Gnomon ships new two-DVD concept art training series

The Gnomon Workshop has released Concept Design Workflow, a two-part series of tutorials on concept design work in Photoshop and Modo recorded by Naughty Dog’s Aaron Limonick, totalling over ten hours of training.

Rapid digital sketching techniques
The series kicks off with Concept Design Workflow Vol. 1: Composition Sketching, which sets out a number of rapid sketching techniques for use in any production environment, beginning from a blank Photoshop file.

Limonick explores the purposes of different types of sketches, the importance of value studies and color keys, and how to bridge the gap between quick ideation sketches and a finished painting with a sense of story.

Developing the image in Modo and Photoshop
The process is continued in Concept Design Workflow Vol. 2: Using Modo and Photoshop to Visualize Design, in which Limonick explains how he combines 3D techniques with traditional 2D painting in his own workflow.

Having explored different ways to use 3D models as the basis of an illustration, he sets up lights in Modo; then applies textures and brushstrokes to the resulting render in Photoshop to produce a finished illustration.

The work builds on the colour key sketch created in the first part of the tutorial, and comprises just under six hours of training.

About the artist
Aaron Limonick has worked as a concept designer and illustrator on projects including Transformers: War for Cybertron and RIPD. Now a concept artist at Naughty Dog, recent work includes Uncharted and The Last of Us.

Both tutorials are available from The Gnomon Workshop’s online store as digital downloads, with a DVD release to follow shortly. Each is priced at $59.

Buy Concept Design Workflow Vol. 1 from The Gnomon Workshop’s online store

Buy Concept Design Workflow Vol. 2 from The Gnomon Workshop’s online store

Full disclosure: CG Channel is owned by the Gnomon School of Visual Effects.