BLOODSPORT 16- The Big Rig

Bloodsport 16 is here. the last two challenges have been working on your skills with design. this time were going to broaden it out and do a challenge on setting a scene with a lot of emphasis on MOOD and COMPOSITION.  for this challenge, you are being asked to set up a scene as if it were a dynamic still from a movie, and composed on the traditional 16: 9 movie frame format. unlike an illustration, movie scenes are about pulling the viewer into the action and making us feel as if we are there, not merely showcasing the characters and designs in the blatant way concept art and fantasy illustration tends to. as always, there will be a lot of freedom in what you are able to do with this challenge. however, there are a few twists to keep it interesting. 

imagine it is the high era of 80s movie releases. you have been hired to concept screens for a new blockbuster (can be fantasy, sci fi, horror, anything b-movie related in the 80s. think ridley scott and john carpenter.) it is your job to use the movie title to generate scene ideas with lots of mood and atmosphere to set the tone for the film. the image should encompass everything about the title, as if to sell the concept to the potential viewers.

RULE 1:

your scene must not only be designed on the 16:9 horizontal frame format, but it must also push a strong mood or feeling, setting the scene. to achieve this, we are asking you to watch some of your favorite movies, look for ones you really appreciate and want to learn from, and then study / interpret them into your own work.  if your scene is dark and foreboding, study a movie that achieves that feeling. on the other hand, if it is bright and uplifting , you will need to study a particular movie and a particular scene to properly convey that as well.

RULE 2:

Because of our lovely guest judge (see below), this contests subject matter will be derived from a source material near and dear to our hearts. your scenes subject matter or mood MUST come from one of the titles on the following list: JUDAS PRIEST SONGS


Thats right. your scene, subject matter, and mood must be related to one of the titles of any JUDAS PRIEST song. not the lyrics or the album, just the song title. do anything you want- go as vague or as specific to the title as you see fit!.


16X9 Cinema format below-

EXAMPLES

                                     

AND REMEMBER! THIS TIME WE ARE EMPHASIZING COMPOSITION, MOOD, and TITLE

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ENTRIES! 
             
- MUST BE presented in 16 x 9 horizontal cinema format-

-MUST include MOOD and SCENE studies from specific movies you wish to learn from

- MUST include studies done to be eligible to enter! Poses, materials, reference studies, lighting, composition sketches, etc.


THIS CONTEST HAS NO RESTRICTIONS FOR SUBJECT MATTER AS LONG AS IT IS INTERPRETED FROM THE RULES ABOVE   !

Goodluck-

...oh, and did we mention?

were going to keep the ball rolling with our guest judge idea, to try and offer more real industry feedback from pros with real industry experience! this time around were happy to have Brad Rigney on board to look at your work and offer feedback to the winners! 





please send finals to FINALS THREAD HERE

we will no longer be acceepting submissions to the gmail. the forum is just easier!


DUE SATURDAY, MAY 18th  @5pm est

BLOODSPORT 15- Guild of Golems!

It's time for Bloodsport 15! this time were dialing it back a bit to focus on pure design aesthetic and imagining champions for a game called Guild of Golems, where sorcerers of all kinds gather to do battle with one another, aided by their magically created or summoned creatures. in the Beastmaster challenge, we asked you to design a warrior in armor themed around their animal counterpart. the challenge had some awesome results, but we still think we can push creative design even further. for this challenge you are being asked to create a compelling design for both a sorcerer character as well as their golem companion/servant. the sorcerer character can be male or female, and can exist in any time period or culture you believe to be most effective. they do not have to be human, however, a strong emphasis on anatomy and posture should be apparent despite whatever creature (human or otherwise) you may choose. the theme of the sorcerer's design MUST be reflective of their companion creature.

example 1:

a male wizard in red robes trimmed with gold flame designs, clearly representing a fire element. his companion is a large golem made of molten rock with flames on him mirroring the wizard's design.

example 2:

a sorcerer with gaunt features and tattered robes themed on decay and death. his creature companion could be a hulking mass of dead bodies, or a plague infected monster. something reflective of his design elements.


to be clear- in the last challenge you were restricted to animals and creatures for your design themes. this time it is totally open to interpretation. pick a theme, design a sorcerer around it, and then craft his companion monster he has summoned on the same theme.

