CGAN Feb 2016 - Life on Mars - WIPs

Now I know again why I don't paint any buildings ... this is absolutely out of my comfort zone.

here comes my ancient mars-culture lost in the sands of the mars desert. but wait.... is there still anybody?

Oaktree: That's a nice expansive landscape to start off with. The glare and haze give a real sense of the harshness of the environment.

Atto: I quite liked that first pic. The forced symmetry gave it kind of totemic quality that suggested a meaning to the "crop circle" symbolism. But changing the composition may well give it a better context within the surrounding landscape.

I've got a bit of an idea but it needs a bit of planning and I have another pic to finish first. So I'll hopefully make a start next week after some weekend research.
And memo to self: There are fewer days in February so the deadline creeps up super quick!

Cherry: You sneaked in quick just before my post!
Loving the Egyptian style Mars pharaoh look. Great colour too!

Oak, you have a nice mood going in yours already with a good sense of depth, and the colors really resemble the vast desert like atmosphere on Mars so far, just need to add some solid structures or rockes etc and it will come out great, keep it coming

Cherry, your buildings look good to me so far, they all seem geometrically sound from the initial stages, so just keep making more just like that, you can do it, cool perspective on yours too.

Atto, your first wip is looking good so far, interesting idea, the other sketch you did looks like a harder perspective to pull off but you look like you're up for it! I hope you don't have time to do crop circles and art on this site because wow that would make me real lazy!

Atto, regarding the atmosphere I just did a quick wikipedia read and found this:

The atmosphere is quite dusty, giving the Martian sky a light brown or orange-red color when seen from the surface; data from the Mars Exploration Rovers indicate that suspended dust particles of roughly 1.5 micrometres diameter.[7]

There were also some photos which I thought implied a cool grey-blue tint to the atmosphere but it well may be that the atmosphere itself is so thin that what you will mainly notice is the red dust. I also remember reading in some book or other that with no atmosphere, there would be no fading into the distance, which means both colours and edges would remain relatively sharp. That wouldn't be the case on Mars, but I'd suggest either a less obvious atmospheric perspective or a "sandstorm" where you use browns and reds instead of blues for the perspective. Or a combo

Cherry - looking good. I'm not sure right now where you're taking this but to me I read it as some kind of hieroglyphics, or perhaps a little tougher to pull off but I think a cooler idea, some kind of crystal. I think it might be nice if it is almost some ancient artifact that depicts a 3d image of a lost civilization caught within a globe of almost amber looking substance. Imagine the 'fun' you could have with all those reflections and effects!?! Perhaps even the reflection of some wizened old professors face as he peers into the globe.

Thanks for the info Charlotte, I like the idea of a sandstorm type effect but got fed up with trying to do something similar on the Exodos challenge

I now have a rough environment that I'm reasonably happy with (though please be aware it is subject to change without prior notice). Now I'm starting to rough in the temple and rather than drawing it all up first I'm just going to have some fun and see what I come up with.

thanks guys

atto this seems to be a really great idea! (And I would've never thought about in this way )
I had the idea in mind, the observer is looking through a telescope where he or she sees the buildings of the lost mars civilization. Maybe I'll mix both ideas a bit - I'll wait what the picture says to me when it comes to this point... .... just like you I guess. nice environment so far

Hey everyone, it’s been a while since I posted. Great Wips.

Oaktree: Nice start at a realistic looking scene with the lighter background, it looks like you are showing the polar ice.
Alto: I like your first idea it has a sort of “Stargate” feel to it. The latest is also looking really good with canyon landscape in it, this has a Petra, Jordan feel.
CherryGraphics: Looking good. Like the ancient city look. Now all I think it needs is another statue of a scantily clad warrior princess on a Thoat (Kidding ).

My tablet went belly up last year, but fortunately Santa was nice to me and gave me a new one. I’ve been playing with it, and so just for fun here’s my idea for “Life on Mars”. A family on vacation taking in the sights.

Kodabble: That's great fun, love the pose of the Martian with the camera, and the kids add an interesting dynamic too. The little baby looks like he's gonna pull one of those wheels off!
And I knew someone would beat me to the NASA probe idea!
Good to hear you've got a working tablet now. We can all look forward to seeing more of this great linework.

Wow Kod, thats either really insightful of you or you're spying on me . I used an image of Petra to generate the idea then cut away that rock face to give me a little more room to play with. I think I'm gonna put it back in so I can work up a facade for the temple. Either way thats a bit spooky!
Glad to hear you' re back though, the idea is lovely and the retro style camera fits perfectly. I was going to do a really 60's pulp kind of feel to mine originally (I may still if I get the time) all discs, twirly antennae and sparkly suits with goldfish bowls. We'll have to see but I hope you complete this and get it entered.