Tree With Character

This task was to create a concept for a tree that had character to it.

I started by looking at references of tress standing by themselves. I wanted to have a feeling of it being isolated, but also a tree that a lot of people would perhaps notice and sit under or climb, to look at the landscape surrounding it. Of course a tree being by itself doesn't rule out to possibility of it having birds sitting on it and different animals interacting with it.

I then started to go down a route with my references of tree that had been influenced by man. This is part of the interaction a lonely tree will have throughout it's life. I like the idea of the tree being used to create something, rather than replaced.

I looked more at tree houses, a mix where man has used nature to create somewhere to live. I also liked some ideas, such as dangerous swings hanging over a cliff and small post boxes and lamps being used to light itself up.

I made a few sketches of trees for practice, and then sketched out a final design.

I started by sketching the tree and then added all the little man-made parts that turned it into a tree house, thinking about how they would fit. Some proportions may have been a little off, but the main concept was put across.

I started adding some colour and shading.

However after talking to a tutor I decided to do all of the tone first, and then move on to colour afterwards. I added lights to the scene, making the main parts of the tree glow in a dark scene.

I also added a back ground to give an idea of where the tree was, overlooking a cliff.

Finally I added colour, which brought the picture out a lot, added a texture to the tree, and added in a small figure, partly for scale.

The final image I was quite happy with, and I like the idea. Though it does have it's problems. It could have been painted better and the background cuts in the foreground a little too much.

There also needed to be more focus on the tree, giving it roots for support and so more shape. As it is it focuses a lot on the man-made side and not on the tree, which does not fir the brief.

The painting could have been more three dimensional, but I like the result, I feel it is clear in what it is trying to get across if it were to be put into a game.