Behind The Scenes: Ancient Ruins Rework (Patreon)

I made around 250+ unique scenes over the past three years and every week it's a new start. Blank sheet of paper and empty Blender 3d scene. It's not always easy to come up with something new on the spot, but it's great creative training. I wrote about this before and I use several help techniques to get fresh ideas or keep myself motivated. This way, whenever I get a new brief from a client, starting a project feels like a breeze.

Having only a few hours a week to start and finish new illustration sometimes feel weird. Especially if I come up with something I like. There is simply not enough time to enjoy the creative process, to come back to the scene and play. The moment it's out there, I'm onto the next one.

And over this period of time, I've tried multiple approaches and styles and sometimes it's hard to decide. Do I want to keep things simple and low poly, or will it be a full textured and semi-realistic treatment? So I gave this a bit of thought and came up with a new exercise. I will treat myself and let me pick some scene from the past to rework it in new style. 

Visit the full Pinboard here

The goal was not to make it better. The goal is having a space to take something I like and let myself enjoy some more creative time to apply a different approach and style. I went ahead and browsed through my works and it really didn't take long to land on the old ancient ruins diorama. It's one of my most popular designs and easily the most enjoyed course episode by students over the years.

It's where it clicked with everybody with modeling techniques and my lighting approach. I saved the original to the Pinterest board and started to look for alternatives. I simply didn't wat to take it and remake 1:1. I'm pretty sure there was a creative process involved before and I wanted to go through that journey once more. But this time, with specific intent and layout in mind.

Since the original work was a low poly and very stylized representation of the environment, I wanted to have a look at similar motives in a different setting. How would the pillars look like, if they weren't all flat and simplified? Is there an engraving of sorts? Are they just a blocks of sandstone, or intricate architectural sculptures?

I asked question like these and every time looked for the answer while searching for new references. What if this pillar was rounded? Should it be somehow connected to the stairs? Why didn't I make any bridge across the stream before? :D

And while I was searching for the answers, I started the sketch. Yes, even when my layout was locked and loaded, I wanted to see what changes I can make and how they will translate into the existing composition.

Finally, I was able to come up with changes, that would make sense with the new, more detailed and realistic style. Putting details, where there were none before. Like changing the rubble on the left side to a set of stone blocks.

I think, the final result paid a respect to its simple and flat predecessor, without rendering (no pun) it obsolete. Both designs can stand next to each other tall and offer their value, where it's needed.

You can watch the process video on Youtube