Blue Beetle assignment: Update

Next thing I did with the Blue Beetle brief was to scour google images and my own hard drive of reference images for anything that might be remotely useful in early concepts. At this point, I'm not exactly focused on one idea or time period or even reality. I then sketched out a basic male silhouette and used it as the base to spread my ideas over.

(click for a larger version)

The text might be a little hard to read, but I'll explain as I go. From left to right then, first is the Winged Scarab idea, this version is the most similar to Ted Kord's outfit- in that its figure hugging. Instead of the black beetle emblem spread over the shoulders, I've lifted the egyptian motif of a winged scarab as his iconic. The rest of the pattern comes from the resting position of a beetle's legs. The original trace gave me the silhouette for the weapons on his back.

Next one over is a more gunslinger styled Beetle, my thought for this guy was that he is the BB of the postapocalyptic future- his raggedy trenchcoat, his goggles/hood based on a hazmat suit, he'd be more the inventor/macgyver styled hero, his gun would be a rifle of some description.

Third across is (my favorite) Hercules Beetl- I mean High Fantasy Beetle. This was originally just a visual pun- a medieval/fantasy Blue Beetle with armor that was based off the Hercules beetle. A vehicle/gun would be problematic for this version, though. The Egyptian twist comes through in the shape of his breastplate, the scarab again, this time the overlapping plates of the armor show the detail. 

Second from the right now, is ancient egyptian scarab priest. This idea came from the over-shoulder armor with the two capes, taken almost directly off the back of a beetle. This version would play up the original mystic backstory for the beetle, and his opulent robes are a nice contrast to previous designs. 

And finally, we have time displaced/far future Blue Beetle. I didn't think this guy through as much as the others- except that his outfit would be more technologically advanced- or perhaps mechanically enhanced, to give him powers, rather than mystic power or physical training.

I've never actually done any vehicle design before (or drawn a bug for that matter) new frontiers all round! My idea for the Blue Beetle's "Bug" his flying blue beetle-y sky thing,  isn't too different from the original comic version- though mine has the same carapace/wing structure as biological beetles. The feet curl up and in while in motion, but straighten out to land on, or for it to be used terrestrially- the wings are shielded by the carapace so it can't be more tank-like
Also at the bottom a variant on the silhouette and a stag beetle snow mobile. 

-Sam

Design Brief: Blue Beetle rework day 1

Today I got my first brief from Nigel- To take Ditko's (dorky) 1960's version of the Blue Beetle, and re-imagine it as a concept for a live action film for an adult audience. It also must have some kind of Egyptian twist to it. And we cannot draw ideas from the DC/more recent blue beetles. We've got 3 days to come up with as many variations and ideas- not finished illustrations- as we can. Designs for the character, his flying beetle vehicle and his gun (optional) are specified on the brief.

Starting off by brainstorming out some things in my sketchbook at Southfields during lunch. A nice twist on this brief is that it isn't too constricting- the setting isn't described at all, nor does it specify that Blue should be a hero, or even human for that matter. My prior knowledge of this guy is based entirely on the much more recent "Young Justice" cartoon. If you can't read my chickenscratch at the side, don't worry, its just my way of jumping between trains of thought (something you might already be aware of if you've talked to me irl).

I'm pretty interested in the thought of a 1930's explorer in egypt idea, finds the scarab and gets cursed...or something. Another idea is an almost Kick Ass-ish teenage vigilante, though for an adult audience that may not be the right path to follow. Looking into scarabs and different types of beetles, different time settings/locations, age and gender of the BB, Dystopian post-apocalyptic future BB, incorporating the 60's version's chainmail  and goggles into the look, - And also remembering that he has a vehicle and gun to feature in also.   

-Sam




 (Unrelated blog running postit note:  I'll be setting all of the older posts as hidden/private so its clear what is my postgrad work.)