Guillaume Béguin - Concept Art Portfolio 2023

DUST WORLDS

Dust worlds is a personal project of various character design, study and research largely inspired by Moebius comics and "Dune" universe (books and movies). Between science-fiction and heroic fantasy, the plotline takes place on a dying planet once fertile with numerous alien species. The people living there are at war for the last resources, now in the hands of the wealthiest. 

The line up below from left to right : the knight, the third-eye witch, the princess and the explorer.

Mostly wealthy characters, each of them has a unique dynamic and silhouette giving by their clothes. The most fun part was actually designing their suits and props. A lot Moebius and Mucha inspiration with the shapes and curves creating organic patterns on very large drapery.

The Golden Throne : a spaceship in orbit around the dying planet, where the princess sits with her advisors.

The two men below are actually posture studies of warriors. I added them right here since they fit the whole story as characters fighting to survive.

This little alien-creature was at first the main character of another story that hasn't been developed, from one of my classmate. This creature is named Biose. She carries with her small seeds and shoots to save the last vegetal species still alive on the dying planet. I see her design as a mix between a fairy, a little mammal and a parasite mushroom.

The two design below do not belong to the Dust Worlds story anymore. They were just more classical research on what humans from Earth could look like if they were part of the same lore. The astronaut is named Freya. The woman below Freya doesn't have a name, she just smokes her cigarette quietly. Don't mind her.

MEDITATIONS

Tales of Witches

For this one I was really inspired by movies like Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell which bring together the Neo-noir and Scifi genre. Comic artits like Enki Bilal and Frank Miller were also huge inspirations with their respective works : Nikopol's trilogy and Sin city. As in these previous stories, I wanted to create strong and determined female characters, sometimes stubborn, maybe scary on the edges but empathic at the end, all living in a dystopian megalopolis.

I always loved black and white in movies, animation and photography. Especially the analogue film appeal : very high contrast, grainy, a bit washed-out. I kept these characteristics in mind while creating them.

Those last concepts in colors are a bit further from the original storyline who takes place inside the megalopolis. It represents free witches/ outcast outside of the city. Surely with a bit of heroic fantasy inspiration.

PORTRAITS

MOVIE STUDIES

CITYSCAPE

Some works done in my third year at ESMA school. The one on the left was made for a 3D project preproduction called "The Facade" (3d render below). I choose this post-apocalyptic look with the Alien / Giger reference sucking the power out of this New York building. The other one is an illustration based on a book written by André Malraux called "La condition Humaine" and its depiction of Shanghai in the 20's. The two line up were made with ink on paper.

TRAJECTOIRE

My graduation 3D short film preproduction done last year at ESMA school. It was made with seven other teammates. I was mainly in charge of the artistic direction / concept art of the short. It's a contemplative story about a man who travels differents fantastic worlds on his boat.

"Fascinated by an inhospitable world, a man has to face his sufferings to find his place" 

The traveler : the main character of the story, an humanoid who got alien-like features. At first, we wanted him to look like an human with the explorer suit, like an aviator or an astronaut. But we drifted away to a more ambiguous look. Its origin are a mystery. He's the last member of its kind.

During his journey, he will come across strange cretaures with both cephalopod and cetacean features. Our main character will grow a huge fascination by following them during their migration. The set and the creatures are mainly based on the underwater life which brings this etheral and mystical feels.

The last researches were about his mental space/ his home inside the boat : bright, comforting but sterile and devoid of life. Opposed to the outside world : uncaring, dangerous but exciting and full of life and creatures. The whole story is about this dilemna.

Thank you for joining me in this presentation ! And don't hesitate to leave any feedback on the comments or in private ! :)