Comicon Challenge | Rayartz | Fathom: Kiani

[Rayartz]

Comicon Challenge | Rayartz | Fathom: Kiani


Rayartz has entered the competition!

[Rayartz]

After jumping back and forth between Grace from Soulfire and Kiani from Fathom or Aspen Matthews from Fathom I finally ended up Choosing Kiani.

I think Kiani is a nice mix of Aspen and Grace, plus I dig chicks with swords.

Below is just some reference material by my favorite comic artist Michael Turner in a bit of a tribute to my mentor.

Like many comic book characters, especially Turner's, have many wardrobes so I'll likely combine and alter a few that I like in Kiani's closet.

All in all I hope to finish and do my best!

[Chippy82]

Glad to see you finally decided between her and Grace. I had a feeling you'd choose Kiani. If I were doing the 2D competition, I probably would have made the same choice. She's just a little more suited for really dynamic poses. Also, I absolutely love her sword.

Good luck and I'll be eagerly awaiting your progress.

[PurpleTsuyoi]

This will be a nice tribute, too!

R.I.P. Michael Turner

[Rayartz]

Thanks for checking out my thread guys.
But now I've actually got something to look at:



Although it is not much let me know what you think that is
if you can make sense out of my scribbles.
I'm playing with Kiani's armor suit and mixing it with a few other designs Kiani has worn.

As I type this I have another idea that I believe will be the one I'll go with if it looks as good as I think it will.

On a side note I've noticed Kiani's water sword sure just change a lot and not just in design but overall lenght. So I may take some liberties with the sword as well.

[Chippy82]

I really like the idea you have going in the 3rd sketch with the dress-type outfit. You could make it into some sort of wetsuit/armor dress. Maybe even combine that with the belt you drew in the 1st sketch.

[Rayartz]

Okay so here is my finally clothing idea for Kiani.

I took little parts of what I did above with a few other designs by Talent Caldwell and Michael Turner and came up with this:


I took the opacity of the clothing layer down to like 30% so I could still see her anatomy for my redraw. But basically she as a Turner-trademark bikini top with elements of her wetsuit/armor and 'stocking-esque' wetsuit/armor elemtents on her legs. Oh and a half-shirt, usually something you see on characters like Aspen and Grace but Kiani has worn them before too. haha

Initially I wanted a more dynamice pose for my final illustration but if I play with the posture a litte more and get an expression I really like this may end up being the "One-Shot" I do, plus it is kinda the Cover style pose you generally see.

In this sketch you can see my best attempt at doing a Tuner style. I decided the final image won't be that way, I'll do it in the style I usually draw like. Which would make for a better tribute anyway in my opinion and the skirt will be down to her feet as well.

Look forward to reading what you think!

[Chippy82]

I think the final choice for the costume is very sound. I like it. Are the lower leg's wetsuit/armor supposed to be different? If they are, it's a good asymetrical design.

It definitely is in true Turner style for the pose. Turner could do really dynamic pieces but as it was pointed out to me long ago by a friend of mine, most of Turner's covers were very static with a character(s) pretty much vertical.

[Rayartz]

Yep the legs are supposed to be different.
in fact I'm pretty sure only one leg will have the wetsuit and the other leg will be mostly covered with the longer half skirt
as Kiani is seen a few times with her cloral/bone armor one just one side of her body.

We'll just see how my sketch I'm working now turns out for my Rough Draft Sheet. I hope to have it posted today or tomorrow so I can move onto the dreaded Model Sheet. Accuracy is such a drag haha!

[Rayartz]

Okay so here is my first of 3 uploads into the contest!



I'm always a little confused as to what is exactly expected on these sheets but I like what I have so I hope that is good enough.

This sheet also marks something different for me, doing the black and white block in characters
I kinda like doing that it gives me a better sense of the characters Line of Action.

Those block ins are basically my final illustration so if you see one you like SPEAK UP as I'm still clueless as to how I want to do the finale.

Suppose the top left is #1 and going right to #5
then the bottom level will be #6 going right to #9

[DejaVooDoo]

1 2 & 9 are really cool ...

[Ksan]

I think your little B&W thumbnails are fantastic! To be honest, not in love with the shading on the big pic. Detracts from all the linework you did so well. I would maybe not go so heavy on the airbrush softness, makes it look mushy. Or is it smudged? In anycase, Id revisit it and work out a more definite light source. Goood work though, I've been watching this one and am interested to see how it will turn out.

[rikkisaurus]

I'm really liking pose number 1, very solid.

[Rayartz]

Thanks for the comments guys
and Ksan
I liked the shading at first but after seeing it a few time now
I'm not that found of it either
I think I may just block it all in white so you can see the line art
hopefully I didn't merge those two layers together
I have a habit of doing things like that when i'm supposed "done"
and its actually done with a standard brush and I use a blender brush to blend the colors together
so it gets the smudged look with only a couple of colors
it looks much cooler with a more colors and defined shapes.

But I really appreciate the comments

Did fail to mention pose 9 is the big tribute pose
hard to tell in the image but she's holding a flower in her left hand and I did little tear marks streaming down her cheek

[axelalonso]

Kiani and her awesome sword! the concepts are looking great! and so the pose concepts...the must important item or feature I like so far from the designs you got. it's her one leg skirt...look very "water world" going on...I like it a lot! looking forward for your development in her! great choice!

[innactpro]

OK, I've ignored you long enough. That and I don't have any more new movies to watch. I like the third pose, the middle one in the top row. Knowing you better than forums actually allow, it seems more your style than the other poses. Of course after saying that, you probably hate it.

Else wise, things seem to be coming along nicely. Putting your touch to Kiani without completely distorting her. Like I know what I'm talking about.

頑張って, dude.

[Rayartz]

First order of business:

Innactpro- Figures you'd like Pose 3, its very samurai ish you crazy japanese bugger. haha


Thanks everyone for your kind words, its really helping me push along and want to do better. I'm so excited I actually have some followers in this contest--something I've struggled with in the past. So I appreciate all critiques and comments for sure!

So now for the real business end ( no pun intended as Kiani's butt here looks good haha)


Obviously my model sheet WIP. Just trying to nail down proper anatomy before dressing her up I find it helps my accuracy.
The head is pretty much a stand-in much like the muscle lines are only for my personal benefit of obtaining some form.

Let me know what you all think, but keep in mind this still has a ways to go of course.

[Ksan]

Hey thats a good start. Ok, so..for referance..the calves are wide straight on and way thin on the side. The whole rib thing looks a bit weird, like the abs go up to far from the front and are lower from the side. You might wanna look at model sheets that incorporate heeled shoes, cause it can change the entire way a leg looks. Her butt does look good, but 6 inch heels gonna gonna make it da sex. It also needs to be a bit lower on the back view. Jest a few anatomy crits. I think you are doing a really nice job so far, keep it up!

[Rayartz]

yes indeed I've taken into account what you said while putting cloths on her
she's coming along nicely too
though I've had to make a few changes from the roughs
but that is why they call it roughs I suppose.

[Rayartz]

Hey we are back!
My model sheet is about 98% done and I'll be posting it shortly
so It is time for me to start thinking about my final illustration

Below are 3 of my favorite block-ins (see rough draft sheet above)
Which I flushed out a bit more and made some minor changes too.


I thought these roughs were the most visually pleasing and offered the most dynamic emotion or action.

Please do let me know what you think! Be it good or bad.

Oh and the arrows both signify environmental actions(wind/water current) as well as potential light sources.