Concluding another week of monsters from 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons I am bringing you the redesign of the very METAL, Gorgon. It is all fun and games until a giant metal bull monster smashes in and breathes poison green gas all over you adventuring party. Here is how the final concept turned out...
Gorgon - Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual - Redesign
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast
Okay, I have to admit, this one was kinda hard. The Gorgon is one of those weird monsters that is kinda crazy as a stand alone idea (poison breathing metal bull) but still needs to be kinda like a real bull. I think that was what got me from the beginning, I was in a 'RAWR, MONSTER' state of mind when it needed to be in more of a 'Hey, I am bull... that is metal'. Needed to be less RAWR and more REAL. Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself... Here are how the first set of thumbnails turned out...
Gorgon - Thumbnails
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast
As already mentioned, these were not cutting it for the Gorgon. I got some notes and some art direction and got a new start on a revised thumbnail. Still was fishing a little it on what this thing needed to be. Not necessarily feeling what this thing really needed to be. Here is how the revised Gorgon looked like...
Gorgon - Revised Thumbnail
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast
It was better, but still not there yet. I got some more feedback and art direction (THANKS, Jon!) and after some email conversations I had a better feeling for where this thing needed to head. After some more frantic scribbling on the computer I had an updated version of the Gorgon...
Gorgon - Revised REVISED Thumbnail
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast
This version hit the mark and I was given the go ahead to work up the final drawing. After having lot my way several times with this monster it was good to be finishing it up. Here is how the final drawing turned out...
Gorgon - Drawing
9 x 12
Pencil on Paper
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast
It looks like I spoke to soon! Upon review of the drawing by the full team I received some notes to edit the Gorgon further. Even though this is a poison breathing giant metal bull it is still a living monster and should not appear to be made or constructed. I was asked to remove anything that looked like a rivet or element that made it look hand built. I made these changes digitally since most of the drawing was to remain the same. Here is how the revised drawing turned out...
Gorgon - Revised Drawing
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast
Seventh time is the charm! I had an approved drawing and it was time to move ahead to the final digital color comp of the Gorgon. Nothing like a big shiny metal animal to bust out all the specular highlights. Here is how the final color comp turned out...
Gorgon - Final Redsign
© 2014 Wizards of the Coast
This final color comp was approved and I was able to mark it off my list. While it was still a fun monster to work on, other monsters came to me much easier and quicker. Not all the monster can and should be easy and we learn from the hard one. I also learned that I did not have as much good bull reference as I thought I did.
A HUGE THANKS to Jon Schindehette for all the monsters and direction
during the design phase of 5th Edition!
That is all for another exciting week on the blog, I may be taking next week off from the blog, or maybe it will be on auto pilot! Until then...
