Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen
Tuesday, May 21st, 2013 12:01PM CDT
Category: People NewsPosted by: El Duque Views: 33,960
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Our friend Ken Christiansen continues to reveal his commissioned concept art for the Transformers Aligned Continuity with a look a fan favorite Soundwave! As you can see in the images mirrored below Soundwave has been given an SUV alt mode, but retains a recognizable robot mode with nods to G1. Click here to visit Ken's blog, Bad Flip Productions, to read more about the design.
Ken has also informed us that in addition to BotCon he will also be attending Charticon later this summer:
Ken has also informed us that in addition to BotCon he will also be attending Charticon later this summer:
In our ever expanding line-up of guests we are very happy to welcome Ken Christiansen to Charticon 2013! Ken has been working as an illustrator and concept designer for over fifteen years. Starting as a video game concept artist, at Nintendo of America (Ridge Racer 64, Pokemon Puzzle League), then moving to Los Angeles to work in games for the Walt Disney Company (Kingdom Hearts, Finding Nemo). In 2004, Ken started his own company, Bad Flip Productions, working for video game clients like Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, and Activision. After working with Activision on Transformers the Game, and the Revenge of the Fallen game, he began working freelance in media development for Hasbro Inc. (Transformers), doing concept art for their film, tv, book, games, and toy initiatives. That expanded into media development beyond the Transformers brand, including Star Wars, Spider-Man, and more.
Ken’s current work includes the cover runs on the Transformers Prime series (IDW), Star Wars Fighter Pods, and Ultimate Spider-Man Spider Pods. Along with other random bits and pieces, hanging off pegs in the toy aisles, book shelves, and video game departments…
He is my all time favorite Transformer. I lucked out, and got to take a pass at him. I got the assignment, and he was to be explored as a secret government FBI/CIA type SUV, in the style of 24, or a Presidential Caravan. I knew this was coming from his previous incarnation from Animated.
Transformed! As always, I try to keep as many classic cues in as possible, but there were a few things being asked from Aaron and Eric at Hasbro to try to add, like a movie style head, and there was something with the legs, though in the notes I can't seem to find any reference, probably was in an email that was deleted long ago.
Credit(s): Ken Christiansen
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Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489147)
Posted by MINDVVIPE on May 21st, 2013 @ 12:07pm CDT
Posted by MINDVVIPE on May 21st, 2013 @ 12:07pm CDT
Ugly. They really shouldn't have tried to incoporate what looks like TFPrime Soundwave's legs.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489150)
Posted by Sabrblade on May 21st, 2013 @ 12:21pm CDT
Posted by Sabrblade on May 21st, 2013 @ 12:21pm CDT
That's one mean-looking Soundwave.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489151)
Posted by Shelf Space on May 21st, 2013 @ 12:26pm CDT
Posted by Shelf Space on May 21st, 2013 @ 12:26pm CDT
You know him being a minivan and still having his cassettes makes him like the baddest "Soccer Mom" in the world right?
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489154)
Posted by GuyIncognito on May 21st, 2013 @ 12:49pm CDT
Posted by GuyIncognito on May 21st, 2013 @ 12:49pm CDT
I'm beginning to think the theme of this "Aligned Continuity" is boring alt modes.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489155)
Posted by MINDVVIPE on May 21st, 2013 @ 12:55pm CDT
Yeah, it should have been something like this... but you know, blue.
Posted by MINDVVIPE on May 21st, 2013 @ 12:55pm CDT
GuyIncognito wrote:I'm beginning to think the theme of this "Aligned Continuity" is boring alt modes.
Yeah, it should have been something like this... but you know, blue.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489159)
Posted by Solrac333 on May 21st, 2013 @ 1:10pm CDT
Posted by Solrac333 on May 21st, 2013 @ 1:10pm CDT
That just looks bad. Terrible proportions.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489161)
Posted by Mindmaster on May 21st, 2013 @ 1:26pm CDT
Posted by Mindmaster on May 21st, 2013 @ 1:26pm CDT
I would like it more if it weren't for the ungainly legs.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489163)
Posted by Megatron Wolf on May 21st, 2013 @ 1:27pm CDT
Posted by Megatron Wolf on May 21st, 2013 @ 1:27pm CDT
thats a hell of a lot better than what we got, not a fan of the alt mode but the robot mode is great. Looks enough like soundwave so you can tell its him but different enough so that hes not just the same old thing we've had. Who ever turned this down and decided to go with the crap we have now should be shot. And who ever decided to not have soundwave talk should be thrown in a deep dark hole and left to die a slow and agonizing death, mute soundwave is a horrible idea especially when you have frank welker on the pay roll.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489164)
Posted by GuyIncognito on May 21st, 2013 @ 1:28pm CDT
Posted by GuyIncognito on May 21st, 2013 @ 1:28pm CDT
Soundwave looks really badass as the kind of SUV that suburban moms use to drive their kids to soccer practice. His weapon: poor gas mileage. His plan: deplete Earth's fuel supply over a course of centuries by not being very fuel-efficient. His special ability: better-than-average handling in slippery conditions.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489180)
Posted by Manterax Prime on May 21st, 2013 @ 2:56pm CDT
Posted by Manterax Prime on May 21st, 2013 @ 2:56pm CDT
Honestly, I'd rather have this over that lousy drone any day.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489203)
Posted by frogbat on May 21st, 2013 @ 5:08pm CDT
Posted by frogbat on May 21st, 2013 @ 5:08pm CDT
Mmm I guess these concepts focus on very realistic alt modes. Not too sure bout this one.. Maybe a google street view car might have been more apt.
I like the prime incarnation cos he's ominous and creepy in spite of the Lotr witch king look.
