Concept Art

[TigerClaw]

Spoiler:

[Powder]

Mikey's face is near perfect there, as far as what they were going for is concerned. They changed it for the final look so very little, yet it makes a world of difference. He goes from cute & charming yet still tough, to EUGH with that extra dose of uncanny valley. If all the turtles were similar facially & stature-wise to his concept art, I'd have been totally sold. Leo turned out for the best being made more chunky, though I would have preferred the X strap belts to the redundant bamboo armor. Donnie looks DREADFUL there, what was he thinking?! The face is like that of a disgruntled feline/ape hybrid.

"Their individual personalities had to be apparent through the design,
so for inspiration they gave us reference pictures of who they wanted each individual turtle to be. Michaelangelo was Bill Murray, Raphael was Clint Eastwood, Donatello was Leonard Nimoy, and Leonardo was Tom Hanks."

...Is he trolling?

[TigerClaw]

Here's the whole interview from that link I posted

CBM: When you were asked to design the Turtles did they already have a certain look in mind?

Jared Krichevsky: The first time the show came into the Aaron Sims Company, they went through a number of various designs between a lot of very talented artists. So when I got the chance to work on it later in 2012 I had to look at what was already done, and had to do my own spin on it. They wanted to keep some of the roundness of the established designs but also wanted a grittier tone. Their individual personalities had to be apparent through the design, so for inspiration they gave us reference pictures of who they wanted each individual turtle to be. Michaelangelo was Bill Murray, Raphael was Clint Eastwood, Donatello was Leonard Nimoy, and Leonardo was Tom Hanks. So another artist, Cameron Ward, and I went to work on some initial head studies. Cameron's image really nailed Leonardo, and I went on to do Mikey, Raph, and Donnie. It was enough to get us the show. I wanted them to be much dirtier and clothed in found objects, since they were societal outcasts and had to make their life and home from other people's rejected stuff.

CBM: Did you look at any of the previous source material for inspiration?

Jared Krichevsky: Certainly, the 90's films and the cartoons had a lot of impact on the designs, especially pushing their already established personalities from the Fred Wolf cartoon. But we had a lot of visual influences from the internet fan base as well, since the turtles have been made so many ways from across the fan art world. We looked at everything. Dave Rapoza's collection of work was everywhere and is very popular. It really seemed like an impossible task to match all that expectation and try to do a new take as well. First and foremost, you have to please the director of the movie. If you've seen Turtles Forever, and I have because I'm that kind of nerd, you know that there's an infinite amount of possibilities for the turtles looks as long as the core elements are the same - thanks to the multi-dimensional elements throughout the show. I figured this is the Bay-verse and they should look like they fit in that world.

CBM: What was the biggest challenge you faced on this project?

Jared Krichevsky: I would say that knowing the weight of the project on your shoulders. There are a lot people to keep happy, since the Turtles have a 30 year legacy and an epic fan base - myself included. I grew up with the 90's movies and cartoons, comics, had all the toys. Everyone in the shop were huge fans. There were are a lot of expectations to have about it. This was also after that infamous script had leaked that got the fan base really riled up, so there was already that built in pressure as well. I remember asking Jonathan if they were aliens or not, turns out they weren't.

CBM: Knowing that the Turtles would be motion-capture instead of a man-in-a-suit, must've given you more freedom, right?

Jared Krichevsky: Absolutely, we had a kind of freedom that allowed us to push and pull their features to make them more distinct in a way that matching direct human proportions couldn't do - we didn't have to fit a guy into a suit. Motion-capture was already hugely popular because of Andy Serkis, and so it was expected at that point the Turtles would follow suit. We designed them in 3D using Zbrush, so the director was able to sit with us and tell us where he wanted to adjust their shapes - make them more bulky etc.. We were able to do that right in front of him. A lot of the size proportions came from another artist, Kelton Cram. We thought it would be great if Mikey was smaller and feistier. Raph would be a tank because of his tough guy attitude. Donnie was less concerned with building mass and was more about intellect, so he would be taller and leaner than the rest. Leonardo was the quarterback, calling the shots, so he had to have the most heroic proportions. But to see what ILM did with the motion-capture was very thrilling. There was a lot of nuance in the animation and performance.

CBM: How difficult is it to balance the cartoon-look of the Turtles and some of their realistic elements?

