfaUhGyrPMwEZl-7xdmGcamp8v6pIvCvcxZUEmNf1DGm-syOCnj0nLZDw5uStKGI4NmOep9nzpldEDFP8mgvCETio-BUw4n/s320/2012_john_carter_005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">What, you may ask, actually works? Woola, John Carter's faithful Martian hound, is probably the closest character to the original, such as he is (Though he should look less cuddly and cute). Tars Tarkas, the leader of the Green Martians isn't too far removed. Other than that, the characters are either quite unlike their originals, or get so little screen time that they have no chance to shine anyway. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUX0GlJjmqA7PHSWJwzPBQ0pdG9UyNFH_7BesnNqVen-neqg8pKXqDINVlwWKmvKE7FxZpzc7RBMQw07aTfSF1xiSVOeSNnEwD-EVHD2IGQ8-76r6TnyHGzfntz2LotmCJpSAjR-T2Ubk/s1600/JC_gallery_tarstarkas_940x529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUX0GlJjmqA7PHSWJwzPBQ0pdG9UyNFH_7BesnNqVen-neqg8pKXqDINVlwWKmvKE7FxZpzc7RBMQw07aTfSF1xiSVOeSNnEwD-EVHD2IGQ8-76r6TnyHGzfntz2LotmCJpSAjR-T2Ubk/s200/JC_gallery_tarstarkas_940x529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Parts of the opening scenes, such as Edgar Rice Burroughs reading his uncle's journal and John Carter discovering the Thark (the Green Martians) hatchery are extremely good, and give a real inkling of how the film could have been.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The design work is excellent in places, often visually at least capturing the correct atmosphere. The acting is for the most part quite good, although the lead, Taylor Kitsch (X-Men Origins:Wolverine, The Covenant), is unfortunately the worst actor and rather uncharismatic. Lynn Collins (X-Men Origins:Wolverine) neither disappoints nor impresses as 'the greatest beauty of two worlds', Dejah Thoris. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8MjLslciviRRyDvqNayAW2WkL2O0-Z8h62gWyt3X3zfc6IyhytvJUB2ulPomXfexD6WhFOvGZ9WKidevVgU2jefiW5IFaRtVgAo7nk5J_217b3VlxFVDBIKUl-OwSQqTyNQqy-MjkK8J/s1600/2012_john_carter_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8MjLslciviRRyDvqNayAW2WkL2O0-Z8h62gWyt3X3zfc6IyhytvJUB2ulPomXfexD6WhFOvGZ9WKidevVgU2jefiW5IFaRtVgAo7nk5J_217b3VlxFVDBIKUl-OwSQqTyNQqy-MjkK8J/s320/2012_john_carter_002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The soundtrack by Michael Giacchino (The new Star Trek, Super 8) is functional but forgettable. He is not a bad soundtrack composer, but he is yet to create anything that I have found noteworthy, even for films like 'Super 8' that I greatly enjoyed. You certainly won't come away humming the theme tune.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The direction and script are serviceable for the most part but rarely capture the grandeur or epic sensibilities required. For all his perceived flaws, George Lucas could run circles around Andrew Stanton in these departments. It just goes to show that directing animated movies does not always translate into an ability to direct real people and real action. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Stanton has created not so much of an adaptation, as a film 'inspired by' the book, and it is all the weaker for it. Some critics have complained about the convoluted plot and strange names and species. I had not such problems, as there is nothing <i>that</i> complicated going on. Unfortunately, <i>understanding</i> the plot is not its biggest problem. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cpjM1zyV-JOZ4MmQUCPWboy_YkNqKZbI3TZCev5sPT59VSnxD0pD6BAfbckJP8lxVtBTSbJXlEHqGitW_ug275HH6GVqaycpTETn9zQb8hv4kFUexeWxXmR3gs_iv3BLgVCL2J7KMl6j/s1600/john-carter-picture01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cpjM1zyV-JOZ4MmQUCPWboy_YkNqKZbI3TZCev5sPT59VSnxD0pD6BAfbckJP8lxVtBTSbJXlEHqGitW_ug275HH6GVqaycpTETn9zQb8hv4kFUexeWxXmR3gs_iv3BLgVCL2J7KMl6j/s320/john-carter-picture01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The most frustrating and disappointing thing about this film is not so much what it was, but what it could have been. I think that if I had never read the books, I would have enjoyed it more, without being especially impressed. Unfortunately I know how amazing this could have been. I suspect Stanton enjoyed the books when younger, but was one of those people who sits there thinking “If I'd written them, I'd have done this, and changed that...” That's fine if you go away and use that enthusiasm to write your own story. Stanton didn't.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">I'm giving this a five, mainly for the sometimes excellent effects and design work and the hints of what could have been. For anyone interested, I would seriously advise reading the original book/s.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mars-Trilogy-Princess-Gods-Warlord/dp/1442423870/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1331497664&sr=8-3" target="_blank">paperback</a><br />
<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62" target="_blank">ebook</a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nuGtDQAdCoiTfK6HDbpU5ZQoEb5zRoED3lWBrf9rLIg4KKIXLNwlVl-C3owKW7sgKuwCfo7AcxMRuNPjQoy3F2ceptbGIM30gyNIE88PSgp3QmUPk8RDPVNlrzhJ8hbDeWCtc68KMOme/s1600/duncansguide_stars_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nuGtDQAdCoiTfK6HDbpU5ZQoEb5zRoED3lWBrf9rLIg4KKIXLNwlVl-C3owKW7sgKuwCfo7AcxMRuNPjQoy3F2ceptbGIM30gyNIE88PSgp3QmUPk8RDPVNlrzhJ8hbDeWCtc68KMOme/s1600/duncansguide_stars_5.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">5/10</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-82083726986255284722012-03-07T10:15:00.000-08:002012-03-07T10:15:39.359-08:00A New Beginning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdVWmV1t8X-meqnFWb4PkX2XZGKUbKa9eVS22wULTakNdMHk27YeqI6cYGUc1_bh7gIWRGoYZ9ziHwUz4bnPzXhI-4R2MCOPOonAVFQrc-xTKILp9GEYS3avIVhuZ6L9HVpLOl2G11SIG/s1600/bandw_planet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdVWmV1t8X-meqnFWb4PkX2XZGKUbKa9eVS22wULTakNdMHk27YeqI6cYGUc1_bh7gIWRGoYZ9ziHwUz4bnPzXhI-4R2MCOPOonAVFQrc-xTKILp9GEYS3avIVhuZ6L9HVpLOl2G11SIG/s1600/bandw_planet.jpg" /></a></div>I've been a bit lax with my blog lately, so I thought I would post some ramblings... I'm fast approaching completion of the first draft of my new book! Having spent years writing half-finished novels, it is a joy to finally have one of them nearing a conclusion (albeit as an intended first book of six).<br />
<br />
Let me explain. I took the somewhat drastic decision last year to cease writing my main novel. I had been been working on it for so many years, that I realised it had become a millstone. It was no longer my 'big chance' and had become an unwieldy blockade to progress. I felt like I was getting nowhere.<br />
<br />
I do intend to come back to it one day. It's over one hundred thousand words of thoughts and dreams and ideas that I have no intention of ditching. However, it needed to be put on indefinite hold.<br />
<br />
My greatest worry was at having done this before. It's all too easy to start something fresh when you have a great idea, but it is often to the detriment of your half-finished work. 'Should I do it?' I asked myself. My lack of major progress in the past few years made the answer simple but no less daunting. How do you put away such a large amount of work to start on something else from scratch?<br />
<br />
As some of you reading this will know, my mother passed away last year. At her funeral I reacquainted myself with an old friend. When we were around eleven or twelve my family moved, but we maintained contact on the phone and through letters (No email back then!). In amongst those letters, we drew and wrote stories of our 'alternate' reality. We intermingled our real lives with a science fiction world of adventure in which we were the heroes.<br />
<br />
Having been reminded of this, it somehow all fell into place in my mind. My mother used to encourage me in the writing of those stories. Some became primitive comics, others I wrote by hand with occasional illustrations. It seemed fitting that my literary 'fresh start' should be a children's adventure story using the core of those dreams and fantasies that she encouraged. My hope is that since it clearly appealed to me at that age, it will appeal to modern children as well.<br />
<br />
The rough structure flowed out into my notebook; A plan for six novels in a series, a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of the first book, characters and creatures... The vast bulk of ideas emptied out in a mass of scribblings over two days.<br />
<br />
Since then, I have been writing like mad. My characters have grown, taken on lives of their own and frequently dictate their own paths regardless of my opinion. The story is there, and the first adventure is nearly complete.<br />
<br />
What does the future hold for Christopher Tyson and his companions? Well, actually, I know! Will children enjoy reading these adventures as much as I have enjoyed writing them? Only time will tell...<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-84569570575522836212012-01-19T08:23:00.000-08:002012-01-19T08:27:03.583-08:00Digital Art - "Dino-Rider"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglq8EftNx-kvX0uKycV6t3bqImXFHvvV3GjUX1LaaTUtmhS1GJ3iEZMl5cgumvDUaINIgaIMs-VmH8Zn202rk1sLqfsgyh6vM9SaiIDOvHRT71yKnE-u-n_chN47LRv6pGs0s-BBldXKbq/s1600/blog_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglq8EftNx-kvX0uKycV6t3bqImXFHvvV3GjUX1LaaTUtmhS1GJ3iEZMl5cgumvDUaINIgaIMs-VmH8Zn202rk1sLqfsgyh6vM9SaiIDOvHRT71yKnE-u-n_chN47LRv6pGs0s-BBldXKbq/s320/blog_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsh79iFudwIWalwUuVeeqMvB_OKP28Jf0DTRxhzYiWAK598mLSzR9hwuFwU9GxJ0XKboTDtZnbkU0c_Bq964cmIjg_feG6L0V6hl1fXdCM8WRNmT8DVr6ogS2JAapCRuEN9i9V-urUSH1/s1600/ifx_dino_wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsh79iFudwIWalwUuVeeqMvB_OKP28Jf0DTRxhzYiWAK598mLSzR9hwuFwU9GxJ0XKboTDtZnbkU0c_Bq964cmIjg_feG6L0V6hl1fXdCM8WRNmT8DVr6ogS2JAapCRuEN9i9V-urUSH1/s320/ifx_dino_wip1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pencil sketch laid on simple digital background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Another of my entries for the <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX magazine</a> forum weekly competition. Unfortunately, I spent a good few hours working on this, only to discover a fault on their website just before the deadline, which meant I couldn't enter. So this painting is just for the portfolio...<br />
