# Stormhaven 319



## Glisterspeck (Nov 24, 2013)

Hello all! I'm starting on a novella about a city that follows a storm around a desert world for water, power and cooling. I have most of the backstory done, but not the actual plot. Was thinking of calling it Sturmdrang, but that's a bit on the nose. (It does have sturm and drang in high quantities though!) Anyway, while I'm coming up with the story, I've been working on an illustration for the city, which I thought I'd share with you all. Let me know what you think!


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## Mouse (Nov 24, 2013)

I think it's brilliant. Very atmospheric.


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## alchemist (Nov 24, 2013)

Yikes, it's fantastic. Interesting premise too.


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## Jo Zebedee (Nov 24, 2013)

Oooh, very fab. I am a fan of desert cities.


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## HareBrain (Nov 24, 2013)

I like it, but I think I'd like a bit of colour in there. (Hard to be sure without seeing it.)

What package did you use to draw it? (I assume it's digital?)


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## Abernovo (Nov 24, 2013)

I like it. Great atmosphere, and I've been getting into the idea of mobile cities recently. The concept's interesting.

Can't see many windows. Ooh, a dark tale, I imagine.


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## Glisterspeck (Nov 24, 2013)

Thanks all! The idea was sparked by a Gene Wolfe short story, but I can't remember the name. It was about cities that rode up and down giant waves on, what I took to be, a world ocean. I remember the concept striking me more than anything, so I decided to develop a strong concept first, then worry about story, and that is where I am.

It will be dark. It was originally meant to be a response to the anti-science views rampant in America today, particularly the global warming deniers. Now it is just as likely to be about the absurdity of life, that we would even bother going on in such a situation, and why. Also, because I'm writing it, religion.

HB, if there's enough sun getting through to really make out colors, they are in trouble. ;-) Still, I agree with you. This wouldn't hold up as cover art, for instance. Doesn't have enough contrast. I tried to lay in a little color around the lights, where it should be more visible.

I started with building a model in SketchUp. This allows me to pose it just so, and also, allowed me to make sure my mechanics weren't completely unbelievable. Everything else was done in photoshop using a Wacom Cintiq. Redrew it all because I don't like  straight lines, then added in the shading, then the effects. I'll include some process images below.


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## Starbeast (Nov 27, 2013)

That's really cool man. Great idea for a story! Excellent art too.


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## Vertigo (Nov 27, 2013)

I love the artwork... but the crane at the front and particularly the cab window make it seem way too small for a city to me. The scale of that crane and window make it seem more like a big drilling rig.


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## Glisterspeck (Nov 28, 2013)

Hm. That's a good point. The crane cab would be about 20ft tall, which is prolly out of whack.  The multi-level deck the crane sits on is 60ft tall in total. The leg towers are around 320ft. Think of it being around the size of two enterprise class aircraft carriers, because that's aboutt the size it is. In the story, the supported population is around 5 or 6 thousand, which is a little over the minimum viable population. But yes, it would be very industrial, much like a drilling platform.


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## Colbey Frost (Dec 5, 2013)

Nice work!


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