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BTNFireArmor

I want to improve on how to create icons with that "Blizzard"-feeling.
So I decided to do that with learning-by-doing.
I chose an ingame icon as my basis and studied its shading, shapes and stuff.
Then I drew over the whole thing and try to recreate what Blizzard did to see HOW they did it.

This is the base icon from Blizzard Entertainment:
mHZuIWn6a0.png

In order to actually be allowed to upload this, I asked Pyramidhe@d for feedback and if it was OK to upload it (it's still allright if it's not approveable).
So here's a list of things I changed from the original during this project:

6uaJBuX8r8.png

-) Recreated the whole skull, changed it's colouring and left the jaw open.
-) Armor was also recreated and turned into something golden/metallic
-) Background changed so that this one has a variety of uses (Fire Armor, Reincarnation etc.).
-) Finally, for some fun factor, I will attach another version with a mohawk. I just thought it needed something like that. :p
sX2rObiLod.png

Conclusion:
I had to change the way I paint and shade. I never shaded with pencils, as they were too harsh in my opinion, but in order to recreate that particular shading technique, one has to use them. Otherwise, it doesn't look right.
Blizzard also created very defined, excessive shapes that are out of the ordinary (teeth, skull).

YnX8qCeo64.png

Here's the mohawk version.

Keywords:
Fire, Armor, Skeleton, Necromancy, Reincarnation
Contents

BTNFireArmor (Icon)

Reviews
12:29, 10th Mar 2012 Pyramidhe@d: A recreation that looks great. Artist has authenticated that enough work and change has been made. The fire looks great and the metal is shaded nicely. Very strong and distinct image. Would prefer if you drew things...
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12:29, 10th Mar 2012
Pyramidhe@d: A recreation that looks great. Artist has authenticated that enough work and change has been made. The fire looks great and the metal is shaded nicely. Very strong and distinct image. Would prefer if you drew things completely yourself, not base it on something.
 
This icon looks hot as hell (!). But you're style has a bit too hard/thick lines compared to blizzard art. It still looks a bit cartoony compared to blizzard.
I'd actually like to have a real sized image from them to have some serious studying material. Resizing an icon has horrible quality with so much loss of details.
However, it's interesting to see that they use outlining for some parts for definition. Shading's also rather harsh, featuring something like 3-4 shades of the chosen colour.
 
Level 3
Joined
Jul 4, 2009
Messages
57
Ghost Rider!
Great job!
In some points the shadows are a bit exaggerated and its right eye is looking too shiny. Also think if its armor were darker would look better.
4/5 +rep:infl_thumbs_up:
 
Level 4
Joined
Sep 11, 2010
Messages
53
2/5
Fire is like merged with the skull. The skull is wrong drawed - it cannnot have those form. Cannot see nouse at all. Fire quality makes it wish better.

-Try fixing it with making new fire, reworking skull and doing something with nouse, and dont forget about bones, because it looks like he has just 1 skull without anything.

Best regards
 
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