The end result, while still maintaining his mismatched body made up of pilfered parts, has a much less monsterous feel. He's all business now.
Friday, May 16, 2008
The Evolution of Lockdown
Of any character on TFA, Lockdown's final form is the most different to my original concept for the character design. When I first read his description in the script, I pictured him being much more of a lumbering Frankenstein monster type, made up of stolen parts looted from other Cybertronians.
The end result, while still maintaining his mismatched body made up of pilfered parts, has a much less monsterous feel. He's all business now.
The end result, while still maintaining his mismatched body made up of pilfered parts, has a much less monsterous feel. He's all business now.
Wow, that's sweet. I love getting to see the the behind the scenes early concepts to these characters. Can't wait to get more of Lockdown in the show. Thanks for the peek into the creative process; always extremely cool to see.
ReplyDeleteWow! Great proportions on that first one. The skeleton chest markings are extra badass. Wish you had kept em.
ReplyDeleteGreat seeing the evolution, Derrick. You should post up more of your alternates versions.
So when do we find out Sari's a robot? The anticiptation's killing me.
Ultimately those proportions just didn't fit the personallity of the character. As for the Sari stuff, that's just an internets rumor! People come up with the weirdest ideas...
ReplyDeleteawesome man! I love early concepts =D
ReplyDeleteMore pleeese!
MM
Lockdown is super-cool. I hope he shows up again. Transformers has had a long history of badass bounty hunter/mercenary characters.
ReplyDeleteboth versions are pretty cool. should of kept the extra arms though.
ReplyDeleteMr. Lambe: Sari is not a robot, Sari is made out of CHEESE, that's why she only wears yellow and orange. My theory anyway. Lockdown looks super creepy in the first one, but looks like he can't get knocked down as much in the second. I think he has better core robot muscles or something.
ReplyDeleteMaaaan he looks damned weird, Repugnus is TOM CRUISE compared to that!
ReplyDeleteYou know what Animated needs, Derrick? More ugly-ass robots, enough of the pretty faces!
Well actualy never mind, Lugnut himself is ugly enough for the whole show.
I got the little vestigial arms in on another character. I really loved that idea too.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about more ugliness. I'm going to try to up that quotient.
Hey Derrick was there any influence from the old Marvel UK TF bounty hunter character Death's Head? There are a few similarities.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this, Derrick! The little arms will grow back, right?
ReplyDeleteWas Lockdown inspired by Furman's Death's Head at all?
ReplyDeleteYeah, little vestigial arms rule, as Grimlock can assure everyone! :)
ReplyDeleteI was always wondering if you in some way based Lockdown on Death's Head, another bounty hunter (although he prefers the term "freelance peace-keeping agent") from the Transformers mythos, he was a creation of Simon Furman and appeared in the Marvel UK comics, a cyborg bounty-hunter who was all buisness and worked for Bot and Con alike (had the peculiar quirk of finishing each sentence with a 'yes?') When I first saw Lockdown both the not TF-like face (no helmet or nose) and the spiked shoulders and the hook-arm reminded me of Death's Head.
Yeah the arms are awesome. I'd definitely like to see them on someone.
ReplyDeleteYou said you got them in on someone else. Any hints as to who?
The final Lockdown is hot, they made the right call--but keep that basic hulking shape and accentuate the mismatched parts for the next-gen Autobot X!
ReplyDeleteI love it! Keep feeding us our weekly Transformers candy!!
ReplyDeleteNo, he's not based on Death's Head at all. The original design is more 2000 AD inspired, while the final one is sort of reminiscent of skull like head and an undertaker's tux. Death's Head is more Darth Vader (with horns) looking to me.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to say anything about the return of the little arms yet, but you'll know when you see them!
He has the tiny arms to fight people and drink oil all at the same time right?
ReplyDeleteIt's not Shockwave is it? I mean... who would need little arms when you have BANG BANG GIGA CLAW AAAARMS!
ReplyDeleteWell really I can't doubt anything, you guys are being so original with Animated, even the G1-inpired characters are different enough to be their own character, hell Swindle got a STOMACH GUN WITH SHOULDER LASERS! Never thought I'd see the lil' dude going all GATTLING GUN at somebody's face with a stomach weapon!
That's kinda cool to see.
ReplyDeleteHe feels more like an alien to me than a Transformer, though. He looks really organic.
What's with all these Sari is a robot rumors? CLEARLY Sari Sumdac is an ORBOT. 9__9
ReplyDeleteSo like, when you design original Cybertronian characters such as Lockdown here, who's job is it to figure out how they transform into their alter form? How many revisions do the designs have to go through in order to get them to mesh as amazingly as the current animated toy designs do?
Yo Derrick! I like the asymetry in Lockdown. Makes him interesting. I think you did the right thing by going with #2. He looks a bit too organic and monster of the week in number 1.
ReplyDeleteAlso cool owl video!
"What's with all these Sari is a robot rumors?"
ReplyDeleteBai Du, get one free?
...sorry, had a bit of a Wreck-Gar moment there.
Anyway, I'm going with "cyborg" myself.
FrankenLockdown looks cool.
Well, Sari is sort of a robot... after all, she (like Detroit) is merely a figment of Bumblebee's imagination, brought to a semblence of life by the power of the Allspark. Sheesh, haven't you guys been paying attention at all?
ReplyDeleteAlso, Lockdown's episode was definitely a favorite of mine. He was very well characterized, and I look forward to seeing more of him.
v cool!!
ReplyDeleteWow the original design would have made for a rather interesting, if not very difficult to sculpt, toy.
ReplyDeleteThough, do you have any word for us yet on if you guys are getting more seasons? I'm sure everyone's dying to see more of the characters that have had limited, almost teasing, appearances in the series such as Soundwave.
I just read on Teletraan 1 that you went to the Joe Kubert school. I went there, too! Well, I had to drop out because problems arose with transportation, but the fact that you went to the same school as I did (or at least tried to) was pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteCome on, show us more designs!
ReplyDeletelove your stuff
ReplyDeleteWill we get to see some of the robots lockdown gets his upgrades from or will any return for revenge
ReplyDeleteAlso will galvatron appear
Amazing!!!!
ReplyDeleteAAAAHHHH sweet! i finally found the Concept artist for TFA. I love your work dood. Highly admire your design ability and flexibility. One of these days you will have to let me know how you broke into the BiZ and how you managed to get Lead CA for TFA.
ReplyDeleteI myself currently work in the industry, but no where near your capacity.
much respect!!!! MUCH respect to you!
HEY!
ReplyDeleteI want my F*@K%!# PANTS BACK!!!
Nice drawrin's, by the way...
Hey Derrick, just saw pics of the Animated Swindle toy, looks like a blessing of god for us Swindle fans, huh?
ReplyDeletekick@$$!
ReplyDeleteCould you do more insights like this one? Better yet convince Hasbro to put out an Animated design and notebook?
ReplyDeleteI love your stuff!!
Hi Derrick,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to thank you for sharing these alternate designs, as an illustrator myself, it's always really interesting to see how things change in the design process and why certain choices were made. Great stuff.
i know very well your very hard at work but i like lockdowns old look but his new look isnt so bad
ReplyDeleteit would have been SO cool if Lockdown was upgraded to "Frankenbot" in The five servos of darkness
ReplyDelete