<br />
Title: <i>"Dinosaur Design"</i><br />
<br />
Brief: <i>"In an alternative world, Dinosaurs and humans have co-existed for millennia. Create a dinosaur with a human mount from any known time period (Roman, Medieval, Modern Day, etc) giving consideration to what it's role in society would be; Military, construction, transport, status symbol, etc."</i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0D8n9gVI94uJMF2-0Ai6glSi7B1Fe8OynjeZV06m343-zI35JcTlCMzQJ6UuMcMd6NzmvL-caPWZFYQAhe_MzU5CvVgaKDj3ZptlSsbXDW1wSlSufwXSaCSJGKR4Z-q0-nZ1mdo89Cxl/s1600/ifx_dino_wip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0D8n9gVI94uJMF2-0Ai6glSi7B1Fe8OynjeZV06m343-zI35JcTlCMzQJ6UuMcMd6NzmvL-caPWZFYQAhe_MzU5CvVgaKDj3ZptlSsbXDW1wSlSufwXSaCSJGKR4Z-q0-nZ1mdo89Cxl/s320/ifx_dino_wip2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mostly completed dinosaur illustration</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My thoughts were that many would go for Roman or Medieval riders. Some even did WWII versions. In order to be a little different, I went for a futuristic rider. I thought it would be interesting to imagine them used in modern/future warfare. Rather than go for the more obvious 'Velociraptor' or 'Tyrannosaur' types, I tried to think of a herbivorous dinosaur that was more horse-like, and therefore more likely to be a good mount. I settled on Parasaurolophus, as I rather like their unusual and sweeping heads. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIEIPVED_2se_7oSvd-gfmmz3DM7SenedR4Ey7HI27XO-acOXXk1UVeetaePg2QcfO8o1PsJtYGRtedVo4Nj7ATGkZjkyTUhRtJ4rMPmhWL2J7LRgwEOAU4Ytmdb8A_zL7tTQR4HODxsU/s1600/ifx_dino_wip3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIEIPVED_2se_7oSvd-gfmmz3DM7SenedR4Ey7HI27XO-acOXXk1UVeetaePg2QcfO8o1PsJtYGRtedVo4Nj7ATGkZjkyTUhRtJ4rMPmhWL2J7LRgwEOAU4Ytmdb8A_zL7tTQR4HODxsU/s320/ifx_dino_wip3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Near completion, but lacking the leg armour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After finding a few reference images, I sketched the dinosaur and rider in pencil first, then scanned them in. I didn't have much time, so I kept the painting fairly rough, and tried to avoid getting caught up in details. Again, to save time, I kept the background to a (hopefully) effective minimum, with the suggestion of some other riders in the background. After painting it in a standard ratio (I was using A5, landscape), I decided to see how it would look with a more epic widescreen look, which I tend to like. As you can see, I chose to use that for the final painting.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3pGJ7EzEh-jgGlxOckdpdDGxpyXWmU0nI8Ol0vQ5LEvcMhOM4L5vdIAzbPT2DIetNMIJqEI74LPMlELA1iaNhIVqlEwChPEjMuFvh4nyIAYvoMCQ1mYxXZIqPgEMnzJMGWrY7dDkZtgP/s1600/dino_final%2528blog%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3pGJ7EzEh-jgGlxOckdpdDGxpyXWmU0nI8Ol0vQ5LEvcMhOM4L5vdIAzbPT2DIetNMIJqEI74LPMlELA1iaNhIVqlEwChPEjMuFvh4nyIAYvoMCQ1mYxXZIqPgEMnzJMGWrY7dDkZtgP/s320/dino_final%2528blog%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-40824061794236366772011-12-14T09:07:00.000-08:002011-12-14T09:09:42.755-08:00Digital Art - "Mr Stork"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidftdokQgXk2LzIbWCOAnx7rUbcchNEW-RVsGyWVYz2_d3-z7B0a2LLVl2uc5L82A6zvjkGTeHhDA-yVoLbFN5cqqtm1ChVLdIJXYuv4wB1nDrBCo2E0GHT0gpFsfEBsQGOtn8dNfT_WF/s1600/blog_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidftdokQgXk2LzIbWCOAnx7rUbcchNEW-RVsGyWVYz2_d3-z7B0a2LLVl2uc5L82A6zvjkGTeHhDA-yVoLbFN5cqqtm1ChVLdIJXYuv4wB1nDrBCo2E0GHT0gpFsfEBsQGOtn8dNfT_WF/s320/blog_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwxXYU1OzXpCk0OBT5gZQkKsnzUAyYArit-X4Akxu12I0Ww8YRPIRb2rmeEkr5WgcDQE4kIE_z9qZYNKZKWDtZSjj9ltF7W_u-uKbt67cm3iuYTMNIIqQd2f3fD4-vatPiEZAcuZTPq1E/s1600/ifx_mrstork_wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwxXYU1OzXpCk0OBT5gZQkKsnzUAyYArit-X4Akxu12I0Ww8YRPIRb2rmeEkr5WgcDQE4kIE_z9qZYNKZKWDtZSjj9ltF7W_u-uKbt67cm3iuYTMNIIqQd2f3fD4-vatPiEZAcuZTPq1E/s200/ifx_mrstork_wip1.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rough pen sketch, scanned<br />
then placed over a<br />
textured background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Another of my entries for the Imagine FX magazine forum weekly competition.<br />
<br />
Title: <i>"Mr Stork"</i><br />
<br />
Brief: <i>"Produce a full colour, full body, character design for Science Officer/First Officer Mr Stork"</i><br />
<br />
Description/Info: <i>"Following on from challenges #193 and #202 - Mr Stork serves under Captain James Quack as the Starship Interpond's stork like Science Officer/First Officer . Based on the very similarly named Mr Spock from Star Trek, and good friends with Captain Quack, Lieutenant Uhurow and Dr "Bones" Macaw."</i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7v-lGjnSBFyY6HYKl6J3vtjElvaYA6QczDkk-Gm3kFtYqG-hr7v13XmHgblxR8WbgFlcJh7ud4sk2LUaXN1p2MB1nXXL_C8bOHQK0d2ASUAVx5S7LDKwT9kTKiAEBqjPH_PYtM17excD/s1600/ifx_mrstork_wip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE7v-lGjnSBFyY6HYKl6J3vtjElvaYA6QczDkk-Gm3kFtYqG-hr7v13XmHgblxR8WbgFlcJh7ud4sk2LUaXN1p2MB1nXXL_C8bOHQK0d2ASUAVx5S7LDKwT9kTKiAEBqjPH_PYtM17excD/s200/ifx_mrstork_wip2.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work in progress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It flopped a bit in the competition, due to not being clearly 'Spock-like', but I was personally rather pleased with this one.<br />
<br />
I went for more of a retro-scifi Flash Gordon/Buck Rogers look, and it turned out to be a fun, vibrant little character which I started and finished within 4-5 hours. For this version I strengthened a couple of highlights and added a couple of antennae on the little sidekick alien, but it's otherwise the same as the final competition version.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5haYFKuSmMJaJGFEQTLqUxFvxqF8yRYiwMqqbS8s7oAo3JPMX8m-0GcOsOzqiTq2pyYz59FG7KFGyn9HyoxZfYx5YiBzZ61JW3kX9pz2vhmrhJKPsQU-GmRt7jzW6XakKY8hBRdiNw9X/s1600/mr_stork_final_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5haYFKuSmMJaJGFEQTLqUxFvxqF8yRYiwMqqbS8s7oAo3JPMX8m-0GcOsOzqiTq2pyYz59FG7KFGyn9HyoxZfYx5YiBzZ61JW3kX9pz2vhmrhJKPsQU-GmRt7jzW6XakKY8hBRdiNw9X/s400/mr_stork_final_b.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-78236178448737674842011-12-12T04:35:00.001-08:002012-08-15T03:23:53.797-07:00Digital Art - "Dark Days"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONv_iZrvRRU4DH2E7zvNY4oMHdrPmJOeHBk5vCEwWpk24p5xtzRKqMtqRqx_SSBPz0oerbBJn6qcim6R6EagQdY0Im3b0zyMkc3groltPXWOZKYs3JhlWGzc7UzsGKc92uPZj3BF1Amfg/s1600/blog_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONv_iZrvRRU4DH2E7zvNY4oMHdrPmJOeHBk5vCEwWpk24p5xtzRKqMtqRqx_SSBPz0oerbBJn6qcim6R6EagQdY0Im3b0zyMkc3groltPXWOZKYs3JhlWGzc7UzsGKc92uPZj3BF1Amfg/s400/blog_banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
One of my entries for the <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX magazine</a> forum monthly competition.<br />
<br />
Title: <i>"Blade Runner"</i><br />
<br />
Description: <i>"Ridley Scott has decided to remake Blade Runner with the advantage of today's SFX. He's looking for a Concept Artist who can best envision what this world might look like."</i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3a-tOpUPHLsT5gGw8eShP5C4Q1YXfW5_wFBnOARcjxuRNy3-K44kEd3Chdve_cWLz-idNC63d_E0_1qJZskUAO9noIYgXBQbdoOu2Wou_wWq5EocqICDthFTy6hnY-75dpUkuhKTrdnn/s1600/ifx_bladerunner_concept1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3a-tOpUPHLsT5gGw8eShP5C4Q1YXfW5_wFBnOARcjxuRNy3-K44kEd3Chdve_cWLz-idNC63d_E0_1qJZskUAO9noIYgXBQbdoOu2Wou_wWq5EocqICDthFTy6hnY-75dpUkuhKTrdnn/s320/ifx_bladerunner_concept1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pen and Marker concept illustration</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I spent quite a bit of time on this one, and I'm reasonably happy with the results. Given that the brief described a remake of the film and Ridley Scott is in fact genuinely making a sequel, I originally thought I might do something in a more 'up-beat' style. Perhaps envisaging one of the off-world colonies that were never seen in the original film, but that would share visual similarities. After seeing some of the other entries, however, I realised that people were expecting something more reminiscent of the original film, so I went for the dark and moody atmosphere already established. Perhaps not the best choice in hindsight, but it was fun to do something in a Blade Runner style anyway.<br />
<br />
I started with a quick pencil sketch, that I then went over in ink. Once I had erased the pencil, I shaded it with markers, to create my initial concept illustration. When scanned, I then roughly coloured this, as a guide for the larger full piece.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=4,0,2,0" height="230" width="480"> <param name=movie value="http://www.wdlee.co.uk/blog/br_stepbystep.swf"><param name=quality value=high><embed src="http://www.wdlee.co.uk/blog/br_stepbystep.swf" quality=high pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="230"> </embed> </object></div>In order to keep the atmosphere without directly copying, I avoided looking at too much reference material from the film. I wanted things to be filtered through my own imperfect memories, that way alterations that creep in hopefully introduce a few unique elements to the otherwise established look and feel. There's a bit of everything in there, for Blade Runner fans. A sushi bar with neon lighting, a cityscape in the background with flames from one of the buildings, an antennae-laden blimp advertising the off-world colonies, a spinner launching or landing, pedestrians with self-illuminating umbrellas, sheets of rain and of course a suspicious looking character in a futuristic trench-coat...
