Character Design - Head Shots

Character Design - Head Shots

SaricH © Coery Breen

Pencil

Here are a couple of head shots done for my main creator owned character, SaricH ©. This character is anamorphic, as I'm sure you've seen many a previous post about him. I liken his story and property to be akin to Zelda.

Next post will be more freelance work I've done recently, specifically a company logo design!

Until Monday,

CjB

Freelance Family Portrait

Freelance Work - Family Portrait

By Corey Breen

Pencil

11 x 17 inches

This was a freelance gig I just completed this past month. The client wanted a family portrait for her parents anniversary. This took about 24 hours total to complete. Never did this many people in one portrait before. My process for this is kinda interesting too. What I do is tell the client to send me high resolution photos of all the people in the portrait. I ask them for photos that they think the people they want look their absolute best. I also ask in advance what kind of portrait they want, so depending on specifics (ie- mostly standing people) I ask for specific types of photos. Then I make a collage of sorts in Photoshop combining heads to bodies and moving things around and messing with the size and shapes of everything. I mash up all the photos until I get a composition I like and I think will work. I also have to make sure we have a solid background that makes sense.

I then print out to size the final approved reference. Then I throw that down under an illustration board, and throw it on a light-box. I then draw the outlines, and finally start into the tones. The tones is what takes a long, long time. I focus mostly on making sure I capture the look and likeness of every person completely. That is the hardest part. Sometimes I just keep trying and trying until finally, I know in my head, YES that is what that person looks like! It's a weird feeling to describe, but when I get it, I just know.

Then finally, I just work on it until I finish, really. I like to only work at MOST 8 hours a day on it. It's always good to take breaks during then too, or put on a movie I know really well, so if I want to just look up for a minute and take a break or rest my hand, I have something I can just watch for a minute. Can't watch something new, because that is a distraction. Also, it's best to sleep on drawing (NOT literally, lol) because when you wake up in the morning, or look at it the next day, you see with more clarity, and can step away from the previous day's work to get a better sense of the drawing and things that are and aren't working.

I LOVE doing portraits for clients. I do people, pets, caricatures, babies. It's a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun too, and comes easy to me. It's also VERY rewarding. To see and hear the reactions of the clients and/or the reactions of the people they give them to as gifts (ie- a portrait of a boyfriend or husband & child) is just so great. The feeling I get knowing that I made a special piece for a family or spouse really makes it ALL worth it. I'm glad I can be a part of that love that person wants to show and give to other people they care enough about to get a portrait done.

It's also MUCH more impressive to size and in person, to be able to see the shading at the right size is really something nice that a shrunk jpg just can not capture.

So thanks to this client, and I hope they all cherish the piece for a long, long time. It was a pleasure.

If you or someone you know would like a portrait done, please email me at

cjbreener@gmail.com

Thanks,

Corey Breen

CjB Productions

Character Design - Character #14

Character Design

Commander Ezarat © w/ Eclipsor Guardsman © Corey Breen

Pencil

The leader of Rukrym ©. He is a very tall, intimidating presence. He is a major player in the politics of the allied planets, and the main inter-planetary government. But he is also the Commander of the terrorist organization trying to take it down. He is also a conflicted being, one who had once believed in everything the government was doing, and a huge proponent of peace throughout the galaxy. But something changed. He became jaded and saw the cracks in the system. He formed The Rukrym and allied himself with some of the most vile, deeply rooted terrorists in the galaxy.

Because of his money and power, he quickly grew into huge terrorist network under his control. Although he now has some regrets of it getting so big and now influential, he truly does believe in his new cause, he just sometimes wishes it didn't have to come about like this. He knows eventually he will have to result in major

, major violence and mass death and destruction, but he is hoping to diplomatically gather planets to his cause one by one. When that fails, he has the Rukrym, and his now massive army to make sure things happen his way, to install his new planetary order.

His elite guardsman is his personal security guard, and also the General of his growing army. The guardsman has his elite strike force as well.

