Hey everyone, it’s your boy back again with another deep dive into my latest project. So, I’ve been really geeking out over “Black Panther 2” lately, especially the whole Atlantean vibe. I got this crazy idea to try and recreate some of that Atlantean concept art. Let me tell you, it was a wild ride.
First, I spent hours just scrolling through any concept art I could find online. I was mainly looking for stuff that had that futuristic, comic book feel. I stumbled upon some amazing pieces by Adi Granov—man, that guy’s a genius. His paintings of T’Challa’s mask are just chef’s kiss. Anyway, I picked out a few that really caught my eye, you know, the ones that screamed “Wakanda meets Atlantis.”
Gathering My Tools
Next, I dusted off my old drawing tablet—it’s been a while, I won’t lie. I also checked out some tutorials online. I mean, I’m not a professional artist or anything, just a dude with a hobby. I needed a little refresher on digital painting techniques, shading, and all that jazz. It took a couple of days, but I finally felt somewhat ready to start.
Putting Pen to Tablet
- I started with T’Challa’s mask. Granov’s work was my main inspiration. I tried to capture the sleekness, the power, you know, the whole kingly vibe. It was tough. I redrew that mask like a million times. My first attempts looked like a toddler got loose with a crayon. But, slowly but surely, it started to come together.
- Then I moved on to Shuri. There’s this one piece of concept art where she’s in all silver, and it’s just striking. I wanted to recreate that, but with my own twist. So, I played around with the colors, added some more texture. It was all about making it pop, you know?
- The hardest part was definitely the group shots. Trying to get the dynamics right, the poses, the expressions—it was a real challenge. I spent nights just sketching, erasing, sketching some more. My hand was cramping, my eyes were burning, but I was determined to nail it.
- I also wanted to try my hand at some of the characters in their more casual outfits, like Nakia in that gown by Keith Christensen. It’s so different from the battle gear, but it still has that fierce Wakandan energy. I tried to capture that elegance and strength. It was a nice change of pace from all the high-tech stuff.
The Final Stretch
After weeks of work, I finally had a set of digital paintings I was pretty proud of. I shared them with some friends, got some feedback, made a few tweaks here and there. It was a long process, but seeing the final product made it all worth it.
This whole project was a blast. It pushed me creatively, helped me learn some new skills, and gave me a deeper appreciation for the artistry behind these movies. If you’re a fan of “Black Panther” or just art in general, I highly recommend giving this a try. It’s a great way to connect with the world of Wakanda and unleash your inner artist. Peace out!