mikecorriero's CGPortoflio Gallery

Morning Sun Nap

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:52:16 +0000

I had felt it was about time I illustrated a painting containing a more lighthearted subject. I've produced hellish landscapes and scary creatures but it was actually a treat to paint a sleeping baby cherub. I had originally done this with the intent of entering a weekly creature activity on www.conceptart.org but didn't find the time to complete it within the activity schedule. I think it was also an excuse to finally paint something that was white utilizing shadows and various cool and warm tones to produce an effective light source. The beast is wise and fierce but he is also gentle and comforting, as he is intended to be the protector of his young friend.

Click Thumbnail or click the image for a larger view.
Morning Sun Nap

Mike C -

An Army Summoned

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 14:57:51 +0000

Hi,
This image was done as a workshop tutorial for the UK magazine, ImagineFX Magazine.

www.ImagineFX.com

The image was printed along with a 4 page spread and a 19 stage process on the creation of the image in issue 012 January which was dubbed the (Christmas issue 2006).
I produced the image using Photoshop CS2 on top of a rough sketch. Some preliminary thumbnails were drawn up and then approved by the ImagineFX editor. I'm including some detail shots, and some sketches.

A larger version since when work is present here in a smaller fashion it tends to lose a bit of the crispness and details.

Some details and a thumbnail image

The original thumbnail sketches 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches

I hope you guys like it,
thanks for looking, comments welcome
Mike C -

Noctabrimstone

Tue, 31 May 2005 01:03:29 +0000

This is a creature design for a nocturnal predator. I was really trying to invoke that horrific scary look in the eyes. This was best achieved when adding a glazed over look to the existing paint of the eyes.
I also felt that it would be interesting to have him looking at his "prey" or the "viewer" from an upside down point of view.
The background was left rather simplistic and graphic in nature.
Thanks for looking- Mike

Streamline Gravity Glider

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:36:53 +0000

This piece was a workshop done for ImagineFX Magazine shown in issue #023. The workshop touched upon symmetrical and asymmetrical thumbnail designing and turning those thumbnails into a working design. A concept Illustration for a sci-fi themed creature concept.
I was looking for a very unearthly design to the anatomy and the low gravity of another planet would allow for strong but very thin legs, as well as bio-luminescent fibers in the darkness of space. I'm a creature nut in case anyone hasn't figured this out by now so this was a lot of fun. Some touch ups were made after the image was submitted to ImagineFX and some photo texture was used in the background. A video workshop can be found in that issue of the magazine on the accompanying DVD.

Here is the Final drawing which was done completely in pigment liner pens without any preliminary pencil sketching or erasing.

You can see 3 of the thumbnails in that image but about a total of 40 or so were done in different techniques. Some digital and some traditional.

Mike -

Keeper Of The Fields

Fri, 18 Nov 2005 14:42:01 +0000

"The Keeper of the Fields"
This piece contains a lot of subtle imagery that is represented in a metaphorical sense. The theme doubles both as an industrial revolution taking a look into ecology and the iconism of the scarecrow . As you look at the scene there is meant to be a feeling of solitude because although there is a main figure, he is an old rusty robot being "left behind" so to speak. In the background you see numerous space shuttles taking off into the bright blue sky heading for an unknown location, leaving their home behind and the robot who remains a prisoner of the fields he was once meant to watch over. This is also where the scarecrow symbolism comes into play since his power source has run low and no one was there to plug him in. The crow is mocking him by standing on his axe and squacking at the lifeless machine now represented as a scarecrow, and the keeper of the fields. The color scheme was selected to coincide with the feelings of solitude, where the fields are dying and leaves are falling. This was also done around the time of fall and halloween so I felt like incorporating some of the icons we represent with this time of season.
I wanted to keep the upper portion of the scene bright and clean, with round tipped space shuttles and a 50's kind of style. It delves into the future but in a historical sense during the revolution of space exploration and machines.
Some technical aspects of the image were left less rendered or defined than others to bring as much attention as I could to the relationship between the robot, crow and the city in the background.
This was done using Photoshop 7.0 and some minor tools using Painter 9.0
This was done entirely in Digital programs with no previous pencil sketch.
1024 x 768 Wallpaper image

Critiques and Comments welcome
Mike Corriero -
>> Hi resolution image <<

The Construction of Hell

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 06:12:43 +0000

The idea behind the image was to capture elements that would communicate the topic " Welcome to the beginning of the End". I figured when brainstorming that death would be the end, and if you were to go to hell that there must have been a time before hell existed thus, it was created or therefore constructed.
I wanted to incorporate some elements that may or may not be obvious to go along with the theme, the main concern was to capture the "Welcoming" and I wanted to try and create a character that would be scary but at the same time reflect the well known image of Jesus with the red heart and halo mixed with the mother Mary. This being shown through the pregnant abomination of a snake or otherwise a symbol known as the devil. There are also elements of war, the garden of eden, the burning bush and 7 figures hanging to represent the 7 deadly sins.

I hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks

Architectural Hobbyist

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:59:50 +0000

This piece was done as a concept architecture Illustration for Advanced Photoshop Magazine. Focusing on a cottage/shack type of home created by an architectural hobbyist. I wanted to give it a kind of cozy but lavish design, looking weathered and put together in a somewhat make-shift way.

These were the sketches sent to the art director and you can see which one they went with. I had actually liked the other two but you've gotta trust their judgment

Mike -

Tantra

Tue, 02 May 2006 00:07:57 +0000

A boss creature design that contains a puzzle to a secret, learn the boss's puzzle to find the hidden hint that leads to the secret.

Tiltadron

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:45:42 +0000

An asymmetrical asexual giant. I was trying to create something as asymmetrical as possible but keep a sense of flow throughout the design. These creature were born in an ever changing unique landscape that caused the odd mutations to their anatomy.

Industrial Demon

Sun, 07 Aug 2005 21:02:59 +0000

This image was created for a contest at conceptart.org for a thunderdome entitled "The Last Man Standing" and the topic was Demon Prince.
The contest startes with 144 contestant in 2 man battles and the winners from each round continue on to the next round until there is one winner at the end of the thunderdome.
I decided to go with an industrial feel to this hellish landscape, but keeping focus on the topic at hand which is the character/creature design of the demon prince. The color scheme was keeping in relation to "rainbow gasoline" you know those rainbow swirls you see in a puddle of gas in the sunlight. Smells of gas and burning blue flames, rusted metal and giant metal mountains.
I decided to include a slain angel for scale purposes and also gave the angel a cyber punk, digital/electric wings and he is also equipped with a weapon he found during the civil war period.
Crits and comments welcome.

Tower Knots

Fri, 12 May 2006 21:50:16 +0000

Creatures that move their home constantly migrating toward the sun.

Polmorphus

Wed, 10 May 2006 15:35:39 +0000

Creature design

Fernus Peranus

Fri, 05 May 2006 06:52:17 +0000

A creature that uses a mix of fluids and gases to create fire as its main source of defense.

3 water plant Creatures

Thu, 04 May 2006 05:04:29 +0000

3 variations of a water plant creature design, from left to right: Bulb, Flower, and the Lilly aka. Water Clown.

Buckaloo

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:56:39 +0000

A mix of various mammals including, koala bears, antelope, deer, red panda, fox etc. A beautiful exotic breed of herbivore.

Wallop

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:55:13 +0000

Giants of the sand, they live in the deserts where they cover themselves in the desolate environment to keep cool and protect their young.

Finned A-Wakashi

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:53:51 +0000

A blind hunter that uses heat seeking pulses to map out the lay of the land and track its prey.

Nutter

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:51:46 +0000

A crazed obese crow who's eggs are a little scrambled.

Old Blue Eyes

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:49:40 +0000

My take on a Werewolf, which I decided to give some battle scars, some blue eyes and war braids that were given to him by his clan.

Phizzle

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:47:45 +0000

A particle sized useless creature who's life span only last 30 seconds at most. Phizzles are the joke of the animal kingdom and are cute in a rather sloppy pathetic kind of way.

Wolverine

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:42:00 +0000

This was my take on a wolverine were-animal creature. It was more of a study of fur than anything else really but I had fun creating the hunched over crazed creature.

Hermit Crabs

Tue, 02 May 2006 03:01:36 +0000

conceptual designs of an existing crustacean, these creatures vary greatly in size, some reaching hundreds of pounds and used for transportation.

The Town of Morgine

Tue, 02 May 2006 02:53:43 +0000

Environment showing the outskirts of Morgans Town.

Desolation

Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:43:33 +0000

This piece is entitled " Desolation" .A clan of unusual faceless warriors is migrating from the desert wastelands that they once called "home". I did a series of character concepts and small compositional thumbnails until I came up with this Final image. Comments are welcome, thanks.

