My Borderlands 2 - Concept Sketchbook

Borderlands 2 Fan Creations
#1

Hey Everyone!

I Created this forum to show my current works and projects that were inspired by the Borderlands Universe.

Iv been working on a couple of Borderlands Inspired pieces for my portfolio. I am in my last year of college and I thought (and was recommended) that I should post it up on the forums for people to see and hopefully enjoy!
Ill be updating this forum as I create - so i hope you all enjoy my processes and ideas and my art that was inspired from this wonderful game and studio! =)
C&C Always Welcome

Here starts my first projects i started sketching for that i started about a month ago - Its a concept for a slag plant design. I noticed they have explosive, corrosive, fire and shock plants, but no Slag plants =O. SO i thought it would be a cool concept to try and create something that they haven’t actually created yet - there fore the Slag Plant Idea Was born:

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Here was the first ever sketch idea that first started my thought on “Hmm, maybe a plant for a future environment would be cool” - I sketched this out on the subway. (this was originally an idea for an explosive plant - in which the bulbs, if shot, would explode into shards, or just explode)

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I originally was thinking of creating a full set of plants for my project for school - I watched a documentary on plants and took some inspiration from some random flower around me as i drew outside - I Thought that maybe i would play with a couple new flower ideas for each element.

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An idea for a new type of fire plant

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I Started thinking more about corrosive plants and was playing with the idea of a slag plant when i drew up these - After watching a documentary and looking up some various plants i came across this type of orchid that had a giant sack - i figured “hey! that looks like a weird plant, something that would grow on Pandora - maybe hold corrosive acid - or even slag”. So i tried to play with the design and make it a bit more alien looking.

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Playing with the corrosive and slag idea a bit more - figuring out how the plant would work, size, etc.

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The last of my sketching pages - this is when i decided to fully commit to the single idea of a slag plant and put all my focus into designing up to 3 different designs for a single element.

Ill keep you updated with up coming ideas and design pages!

-Donna B <3

12 Likes
#2

These are beautiful sketches. It feels like you went on an expedition on Pandora and drew these straight from what you were looking at.

I love it.

1 Like
#3

Hello Again!!

Keep following this board if you’d like to see ongoing projects and processes of my concept designs and ideas inspired for the Borderlands Universe! =)

After the sketching process it was time to go digital!!
To continue with my project, I decided to create about 8 different plant concepts to choose from - and given feedback i would choose the top 3 designs to completely lay out.

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Here is the final layout of the 8 different ideas I had to portray a plant that would be beautiful to look at but deadly to touch. I figured i would portray some tree-like ideas and some more flower-like ideas.

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Within a couple hours I had my top 3 most popular and favorite designs chosen - I carefully reworked the first design so it would be a bit more cleaner and menacing, yet beautiful - the middle is a mix between 2 designs that were I thought would work really well together (and it did ;)) and the last tree is a cleaned up version of the original =)
I thought the Borderlands loading page border around the plants would tie the whole design page nicely.

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Here is the final Project for the last chosen design!! =)
The middle was the top favorite and I wanted to make sure I would fully render and paint it out for my final step to my project. I researched a handful of Greek works to decide on a name for the plant and thus was born “Royal Cacodyl”, Cacodyl meaning Toxic. I wanted to make the beautiful vibrant purple of the slag really apparent for the plant to draw in its victims.

I played with a lot of new steps and studies that i had never tried before, and i learned A LOT throughout this whole process, not only with painting, but design and expanding my ideas and research as well with the project itself.
This plant started off my year with a bang - and i hope you’ll enjoy my upcoming project posts as much as i enjoy creating them =)

Till Next Time,

  • Donna B <3
7 Likes
#4

Thank you very much!! Im really glad you got that vibe from them! - i researched a lot of plants and tried to think of ways to make them a bit more vicious yet pretty for a Gullet like Pandora haha

Keep checking on this forum i hope to continue posting some new works and projects that were greatly inspired for the world =)

Thank you <3

-Donna B

1 Like
#5

I’ve seen those sketches in Hammerlock’s Field Journal :wink:

Kidding - I am a little surprised now that I think about it that there’s no slag-based plant (like a regular plant that, exposed to slag, is all mutated with slag warts like Nakayama, for example). The only explosive plant I can think of is that one (two?) on Wam Bam Island (which make a loud bang, but don’t seem to scratch my shield much)? Am I forgetting one?

Also - something I see in the plant that once seen cannot be unseen: I see a pair of female humanoid legs pointing upward, with the red folds of her skirt flopping downward (picture her doing a handstand), with some awful foetus/deuce on its way out of her crotch. Frankly it makes the plant seem that much more sinister for it.

1 Like
#7

Thanks for the comment =D - i have the borderlands 2 concept art book and it does seem that they have explosive trees - i remember a certain exploding plant but i cant quite put my finger on it myself haha. but yea that’s why i thought a slag plant that would possibly grow in or around the shallow pools/ponds of slag would be a nifty idea =)

(also dammit, i can totally see that now but ill still keep my innocence with the plant haha, theys just thicker petals :smiley: haha, but that’s a funny insight none the less haha)

Thank you!
Donna B

1 Like
#8

Fresh air.

Thanks for sharing this with us lady :smiley:

@JoeKGBX you may want to see this definitely

3 Likes
#9

Thank you =) Keep checking for updates on new projects if youd like =)

2 Likes
#10

Hello Everyone!

I Had been working on a new project the past little bit again and i started creating some concepts of a machine for my friends character =) Working with him, i designed and created some concepts, keeping up with feedback and trying to be as professional with the layouts as i could!

