Help with taking photo reference for Concept Art!

Dear fans of EB. Concept art department needs your help. It is easy and it will get your name in the credits so think about it, please :) We'll be needing more I think, let's start with the next concept art piece I intend to do. I'll quote my post from another thread:

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Originally Posted by Merlkir

OK, I've discussed this with Jorge. The Thureoporoi concept art is on halt. Why? Because I want to get as good results as possible, I want to work from photographic reference to help me with poses and anatomy. I would ask my own friends, but they're out of town or don't want to do it. It's no big deal and I hope someone of the great EB fans will step up to this easy task.
What I need:

- three guys in front of the camera. The photos should be digital or at least good/highres quality. 2-3 of one scene will do.
- fancy lighting is not necessary. If it's sunny outside and you take the photos in your garden, I don't mind. It's essential that the bodies are clearly visible.
- you don't have to be super muscled, normal guys are totally ok, I'll spice it up a bit if needed.
- Clothes you should wear.. Really, if you don't have a chiton/tunic, it's alright. Just wear shorts and a T-shirt. No socks please. If you have socks and macedonian boots, these are of course welcome. Any equipment you might have that would fit the description that is in the great post by paullus, you can wear. As I said before, a mop or a stick simply can be a spear, piece of cardboard can be a shield. I need to see mass and shadows it casts.
- If you want to black out your faces, that's fine with me I guess, I respect anonymity.
- Now for poses. I imagine something like this.
the medium and the heavy guy stand to the right talking about something. The medium guy is talking, the heavy one is listening while drinking from a simple metal cup (a bowl of any kind will do I guess). The poses are relaxed and natural. They can have their shields in their hands or maybe resting on the ground or leaned to their legs/hips. Experiment! Keep in mind that at least two of the shields should be fairly visible. All of them can have spears, if you can read the description and wear something resembling the weapons described, it's a plus, but not necessary. The third light infantry one is standing a bit to the left, pointing to something far left out of the picture and telling something to the guys on the right.
Again, this is just my idea. If you have other ideas, experiment, I'll be glad to see it.

People, please, this is rather important. If nobody helps, I'll paint it without reference. But it's likely the final concept artwork will be of lesser quality.
If you're too shy to do this, see if you can maybe get some of your friends who like EB and don't mind doing it. If you know someone on the forums who might want to do it and you think he doesn't read this thread, PM him. Please :)

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if anyone is interested, I'll PM them the descriptions of the gear by Paullus if they want to. Again, this can be totally anonymous, the photos will be used ONLY by me and I will delete them I after I'm done, they will NOT be stored.

It would actually be pretty funny if all the pictures of EB fans dressing up in cardboard armor and trying to look badass were snuck into the mod somewheres.

Anyways, if I had a camera and two friends, I would totally be in on this. As it stands, I just moved to a new city, and don't know anyone yet. At least not well enough to ask them to play dress up with me.

i would love to help but its kinda chilly around here to go play soldier in the garden :\:2thumbsup:
hope you find a good replacement

Hax lives around the corner here. I'll poke him and see if he's interested. My housemate and I do medieval re-enactment and we both love EB, I'm sure I can interest him. My g/f's sister is an excellent photographer as well. There we go, three guys and a photographer. Allow me to get back to you, Merlkir!

That's cool you know history buffs in real life. People in LA aren't interested in anything that isn't shiny.

everyone, cheer for Hax and Intrepid Adventurer! :) The first volunteers...

I will dress up silly as well ;)

show the pictures here!! (for comedic puposes)

Right-o, we're on. Photographer is very willing to help and one of Hax's friends is going to make us some tunics. Nice, huh? Yeah, of course we'll post the pics here!

only if you want to! It'd be perfectly fine to send them viea PM...your call ;)

We'll post them here.

We're attention whores <.<

These are great news! Let's have those pics, so the Thureophoroi can get to life in Merlkir's hands. Thanks guys!

There may be a chance that you will appear in some form on a unit in EB2 aswell....keep your eyes peeled ;)

*faints*

Hax, Intrepid Adventurer, any news?

Indeed, indeed.

I expect every costume to be done at wednesday, from there we will decide a date to do the shoot.

damn, I've already started working on the thureoporoi. :dizzy2: I have one of three, I guess the other two can be from the photos..
Or I'll use those photos for some other unit :)
Anyway, keep up the good work :) Really looking forward to this :D for instance, good tunic-folding reference is hard to find..

Some tips:

- what's important are the poses and a natural feeling. I like to have a scene set up that feels like ripped out from a life of these soldiers..So position the models so everything is clear and visible, but it has to feel natural and casual.
- if the props are realistic, it's better, but it's a luxury really, anything of similar mass can double for stuff. like here :)

http://inki-stock.deviantart.com/gal...-warrior-stock

- the lighting is important and so is the quality of the picture. Think about the composition, pick the location...Nothing too extreme is good. It shouldn't be very sunny or bright, but all in shadow is bad too. Look at Angus McBride's Osprey illustrations for inspiration. :) Quality should be as best as possible. Take two or three shots of each scene or pose just to be sure and to pick from later.

I hope this works out :) I'm getting better with my anatomy, but some things are better to correct and improve from live reference.

Thanks guys :yes:

edit: I forgot. No shoes are better I think. I can paint the shoes/sandals/boots over if I need to, but seeing naked feet anatomy is better than seeing modern shoes as that can be somehow decieving in shape. :)

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edit: I forgot. No shoes are better I think. I can paint the shoes/sandals/boots over if I need to, but seeing naked feet anatomy is better than seeing modern shoes as that can be somehow decieving in shape. :)

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I have these Medieval boots, are they okay or do you prefer bare feet?

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Originally Posted by Hax

I have these Medieval boots, are they okay or do you prefer bare feet?

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no, I think bare feet are better :)

looking forward..though.

I don't even own MTW2, RTW or any EB thing related, just stumbled upon this thread but I'm certainly keeping an eye on this for the pictures :laugh4:

You just want to laugh at us when we dress up silly!

actually I'm putting what you said to the test: "We're attention Whores"..remember?

Just wait till you see the pictures. You'll wish you were one of our friends... ;)

I don't think anyone wishes that voluntarily, Intrepid.

Remember what happened to Isildin? -shifty eyes-

I know enough of Hax to guess what happened to him:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showt...102802&page=21
(post 612-part right before he shouts his name)
though honestly I can't imagine Hax in a uniform of a thureophoroi-maybe hetairoi... XD

Just wanted to let you guys know we are still doing this. As soon as Hax gets his unreliable friend into gear. Where are those costumes? ;)

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Originally Posted by Intrepid Adventurer

Just wanted to let you guys know we are still doing this. As soon as Hax gets his unreliable friend into gear. Where are those costumes? ;)

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just remember-customers wish to see this :P

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Originally Posted by Hax

We'll post them here.

We're attention whores <.<

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So if this is true then why don't you dress up as Gaesatae, I'm sure the plebs' would love it. Just kidding, but get those pictures done!

ok, I'll keep waiting :) good you guys are still working on this.