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAxce9Ftxk-GB7YFoyIwx59Rm5uPem8StzhmsrLQPDXVnlhTD9sRaY82CTyMaUDKVfh6LrdLXxtCIaGeblNSFbha29uywaqrIHWqgLXDynPJAPZN4mwh2mtTgoK6TCydefDwx-yDAF4Nn/s1600/darkdays_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAxce9Ftxk-GB7YFoyIwx59Rm5uPem8StzhmsrLQPDXVnlhTD9sRaY82CTyMaUDKVfh6LrdLXxtCIaGeblNSFbha29uywaqrIHWqgLXDynPJAPZN4mwh2mtTgoK6TCydefDwx-yDAF4Nn/s400/darkdays_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-82531945612289314442011-12-11T15:24:00.000-08:002011-12-11T15:27:12.172-08:00Digital Art - "Batcave"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOARjM67YB76KJpG4yOe-4uvbMff_8Xit5FwWdGG7P5PwuWBB_4J0Gumpwabz3qcmpfKmDp63AqO_2X5nD5JsmGsmaI9Wf9YFiZkwxPUc6fMnq-EDW6a4gTr18A4S0WYQB1zy8DrVCDEee/s1600/blog_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOARjM67YB76KJpG4yOe-4uvbMff_8Xit5FwWdGG7P5PwuWBB_4J0Gumpwabz3qcmpfKmDp63AqO_2X5nD5JsmGsmaI9Wf9YFiZkwxPUc6fMnq-EDW6a4gTr18A4S0WYQB1zy8DrVCDEee/s320/blog_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VJLGsfsymESg0sjiQ_SHrfXWcZPTHRd23yG94wiZSiMP6Cjkr_e5dOiCnAyAXSMaoVek3mqmbSZOnxXQuy0uorY465wU5ZH4gvQEXqO-IaOSW2I6CJb8WEJ2g6trHUReqrvgY0FX0s2T/s1600/batcave_ifx_wip_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_VJLGsfsymESg0sjiQ_SHrfXWcZPTHRd23yG94wiZSiMP6Cjkr_e5dOiCnAyAXSMaoVek3mqmbSZOnxXQuy0uorY465wU5ZH4gvQEXqO-IaOSW2I6CJb8WEJ2g6trHUReqrvgY0FX0s2T/s200/batcave_ifx_wip_1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Initial sketched ideas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My apologies to any readers, as I haven't updated my blog for a long time. On the plus side, there's a few things I can post, so here's the first of what I plan to be three new updates in the next day or so.<br />
<br />
This is another of my entries for the<a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/"> Imagine FX magazine</a> forum weekly competition.<br />
<br />
Title: <i>"The Bat Cave"</i><br />
<br />
Brief: <i>"Depict the Bat Cave how you think it would look"</i><br />
<br />
Description:<i> "Paint the Bat Cave in a graphic novel style (dark comic style), include control panels, and show an innovate entry/exit."</i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO34Sy548XzjmrRpOo1nM-XTjAl8Mhyjt5cbIziQOBQugKObhsQF1QFDkHtlUlDtHLXbsrJ7JRJ7W1mZs4qUznnRRWyD3zxUoYlWDapStXlTZ_hUrRYlTf-dqGQijYLLz9qyNK3S7jb7pn/s1600/batcave_ifx_wip_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="83" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO34Sy548XzjmrRpOo1nM-XTjAl8Mhyjt5cbIziQOBQugKObhsQF1QFDkHtlUlDtHLXbsrJ7JRJ7W1mZs4qUznnRRWyD3zxUoYlWDapStXlTZ_hUrRYlTf-dqGQijYLLz9qyNK3S7jb7pn/s200/batcave_ifx_wip_2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early Work In Progress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I wasn't especially pleased with how this one came out, but it was good fun and achieved fairly quickly. You'll notice that for speed, I also re-used my vehicle design from a post or two earlier, as a new version of the Batmobile.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WrqQSzzgUxYxWY4a8O4_2_w7VduQFwPtAsow8HeYpZitu4Gmhnk2cpf26R1rnfuX-LMlmVBogyBxn-5XIYdyfVafPQJTwSA2KFK8CghMA3SuBhaKMmej475-bLkv19BLrOE3JVRDbbOw/s1600/batcave_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4WrqQSzzgUxYxWY4a8O4_2_w7VduQFwPtAsow8HeYpZitu4Gmhnk2cpf26R1rnfuX-LMlmVBogyBxn-5XIYdyfVafPQJTwSA2KFK8CghMA3SuBhaKMmej475-bLkv19BLrOE3JVRDbbOw/s320/batcave_final.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-74621793845535307722011-10-20T08:46:00.000-07:002011-10-20T08:46:58.195-07:00Digital Art - "Pink Fluffy Apocalypse"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtknbdY7oMLHjL4U-6tXJc3vbBbG1lYFCCMq5e8_T5SBVoywP9MYT7E4INyIwbElSCwm13EZdN67wcPfcSgGW6kwYOakBXvbxOYTS62i-fv4ynZ9IZESbOnSJs5KrOyzpjfy-dwHIG1Lb/s1600/5th_horseman_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtknbdY7oMLHjL4U-6tXJc3vbBbG1lYFCCMq5e8_T5SBVoywP9MYT7E4INyIwbElSCwm13EZdN67wcPfcSgGW6kwYOakBXvbxOYTS62i-fv4ynZ9IZESbOnSJs5KrOyzpjfy-dwHIG1Lb/s320/5th_horseman_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Yet another of my entries in the <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX</a> magazine forum weekly competition.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEb-eODIcQk0Nbk-RYUb6u1niqDOw9uA_THGTfLwWKeuCWUGlpre-LmuhSszwd4HKIgW9tqdjynLGi843dWpKXF8OIdIIKNz_dfFIsA_3ArcEdV5bTAWzixLy-COC19q3r9ofs5wX8dR4I/s1600/5th_horseman_ifx_wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEb-eODIcQk0Nbk-RYUb6u1niqDOw9uA_THGTfLwWKeuCWUGlpre-LmuhSszwd4HKIgW9tqdjynLGi843dWpKXF8OIdIIKNz_dfFIsA_3ArcEdV5bTAWzixLy-COC19q3r9ofs5wX8dR4I/s200/5th_horseman_ifx_wip1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work In Progress images 1 & 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Title: <i>"The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse"</i><br />
<br />
Brief: <i>"A long hidden manuscript has been discovered and contrary to legend it seems that a fifth horseman of the apocalypse has been mentioned in the manuscript."</i><br />
<br />
Description: <i>"Although the manuscript mentioned the horseman, no description or association was written. Depict the horseman in his glory and display a banner with the forces he/she represents."</i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgP0DC8mnYHI5DC6uNlEj_-jYmeqzz9n-Z5ud2cHbnAcyQXSdkWonvtKgaGkUHjRcsZhJdgf6uP_nbosoXWlBui0Jt_S8EznaYfWU7nu0HLos9CimTP2IauSu6uOizjnYEoiUhlI3Oeie/s1600/5th_horseman_ifx_wip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgP0DC8mnYHI5DC6uNlEj_-jYmeqzz9n-Z5ud2cHbnAcyQXSdkWonvtKgaGkUHjRcsZhJdgf6uP_nbosoXWlBui0Jt_S8EznaYfWU7nu0HLos9CimTP2IauSu6uOizjnYEoiUhlI3Oeie/s200/5th_horseman_ifx_wip2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work In Progress images 3 & 4</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I suspected many people would go the dark dramatic route, so I decided to do the opposite, and do something fun and humorous. My description was: <br />
<div><i>"The five horsemen... Conquest, War, Famine, Death and... The Pink Fluffy Maiden of Doom!!! The worst of them all, she has been airbrushed from history because she is so terrifying that none can know of her existence lest they be plagued by eternal nightmares... The Pink Fluffy maiden of Doom will bring about the final apocalypse (the other four are only her henchmen, sent to pave the way) with an excess of throw pillows, pink drapery, lace detailing and rampaging hordes of merciless puppies and kittens... Fear her... Fear the Pink Fluffy maiden of Doom!!!"</i></div><div> </div><div>She's supposed to be very pink and girly. I didn't have time to put in the extra details I would have liked (and completely forgot the banner mentioned in the brief). I wasn't happy with my first attempt at drawing the horse (as you can see in the first two WIPs). However, I went back and decided to draw it in pencil, rather than trying to do the initial sketch digitally. I was far happier with the results, after sketching it traditionally. Then I photographed it and painted over it digitally.</div><div> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAGzoDqxA1rVkKc9AdGsAVsQXmY_A2-zdhUO4IheR_RMk_Zo_GWY58sBiTTXXbNEuex0tN2H5VoOUJEwuZsCPXXkfvl9F7grJQqV3OvAq7YtpT-UAv6u_OSC4baWX54LhbRyW_jXi0_sD/s1600/5th_horseman_ifx_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAGzoDqxA1rVkKc9AdGsAVsQXmY_A2-zdhUO4IheR_RMk_Zo_GWY58sBiTTXXbNEuex0tN2H5VoOUJEwuZsCPXXkfvl9F7grJQqV3OvAq7YtpT-UAv6u_OSC4baWX54LhbRyW_jXi0_sD/s320/5th_horseman_ifx_final.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Illustration</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div> </div><div> I'm reasonably happy with the horse and rider, but I didn't leave myself much time for details or the background. I think I may come back to it at a later date, drop the "5th Horseman" idea, and turn it into something light and cheerful (perhaps another fairy, to add to the collection of fairy paintings!). It's not one of my better pieces, but it's hopefully good fun.</div><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-46727653853842062332011-10-17T04:08:00.000-07:002011-12-13T02:38:22.273-08:00Digital Art - Concept Car<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQXmeUoqedrmsrH2rIWIMojhS6NbkL8q_ycXAVD7IRxhs2bv_wBO1Emw8cD_WIDAWjYoooOPiWumuSrKn-HTMdJzYMfLdCDMi1GH-jt66IeO7K391VjMd69kptN9kDQEUvhZ_oW8aJpFb/s1600/c57-d_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQXmeUoqedrmsrH2rIWIMojhS6NbkL8q_ycXAVD7IRxhs2bv_wBO1Emw8cD_WIDAWjYoooOPiWumuSrKn-HTMdJzYMfLdCDMi1GH-jt66IeO7K391VjMd69kptN9kDQEUvhZ_oW8aJpFb/s320/c57-d_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>Here's another of my entries in the <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX</a> magazine forum weekly competition.</i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2MB5-zHBGfwIIOkCElEed0k1DBctoNVUlU2ROimNoKgGstZI1glLNZnIjECLBRAGEZ5xgvY65ZnMqVttWYH3sxhWoOid7LyvXR5ig_77TOVh17RCIXYLPHAw_OD6JrOT2im-6j5xn70G/s1600/mapple_ifx_wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2MB5-zHBGfwIIOkCElEed0k1DBctoNVUlU2ROimNoKgGstZI1glLNZnIjECLBRAGEZ5xgvY65ZnMqVttWYH3sxhWoOid7LyvXR5ig_77TOVh17RCIXYLPHAw_OD6JrOT2im-6j5xn70G/s200/mapple_ifx_wip1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st Work In Progress image</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The challenge was to design a new product, essentially of any kind. I left myself with little time (again!) so decided to go for a futuristic concept car that I could create fairly quickly. I started with a few <i>very</i> rough sketches of the top, front and side, then a quick pencil sketch of the vehicle from the angle you see.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TEB5TJ0eQ6b6Ot1IyTr70Itn4CIbwB_YW4TR7Xi2wKTxkacRa9ZKF6m19pbyPY-yxGZpMBD8OdDPqpPRAHzWgWkVSmDBwzgeZrFQlYI6ctSlp4iPJCAV4cf0OM3sVTh4Tjs4RitCiR9Z/s1600/mapple_ifx_wip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TEB5TJ0eQ6b6Ot1IyTr70Itn4CIbwB_YW4TR7Xi2wKTxkacRa9ZKF6m19pbyPY-yxGZpMBD8OdDPqpPRAHzWgWkVSmDBwzgeZrFQlYI6ctSlp4iPJCAV4cf0OM3sVTh4Tjs4RitCiR9Z/s200/mapple_ifx_wip2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd Work In Progress image</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I then went over this in pen and erased the pencil. the next step was to photograph it (I was too lazy too hook up my scanner), and then use it as the overlaying illustration to colour digitally. the finished illustration was started and finished in around four hours.<br />