Jared Krichevsky: They're mutants by the very name in their title, so how much of that balance is there between human, mutant and turtle while still paying homage to the canon. There are some things that were easy to translate - like the shell and the humanoid anatomy. It's interesting that fans had such a strong reaction to the nostrils and the lips, because we couldn't do clicking, rigid beaks like most turtles, they had to be very emotive and expressive and they had to eat pizza. The nostrils well...real turtles have nostrils, so we figured it would help them breathe considering all the physical activity they do. They were all pretty buff in the cartoons and the earlier films, so finding the right amount of fitness was important too, eventually the producers wanted them to be pretty jacked.

CBM: Which Turtle was the most challenging to design?

Jared Krichevsky: Honestly it was Leonardo, because he's the most heroic Turtle in terms of look, so getting him right was a challenge, and we did multiple variations in terms of his age and the overall shape of his head.

[Candy Kappa]

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

Some more concept art by Jared Krichevsky plus an interview
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansit...news/?a=109641

Spoiler:

http://i.imgur.com/h4MlVZi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AILJM0c.jpg

http://imgur.com/O9E7TlL

http://i.imgur.com/2FEsMlY.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AEcmlap.jpg

http://imgur.com/ibPBXQZ

http://i.imgur.com/bjgtZK6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/sMNkr6M.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/I7h3ZFN.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/rXhgtMr.jpg

This is how the final Platinum Dunes designs should have looked like. They aren't perfect, but tons of times better then what we got, despite having similar issues as the final product.

Their shells are much better designed, and it is a complete shell instead of glued on separate pieces of a plastron and a carapace. The clothes have a sort of "control in the chaos", cluttered but still a sliver of self-control.

Leo's shoulder plates is actually connected to something and isn't just glued on his shoulders, wow someone knows how armor works. :O

Raph looks less HULK.

The skin coloring and textures on their skin and shell is so much better as well.

[Bloodsucker]

Originally Posted by Powder

Mikey's face is near perfect there, as far as what they were going for is concerned. They changed it for the final look so very little, yet it makes a world of difference. He goes from cute & charming yet still tough, to EUGH with that extra dose of uncanny valley. If all the turtles were similar facially & stature-wise to his concept art, I'd have been totally sold. Leo turned out for the best being made more chunky, though I would have preferred the X strap belts to the redundant bamboo armor. Donnie looks DREADFUL there, what was he thinking?! The face is like that of a disgruntled feline/ape hybrid.

"Their individual personalities had to be apparent through the design,
so for inspiration they gave us reference pictures of who they wanted each individual turtle to be. Michaelangelo was Bill Murray, Raphael was Clint Eastwood, Donatello was Leonard Nimoy, and Leonardo was Tom Hanks."

...Is he trolling?

Bill Murray: age 64
Clint Eastwood: age 84
Leonard Nimoy: age 83
Tom Hanks: age 58

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

[Candy Kappa]

I'd imagine they had references of them when they where in their prime

hopefully

Although... Leo as Tom Hanks and Mikey as Bill Murray. I can see Donnie as Nimoy, although personally I never saw Donnie as a Vulcan. And Raph as Eastwood is a bit too much.

Strangely they all ended up as Schwarzenegger in the end.

[IndigoErth]

Well who's a bunch of pretty art turtles? lol Looks like Raph was pretty much hitting his art approval there, looks quite like the film version. That last pic in the separate post... now lest anyone say movie Leo's garb is "too busy," we shall point them in that direction. lol Interesting they tried giving him stripes, but have to say I prefer the more traditional spottiness.

These are quite nice. Understandably though, 3D models can never translate exactly the same as what concept art did since it's a different medium.

Originally Posted by Candy Kappa

Leo's shoulder plates is actually connected to something and isn't just glued on his shoulders, wow someone knows how armor works.

Actually I finally noticed at some point that he actually does have them tied on with black cloth, it's just very hard to see the majority of the time. In the elevator scene, when the doors open and they let out a yell before charging out, when Leo lifts his arms up you can see it. (Also reveals additional tattooed bands on his left bicep that seem otherwise invisible.)

[Candy Kappa]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

Actually I finally noticed at some point that he actually does have them tied on with black cloth, it's just very hard to see the majority of the time. In the elevator scene, when the doors open and they let out a yell before charging out, when Leo lifts his arms up you can see it. (Also reveals additional tattooed bands on his left bicep that seem otherwise invisible.)

yeah, you can see the armpit straps when they run for the elevator and stops in front of the Foot army.

The problem is, that the way they are strapped on, they will slide off. In the concept art, the shoulder plates are connected with belt straps over his chest as well, which is slightly better and at least plausible-ish for a movie.

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

These are quite nice. Understandably though, 3D models can never translate exactly the same as what concept art did since it's a different medium.

i thikn that's a bit of a disservice to 3D art, especially when there are CG artists that have made beautifully accurate stuff like 3D models of Frank Miller's Batman and the Little sister from My Neighbor Totoro making them look like realistic renditions that have sprung out of the source material.

