Bhai Baghel Singh 2

So after completing the first Bhai Baghel Singh speedpainting, I went back to it to work on it more. I tried changing up some compositional elements. I moved him closer to the Red Fort and changed the angle at which he approached the fort. I also added some cannons and armies in front of him (or behind him depending on how you look at it). However, after some serious consideration I found that the first composition works better. I mean there are things I like about this one that aren't present in the older one, but I think I handled the values much better in the older one and that gives it an edge over this one. I am going to stop here and continue to work on other paintings that are closer to completion, and take a break from it so that I can revisit it with a fresh eye.

Speaking of breaks I took a long break from the Battle For Hindustan mod. Hopefully the mind will get back to it soon and will finalize the things that it was working on.

Behold Optic Blast!

So firstly the progress on the mod is going well. We are slowly adding new content and polishing old one. Setting milestones for each week, each month and then reaching it, thereby constantly chipping away at the mod. I have pretty much stopped working on my paintings, and I am devoting all that time to the mod. I've never been more excited to work on it than ever before, and I've never realized the work it takes to make a video game (mod). It's pretty awesome!
On the side I've been playing Marvel Heroes and Smite. Marvel Heroes is all about beating up baddies and defeating villains with your favourite hero, and mine happens to be Cyclops (And Wolverine), and so the game inspired me to do draw them. I figured since I can't show anything from the mod yet, as it hasn't been finalized, why not show you guys some of the other things I do in my pass time.

Cyclops just about to shoot an optic blast. A work in progress.

Naga Warrior

I was working on the Punjabi units for the AOE3 mod when I started getting errors for some reason. I couldn't resolve it so I took a break from it and started working on other stuff. As I was experimenting with shapes I ended up a character somewhat like Samus from Metroid with these bulbous shoulders and a gun for one of the hands. I pictured him with like computer screen that he can open near one of his eyes, whilst his left gauntlet contains a projected keypad. Anyways, just some stuff to distract you guys with whilst I chip away at the mod.

Enjoy
 

Small Update

So this past month I've worked on the mod quite a bit, especially on the programming side of things. I implemented a pseudo-Mughal civilization into Age of Empires 3, along with tech upgrades for all the infantry and cavalry and started testing it, its strengths and weaknesses, home city shipments and unit performance. Its been quite an interesting experience, and I've been making several tweaks to the function of Mughal units, re-purposing them to fit certain roles in the Empire. My research on Mughals and revision of previously read material goes on. In addition to the Mughals, I have been working on Punjabi units, which I will share more about in the coming months.

Before I became fully focused on the mod, I worked on the textures of the Akalini model a little bit. Here is the work in progress. Again I'll be keeping you guys updated as I put more work into her.

Akalini, now in 3D

Low-poly Dragoon Gun

I've been doing lots of 3D modelling these past several months. Seeing as most of my previous models were rough and unfinished, I decided I wanted to take something to completion. So I began working on Akali and Akalini, and completed this low-poly model today. I am going to now begin texturing (or colouring) the model so that it looks more like the artwork. Alongside, I also completed a super small model of the dragoon gun (it doesn't need to be any more detailed) which one of the Sikh units will wield in the AOE mod. It is textured and is ready to be imported into the game.

Some of the things we want in the mod are not present in the game. There are certain guns, turbans, armours and beards that we cannot extract from other characters so these have to be modelled and imported. Now we are not going to be able to import custom character models like the one you see below with animations but we can certainly import props just like the Dragoon that will add much needed historical accuracy to our mod. Some of you noticed that Nihang's turban is not from the 1800s, that it's too modern for the period. You are correct, and we now have the tools and skills to correct that. But I am probably going to leave his turban alone until we get some of the other units completed first.

Akalini: Warrior Monk

Bhai Baghel Singh

So recently I haven't blogged as much as I wanted to.  It was a mix of not feeling like it, and not wanting to post rough, unfinished sketches of random things. These past few months, I have just been studying, composition mainly but also random things like frogs and trains. I feel like I need to work on my composition more and focus on having interesting, larger shapes in my piece. I also think that I should broaden my mind by studying things I haven't studied before. Don't get me wrong I have studied plenty of frogs when I used to live in India, hopping around in my bedroom floor. And I have studied trains, riding them back and forth, in commutes to my university. :D But to draw them is a different kind of study, and more mandatory as an artist., and that's what I have been doing since November.

But not having blogged, last month I decided to do a speed painting suggested by you guys who follow my work. Most people voted for Bhai Baghel Singh and sikh misls capturing the Red Fort. And so so last week I released the speed painting of this event. Check it out:

Akali: Warrior Monk

I know what you are thinking. WTF Bhagt Siyan?! Where have you been? No updates, not even some random sketch. What happened to your weeklies? What happened to the bond we shared together? you no value bond? Our bond?

Bhagat value bond, our bond.

How do I know you are thinking that? Because you were reading what I wrote and thinking it in your head. The real question is were you aware that you were thinking it in your head?

Anyways, it turns out female Akali are called Akalini. Like gardener is called mali, and a female gardener is called malini. Hence this post is titled Akali, I changed title of the last one to Akalini. This time their turban is even bigger, so are their weapons, and they are enchanted with magical properties, dangerous powers than can be exploited in the battlefield. From turbans to turban towers to turban forts and castles, Akalis are more badass than ever before.

I am trying to practice my concept design. I am gona try and shell out a few more of Akali, big turban theme. And also rework the Snake Charmer design. This one is just way too much like the historical male Akali. I want Snake Charmers to look like ascetics, and tribal-like in appearance, mix of Indian sadhu and vanar. Even those that descend from Akali.