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This final version has a few minor amends, as I decided to change the logo and title details a little.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbBr0O5183t4etOiMj3vAr4tkKzTXDJh84Yv11QRRPkBbcXH-dqfWckxIw2-YyFYh5W4Kwbk2xJ8MKW_0u20YUvzV3Zle8Uqkk4Zv7pSOOxDKhRTMpqpYIuo92Yn9UW80WwMZVCp3Ij_9/s1600/c57-d_final%2528b%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbBr0O5183t4etOiMj3vAr4tkKzTXDJh84Yv11QRRPkBbcXH-dqfWckxIw2-YyFYh5W4Kwbk2xJ8MKW_0u20YUvzV3Zle8Uqkk4Zv7pSOOxDKhRTMpqpYIuo92Yn9UW80WwMZVCp3Ij_9/s400/c57-d_final%2528b%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Illustration</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-90409413544223465282011-09-23T03:44:00.000-07:002011-09-23T03:46:55.287-07:00Digital Art - "The Clown"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpSAQsLVERbjX-C0QJQ_ByB8lAgBYgo0DIewVGThvckBUiZxZGLRo1JyLnYyRasOY7_ZbuQIsqNFCz5tbckVRwQmZFI11WYiyRoBgtREps24u3zKSEK2GJnzk8rXqVKSSDKnUB1iC28DV/s1600/clown_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpSAQsLVERbjX-C0QJQ_ByB8lAgBYgo0DIewVGThvckBUiZxZGLRo1JyLnYyRasOY7_ZbuQIsqNFCz5tbckVRwQmZFI11WYiyRoBgtREps24u3zKSEK2GJnzk8rXqVKSSDKnUB1iC28DV/s320/clown_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<i>Here's another of my entries in the <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX</a> magazine forum weekly competition.</i><i></i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOXB9N422WfTeWLiGn5aSsK-l72mTK1KVAlp4OlAfE1QEUBJSk2Kb6Z-et-vyGrjcWg7Up_N2j3cEjOIxOWGykPKizNgQkR5xtnHk8fhrlrT9ADqs7-sSOoG8LSulCi_NP4jPA2QeYyIs/s1600/clown_wip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOXB9N422WfTeWLiGn5aSsK-l72mTK1KVAlp4OlAfE1QEUBJSk2Kb6Z-et-vyGrjcWg7Up_N2j3cEjOIxOWGykPKizNgQkR5xtnHk8fhrlrT9ADqs7-sSOoG8LSulCi_NP4jPA2QeYyIs/s200/clown_wip2.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st Work In Progress image</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Brief: <i>"Depict a clown after the show is over and everyone has left the circus."</i><br />
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The Description:<i> "Does everyone fear clowns? This is your chance to paint a clown as you see them, either pure evil, as they really are, or as the delightfully funny characters, that they want people to think they are…….. you decide. This can be a portrait, or a full character or anything in-between."</i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoXnuJ4FYwEIMX7c1bBlMe7OEkkM13CzIp4sQc8CHpnhD0YcVTkYb1ar1daLBJg7bm_YXsKddrcV8Oz8nw8v5kqWk20vnTdmYlxEAjJ2uKEa1rkcT140eAvnqwRMcf9noDyQMYHInhjiQ/s1600/clown_wip3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoXnuJ4FYwEIMX7c1bBlMe7OEkkM13CzIp4sQc8CHpnhD0YcVTkYb1ar1daLBJg7bm_YXsKddrcV8Oz8nw8v5kqWk20vnTdmYlxEAjJ2uKEa1rkcT140eAvnqwRMcf9noDyQMYHInhjiQ/s200/clown_wip3.jpg" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd Work In Progress image</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Again, I ended up leaving this entry till the last minute, and this was completed in a little over three hours. What it represents, is up to the viewer. Personally, I think it's about the idea of alien life as part of us, or simply hidden amongst, but masked by the way society ridicules and and laughs at alien abduction stories or UFO sightings.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcy6NAcbpRrDFMTi-N2nzv_0n0POwQb2w0iKBSvBYz0KkwEQFU731tx0HNcbW2iKONgGo_Kkkeq5LLBmoOiwqVCXtU-ThPXnq2sCaLmLg5ALe9n47ZMnPzO4mwzpqyRqKD-xKBdUcFp9ki/s1600/clown_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcy6NAcbpRrDFMTi-N2nzv_0n0POwQb2w0iKBSvBYz0KkwEQFU731tx0HNcbW2iKONgGo_Kkkeq5LLBmoOiwqVCXtU-ThPXnq2sCaLmLg5ALe9n47ZMnPzO4mwzpqyRqKD-xKBdUcFp9ki/s320/clown_final.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Image</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-14023556983039172862011-09-23T03:25:00.000-07:002011-09-23T03:49:53.722-07:00Digital Art - "Last Days"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mlcZwoszHUakrikKtU_PCVlqT4lcdZ8feJ91doRFJUXcg__ZoaAAlBFzMyJvd-Pk1G0AG-aFMoCXu9f6eFN4kro0NRu31vbnj3d0eRrbLHHUcJYN79wCNXffUukHKw068UPOrmDjnE41/s1600/2012_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mlcZwoszHUakrikKtU_PCVlqT4lcdZ8feJ91doRFJUXcg__ZoaAAlBFzMyJvd-Pk1G0AG-aFMoCXu9f6eFN4kro0NRu31vbnj3d0eRrbLHHUcJYN79wCNXffUukHKw068UPOrmDjnE41/s320/2012_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here's another of my entries in the <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX</a> magazine forum weekly competition.<br />
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This was created for the September 2011 weekly challenge entitled: "2012 - The End"<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7_3re-kWXudjdxcRn8wxpW5sujiKIV-_C3-gpb5d24704VV_As9wbmKqjjWbykqhPQQ04iCdrT5zIi3J8JVconWHyk41rVz1NfaRx8sXQ7P0y43LagqyNQ-weZeUt_ErJ8qRzpmvd9i7/s1600/2012_ifx_wip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7_3re-kWXudjdxcRn8wxpW5sujiKIV-_C3-gpb5d24704VV_As9wbmKqjjWbykqhPQQ04iCdrT5zIi3J8JVconWHyk41rVz1NfaRx8sXQ7P0y43LagqyNQ-weZeUt_ErJ8qRzpmvd9i7/s200/2012_ifx_wip1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st Work In Progress image</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Brief: <i>"We have all seen disaster movies about the end of the world. Your job is to depict a snapshot scene of an aspect of it."</i><br />
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The Description: <i>"This is quite an open challenge, this could be simply a shot of the Earth showing the reason for it's demise, an action shot of a ship being swept into a city, a lava threatened house, etc. The choice of scene is yours."</i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56spQAcgsInCviX4Kld7rRrFsQdsXAoU9GGGXa3JMbmJPkjcv6dIf-0D4iCHvAgma7FNnIabv_dp2Tm6SGPzPyxPXlvGvGnrnjVqq6DVWyibmUo6Q6E86jJ-qRu5L8s3-eZ98UDdGi90J/s1600/2012_ifx_wip3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56spQAcgsInCviX4Kld7rRrFsQdsXAoU9GGGXa3JMbmJPkjcv6dIf-0D4iCHvAgma7FNnIabv_dp2Tm6SGPzPyxPXlvGvGnrnjVqq6DVWyibmUo6Q6E86jJ-qRu5L8s3-eZ98UDdGi90J/s200/2012_ifx_wip3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd Work In Progress image</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I ended up leaving this entry till the last minute, and so this was completed in a little over four hours. I wanted to do something a little different that signified some cataclysmic event, but in a more subtle and subdued way, than the usual great fiery disasters. I was lucky enough that this entry actually won the weekly competition!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9FDgA_A3T9OnNo6vxfN_x00a0WIdtc89KW2_0fcNyU-kCFGH60biabQV8nbCu6cBGS3aUxpG6NvxxNSJmq9CUgOYM_v7MZ1rVNHLUFko0wQz9PQ4ovpyK4-nOEKh33SiyPGfg039SJtw/s1600/2012_ifx_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9FDgA_A3T9OnNo6vxfN_x00a0WIdtc89KW2_0fcNyU-kCFGH60biabQV8nbCu6cBGS3aUxpG6NvxxNSJmq9CUgOYM_v7MZ1rVNHLUFko0wQz9PQ4ovpyK4-nOEKh33SiyPGfg039SJtw/s320/2012_ifx_final.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Image</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-55022902390755554452011-09-09T13:55:00.000-07:002011-09-09T14:00:45.450-07:00One Day (2011) – Cinema Review (4/10)<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-size: large;">One Endless Day...</span></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpedtNc5U8ECx9WjMkVcXot3g5gZppD9ZK5vdZNip_-ji0fyKAPdXFImuFsBhyphenhyphen1c3X_y1EQ2f5GTfxZhksLzGn9klM2rIDPJxBK0QZt5CaA91tojzEYYkRL-upeh7HP2pjq8diwDjalBC7/s1600/oneday_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpedtNc5U8ECx9WjMkVcXot3g5gZppD9ZK5vdZNip_-ji0fyKAPdXFImuFsBhyphenhyphen1c3X_y1EQ2f5GTfxZhksLzGn9klM2rIDPJxBK0QZt5CaA91tojzEYYkRL-upeh7HP2pjq8diwDjalBC7/s320/oneday_poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
First let me say, I have not read the book. This review is based on the film, and the film alone. The premise is quite interesting. Take a couple of characters, and visit them on the same day over a number of years, to show how their lives progress at that same point annually. Unfortunately you can't help feeling that the premise is what prompted the author/script writer, David Nicholls, to create the story, while the characters and events were somewhat of an afterthought.<br />
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Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada, Becoming Jane, The Princess Diaries) stars as Emma, who straight from university, befriends Dex, played by Jim Sturgess (The Other Boleyn Girl). The film then charts their respective lives and friendship over the years.<br />
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It all feels rather aimless and random. Some might say that echoes real life, but at the same time this is a film that uses any number of tired clichés for emotional impact. There are really only four characters of consequence, two male, two female. Both male characters are shown to be fairly pathetic throughout most of the film. One is a typical 'geeky nerd' character, who is clearly played as the 'sad loser', and comes out with all the worst clichés that non-genre writers think define science fiction and fantasy fans. Meanwhile the male lead, Dex, is a drug addled, reprehensible, womanising drunk. On the flip side, there is Dex's mother, shown to be strong yet tragic, the emotional role model for her son. Finally we have Emma herself, the sturdy shoulder for the weak male to lean on, the one constant in his life. Strong enough to resist him until he's sorted himself out, but always there as another emotional crutch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85fsy3LU_P57O57EpMPZFfrvsBrgAm357HOJad0WNUrEgXa034ACWxiGI3eNFA8F5vkJohuVDmrnIM6IKhoG2kH8vTxoINSUWNaSw8JYBUk3sxZbkvzQXeuL0iovUhiu6jG9DfJ_HRmOp/s1600/oneday_pic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85fsy3LU_P57O57EpMPZFfrvsBrgAm357HOJad0WNUrEgXa034ACWxiGI3eNFA8F5vkJohuVDmrnIM6IKhoG2kH8vTxoINSUWNaSw8JYBUk3sxZbkvzQXeuL0iovUhiu6jG9DfJ_HRmOp/s320/oneday_pic1.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
It is to Anne Hathaway's credit that she made an otherwise mediocre character vaguely interesting. Her performance has been criticised somewhat, most especially for her Northern English accent. Admittedly, her accent is hit and miss. For the most part, she does a straight forward and generic 'English' accent that works well, but her regional inflections are a mixed and occasionally out-of-place bag. However, it's not terrible by any means. Her performance in most other aspects, is excellent, and honestly the best thing in the film. Hathaway is quite adept at being able to play both slightly nerdy girl-next-door, as well as glamorous and beautiful within the same character in a believable way.<br />
