Despina, High exterior shot development

So I think it time to share my take on Despina.

After reflecting on the critique gained from the OGR, I thought hard about what Despina should look and feel like, trying to use the text in a more faithful way than I had previously.

Phil mentioned the windjammer like quality of Despina is at odds with it's almost industrial, chimney adorned description. So I have tried to capitalise on that, and I hope I have!

At first I began to experiment with the placement of the chimney's, at one point certifying that they would form a ring around Despina, covering the lower levels in smog and soot. This immediately brought forth ideas of fresh air being a commodity; Notions of higher and lower classes vying for clean air within the desert city of Despina.

I took quite a shine to the shape of #3, feeling as though it was a craft about to take off. Using that notion I played around with the shape a bit, and ultimately laid the shape down, so as to act as a floor plan for a city.

This is when I began experimenting...

Image #4 became the basis for my side view, I really tried to hint at the form of a ship,even going so far as to add a giant solar sail in the middle of the city.

I took these images as sacrosanct and went into Maya to model Despina, in order to achieve a greater sense of perspective for my helicopter shot.

Then I thought, it's do or die! so I threw myself into the painting process, experimenting with colour, to achieve an earthy and desolate appearance, as well as to impact some sense of scale on the piece, without having any human element present. (If that's a good idea, remains to be seen.)

Here's what I've got so far. I'm at the stage where I'm just toying with the minutiae rather than laying broad strokes down.

Any comments are appreciated, as I sometimes feel as though in the haze of Despina myself.

Ciao.