Concept art for a Pern film?

[Alcyone]

Hi everyone!

I apologize if people have already seen this artwork before. While on conceptart.org, I recently stumbled across what appears to be some Pern concept illustrations for a film.

Here is the link: http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=64194

[TamTam]

Hi Alcyone! Welcome aboard.

I haven't seen those pics before. I'm not sure how Pernese they are. Some of the dragons have beaks, and others have horns, and Pern dragons have neither. Still, judging by its own merits, this art is terrific IMVHO.

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Wow, excellant artwork, great find! I agree, it doesn't fit the Pernese look, but it DOES appear to be set in the world of Pern, with the Thread, riding gear, jeweled eyes and all, but it's still marvellous to look at. *saves into dragon folder* With concept art, they have a HUGE range of looks, so I'm sure someone will get it right.

Is there any way to verify whether this is actually for a film, or is it just a personal art project of his?

[Cavatica]

Looks like people were asking the artist if he was doing work for Pern, but he hasn't answered yea or nay. Either way, I LOVE it! I think my favorite is the Mirrim/Path-esque one, but they're all beautiful. He has a wonderful eye for color and motion, and his costumes are stunning.

[Monkeysrule]

Wow, great find. :ok:

It's true, those dragons are a bit off canon-wise, but the art definitely has the feel of Pern. Especially the first one, which has the best depiction of Thread I've ever seen.

He makes it look so sharding easy. :faint:

[toadkiller]

They are very nice! However, I think it underscores just how much a Pern movie would never work. There's no agreeing on the visuals and even if there were the Hollywoodisation of the plots would drive fans crazy.

[Alcyone]

I’m fairly sure the illustrator is a professional concept artist, judging from what else he has posted on conceptart.org and from his webpage. So it seems quite likely that he did these drawings for a film. As was already mentioned, many concept artists are hired to work on a particular movie. Hopefully someone will come up with a “canonically acceptable” dragon design!

But I quite like this artist’s work, even though the dragons themselves might not look especially Pernese. Has anyone read Dinotopia by James Gurney? The design on the male dragonrider’s hood reminds me of the skybax insignia in Dinotopia.

[Lady Arwyn]

I wonder if Anne is keeping secrets from us, not wanting us to be disappointed if it falls through again.

Those horns MUST go! And the reptilian look.

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

They are very nice! However, I think it underscores just how much a Pern movie would never work. There's no agreeing on the visuals and even if there were the Hollywoodisation of the plots would drive fans crazy.
Try taking a look through the concept art on the bonus Discs of Lord of the Rings or anything made from a sci fi/fantasy book. You'll find things that are so far off base it's not funny. But they have MANY concept artists, to get all sorts of looks and styles and viewpoints. They take bits from this and scraps from that, and add it all together to get what they want. Very rarely do they get ONE artist who gets it perfectly right off the bat, much less one who hasn't read the books.

NO ONE will EVER perfectly agree on the visuals of Pern, Lord of the Rings, Eragon or anything else. But they get a huge team together to get as much input as possible to get as close as they can. It's difinitely not fair to judge the whole production on ONE set of concept paintings, out of possibly hundreds.

[Ryuu]

Other than the shape of the head and lack of forked tails, these guys look very Pernese-like. He certainly got their eyes perfect :ok:

And what Bronzie said is true, they often have several "hired wrists" as the artist referred to himself on such projects--and even the best concept drawing is too crude to use for a film. They have to settle on the "look" and design the marquettes from which to build the needed animatronics and CGI models which actually go on the films.

So long as Anne gets the final say on them, I for one will be happy, because then I will know that that is Pern!

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

I'm a bit more picky... I'd rather they shoot for something that makes Anne happy AND fits most of everything described in the books. Because we know that Anne changes her mind from time to time :angel: She says that she was more or less satisfied with what they came up with for the TV show, right? Well... that didn't closely resemble the descriptions :erm:

Just make sure that she doesn't settle for anything, they gotta get it RIGHT.