This new concept revolves around a character he is creating, Jay; Handy Jay. Shes a pandoran ARMS dealer and she needed a prop to go with her, that’s where i came in. I started work on creating a Machine that would ultimately…rip of your arm and replace it with a robotic prosthetic =)
Here are some beginning concepts exploring some ideas to capture the character and feel of how she would do her job =)

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I Started some sketches and notes to show and brainstorm with my friend on some content, ideas and jokes that could be used for the machine itself - we came up with some fun ideas and some funny Borderlands-type mature jokes that we could use with the machine - it gives it a bit of a story line with it as well.

Keep up next with the digital sketches of machines and the upcoming design sheets from then on =)

Thankies!

Donna B <3

1 Like
#11

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to post a small digital start update for the vending machine project =) - After sketching out ideas, we sat down for a brain storming session that night and the next day concepts and ideas were started digitally!

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I explored a few ideas that could work in some gruesome ways taking inspiration from elements in the game and from real life - as you can see in game inspired vending machines and slot machines that she would have created herself to play along with story. I also played with a chair idea that was based off a blood pressure machine you would see in the back of the pharmacies - Personally i think the slot machine was a funny idea haha

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We knew we wanted a sign to possibly be on the machine itself if the design worked out with it - so i also made some sign variations that could work with Jays style, and the style with the game. I Mixed a bit of my personal style in with it as well, i took inspiration from old Vegas designs and signs that you would see back in the 1920s-1950s (beautiful era and i feel that Jay enjoys that style).

Keep updated! i will post upcoming machine designs and each step in the process for you all to enjoy!! =)

Thanks!

-Donna B <3

2 Likes
#12

These are awesome, Donna! Thanks for sharing. I’m going to share these with the team for sure!

1 Like
#13

@JoeKGBX Thank you SO Much!! I Would Greatly Appreciate that! - ill keep updating more with my design stages and get into working on my recent environmental project for my own level design plan and whatnot =)
Feel free to message me or email as well with feedback or comments or anything! everything helps!

2 Likes
#14

Hello Again!

Just wanted to update with some new Steps! =D The design choice was picked so i started to play with how the machine would actually look and how it would ultimately be used.

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The vending machine design was chosen because of the many ways we could highjack one of Marcus’ machine for Jay to manipulate ;D i made sure to showcase 3 different styles of machine - a clean, a destroyed and one with a sign. This finalized machine design took elements from each of the original 4 designs listed =)

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For Modeling purposes i created a sheet to portray both the back and the front of the machine - although you never see the back of the machine in game, if the opportunity ever came up the design would be ready =)
Perspective issues for the front were fixed as well during these stages of design - make sure everything lined up and would look good for actual in game design and story =)

Last stages are coming up!!! hope you guys are loving these concepts as much as i have enjoyed creating them for my portfolio ;D color keys and final render will be shown in no time! and new progress for my newest project is also underway! Keep up with this forum if you like my stuff i’m always happy to show new ideas and new work =)

Thank You!
-Donna B

1 Like
#15

Hello Everyone Again =)

Thanks for following my board and for allowing me to show you my concept sketchbook projects. Each step is amazing practice and a new step to building my portfolio ;D
We are At the last couple steps of my vending machine projects and i must say i am VERY happy with the outcome of it all.

COLORING IS FUN!!

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After completing the final design and creating the final back and front for future modeling purposes it was time to make this baby beautiful!
We decided that the character “Jay” was an ex MALIWAN employee so my first thought was…she would prolly be left behind with some MALIWAN machinery - therefore i made sure to layout a couple MALIWAN inspired paint jobs on the machines she may have made her own haha - also as well i played out a variety of base colors to choose from as well. Normally i wanted to stay away from the black/grey, red and green machines for obvious in game reasons, but still included for the idea.
Top 3 were the 3 main liked ones that we eventually chose from (the first original MALIWAN machine, the second being similar to the first but with a slight color change - the last being a basic blue) =)

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AND THIS - THE FINAL RENDER
Final step of the project to have a fully colored, fully styled Handy Jays Hand-Jobs machine - who wouldn’t want to cut their arm off for a robot prosthetic in a beautiful machine like that!?! haha i sometimes still tweak the final here and there but i will always fully update it. I Hope you like it ;D

This project was a step in design exploration for me and it was a great journey!! and i can promise more and more to come! I had too much fun working on somthing like this and i hope you all anjoy my deisngs as well! I am currently working on a new environment project now as well - so continue to stick around the board if you like what you see, for more designs and fun ideas =)
Im always checking on here so always willing to reply to anything!

Thank you!! check back for a new update!! =) <3
All Design sheets made by me and inspired by this wonderful universe and awesome studio!

Thanks
-Donna B <3

4 Likes
#16

Hello Everyone!!

Sorry for the long lasting while of no postings - it was holidays time and i really needed a break from personal problems and technology has a whole - but IM BACK now =) and i do hope you all still interested in seeing some new ideas and level designs that i will be working on for the time being.

Always a pleasure to showcase my art and love for this environment! Thank you for your patience and acceptance =)

Thankies <3
-Donna B <3
www.donnabertucci.com

3 Likes
#17

The wait is well worth it, your concepts are marvelous and you’re an amazing artist!

#18

your idea is great , I like that .

I personally use AutodDesk Sketchbook for its simplicity and the two mate together like a dream. I would like to get an updated XP-Pen Artist 12 Drawing Pad With Screen simply for work directliy on the screen feature .