But when the government starts realizing how big and how powerful this organization is become and has become, they create the best of the best in the allied armies, a team called Starlanders © to infiltrate, create peace once again in the galaxy, by destroying the Rukrym, and it's mysterious, unknown leader.

Ok! So that's it for now on the characters for Starlanders. Below

is some preliminary designs for some ships that are in the Starlanders universe. I have to do more fully detailed versions and cross-cuts of these now, since these are just some outlines and silhouettes.

Starlanders Ship Designs © Corey Breen

Pencil

Next up on the Blog, a couple of freelance gigs I recently completed!

Until then, hope you enjoy some of the first parts of my concept art portfolio creation!

CjB

Character Design - Character #13

Character Design

Mistress Bauer © Corey Breen

Pencil

Evil personified! Mistress Bauer © is one of the most cunning, nasty, evil member of Rukrym © there is. She is fiercely loyal to the cause and to Prince Xerro ©. Or is she? Who is she really lovers with?

For this character I want you to think Mischa from Die Hard with a Vengeance. Just a nasty looking female protagonist, who you do not want to mess with, whether it be in person or in combat. And I want the feel of the character to be one that makes you think, "is it really her that is in charge of the entire organization?" She seems to be one step ahead of everyone, and all her plans always seem to fall into place. Even when things don't seem to go her way, she always has a plan B and always adapts to her environment.

I really like this character design, because I think I was really able to capture a sexy looking yet fierce looking female alien. Not easy to do. Hope you agree.

The next post will be the last of the character designs for Starlanders ©. It will be of the leader of the Rukrym, and his personal guardsman. So one more character design post. Then I have a couple of random silhouette ship designs, and that will wrap up what I have so far as the beginnings of the concept work I am doing for Starlanders. Then I also have a couple things from SaricH © that I did that I can post. After that it's back to work on the portfolio, doing some color studies of all these character designs, and then doing landscapes and level designs, and planet designs. Vehicles, weapons... all that stuff! Can't wait!

I also have the freelance portrait I did to post, which is safe to show now that the drawing has been given as a gift to the client's parents for their anniversary. Can't wait to show that too.

Until tomorrow,

CjB

Character Design - Character #12

Character Design

Prince Xerro © Corey Breen

Pencil

Continuing our villains, we get higher up the commander chain, as I introduce Prince Xerro © from Starlanders ©. He is a prince of his planet, and one of the key cogs of the interplanetary terrorists know as the Rukrym ©. He is sly, cunning, and ruthless, and has a really nasty attitude about him. He is a whiner, and always wants his way, yet he does answer to the head of the organization. Is he planning to overthrow his own leader to gain control himself? Yes, yes he probably is.

He is very skilled in combat, much like Commodus was in Gladiator! He is a master swordsman, and sniper. He commands his own lethal guardsmen, too. Yet they are a little inept as far as being as highly skilled as Xerro.

Next up is his lover, and confidant, on tomorrow's Blog post!

CjB

Character Design - Character #11

Character Design

Glosli © Corey Breen

Pencil

Every hero needs a rival in a story, and Glosli © is the rival to Daylum © in Starlanders ©. She is a witch-like alien who has strong ties to her opposite, Daylum. They are of the same race, a very powerful, feared race in the galaxy. Daylum defected. Glosli, unlike Prust © is not out to get Daylum per se. She is more into her race, planet and the Rukrym © cause them Prust is. She is a fierce fighter who uses strong "magic" attacks. Starlanders is much a universe where alien tech meats fantasy and sorcery, much like Final Fantasy combines the two so well.

Four more characters to unveil, so tune in the rest of this week to see! Then we'll wrap up part ONE of designing the Starlanders Universe!

CjB

A Dance with Jon Snow & Ghost

Jon Snow & Ghost From A Song of Ice & Fire © George R.R. Martin

By Corey Breen

Final Colors in Photoshop

Quickly becoming yet another all time favorite characters of mine, here is Jon Snow with his direwolf, Ghost! Hope everyone is enjoying A Dance with Dragons!

