[Jason Manley]

I didnt mean for this to seem like a plug for Heart of Winter but I did think that some of you might like to see a recent character concept that I did for Heart of Winter...ya dont have to read the article if ya dont want.
http://pc.ign.com/previews/15403.html

click on the Icewind Dale Heart of Winter preview and scroll down to see some stuffs.

Jason

[Anthony]

Looks good Jason. Only two things I might look at: his upper arm seems a bit off(maybe too long), and his hand maybe should be more defined(the fingers, not the dragon wrist guard). Good job as always.
Can I ask you a question? I'm thinking of applying to Black Isle in about 6-8 months as a background artist(3d mainly), and I wanted to know if you guys would prefer normal 3dcg, or overhead renders of areas, ala your games? Thanks in advance.

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-Anthony
Carpe Carpem

[Sumaleth]

Great painting.

Sumaleth


[This message has been edited by Sumaleth (edited October 04, 2000).]

[Isric]

i used to wonder why your paintings LOOKED like paintings. Now that I know (with the studying and the old paintings) they still hold the same great look and feel.
Your style is fantastic
OOhoohooo! I have a question! Would you be able to show us some of the first few steps you take for one of these? that would be really keen

[YourMum]

Nothing more and nothing less at a time but it looks nice. Keep up..

-Juha-

[micke]

Wow!
I love your paintings. I've seen some of your work before you joined and i think
they look simply fantastic! Including this one.
-Micke

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-Mikael Noguchi-

http://www.katode.org/noguchi/

[micke]

Wow!
I love your paintings. I've seen some of your work before you joined and i think
they look simply fantastic! Including this one.
-Micke

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-Mikael Noguchi-

http://www.katode.org/noguchi/

[Cos]

Texas chainsaw massacre meets king arthur! hehe, yeah that is pretty damn cool work. I love the loose style and the moody colours.., is he wearing a mask by the way?

The hand bothers me a little cause I can't make it out enough.. looks like it could be more clear since its in front.

[Jason Manley]

hmmm...

forearm too long...Im impressed. I agree. I did that in a day and a half and never noticed. It is as loose as it is because it is just a character concept. I do agree that the hand should be tighter in focus...not as much as the head but definitely more. Thanks

As far as the question about what we like to see...email me what you will and I will tell you what you will need. Only send your very best stuff. Dont send anything that isnt as good as you can possibly do.

we always need good modelers and animators and texture people. we have plenty of painters and concept guys but the other art positions are harder to fill with quaility people...at least lately.

thanks for posting the image. I appreciate that.


Jason


I dont usually keep my process work but I will try to keep some of the stages to show you guys. if you look at the most unfinished parts of the painting you will see what the block in of color looks like. I do very little drawing until the end when I tighten up areas. I try to leave as much as the color block in as I can. That means getting the color block in and massing of lights and darks correct before I begin any rendering.


jason

[Visigoth]

Great stuff Jason... Gives the whole atmosphere of the rest of his undead army is about to come around the bend...

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Your car is a fiberglass penis extension.

[Sergenth]

Nice work, Jason.

Frankly, that picture is much like Craig's pics, and by that, I mean form and lighting before detail. And is that "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" black spiderwebbing on his cloak? :P

And don't worry about pimping the games. You are from the house of "Torment" and I will frequently partake of the prostitution from said house!

[burn0ut]

awesome, i love the mesh armor stuff on his chest, it reminds me of something spooge did on a metal skirt thing... hmm

You remind me of spooge, the lighting/color u did on it is fantastic

[Gambit]

Great sutff, Jason. Been playing Ice Wind Dale for a bit now and your portaits are just wonderful. Thanks for the post...

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Gamingvault.com

[sfr]

I thought I'd save some loading time for others:



Yeah, it really is very nice! I love that rough look that exposes the brushstrokes but still makes the image look complete... There's something similar to vebjorn's Painter-made images about your technique here (maybe not veb's latest pics, but some of his previous ones).

Saffron / Sunflower

[Jason Manley]

Thanks...pimping from said house will move along then...thanks...hahah

The Torment team would be happy you said that. They are helping us with the expansion for Icewind. I am doing all the concepts and they are building, lighting and texturing the areas as well as doing some animations and such.

Yes form and light and composition is always first...details last...I make too many changes as I go along to put details that Id end up repainting.

I repaint things a lot...just dont do any really detailed stuff til the end.

I appreciate the compliments...I have 3 more paintings and a big poster that will be done by the end of the week. I want to get the poster up on the web as soon as I can. I will show you all as soon as we can release it.

and lastly..no that wasnt supposed to be webbing from a scary spiderwebbything...it is only abstract shapes that help support the mood. If I am doing moody things then my shapes will be abstracted into looking like spooky things...it is all in the subliminal suggestion. Its like looking at a painting and knowing the mood without looking at what the painting is of. If I paint a beautiful woman who is a soft feminine type you wont see to many jagged broken twisted contorted messy ripped serrated shapes...you will see softer rounder supple nice smooth silky shapes...do you see what i mean...it is about giving your shapes a quality that comes from metaphors that describe the piece.


Jason