Initial Concept Idea

I was reflecting on the images I found earlier, and thinking of ways in which I could combine elements I liked from the concept art I looked at for inspiration. I decided that I liked the idea of a bleak sci-fi setting, and also the idea of man-made architecture against a wild natural backdrop. I liked the idea of a cave system holding something mysterious beneath its surface. Instead of an old structure holding historical information, I thought I could approach this idea in a more literal sense. I was reminded of the uncovering of 'Prothean' virtual intelligence in the first 'Mass Effect' game. I imagined discovering some kind of information terminal buried deep within my cave system. This could be an interesting focus for a piece Machinima narrative. I produced an early piece of concept art to try and capture this loose idea:

I already have ideas on how this concept could be taken much further. Firstly, if this location were to be developed, I imagine there would be a great focus on the terminal itself as a key prop. As there has up to this point been now initial development work, the terminal I have painted here is admittedly uninspired. To improve upon it, I would develop something much grander in both scale and detail. I haven't quite captured the colossal structure I was hoping for originally. Also, the terminal could be something more abstract and alien, perhaps left behind by a race existing before man. This would certainly make for a more mysterious and intriguing narrative, very much like the ancient 'Prothean' race from the 'Mass Effect' series:



Similarly we have the 'Forerunners' from the Halo series. I came across this stunning concept art teaser for the upcoming 'Halo 4' release. We see evidence of these 'Forerunner' structures left behind by the ancient race:



Again, I love how these polished futuristic structures sit against vast natural backdrops.

Our team has yet to get together and share our initial ideas for possible genres and locations to aim for with our piece of Machinima. I hope this piece of concept art I have produced will spark some ideas. I am looking forward to combining my thoughts with the ideas belonging to the rest of the team. Hopefully we will have a strong idea of where we going with our project by the end of our next meeting.

On a personal critical note, I am still experimenting with colour and composition. With my terminal piece, I found it hard to move away from the initial green colours I was working with. I opted to try and apply a complimentary red tint to the backdrop, which achieved a slightly more dynamic sense within my painting. I am still however trying to learn more about colour theory and how it can be applied.