Can It be 10 Years since I last drew a Orc?

Seams a odd question? not to me.

from JoeUser Forums
Can It be 10 Years since I last drew a Orc?

Before I discovered computers, long before I even thought about doing Graphic design, much less GUI design. I wanted to be a Science Fiction / Fantasy Illustrator. And even after the computer showed up and stole my heart, I spent most of my spare time with a paint brush, drawing Elves and Dragons. Though I must admit, it has now been 5 years since I finished a new painting. This is something I want to remedy soon, but not something I regret. I have been busy doing some pretty darn neat stuff. And I cant complain.

Last year, I had to overcome fear, to leave Disney, and move to Michigan to start my Job at Stardock. As I had hoped it has turned out to be a good move over all. I love my job, I have done more creative things here, then I would have done in 10 years working at Disney. I just bought a new house, That seams a Palace in comparison to what we could have had in California, for the same amount of money. Over all, things are pretty dam sweet.  However, one of the major things that got me to jump off the Disney ship, was that Stardock was planning to do Masters of Magic II. Hence The elves and Dragons. Well, One year later we are getting pretty close to start working on MOM2 and I have not really put much thought into it, that is until the last few weeks.
 
I have decided that my goal for the next year is to have my dirty little fingers all over Masters of Magic II. So with this in mind, yesterday I sat down and started doing a few sketches. I have done many a Dragon in my day, and quite a few elves, Heroes, Knights, etc... But one thing I have never felt comfortable drawing was Orcs. Well, I figured I would start with my weakest point, and play se what I came up with. And the question came to me. How the hell dose one draw a orc, these days. Last time I drew, and then painted, Orcs, was well over 10 years ago. Since then allot has happened. 10 years ago, if you said, "check out this Orc" most people whold have know Idea what you were talking about.  But that was before, The Lord of The Rings, movies came out. And even before WarCraft hit the PC. Now most people have a Idea what a Orc should look like.

There seam to now be to schools of Orc design. The Tolkin style, "Realistic" orc. Done so very well in LOTR, and the Almost Marvel Stlye Orcs done in WarCraft III. I think we might be able to do something similar to WarCraft, and do it very well, but then most people would look at our game and say, "That's just a rip of WarCraft." and since our game is going to be quite different. That would be a bad thing. This brings us to the LOTR style orcs, Can we realistically compete with The Movies, much less EA's LOTR strategy game. I would have to say no.

 
Now we come to the question. What can we do. In my art I have always done more realistic orcs, and dragons. I always wanted them to look like they could be real "if". But I think for the 3D world we need to find a style that is Our own. Over the next few months, I am going to devote just about all my spare time to working with the art team for MOM trying to developed a style, that will be our own. And more importantly, something that will look dam good in the game.

My first few sketches we OK, but I have allot of work to do. I will try and Blog the results.

 

 

 

 
art
2,588 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top

Stardock is doing Masters of Magic 2? Sweet mother there is a God! Allow me to be the first to fall into abject fanboi worship!

 

Oh also liked the orcs:)

Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I like the Orcs, but I think that the nose should probably be a little more shrunken into the head. That and make the head thicker. Thick skull, no brains Orcs tend to be very squatish in the face and neck, with little to no hair. Stupid too.

I like em, and I hope to see what else you can do.

Peace,

Beebes
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'll be attentively reading for more Orc (and Dragon, and Elf, and...) pictures, and for updates on how the game development is going.

Honestly, I'm not too keen on the "so-upturned-it-looks-like-it'll-fall-into-the-face" noses that some orcs have, but I really don't know what the orcs from the first Masters of Magic look like. I suppose they shouldn't be too far off of the originals... I like the looks of the sketches, but in some ways they remind me of really scruffy, evil djinn. I'm sure, once put on a body, they'll gain more orc-liness (at least in my eyes).

Oh, and congratulations on finding a job you enjoy!
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top

I really don't know what the orcs from the first Masters of Magic look like.


Very tiny sprites

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
Fair enough.
Wait, so the Sprites were bigger than the Orcs? What kinda screwed up game world ecology is that? [/mock misunderstanding]

Then the ones he has now should do nicely.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
One thing to remeber is that this is just a sketch, there will be many more, and there will be several Artist doing them. What the final orcs look like could be completly differant. Also, in game, the modles will prittlymush be limited by Polygons, how many orcs will be in cut seans, etc. has yet to be seen. We may never se a close up of an ork. We shall see.

PS. We are still several months form even starting the project, so most of this is just to stretch my fantacy drawing legs.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
I've always liked the 'big but blocky' look for the orcs, with a massive jaw and overbite, somewhere between Warhammer and Warcraft.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
The nose looks too humanish, however, the rest of it looks awesome.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
The nose looks too humanish, however, the rest of it looks awesome.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
I cant believe it a masters of magic 2!!!!!!!!!! WOW please keep us updated masters of magic really is a game worth waiting 10 years for!!!!!! Pics look great.