Nebula Derelict

This was a fun image to create. The goal was to portray something that had been abandoned a long time ago.

I started with an initial sketch in a sketchbook and scanned it into the computer. This gave me a it of freedom to adjust the image and get the composition I needed. When I was ready, I printed it onto plain copy paper and used graphite paper to make a light transfer to smooth bristol.

The bristol gave me a smooth surface to apply fine lined ink. Having created a line drawing I was happy with, I scanned it back in to the computer and cleaned up stray marks. With that complete, I set up the full-sized image in photoshop and selected my palette. I specifically set up the lineart on a transparency layer so I could make changes in the line color later. Then the entire piece was imported into Painter 8.

I tried to stay as monotone as possible because this ship is lost in a nebula and the color of the environment influences its shading. I wanted to show mass and size with texture and line as well as a sense that the object is ancient. The details in the shadow would have been too distracting with too much light on them and give just the right amount of interest to draw the viewer in.

I wanted the viewer to see that this was a spaceship first. Then notice that something was wrong with it. Looking closer I wanted it to be apparent that the vehicle had been floating in this wasteland for a very long time.

I purposely left the background rough and only made a few variations to show that it was a gaseous environment. If it had been overrendered the ship would have been overshadowed.