Ambassador Project - Haven Guard Flag & Torso Designs

[Mister Phes]

We've got three sets of different Haven Guard torso designs so it's almost time vote on the preferred design.

We'll wait a bit longer in case HJ Media Studios still wants to submit a Haven Master design, so if anyone else has designs now is the time to share them.

[hjmediastudios]

Here's the updated version with Harbormaster; I was considering giving him a cape but decided against it at the last minute.

[tedbeard]

Here's the updated version with Harbormaster; I was considering giving him a cape but decided against it at the last minute.

These are really nice and the HM especially has a really nice "steampunk" quality but in way your torso designs are too detailed. The LEGO aesthetic is far more broad, more "cartoon" than "model soldiers". For example the cross belts and sashes are simply too small. I love the details but they just don't say "LEGO" to me, sorry.

[Lind Whisperer]

Here's the updated version with Harbormaster; I was considering giving him a cape but decided against it at the last minute.

They are excellently made, but they are a bit detailed for LEGO Pirates. Very few themes(mostly licensed and CMF) have printing that continues down from the torso onto the legs. Pirates have always had all of the printing on the torsos, with the legs blank*.

Also, I'm not sure if they really give off a "Dutch" vibe - for some reason, I think Russian Navy when I see the HM, and Prussian Army when I look at the Captain/Guard.

*POTC had leg printing, but it was a licensed theme.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Lind Whisperer

[CMP]

These are really nice and the HM especially has a really nice "steampunk" quality but in way your torso designs are too detailed. The LEGO aesthetic is far more broad, more "cartoon" than "model soldiers". For example the cross belts and sashes are simply too small. I love the details but they just don't say "LEGO" to me, sorry.

They are excellently made, but they are a bit detailed for LEGO Pirates. Very few themes(mostly licensed and CMF) have printing that continues down from the torso onto the legs. Pirates have always had all of the printing on the torsos, with the legs blank*.

Also, I'm not sure if they really give off a "Dutch" vibe - for some reason, I think Russian Navy when I see the HM, and Prussian Army when I look at the Captain/Guard.

*POTC had leg printing, but it was a licensed theme.

The lines are a little thin, but the last non-POTC pirates set was years ago. Times have changed. A lot of figures today have leg and back printing. If the lines were a little more bold I could see LEGO having designs like this.

[hjmediastudios]

Good ideas, all! I will upload a revised set of designs later today; hopefully they'll be less detailed and more cartoon-like.

EDIT: And here they are!

Haven Guards 3 by HJ Media Studios, on Flickr

Edited August 27, 2014 by hjmediastudios

[tedbeard]

^ Very nice upgrades! The HM is resplendent (as he should be) in all that braid. The sergeant/officer is also really fantastic with the design really "popping". The soldier ... I'm not sure he needs the colour at the throat and sash but the orange seems to work better than the green for sure.

I don't object to the leg printing BTW but your second version makes the HM even more special. Also the second design works better visually with the cutaway giving it more shape.

Edited August 27, 2014 by tedbeard

[rodiziorobs]

The changes are slight, but significant. I really like the plain white legs, also, rather than printed. Great detailing (but not too detailed) on the torsos. My only complaint is that the HM's head looks squashed, like maybe his eyes are too low, but it could be the thicker eyebrows or bald head.

[2maxwell]

Wow, the new models are fantastic! The changes really did make all the difference. I particularly like the new harbormaster.

[hjmediastudios]

I deliberately moved the harbormaster's face down a tad to give him a squashed, bulldog-like look. I patterned him off a mix between Otto von Bismarck and Winston Churchill.

[Thomas of Tortuga]

I think we should go with the more realistic designs. The orange looks too bright next to the dk orange to me, and if Lego doesn't like the patterns, they can change it themselves

[Mister Phes]

I think HJ Media Studio's designs are brilliant!

However, the feedback provided by others is very useful for fine tuning the designs but I think we should have a poll to determine which design concept to pursue.