Unlike the previous challenge, where we asked you to do 2 separate illustrations, this time we are asking for one strong piece with both characters in it. the composition, narrative, and aspect ratio of the piece are entirely up to you- but both characters should be present, and it should be clear which is the sorcerer and which is the creature.


for this challenge, we are REALLY pushing an emphasis on design and creative solutions to theming. because of this, we are requiring character sketches as well as the regular studies necessary to be eligible. these do not to be highly polished concept art, but they should be clear explorations of different ideas for the character and creature. dont get locked down into one idea too soon! explore and take some creative risks!

AND REMEMBER! THIS TIME WE ARE EMPHASIZING COMPOSITION, CHARACTER DESIGN, and CREATURE DESIGN!

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ENTRIES! 
             
- MUST BE 2 CHARACTERS with a CENTRAL THEME-
    
     1) a sorcerer with a clear design theme (your choice)

     2) a creature the sorcerer has summoned or created reflective of his theme.

-MUST include CHARACTER STUDIES aside from the comp sketch

- MUST include studies done to be eligible to enter! Poses, materials, reference studies, lighting, composition sketches, etc.


THIS CONTEST HAS NO RESTRICTIONS FOR CHARACTER AGE OR GENDER, AND CAN BE TAKEN AS SERIOUSLY OR AS LIGHTLY AS YOU SEE FIT! 

Goodluck-

...oh, and did we mention?

were going to keep the ball rolling with our guest judge idea, to try and offer more real industry feedback from pros with real industry experience! this time around were happy to have Wes Burt on board to look at your work and offer feedback to the winners! 



please send finals to FINALS THREAD HERE

we will no longer be acceepting submissions to the gmail. the forum is just easier!


DUE SATURDAY, APRIL 20th  @5pm est

BLOODSPORT 14- BeastMasters!

Hello!

Card art has been on the rise all over the the world lately, with newer companies taking advantage of all that the new digital and portable platforms have to offer. Increasingly common is the gameplay mechanic that a card can have multiple versions of itself, leveling up as the player goes through the game to change forms and become more powerful as they advance.  with this in mind, we've created a new challenge based in the industries of card art and character design-   BLOODSPORT 14: BeastMasters !

imagine this bloodsport as a set of cards for a popular game based on a new IP. your art director has given you total freedom of design within the parameters of a brief description seen on the cover to each box the game is sold in:

'Mighty warriors of a lost age, whose skills in the arcane arts granted them the ability to shift their forms into those of powerful monsters! Whether bound in the armor of their spirit creatures, or transformed into them through their rage, all who face them fear the BeastMasters!'

This IP is based on characters who come in 2 forms. One is a human form, and the other is a creature that they transform into (actual animals or fantasy monsters- both are acceptable). the human form MUST have a design to its clothing or armor that reflects their creature form. ( basic example: a knight in a lion's head breastplate turning into a lion ).

 aside from this, there are no rules. feel free to make their armor designs and creature forms as fantastic as you see fit!

now, for the twist to keep things interesting- this bloodsport requires 2 of the same illustration, but with the character leveled up in the second to display him in his more powerful monster form. feel free to keep the other aspects of the image the same to save time, or to do 2 totally different images if you're feeling a bit riskier.



SOME EXAMPLES TO GET YOU GOING--

TIGER / CAT

WOLF/ DOG

AND REMEMBER! THIS TIME WE ARE EMPHASIZING COMPOSITION, CHARACTER DESIGN, and CREATURE DESIGN!

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ENTRIES! 

