CRIMSON PRIME (more 3D Poser fun)
By
Bradders,
Posted on: 2006-10-28 11:41 in Multi-Media Fan Creations
Yup, I htink Graver is right. I'd like to see a red somewhere welse. even if it's just a residual reflection from his uniform, it needs to be in this pic.
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Yup, I htink Graver is right. I'd like to see a red somewhere welse. even if it's just a residual reflection from his uniform, it needs to be in this pic.
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Well... I *could* change the background lighting to be warmish tones instead of the blues... but I'm afraid I might lose the moonlight effect. Maybe warm tones down low by the streets and fade to blues up near the sky...
*brain-gears whir softly*
Just from observation, highly populated areas (Such as Manhattan, etc) tend to have a reddish (Almost sickly) tint to the sky normally anyways. Either that or you could possibly change some of the lighting on the building.
The options however seem pretty limited if you don't want to have to re-render a good amount of the scene (that I can think of.).
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Yup, I htink Graver is right. I'd like to see a red somewhere welse. even if it's just a residual reflection from his uniform, it needs to be in this pic.
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Well... I *could* change the background lighting to be warmish tones instead of the blues... but I'm afraid I might lose the moonlight effect. Maybe warm tones down low by the streets and fade to blues up near the sky...
*brain-gears whir softly*
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As a fellow 3D artist, i need to jump in right here and say nononononono. If you need more red, which I'll totally agree with, hang a banner from a wall in the background, or something like that. Your key light is warm, from the city lights below, and you need the cool fill/rim light for compelling color balance, at least in this case. Plus, the background that corresponds with that fill/rim lighting is all cool-toned-- warming it up'll just pop him free of the background instead of integrating him more.
If anything, i think you need to shift the light colors MORE in the direction they're already leaning in- They're still awfully white, and it's lending a lot of plasticine feel to the character's clothes. Either that or broaden the highlights on his costume. The light looks fine on his skin, but it's flaring out to white on most of the fabric, and even leather doesn't hit highlights quite *that* hot.
That said, I think you're getting a lot better at background integration. Your lighting, historically, has always been a problem for your work(it's the FIRST thing I always notice), but these days, it's looking tons better, and I'm very happy to see it. 
Edit: Looking it over some more, it might also help to change the color of the bow to black or something to help seperate it from the rest of him, if you can get away with it without destroying some of the character design. It's definitely getting lost against the rest of him, and It would help break up that localized red a little.
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COOL!!! Thanks Doug!!! I love it. I'm truly honored. I appreciate your friendship beyond words.
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Now we just have to figure out this third individual <. .>
*clue detector on*
<O_O>
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Hi all, that would be me. The whole story is even more humorous because I had no clue that Sean was working on COH when I started back in beta. I couldn't get the name Crimson in beta so I created Dopplershift (who inspired Doug to create Light-Speed). I remember first seeing the acrostics for the various hero organizations, E.L.I.T.E., D.A.T.A., and M.A.G.I., etc. and it took me back to VnV days back in college. Then I kept seeing these NPCs like Countess Crey and Rick Davies and Professor St. John Smythe (pronounced with a British accent, "sin jin", of course), and the whole city seemed so familiar. However, I still didn't make the connection that Sean might be behind it. It all just "fit" the superhero genre.
I was able to get the name Crimson when COH first shipped (sorry about that to whoever had it in beta). The premise behind VnV was that you played yourself as a superhero. So the original character was a cross between me, Green Arrow, Batman and Daredevil. Since Archery wasn't available, I tried different builds to recreate the original character including AR/Dev and MA/SR. I had heard Archery was coming but when it wasn't in Issue 1, I decided to make this version an Nrg/Nrg blaster. I deleted him and I couldn't get the name back!!! I was ticked. I submitted the problem to tech support, because if you recall, there was an problem with some names after Issue 1. They couldn't figure it out. I started scanning the blue boards to see if others might have had the same problem. I saw a post where Statesman thanked the writers for their work and mentioned Sean Fish. So I'm like, "Is this the same Sean Fish that I knew 20 years ago?". After a series of PMs, I find out yes indeed, Sean is Manticore and was the lead writer for COH. So I chat with him and catch up and tell him how I was bummed that I lost the name Crimson. He says "Oh. You can blame that on me." For the last 20 years, in his various PNP super campaigns, Crimson has had several incarnations and he put a version of Crimson in the game as a secret agent contact for Malta missions, which was introduced in Issue 1. I was all "COOL! Immortalized in video game history!!!" So since I couldn't get the name Crimson, I created a place holder Crimson Prime, and brought the original Crimson out of retirement when Archery became available.
Thanks again to Doug for the art! Thanks to Manticore for immortalizing Crimson and writing such an in depth story for us to take part. Thanks to Statesman and the rest of Cryptic for creating and implementing an awesome game.
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I would just like to say "That's freaking awesome".
Seriously ><;
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
Woah! Hang on a second *Transforms into Gamer-Geek mode*
V&V was my first-ever Superhero RPG back when I was a kid, and is still my preferred system (not that I do tabletop much anymore 
). Reading all this stuff about "playing yourself as a superhero" really makes me smile inside. 
Coincidentally, I've been playing my Archery/Energy blaster and have been having a blast (ha!). I think I've tried all the other blaster sets, but I haven't enjoyed any of them like the archery set. Go figure....
