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geekspace — Godzilla '94 Color Attempt 1
Published: 2009-02-05 06:18:19 +0000 UTC; Views: 7532; Favourites: 137; Downloads: 262
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Description
After two solid years of using DA solely as a medium for nitpicking the efforts of talented fellow fans/creators in my various fields of interest, this submission represents the extent of my own ability: half-baked colors applied via photo-editing program to a true artist's work. Their pictures are worth more words than I can lend.The artist in question is a Mr. Ricardo Delgado, whose resume includes design/concept elements of several Disney feature films ("Dinosaur," "Atlantis: the Lost Empire" and "The Incredibles"), as well as two "Age of Reptiles" miniseries for Dark Horse Comics.
Hopefully the subject needs no introduction, but a bit of backstory seems in order: back in 1994, Mr. Delgado was part of Tri-Star's first attempt at a U.S.-produced Godzilla film. This project was ultimately canceled due to budget concerns, only to be resurrected & revised by directors Dean Devlin & Roland Emmerich, who ultimately graced the screen with a "Godzilla" so removed from the original's distinctive design & character that its most popular fandom nickname is "GINO" (Godzilla in Name Only).
Before the original project's cancellation, Delgado produced a number of concept illustrations showcasing a revamped but recognizable King of the Monsters, combining an updated theropod-dinosaur build with classic design elements. Unfortunately, most of these works are as yet unavailable, but several "Godzilla '94" pieces (as well as more through coverage of the project) can be found at the "Rodan's Roost" ( [link] ) and "American Kaiju" ( [link] ) websites. The latter site includes a webcomic adaptation of the original "Godzilla '94" script, courtesy of Mr. Todd Tennant ( [link] ), whose sketches & samples from this & original projects can also be found here on DA.
The image above was originally discovered at "American Kaiju," then colored with the PhotoImpression 3 program. Diehard kaiju-fans might note that I lent "Delgadozilla" here a scheme more/less based on the Heisei-era (1984-1995) Godzilla, including the later versions' curious yellow/red eye. The black talons simply appealed to my warped sense of style.
EDIT: Tweaked the eye, left foot & back.
Some final copyright/credit necessities:
Godzilla(c) Toho Co. Ltd.
Original concept artwork(c) Ricardo Delgado.
Hackeneyed color job (c) moi.
Several further recolors of other "Delgadozilla" pieces will likely be forthcoming.
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Comments: 38
i wish this design was used on the screen. if my newest godzilla blender model doesn't work good enough. can i use your art to make a newer godzilla model in blender?
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You have no idea how much I WISH we got THIS Godzilla!
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Someone should really make a 12-15 inch tall hyper-articulated figure out of this guy, but with a significantly longer tail and a very slightly longer neck. Someone like... S.H. MonsterArts! If anyone is reading this, leave a reply to me any time you are free to do so. Thanks and good luck. 
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not bad , but it's still in black and white
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I absolutely love what you did here! You inspired me to color Stan Winston's drawing!
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My design is kinda like that, except with more sauropod-ish influence.
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I see why you'd go with slightly 'stompier' feet/ankles; it's a delicate business balancing speed & power for Big G. Nice solid job on your version's 'eyebrow' ridge & midsection, though the main body could use more texture.
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Thx muchly; if you have a spare moment Google the original artist.
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I love this design. I like it as much as Stan Winston's for the sadly aborted 1994 film.
I would've liked to see that movie to function instead Emmerich inserting his unholy fist into the monster.
And by the way, would you ever envision a Godzilla Anime?
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So, what do you think of the original script?
The only gripe I could see with the original script, however, is the change of Godzilla;s origins. Also, the simplest way I could see the script get into theaters is to use another monster instead of Godzilla. This would eliminate the whole "created by an ancient civilization" rant, and also make the script be less of a remake, and more of a tribute to the classic Japanese monster movies.
With this concept, I ended up creating Jiragon, a monster created by an ancient civilization using dinosaur genes and organic weaponry to defend the Earth from alien invasion.
You can read up on "JIRAGON" in my recent journals:
[link]
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I think I'm about the only person who really liked the movie. I think it was because I was in a really good mood....I don't know another person who likes it. Wal-Mart is probably selling it for $0.99.
Jag
PS: I am forwarding this to a Godzilla fan.
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Confession time: when "Godzilla" hit theaters in my early teens, I went twice, further enjoyed the animated spin-off series, and still wish I'd picked up some more of the related merchandise. Having only discovered this unused concept for Big G through the dedicated websites linked above, I was initially flabbergasted that this wicked design & its accompanying script got the axe.
Nowadays, I figure the film we got has its pluses (Hank Azaria, Jean Reno, some neat CGI shots, a giant monster that actually runs) and minuses (a giant monster that runs *from*-not after-the military...who conveniently forget how to aim), and see no crime in enjoying it (picked up my copy from a thrift store for a buck). I just remain a bit thunderstruck at what slipped through the cracks back in '94.
Thanks for spreading the word, Jag, and I hope your pal enjoys what he sees (although keep in mind I only colored this piece & its companion).
Random note: I also caught several rerun episodes of the '70's Hanna-Barbera "Godzilla" toon. More cornball fun, but given the choice 'tween a stadium full of giant iguana hatchlings and a ship with Godzooky, I'd take my chances with the former and a bucket of tuna anytime.
