Alien Cloudscape | Jacek Irzykowski
 

Hi All

Fantastic challenge! My first one on Mattepainting.org so I'm pretty excited. Starting with background planets and lower layers of clouds, moving on the hardcore elements next.

WIP 01

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8441/7...930cdff5_o.jpg

good luck in the competition, the detail on the planet is looking really good.

Thanks Jack, you too :)

WIP Stage 02

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8281/7...59c1e5c7_o.jpg

I love the way you used a more extreme top view! This is looking great!

Last WIP before the final

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8306/7...a0af1e1d_o.jpg

Final Option 01
 

Finished option 01 attached. I am working on another version which will be darker in the deeper section of the painting. It feels good somehow to have the dark arc shape against the bright background but I think it feels bit too bright there. What do you think guys? Please feel free to comment.

The process - only photo manipulation in Photoshop as per the clouds. I did model and render the planets and the star in 3d Max using VRay. This was one of the hardest paintings I worked on and I did not expect it at the start :)

Option 02 coming soon.

Cheers
Jacek
www.jacekirzykowski.com

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8440/7...21a3a075_o.jpg

Since you ask for opinions: I think it looks fantastic! But the transition from bright to dark in the midplanes and then bright again in the background is indeed a bit strange. I'd say a consistent grading would appear more natural. ;-)

Update Option 01
 

Thanks for your comment Kire.

Here is an update of the same option. I've added some details to the foreground and decreased the background highlight. Also applied some corrections to the air flow.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8015/7...e4c7d1c2_o.jpg

www.jacekirzykowski.com

Option 02
 

Darker scheme. Closer to the original concept art.

I think I will go for this lighting as the final submission. I understand that this is a competition but please let me know what you think and which option do you prefer? :) Next post - the final image at the full resolution.
I will come back to the painting in a week or so and will do finishing touches and hopefully some final improvements.

Good luck to all! Some great entries are out there.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8292/7...4710bfcd_o.jpg

www.jacekirzykowski.com