Below is the process I used. This time it worked out doing both characters separately along with a separate background, but I must stop doing that!

Enjoy,

CjB

Snow Sketch

Ghost Sketch

Finished Pencils on 11 x 17 Letraset Paper

Digital Inks with Cintique

Character Design - Character #10

Character Design

Prust © Corey Breen

Pencil

Prust © is one of my favorites. I designed him right after I designed Zephyr ©. Prust is Zephyr's main nemesis, and their rivalry is much like Snake-Eyes' & Storm Shadows'. Prust is like the Boba Fett of the Starlanders © universe. He is no joke, and is only with the Rukrym for his own benefit, and that is to get at Zephyr. He will help the Rukrym's cause to a certain extent, but he really cares more about his motives towards Zephyr then anything else.

CjB

NOTE: We will continue with the character designs on Monday, for tomorrow I want to Blog about my last Game of Thrones piece I just finished, Jon Snow & Ghost!

Character Design - Character #9

Character Design

Quint © Corey Breen

Pencil

And now on to the VILLAINS!

First up is Quint ©. He is a weapons master, and a main enforcer for the villains of Starlanders ©, called the Rukrim ©. He is a Major in the terrorist organization, and usually leads a group of highly skilled elite guardsmen. He is never on the front lines, but uses his strike team to infiltrate and to take command of all his missions.

More villains all the rest of this week, so stay tuned!

CjB

Character Design - Character #8

Character Design

Artemus © Corey Breen

Pencil

Finally we have our last team member of Starlanders ©, named Artemus ©. He is the field leader of the team, only answering to the man in charge of Starlanders, yet to be unveiled (or designed, for that matter, lol). Much like Cyclops is to Professor X, Artemus is to General Snyder ©. His is very intelligent, very quick, mainly because he and his species have two brains.

Ok, so that is the first batch of designs, the basic first wave strike team, called Starlanders. Next I will be showing you the "bad guys". I currently have about 6 or 7 of them designed to show you. Then we'll wrap it up with some simple ships I am going to design, and I'll talk about what my next steps will be in this whole project, for example, doing landscapes, and environments. So stay tuned!

CjB

PS- Also, right now, I am finishing up my last Game of Thrones piece, Jon Snow with Ghost. I am digitally inking it today, and should be done with the colors by Thursday! Can't wait to show it, it's gonna be my best one yet!

Character Design - Character #7

Character Design - Byron © Corey Breen

Pencil

BACK WITH MORE STARLANDERS CHARACTERS DESIGNS!

Here is the REAL bruiser of the team, the BIG heavy hitter of Starlanders ©, Byron ©!

He is a real dangerous threat, but actually the nicer member of the team. He is kind to all living creatures and has a real Zen like vibe to him. He wouldn't hurt a fly... UNLESS that fly threatens ANY other flies or creatures! Then, look out, because you will NOT stand a chance.

He is also a chameleon of sorts where he can practically blend in by changing colors to his environment, which is a huge plus, because how else could you hide his enormous size? His armor is functional too, giving off light, and energy, where he amazingly fast and agile for his size too. A huge threat all around, with an innocent baby face and personality!

OK! ONE last member to team Starlanders to come! And the most important. The leader of the team. You'll find out who that is tomorrow!

CjB

Game of Thrones - Tyrion Lannister Pin-Up

Tyrion Lannister © George R.R. Martin

By Corey Breen

Photoshop

In celebration of the release of George R.R. Martin's next novel in the saga of the Song of Ice and Fire, A Dance with Dragons, released TODAY, 7/12, here is my Tyrion Lannister pin-up!

I can't WAIT to go home and start reading the new book, and the next chapter in the saga! I'm so frakin' PSYCHED! I want to enjoy every SECOND of reading the new book, for this series has become my obession and now rivals my love for Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Mass Effect, and Final Fantasy itself! Hard to believe, but it is now that beloved to me!