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It's difficult to judge Jim Sturgess as Dex. The character is mostly unsympathetic, and by the time he supposedly redeems himself, you really don't care what happens to him. As such, Sturgess has either succeeded at playing the character as written, or failed to make him sympathetic when he should be. If the latter, it would still be difficult to blame him, given the material. Unfortunately there was nothing that stood out about his performance, unless you count acting drunk and/or drugged-up occasionally. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcznvVEMahULgJiTkftiZ0IU1KyEFa15EL2SfSq7K0KOQgB8Tl7j4pINcl41Xo0XXfDUUzRSF3fJm6JuDwM0hpTAGm6E3cZf-j8roAQ6C_nWzZ_jAlyUPXtzobPh-m6K0N3uGK0hCu6MNY/s1600/aoneday_pic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcznvVEMahULgJiTkftiZ0IU1KyEFa15EL2SfSq7K0KOQgB8Tl7j4pINcl41Xo0XXfDUUzRSF3fJm6JuDwM0hpTAGm6E3cZf-j8roAQ6C_nWzZ_jAlyUPXtzobPh-m6K0N3uGK0hCu6MNY/s320/aoneday_pic2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Given the lead character's friendship was in many ways the core of the film, there was very little, if anything, to explain <i>why</i> Emma stayed (or even became) such close friends with Dex in the first place. He was never shown to be particularly interested in her life, or helpful, or really even have anything in common with her. The best that could be said, is that he used her friendship as an emotional crutch, while she stayed friends with him because he was the unobtainable handsome 'bad-boy' that she wanted. So perhaps it would be better to say that there was no <i>healthy</i> reason for their lasting friendship. Which at the very least undermines the romantic aspect of the story.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84pYv06orrriCMaPbJtCFPqTnZs7Uvkfvor_hQQ3rMDW80g659U6i5oWZntcvElsNq1bh2VvmpOv-C3NVJ7g4jUP6-cs6Qvr4y4KF67_ijRNJ3zMgXfwN_fwJfAB7mUiJUB0KBJpMqpy8/s1600/oneday_pic3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84pYv06orrriCMaPbJtCFPqTnZs7Uvkfvor_hQQ3rMDW80g659U6i5oWZntcvElsNq1bh2VvmpOv-C3NVJ7g4jUP6-cs6Qvr4y4KF67_ijRNJ3zMgXfwN_fwJfAB7mUiJUB0KBJpMqpy8/s320/oneday_pic3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Whilst trying to avoid any spoilers, the finale of the film is based around a manipulative emotional 'shock' moment. It is not only unnecessary for the story or characters, but executed in a contrived way that feels unrealistic for the sake of making the audience jump.<br />
<br />
I can't honestly recommend 'One Day'. It's not a <i>bad</i> film as such. It keeps you watching, though much of that is down to Anne Hathaway's likeable portrayal of the potentially weak character of Emma. The romantic elements of the story, such as they are, keep things vaguely interesting in the latter third or quarter of the film, but there is little else to grab your attention alongside the lacklustre ending.<br />
<br />
Fans of the book may enjoy the film, as they might see more within the scenes than other viewers. As for the rest, as you walk out of the cinema doors or switch off your TV, I think you'll find yourself shrugging forgettably. What score I have given it, is mainly for Hathaway's performance.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UZ6TgmNEcAtuepvMYG_5NdMl6oi5IwUsn7mHan6l8IYBXu9Yolr2HVkxLFHRUebO9Wb7wfSrAhJwpWbiiUHQF_nKS0fGXeUuDbTq4nkJyMUkJKNZdsReq4E8w1AJmzDNBTAtgaS-I_oK/s1600/duncansguide_stars_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UZ6TgmNEcAtuepvMYG_5NdMl6oi5IwUsn7mHan6l8IYBXu9Yolr2HVkxLFHRUebO9Wb7wfSrAhJwpWbiiUHQF_nKS0fGXeUuDbTq4nkJyMUkJKNZdsReq4E8w1AJmzDNBTAtgaS-I_oK/s1600/duncansguide_stars_4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">4/10</span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-349343703674288122011-09-07T15:54:00.000-07:002011-09-08T01:10:27.367-07:00Digital Art - "Witch's Familiar"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T8Sv6r-1ZEq_BWnWm5DIRXiZBvQaqcA3VFrjDOpy3Olt6LAgzpQv8J31rHZj_QfMClj5jnngLhL-hAEScwsn8Mp3L4zN0Ky2lnmqYKcicRRkQnex0hkNvvPMMRfir9nf4huJlTCId23g/s1600/familiar_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T8Sv6r-1ZEq_BWnWm5DIRXiZBvQaqcA3VFrjDOpy3Olt6LAgzpQv8J31rHZj_QfMClj5jnngLhL-hAEScwsn8Mp3L4zN0Ky2lnmqYKcicRRkQnex0hkNvvPMMRfir9nf4huJlTCId23g/s400/familiar_banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Here's another of my entries in the <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX</a> magazine forum weekly competition.<br />
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This was created for the September 2011 weekly challenge entitled: <i>"The Witch's Familiar"</i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRXqQevoEXwLIydqfirQQkQOWF1hFfly9c0ngFdoOTO7vXLW35hkLmcOs8z_XXXH3_ah6yJGbQBRD8Hgifadp9nGOUKtrH1QDxb1qc4YqTYKAymEsWsUs0o6tOfNckeT8bzFAujZKlUQf/s1600/familiar_wip2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRXqQevoEXwLIydqfirQQkQOWF1hFfly9c0ngFdoOTO7vXLW35hkLmcOs8z_XXXH3_ah6yJGbQBRD8Hgifadp9nGOUKtrH1QDxb1qc4YqTYKAymEsWsUs0o6tOfNckeT8bzFAujZKlUQf/s200/familiar_wip2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Pencil Sketch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The 'Description': <i>"In legend, a familiar or familiar spirit is a supernatural being that supports a witch or magician. Traditionally, a familiar is an animal but some are said to be humanoid."</i><br />
<br />
Due to time, I wasn't initially going to enter this competition, however I decided to give it a go on the last night of entry. In order to complete it as quickly as possible, I decided to sketch the 'Familiar' in pencil first, scan it, and then colour it digitally.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZc9bZK-daCArCQPjPz4H1LL3uYqunq4ks6xng6nA5NU4dT13t75SgxlbipOgZYK0_d2-ZSgRY30u4-E5IWNDS1ym6ZFJdWh6iBY7dEO6zTXQU5CF2NWVMB6UYHPRHKi3NMNvUqZwrr29/s1600/familiar_wip3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZc9bZK-daCArCQPjPz4H1LL3uYqunq4ks6xng6nA5NU4dT13t75SgxlbipOgZYK0_d2-ZSgRY30u4-E5IWNDS1ym6ZFJdWh6iBY7dEO6zTXQU5CF2NWVMB6UYHPRHKi3NMNvUqZwrr29/s200/familiar_wip3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work in progress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Since the stereotypical witch's familiar is a cat, I decided to play on that. I thought that perhaps the cat is possessed, when it becomes a familiar, by some small demonic creature, which only reveals its true form to the witch. Hence my creature is not an animal, but still has some cat-like features.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_77hcRdzWPyXSwbJdHT53aJAeIZIhM5NiXOi5sk3tMHqbMXsZ_0UYbncOoDpap0lLbmcuYSRI1-j7udXwkwHjPNs2FgSrNA0nCrwb2Tq4GCoihyyjUAaqLMPg9hTGZglFxUndOejhlgO/s1600/familiar_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_77hcRdzWPyXSwbJdHT53aJAeIZIhM5NiXOi5sk3tMHqbMXsZ_0UYbncOoDpap0lLbmcuYSRI1-j7udXwkwHjPNs2FgSrNA0nCrwb2Tq4GCoihyyjUAaqLMPg9hTGZglFxUndOejhlgO/s320/familiar_final.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final Digital Painting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-33383670975387052222011-08-10T01:00:00.000-07:002011-08-10T01:51:07.468-07:00Super 8 - (2011) - Cinema Review (9.5/10)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><b>Simply Super</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCthJSj_G4Eh8Sf1WGBFeNXSNV1AOGQpj-v4SICknhlnn2qjW4nZvgjJjkrUfdLeQnbL5K-KqszreFjZbO4h1bAmGjLJOIcD7xivDfylOQQKaj6BzEAss81igAEh0PE9vVGukKEFAovwv/s1600/super8_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCthJSj_G4Eh8Sf1WGBFeNXSNV1AOGQpj-v4SICknhlnn2qjW4nZvgjJjkrUfdLeQnbL5K-KqszreFjZbO4h1bAmGjLJOIcD7xivDfylOQQKaj6BzEAss81igAEh0PE9vVGukKEFAovwv/s320/super8_poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>It's been a while since I felt compelled to write a film review. There has been so much mediocrity in recent months, that I simply haven't felt the enthusiasm, but Super 8 has compelled me. <br />
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Set in the late 70s, Super 8 is helmed by writer and director J.J. Abrams, probably better known as the main force behind the series Lost, and the recent reboot of Star Trek. The film follows a group of pre-teen/teen kids as they make their own movie on 'super 8' film (For those who don't know, think of it as the handycam format of its day). In the process of filming a scene, they witness a terrible train crash. As it turns out, their camera filmed something mysterious in the wreckage. The military begin to take over the local area, looking for something that has escaped, whilst our young protagonists begin to solve the mystery themselves as increasingly strange things happen across their town.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAPoK1SebjcyNbNqbmcIem515dnslgXPAkxpNepCFhV2vRjfPG6VhPba-ZARudYDRbu4rcepVnzS8f5sX8KZWq8TyLfQDOs9FxgYeRUVIC1SPSmqOuVyuHrFtgJRtTYPqTxa2Og_kqvWD/s1600/super8_pic4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAPoK1SebjcyNbNqbmcIem515dnslgXPAkxpNepCFhV2vRjfPG6VhPba-ZARudYDRbu4rcepVnzS8f5sX8KZWq8TyLfQDOs9FxgYeRUVIC1SPSmqOuVyuHrFtgJRtTYPqTxa2Og_kqvWD/s320/super8_pic4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gang discuss the train crash</td></tr>
</tbody></table>To put it simply, Super 8 is a nostalgic nod back to the days of E.T., Goonies, Explorers and a whole host of children's films from the late 70s and 80s. Films that captured the essence of childhood, mystery and adventure in a wonderful concoction of feel-good-fun. Bluntly, it has been far too long since someone made a film like Super 8. It is in a different league to even Harry Potter, reminding its viewers how children's films <i>should</i> be made. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFENmXN8GKJIcVehl7d79yjC_v4nc4GDjY6OMkJdcqsha4F3wmAD2VwXAkfAs7NsGBFWQ1bFuraUbfQZhgRJqszF6-TTI0yJb5ZvMEOpaPFCIv1TIv_b94q48yqOzRlY-2M-hk4XMaDR6/s1600/super8_pic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfFENmXN8GKJIcVehl7d79yjC_v4nc4GDjY6OMkJdcqsha4F3wmAD2VwXAkfAs7NsGBFWQ1bFuraUbfQZhgRJqszF6-TTI0yJb5ZvMEOpaPFCIv1TIv_b94q48yqOzRlY-2M-hk4XMaDR6/s320/super8_pic2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Witnessing the super 8 film for the first time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'll get the <i>very</i> minor flaws out of the way, first. The pivotal train crash of the movie is absurdly over-the-top. To the point where it feels out of place, given the setting and atmosphere of the rest of the movie. It felt like something Michael Bay would have looked at and said “Let's take this down a notch or two.” On top of that, essential characters, vehicles and equipment escape with barely a minor scratch, crack, or bit of dust. Secondly, the tired 'evil humans/military' plot device is overused. It is acceptable given the nostalgic setting and style, but that doesn't stop it being a cliché. Thirdly, J.J. Abrams has brought in his regular associate, Michael Giacchino, to compose the soundtrack. Unfortunately, whilst serviceable, Giacchino doesn't seem to be able to capture the grandeur of those he is following. With Star Trek, he was walking in the footsteps of Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner (at his peak). With Super 8, he is very much following in the footsteps of Goldsmith again, and especially John Williams. Unfortunately, Giacchino just hasn't reached those heights, and fails to embody the musical sense of wonder that could have accentuated events even more effectively. In fact, the music used in the trailer (By James Horner from the film Cocoon) exemplifies this, because the film's own music can't quite compare. