alexries

HD 'Kilnrunner'

The final of the Kilnrunner visiting the river valley (for now: changes are likely as the book gets closer to being finished).The two larger banners are kept inflated by bleed from the huge airconditioning units, and the limited view from the cab is compensated for by cameras on the rear back and si...

Soldiers

Guards of the Reclamation Kilnrunner taking a break, keeping an eyestalk on things.

Townsfolk

Adding in the people of the valley, coming to check out the newcomers.

Kilnrunner WIP

More work fleshing out the Kilnrunner. The birrin townsfolk are just a layer lifted from the last town image: I shall pose up new ones for the final! Plenty more to do.

Kilnrunner

A little WIP designing a Reclamation Kilnrunner: a vehicle tough enough to withstand the central deserts.

Encounter

I wish to show the young birrin meeting these dolphin like creatures. Do you prefer seeing the entire body through a cross-section of the water, or just the spy-hopping head?

Cresting Wave - Landing

The beast comes in for a landing in the bay of the river valley. Using low pressure hydrogen fuel cells means range is quite limited: the vehicle is rolled out to dazzle the natives from forward operating bases. It has retractable undercarriage to operate from land, but can also take hydrogen from f...

Cresting Wave Landing: Update

Work continues: cockpit is entirely located on the left pontoon.

Landing/Buzzing the Fisherment tests.

Which do YOU prefer?

Cresting Wave (High Res)

A flying boat bringing emissaries of the Northern Reclamation to the river valley in which the birrin book is to take place.It has four electric un-ducted fans powered by hydrogen fuel cells in the long nacelles. Range is enhanced by lightweight construction and a high aspect ratio wing.Below can be...

Cresting Wave: Update

More work done fleshing out the details of the valley. Still rather crude in some areas but broadly happy with this direction.

Aircraft WIP Update

The Contenders

The two current leading contenders for the plane comp. Note that the backgrounds are both VERY preliminary, and its about positioning the aircraft mostly.

Cresting Wave WIP

I am working on showing the arrival of the Reclamation in their fancy pants flying boat in the river valley.

Sardukeela Update

Further work on these social creatures: the young maintaining contact with the mother.

Sardukeela

WIP of the Sardukeela, a small intelligent relative of the Sardu visiting the shallower waters of the inlet with its young.

Mudplate

WIP of the Mudplate creatures, which use their single sticky tentacle to collect small food particles from the sediment of the inlet.

Compositions

Trying to choose the best way to show the young birrin meeting some aquatic quadrilaterians.

Ute!

Not complete, but complete enough for this draft of the chapter: once all the artwork is complete I will go back and do the final touches using the updated designs.

Ute WIP

Ute WIP. (Shadows are nonsense so ignore at this stage.) Wheels moved to the back to stop the tray smashing into the ground. Mini-wheels fold down to hold the chassis up when changing over the tray/drive train. Small fluffy girl has shotgun on the best seat.

Family Ute Progress

Working on the birrin family 'ute, now in silly tricycle form!

The Ute

Working on the birrin family ute design ('pickup' for American friends).Either thin metal or fabric over a welded steel frame. Lead acid batteries due to a lack of lithium tech in the valley and a huge radio antennae (no mobile coverage since the Fall War).The raised windshield lets the four...

Town Square

A birrin coastal town: some of the family are heading to the square to see what all the commotion is about. (I will give this painting a final pass when the rest of the chapter is complete, and the designs for vehicles etc are hashed out.)

Uptown View

A new perspective on the birrin town: this time looking down to the arid but beautiful waterfront. I need to correct a bit of perspective, and paint in a true background (this current one is a photograph put in as a test placeholder.)

The Big Crop

Sometimes you need a fresh take: I have basically cut the image in half to concentrate the focus on more important elements of the scene, which I can now begin to properly refine.

The City WIP

The horrors of trying to paint an alien town continue: its proving quite a challenge. I now need to spend some real time sorting out a foreground before fine tuning everything else.

WIP: Town Square

Work continues! Its been a very uneven process to even get this far, as the complexities of urban landscapes are rather new to me. I am attempting to combine North African influences with the rusted tin and worn environment of outback Australia.

Layout Blocking

The 'ugly' stage of the illustration, in which I have to learn a LOT of new skills (I have never painted a true town/city scene)This image is still bare bones and contains errors that require fixing, however I am learning how to experiment with 3D models, lighting and mood as I go. I imagine...

The Square WIP

Laying out the Town Square scene for the birrin book. The flags and truck are representatives of the Reclamation introducing themselves to the locals.

Photobash

Very early composition test (humans notwithstanding) of the town square for the local Birrin town.