I hope you like my version of Tyrion before he gets a little more scared up, let's say... for he is one of the BEST characters EVER created in fiction! AND, I can't even explain how much Peter Dinklage does him justice on the HBO show as well! He WILL win the Emmy for the role, and I can't WAIT to see how him play Tyrion in season 2, when he is basically the MAIN character of a Clash of Kings! He is gonna rock the boat (literally)!

Below is the process that I used for this piece, which turned out to be REALLY complex, unfortunitly, lol. I basically just drew the character first before any kind of background was thought of, and that got me in trouble right from the start. That's why it is NOT recommended to do that. To not even at LEAST think of the background you will do while you are drawing is a bad idea. If you do it separately, it will most surely not match the figu re you did separately. In my earlier versions of this piece, you will see how it made it a bitch to figure out how make a background work for the Tyrion figure I drew first.

So I had to redo the background, three times! Finally I nailed it in the finis hed piece, but you can see below what it was going to be, which obviously was a failure. The floating rock idea was just... well, DUMB! But I am so glad I went through the process, for it got me to where I was so happy with the finished piece.

To be able to critique yourself and admitt when you suck, is a BIG part of getting to a really good finished piece. I'm glad I was able to step back from it and fix what needed to be fixed, until I was finally really happy with the piece as a whole!

Hope you agree!

Enjoy the piece and ENJOY reading A Dance with Dragons!

CjB

The Process:

Pencil study for likeness

First pencil sketch of Tyrion

First pencil sketch of background

Pencil sketch of background revised

Finished pencil drawing of Tyrion

Pencil drawing combined in Photoshop - figure & background

Photoshop Digital Inks

Photoshop Digital Inks Final

More Starlanders © character designs coming this week, after this

SPECIAL BREAK!

Character Design - Character #6

Character Design - Gunner © Corey Breen

Pencil

Gunner © is one of the two brute force characters I did for my Starlanders © character designs. He is also the weapons expert for the team. He doesn't do any of the tech involved, but he handles all the equipment and ammo and such. He is the main human character of the team besides Aster ©, yet nothing ever comes close to taking place on Earth (if there even is a Earth in Starlanders). Trying to stay as far away from Earth as we know it, in the future or not. He is just a human, much like Han Solo is human. Humanoid, let's say.

Stayed tuned for more Starlanders character designs and we round out the full team this week, and go into the villains!

Let me know what you think so far of the characters you've seen!

CjB

Character Design - Character #5

Character Design - Garnett © Corey Breen
Pencil

To close out the week, here is character #5 of Starlanders ©, named Garnett ©. She has almost like a skeletal body and looks very mech, but she is not a robot. She is just a very weird looking synthetic being who is very deadly, yet also very regal and proper. She is royalty amongst her alien race, and is their top enforcer, hence why she qualified for the Starlanders team. She is very protective of her team mates, and teams them as if they were her own children.

A little break for Sunday, no character tomorrow. But more characters ALL next week, so tune in every day starting Monday.

I also finished injing and coloring my Tyrion piece, so I have that to post as well. Was going to post it this weekend, but I think I'll wait a bit so I can put more effort into hyping that one up, and promoting it all the web when I do, considering how much press I've gotten for the other Game of Thrones pieces I have done so far.

Now it's off to continue work on my next Game of Thrones piece, Jon Snow & his Direworlf, Ghost!

See you Monday!

CjB

Character Design - Character #4

Character Design - Varrick © Corey Breen

Pencil

Day four, character #4! This character is the joker of the team, if you will. Very skilled, very tech savy, he is fast and elusive. He talks really fast, and creates all the real alien gadgets, knowing almost every alien tongue and language in the galaxy.

Tomorrow, character #5 who is the brute force of the strike team, Starlanders ©.

CjB

Character Design - Character #3

Character Design - Daylum © Corey Breen

Pencil

Here is character #3 that I created. Her name is Daylum ©. I made her out to be elf-like in appearance to give off this aura of magic about her. I LOVE that hair style on female characters. Trying not to over use it, but it just really works for this character. I try to stay away from too much symmetry in the costumes, because I'm trying to be as original as possible with these designs. Hope you like it.