[Ryuu]

I'm a bit more picky... I'd rather they shoot for something that makes Anne happy AND fits most of everything described in the books. Because we know that Anne changes her mind from time to time :angel: She says that she was more or less satisfied with what they came up with for the TV show, right? Well... that didn't closely resemble the descriptions :erm:

Just make sure that she doesn't settle for anything, they gotta get it RIGHT.I don't know about that, since there's so little that ever got out about what was going to happen with the last attempt. No concept drawings, no pictures or examples of the dragons, nothing other than the fact that WB wanted to change Lessa into a Xena/Buffy clone (and that was a last minute decission by the execs).

The one plate that we have seen could've been from that attempt or from a previous attempt or it might have simply been one of hundreds of "concept" pieces--and the image of the dragon and rider was a bad pose and too distant for seeing any relevant details, so it didn't matter :shrug: The picture of Anne riding the saddle tells us absolutely nothing about the appearance of the dragon.

But for the show to have been cancelled a day or two prior to principle shooting means that all those details--the maquettes, the animatronics and CGI models--should've been worked out already! Yet we've not seen a single confirmed piece from the WB's late-term abortion.

[Bamy]

That looks like a volcano in eruption in the background of the top one...possibly the Southern volcano....Garben? from DD

[Bamy]

Orit could be a grossly disproportnate moon/red star

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

There is a mountain, yes, but all the black I think is just storm clouds from Threadfall, and the orangy stuff on the mountainside is probably either dragon fire or Thread's devastation.

[Anareth]

I have to go with the board's poster biscuitninja in saying that the girl looks Inuit or something. (And hate, hate hate the facial hair on the men, but I hate facial hair on men, full stop.)

But overall, nice. And I really can't see it being for anything *but* Pern. And I like the proportions on the reference sketch, and on the sketch and painting that I assume is Lessa and Ramoth. No way are those animals measured in meters.

[Milo]

Try taking a look through the concept art on the bonus Discs of Lord of the Rings or anything made from a sci fi/fantasy book. You'll find things that are so far off base it's not funny. But they have MANY concept artists, to get all sorts of looks and styles and viewpoints. They take bits from this and scraps from that, and add it all together to get what they want. Very rarely do they get ONE artist who gets it perfectly right off the bat, much less one who hasn't read the books.

NO ONE will EVER perfectly agree on the visuals of Pern, Lord of the Rings, Eragon or anything else. But they get a huge team together to get as much input as possible to get as close as they can. It's difinitely not fair to judge the whole production on ONE set of concept paintings, out of possibly hundreds.
Yeah but who gives a damn if they don't get Eragon right. ;)

But I agree, we've some LOTR concept books out from the library, and some of that s**** is WAY of base. :erm:

[Ryuu]

There's no reason that they couldn't get Eragon "right" at this time, since the author is still alive, accessible, and his work is so fresh in his memory ;)

edit-->my 3888 post :D

[Lady Arwyn]

It's gone! I tried to go to the link and it failed :cry:

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

ACK! You're right! :eek: It's a darned good thing I saved the pictures to my hard drive! :D

[Sbrock]

ACK! You're right! :eek: It's a darned good thing I saved the pictures to my hard drive! :D

So... Share! Share!! I Wanna See! Pa-weeeze? :puppyeyes

[Ryuu]

It looks like the entire concept art site is down.

They could be experiencing technical difficulties, so keep checking back :shrug:

[Hans]

Nope, invalid thread probably means it is deleted.

They did/do have some database problems but the site is working again now. It's a simple PHP board and those databases can go on the fritz sometimes with heavy traffic :)

[Bamy]

Noooooo! Bronzie? could you share them with me? :puppyeyes

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Don't know how I'll be able to show anyone... I don't want to put up the work of a PROFESSIONAL up on photobucket or DA without permission, even if I don't take credit for it... :erm: Unless I just email them individually.

[C_ris]

But they HAVE already been published online, and you are not claimimg them as your own.