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57M4LgZB___WN3K3k47Ys4b6A6VLo5jHnqnJqGLigdM5TbIFvfz0Ag_z0GV2yW-gTcEJd4IJ9a9q74bba3cJimFCFut7AcuM6i2YIX9H1uG9NQSo2xwMdCXYDwgmvqEtXZhwyZPwAZEp1/s1600/super8_pic5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57M4LgZB___WN3K3k47Ys4b6A6VLo5jHnqnJqGLigdM5TbIFvfz0Ag_z0GV2yW-gTcEJd4IJ9a9q74bba3cJimFCFut7AcuM6i2YIX9H1uG9NQSo2xwMdCXYDwgmvqEtXZhwyZPwAZEp1/s320/super8_pic5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strange cubes...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Having said all that, I have to stress these are minor flaws in an otherwise superb film. One element that truly helps the atmosphere, is its period setting (Which makes me feel extremely old!). It is a perfect time in which to capture a sense of wonder and enthusiasm, where you can still have pre-teen characters who are not as jaded as their modern counterparts would be. They still have a sense of innocence and lack any contemporary cynicism. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyqCDhTrpvqmeCPeiV6WbVI2jcd3QD-VhxVkdSXM5OXakEtZfCZ3yys34-g7V6e07SEakYXvehwbMuow60YiL1C6E249fVpBeQV4a0FkYMijhdAfOEC7R-m_V3sRmBKPilJM6kjkEvoHu/s1600/super8_pic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyqCDhTrpvqmeCPeiV6WbVI2jcd3QD-VhxVkdSXM5OXakEtZfCZ3yys34-g7V6e07SEakYXvehwbMuow60YiL1C6E249fVpBeQV4a0FkYMijhdAfOEC7R-m_V3sRmBKPilJM6kjkEvoHu/s320/super8_pic1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the military clean-up of the train crash</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Joel Courtney is excellent as the lead character, Joe Lamb. He looks and acts the part perfectly, not once feeling out of place in the late 70s world. However, the real stand out is perhaps Elle Fanning (Sister of Dakota Fanning) who nails the part of 'token girl in the group of boys', without feeling like a 'let's appeal to the girls too' addition. Sometimes in these kind of films, the romantic interest for the young male can often come over as excessively mature, or at the very least the archetypal 'inaccessible school beauty'. Although there is a hint of this in her first introduction, after that point she is simply one of the gang. The romance (such as it is for this type of film) feels completely natural and sweet. <br />
<br />
The film as a whole builds its pace nicely, never rushing things for the sake of getting to the whiz-bang effects. Super 8 definitely puts its story and characters first, allowing them to pull us into its adventure and mystery all the deeper. The nods to its inspirations are often clear, but never blatant to the point of copying. For example, a family scene around a table with misbehaving children is reminiscent of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, there are echoes of Invaders from Mars, a character similar to the young lead of Critters, a shot overlooking the town at night that is clearly a wink to a shot in E.T., as well as numerous other films. However, these 'nods' work extremely well. They tread the fine line between drawing a smile of familiar nostalgia, without pulling you out of the film by being too obvious.<br />
<br />
The standard by which many contemporary children's films are compared, tends to be Harry Potter. So with that in mind, I will say this. If someone told me they could only see the final Harry Potter film or Super 8, and asked which they should see, I would recommend Super 8 without a second's thought. There isn't even really a comparison. The unbridled enthusiasm and fun of the character's short film over the end credits, sums it up perfectly (Remember to stay in your seat and watch).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuRCE893SbeBrD6E4MOuP1ppdo5Cwo_Zgex_qWx9sIw_AFtIjD2ErN0ZNLLRhM8Nighp9NXol58SbSlh7t9pkS1AYmyekpXfxF0ppSyUf2Y466FRxd_6OGr51W7GxHv2LXRUI_XtyEwO6/s1600/super8_pic3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuRCE893SbeBrD6E4MOuP1ppdo5Cwo_Zgex_qWx9sIw_AFtIjD2ErN0ZNLLRhM8Nighp9NXol58SbSlh7t9pkS1AYmyekpXfxF0ppSyUf2Y466FRxd_6OGr51W7GxHv2LXRUI_XtyEwO6/s320/super8_pic3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching in wonder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It is possible that modern youngsters may find Super 8 too slow or lacking in immediate special effects (Which could explain the over-enthusiastic train crash). However, I hope they give it a chance. This is the way children's films used to be, and there are no reasons why they can't be again. They embody a childhood sense of wonder, excitement, mystery, adventure and friendship that will entrance the young into dreaming of their own adventures, whilst whisking the old back to the best moments of their youth. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptgrlqKAreuNl2aEtL6xNeCkvU2N26m7lvX0DdomMmnGzg6QhNIcmzqILj0SCIYQ2ZPdf_bZxVn8UYYA2tOV4vaMcABZpmyI5tKNqFkyGTC7zYoDQck2wbwbDQats270xvOI-LS6lgWHh/s1600/duncansguide_stars_9point5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptgrlqKAreuNl2aEtL6xNeCkvU2N26m7lvX0DdomMmnGzg6QhNIcmzqILj0SCIYQ2ZPdf_bZxVn8UYYA2tOV4vaMcABZpmyI5tKNqFkyGTC7zYoDQck2wbwbDQats270xvOI-LS6lgWHh/s1600/duncansguide_stars_9point5.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">9.5/10</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 14px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">Image Credit: © 2011 Paramount Pictures</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span></div>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-30276125211518623842011-08-09T08:29:00.000-07:002011-08-10T01:28:31.331-07:00Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - (2011) - Cinema Review (6.5/10)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><b>Is it in B&W?</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVtbEPwCgG7GDL24Pryvk90uzxpifzZ24g2D5rrsKYs9gYh845itPwtlJhPD3XG96Ia3xasVYC9seMbMPZRv6IbYtzvxf6IDYgqGHdrWQLuGq8YeSRyCzaCbD7zSOWzptZq8noXPfZZwo/s1600/hp8_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVtbEPwCgG7GDL24Pryvk90uzxpifzZ24g2D5rrsKYs9gYh845itPwtlJhPD3XG96Ia3xasVYC9seMbMPZRv6IbYtzvxf6IDYgqGHdrWQLuGq8YeSRyCzaCbD7zSOWzptZq8noXPfZZwo/s200/hp8_poster.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>The Harry Potter franchise finally draws to a close, under the guiding hand of David Yates, who essentially took over directorship of the films since 'The Order of the Phoenix'. This time around, Hogwarts school of wizardry is under attack. In previous instalments we've seen a variety of locations. This time round, apart from a few early events, we're essentially treated to a siege movie.<br />
<br />
The big question is, does it succeed at rounding off the story successfully? I'll say yes, but it's a tentative yes. This final film is a very mixed bag. Overall, the film structure feels like a series of ticked boxes. Step by step, covering exactly what needed covering, without any real passion or feeling. Don't get me wrong, the film is technically brilliant. It is slickly made, and highly polished. The acting is sometimes excellent and certainly never less than serviceable, even from the often criticized Daniel Radcliffe, but honestly, I don't know what else he could have been expected to do. Almost all of the characters you can think of, get their little moments, though in many cases they feel shoehorned in for the sake of completeness, without any real care for the characters or emotions involved.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPzwom6aENwURaBXQm7h31LDu-h6thB9sGtK0tDrYz-klB_bpI2d9oOmmxpmZJjbMsJ2G8l49fLUMV5FL5tL1-mNZ5O-bNO2zpK_ARP_tDe8xBvLGsaIlxclZ_YmmWSBziNqJN0Um9p5L/s1600/hp8_pic8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPzwom6aENwURaBXQm7h31LDu-h6thB9sGtK0tDrYz-klB_bpI2d9oOmmxpmZJjbMsJ2G8l49fLUMV5FL5tL1-mNZ5O-bNO2zpK_ARP_tDe8xBvLGsaIlxclZ_YmmWSBziNqJN0Um9p5L/s320/hp8_pic8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facing Voldemort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unfortunately, the films no longer feel like children's films, even though that is their primary audience. Despite the subject matter, there is no 'magic' in Harry Potter any more. The content is dark and tough, but even that could have been managed in a less heavy handed and more nuanced way. You only need to see the way a film such as Super 8 deals with the difficult subject of a child tragically losing a parent in far more raw and realistic way than Harry Potter has ever done, but uses that to accentuate the film's themes and characters without losing its charm or child-like wonder. One scene in Harry Potter even treats its viewers to a bloody foetal figure in a setting reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey's finale. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdj9CD60N3O-pa2RxcmZWBZgqAxpNOHeRgaOnDIck4RhlNDqnVDixIAeRj3-ho9OsBkakpbnM_3y5Zeei2v6Yl1gD0_hOddLRld6hG_eMH4BxoP26X9WVpWeZIILFlkMwqv2tAYjaUzD6S/s1600/hp8_pic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdj9CD60N3O-pa2RxcmZWBZgqAxpNOHeRgaOnDIck4RhlNDqnVDixIAeRj3-ho9OsBkakpbnM_3y5Zeei2v6Yl1gD0_hOddLRld6hG_eMH4BxoP26X9WVpWeZIILFlkMwqv2tAYjaUzD6S/s320/hp8_pic1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A grey world</td></tr>
</tbody></table>David Yates seems to have decided that the only way to cover the darker subject matter, is to quite literally make the film dark. The final instalment feels as though it could have been filmed in black and white with the projector bulb turned down. They have desaturated the colours and darkened the picture so mechanically, it feels less moody than simply eye-straining. There is a trend for giving modern films an overall tint, such as sepia or teal, which is fast reaching over-use. In this case, Yates has just decided to drain the life from the picture. One shot especially stood out for me. A dramatic panning shot across the embattled bridges of Hogwarts as magical forces faced off against one another. It should have been epic and awe inspiring, but I could hardly make out what was going on, it was so dark and monotone. In contrast, the most moody and sombre scenes in the Lord of the Rings films feel vibrantly colourful, yet those are <i>adult</i> fantasy films. Heck, classic horror films like The Thing, Alien, Halloween, The Shining, feel like they were made in bright day-glow paints in comparison. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgG8X1EFtqpcjbPrqucDodI3Vosz6z-CL1WU5WCtx0YD8Yz5aUzSIFA-u6-7UPsR_q_ClWZXgtEAQ2CLCx5WhtIsmbD6p98i_jk6atm19ZnxcDI-iFMDjMRkuxrBwWeEpwPJrJA4OIWfJR/s1600/hp8_pic5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgG8X1EFtqpcjbPrqucDodI3Vosz6z-CL1WU5WCtx0YD8Yz5aUzSIFA-u6-7UPsR_q_ClWZXgtEAQ2CLCx5WhtIsmbD6p98i_jk6atm19ZnxcDI-iFMDjMRkuxrBwWeEpwPJrJA4OIWfJR/s320/hp8_pic5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Professor Snape</td></tr>
