Background Blitz: The Artist's Studio (WINNER!!)

newwaveburritos · Sun 21/05/2023 17:49:38

In brainstorming ideas for a new Background Blitz I took a look around my workspace where I do all my pixels and thought to myself "is this an artist's studio?" Maybe, maybe not but that's what we're gonna do here this month! How do you work in a studio? What makes a studio? Maybe the studio is a crime scene. I think I remember seeing an AGS game with an artist's studio as the scene of a crime. Anyway, your imagination is the only limit.

So, for this competition you can do you own studio, your dream studio, an imagined studio, or really any place an artist could work. The whole world's a studio!

Deadline: June 21st, 2023. Of course, this is made up and we can fool around with it as needed.

Voting:

Concept: Your background should tell us something about the place you have depicted.
Playability: does it have clearly defined walkable areas, things to interact with, etc?
Artistic Execution: does the image convey the wanted atmosphere? What's the feeling of the place?

Good luck and have fun! Can't wait to see the results of this somewhat meta theme!!

milkanannan · Mon 22/05/2023 22:37:34

Cool topic!

ildu · Wed 24/05/2023 11:37:18

Yeah, really interesting topic

! I'll see what I can do...

newwaveburritos · Wed 07/06/2023 04:33:40

About halfway there so it's almost time to get started!!

RootBound · Wed 07/06/2023 13:47:19

Didn't have time for digital art, but a pencil sketch seemed very appropriate! Thanks for the prompt.

Creamy · Thu 15/06/2023 23:19:36

Nice one Rootbound.

I should finish mine this week-end. It's a sketch too.

newwaveburritos · Fri 16/06/2023 04:47:01

Nice! I like the high amount of intrigue there @RootBound !! Excellent.

Creamy · Sat 17/06/2023 23:33:30

My background is partially inspired by these pictures by Pénélope Bagieu:
https://penelope-jolicoeur.typepad.fr/.a/6a00e551dd382d883401a73ddc3e4e970d-800wi
https://penelope-jolicoeur.typepad.fr/.a/6a00e551dd382d883401a3fd2176db970b-800wi

RootBound · Sun 18/06/2023 00:25:05

@Creamy Very nicely done! Lots of objects to interact with if the player is on the colorful side of the wall, and lots of potential NPC conversations if the player is on the black and white side.

I'd happily play a game in this room.

newwaveburritos · Thu 22/06/2023 02:27:36

Great entries so far! Anybody else got anything in the pipeline or shall I wrap this baby up? I'm never very clear as to when a deadline expires since we're all in different time zones so I guess I'll just close it tomorrow unless I hear something from somebody.

newwaveburritos · Fri 23/06/2023 21:13:27

Okay, then with the entries in it looks lie it's time to vote. Remember you're voting on the following criteria:

Concept: Your background should tell us something about the place you have depicted.
Playability: does it have clearly defined walkable areas, things to interact with, etc?
Artistic Execution: does the image convey the wanted atmosphere? What's the feeling of the place?

@RootBound entry:

@Creamy entry:

Sinitrena · Sat 24/06/2023 01:01:03

Concept: Creamy - I really like this concept of two dimensions. What is art, what is real? When is it, once the paintings are done and people come to look at them in a galery, or are we looking from behind the wall, are we part of the art the artist is creating, one portrait more among eight? A complicated concept, and in a way reminescent of Magritte's La trahison des Images (Ceci n'est pas une pipe)

Playability: RootBound - While I love the concept in Creamy's piece, I think it might be difficult to actually use in a game (unless it's of the mind-bending king), while RootBounds gives clear walkable areas, objects to interact with and a lot of potential inventory items.

Artistic Execution: RootBound - Difficult. RootBound's clearly doesn't look finish (although a game completely in pencil drawing is of course possible) while Creamy's works well with the black and white and colored parts. I still give this point to RootBound, because there are some details that work really well, in my opinion, like the hole in the wall to the left, that could just as well be a painting on the wall (being an artist's studio, who knows).

Creamy · Tue 27/06/2023 21:14:36

I vote for

Spoiler

Rootbound!

[close]

I'd like to make a MAGS game in a comic book style someday. With no animation but a lot of quick sketches.

RootBound · Wed 28/06/2023 12:38:57

I vote for

Spoiler

Creamy.

A much more finished product than mine!

[close]

newwaveburritos · Fri 30/06/2023 21:07:50

Okay, last call for votes! I'll close this out in the next eight hours!!

ildu · Fri 30/06/2023 21:44:43

Concept: Creamy. I just love the concept of this

! It really is a great idea that you could very well adapt into a small artsy indie game, similar to Gorogoa. Man, it would be cool to see how this would function as a walkable point-and-click game. The negative space could be food for thought.
Playability: RootBound. I like the classic take and the low angle. This would be interesting to see utilized in a game, especially with the easel as such a strong set piece. Good job!
Artistic Execution: Creamy. I think you hit the nail square on the head with this one. It's a very interesting and fun style, and the choices you made with the variety of elements you succeeded to incorporate make it a clear success. I love the contrast between white and colored, the negative space and the framing of the whole piece.

Such a cool theme, and so well-executed entries

!

newwaveburritos · Sun 02/07/2023 22:14:28

Oh great now we have a tie!

Stupot · Mon 03/07/2023 12:25:41

Concept. Creamy does it for me. This is a very interesting concept. I'd love to see this animated.

Playability. RootBound. This is definitely the more playable of the two, for me, in terms of adventure games. Though the low angle would make it a little tricky to implement as a room.

Artistic Expression. This is tough, as both have their charms and both are well done, but I'm going with Creamy just because it's the more polished of the two.

newwaveburritos · Mon 03/07/2023 20:19:49

Well, with @Stupot in the unenviable position of tie breaker it takes @Creamy over the top! Great work all around! I'll pass the baton now!

cat · Tue 04/07/2023 08:11:03

Too late for voting, but I like both backgrounds a lot!
I would love to see a game where you have to play both - the artist and the models - in Creamy's entry.