Spectre's Art and Shameless Advertising

[NH97 144]

@Spec 

A little bit late reply, but WOW O_O O_O awesome uploadddddddd O[]O O[]O O[]O

Dat muscle tho, it really bulginnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggg outttttt~ But super awesomeeee!!! He look like he has done handstand for decadess~

 

And the Valentine piece is SUPERB CUTEEEEEE! And here i thought you gonna do it sexy xDDDDDDD

[Spectre 829]

Aww, thanks, y'all!

 

If I had to be entirely honest, it wasn't all Bugs, XP. Got my hands on a digital art tutorial book, and I'll be using that for tons of references.

But, I'm super super grateful to her for introducing me to 3D painting. Absolutely no regrets, although it's a bugger to do up since now I take about 3 times as long on a single piece.

 

Totally worth it.

 

P.S. I might do a sexy piece for everybody soon.

[Spectre 829]

A quick update since the last time. Nothing sexy just yet, unless you're into giant, stony monster things. That'd be weird.

 

 

 

The banner I'll be using to advertise the Armor Tutorial for The Pantheon, including a bit of custom shading experimentation that I did.

 

And some concept art for Fantasy Impromptu: Perfect Night.

Here's my concept work for a race that I'll be doing up: The Balrog.

 

 

 

And some work on doing racial and facial (heh heh) variations. The one on the left is a Light Elf, and the right isn't an Orc; but a Fire Elf.

 

 

Edited February 28, 2015 by Spectre

[+ dbchest 160]

that balrog is one nasty looking fella, lol. how is it you take him down?

 

i'm not used to seeing line art from you!

i really like the experimental races you've developed as well. your lineart is clean and their outfits were well tailored and detailed.

[BluMiu 119]

Your artwork with people is really improving, good sir! I especially like the head-on of Damian; nicely proportioned When was

Valentine's Day??? Despite my being oblivious, your piece for the day is extremely lovely (crush the heart!) Those fiery redheads.

 

How has the preparations for the tutorial come along? Are they skills prepped and primed to go live?

 

Also, like the diverse look with the fire elf. What made you think of varying them in such a way? Any reason

explained within the context?

Edited March 1, 2015 by BluMiu

[Spectre 829]

that balrog is one nasty looking fella, lol. how is it you take him down?

 

i'm not used to seeing line art from you!

i really like the experimental races you've developed as well. your lineart is clean and their outfits were well tailored and detailed.

Lots of fire. You kill him with lots of fire.

Funny you should say that, though. I specialize in lineart over coloring (in contrast to Bugs, Blu, Tsar etc). Perhaps I'll do more lineart over the next few weeks, since I really haven't had the luxury of time to churn out lots of colored goodies.

 

 

How has the preparations for the tutorial come along? Are they skills prepped and primed to go live?

 

Also, like the diverse look with the fire elf. What made you think of varying them in such a way? Any reason

explained within the context?

I actually did the tutorial just yesterday (with a ton of interruptions, apologies again). I'm still improving as things go along, but I've more or less grasped the basics of armor shading. Design wise, I'm fairly confident it's above par, so rest assured that you guys will be in safe hands.

 

As for the races, I wanted to set Fantasy Impromptu in an early 20th century setting, sort of where electropunk and fantasy meet noir fiction. What I did was to take references for similar themes - the Light Elf was based mostly on our stereotypical impression of an elf - slender, high cheekbones, Celtic-inspired ornamental design. I transposed them onto a blazer with a Mandarin collar to distinguish it from the standard "suit and tie" fashion of their time, and used tighter folds on the fabric to give a more crisp look that accentuates their slenderness.

The Fire Elf had more unusual design choices made, as I wanted to incorporate a more Orcish look without making the race look overly brutish. I turned to looking up the Orsimmer from Skyrim for a good reference, with Persian clothing as an inspiration for a more outlandish look that retains a certain element of retro.

[Spectre 829]

Well, it's really endearing to see the huge influx of activity in the art forums again, so I'd like to continue this trend with a few pieces of my own.

I know, it's not as much as I'd have liked, but I haven't had much time to myself at home recently.

 

Warning: Boring Lore Alert

 

Fantasy Impromptu: Perfect Night - Vega Villalobos (WIP)

 

 

 

 

 

Writeup/Info

 

 

The daughter of the infamous vampire, Rigel Villalobos - the one who converted Damian Antares, the main character, to vampirism. Vega not only identifies with Antares by taking pity on his predicament, having his family killed by her father, but as someone who has lost her father herself, she shares a deeper emotional connection with Antares than the rest of her faction.

