Transformers artist extraordinaire Don Figueroa has updated his Deviant Art account with a five page long gallery of Transformers concept sketch goodness! Don’s update runs the gamut of his various Transformers related concepts, from unmade Classics designs like Cosmos and Hound, and Transformers GI Joe Crossover designs, through his designs for IDW’s Stormbringer miniseries, right up to date with the concept artwork for the ongoing series featured on the variant covers of the ongoing and much more besides (like a look at Menasor from the ongoing series!)
Of interest also is a pre-Stormbringer concept of the Decepticon Bludgeon, shown at left, which is very clearly the main inspiration for the recent Revenge of the Fallen Bludgeon toy.
Check out all the images by clicking here to visit Don’s Deviant Art Gallery.
What is your favorite image from this update? Which designs from those tagged as “unused concepts” would you like to see revived and given some love in toy form? Discuss all this and share the love for Don’s excellent work on our 2005 Boards by clicking on the Discuss button.
UltraMagnanimus
Damn I just found this thread and his deviant art page had been taken down.
Anyone happen to save all the designs he had posted? Id love to see them.
cgibsonREX
Here is one of Bumblebee, this design is being used for Cliffjumper now.
Rob Messick
Can anyone send me copies of the art that Don took down? I don't know why hasbro would have a problem with it, unless they were definitely making a toy of it. I'm so pissed I missed out on 2 pages of stuff. I would really appreciate it.
Thanks
-Rob
[email protected]
doomtron
dont think so but we need to ask hasbro for at least prime and megs. how would we go about that?
Sungrazer
I wanted that Cosmos as a toy from the first moment the design was shown. Time has not diminished my desire. I am kind of glad it was not done as a Titanium, but I still want it. …At the Deluxe or even Voyager size. Powerglide and now Seaspray got their chances, why not Big Cosmos? A UFO the size of a dinner plate would be awesome.
I would have gained some comfort from the Legends Cosmos, if I had ever gotten the toy. I never saw any of that wave in stores. Even if I had gotten it, it did not do the original design justice.
Paxtin
As someone like myself who does like the "Bay-formers" character designs, I actually don't like the way Don is doing the faces in Ongoing, either.
Primarily, as some have pointed out, they all have the same face. Even the movie-bot's character models have distinct face designs.
To me that's kind of saying: "Why bother putting any effort in it? It's only fiction."
I liked the show, but lets be honest, TFA was a zanny cartoon. It was not something I'd site as serious fiction. Though it did have some great story elements and ideas.
The only real thing that ends up bugging me are the fans who can't get past this idea that a transformer always has to look like a guy in a helmet. Even with TFA some people couldn't get past Lockdown's character design, because it deviated too far from what they saw as a proper TF character design.
Xhairs
very cool.
AniProwl
I thought of something.
What if that Pre-Earth Megs can be repainted with G2 colors?Then, we would have an awesome G2 Megatron toy.
Also, I would love to have that Jazz design for Generations Jazz.
Jarodimus
I like Figueroa AND Roche — ZOMG! (Though I have yet to embrace the new faces.)
IIRC, Don's Cosmos design was originally going to be made into a Classics v1 Deluxe before that line got put on hiatus. Then he got shifted to Titanium. So the poor li'l guy got hosed twice. The Legends fig is nice, but rather cold comfort.
Angelwave
true
Still, I wouldn't mind at all if they would use this design as a deluxe for the upcoming Generations line. It really is well done, and shouldn't go to waste.
Radioactive Ravage
…Can't take a joke? I suppose it came off as a ignorant comment. But no, the marvel comics did not do it- and I've read them. That's what I was talking about- the comics. Not the shows- the animation ability would have to be insane for anything other than liquid metal faces.
Fit For natalie
He's joking.
The Titanium line had been cancelled by the time they finished prototyping Cosmos and co. They varied wildly in terms of quality, because they apparently weren't designed by either Hasbro or Takara's Transformers teams.
Look at Titanium Soundwave. I'm pretty sure Don didn't intend that Soundwave to look like a Pat Lee design.
[Wing_Saber-X]
cgibsonREX
I've been around artists, and when you know what your doing not very long at all.
blackjkb
im seriously digging the transjoe prime….he looks so cool…did they make a fig of him?
Kaymac
I haven't started reading the ongoing series, but the new style is interesting in that it has Bayformers influence without being straight up sharpened like the spiky, scrap metallic forms of the movie bots. The bots are very panelly in their design, but you can at least tell where everything goes during transformation, and a Takara designer probably wouldn't lose sleep over making one of the designs into a toy. I see why it's so iffy, and where the fan backlash comes from, but it's not like they are composed of scrap-metal like the movie bots, and the designs themselves retain familiarity. However, like many others, I find something to bitch about in the faces. Like the rest of the body, they are panelly. This matches the design on the rest of the body, but the panels are in the same places on everyone, and almost every face that isn't covered by a faceplate looks the same, even between Autobots and Decepticons.
waal74
When I grow up I want to be like Don Figueroa. (I'm 35)
SharkyMcShark
Also the Ongoing Hot Rod design is freaking amazing. I want a toy of it. Now.
[Wing_Saber-X]
Hmm.. good question! Your guess is as good as mine!
Although, im wondering if Don the man himself does post on this part of the woods? Id be awesome to get to know some insights on his design/ sketching and inspirational thoughts when he's designing his masterpieces
SharkyMcShark
Wonderful stuff – I really like the new ongoing designs.
Also beware as there are some (reasonably obvious) spoilers as to the direction of ongoing on the last page.