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Ok, if it's safe to do so... http://www.deviantart.com/view/32818082/

If it comes up that it is some sort of infringement, let me know and I'll take it down.

[Bamy]

:wekiss: :wub: :hugs: Thankyou!!!!

[Andaren]

what beautiful drawings!

[Andaren]

must say, bronze dragonrider, that I like your dragon pictures better :)

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Wow, thank you! :blush2:

[Jax]

I agree, I don't like those pictures much at all :yuk:

[Aurelia]

Ideally for a Pern movie, I'd like a director wit experience in directing these type of films - a la Peter Jackson. :bouncy:

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Unfortunately he won't be directing it... at least not anytime soon :( Now he's working on The Lovely Bones as well as being a part of Halo, and after it's probably The Hobbit, providing legal issues surrounding it have resolved by then.

[Ryuu]

Ok, if it's safe to do so... http://www.deviantart.com/view/32818082/

If it comes up that it is some sort of infringement, let me know and I'll take it down.The artwork was done by Dan Milligan--I've tried to link into see where he's got other art, but neither the search engine nor profile pages seem to be working. You might want to edit your DA post to credit him.

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Ah, you are a lifesaver! :hugs: All fixed :good:

[Arthur D. Walters]

Dan Milligan does have a web site. WWW.danmilligan.com. Did not see this art on it.

[Sbrock]

Awww! Too late AGAIN! I'm getting a a 404.. :(

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Sorry, I took it down because over on MoM they said it actually would be a violation :sorry: If you PM me your email address I can send it to you that way :good:

[Andaren]

Now he's working on The Lovely Bones

Wow, really? I cried when I read that book :( :D

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Lookit what Tatiana found!!! :wow: http://forums.srellim.org/showthread.php?p=71277#post71277

[Madrigal]

Those are amazing... I especially like the blue dragon (it sure looks Pernish to me) and the Impression (I love the ungainly hatchling). The only thing missing seems to be the eye colors, but I wouldn't complain if that was all that was different in a movie.

[Bamy]

:cool:

[Bronze-Dragonrider]

Argh, according to Hans, these are from an earlier attempt at Pern, so they aren't new ones for the movie :( Oh well, they're still wonderful to look at.

Madrigal, the file name for the first one is "white-dragon" so it's not blue. Makes sense for the size, but I don't like how the other colors in with the white are far too obvious. They should be faint shimmers, not defined patterns. The headknobs look too long and thin to me, and I agree about the missing eye colors and facets, but these are still some of the most beautiful Pern artwork I've seen.

[Madrigal]

Argh, according to Hans, these are from an earlier attempt at Pern, so they aren't new ones for the movie :( Oh well, they're still wonderful to look at.

Madrigal, the file name for the first one is "white-dragon" so it's not blue. Makes sense for the size, but I don't like how the other colors in with the white are far too obvious. They should be faint shimmers, not defined patterns. The headknobs look too long and thin to me, and I agree about the missing eye colors and facets, but these are still some of the most beautiful Pern artwork I've seen.

Ah... I totally didn't notice that. Hmm. It might be more obvious if he were stood up next to some other dragons, though--the only ones we really see are golds, which are pretty vibrantly colored.

Also noticed they're three-clawed, it seems. I'm not complaining, still--they're gorgeous.

I thought the size was small, too, but was thinking the 'meters-to-feet' thing.

[Nenwen]

link didn't work for me

[Bamy]

Argh, according to Hans, these are from an earlier attempt at Pern, so they aren't new ones for the movie :( Oh well, they're still wonderful to look at.

Madrigal, the file name for the first one is "white-dragon" so it's not blue. Makes sense for the size, but I don't like how the other colors in with the white are far too obvious. They should be faint shimmers, not defined patterns. The headknobs look too long and thin to me, and I agree about the missing eye colors and facets, but these are still some of the most beautiful Pern artwork I've seen.
I thought so...I looked into his profile - it mentioned that he worked for WBros. Still nice though