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Wow...didn't know that there was an animated series for the 1990s film. Now when I was a kid, the Hanna-Barbera Godzilla was really cool! I liked the human characters too.
Godzooky was probably a Scrappy-Doo knock-off concept.
Jag
PS: What did you think of Cloverfield? I loved that movie!
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Cloverfield? While the beastie's upper body kinda reminded me of the Rancor from "Return of the Jedi" (which may have also inspired the alien DNA-munching baddie from "Godzilla 2000"), the design was otherwise delightfully bizarre (especially those cranial air-bladders), and that eyewitness perspective was excellent once I adjusted to the twitching camera. Those people-poppin' parasites certainly added a degree of face-to-face menace rarely seen in giant-monster cinema.
As for the newer G-toon, its critters were suitably monstrous and Puny Humans(C) personable enough for my tastes. The closest Scrappy equivalent was the techie nerd's faithful R.O.V.-esque exploratory robot, which got scrapped (and repaired more/less off-screen) every other episode (much to its creator's consternation).
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The people-poppers were too "Aliens" for me...it was the only part of the movie I thought was stupid. The camcorder, dubbed-over scenes, the rest was classic. Maybe it'll be worth $5 at Wal-Mart or used DVD store.
G-toon...must ask BFG about it. I sent him to your site to fave your stuff.
Jag
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Near as I can comprehend it, the parasitic critters' saliva worked as a vampire bat-style anticoagulant for their original host (the monster, obviously), with rather more...err, drastic results for victims on their scale. I dig the original "Aliens" (Sigourney Weaver at her finest), but can agree regarding what a cliche the "chestburst" has become. Sci-fi writers might want to let that one rest for a decade or so.
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Now mind possession would be a lot funnier. It wouldn't work in Cloverfield, of course, but imagine teens stalking around like giant monsters, in their 5-6 foot forms!
Jag
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I did my fair share of that anyway...and the closest film equivalent I can recall was another 60's Toho flick, "Yog, Monster from Space." The title threat was actually a gaseous E.T. entity which possessed one human (who didn't mutate/grow or act too monster-ish) and a crab, turtle & squid (which DID mutate into destructive giants).
As a case of attempted vice-versa, "Godzilla vs. Biollante" introduced an ESP-capable girl who attempted to mind-whammy Big G out of making landfall at Osaka....she ended up taking a 10-count for her efforts, though he strangely opted not to trash the oil rig she was on.
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Wow, you know your subject well!
You should come up with some Godzilla Demotivators.
Jag
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Several years on a kaiju forum before tiptoeing into the Deviant end of the pool will do that for a guy...and that's an idea, that is.
Speaking of which, I attempted to send you a Demotivation note about telemarketing & vampires rather late last evening...did that go through on your end?
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Are you kidding! I hated it! I'm a former telemarketer, you know! And we're a sensitive lot to criticis....
...Actually, it was great! And telemarketing sucks unless it is for a good cause. Sorry...been swamped. I will think about how I can get around to doing that, and the exact words to use.
Jag
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Come to think of it, "Telemarketing Sucks" itself might work...and by all means take your time. I know all too well how things crop up.
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Oh yeah, but it gives me something to do in March.
Jag
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It looks cool! I thought that the green made Delgado look ignorant. The gray is so much better! The black claws are a nice touch.
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Actually, I'm not aware that Mr. Delgado ever submitted any colored pieces for his Goji-concept. If nothing else, some shade of green would provide an easy means for casual fans to distinguish this Godzilla from his Japanese forebear(s). Can't say I have any serious bias for either shade, but thanks for the props.
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the color job is wonderful!
P.S: click reply button to answer comments
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Thanks for pointing that feature out-as you may have noted, I'm not the most feature-savvy gent round here.
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Glad you consider this up to snuff, Ty...at the time, I was almost certain the gray would mix up those intricate dorsal arrays six times from Sunday. And you're damn right those teeth demanded their fair share of effort....I can only imagine the "fun" you have with Big Ty's bitey bits.
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This is some pretty solid coloration - the charcoal gray really does work well with this design, and the shade of gray you used on the dorsal plates manages to stand out while still gelling well with the skin color. Excellent work on the tiny details of his mouth and eyes - the former is especially well done considering how tiny those damn teeth are.
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I've been sitting on two other colored Delgado-Goji pics, but they could use some extra polish, and one is rather smaller & lower-resolution than I'd prefer. I'll see about tweaking & posting 'em over the next several days.
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nice work, I really like the classic grey. Most large animals a greyish-brown and it just looks good. Will you be posting anything else?
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Mr. T: I do recall that note from one of our prior discussions...and trust me, you've made the green work on multiple levels for G'94. Thanks for the kind note.
A3D: Yes, Mr. Delgado has a flair for saurian savagery...for some truly toothy snarls, Google the "Age of Reptiles" series mentioned above.
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Very nice, indeed. I hadn't considered coloring "Delgadosaurus-Goji" in traditional Toho blackish- gray, that scheme works out very well. Good job, and I know Ricardo would be proud:0).
btw: the only real reason for the green hue on my G'94 was taken from the R/E screenplay which said Godzilla's skin color matched the walls of his "womb cavern".
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That, my dear, was fast-and thanks for the vote of confidence. "Godzilla 2000" was an interesting experiment, but that classic charcoal grey just does Big G more justice (and don't get me started on the purple fins). Think I covered my scaly behind on the copyright front?
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I think the color job is wonderful! 
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