</tbody></table>One character and scene stands out in the final film, which I will give it credit for. This deals with the fate of Professor Snape, played by Alan Rickman (Die Hard, Truly Madly Deeply, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves). Without spoiling it for those who don't know, his story is by far the most poignant and moving. In most cases, the demise or success of other characters is dealt with in an almost throwaway manner. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-e8kwAyn0PabMYKp2BmN0Lhy6gRFjReHOg_Ap6tm24tCJOM-e7hyf_kr7_6FPVrHpd7vN9MRmrXFIsxeAfmdxWcbS8eM8ZcoBwWgEkocVUD4FDYRS812TdFmVQhtY6fdZvlcJlLAe_Vk/s1600/hp8_pic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-e8kwAyn0PabMYKp2BmN0Lhy6gRFjReHOg_Ap6tm24tCJOM-e7hyf_kr7_6FPVrHpd7vN9MRmrXFIsxeAfmdxWcbS8eM8ZcoBwWgEkocVUD4FDYRS812TdFmVQhtY6fdZvlcJlLAe_Vk/s320/hp8_pic2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly Forgotten</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Another under-developed element was the 'romance'. It was obvious from the first film, that Harry would probably end up with Ginny, yet eight films later, we still have practically no development on that front. It simply 'happened' for plot convenience a film or two ago (I can't remember which one), without being given the screen time to justify it (I presume that the books may have given it more depth).<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGa9fVe5-WAjL3ndZSv9Exn-cS8dZBPXB1WN1uLM-ot9IefHIXJxnzGeXsKvN5vEAxiugSiijcHsbWitGoBzoSPL8xzMTXgGRHe8P2a_bGFZ4cvHvFCoNXtPJaWuY1K31VUgLnXiMruI2Y/s1600/hp8_pic6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGa9fVe5-WAjL3ndZSv9Exn-cS8dZBPXB1WN1uLM-ot9IefHIXJxnzGeXsKvN5vEAxiugSiijcHsbWitGoBzoSPL8xzMTXgGRHe8P2a_bGFZ4cvHvFCoNXtPJaWuY1K31VUgLnXiMruI2Y/s320/hp8_pic6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under Siege</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The ending of the film also feels somewhat rushed. To compare The Lord of the Rings again, those films have been criticized for having too many long endings. The final film covers every character's eventual fate in great detail, and takes plenty of time to do so. After eight films, Harry Potter gets a somewhat forgettable 'The Next Generation' scene.<br />
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I know the Harry Potter films were intended to become darker and grittier as time passed and its characters grew older, but there is no excuse for losing the vibrant sense of magical fun that permeated the first few films. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIhjaBLfyt6JCzJ9a7U8dGMbMaNwL7Z2InUPG3QKBuVcb-XtAv96KbPsxuDRN0aH9QAs98uwsgkVIXiNUBl_eJ-ISzzUZWhHqVXTEpnu5tbm50QMMwxhSE6UJd9RuYXjcP0A0gBaSyF1k/s1600/hp8_pic3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIhjaBLfyt6JCzJ9a7U8dGMbMaNwL7Z2InUPG3QKBuVcb-XtAv96KbPsxuDRN0aH9QAs98uwsgkVIXiNUBl_eJ-ISzzUZWhHqVXTEpnu5tbm50QMMwxhSE6UJd9RuYXjcP0A0gBaSyF1k/s320/hp8_pic3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He Who Must Not Be Named<br />
(Otherwise known as Voldemort)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>All I can say, is that it is a serviceable film. It works on the most basic levels, even if it never reaches beyond those. If you have collected the series up till now, it makes for an acceptable if lacklustre conclusion. Nothing more, nothing less.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9-zfjOKb8S_cmr3YFqNSI3eIXnKbWHuFn_hqE64QUiqmBArlTGEqOJiSm_hio-ZTyeNCnhVLlXd4WEs6Dw6JUskvS1qhs_RN1n-HsrMrItWY82RB6hhgG1MVfVS8T8mwxor7ZP8Gx8-X/s1600/duncansguide_stars_6point5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9-zfjOKb8S_cmr3YFqNSI3eIXnKbWHuFn_hqE64QUiqmBArlTGEqOJiSm_hio-ZTyeNCnhVLlXd4WEs6Dw6JUskvS1qhs_RN1n-HsrMrItWY82RB6hhgG1MVfVS8T8mwxor7ZP8Gx8-X/s1600/duncansguide_stars_6point5.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">6.5/10</span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 14px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">Image Credit: © 2011 Warner Bros. Pictures</span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-79312684929585875652011-08-08T07:52:00.000-07:002011-08-08T07:52:16.183-07:00In MemoriamI haven't made any updates for a while, because my mother recently passed away. Somehow, posting about it on my blog seemed too trivial. Yet likewise, just carrying on as normal after a pause without saying anything, felt wrong as a well.<br />
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So I shall try to keep it simple. She will be remembered and loved always, by her friends and family. She was an inspiration for me in so many ways, whilst being supportive, enthusiastic and proud of my endeavours.<br />
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How many people can say that their parent, in their 70s, still enjoyed watching Harry Potter to Legally Blonde, read Terry Pratchett, played on their Nintendo DS, and instantly got the joke when you quoted some miscellaneous film reference such as “If Matrix was here, he'd laugh too” or mentioned a scruffy looking Nerf herder? Few, I can imagine.<br />
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She will always remain an inspiration, a moral guide, and someone I shall endeavour to make proud.<br />
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<i>From the stars we came,</i><br />
<i>To the stars we return.</i><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-66061554108739694652011-07-17T10:34:00.000-07:002011-07-17T10:38:54.619-07:00Of Badgers and Burrows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3agV72s9Gzafc302AHIHvrYJbWYI5EfOamEgqlSR7is6AGVJ8mwOnKvkxD9DJtWSH5a0I2TJy0vJj2WEHfgb05ohD032qrt6F3L91MfR1HuJQLMQPoyClHWwbVxFvIJom7XJBwbOL8Fy/s1600/badger_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3agV72s9Gzafc302AHIHvrYJbWYI5EfOamEgqlSR7is6AGVJ8mwOnKvkxD9DJtWSH5a0I2TJy0vJj2WEHfgb05ohD032qrt6F3L91MfR1HuJQLMQPoyClHWwbVxFvIJom7XJBwbOL8Fy/s320/badger_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As you may have read in previous posts, I belong to a local writing group. Over the last two years, we have produced two books of short stories and poetry. For the first book, the material was based around our local town. For the second, we encompassed the Yorkshire Pennines.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZM9TqN0pui_ax9TRFPIynNI6EyLOlny-8ulI0rBKqGozvM5M4MDOPOaXTLQ5KplQkHvhMc0oygP2gLxmjzp4mWOEXwHlKkM9oVufp9OtMkJlIpoID_YGV3ckb6bwwHHXsa6of25iM8ta3/s1600/reflections_of_holme_cover%2528sml%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZM9TqN0pui_ax9TRFPIynNI6EyLOlny-8ulI0rBKqGozvM5M4MDOPOaXTLQ5KplQkHvhMc0oygP2gLxmjzp4mWOEXwHlKkM9oVufp9OtMkJlIpoID_YGV3ckb6bwwHHXsa6of25iM8ta3/s1600/reflections_of_holme_cover%2528sml%2529.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover of<br />
<i>'Reflections of Holme'</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The books are titled <i>“Reflections of Holme” (available on <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reflections-Holme-Celebration-Landscape-People/dp/0956597009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1310923530&sr=8-1">amazon.co.uk</a>)</i> and <i>“Pennine Reflections”</i>. Not only did I have a story printed in each, I designed (to the group's specifications) and formatted the books. My story for the first book was <i>'Badger Collider' </i>and revolved around the world of the <i>'Burrowers';</i> The badgers, the moles, the rabbits, etc. who all live underground in a secret world hidden from the humans. The burrowers had built their own Particle Collider under Yorkshire, with the intention of taking back the above world from the humans. The humorous story was only around five hundred words, but it started the ball rolling.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiuONsnQyHNIJN9GPO2gVeGkqN7PF5psx6Xy5Snx10CX3FkQEnKw4I0pd3vkTor9Z-2XpsvRt3X_GQ0mU4UpCt0GrDKTzXG8mbZQNDyED4fChyLjoWAy34ju01prOOArDp2NH1dLDiVO6/s1600/pennine_reflections_cover%2528sml%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiuONsnQyHNIJN9GPO2gVeGkqN7PF5psx6Xy5Snx10CX3FkQEnKw4I0pd3vkTor9Z-2XpsvRt3X_GQ0mU4UpCt0GrDKTzXG8mbZQNDyED4fChyLjoWAy34ju01prOOArDp2NH1dLDiVO6/s1600/pennine_reflections_cover%2528sml%2529.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover of<br />
<i>'Pennine Reflections'</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>For the second book, I decided to write a sequel that carried on the adventures of these characters, and fleshed out their world considerably more, in a story called <i>'Badger Chariot'</i>. I also took the opportunity to illustrate the characters with my own sketches. Unfortunately the finished tale was too long for the allotted space, but rather than trim it down and lose much of the fun, I cut the story off at a reasonable point and added a link to a 'Badger' website. The website carries on not only the story, but provides a fun glimpse into the 'Burrower' world, with character profiles and location descriptions.<br />
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<a href="http://www.wdlee.co.uk/badger">Click here</a> to enjoy the stories and characters on <a href="http://www.wdlee.co.uk/badger"><i>'The Burrows'</i> </a>website. Who knows what the future has in store, for their underground adventures...<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-79643551071787357812011-07-17T02:34:00.000-07:002011-07-17T02:46:19.303-07:00Digital Painting - "Grumplemug - The Fairy Carving Troll"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IW_Icecw09noGIVkhPcePkU8Kcdpeej0uKZ9tzF9QizmpxZqaWPPxfJbz3gMlMJSBZ67I7Jw6IXFd0GWB7JKKydYl9M7l3zHAFuwJhc8iSXoC0I-Tq-u2iWI7HVwn25ESF6GfW2-6SKK/s1600/troll_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IW_Icecw09noGIVkhPcePkU8Kcdpeej0uKZ9tzF9QizmpxZqaWPPxfJbz3gMlMJSBZ67I7Jw6IXFd0GWB7JKKydYl9M7l3zHAFuwJhc8iSXoC0I-Tq-u2iWI7HVwn25ESF6GfW2-6SKK/s320/troll_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here's another of my entries in the <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX</a> magazine weekly forum competition. This was created for the July 2011 weekly challenge entitled: <i>"Grumpy Troll"</i><br />