Once the design is selected then the critiquing and fine tuning should begin...

[The_Cook]

It looks like I'll have to go off and do some research. There's probably a minimum line thickness that the screen printers can handle. It's one of the reasons why the TLG design's look "cartoonish" the black outlines have to be a certain thickness and thick black lines around colour is indicative of cartoon drawings. If HJMediaStudio's proportions are necessarily wrong it's just that the black outlines need thickening up.

[hjmediastudios]

In my experience the minimum thickness is 0.25pt with 0.5pt lines being preferred for strong details.

[Cara]

I like these they blend PoTC and Imperial really well. I love the dark orange and liked the olive green though the bright orange pops. I agree that the white legs seem more LEGO pirates but I would of course be happy to own ones with detail printing! I think the harbor master with ruffle is really great except his eyes seem to be below that 50% line on the head due to the height of the bald cap. I think the harbormaster/officers would have a sword too?

I also really like the middle two here. The simplicity and less formality of the torso draws me. Could we use these in the town or in the merchants if we don't use them for the guards?

You have done a wonderful job creating and rendering these.

[Ardelon]

Good designs all around. I personally prefer Michaelozzies designs, as rendered by Yooha, meaning the middle two guys in this pic:

I think they have the 17th century "Dutch golden age" vibe, which is a nice goal to strive for. The designs by hjmediastudios, while great, look to be more from the 18th century, and doesnt really evoke the Dutch to me.

[Mister Phes]

By the way everyone...

We will be having a separate poll thread to vote for the preferred designs so you may want to save your opinions and feedback for that thread.

[Capt Wolf]

BrickhavenCaptain by Lind Whisperer, on Flickr

BrickhavenCaptain - Dark Orange by Lind Whisperer, on Flickr

Can someone do a minifig render using these torsos by Lind Whisperer? Either would be great for a Guard Captain.

Edited August 30, 2014 by Capt Wolf

[Mister Phes]

Can someone do a minifig render using these torsos by Lind Whisperer? Either would be great for a Guard Captain.

I concur! Could one of you talented lads with 3D rendering skills please produce renders of these torso designs?

[Wellesley]

These two are still my favorites.

But somehow I have something against the printed legs in the lower picture. Why don't try the torsos from the second picture with the legs and epaulettes from the first?

Also something different to mention: As I remember the common soldiers of the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Soldiers all had the very first standard Lego head. The simple smily face. I can't say why, but I never could change their faces and had to keep the similarities. I wont buy any new Lego sets, but will probably order some of the soldiers. Those then will be part of the happy face war faction, too.

Greetings

Wellesley

[Jakon]

So, I've been following for a while and just wanted to offer up this little decal I concocted from various uniforms of the era, do with it what you will.

Edited September 7, 2014 by Jakon

[2maxwell]

These are great! Quick question: shouldnt these have back printing? Or should we worry about that after we choose a design?

[Mister Phes]

So, I've been following for a while and just wanted to offer up this little decal I concocted from various uniforms of the era, do with it what you will.

Thank you, these look good, however we'll need commander and leader torso designs in the same style, so if you've got those, feel free to share.

These are great! Quick question: shouldnt these have back printing? Or should we worry about that after we choose a design?

We'll focus on the front first and then look into the back while we're tweaking the chosen design.

[The_Cook]

I've just been re-appraising these and noticed that if you remove the dangling sash from the torso and legs of the left-hand mini-figure then the torsos and legs of the two left-hand figures would become interchangeable; whereas with the print spanning both parts they aren't interchangeable. Whilst this might upset the historical purists who want their uniforms just-so, for those of us that like a bit of variation in our figures it gives us 4 options rather than 2.

[Jakon]

Thank you, these look good, however we'll need commander and leader torso designs in the same style, so if you've got those, feel free to share.

Right, I'll get right to work on it.

EDIT:

Officer, i've had this one for a while, figured I should post it.

Officer decal by Jakon B.Rytight, on Flickr

Edited September 19, 2014 by Jakon