As the current matriarch of a proxy of the Silverback family, one of the three most influential and powerful families that advocate for vampires to take a stronger role in Vanaheim as an evolutionary quantum leap, Vega seeks to placate the aggressiveness of the three families while maintaining a level of respect among her brethren, a tenuous balance given her relatively passive attitude in the political scene. Her main ideology revolves around sheltering her kind from instigating a new holy war, one that threatens their existence entirely. This has caused numerous conflicts among the families, and her relative inactivity has further diminished her influence among the clans.

 

That being said, Vega represents herself as a character who is not to be taken lightly, and mistaking her passiveness for submissiveness easily results in an untimely demise.

 

 

 

Fantasy Impromptu: Perfect Night - Jaegers (WIP)

 

 

 

 

 

Writeup/Info

 

 

The Order of the Iron Cross was once the most influential peacekeeping organizations in the region - in fact, the only politically neutral peacekeeping organization that sought not only to maintain diplomacy between hostile regions, but to repel the forces of chaos to keep the populace safe. The Jaegers, on the other hand, have almost nothing in common with this esteemed organization, save for the fact that one of its Paladins had founded the Jaegers after The Order was disbanded several years ago.

 

What this chaotic band of ragtag vigilantes lacks in finesse and official recognition, they make up for in ruthless efficiency. Seeing themselves as the protectors of a new world order, where the forces of darkness begin to assert their dominance over the forces of light, the Jaegers have an unhealthy obsession with eradicating all manner of undead folk - vampires, lycans, Cabalists and occultists alike; some resorting to rather drastic measures to do so. Their insatiable appetite and fanaticism, as well as penchant for maximum collateral damage and disruption of regular city life, has led them to be branded as terrorists in many cities.

 

Regardless, they see themselves as the chosen few that are tasked to uphold order in times of volatility, when no others are willing to do so, and given their relatively lavish funding from the Merchant Guild and what remains of the Church of the Iron Cross, have endless means to execute their far-fetched, but surprisingly efficient, assassination plots and cleansing activities.

All good news, unless of course you're Damian Antares, the protagonist of Fantasy Impromptu: Perfect Night, and several years ago, transformed unwittingly and reluctantly into a vampire.

 

P.S. Yes, that undead bird will be featured in-game, but it serves primarily as a scouting tool over having actual combat purpose.

 

 

Edited March 12, 2015 by Spectre

[BluMiu 119]

Spectre, those are just awesome. You already know I love Vega and her story (the lore addition is a very well welcomed addition). I love her design curviness, 

though I'm trying to decide if her thighs are too slender for the upper torso. Other than that, I hope this all develops into an amazing story when it starts

to come together through more characters and summaries.

 

How long did Perfect Night take? I would think drawing three characters overlapping each other takes some patience, but it worked out nicely~ Your

weapon and armor design shine again and that bird...nice animal design Never would have though of undead bird, lol! Does the group always fight

as team in-game?

[NH97 144]

Specccccc can you at least please make or explain how you got the ideas for armor/outfit????!!!! IT JUST TOO AWESOMEEEEE

I...just seriously luv the variety of outfit that you create, it certainly show you're a very creative person!

[When Bugs Roam Ur House 656]

I feel like your anatomy and facial proportions have improved again Those just look awesome.

 

Really like the face, lips, and hand of Vega. I also really like how you shaded the features of her face.

 

As for the second picture, i agree-- dang! There's a lot of clothing detail and designs there! I could never do that lol, though i wish. But they look great.

And then all the characters' faces you drew in the second picture look very natural/ proportionate as well.

[BluMiu 119]

Specccccc can you at least please make or explain how you got the ideas for armor/outfit????!!!! IT JUST TOO AWESOMEEEEE

I...just seriously luv the variety of outfit that you create, it certainly show you're a very creative person!

I've wondered if he uses references for those too, but they pretty original as he might be used to it by now.

[Spectre 829]

 

Spectre, those are just awesome. You already know I love Vega and her story (the lore addition is a very well welcomed addition). I love her design curviness, though I'm trying to decide if her thighs are too slender for the upper torso.

Odd. I'm trying to figure out for myself too; I reduced the breast size from an F to a DD, so her torso probably looks a little elongated now. The corset doesn't help, either.