- MUST be DESIGNED as a set of VERTICAL CARD ILLUSTRATIONS
             
- MUST BE 2 IMAGES, each highlighting-
    
     1) the human form of the BeastMaster wearing armor themed on his creature form's design

     2) the creature form itself, with or without armor

-MUST have a clear and strong connection between the design themes in the armor and the selected creature or animal the character transforms into!

- MUST include studies done to be eligible to enter! Poses, materials, reference studies, lighting, composition sketches, etc.


THIS CONTEST HAS NO RESTRICTIONS FOR CHARACTER AGE OR GENDER, AND CAN BE TAKEN AS SERIOUSLY OR AS LIGHTLY AS YOU SEE FIT! 

Goodluck-

...oh, and did we mention?

were going to keep the ball rolling with our guest judge idea, to try and offer more real industry feedback from pros with real industry experience! this time around were happy to have Anthony Jones on board to look at your work and offer feedback to the winners!



please send finals to crimsondaggersdropbox@gmail.com


DUE FRIDAY, APRIL 5th  @5pm est

BLOODSPORT 13- The Histories of Schaat' Nath : Time Warriors

Hello!

so, weve been gone for a while. almost a whole year. the past bloodsports we did not judge will remain up on the blog, as we firmly believe they are still good prompts for portfolio pieces in case people want to use them later. basically, things got very busy there for a while, and we couldn't balance this on top of other things. thankfully, thats not the case anymore, so were happy to bring you BLOODSPORT 13: The histories of Schaat' Nath : Time Warriors!

imagine this bloodsport as the cover to an old tabletop rpg expansion book, and imagine the blurb on the back as follows:

'The evil wizard Xakxis has plunged the kingdom of Schaat' Nath into darkness! Only YOU, Dillon Kobrax, and your faithful sidekick can stop his evil reign! travel out of time to exciting kingdoms of the past or future to determine the kingdom's fate!'

now, for the twist to keep things interesting- this bloodsport has 2 options- choose either and explore them to their fullest!

option 1) a hero from the past (medeival, prehistoric, anything) is drawn into a future world and must save it. he/she is accompanied by a robot / computer companion of some kind from that time.

option 2) a hero from the future (any kind of sci fi you wish to imagine as the future) is pulled into the past and must save  it. he/she is accompanied by a creature of that strange ancient world. (dinosaur, dragon, monster, etc)

*****(   LEATHER JACKETS OPTIONAL  )******


SOME EXAMPLES TO GET YOU GOING--
**Remember- you can really do anything with this! it is not specific to earth, so your vision of the past and the future are only limited by your imagination! show us the coolest sci fi and ancient design you can come up with!**

AND REMEMBER! THIS TIME WE ARE EMPHASIZING COMPOSITION, JUXTAPOSITION and TIME SPECIFIC DESIGN

Remember- In this challenge the character you chooose can be from the PAST or FUTURE, and will be in a setting opposite his origin. Have fun with the design process and make some really interesting clashes!

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ENTRIES! 

- MUST be DESIGNED as a COVER ILLUSTRATION!
              - CHARACTER with SIDEKICK from past or future
              - BACKGROUND opposite time of the character
              - finished and professional presentation in color!

- MUST focus on the juxtaposition of the times. make it clear that the character does not belong where he is, and stands out!

-MUST have a strong focus on sci fi as well as fantasy design. Choosing a sci fi hero doesn't mean the background should be boring in comparison. really work to make both as cool as you can!

- MUST include studies done to be eligible to enter! Poses, materials, reference studies, lighting, composition sketches, etc.


THIS CONTEST HAS NO RESTRICTIONS FOR CHARACTER AGE OR GENDER, AND CAN BE TAKEN AS SERIOUSLY OR AS LIGHTLY AS YOU SEE FIT! 

Goodluck-

...oh, and did we mention?

this bloodsport is going to be guest judged by our good friend and industry leader KEKAI KOTAKI- an artist with plenty of experience in fantasy as well as sci fi! winners will get their work reviewed by him with feedback on strengths, weaknesses, and how to improve! take advantage of his valuable insight from years working within these same genres!




please send finals to crimsondaggersdropbox@gmail.com


DUE FRIDAY, MARCH 22nd @5pm est

BLOODSPORT 12! SELL SOME BEER!