I'm sure the team behind the CG creature models in TMNT would have made excellent models based on any concept art from the movie.

[Commenter 42]

Originally Posted by Candy Kappa

I'm sure the team behind the CG creature models in TMNT would have made excellent models based on any concept art from the movie.

People don't get this part.

The concept art is where the problems begin.
The cg artists working on TMNT are actually some of the best in the world.
Their hands were tied by the design.

Garbage in = garbage out. Which i know isn't truely the fault of the concept arist, as they are following direction, BUT by his own admission, he had a lot of room to play, and HE chose to go in a direction...
the wrong direction, but whatever.

[IndigoErth]

Yes, I realize talented artists are able to do amazing work for the models, I'm not saying the obvious differences (i.e. increased steroids) is caused by going from one medium to another. But the softer, more artistic vision of a 2D concept is not going to be exactly the same in living breathing fleshed out characters in realistic lighting, skin textures, etc.

To add to conversation on how it translates over... some movies of course, maybe most big ones these days, may also be having people sculpt a likeness first then a scanner is used to bring a 3D model of it into the animation software. So there's that part too, however the sculpts end up happening if that method was used and who may have had say if any changes were made during that process.

[Sabacooza]

Where are these images coming from and why haven't they released an artbook yet? It's just baffling that they aren't relasing this in book form.

[masterninja]

Theses' concept art are cool http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7OKsvAOU8w found this video on youtube.

[Powder]

You "found it", huh? That's YOUR channel, & all you did was save the images that you found out about from this thread, & put them on youtube.

[Jester]

Originally Posted by masterninja

Theses' concept art are cool http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7OKsvAOU8w found this video on youtube.

Originally Posted by Powder

You "found it", huh? That's YOUR channel, & all you did was save the images that you found out about from this thread, & put them on youtube.

How very TMNTMikey23 of you.

[TheSkeletonMan939]

Originally Posted by Sabacooza

Where are these images coming from and why haven't they released an artbook yet? It's just baffling that they aren't relasing this in book form.

Probably because a lot of this concept art alone is better than anything in the movie.

Also, considering that the film was targeting the lowest common denominator (so to speak) it's likely they worry that viewers won't be interested in an artbook or a soundtrack, or anything remotely intellectual. They probably think there isn't a market for it.

[Monstermash042]

Originally Posted by Commenter 42

People don't get this part.

The concept art is where the problems begin.
The cg artists working on TMNT are actually some of the best in the world.
Their hands were tied by the design.

Garbage in = garbage out. Which i know isn't truely the fault of the concept arist, as they are following direction, BUT by his own admission, he had a lot of room to play, and HE chose to go in a direction...
the wrong direction, but whatever.

So very kind of you.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Sabacooza

Where are these images coming from and why haven't they released an artbook yet? It's just baffling that they aren't relasing this in book form.

Originally Posted by TheSkeletonMan939

Probably because a lot of this concept art alone is better than anything in the movie.

Really wish they would. If it was the newest stuff we've seen, plus maybe more done by the same person/people... I'd get that in a heart beat.

Makes me wish for them to have the want, and the rights, to illustrate an entire book just like that (those images included) with a storyline as well. Either with text or just tell a story in pictures. Like a nice 'coffee table' hardback. Sooo much WANT. Elevate the Turtles to a whole new level of respect in a society that clings to the theory that they are just "kid's stuff." Someone please look at this thread and make this happen...

[samxsteal]

Originally Posted by Monstermash042

So very kind of you.

Seriously dont listen to these people. They are pretentious. There are plenty of people who enjoyed your concept. Whether or not any of these people are willing to admit this is their issue.

Some of these people still swear on there lives this movie isn't doing well.
Which is ridiculous. But that's there prerogative then fine.

I and many other very much enjoyed your designs on a conceptual level as well and the final product.

Also
This

Spoiler:

nearly identical to this

Spoiler:

and to hear people say the first one is definitely better then the other is utterly ridiculous.

[Xiewin]

Despite really hating the movie, I'm not going to lie, I absolutely love the size and design of the turtles.
I just wish they were placed in better film which is obviously the writers and directors fault.

[masterninja]

Originally Posted by Xiewin

Despite really hating the movie, I'm not going to lie, I absolutely love the size and design of the turtles.
I just wish they were placed in better film which is obviously the writers and directors fault.

I agree I would have liked to see theses designs of the turtles in the film. Maybe they will change them a bit for TMNT 2.