You know, when I saw Christiansen's Airazor art, my first thought was also that Japanese Airazor art, but after digging it up to compare? They don't share a single line. Just because something reminds you of something else doesn't make it plagiarism.

 

I think people misunderstand the part this guy\'s concept art serve in the toy design. His job is to draw a set 2d references for these characters in a visual style which is consistent with the other figures in the line while still looking true to the show design. The latter is especially important because the BW cast doesn\'t have the same wealth of 2d art that the G1 characters have and instead only have those old 3d models from Mainframe which may or may not even exist today a good twenty years later. Granted I suspect they still do in some capacity because Takara is doing BW Masterpieces which are shocking accurate.

 

You're kidding, right? This is a standard pose for a standard angle. Character designers/artists are asked to do turnarounds. Front, 3/4 (like this one), side, and back are the standard. This feels like bait otherwise lol

 

I'm not sure how concept art like this usually starts, but I think there's art from ER Arcee in similar vain. I saw a tweet earlier that superimposed the two drawings (Ken's and the original G1 animation model) and they're almost line-for-line identical. But like I said, I don't know if that was the intention.

 

It’s definitely not a 1-for-1 trace, i’d be insane to suggest that, their arms are in completely different positions for starters lol

Wouldn’t be surprised if he was looking at this art when he made it though

 

With concept art, one would be given references and asked to do turnarounds. The director or project manager would review the artwork and give feedback on iterations until they reach work that they are satisfied with. I don't know how it works for a toy company though, but I doubt it's any different than for games or animation. I don't know about Ken Christiansen, but if he has an actual history of tracing, then my bad.

 

It’s a character model sheet, there’s only so many ways you can draw those, especially when it’s an established character with an established design

I probably should’ve realized I’d be stirring things up posting that, my bad

 

lol.

This thread is always great to return to. You guys just really talk outta your ass half the time with regards to the art industry as a whole.
Referencing a pose is not in any way shape or form plagiarism. There are certainly "pose swipes" in the comic book industry, which is a little more egregious depending on the situation, but even in that situation it has to be pretty bad to ACTUALLY be plagiarism.

Also...its a standing pose, lol. Looking at artwork, photographs, etc to help make your artwork is simply part of the job. And if you are an amateur artist, you should be looking at all manner of reference too. Granted, you are gonna get less flack online if you take photos of yourself or use posing software, but it doesn't mean that looking at a basic pose reference online is plagiarism. No everyone is a superhuman that can draw everything from memory.

I loathe actual plagiarism, btw. And I'd be rippin this guy to shreds if he was actually doing it. But he's not.

 

Indeed, there is no doubt he referenced that old drawing for the new one, but to say he "traced it" when not a single line matches is... well...

 

Looks more eagle than falcon there in beast mode on these drawings...

 

Is "both hands to the side" really completely different from "one hand to the side, one on the hip?"

I'm pretty sure if I drew even two characters in a row I couldn't make their proportions and posture line up this closely.

No way anyone's convincing me the Japanese art wasn't at least on the bottom layer while he drew this. I mean, there's oddities to this art that don't even really make sense unless it was at least partially traced, like her complete lack of neck or really broad, back set shoulders. Her right bicep also weirdly extends past the elbow joint in a way the left one doesn't, but does line up with the Japanese art where the lower arms is in a different pose.

 

The new Scorponok takes more reference from the Japanese 2D art than it did from the show, so that series of drawings was clearly a big influence on someone at Hasbro or Takara

 

I still find it odd to complain that concept art looks like the character it was meant to be. If you're under the impression Christiansen is some kind of chronic tracing hack... Please go actually look at his other works. Yeah the Airrazor looks a lot like that older piece... It's the same character and also the best piece of reference art that exists for her. Who wouldn't reference it? If you look close there's not a single actual line that's shared, and he also produced back and side views from this. Not traced at all. You're accusing a guy of being lazy for not reinventing the wheel.
One last thing, contrary to popular belief, concept artists are not always given free range. They're actually often given very strict orders. Christiansen actually posted on Facebook that Hasbro asked him to essentially remake the Arcee model from the movie. Whatever lack of originality you're sensing here, isn't from the hired artist. It's from Hasbro. Don't hate the guy for taking a paycheck drawing 80s-90s robots exactly as they were, if you want to hate on anyone hate on Hasbro for telling an artist "just draw G1 Arcee and change nothing."

 

Dinobot Concept art.

The Art of Ken Christiansen

 

Yes, it's a shame they had to cover up the bone spine with the kibble (that could have perhaps been used to make the tail-slasher bigger and have the ability to spin).

 

Same the raptor head on the toy looks so bad!  

 

So pics of RED Dinobot when? 

 

Do you have Kingdom Dinobot? What takes up the space needed for a spinning mechanism is Dinobot's own robot head. Rearrangement of back kibble won't solve that -- it exists only as a sleeve for Dinobot's head in beast mode.

 

Seeing this guy's art reminds me why I love the Beast Wars-era design so much. They are recognizably Transformers but there is a certain more biomechanical vibe to the Maximals and Predacons which enhance the idea there are organic components and that the technology is more advanced than Autobot and Decepticons. This is still very much a transforming robot, obviously, but its not as boxy as classic G1 designs. You can sort of see this art style evolution from the G1 season 1 and 2 to Floro Dery's Season 3 designs to the Beast Era.

 

Thank Primus they didn\'t copy paste the toy beast modes!