Hey everyone! We really enjoyed the last creature challenge, and will get to the judging as soon as we can! but its time for us to apply a new skillset- one a lot of us avoid. Chances are somewhere along the line of your career, youll need to use art to help sell a product. we arent talking about concepts this time, but actual art people will see in stores. Similar to the action figure box art challenge, this time were going directly from your image to the buyer. its time to sell them on your product using GRAPHIC DESIGN.

now I know that a lot of people in the concept art community think graphic design is somewhat alien and boring- but that couldnt be more false. Think of it as a tool to layout the framework your illustrations will be built upon. Elements reflective of style, audience, and composition become hugely importat- so everything you do must be designed accordingly!

with that being said, we are asking you to create a BEER LABEL to be put directly on a BOTTLE.

you get to choose what brand of beer youll be working with- or if youll opt to create your own. both are acceptable. the important thing though is that your label has an intended market, and a fitting style for that market. is this a fancy beer meant for upper class people? is this a trashy and cheap beer meant for college partygoers? is this a badass beer meant for biker gangs? its up to you. Choose a market, choose a style, and go to town!

SOME EXAMPLES TO GET YOU GOING--
**Remember- beer can come in all size and type of bottle- go as fancy or simple as you like!**

AND REMEMBER! THIS TIME WE ARE EMPHASIZING COMPOSITION, GRAPHIC DESIGN, AND TARGET MARKET!

Remember- In this challenge there ARE NO LIMITS! you can use a pre-existing beer, or invent one. anything is possible and were hoping for some exciting results!


REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ENTRIES! 


- MUST be DESIGNED as a LABEL
- MUST be designed from the ground up to APPEAL to a SPECIFIC AUDIENCE OR MARKET.
- MUST include studies done to be eligible to enter! Poses, materials, reference studies, lighting, composition sketches, etc.




****ALL IMAGES MUST BE SUBMITTED ON THEIR OWN AND PASTED ONTO A BOTTLE TO SHOW THAT THEY WORK AS INTENDED! ATTACH BOTTLE COMPOSITE WITH STUDIES!*****


Goodluck!

BLOODSPORT 11! LIVING STATUES!

Hey everyone! we took 2 weeks off to let everyone play some catch up and hopefull get down to business on whatever comissions theyre working on. We hope youre all as busy as we have been lately, and apologize for not being around as much! with that being said, its time for the new bloodsport. were leaving behind the choose your own aventure model for now, and returning with a creature challenge. we hope you like it, and look forward to the results. here goes! -

This next challenge is the LIVING STATUES challenge! Your Task is to use a monster (pre-existing or self developed) and turn it into a living statue version of itself. Similar to the concept of a gargoyle, these statues can be of any monster, and can be made of any  material. Once youve decided- bring it to life! backgrounds are a MUST.


AND REMEMBER! THIS TIME WE ARE EMPHASIZING COMPOSITION, TEXTURE, AND CREATURE DESIGN!

Remember- what creature or monster you use for the statue is entirely up to you. Also keep in mind that the statue can be made of anything- stone, wood, metal, jewels, ice- ANYTHING, and that it should be textured and handled accordingly. creature MUST be in an environment that works with its design- so think carefully on the creatures look, purpose, and location!


Remember- Statues are MAN MADE. this implies a CULTURE behind the craftsman. keep this in mind when stylizing the creature to fit its statue form! these are not stone versions of real animals! they should be stylized to fit their creators!




REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ENTRIES! 


- MUST contain creature AND background!


-MUST be designed to emphasize the statue having a purpose. no random environments! use the background as a means to give insight and narrative to the statue's origins or purpose.


- MUST include studies done to be eligible to enter! Poses, materials, reference studies, lighting, composition sketches, etc.


Goodluck!

