Unveiling the Enchanting Desert City of Dreams

Unveiling the Enchanting Desert City of Dreams

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. The Lack of Creative Ideas
  3. Seeking Inspiration
  4. Designing the Composition
  5. Building the Layers
  6. Creating the Desert City
  7. Adding Detail to the City
  8. Designing the Tower
  9. The Bridge and Gates
  10. Finishing Touches
  11. Assembling the Light Box

Building a Fantasy Desert City Light Box

Hello and welcome back to a new video! First, I just wanted to say thank You for 100 subscribers. It was so sudden, and it really means a lot. So thank you! Today, I'm going to be doing a fantasy city light box. The creative ideas weren't really coming to me this week, so I made a poll on my Instagram to get some ideas. Surprisingly, the majority voted for an original design, and I honestly thought Hollow Knight would win. However, that didn't happen, so I had to actually use my brain and come up with something cool.

The Lack of Creative Ideas

I sat down to sketch and hopefully get some ideas going, but it wasn't really working. I drew a weird bridge coming out of the forest, but it didn't feel right. I kept doodling and tried a little desert scene, followed by a tree, but nothing was working. I was really blanking on ideas, so I went back on Instagram and looked at one of my favorite accounts - Fantasy Worldscapes.

Seeking Inspiration

After scrolling a bit, inspiration finally struck. I knew I wanted to Create a city scene, so I got back to the drawing board. I decided to combine my desert and city idea to create a desert city. I wanted it to look like a completely different world, so I chose to make the city be on the edge of a humongous canyon. I envisioned a bridge across the canyon, adding an interesting element to the composition.

Designing the Composition

For the composition, I went for the classic character standing in the foreground overlooking the scenery. This layout is reliable for light boxes, so I started sketching what came to me. There were some elements I knew I wanted, like a giant tower, walls, and distant mountains. The rest was up in the air. I liked the idea of making my little character a robot, a traveler who had ventured through the vast desert and finally stumbled upon this grand city.

Building the Layers

I started with the simplest layer – the very back layer. I drew the planet into the sky, keeping it simple as distant sand dunes don't need much detail. Gradually, I moved forward, adding more bumps and mountainous shapes on the left side to create the main mountain chain. I made the mountains jagged and pointy to give the landscape an unfriendly and dangerous feel.

Creating the Desert City

After working on the mountain layers, I began constructing the canyon. My plan was to start it behind the city and wrap it around to the foreground. I continued building up the main cliffs area, mostly going with my sketch but also eyeballing it to achieve the desired effect. The city itself was a bit challenging to explain, but the visuals should provide a better understanding. I thought in layers, allowing the wall to come forward with each layer and adding sections of the city on each layer for a dimensional look.

Adding Detail to the City

While working on the city, I encountered some difficulties with the buildings. I wanted them to look futuristic, but the details ended up looking too big. Nevertheless, I added rounded towers to spice things up and tie in with the big tower that would come later. As I progressed through the layers, it felt disjointed and strange, but I trusted the process and kept going, hoping it would all come together.

Designing the Tower

As I neared the halfway point, I focused on the tower. I had a clear design in mind – a super tall tower with a big domed roof and a balcony. Since this grand city was isolated in the desert, the main mode of transportation and trade was by sky. The tower served as a landmark for flying machines to land safely. I also included a bridge and gates, adding further depth to the city.

Finishing Touches

Continuing with the layers, I added more rock details, opened up the canyon, and made it look vast and epic. I avoided crowding the scene with unnecessary elements, keeping the focus on the beauty and expanse of the desert city. Once all the layers were completed, I was pleased with how the city turned out. It looked good, and I was glad I trusted the process.

Assembling the Light Box

After finishing the individual layers, I proceeded to assemble the light box. This step took a considerable amount of time due to the numerous layers involved. Using foam board and glue, I carefully placed each layer, ensuring that everything aligned correctly. Although I initially had doubts about the final result, the greenish light from the LEDs added a post-apocalyptic touch that made the light box look even cooler.

In conclusion, building a fantasy desert city light box was a challenging but rewarding process. From the lack of creative ideas to seeking inspiration and designing the composition, every step required careful thought and execution. Despite some setbacks and doubts, the end result was a beautifully crafted light box that captured the essence of a mystical desert city. If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe and follow for more light box projects. Feel free to comment below with any other ideas you may have. Thank you for watching!

Highlights

  • Combining the ideas of a desert city and fantasy elements
  • Creating a layered composition with a character overlooking the scenery
  • Designing a unique and futuristic city with a giant tower
  • Adding depth and dimension to the city with different layers
  • Trusting the process and overcoming doubts to complete the project
  • Assembling the light box and achieving a post-apocalyptic aesthetic

FAQ

Q: How did you come up with the idea for a desert city light box? A: The idea came from a poll I conducted on Instagram, where the majority voted for an original design. I combined my love for desert landscapes and fantasy elements to create a unique concept.

Q: What inspired you during the design process? A: I found inspiration from the Instagram account Fantasy Worldscapes, which features beautiful fantasy artwork, particularly city scenes. This account helped me find the inspiration I needed to develop my own desert city design.

Q: What challenges did you encounter while building the light box? A: One of the main challenges was designing the city buildings to look futuristic. The details ended up being larger than intended, and the overall design didn't meet my initial expectations. However, I adapted and made adjustments to create a cohesive look.

Q: How did you achieve the post-apocalyptic aesthetic? A: The greenish light from the LEDs inside the light box created a unique atmosphere, giving it a post-apocalyptic feel. This lighting choice enhanced the overall look and added an element of mystery to the desert city.

Q: Do you have any tips for someone interested in making their own light box? A: Trust the process and don't be afraid to experiment. Building a light box requires patience and creativity. Start with a clear concept, gather inspiration, and take each step one at a time. Don't be discouraged by setbacks or doubts – the end result can be incredibly rewarding.

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