Concept Art

Video games developer Junction Point Studios headed by Warren Spector, one of the designers of legendary Deus Ex, was acquired back in 2007 by Disney Interactive with a clear purpose to develop games based on Disney mythology. Their first project will be a game with working title Epic Mickey and designated for Nintendo Wii console. What is so special about the project, is that it suppose to be, you ready, a steampunk and post-apocalyptic version of Disney world.
How about that? First Disney buys Pixar without affecting their creativity, then they give ok to develop a bizarre and futuristic game with completely distorted iconic characters, and who knows the rest of their plans. So no more limiting themselves to family genres with clean and nice looking animation, trying not to offend anyone. Are we going to see more edgy and risk taking Disney that agrees to butcher the images of iconic Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck and others? Apparently yes. Just check out these twisted and depressing concept art designs, created by the artists of the Junction Point Studios for the game.

More concept images for Epic Mickey are below, and if I am already doing this, how about first concept art for upcoming animated feature film about ThunderCats, concept vision for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which also gets a remake, and some cool illustrations for Stanislaw Lem's book The Invincible, created by Russian animator Alexey Andreev.
Below.


Visit also the sources: Eurogamer and ONTD for more images, info and links to the websites of the artists.

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Next is first concept art for ThunderCats. I am not sure why they had to put such big watermarks and why it's in the middle of the image, but apparently Movieline scored big and got first concept images of Lion-O and of some environmental backgrounds for the new CGI animated film based of the famous cat-like aliens and their adventures on the Third Earth. The film expected at Summer of 2010.

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Designer Robert Simons have on his blog this impressive set of concept art for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. To clarify things first, it is not an official work, this is just his vision and imagination on the subject from his creative portfolio. It just so happens, a new cinematic version of the classic sci-fi story is being developed by none other than Joseph McGinty Nichol, aka McG, that will direct the film. The movie, titled 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo, is scheduled for 2011 and I can only wish it will look that good.

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First I encountered blog of Russian animator Alexey Andreev when I found out that he is creating backgrounds for the animated sequel of cultish Russian film Kin Dza Dza. More info about the sequel I already posted before, and I also took a look around. He draws some freaky stuff, no doubt, but what I especially liked is his illustrations for Stanislaw Lem's books. It is completely fan art, no one asked him to do that, he just likes the author and draws these sci-fi examples according to his own imagination and associations. According to Andreev, it is a concept art for the film that no one will ever make. So far he did two books, Eden and The Invincible, but I'll post only number of his illustrations for the later.

The Invincible is powerful interstellar space ship, that lands on the planet Regis III which seems uninhabited and bleak, to investigate the loss of sister ship, Condor. During the investigation, the crew finds evidence of a form of quasi-life, born through evolution of autonomous, self-replicating machines. The evolution was controlled by "robot wars", and the only form that survived were swarms of minuscule, insect-like machines.

More art work at Andreev's blog and website.