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<b>Brief:</b> <i>"Without context, design the character. The only restrictions are that he must have something on or beside him to show scale."</i><br />
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<b>Description:</b> <i>"A new (fictional) fantasy film for kids, has a grumpy, somewhat dimwitted troll-like character who in contrast to his cumbersome appearance, likes to carve delicate fairy figurines out of wood. The troll is also short sighted and has a carved wooden leg."</i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVhlUybAVJX6ybcdH5-b7Gk7JlcUH_qazb2D-u5hrvtFY30F7906Fsc4Sd37WaFL0fY8VH5OIvuddPjR8sixFdnkkBh_qsubPFdBn4d412AFmmzWSOTezz0wbsppdLsI7SRXbLW2a4xin/s1600/blog_troll_design0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVhlUybAVJX6ybcdH5-b7Gk7JlcUH_qazb2D-u5hrvtFY30F7906Fsc4Sd37WaFL0fY8VH5OIvuddPjR8sixFdnkkBh_qsubPFdBn4d412AFmmzWSOTezz0wbsppdLsI7SRXbLW2a4xin/s320/blog_troll_design0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A couple of very early troll designs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I was lucky enough that once again they had chosen one of my ideas for the challenge, so I was ready to get my teeth stuck into this one. <br />
<br />
I did quite a few (very!) rough sketches initially, trying to figure out what kind of look to go for. Initially I was going to make him rather a tough looking 'realistic' troll, but I wasn't especially happy with any of the designs. They just didn't feel right for the character description. It needed something more light-hearted. In looking back at my earlier painting, <a href="http://duncansguide.blogspot.com/2011/04/digital-painting-beyond-darkness.html">'Beyond the Darkness'</a>, I realised it might be fun to use a similar look to the creatures I had invented for that, giving the character a more "children's illustrated book" feel.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvtQ_MvPi9924_qQRUTK16SZKNPlISTCv5iyFA54KKmZl-52wWJKVg7yAkfSO3VlehRgfqQYPKqyHVbtcTDsy5YpQ6joax9Viyf1ebMlpuFG0CggIFpTGnEAerAVB_0Qdr_hHe3vgUEYU/s1600/blog_troll_design1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvtQ_MvPi9924_qQRUTK16SZKNPlISTCv5iyFA54KKmZl-52wWJKVg7yAkfSO3VlehRgfqQYPKqyHVbtcTDsy5YpQ6joax9Viyf1ebMlpuFG0CggIFpTGnEAerAVB_0Qdr_hHe3vgUEYU/s320/blog_troll_design1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Refining the design and working out a pose</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So next I did a few designs of the character along that route, and messed around with his pose. I decided I wanted him to be a travelling troll, who keeps all he needs with him. In this case, his tool box is also a seat upon which he can sit and carve.<br />
<br />
One more thing was needed, which was an object that shows his scale. I decided that he was a modern troll, who uses a mobile telephone for reference pictures and for taking orders via text. In the end, it became a touch screen telephone, purely for speed, as I was nearing the deadline and didn't have time to draw and paint the buttons and details I wanted. So on screen I thought it would be fun to place my previous 'fairy' painting, as if he'd been using it for reference.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vppJyQ02XTqMD-78F-n_d0iGE3uVWdya3eIZ-gWwmDM5qLIDVagh0zwYaQIsPO5m4T87FSZ5WEzVBdFm7skj140RVAltZED_o1GNATUgg-1IW6E2gm-ImyyzO57m5AHawMaBENkJ68kj/s1600/blog_troll_design2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vppJyQ02XTqMD-78F-n_d0iGE3uVWdya3eIZ-gWwmDM5qLIDVagh0zwYaQIsPO5m4T87FSZ5WEzVBdFm7skj140RVAltZED_o1GNATUgg-1IW6E2gm-ImyyzO57m5AHawMaBENkJ68kj/s320/blog_troll_design2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semi-final design (left), working out the pose (middle and top right)<br />
and a photograph taken for reference (bottom right).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After completing it for the competition, I went back to finish a few details for my own satisfaction. Namely things such as the smoke from his pipe, the carving on the tool box, and a pot of varnish and a cloth in the bottom left, to finish the visual 'triangle' between top right (from the smoke) to bottom left, as intended. However, I didn't change the phone back to its original design, as I quite like the way it came out in the end. Below, you can view an animation showing the gradual 'Work In Progress'.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><object codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=4,0,2,0" height="400" width="300"> <param name=movie value="http://www.wdlee.co.uk/blog/grumpyvid.swf"><param name=quality value=high><embed src="http://www.wdlee.co.uk/blog/grumpyvid.swf" quality=high pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300" height="400"> </embed> </object> </div><br />
It didn't do well in the competition, but I was personally rather satisfied and happy with the final painting, which is all that matters at the end of the day. Not to mention, it again adds to my growing portfolio of digital art. I hope you enjoy looking at this light-hearted character and imagining his story, as much as I enjoyed creating him!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPkH6unZdfbbs2NtNIiF4xOkGaL05d7bozEvoxCHjJRF4ehsxRVR5uWpxkVK5Zl8yKADgaZwAPbg4d4wA_BfC5Q6ejI5Rdk1oDzWPBci6wv2UT4TIKxy2nX-La_x1TEwdbe-Kn6w9YV9e/s1600/grumpy_troll_ifx_wip15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPkH6unZdfbbs2NtNIiF4xOkGaL05d7bozEvoxCHjJRF4ehsxRVR5uWpxkVK5Zl8yKADgaZwAPbg4d4wA_BfC5Q6ejI5Rdk1oDzWPBci6wv2UT4TIKxy2nX-La_x1TEwdbe-Kn6w9YV9e/s400/grumpy_troll_ifx_wip15.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Grumplemug - The Fairy Carving Troll"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8233673043694391536.post-45554628114460695482011-07-06T07:32:00.000-07:002011-07-11T02:39:49.635-07:00Digital Painting "Outpost 32"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7nNRkp0jPNGn5KdPR3U6SzoKcfofmNhQVtAhtTs1Qy7m9Qibb7ei52dWdIlLl7LNve_3hKUmz2Qm0Z20XX4wlgtuog07fsIUw0464M1DCSYlTWLr0WbO-ruAl04qM_0bLJON8nzaepqE/s1600/outpost32_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7nNRkp0jPNGn5KdPR3U6SzoKcfofmNhQVtAhtTs1Qy7m9Qibb7ei52dWdIlLl7LNve_3hKUmz2Qm0Z20XX4wlgtuog07fsIUw0464M1DCSYlTWLr0WbO-ruAl04qM_0bLJON8nzaepqE/s320/outpost32_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I've been doing some of the weekly <a href="http://www.imaginefx.com/">Imagine FX</a> magazine forum competitions rather than the monthly ones, which has encouraged me to speed up and improve my techniques. Instead of getting bogged down in extraneous detail, they have forced me to make sure I get maximum effect without spending hours over-working something.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgge8qiH5-b8IuPmcovNTOvD-NYnWO2Ql9_J826_xUZ5pIOpotApJuJeKz_j7Dg901JwN8OOWbD7DRo-BTER2NLkD54nWKEFxXmxkxBR-XJ0fl6MBcrLh9TgRMrR-JVT2dy-ikN-fc2VCYG/s1600/hosp_designs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgge8qiH5-b8IuPmcovNTOvD-NYnWO2Ql9_J826_xUZ5pIOpotApJuJeKz_j7Dg901JwN8OOWbD7DRo-BTER2NLkD54nWKEFxXmxkxBR-XJ0fl6MBcrLh9TgRMrR-JVT2dy-ikN-fc2VCYG/s320/hosp_designs.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hospital designs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This was created for the June 2011 weekly challenge entitled: <i>"Highview Hospital design"</i><br />
<br />
The 'Brief': <i>"Your challenge this week is to produce a full colour environment painting of a futuristic mountainside hospital."</i><br />
<br />
The 'Description': <i>"Highview is built high on the side of a mountain range. The hospital is constantly battered by the elements, surrounded on all sides by snow and rock. Highview is only accessible by an advanced lift system built into the side of the mountain below it, or by helicopter (which is more commonly used, and overseen by the hospitals dedicated flight control tower). Their only communications are via a large satellite tower."</i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMIRIv-pvTgWTpO6xAeada1tBOqXWy1n65gQV9mnVAMVRwBLYAiB0G1lrG1qFivdmZjM4c99ePl2OjrCoEpw12vNtYClKIvx8tyF15v8Aq9jR_YjhPrA9dcbsPJ-rcnCufTFOF40OSEDy/s1600/heli_designs1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMIRIv-pvTgWTpO6xAeada1tBOqXWy1n65gQV9mnVAMVRwBLYAiB0G1lrG1qFivdmZjM4c99ePl2OjrCoEpw12vNtYClKIvx8tyF15v8Aq9jR_YjhPrA9dcbsPJ-rcnCufTFOF40OSEDy/s320/heli_designs1.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helicopter designs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I thought that perhaps a futuristic building on a weather-beaten mountain would be designed to allow the weather to move around it with as little wind resistance as possible, so I imagined the bulk of the structures to be elliptical (see designs above). The communications pylon is positioned horizontally, so that it will be clear of falling/sliding snow from the mountain, and if damaged, it won't fall on the hospital itself.<br />
<br />
As for the helicopter design, I wanted to do something futuristic and unusual, but instead of going wild with multiple rotor arrangements, I wanted to keep that archetypal helicopter feel alongside its futuristic look.<br />
<br />
I also thought, why would you build a hospital on a mountainside that is practically inaccessible in the first place? I decided that it was on a different planet where this location actually<i> is </i>one of the safer places to build the hospital. Hence the alien planet on the horizon...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3lhMWASDsgsA2GNe3yYK5_uTYLqvInf1E0uuvOJq1ia4vJ0aZyZgbb9tmy3xaRJleRF8rOKEt6pwpHNfudU2FSP0aWmJfVLlHW-KdxbRKfouso77h9eFmJqGUUR_ETYeFiS7-T9bPi1-/s1600/outpost_32%25281000%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3lhMWASDsgsA2GNe3yYK5_uTYLqvInf1E0uuvOJq1ia4vJ0aZyZgbb9tmy3xaRJleRF8rOKEt6pwpHNfudU2FSP0aWmJfVLlHW-KdxbRKfouso77h9eFmJqGUUR_ETYeFiS7-T9bPi1-/s400/outpost_32%25281000%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final "Outpost 32"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This final version is almost the same as the one entered in the competition, except for a few minor details on the helicopter. I gave it the title 'Outpost 32' as a little nod to the film 'The Thing', in which the Arctic base is called 'Outpost 31'.<br />
<br />
It's one of the pieces I've been the most satisfied with recently, as I think it almost has a 'movie production art' feel to it. It has also been great practice since I haven't done many landscape scenes of this nature so far.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.</span></i></span>Duncan's Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03058123205163604513noreply@blogger.com1