 

 

I've wondered if he uses references for those too, but they pretty original as he might be used to it by now.

Everyone uses references; anyone who says otherwise is lying. XD

I get inspiration a ton, but ultimately there are occasions where I have to look at a piece to figure out its general form and shape. That's where most of my character design "originality" comes from; lots of borrowing and lots of imagination. Mostly borrowing. Somewhat. Maybe.

 

 

As for the second picture, i agree-- dang! There's a lot of clothing detail and designs there! I could never do that lol, though i wish. But they look great.

Lies and heresy! Your level of detail far exceeds mine, my dear. But I'm flattered, thanks~ :3

Okay, well, at least you still beat me hands down when it comes to drawing that lush, silky man hair.

 

 

How long did Perfect Night take? I would think drawing three characters overlapping each other takes some patience, but it worked out nicely~ Your

weapon and armor design shine again and that bird...nice animal design Never would have though of undead bird, lol! Does the group always fight

as team in-game?

Oh, no no. Perfect Night is the subtitle for "Fantasy Impromptu". The game Fantasy Impromptu: Perfect Night is a spin-off of my original Fantasy Impromptu plot, since I decided to challenge myself by diving into a game about vampires without making it cheesy.

 

"Perfect Night" is actually part of a codeword the Jaegers use to describe an all-out attack, to cleanse an area thoroughly of dark forces such as vampires and lycans. This involves a mass raid, and heavy collateral damage and civilian deaths. At one point in the game, you'll be targeted in a "Perfect Night", regardless of the choices you've made in-game, although if you play more passively this is delayed quite a fair bit to a later point, where you're more likely to be well-equipped for the raid. You will, however, have less support from your fellow vampires.

 

The Jaegers are largely random; I decided to give myself a challenge by drawing the undead falconer, though, so that one takes awhile. Generally the variants of Jaegers encountered in-game fight in twos or threes, and rely on ambush tactics and tracking targets even when they're taken out, for other Jaegers to track you. There are even some events where, if you're unlucky and have bad reaction times, they'll bypass combat altogether and capture/execute you instantly.

 

 

Specccccc can you at least please make or explain how you got the ideas for armor/outfit????!!!! IT JUST TOO AWESOMEEEEE

I...just seriously luv the variety of outfit that you create, it certainly show you're a very creative person!

Hahaha, by all means~ I'm not exactly the best in terms of costume design (laces and fluffy things are a bitch to draw), but I can give some general tips:

1. Come up with themes for your character.

Look up some thematic elements, e.g. high fantasy, Gothic, elf, etc. Identify as many characteristics of the character as you can, and try to look up references for each to get ideas. Gothic, for example, relies more on dark colors and a more Victorian-era style of fashion, with some degree of exaggeration on the laces.

 

2. Come up with basic shapes.

Identify the main components of the costume - a blazer, or a waistcoat; even a kind of hat. The better you are at naming specific costume parts, the easier it is to find references, although a quick Google search churns out tons of references for you.

When you're done with that, do a rough sketch of the costume.

 

3. Draw in specifics and line. Done.

Feel free to go crazy around the thematic elements you've identified earlier, without sacrificing the base shape of the costume too much. Elven clothing tends to have lavish embroidery and Celtic runes embedded within. Demons have circly sigils and sharper, heavier plates of armor, although this doesn't need to be full body to accentuate the chaotic element of the character.

 

I'll illustrate an example, with some lore included. Meet the Club Seraph Attendant:

 

 

 

Lore:

The exclusivity of Club Seraph is extended solely to the rich, influential and powerful, and even then, an invitation is not guaranteed. More enigmatic than the club itself, however, are the ornately dressed and unnaturally attractive attendants that keep the club operational.

Handpicked at a very young age by an unknown syndicate of investors, the girls sacrifice freedom, entering unwavering servitude, in exchange for longevity and eternal radiance - their features enhanced to the point of unquestionable beauty among men and women alike, and their costumes made with alloys not of this realm, exhibiting a fractal of shimmering light from all angles. A small price to pay, to leave behind their names and individual identities.

 

Their role in the Club may be mere attendants, but they double up as information brokers, courtesans and entertainers for their far less enigmatic clientele, performing any role necessary unless it defiles the sanctity and anonymity of their own identities. It is not uncommon for one to engage in mild sexual services with an attendant in private, but this typically works to the attendant's advantage, often negotiating for valuable intel or artifacts in exchange. It is for this reason that the Club is so exclusive - entire fortunes can be won and lost in a single night, and the spoils of the attendants' labor typically vanishes along with the aftermath of the party in an instant.

