In Art, we were taught about how artists can use computer programs to create art work. This can be done quickly, in a way called Concept. Concept is when an artist comes up with many ideas and compiles them into one piece of art, which usually has vague detail in it.
We used Photoshop for our concept art project, and were taught about the tools that would help us. One of the most useful was the lasso tool, which allowed us to select an area on any layer and when painting it would never leave that area. This was useful to get the shapes of the landscape correct, and to keep the flow.
This is the moodboard I originally put together. I wanted to make sure the temple looked like what it was supposed to. I mainly took inspiration from Aztec temples, and the warm colour range in the cliffs. I also took a picture of a deity carving to get the right depth to them in my concept art.
The first stage I went through was coming up with a good layout for the cliffs, temple and river. It was complicated to draw something like this with a computer mouse, and I had multiple attempts at drawing the archway correctly.
I then moved onto creating a colour pallet to create the cliffs with. The cliffs were done on two different layers to make sure all the colours would overlap and no gaps would be showing.
Of course, there were some gaps. But I patched them over with a similar colour underneath. I also made sure the large archway would match up with the different tiers of the cliff.
Next I focused on the ground of the landscape. I gave it a simple muddy-sand colour as a base, and then gradually added on some lighter sand and a bit of grass. I will admit that I was not happy with this part of the image at all, but I figured out a solution later.
I also added the river, and gave it a more turquoise appearance to better suit the bright and exotic colours in the rest of the image. I never tried it, but I knew that a plain blue wouldn't give the landscape any more flavor.
The next thing I did was the arch. It took a lot of time getting it to blend in with the rest of the cliffs, and I had been debating whether it should've been lighter, as to make it look more man-made. However, after reading the brief again, I concluded that it wasn't going to make a difference.
I also made a small temple, using the same colours as the cliffs to make it seem more local. However, I'm really now happy with any part of the temple, and I unfortunately didn't come up with a solution. On the bright side, it doesn't clash with anything in the landscape.
And then I fixed the issues I had with the ground. I created a new layer, and gave it a swirling pattern before making it transparent. This made the whole image come together. I also made a quick plan for the statues that were going to be on and inside the archway.
The next thing I did was made a start on the statues. I didn't want them to stand out to much, and I also didn't want them to be invisible. So I shaded them a little more harshly than I did anything else.
I also had the statues on two layers for the same reason as the cliff, which I then groups together. I played around with the settings for a little while before I found one I liked. The dissolve setting made the statues look more situated in the cliffs, giving a more carved and sculpted appearance.
Although it's been cut out, I started work on the final statue, which is on top of the temple. It was supposed to be made of metal, so it took a long time to find a setting that worked. I eventually found the right one, and then turned it down a notch to help it blend in a little better.
The is the final image that I made. I added a bit of haze to make the whole landscape look more mystical and dusty. I will be going back and editing this again, as I still have a lot to improve on.
Overall, I think that this was a good start to Photoshop, as I used a few tools and have a basic understand of the layers system and settings. I hope to improve my skills later.