Big Game

Big Game
Michael Smith 12-16-2014

A scifi-ish landscape painting with a bit of a narrative. I wanted to contrast the clean, metal, contemporary shape on the right with the organic desert scenery. Thank you for viewing!

Big Game progress stages:

(1) Initial grey-scale sketch, created 2 point perspective for man made shape on right and to establish horizon (used custom paths), basic clean forms and value separation, streaking shadows, areas of contrast, just trying to get interesting shapes and a possible narrative

(2) New layer with color blending mode, painted in blobby areas of color to start a pallet, then a few texture lay-ins, mostly using overlay blending mode, re-sized textures using perspective and skewing transform tools to better fit proportions and perspective, use color balance tools to adjust colors in shadows, mid tones, and highlights, painted in clouds with custom cloud brushes

(3) Paint over textures to partially destroy them, make things more painterly, and sharpen/detail up areas. Added fog and atmosphere to gain depth. Painted in foreground rocks and some extra shrubbery

(4) Painted in metal structure on right, no textures, established sheen to represent low sunlight to the far right somewhere, reflection of sky near top of metal, strong blue light to complement overly red pallet. Kept shape clean and modern, contemporary/futuristic looking, balances out with the natural organic elements in rest of scene.

(5) Narrative, painted in sniper character and canopy, scurrying insect creature that has just been shot and is off balance, BUT didn't like story because it strayed from initial idea...there was too much tension and creature wasn't supposed to be the intimidating one, the sniper was...

(FINAL) ...replaced spider with large mammal, lumbering innocent looking dinosaur type creature, just been shot and is falling to it's side, dust gathering around it, now the narrative makes the sniper appear to be the bad guy, slightly less tension, and hopefully feel some pity for the creature, mammal reads a bit better with it's neck and head silhouetted against the sky (as opposed to insect creature), purposely left some parts blurry and less detailed in the non focal point areas of the image.

Total time, a day or so.
Thanks for viewing!