Unit 2: Space - Thumbnails 101 - Ivory Tower & Silver City Structures (22-52)

Hello Everyone,

I'm bringing in a new update a couple more thumbs for assessment from the powers that be (the people who read this). These thumbs were firmly placed on structure design as opposed to perspective. Photoshop Phil advised us to affirm a concept or structural idea before placing in perspective lines and know how, this is hence why I focused on getting the idea before its placement.

Some of these buildings do not deal with perspective or space but were mere structural ideas to secure some basic foot notes. These designs started as simple primitives, Phil asked me the other day the Disney style in which I was talking about when dealing with my concepts... I hope to answer that with this post as well...

First things first...

(above) I was analysing the concept of an exaggerated building so when I was talking in terms of Disney I was thinking of applying these methods to structures (i.e. how they appear out of shape and visually awkward but to the eye are correct). I believe this was shown best in 26 & 29. 26 was drawn for the ivory tower even tho completely basic it was just the exaggeration I wanted to capture. 29 was drawn for the silver city, note the slant of the buildings... completely exaggerated!

Look above at the slanted building from Epic Mickey. Surreal completely askew like the wind is carrying it away but visually it works. Note the background as if a vortex is sucking the castle away. When I talk exaggeration this is what I mean a building/structure that is deformed with creative licence think of it as a caricature but of a building instead of a face, this is specifically why I chose epic mickey... for structure design... and colour style...

These are my second round of drawings (above) from these there are a couple that jumped out as designs that I may consider taking further. 31 Was my first big "woopie!! now we are talking exaggeration!!". I like 31 for the Ivory tower spiral horns growing out of the side (snail shell keeps ringing in my ears). 32 was then born, the reason I liked this... It looked like a snail, with towers steeping out like fairground balloons, I really like this as an idea because its not something id see everyday let alone in a concept piece.

33 was my exaggerated Silver City... a little plain but I liked the inward slant I don't want to distort the silver city too much. The word "Silver" sounds industrial it sounds man made, I think a sculpture would be something possibly leaning more into "Silver City". I could be wrong... 36 was born from a harp... but I can envision a city behind it... call me crazy... Finally 38 which felt a little too evil... I did like it but ask anyone they will tell you I have evil karma in everything :)

Above is another structural example from Epic Mickey, the house curves almost seem to be work of the Liquefy tool in Photoshop. Not natural at all and if the house existed here it would crumble due to the overbearing angle. Visually it isn't wrong, and the colour palette jumps out as opposed to the dingy castle.

Above are some digital roughs I started working on each in their own element. 47 was inspired largely by space mountain... nice in concept but still not right for fantasy (sci-fi duh). 42 was again an adaption of my original charcoal rough on the very first image.

44 was the birth of my endless staircase theory. I thought to myself what if the ivory tower was a staircase that was a building (spiralling up like a snail shell). From there 45 was born which I liked the idea of structurally... it had an epic mickey feel.

46 was born immediately after, I have to say I love this concept... its like the building could get up and walk away if it wanted too. I'd love to build on this this is probably my most favourite.

48 was my test of the endless staircase theory for the silver city, much further away but I wanted to see if it would work...

52 was the endless staircase again but at the top of a building like a light house but made of stairs.

Well I think that's a good explanation, albeit a little long... to think I set out just to write the essentials... Then again all of this is essential.

Over & Out,
xXStItChXx