I like the prime incarnation cos he's ominous and creepy in spite of the Lotr witch king look.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489204)
Posted by GuyIncognito on May 21st, 2013 @ 5:24pm CDT
Posted by GuyIncognito on May 21st, 2013 @ 5:24pm CDT
I think the best idea for a modern Soundwave is a satellite, like ROTF Soundwave. Now granted, the Bay design style ruined it (for me, at least) but I loved the idea of SW being a satellite, just orbiting silently, eavesdropping and spying. He can see and hear everything from up there, and the solitude suits his personality, I think. For me, a perfect modern SW would have a satellite alt mode, but a bot mode that looks more like classic SW.
If they want a land-based/wheeled vehicle for him, that would TOTALLY work! That's way more fitting than a plain old SUV.
Or what about those vans they use to do remote TV broadcasts, with huge dishes and antennae and crap? You could make an awesome blocky G1-like robot mode from the van, and the dishes and antennae would make awesome weapons. Something like this:
or this:
or this:
MINDVVIPE wrote:GuyIncognito wrote:I'm beginning to think the theme of this "Aligned Continuity" is boring alt modes.
Yeah, it should have been something like this... but you know, blue.
If they want a land-based/wheeled vehicle for him, that would TOTALLY work! That's way more fitting than a plain old SUV.
Or what about those vans they use to do remote TV broadcasts, with huge dishes and antennae and crap? You could make an awesome blocky G1-like robot mode from the van, and the dishes and antennae would make awesome weapons. Something like this:
or this:
or this:
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489207)
Posted by Eagleblaster on May 21st, 2013 @ 5:29pm CDT
Posted by Eagleblaster on May 21st, 2013 @ 5:29pm CDT
My opinion is to scratch this concept design. It doesn't look to nice.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489231)
Posted by Metrosuplex on May 21st, 2013 @ 6:58pm CDT
This.
Soundwave is supposed to have an unconventional ALT mode made for spying. I'd prefer a lamp post over this. This SUV reminds me too much of those hideous reggae-dreadlock SUV's from the last Bay-tastrophe.
Posted by Metrosuplex on May 21st, 2013 @ 6:58pm CDT
GuyIncognito wrote:Soundwave looks really badass as the kind of SUV that suburban moms use to drive their kids to soccer practice. His weapon: poor gas mileage. His plan: deplete Earth's fuel supply over a course of centuries by not being very fuel-efficient. His special ability: better-than-average handling in slippery conditions.
This.
Soundwave is supposed to have an unconventional ALT mode made for spying. I'd prefer a lamp post over this. This SUV reminds me too much of those hideous reggae-dreadlock SUV's from the last Bay-tastrophe.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489271)
Posted by rpetras on May 21st, 2013 @ 11:17pm CDT
Posted by rpetras on May 21st, 2013 @ 11:17pm CDT
I keep thinking if Soundwave is going to modded into a truck, it should be a lowrider boom truck.
When I think "waves of sound" I think of something like this:
Or this:
When I think "waves of sound" I think of something like this:
Or this:
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489299)
Posted by MarkNL on May 22nd, 2013 @ 3:38am CDT
Totally agree with that. The Prime Soundwave we have now is just.. crap. This concept is better.
Yup, I totally agree with that too.
Posted by MarkNL on May 22nd, 2013 @ 3:38am CDT
Megatron Wolf wrote:thats a hell of a lot better than what we got, not a fan of the alt mode but the robot mode is great. Looks enough like soundwave so you can tell its him but different enough so that hes not just the same old thing we've had. Who ever turned this down and decided to go with the crap we have now should be shot. And who ever decided to not have soundwave talk should be thrown in a deep dark hole and left to die a slow and agonizing death, mute soundwave is a horrible idea especially when you have frank welker on the pay roll.
Totally agree with that. The Prime Soundwave we have now is just.. crap. This concept is better.
Manterax Prime wrote:Honestly, I'd rather have this over that lousy drone any day.
Yup, I totally agree with that too.
Re: Aligned Continuity Soundwave Concept Art from Ken Christiansen (1489372)
Posted by MINDVVIPE on May 22nd, 2013 @ 12:00pm CDT
Huh... I usually agree with Megatron Wolf, but I like the drone version. It isn't as glorious as the original soundwave by any means, but it has a creepyness that I like, especially with the pervy tentacle arms and the faceless visor. To me, its the second best version to the original, compared to the bay, animated, and cybertron versions (although that vehicle mode was cool). UAV Drones are quite deadly in reality, so it works better than an unarmed suv to me.
Posted by MINDVVIPE on May 22nd, 2013 @ 12:00pm CDT
Mark(NL) wrote:Megatron Wolf wrote:thats a hell of a lot better than what we got, not a fan of the alt mode but the robot mode is great. Looks enough like soundwave so you can tell its him but different enough so that hes not just the same old thing we've had. Who ever turned this down and decided to go with the crap we have now should be shot. And who ever decided to not have soundwave talk should be thrown in a deep dark hole and left to die a slow and agonizing death, mute soundwave is a horrible idea especially when you have frank welker on the pay roll.
Totally agree with that. The Prime Soundwave we have now is just.. crap. This concept is better.Manterax Prime wrote:Honestly, I'd rather have this over that lousy drone any day.
Yup, I totally agree with that too.
Huh... I usually agree with Megatron Wolf, but I like the drone version. It isn't as glorious as the original soundwave by any means, but it has a creepyness that I like, especially with the pervy tentacle arms and the faceless visor. To me, its the second best version to the original, compared to the bay, animated, and cybertron versions (although that vehicle mode was cool). UAV Drones are quite deadly in reality, so it works better than an unarmed suv to me.