 

Cynics argue that the role of the attendant is seen as unwavering female servitude and the epitomy of degrading the role of women in society; on the contrary, they are empowered to the point of manipulative or controlling behavior, achieving critical political aims with mechanical accuracy. Other conspiracy theorists argue that they only serve a shadowy organization as a hive mind, gathering absurd levels of information and material gain before vanishing without a trace. Regardless, their allure is resisted by few, if any, and their goals as dubious as their employer, if the employer exists in the first place.

 

Design Notes:

• Main Themes: Mystery, Angelic, Untouchable, Wings, Beauty, Attendant/Servant
• Metalwork not of this earth; possibly mother of pearl combined with another amorphous alloy.
• Ornate, heavily decorated while retaining a sense of homogeneity.
• Radiant beauty, largely covered to show an element of mystique.
• Some parts exposed - enhances slender physique and shows a human element.
• Largely curved rather than straight lines in design work; shows amorphous nature.
• Individual Identity irrelevant. Hide half the face with a mask.

 

 

[When Bugs Roam Ur House 656]

Odd. I'm trying to figure out for myself too; I reduced the breast size from an F to a DD, so her torso probably looks a little elongated now. The corset doesn't help, either.

Actually... Imo, i think her hips + thighs could be widened a bit, too. : 3

 

Remember to keep those shoulders and hips the same width in females, sir {• 3 •}

 

 

As for the second picture, i agree-- dang! There's a lot of clothing detail and designs there! I could never do that lol, though i wish. But they look great.

Lies and heresy! Your level of detail far exceeds mine, my dear. But I'm flattered, thanks~ :3

Okay, well, at least you still beat me hands down when it comes to drawing that lush, silky man hair.

"Man hair"... LOL

 

I never lie when i give people compliments they're always my honest thoughts.

I'm not kidding though!! You're a liar-liar-pants-on-fire. I always thought your level of detail owned mine. I only like to draw simple clothing, whereas you can come up with all these crazy designs and tiny bolts and concepts. I really like to shade things, but i find i struggle with coming up with that initial design, the whole concept, and imagining things beyond TV or books and movies.

 

 

 

I read your suggestions to NH97 btw and i will learn them o_o

[NH97 144]

@Spec

Thanks for the tips!! xDDDD I'll work out my designing for awhile

 

Anyway is it just me that feel like female body proportion is much harder than man? '3'  

Whenever i draw a female character i need to fix the proportion like hundred times........ ._."  Man body is much more easier to understand....

[When Bugs Roam Ur House 656]

@Spec

Thanks for the tips!! xDDDD I'll work out my designing for awhile

 

Anyway is it just me that feel like female body proportion is much harder than man? '3'  

Whenever i draw a female character i need to fix the proportion like hundred times........ ._."  Man body is much more easier to understand....

It's the opposite for me.... which is why i practice male proportions so much...

 

I think it's because we can look at ourselves for references? Probably also because we spend most of our life around people the same gender as us.

[NH97 144]

@Sensei

Hmm really? But i also always see naked woman almost everyday......hmmmmm dats weird...

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IT'S A JOKE

 

[Spectre 829]

@Sensei

Hmm really? But i also always see naked woman almost everyday......hmmmmm dats weird...

My my, what a lucky guy.

 

 

Anyway is it just me that feel like female body proportion is much harder than man? '3'  

Whenever i draw a female character i need to fix the proportion like hundred times........ ._."  Man body is much more easier to understand....

Generally every character has a certain archetype - it helps to just draw a rectangular body shape, then extrapolate/fix from there. I tend to draw my males with overly triangular body shapes, so I have difficulty converting back to female because I make them too muscular at the shoulders.

 

 

I never lie when i give people compliments they're always my honest thoughts.

I'm not kidding though!! You're a liar-liar-pants-on-fire. I always thought your level of detail owned mine. I only like to draw simple clothing, whereas you can come up with all these crazy designs and tiny bolts and concepts. I really like to shade things, but i find i struggle with coming up with that initial design, the whole concept, and imagining things beyond TV or books and movies.

Ideas are nothing without technique, Bugs, and I'm super glad that you've been able to give life to some of my ideas.

