[Loki]

Hello!

Long time no see. Here's something, about a year old, I found while going through some old dir's. Nothing great - did it after a sketch in my sketch book. But anyway - there you go - I'll be coming by more often again



Cheers

Loki

[Vesuvius]

it's beautiful and really seems like a classic fantasy illustration. the foreground seems maybe a little clean, as the trunks are unmarred, without moss, not dirty or muddy etc. plus the ground is without and rocks / pebbles / lesser plantlife (aside from some possible grass at the right of the water edge. but it's an amazing image, I love it.

[Laemtao]

Loki .. very moody forests.. i dunno why.. but it brings to mind the old forests of Middle EArth.... It really was quite similar to how i'd imagine it while i read LOTR. Especially the forest where the Frodo, Samwise, Pipin and Merry meets Tom Bobadil..

I really like it..

Mo

[SporQ]

neato loki, we miss you round these parts.

i like the mood of the pic a lot. the only thing i dont like if i had to nit pick would be that the "tunnel" of trees is too perfect, too circular. dont know if that makes sense

[Loki]

Agree to all the crits. I gave up on the image. And as you guys said - it's more for mood than anything else. The 'tunnleness' was on purpose though - just a try compositionwise.
It's not a very good image though - I spent way too much time on unnecessary details where they're not needed and left it out where it would have been necessary. Oh well.

[Awetopsy]

Loki!!!!!

I like the image.. I love teh spooky feeling to it.. very well executed...

I dont have any crits really...

[Quasar]

That's awsome love the root work!!!

[Merekat]

Beautiful, Loki!! I love it.

Okay. I have a question. I don't know if you saw my "Flikk the Egg Thief" post a few days ago, but I spent a god-awful amount of time on the foliage and barks and such. Yet, you achieved much of the texture I was hoping for in a fraction of the time. Do you have any suggestions or tutorials or links of how to do such textures quickly? I fear I'll be drowned in leaves if I don't figure a more effective way to create them. I'd love to hear some of your tips.

Thanks and that is such a nice piece! ;}

[B3AND1P]

I personally like the tunnel of trees. Its not very realistic but not everything has to be realism!. I also would love to see how you did the texture on that bark, great stuff.

Also I'm glad to see Mr.Goatse show up here, its about time!

[Dr. Bang]

Loki, where the f*ck have you been? I was almost making a post about you and you came back! Welcome back sir! And ignore him.

[Spectra]

Beautiful! It would worth the time of finishing it. (If you planned to do so.) I really like your work.

I hope it was a joke in the other threat saying that there is no more moderator..

Anyway, Good work!

[Loki]

General: Ashley Oliver has been in NY city for years now ... desireing some crazyass hot piece of booty?

I posted a reply in the other thread ...

[jr]

looks cool loki, welcome back!

[Loki]

Thx guys! This was a purely painterly approach anyway - I wish it would've been a lil more realistic too (lighting wise) but just didn't work out.

Brian: I see, there are still some dumb effs around here. Oh well - you shall be ignored after this and disappear in the 'shit bucket' like all the other losers that went through here ...

[General Confusion]

Hey Loki...

good to see you back...

I like the composition of this, to me it kind of pushes the understanding that it was done for a purpose. almost like book cover illustration, when you have to stick to specific parameters, etc, etc...

I do have a critique.. Your textures as good as they are utilized and created... tend to all have a similar makeup to them...in alot of your work. (they do immediately identify themselves as a Loki original, so is that good or bad)

But nonetheless, your elements seem to take on a stone look to them.. I feel as if these tress are dead, lacking some of the vibrancy that trees display... somewhat. (Meaning) if you maybe bring some more of the color gamut into the image if would liven it up a bit.

Now that's a personal opinion, and if that's what you were going for, "kick me in the ass and call me Sally" and I'll be on my way but what I have to say is meaningless anyway... I just feel that variation is needed sometimes to offer a new look into an artist's mind... and it will perhaps open some doors that you may not expect to be available to ya..

But to stop babbling, as usual I really respect your work, always a "pick me up" when I see a Loki posty.... hey that sounds funny...


BTW, I was looking for your input awhile back when you must have been out and about. If you have the time could your throw a "harsh" critique my way... I really would like to hear what you have to say...

my WIP

thanks alot


oh and another thing, does Ashley Oliver still work at DD???

[Leo]

Whoa... yeah long time no see - glad you are back again Loki!

Nice stuff... but hey, where are zeppelins and other strange things?! Hint Loki, hint!Hehe...

Btw, Loki are you still painting for fun or totally moved into the vfx?

-leo

[General Confusion]

really Loki, Ashley is in NY??? LOL

how about Brad Parker, do you know him? He's over at DD also...

and thanks for the reply in my thread, the paintover allowed me to see it diiferently..

one further question.. (and not to infringe on your post - but instead of cheesily bumping mine back up)

in a quick, down and dirty distinction.... in your opinion, the differences between illustration, (lets say editorial) and matte work... and I don't mean the use of it, that's obvious, but the actual creation of the two..