Ancient Sanctuary

Mon, 30 May 2005 03:09:16 +0000

This pieces was created for my site which will be up shortly with any hope. I was playing around with the depth on this one, as well as a strange sense of scale to add to the fantasy world. A large forest with exotic alien vegetation that grows to enormous heights surrounds the sanctuary.
I wanted the image to have an almost monochromatic feel but then added a slight hint of color with the pink flowers and birds to give it life.
I hope you like it- Thanks
>> Hi resolution image <<

Fall of Fate

Tue, 02 May 2006 02:58:54 +0000

An Illustration depicting the fall of relationships between man and woman in a bleak future.

Cloud Dwellers

Wed, 01 Jun 2005 17:35:53 +0000

Creature Design for a Cloud Dwelling animal. I wanted the design of the environment to feel like a forest but it is in fact meant to be located in the sky. The trees reach enormous heights growing past the clouds.
Para- Tis have evolved from cold blooded animals, relatives include reptiles, as well as certain species of bird. The Para-Tis is capable of living at extreme high altitudes by means of increasing its ability to intake Oxygen in a rather low oxygen environment through ways of evolved organs. It's large nostril cavity and cranial cavity assist in this intake of oxygen. Its cold blooded ancestry allows it to take the harsh cold of the high altitudes in which it lives.
Para-Tis are capable of gliding through the clouded regions in which it lives by a mixture of gases to create "helium" in sack filled organs below its neck, chest and pelvis regions. These creatures can be found living among the Snowy Leaf sky trees, given their name due to their leaves being pure white and during the fall..it appears to be snowing white leaves from the sky.
I hope you guys like it.
>> Hi resolution image <<

Burning Embers

Mon, 11 Jul 2005 02:58:11 +0000

Environment- Burning Embers
This was created as a personal environment piece for my portfolio. I was trying to push the mood of the image since it relies more on the colors and atmoshpere than the details in the image. The main focal point is presented on the trees and thier burning embers. I hope you like it.
Comments and crits welcome.
Mike -

White Lantern

Sat, 22 Oct 2005 06:08:13 +0000

White Lantern is a project that I have recently started and will continue to work on in my spare time. This is something that I plan on possibly having published, made into a concept art/Illustration book with bits and pieces of a story involved in the world I am creating. I am working on everything from environments, characters, creatures, animals, items, weapons. I will be presenting rough sketches, finalized sketches and finished concepts from B&W work to full blown colored Illustrations involving these designs.
These images are just a taste of what will come. I am starting out in a small town and focusing on the main character that lives within this town...which will eventually lead to other locations and a story will evolve.

Portal Weaver - Creature Concept

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 18:03:02 +0000

The Portal Weaver travels through dimensions, it lives in a 3-dimensional world but builds its web in the 4th dimension in which it captures it�s prey. This dimension is invisible on planet�s un-like its own and only visible to the Portal Weaver itself, therefore making it easy for it to capture various types of prey ranging from the smallest of mammals to the largest of creatures.
The shock of entering a portal leaves the victim suspended in animation, rendered helpless. Floating in an endless trap of time, frozen in shock and waiting to find out what their fate will be.
The Portal Weaver hops from one dimension to the next checking it�s portals for its next lunch. Usually the Portal Weaver will create a maximum of 8 portals each leading to distinct locations. As quickly as the Portal Weaver can appear, it can disappear staying close to it's invisible portals to retreat whenever it may feel threatened.
A rather intelligent horse sized breed of arachnid unknown to most other than it's victims who live a rather painfully short life. It would be an unlucky hand to have been dealt if you walked through a portal where it's hatch-lings wait to feast on their first meal.

Nights Addiction

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 17:08:17 +0000

This is a modern play off of the tale of the werewolf, taking a different twist on how they are portrayed.
The werewolf is actually the guy you see, and it's purposely presented so that he doesn't appear as your typical furry wolf but rather more human, even using a knife as a weapon instead of rampaging with claws and teeth. The only real indication of this is the slight point of the ears.
detail:

>> Hi resolution image <<

Sopheary

Tue, 17 Jan 2006 19:23:33 +0000

This is a portrait of a friend done using Photoshop 7.0 some default brushes and some custom brushes. I really wanted to try my best to capture her likeness and I feel I succeeded in doing this. This is something I do not do often as most of my work is fantasy or sci-fi concept art related so it was a breath of fresh air to complete a study like this. I'm not one who is interested in the "airbrush" soft smooth blurred skin effect so I wanted to go with a more painterly brush stroke effect so that it was noticeable.
I'm interested in what you guys think of it.
Mike C -