DEVELOP 3D SKILLS FOR CONCEPT ART

Gaëlle Seguillon creates a breathtaking fantasy environment by combining a selection of techniques within her workflow

- Gaëlle Seguillon

This image, which I've titled Storm Peaks, is one that I believe reflects my overall workflow pretty well, because it has combined 2D, CGI and brainstorming elements.

When I start, the first step is going to be the brief, from a client or from myself. Here I wanted a mountain environment, with dramatic lighting and Gothic ruins. While working on this piece, I wanted it to be a homage to the art of the legendary The Lord of the Rings artist John Howe, who captures Middle-Earth so well.

While I admire a lot of artists, I've never really been inspired by a single particular artist. What really inspires me is, simply, nature. I totally love to transcribe the beauty of nature in terms of playing with depth of field and different lenses; especially when I shoot photos. I like to picture them in a natural history style and think it makes the image more believable.

Usually, the challenge is more technical than being about finding inspiration. When I start on a project or with a brief, I begin with research and find things that inspire me.

I'd describe my style and aesthetic as very realistic and photographic. Specifically, I like to play with depth of field and natural light to depict natural environments. I'm always trying to bring more storytelling to my images, and that's what makes an image stand out.

1 Seek out the right references and moods 

To get going, I picked out a mountain photo that I particularly liked to get an idea for the lighting, angle and composition, as I thought it would give me a good head start. Additionally, I drew inspiration from photographs of buildings, snakes and fish as starting points for the fantasy elements, which includes dragons and a ruined hilltop fort; essential motifs in John Howe's work.

2 Inspiration to preliminary sketch