It's a very nice portrait overall I think. I do agree that the style clashes with the other portraits but I almost always use custom portraits anyway so it doesn't really matter to me.
Ahhh, no. No it's not. It's like saying that paintings by Van Gogh are really exactly like the ones by Da Vinci, and people just are hung up about their favorite era. Please take a look at those pictures again. Old ones are all about realism. The new one (1) is all about impressions. (And my favorite are still BG2, which are all about kinda-realistic fantasy).
I really don't think your analogy properly parodies my point. I'll clarify.
My point: If BG had been released with both styles [or, had been part of their memories], then people wouldn't be as biased about one or the other as they are now. It wasn't released with both styles [or, hadn't been part of their memories]. Thus, people are biased about one or the other as they are now.
Your parody of my point: If paintings by Van Gogh are exactly like the paintings by Da Vinci, then people are hung up only because of their different eras. Paintings by Van Gogh are exactly like the paintings by Da Vinci. Therefore, people are only hung up because of their different eras.
@Neokarny I'm with you on this. I say if people don't like that style because it doesn't fit with the other portraits, because they don't like the artwork, whatever reason, just don't use them.
If I was honest I'd say any new portraits should TRY to match the originals, just to be consistent. But since they got the IWD guy Jason Manley to do them, I don't care.
They're beautiful and when you make them smaller for the game they look like a NWN portrait.
@Ward Yeah, ultimately it comes down to "use it if you like it, don't use it if you don't like it."
I don't see where you're going with the Wiki link on reductio ad absurdum. I didn't give that form of argument, and Syntia13 attacked a strawman of my argument.
I really don't think your analogy properly parodies my point. I'll clarify. My point: If BG had been released with both styles [or, had been part of their memories], then people wouldn't be as biased about one or the other as they are now. It wasn't released with both styles [or, hadn't been part of their memories]. Thus, people are biased about one or the other as they are now.
I still have to disagree. They don't clash because one is familiar and the other is new, they clash because they are done in completely different styles. And they would not blend better if they'd been included in the old BG either - and it's not just a stubborn conjecture on my part, this is something I can give you an argument for. There is one picture which had been a part of BG2 from the very start, and it made me go "What the heck is this, and what is this doing in this game?" whenever I saw it. It was Bohdi's avatar. It made me cringe every time it popped up, because (apart from having something really weird going on with her hair) she was so far removed from all the other art in the game. Different proportions, different lines, different lighting, different color palette... It just stood out too much. It bugged me then, and is still bugging me today. Of course, one might argue that this was done on purpose, Bohdi was after all a malicious and powerful undead and she had a reason to stand out from the rest of the world.
However, then came ToB, and with it more avatars for non-joinable NPCs, and they had the exact same "problem" - they plain didn't fit with the artstyle left over from the main BG. I remember Mellisen and the Solar being worst offenders, who made me want to cover part of the screen whenever I talked to them. Thankfully Sarevok had a portrait that look like a blend of BG2 general style and BG1 back-lighting, otherwise I don't think I'd ever use him.
So my point is, nostalgia has very little to do with people saying that the new style on the portrait stands out too much. It stands out because it's very different. People may like it less, equally or more than the original style, but it's doesn't change the fact that it stands out.
Uhh... it wasn't meant as parody. It was meant as a metaphor/simile/whatever to better explain my point. In other words, I wasn't trying to make fun of you, I was trying to explain what I think in a way that I thought would be easy to understand. I guess it failed.
If paintings by Van Gogh are exactly like the paintings by Da Vinci, then people are hung up only because of their different eras. Paintings by Van Gogh are exactly like the paintings by Da Vinci. Therefore, people are only hung up because of their different eras.
O_O I know there is some metaphor behind this, but I can't find it, because the literal meaning just broke my brain. I think I'll go and lie down for a bit...
I'm really excited for all those portraits. And afterwards, if Beamdog is still bored, re-doing every NPC Manley-style would make a lot of pandas very happy, I guess.
I love it. As far as I am concerned, the more the better and people can choose to use them or not. I'd much rather have a variety of styles and make my own choices than a more limited pool of options.
I'm really excited for all those portraits. And afterwards, if Beamdog is still bored, re-doing every NPC Manley-style would make a lot of pandas very happy, I guess.
Bored haha ;_; Really likely. But yes, that'd make several of this panda's days.
I'm probably very biased as I've fangirled and tried to monkey Manley since forever (the mood, values, colours, technique, all the things gahh!), so love it and everything else coming our way. Sure, doesn't match the original BG portrait style but I don't personally have much of a nostalgic attachment to that anyway, it's a bit too polished clean to suit a dirty sweaty band of adventurers. Certainly not saying that to diss the original artist's work, it is wonderful, just you know, a tad shiny. Welcoming new art with open arms!
Thank you all for the comments, feedback, critiques, and thoughts. It is super fun to see what everyone wishes for and I am honored to have been asked to help with this project that has such a big place in our hearts growing up with great RPG's. It is one of the first games I worked on, so I am super happy to have been asked to do these.
