I’m gonna start posting here to Tumblr a bit more.
TPA agents done for an artist I admire! @thdark
These are my favorite designs from him, wish he drew them more.
𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐓 𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐏, 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐋𝐒 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐌𝐄𝐍 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐄. sansa was never one who was shown this side of things, things soldiers worried about . . her father had pressed that ladies didn’t need to worry about battle plans, about soldiers, about any of it. he’d been wrong like so many other things than this, but then again how could he have known that any of this would happen? that sansa would be married to two terrible men, that his children would be killed or separated or mistreated, even that she’d have to gather forces just to take back 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮? ( it was all so easy then, so much simpler when they were all young && stupid. when all sanss worried about was her needle work or if she’d be able to marry joffrey. sansa, now much older && not as naive to the ways of the world, 𝙻𝙾𝙽𝙶𝙴𝙳 for those times when she thought to long of them. ) ; ❝ i realize that, my lord. ❞ spoken clearly, but more of a hushed tone. arms cross under her heavy cloak, furs tickling the flushed flesh of her cheeks. blue hues glance up from the map lit by candle light, brows having relaxed from their previous furrowed expression. ❝ but what you believe would aid us in the fight against the bolton’s has, in turn, set us back. ❞ a cold breath is taken into burning lungs, ❝ your decision has cost us men we could’ve used against ramsay, but . . i believe i know a way we can get some back or even increase our numbers enough to win. ❞ naked hand touches against map, fingers ghosting over the stark direwolf: ❝ if i were to tell you . . do you swear to keep it in confidence? we cannot tell jon, not yet. ❞
I’d definitely say finding good reference is important along with the other obvious recommendations: practise, practise and practise. I’ve never actually worried too much about believability myself, more about what is fun to draw and looks/feels good to me.
First off I’d suggest looking up some of the artists that inspire me when it comes to cybernetics and machinery - Yukito Kishiro, Emerson Tung, Cameron Sewell (aka @thdark), Adrian Dadich and Ssaki Metel are the first that come to mind.
I did a little breakdown of my process above and will offer some general tips below. In then end I’m no expert though, so take it all with a grain of salt - the main thing is experimenting and finding what works for you.
Study anatomy, musculature and bone structure as well as tech and machinery - cybernetics are more appealing when they follow the natural lines of the body (and more unsettling when they don’t, if that’s what you’re going for)
Generally speaking flat, unbroken areas of the body will be smoothest and most armoured whereas the joints and flexible areas (elbows, knees, spine) will be the more detailed and exposed. Keep in mind the directions the body will have to bend.
The look and shape should vary depending on all sorts of factors: purpose, quality, relative time period - like the difference between an iPod, a Sony Walkman and an industrial manufacturing arm. Try to tell a little bit of story within the design.
Heavy shadows add weight but are also good for hiding details in things like joints, if you’re not sure how they should work. Don’t rely on it too much though.
Where the tech connects to the body, little things like anchor points (isolated bits of metal) can help sell the idea that the cybernetic is attached beneath the skin.
Finally, don’t sweat believability too much - cybernetics can be bulky or skinny or sharp or soft or cute or scary - figure out what it’s trying to say before you figure out how it’s going to say it.
GNK-EB droid. The fantastic @thdark drew himself as one of these star wars critter bots and it looked so fun I had to drop any pretense of real work and knock out one for myself. Can you see the resemblance? #droids #robots #starwars #lcd #wacom #ergotron #rubbermaid #cd #camera #panic #running #illos #art https://www.instagram.com/p/CDM7f-Lgsz4/?igshid=9jh26kqlvpqn