For this assignment, I decided to create the bust of a character and use that to showcase some shading and lighting position.
I first created my perspective, action and build lines to help guide the symmetry of the overall drawing. Once I had a basic shape (oval), I then began to define and apply more details. I chose simple blocky shapes to create a very industrial, near future type droid bust. I considered how the head can move similar to a humans, using real life fixtures such as ball joints and hydraulics to achieve the same motion a human head would be able to produce.
I wanted the design to be imposing but not overly so, as I had an idea that this would be a sort of police droid. Therefore, such a design would not be too imposing, as to be terrifying to the populace, but menacing enough to demand a certain respect and authority.
Once I was happy with the design, I began to go over the permanent lines with an outliner, then once again using alcohol blending markers, I began to shade the bust, choosing the light source to appear from the top right, just in front of the bust.
In order to give me inspiration and reference to the genre of Science Fiction, I heavily used Chiang’s book – Mechanika – to help me with my use of construction lines, action lines and perspective lines (Chiang, 2008:17) to guide drawings into the correct ratio and perspective. Chiang also stresses the use of marker sketches and post-it-note sketches (Chiang, 2008:16) to help with ideas and produce and externalise key elements to the drawing during the beginning stages of the sketch.
If drawing this in the future, I would add more detail to the bust by adding a variation of geometric shapes and scales. I would add more in-depth and precise details such as buttons, wires, recesses, pipes and hydraulics to add depth and artistic flair to the design. This would be made easier if the design was transferred into Photoshop and developed within the software.
Chiang, D. (2008) Mechanika: Creating the Art of Science Fiction with Douglas Chiang. Impact Books: Ohio. Edited by Mona Michael. First Edition.