As for the piece....I love it. Yes, perhaps a muted red sign or banner in the background would be more unifying, but I don't really think you need it. The focus is on the figure, where it ought to be, and you notice the background second.
It also makes me remember what the editors told the artists of the old pulp magazines in the 30's: "You can use any color on the cover you want....as long as it's red."
(Ugh. Now I'm going to have to get one of Doug's pieces for myself...)
GHOST ZERO! Avenger of the helpless dead!
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Woah! Hang on a second *Transforms into Gamer-Geek mode*
V&V was my first-ever Superhero RPG back when I was a kid, and is still my preferred system (not that I do tabletop much anymore ). Reading all this stuff about "playing yourself as a superhero" really makes me smile inside.
Coincidentally, I've been playing my Archery/Energy blaster and have been having a blast (ha!). I think I've tried all the other blaster sets, but I haven't enjoyed any of them like the archery set. Go figure....
As for the piece....I love it. Yes, perhaps a muted red sign or banner in the background would be more unifying, but I don't really think you need it. The focus is on the figure, where it ought to be, and you notice the background second.
It also makes me remember what the editors told the artists of the old pulp magazines in the 30's: "You can use any color on the cover you want....as long as it's red."
(Ugh. Now I'm going to have to get one of Doug's pieces for myself...)
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Honestly, i'm fine leaving out banners and the like myself(though the bow comment, I'll stand by more firmly). I suppose it might have been worth saying more clearly that *if* he must get more red in there, a couple discreet background elements like banners would be the way I'd go".
that said, one of the four fundamental principles of graphic design is repetition. I don't think a little red scattered around the background, separated from the figure would fail to help... it's just unclear how necessary the help is. If Doug decides it's worth pursuing or not, there's a case either way.
Did Crimson happen to have witnessed his rich parents die at the hands of a supervillain? I can think of another Green Arrow/Batman hybrid who wears red.
Changing the bow color would cettainly help it stand out, but the player is adamant that the bow needs to be the same color as the costume, so that's no longer an option.
I might consider re-rendering the costume under softer, coler lights to help integrate them into the back more... but they look great on the skin and I'll leave that part alone.
Awesome. And color coordinated bow at that.
I think it's pretty damn good and whatever tweaks you make will enhance it. The background story of it all makes it that much more interesting, too.
I always gravitate toward archery in games. Love being an archer and bowmen are the sexy.
Well, DJ...you done an amazing job once again! I am hardly one to critique in the realm of 3D art, so I'll leave that to you experts.
The back story here just makes it all the more amazing...its got an "amazing fanboy" and "life is funny" quality all in one.
Great stuff all around.
Nobody "gets" me, Baby! I'm the wind...
Chicks dig Giant Robots!
I have to ask. After looking at Crimson Prime I notice a lot of simularities in look and even style of violence between him and Manticore. Is there any connection in character?
(Virtue/Champion) Neil Fracas: Inv/SS
(Virtue) Gideon Fontaine: MA/SR (Sc), Generic Hero 114: Ice/Cold, Marcus Tyler AR/En, Project F: Spines/DA (S)
(Champion) Jenna Sidal BS/SD, Generic Hero 114: En/En (Bl), Loganne Claws/WP (Sc)
Looking good DJ! Definitely looking forward to our near future art trade!
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Looking good DJ! Definitely looking forward to our near future art trade!
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Thanks Gill. Speaking of which, I've begun modelling Lush and Gill won't be far behind. Hopefully you'll start seeing roughs shortly.
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Looking good DJ! Definitely looking forward to our near future art trade!
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Thanks Gill. Speaking of which, I've begun modelling Lush and Gill won't be far behind. Hopefully you'll start seeing roughs shortly.
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Woot!!
This should be a pretty sweet art trade!
The winner of this trade is of course, us. >.> Assuming we get to see it <,<
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
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The winner of this trade is of course, us. >.> Assuming we get to see it <,<
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Oooh Doug is doing a NSFW piece of Gill and Lush? 
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
Err... I wouldn't think so <@.@> I just didn't know if it was a private or open trade
A Warrior's Friend: ID 335212 - Help Infernal save Valkyrie from Battle Maiden.
Above Mars Part 1: The Wellington: ID 159769 - Save Mars by destroying a monstrous battleship from the inside!
>.> My DA page, where I attempt to art.
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Changing the bow color would cettainly help it stand out, but the player is adamant that the bow needs to be the same color as the costume, so that's no longer an option.
I might consider re-rendering the costume under softer, coler lights to help integrate them into the back more... but they look great on the skin and I'll leave that part alone.
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Please feel free to tweak it as you need if you think it improves the art. I'm more interested in helping you master your art skills and these are some really good suggestions. I'm just pleased as punch that you were willing to draw Crimson again. The bow in the AG/CP picture still had a camo pattern on it which is why I mentioned it should be red. You could probably make the gears and the plates on the front of the bow black and it might do the trick; or the whole thing black/steel/grey; whatever you think is right. Another thought is to add red tower lights on the buildings. In any case its phenomenal as is so I'm happy
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"... In any case its phenomenal as is so I'm happy
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And really, that's what matters. If the player of the hero is happy, then the piece is a success.
As DB said before.. I love this history stuff
That's so trippy.