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New Background Matte: “Town Center”

"Town Center." (c) 2014 Michael J. Barnes.

“Town Center.” (c) 2014 Michael J. Barnes.

I am currently working on a new “commissioned” illustration for a future book cover and I needed to create a background for the concept. Welcome to the “Town Center.” I wanted to create an old, somewhat dilapidated building in the middle of a dessert. I can’t go into any detail of the book, but the setting I am creating fits.

I initially created the building proper in Google Sketchup. I took that initial model into ZBrush for the detailing. The model was then rendered in Bryce and the final image composite produced in Photoshop.

This is currently a work-in-progress, and I will post the final image when completed.

WIP: Corridor Background Update

Rusty Corridor Background. (c) 2013 Michael J. Barnes.

Rusty Corridor Background. (c) 2013 Michael J. Barnes.

Completed updating the background for an illustration currently in progress. My plan here was to make the background a little eerie. Hopefully, it will give the impression that something might be amiss with this ship. In order to accomplish this, I painted in some volumetric lighting, and darkened and desaturated the walls. Let me know what you think.

WIP: Castle Chamber

Castle Chamber. (c) 2013 Michael J. Barnes.

Castle Chamber. (c) 2013 Michael J. Barnes. Background for new illustration.

A new work in progress (WIP), this castle chamber is going to be the background for a new illustration I am currently working on. Everything here was created in Zbrush, then converted for use in Maya. Still needs a little more work, especially when it comes to the “flames.”

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