Monday, January 29, 2007

Castle

A practice artwork. Going back to the basics of shapes and the importance of values for color and composition.

23 comments:

C.Deboda said...

Breathtaking stuff...again. Cant get enough of the basics. Well done!

Antonio Santamaria said...

Genial!!!!!!!!! It's really magnificent... it seems like a great war ship... Beautiful... and the colour version is just epic!
Cheers

Shuku said...

Gorgeous! Colour basics - I don't think I'm quite ready to get to that stage yet but lord, that's beautiful and a really good exercise too. Must try it now! It looks like the fairytale castle on the game I play...

--Shuku

Hans said...

Hey Armand,

Wow, love your last two posts!!! "Bird Kingdom" sounds really interesting and the artwork looks awesome. I love that misty mysterious mood you put into it and that actually goes for the castle as well. Both very storytelling images. I like the composition and placement of the birds, it somehow adds to that mood.
I hope you get a presentation together for a new pitch for the "Bird Kingdom" movie. I'd like to see more of that!:)

Take care,

Hans

Mark Behm said...

Really nice. I love how it comes alive and moves they eye around in the color version.

Edouard Chevais-Deighton said...

Great... Wonderfull... What else can we say ? ;)

craig said...

Hey Armand,
beautiful work. Did you create the piece first as a monochromatic and then color. or did you color as you went along?

Armand Serrano said...

Craig,
To answer your question, I started with the monochromatic artwork first then when the values are set, color comes in. Thanks.
-Armand

Marcos Mateu said...

Love it! I specially like the shadow side, really mysterious.

Nathan Fowkes said...

Solid work!

Tim Bye said...

Great colours! Using green in the sky is something I would never have considered - but wow! - that and the red together give a real impact!

Armand Serrano said...

Thanks guys. But now that I look at the colored one again, I realised it's a bit "Christmassy"...oh well, probably I was unconsciusly looking forward to Christmas when I did it. Have a great day.

SILVER KNIGHT said...

very nice armand!

Mark McDonnell said...

Great piece man. There's some really nice textural stuff as well. Did you first create the piece in greyscale and go back in with color? How did you start this sucker???

MAC

Mark McDonnell said...

Sorry, I didn't read the pervious posts. Nice stuff man . . .as always you come through with a very solid piece.

MAC

Alessandra Sorrentino said...

Wow Armand, this is fabulous.
Love the light on the towers and the tiny details you added in the background. They pleasantly tell without being loquacious.
Take care!
Alessandra

Unknown said...

beautiful!! Love how you creat the grand majestic atmosphere!!

Anonymous said...

Yup! - I like it .

Mark McDonnell said...

One quick question. What layer mode(s) did you use to keep the integrity of the value structure in place while still adding color?

MAC

Armand Serrano said...

Mark,

There are few techniques but the simplest one and very effective is using the color brush. Once you established the values, copy all the layers then make a flattened layer. Get the brush tool, turn the mode into 'color' instead of 'normal'. Then work your color on the flattened layer. The color brush keeps the integrity of values on the layer. Try it and let me know.

Martin Wittig said...

Armand--- Beautiful work.Can't wait to see more:)

Alfred Llupia said...

Yes you´re right,and this is a good example of course,anyways i like the light you choose on it,design and the soldiers running!greetings.

Philip Dimitriadis said...

Wow!!! really nice!!! You are so inspiring!!!! Really cool.....