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Adam Brockbank - Artist Study

Adam Brockbank

http://adambrockbank.com/

Asides from photographers, there were many artists I found who used digital and traditional drawing/painting methods to create scenes of interest, with features of atmospheric perspective amongst a wealth of techniques and effects, which could to some extent be mimicked by a mixture of photography, photoshop and CGI imagery, all of which are within my capabilities. These artists are namely Concept Artists, creating exciting 'Concept Art' for films, video games, ideas, proposed building projects, proposed entertainment venues, etc. Their job is not only to provide and encapture their vision towards the given project, but also to make their idea/concept look appealing and interesting, as these are pieces of art which can be used towards promoting the product to pull in investment/funding, or to excite a fanbase/audience who are anticipating it. The art could be used, for example, during film production, to help illustrate ideas to the crew or other people working on the film. Though there are so many different areas of concept art, the artists all have a purpose, however they do get the opportunity to be creative, sometimes with well-known franchises/brands. What I liked about this was that the artists use varied techniques of fine art and digital art, using programs like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

 

One of the concept artists I found, who used a lot of atmospheric perspective elements, was Adam Brockbank. Brockbank is a concept artist who has created art for many films including Harry Potter, Maleficent, Paddington, Mission Impossible, Captain America, and Spiderman. It appears most of his work is digitally created, using digital brushes and manipulation. He has a cinematic flair in his art which shows in some of his extremely detailed concept stills. This is aided by the use of technology as it allows him to work faster; undoing mistakes, zooming in, moving objects around and changing colours.

Maleficent concept art, Adam Brockbank.

This concept art from Maleficent is extremely detailed, with more contrast and colour variety in the foreground, fading into less saturated blue tones in the background. The vivid colours in the plants helps this contrast. The atmosphere further in the woods helps create a sense of mystery. The lighting is carefully considered, with powerful, dramatic rim lighting around the right side of the figure, and dark shadows to the left. The trees appear mythical and almost are personified and given character. I liked particularly the detail of the water and its reflections. The overall image is crisp and clear, showcasing the amount of detail, yet subtly atmospheric to add undertones to the art.

This piece is an atmospheric image showing a view of sunset over hogwarts, with the train in the foreground, created for one of the Harry Potter films. Here, atmospheric perspective is seen especially in the hills layering off into the distance. It is a clear transition from a dark foreground to a lighter background. It appears extremely cinematic; not only having a wide field of view, but also a silhouetted train that catches a strong sunlight on its roof. The variation of colours is not big, which helps to acheive a certain mood in the image. The panoramic resolution also adds to the cinematic look, and the sense of scale in the image. Images are bound to look exciting and capture people's attention if they appear to be big; the atmospheric layers further enhance the depth of the image. The image also importantly involves three subjects that are key to the film's brand, and what is interesting is how each one is used in conjunction with the idea of atmospheric perspective. The owl in the foreground is fully detailed, the train merely a silhouette, and the castle in the background being the smallest, faded into the distance.

Harry Potter concept art, Adam Brockbank.

Other pieces I found interesting:

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