BLOODSPORT 10! Choose Your Own Adventure 3!

Hey! Were going to continue for a bit with the more open, choice based challenge model, so here we go!

This next challenge is the Choose Your Own Adventure 3 challenge! You have 3 choices from our 2 properties and 1 established character from popular fiction!


AND REMEMBER! THIS TIME WE ARE EMPHASIZING COMPOSITION AND ENVIRONMENT!!!

We want to stress that you can either stick to the idea 100% or do whatever you want with the NAME and KEY elements. YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE THE TAGLINES AFTER THE NAMES IF YOU DONT WANT TO. but feel free if you do. 


So, with that being said, here are your 3 choices!

MOLLY MILLIONS- from Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy

As our first major female character, we decided to go for something popular as well as iconic. Were going for a Cyberpunk staple, the femme fatale Molly Millions from the works of Cyberpunk creator William Gibson. She is a female assassin who uses state of the art bodily augmentations to enhance her fighting ability. Below is a description of Molly. Keep in mind her environment should also reflect Gibson's universe- a gritty lived in future set in a Blade-Runner like environment. there are also numerous scenes with her on space stations overlooking the world.

Description:

A lean, athletic, attractive woman who appears at first glance to be wearing mirrored sunglasses, Molly has in fact had her eye sockets sealed with vision-enhancing mirrored lenses that were surgically attached to her face by the skilled black-market surgeons of Chiba City. To accommodate the inset lenses her tear ducts have been re-routed to her mouth; consequentially, on the very rare occasions Molly cries, she spits out or swallows the tears instead. She never lets others touch the lenses as it would leave messy fingerprints requiring extra cleaning.

Her sensory input, metabolism and reflexes are also artificially heightened by means of electronic implants and exotic forms of advanced surgeries and other medical procedures. Molly also sports razor-sharp retractable claws underneath her fingernails: ten double-edged blades four centimeters in length.^[4]

 *Molly has a very distinct look. TREAT THIS CHALLENGE LIKE A JOB! do research on the look and feel of the character, and attack from an informed position!

KEY ELEMENTS - True to description.  Gritty / Futuristic feel. 

KAGAN KRALL- IN THE YEAR 1986!

This option is an exercise in CHARACTER JUXTAPOSITION. Popularized by many movies in the 80s, a character from a set time period is transported to a strange future world not his own. Many movies delt with this by sending characters to the past, but for this challenge wed like you to bring some kind of barbaric warrior into the world of the late 1980s. everything in his surroundings should feel like 1986, offsetting his rugged and ancient look. you can also take any other approach to this you can come up with that works in the set guidelines. Maybe hes trying to fit in, like the trench-coated dude from highlander, or maybe hes just a shitty version of HE-MAN walking around a video game arcade. You decide!

KEY ELEMENTS - Barbarian look or feel to the character, 1980s looking environment. clear that he DOES NOT BELONG HERE.

JACK BLACK- VOODOO RIVERBOAT GAMBLER

Third in our series of celebrities who dont deserve their names, JACK BLACK is a voodoo themed riverboat gambler from the gulf regions of the american south. What you do outside of these themes is entirely up to you, including setting, time period, and clothing. maybe hes a literal voodoo witch doctor whos out wo win some cash, maybe hes a zombie raised from the dead to be a bread-winner, or maybe hes just a hexed adventurer with a sixth sense for card-games. SHOULD NOT BE THE ACTOR JACK BLACK. were just stealing his name cause he sucks and doesn't deserve it. good luck!


KEY ELEMENTS - voodoo themed character design, creole or riverboat visual setting. Not the actor jack black. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ENTRIES! 


- MUST contain character AND background!


-MUST be designed as compositionally gripping pieces. think BOOK COVERS or MOVIE POSTERS.


- MUST include studies done to be eligible to enter! Poses, materials, reference studies, lighting, composition sketches, etc.


TITLES ARE NOT NECESSARY FOR THIS BLOODSPORT. FOCUS ON COMPOSITION.