Another character tomorrow!

CjB

Character Design - Character #2

Character Design - Zephyr © Corey Breen

Pencil

Character Design - Enk © Corey Breen

Pencil

Day two my character concept art. This character is named Zephyr ©, along with his pet, named Enk ©. Two for one deal today, lol. Zephyr is like the stealth, silent, "ninja" part of the Starlanders © strike team.

Character #3 tomorrow!

CjB

Character Design - Character #I

Character Design - Aster © Corey Breen

Pencils

Here is the first character I'm introducing for Starlanders ©. Her name is Aster ©.

Next character tomorrow, and one to follow every day of this week and next week.

CjB

Introducing - Starlanders

Starlanders © Corey Breen

Logo Design By Corey Breen

Illustrator & Photoshop

Starlanders © Corey Breen

Logo Design By Corey Breen

Illustrator & Photoshop

Starlanders © Corey Breen

Logo Design By Corey Breen

Illustrator & Photoshop

Starlanders © Corey Breen

Logo Design By Corey Breen

Illustrator & Photoshop

For the last month or so I've been working on my Concept Art Portfolio. I've been talking about it for a while online now, and I'm finally ready to start sharing what I've been working on. My idea for the portfolio is to basically create a video game as if I was hired to be the concept artist. I set out to create an original world with characters, environments, vehicles, weapons, logos and world maps.

I decided on a basic premise of a combination of Mass Effect mixed with GI Joe. The pitch is basically GI Joe in outer space! A strike team is formed of the best military aliens in the galaxy to quell a rising secret terrorist organization who is looking to usurp the allied planets government (that has been seeing more and more corruption in recent times).

The General of the coalition's armies decides he needs a covert team to take out the growing fraction of government rebels. It is done in secret so as not to tip off the ever increasingly corrupting allied government and the terrorist organization itself. The best military aliens are put together on a team to destroy this new organization as it gains steam throughout the galaxy.

So that's the pitch, and this past month or so, I have been exclusively working on character design first. I have designed about 17 all new, completely original characters for the strike team, code-named, Starlanders, and the terrorist organization, who call themselves the RukRym. I have just done pencils for them right now, and that's hat I'll be sharing first. I mean to ink and digitally color or tone some of them too before I start on doing landscape design next.

So for the next two weeks or so, I will be posting each character design I have done so far.

I hope you like it, and I hope to get your feedback on the characters, and my progress so far, so I can continue to make this a true concept art portfolio that I can really show off! What you are going to see is what I really love to do above and beyond all other things. I LOVE to come up with ideas, plots, characters, designs, fashions, and costumes. I am REALLY proud of how this is all coming together so far. Starting to really fall in love with this idea, and the characters I have created so far.

SO, get ready for a lot of character drawings coming up for the next two weeks or so!

I need a cool tag-line or the concept... I'll try to come up with something. It's gonna be a very political "game"/ concept, much like the politics in Star Wars or Game of Thrones. It'd have a LOT of backstabbing and betraying, where you have no idea what aliens are vying for power or REALLY actually belong to the terrorist organization or not. This game (if it was real and ever made) would be full of not being able to trust anyone, especially the character you would be controlling at any given time, which you would be able to choose or a specific mission.

I want a game where you have an RPG like system, but no one main character. You form your team VERY early on for the most part, but as you go on missions you get to choose what main character you want for that mission. As you play you make decisions and fight in battles that effects people deflecting to the other side, or coming over to your side, or dying, even. That's why I wanted to design a majority of the characters as "shady" looking, where you think they may be a good guy or bad guy, but really, you have no idea. So keep that in mind as I unveil the characters. All are suspect as to their true intentions. Are they working for their own race, are they infiltrating the government by being on the strike team. Or are they legit enforcers who will stop at nothing to stop anyone from exciting anarchy in the galaxy?

I'll explain more as the weeks go on!

CjB