With that said, the portraits were painted to be seen game size...not large poster size or the like. Thanks tons for posting the actual size images in here as when they are seen in that way, the loose brushy quality of the large image falls away and they tighten up into details. It is actually quite challenging to paint that way, where it is just as important what one does not paint as the details they choose to do. The difference in characters are quite on purpose, and that is because I wanted to be sure you all had a great amount of choices and deeper spectrum of character types to choose from. There are a couple that are rather dark and evil too so I am sure you all will find at least some that you really like..at least I hope that is the case. I painted all of these with you and your fun in mind.
It is also of note that my Bodhi image was used in BG and it is painted in this same style.
You all made my night, seeing all this discussion. Thanks tons and I am very much looking forward to getting this and playing like the old days. As I said in the other thread, I have been busy building companies since my time at Black Isle, including creating Massive Black/Brilliant Colors, ConceptArt.Org and TheArtDepartment.org and the latter has been a huge achievement...but all that work means less art and getting to help on this is game meant I got to paint again! It was a joy...and I did my best. I hope you all like them when they are all together and viewed at actual size in the game too.
Thanks, @JasonManley. Very glad to hear you chime in to our discussion Out of personal interest, could you tell us whether there will be female half-orc portraits in the new portrait sets?
You are welcome and thanks too. I promised to not say anything about the project when I took the commission, so I will have to refer you to the dev team for that answer. Good to meet you all too btw...
Ah, what a pity. Thanks a lot nonetheless! It's great to have you here on this forum. I love the direction (indie) game development is taking, with so much more contact between makers and customers.
The beta testers just got their first glimpse at them recently. I think you'll like what you see. The difference at small scale really helps them blend with the originals, and there's some really great variety.
The lizardfolk in the pink dress kind of stands out, though...
EDIT: (Dang, forgot to include the "I heard a rumor..." moniker on that last bit.)
I find it interesting that some people in this thread dislike that it looks like the Icewind Dale portraits. After Icewind Dale was released, I don't think I ever used any of the BG portaits in BG again; the Icewind Dale portaits were just so much more varied and considerably better done.
More Icewind Dale-like portraits for BG:EE? Bring it on, I say. What is to some a vice, to me is a virtue.
I actually never liked the IWD portraits. I don't really know why, I just didn't. I guess the style just didn't appeal. But then I never really liked IWD in general, I just didn't get on with the 'create all 6 characters' feature. I don't generally like games where you create all the party members.
its not baldurs gateish , but still it something that i could see selecting from my char.. still.. its more icewindale.... but thats not a bad thing, i always figured Icewind dale portraits to be more "baddass" that assassin portrait and the warrior with the mask ranking high up
Comments
My point:
If BG had been released with both styles [or, had been part of their memories], then people wouldn't be as biased about one or the other as they are now. It wasn't released with both styles [or, hadn't been part of their memories]. Thus, people are biased about one or the other as they are now.
Your parody of my point:
If paintings by Van Gogh are exactly like the paintings by Da Vinci, then people are hung up only because of their different eras. Paintings by Van Gogh are exactly like the paintings by Da Vinci. Therefore, people are only hung up because of their different eras.
If I was honest I'd say any new portraits should TRY to match the originals, just to be consistent. But since they got the IWD guy Jason Manley to do them, I don't care.
They're beautiful and when you make them smaller for the game they look like a NWN portrait.
Also @Syntia13 and Neokarny, both of you need to read this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_absurdum
I am lovin' this portrait! Very cool.
I don't see where you're going with the Wiki link on reductio ad absurdum. I didn't give that form of argument, and Syntia13 attacked a strawman of my argument.
I'm probably very biased as I've fangirled and tried to monkey Manley since forever (the mood, values, colours, technique, all the things gahh!), so love it and everything else coming our way. Sure, doesn't match the original BG portrait style but I don't personally have much of a nostalgic attachment to that anyway, it's a bit too polished clean to suit a dirty sweaty band of adventurers. Certainly not saying that to diss the original artist's work, it is wonderful, just you know, a tad shiny. Welcoming new art with open arms!
With that said, the portraits were painted to be seen game size...not large poster size or the like. Thanks tons for posting the actual size images in here as when they are seen in that way, the loose brushy quality of the large image falls away and they tighten up into details. It is actually quite challenging to paint that way, where it is just as important what one does not paint as the details they choose to do. The difference in characters are quite on purpose, and that is because I wanted to be sure you all had a great amount of choices and deeper spectrum of character types to choose from. There are a couple that are rather dark and evil too so I am sure you all will find at least some that you really like..at least I hope that is the case. I painted all of these with you and your fun in mind.
It is also of note that my Bodhi image was used in BG and it is painted in this same style.
You all made my night, seeing all this discussion. Thanks tons and I am very much looking forward to getting this and playing like the old days. As I said in the other thread, I have been busy building companies since my time at Black Isle, including creating Massive Black/Brilliant Colors, ConceptArt.Org and TheArtDepartment.org and the latter has been a huge achievement...but all that work means less art and getting to help on this is game meant I got to paint again! It was a joy...and I did my best. I hope you all like them when they are all together and viewed at actual size in the game too.
Jason Manley
JM
Are we seeing any more portraits prior to the 28th?
I doubt it. Even so, I totally forgot about this addition to the game. Did anybody else forget? *blush*
The lizardfolk in the pink dress kind of stands out, though...
EDIT: (Dang, forgot to include the "I heard a rumor..." moniker on that last bit.)
More Icewind Dale-like portraits for BG:EE? Bring it on, I say. What is to some a vice, to me is a virtue.