The concept sketches from The Matrix by Geofrey "Geof" Darrow are beautiful, but almost too detailed. You can barely make out what the robots are made of.  It would have been impossible to create them on-screen, but at least they can provided a framework. Sometimes, concept designers can go nuts with the design I guess.

Neo gets pulled out of his pod by one of the "Docbot" robot caretakers.

A nice view of the inside of the hovership "Nebuchadnezzar" and the "bug probe" that removes the robot from Neo's bellybutton.

The design for the robot ""Squiddies" or "Sentinels."

Born October 21, 1955) Darrow is a comic artist and designer born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States. He is known for having an extremely high level of detail in his work. He's worked on everything from the 80s show Superfriends to movies like Speed Racer and a ton of comic books.

Check out more of his work at the unofficial fansite http://www.geofdarrow.net/ more »

Inception is an amazing movie and the visuals are nothing less than stunning. Now Christopher Nolan is planning to release an amazing book about the film called simply "Inception: The Shooting script." Check out all the goodies in the product description:

Inception, writer-director Christopher Nolan's seventh feature film, joins the epic scope of The Dark Knight with the narrative sophistication of Memento.

The story of a group of thieves who specialize in invading the mind through one's dreams, Inception explores the writer-director's signature psychological themes of memory, paranoia, and self-doubt as his protagonist, Dom Cobb, is pitted against a hostile subconscious spurred on by personal demons and regrets from the past.

In a conversational preface, Nolan discusses with brother and frequent collaborator, Jonathan, the genesis of the idea for the film and the decade-long process it took to write it. Detailing the results of Nolan's efforts, Inception: The Shooting Script includes key storyboard sequences, full-colour concept art, and an appendix on the workings of the mysterious Pasiv Device that Cobb and his fellow extractors use to initiate the dream-share. An exclusive exploration of a highly original concept, Inception: The Shooting Script is the record of a writer-director at the height of his craft.
Includes: Writer-Director Christopher Nolan's initial handwritten outline of the Inception plot. A preface by brothers and collaborators Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, in which they delve into the 10-year development process behind Inception. An 8-page colour insert featuring Inception concept art. An in-world appendix with instructions for operating the mysterious Pasiv Device mechanism.

I know you've wondered how that little dream device worked and it's cool to think he's going to break it down for us. Hopefully, he'll have some sketches of the jaw-dropping scene of Paris folding in half. You can pre-order it here.

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A new feature will be showing which DVDs released this week has concept art or storyboards.
Heroes: Season Four
Product DescriptionSullivan Brothers Design Gallery (Disc 3, HD, 3 minutes): A short montage of concept art for the Sullivan Brothers Carnival.
Experience all the intrigue and suspense of Heroes: Season 4 in this 5-disc set that includes all 18 gripping episodes from the fourth season’s volume, Redemption. As the Heroes mourn fallen friends and face dangerous new foes, prepare for a wild ride — filled with shocking twists and turns — through an ominous funhouse that culminates in a Brave New World. Then step right up and explore hours of exclusive, behind-the-curtain magic with the show’s writers, stars and artists. more »

You'd think something as huge and iconic as The Empire State Building would be easier to spot. Swiss-born Christian Lorenz Scheurer designed some of the awe-inspiring cityscapes for the 1997 film The Fifth Element starring Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich.

He describes his approach this way. "My idea was to integrate old NY buildings, like for example the Empire State building, into the much larger megabuildings."

Empire State Building

Website: www.christianlorenzscheurer.com/
2003©Columbia Pictures / Digital Domain

Can you find the Empire State Building in these drawings? more »

The art below was released at San Diego Comic-Con on a t-shirt. The best part about it is that fans could view their shirt in a webcam to watch trails of fire coming from their chest.



One thing is for sure, it's a lot more faithful than the 1998 Godzilla film.



Concept artists unknown.
[Image credit: Legendary Pictures / Toho Kingdom] more »

Based on an ad posted to ConceptArt.org and a discussion in a forum one of the most popular superhero podcasts may be coming to TV.

I listen to the "Escape Pod" podcast and one of my favorites is the superhero series called "Union Dues" which follows the trials of a world inhabited by superheros. It's one of the most realistic worlds ever created. I ran into an ad on the forums looking for artists.

We recently acquired the TV rights for Union Dues, a superhero series by Jeffrey DeRego. I am a producer who just finished the television series Monk, and my partner is Exec Prod of visual effects at the Toronto based Intelligent Creatures.
We are currently putting together a pitch for Union Dues, and are seeking new concept artists with a passion for superhero characterizations. Pencil art, 3d work, etc. This is intended as a live-action series, and you will be credited with your work in the presentation.
A little about the project:
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Union Dues is a superhero story series combining the morally gray world of Watchmen, the ensemble melodrama and overlapping story lines of Lost, and the superhero action of X-men.
Created by Jeffrey R. DeRego, the Union Dues literary podcasts have already generated a base of nearly ONE MILLION fans and have gained critical acclaim amongst the independent literary community.
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A new website is currently being built, but a bit more about the project, including our press release, can be found here.
http://www.1-800-go-union.com/

To contact us, please email mail[at]1-800-go-union[dot]com

I haven't heard anything since, but it's exciting to think about. I'd love to talk to someone involved in the project. Apparently, Darren Bell hired concept artists who’ve worked on Farscape and "Fallout." more »

The producers of Street Fighter: the Legend of Chun Li released a bunch of storyboards on their blog by artist Ted Boonthanakit and they tell an amazing story through his smooth visuals. They also teach important lessons about life. Here are five of them:

1. If you're being shot at on a roof, always head for the top loader.

2. To toss someone from a kitchen island always grab under the jacket.

3. The best way for a woman to jump a fence is to do a "Nadia Comaneci" vault.
4. Remember that guys with blades on their hands can slice through a chain-link fence.
5. If you're going to do a upper-cut to the jaw make a profound connection.

 That's one to grow on.

Are there any more lessons we can learn from Street Fighter: Legend of Chun Li?

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