Photoshop: Creating a Steampunk Character

This was a week long project that required me to design and create anything Steampunk, be it a character, an object, a world ect . . .

So what is Steampunk? Steampunk is an art style, sub genre and fashion. It is a vision of the future from the perspective of Victorian society. It makes heavy use of steam power, cogs, mechanical joints and brass/ copper. Steampunk is closely related to Dieselpunk and Cyberpunk and takes a similar view on society.

Want to know more about Steampunk, Dieselpunk and Cyberpunk? An interesting article on these genres by 'Chronicles of Harriet' can be found below. It outlines all the different types of 'punk' and their roles/ perspectives on society.

Punk 101 - http://chroniclesofharriet.com/2012/05/24/punk-101-steampunk-dieselpunk-and-a-three-year-old-genius/

The first thing I decided on was what I would be designing and how I would design it, I chose to design a character. I chose to do this so that I could place myself outside of my comfort zone, I naturally turn to drawing vehicles and inanimate objects because of their defined outlines, easy perspective and unique features. But I decided to give character design a go using Photoshop painting and some clever editing.

I created a moodboard to provide me with some inspiration.

First off I did some research and looked into what makes a good Steampunk character possible, I found that the world around him/her does play a heavy part in the development of a character and also informs how they look and act. For me personally a brilliant example of a Steampunk world would be the video game Bioshock. Since the original there has been two sequels, all 3 games have been set in a Steampunk universe. Having played all 3 they are the best source of inspiration for Me and will affect my final outcome. 

In Bioshock Infinite the character of Songbird defines great story telling, it is a very well designed and aesthetically pleasing character. It is also heavily inspired by Steampunk. The whole idea of a flying man in a suit isn't a new one though, in the late 1800's/ early 1900's inventors and pioneers around the world were inventing incredible flying machines of all shapes and sizes, most of them however died trying to fly them. Its this period of time that inspired Songbird's design and the idea of a 'flying man' will inspire my design.

Songbird from Bioshock Infinite.

Below are a set of pictures demonstrating just a handful of the designs created. You can see how the stretched canvas wings and the spindly wooden frame holding it together inspired Songbirds design. 

One thing that is clear with all of these designs however is where they took their inspiration from. Birds and their wings were the obvious source of inspiration for these inventors, they look very different from the planes of today. In my own design I must reflect this and use a similar wing design. 

One thing I also have to think about when designing a flying man is how will it work? Will it be powered by some sort of miniature steam engine? Or will it be powered by hand? I feel that inventing a wing suit that you have to power somehow by hand would be the best route to go. I think using man power adds an element of charm to the design, it doesn't seem so mechanical and makes it more approachable from the audiences perspective. its not so complicated and is a simple concept to grasp.

Above is a complicated design and below is a simple design. I feel that a simple design works better from an audiences perspective because its less to take in, its not quite as busy a composition as the image above for example. The design above also takes time to figure out how it would work, its not inspired by nature whereas the design below is instantly recognizable as a bird; which we subconsciously associate with flight.   

Probably my favorite design of them all. Elegant swept back wings and a sleek tail.

Brass cogs are tied to designing a solid Steampunk world.

When designing the flying man and his wing suit I must keep in mind that I am designing a Steampunk character. An easy and effective way to ensure a character looks Steampunk is to add cogs to his/ her design. Cogs are closely tied to Steampunk as they essentially replace electronics and hydraulics. They transfer kinetic energy to make something move, this is important in a Steampunk world where steam power is the dominant power source. They were used extensively throughout the industrial revolution which is the time period Steampunk originates from. They are also very aesthetically pleasing to look at and add a sense of mystery, the audience cant help but wonder how it works or what its role is in the machine.  

Its also important for me to give my character clothing appropriate to the time zone he originates from. In Victorian times it was typical for a man to wear a waist coat with smart trousers and a shirt. This is also reflected in most Steampunk designs today, women wear corsets and men wear waistcoats.

Being aware of the use of cogs/clothes and the role they play in the design of my character will hopefully mean he fits well into the genre of Steampunk.  

Typical attire for a Victorian gentleman.  

Creating the Character

First I sketched out my idea in Photoshop using a tablet. I used the silhouette technique taught to me last term. I also added a basic grey backdrop to create depth so I could get a better feel for the design during my workflow.

Once the basic outline was nailed down I painted in the wings and lined out where I think the supports should go. I curved the bottom of each section of the wing to make it look as if the wings were catching air and flying. I also multiplied an image of old leather onto the wings and warped it into position. Warping was taught to me by one of my tutors, it allows me to bend images around over a 2D image to create the illusion of a 3D image.

Next I added in shadow on top of the wings to create depth, and bring the shape of the man forwards towards the audience; further enhancing a sense of depth and perspective. It also helps to separate out the shape of the man against the wings. I then turned up the brightness on the wings to shine through the shadow.

I then added a shirt onto the outline using the warp tool.

I carried on adding images and warping them around the silhouette.

I finished adding all of the images and covered the silhouette. I then started tweaking the colour of the individual images and refined the outlines.  

As soon as I cleaned up the image I began adding shadow to the figure. this helps the piece stand out from the page and adds realism.

Finally I added a background from my own photographs to place the character into context.

Finished piece.

I have decided to call my character 'The Owl'. He was inspired mainly by Songbird from Bioshock and early flying machines, I liked the idea of a man daring to do something never done before, to inspire others and promote change, in a way it reminded Me of modern day super heroes. This makes the owl mask an even more appropriate addition. I aimed to create a figure who inspires others just like those inventors jumping off of cliffs in an effort to be the first person to fly.

I added Victorian clothing to help set the scene and base my character in the Steampunk genre, I also used cogs tucked away behind the man to create the illusion of machinery nestled behind his back. The cogs were a subtle addition, I did talk about how crucial they are earlier in this post, however I didn't want them to overwhelm the character himself. I added the old bow tie to help make him appear as an inventor, someone with stature and class. I also bronzed the wings to make up for the lack of brass in the scene.

Overall i'm very happy with the outcome. I have struggled in the past to paint in Photoshop but by using photo editing techniques and combining them with digital painting, I have overcome these downfalls and learnt how to create an effective outcome that links nicely into the Steampunk genre. Exploring and experimenting with different digital techniques has allowed me to become more confident using Photoshop, this is partly down to reading feedback given to me by tutors and learning in class different ways of approaching artwork. If I was to revisit this piece I would consider creating different variations of his wing suit and possibly adding a tail. I would also try to add more Steampunk features, maybe a top hat? turn him from an inventor into a warrior and give him a musket? all of these are valid conceptions and variations based off of this piece.