Behind The Scenes: Cyberpunk (Patreon)

As you maybe already know, I like to return to my older ideas and build up on them and I really love cyberpunk genre. So it was only question of time to do another cyberpunk diorama, that was more detailed, smooth shaded and used hard surface elements.

Sometimes this can be challenge by itself, to go and build on a previous work. It can show, whether you can repeat the style, or whether you just "lucked out". And another challenge is, that the original work can cloud your creativity a bit, because you're looking at old piece for inspiration, but you need to create something new completely.

So I recommend to look at the original piece, take note of few things, that are important to repeat and then forget about it completely and go look for fresh inspiration. How should be the new piece different? What other places might that same world offer?

Visit the full Pinboard here

I like to start the research with Pinterest board and just gather up anything that has some interesting detail I might include. And I'm using the PureRef app to drag drop some selected images, that I want to have on display while working to have important details at hand.

I searched for some generic cyberpunk environments and looked for a bit different setting from the original diorama I made before. What caught my eye, was a dystopian image with really high water level and it reminded me of medieval waterfront diorama I made and of Venice. That image laid the foundation and caused the creative spark for everything else. I really wanted to include the water, but at the same time, I wanted to have two story buildings, so these ideas clashed a little bit (really hard to fit on a square diorama). Then it hit me. I can use the idea of risen water level and create a multilevel layout, where the water is separated with artificial wall and city continues down below. 

So the final story is, that the water level rose due to environmental issues and protective walls and dams were built to preserve the original downtown.

That gave me the idea to include more traditional window on the sketch and include some more traditional materials, like bricks. I incorporated the bridge in the sketch as well, but it felt a bit empty. Pinterest to the rescue and after a while I came across the Torii gate picture and loved the idea. I hesitated a bit, because these gates mark a passage to a sacred Shinto place, but since this is a cut-out diorama, it can easily mean, that there is a shrine, when you cross the bridge. I even marked it with a neon sign later to suggest it to a viewer.

After these initial ideas, it was all about sketching the building layouts and trying to combine the details I found on the reference board. If you explore the board carefully, you will be able to clearly identify the elements I used. Types of windows, ventilation, even the door design and walls geometry.

You can watch the process video on Youtube
 

So that's it for the latest illustration and I hope it will help you with your own work.

See you in the next one! :)