I know in illustration, (at least in what I do) I have to achieve a quality level (so when it goes to print, it doesn't look hackneyed) that I don't believe you are able to in mattes, simply cause the time is not allowed...

so how do you go about a basic tackling of mattes??

and how much time are you typically allowed to do a matte, (best case scenario....worst case scenario)


thanks again Loki, appreciate you taking the time

[Loki]

General:

Hey - I worked with Brad on Time Machine - I LOVE this guy - he's really good to work with and exceptionally nice! I hope he liked what I did for him.

The differences between a matte and an illustration are IMHO:

* A matte is a painted impression of how an enviroment would look like when filmed through a camera. Meaning details that wouldn't be on film, also aren't painted. Whereas one also includes film specific phenomenons, like flaring, and blown out hot spots, lens distortion, etc.
A matte is 'movie-realistic' like 'photo-realistic' if you want.

* an illustration usually contains more details (depending on what it is for and if it has a distinct style or not).

* Another distinction is the composition - something I still need to learn lots about. A matte must be carefully composed, so specific parts don't draw attention - a good matte is not noticed as such - as for and illustration, well, it's an illustration.

* I refuse to call any of my paintings mattes if they aren't used in a movie or commercial - because without that they're just 'matte style' illustrations, nothing more.

Time:

Depends on the subject and the task - a set extension is way quicker (1 day - a week) than a full establishing shot matte (0.5 weeks to four weeks I'd say).

Basically, you try to do the best job possible with the time alotted.

Basics of tackling a matte:

Phew - this one's worth a book of writing and I'd still get it wrong, haha. But let's say this - good planning is sometimes more than half the work.

So where do you know Brad and Ashley from???

Loki

[Loki]

Haha - hey thanks for bumping my thread to the top again!

[General Confusion]

thanks Loki, excellent info...

I interviewed back at DD, many moons ago... (had favorable responses, however, since I was more or less ignorant to the ways of the force, oops I mean how the film business works in general. I came into the mighty hangar of DD, equipped with a print, and graphic portfolio... (now that I think back, I laugh at myself).. My background is in illustration, but I'm so sick of the stagnate world I have found myself in, that I have been on an exodus to re-tool my career.. I have always liked the genre of entertainment, but never felt I would even get close to doing anythign in it, as far as work, so I again sort of fell into what I'm doing, mainly because I needed the cash....

So to get back to what I was saying. I interviewed at a couple of studios, (DD, Rhythm and Hues, Sony Imageworks, Boss Films (RIP , and Metrolight, (where a family friend works Jerry Weil), and like I said I didnt get booted and laughed at as I ran with my tail between my legs. The overall concensus, was that for what I could offer, they didn't need alot of that type of work, and if they did, they typically used freelancers in the area, not losers like me from the east coast LOL....

So I know Ashley from the many times I spoke to her, during my meeting processes... and Brad's brother is married to my cousin.... (it's a small world after all.... )

And since I knew that you did work at DD, I wondered even, if you and I may have crossed paths at one time.... (I did almost join in on a game of hacky sack with some guys in the cafeteria, that wouldn't have been you, could it??? LOL)

so, I'm still re directing what I do, cause there is nothign that will stop me from heading out to your area, hence the questions, which, if they sound like "run-of-the-mill" BS, I apologize.. I asked Brad, one time, but from what I understand he's in a director position, so he wasn't to up to par on the creative questions, I had...

And ultimately I would like to get into some sort of "development" gig, (story art, visual development, concept, etc, etc...) and I figured that if I had a better understanding of all aspects i.e. mattes, that would only help me in my chances....

I know illustration and graphics very well, and each and every day that I come to work, I feel that "going postal" thing could be justified LOL... so I know that without a doubt, I'm destined to do something out there in Cali.... I actually just landed a gig with a development team on a video game, doing backgrounds, so I'm finally getting my ass unstuck from the couch LOL

So, when I get out there, we got to meet up some time, and get drunk and talk about why we're mental enough to persue art as a career LOL... beers on me LOL

later, and thanks again for the info

[Brian Balognatubez]

No trouble what so ever! Its a nice piece.
Very imaginative. I didnt think anyone would be bothered by the photo,I presumed it might cheer someone up.

[Malachi Maloney]

Very, very nice Loki.
Very inspirational as well.
Thanks for sharing.

M

[Derek]

Loki
Fun image to view, nice atmosphere and sense of wanting to look around the corners.
When I was working on Wildlife of Star Wars, we had a spread for Dagobah that was somewhat similar to this look. It didn't get into the book, but it reminds me much of those days... thanks for posting this.