Likewise, I'm glad to have given some inspiration to your amazing technique. Perhaps we can all experiment on really random stuff. ^^

 

Speaking of experimenting, I've been playing around with custom brushes a little. I'd like to report that I'm pleased with the result (still WIP, and I haven't added secondary shading):

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. For those looking for the brush sets, it's Guan's Brushes 2.0 and Makkon's Digital Sketch Brushes for Photoshop. Highly recommend them for those who still use the outdated method of shading on Photoshop.

[Spectre 829]

Sadly, I haven't had much time to doodle, but I do have two featured works available:

 

 

 

For those of you who remember my days at Ace Academy, I'm recycling one of my older characters into FI:PN.

 

 

 

And for those that don't, fret not, for I've been working on newer, more interesting poses, and facial variations. Here's a new character I've done up.

[NH97 144]

*_* woooooooow Geraldine look so perfect and beautiful..... Can't find any fault with her proportion and look at her armor *_* she's too pretty for me to look °///°

 

And the first is awesome too! Luv how you paint it, the piece give like a "majestic feeling" And it will be totally awesome as a banner ))

Edited March 31, 2015 by NH97

[When Bugs Roam Ur House 656]

Arg! I meant to reply to this earlier, after seeing your previous picture (and NH97's comment xD), but i completely forget/forgot why i never came back to respond or something.

 

Anyways, i just wanted to say that new girl's drawing in particular, the lined one, she looks so pretty! Hahaha, i agree with NH97, she is beautiful! xD

 

I like how you've been approaching your females more and more.

 

 

Regarding your last post, no problem, i'm really flattered that you feel that way and that i've been able to help you in such a way. So thanks-- I really like/want to help people who feel uncertain about how to progress with their art.

Likewise, haha, i'm glad about the inspiration from you

[Tsarmina 2,611]

K-Kaspar?? O_O He's back! And hot omg

 

I really like Geraldine! Her face is so sweet-looking--not necessarily sweet as in "she's the nicest person you know," but sweet as in...well, it's very lovely and proportional. <33 Her pose is really amazingly dynamic as well~

[richter_h 67]

Such pose... You surely put efforts on Geraldine. Impressive, indeed.

 

Say, Spectre, how do you get pose references? I found lots of interesting poses in most of your works, mostly the dynamic ones.

[Spectre 829]

Such pose... You surely put efforts on Geraldine. Impressive, indeed.

 

Say, Spectre, how do you get pose references? I found lots of interesting poses in most of your works, mostly the dynamic ones.

Well, if I had to be completely honest, Geraldine isn't 100% my picture. I got the pose reference and facial proportions off Artgerm's picture here:

 

 

After that, I did some modifications to the image to give off a more fiery-dancer kind of look. The costume was largely inspired by Oriental wear, Lina from Dota 2, and Arabian exotic dancers to create a more culturally neutral, yet unique appearance.

The pose was based off the dancers, too.

 

 

I like how you've been approaching your females more and more.

 

Regarding your last post, no problem, i'm really flattered that you feel that way and that i've been able to help you in such a way. So thanks-- I really like/want to help people who feel uncertain about how to progress with their art.

Likewise, haha, i'm glad about the inspiration from you

The feeling's mutual; we all learn from each other. I picked up a little of your shading techniques - I like how your most recent piece approached blacker tones with much greater contrast for a pseudo 3D, yet very defined look. I took up a bit of it for armor shading, but I plan to incorporate the black tones when I finally do dynamic lighting with the flames. :3

Also, I thought I might as well start drawing girls that look like girls, herp derp.

 

Speaking of which, here's Geraldine with secondary shading. The final render will include hard lighting from the flames.

[BluMiu 119]

This is definitely some beautiful artwork you have going here~ I love the guy as well as Geraldine. He would be a neat one to see if there is a

full body The detail you put into the accessories of your dancer really bring her to life and the pose is indeed awesome!

[Spectre 829]

Hehe, thanks Blu~! Always looking forward to seeing your styles for some inspiration too; especially since I need to do some work on my backgrounds ^^

 

As a matter of fact, I'm working on new angles and perspectives. For the following piece, I've done a ton of 45 degree frontal shots, but I'm working more on the chin angled upwards.

On a less technical note, for those who remember me from my AA days, this is a reveal of what Freyja actually looks like:

 

Geraldine colors coming soon!

Edited April 13, 2015 by Spectre