Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art

Posted by El Duque May 15, 2013 at 8:18am CDT 40,140 views

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Our friend Ken Christiansen dropped by to let us know Hasbro has given him permission to share and discuss some of his concept work for the Aligned Continuity. First up, we have his design for Optimus Prime's alt mode, which was featured in Transformers Vault: The Complete Transformers Universe. His main goal for this piece was to maintain the conventional cab style truck mode as seen in the live action movies.

Click here to visit Ken's blog, Bad Flip Productions, to read more. Ken can also be found on facebook at: Bad Flip Productions

Last but not least, don't forget to visit Ken at this year's BotCon Artist Alley!

Ken Christiansen wrote:The request was to keep him a long nose, as he now appears in the film series, and if I remember right, that was just about it. Of course I ventured the question. "I don't have to put those flames on him, do I?" But I did keep in line with the movie logic of the long nose, giving him more mass to work with in robot mode, and we added in a roof fairing over the extended cab to build it out even more.

Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art

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Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Mindmaster May 15, 2013

They should have kept that G1 stripe. Dunno why, just looks more attractive to me. >:oP

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Fires_Of_Inferno May 15, 2013

Mindmaster wrote:They should have kept that G1 stripe. Dunno why, just looks more attractive to me.

the white/silver stripe that goes from the nose of the truck to the rear? That's on there. Silver/grey colours, blue, red, yellow details, looks all good to me! I liked the long-nosed trucks more than the flat ones anyhow.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Mindmaster May 15, 2013

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:
Mindmaster wrote:They should have kept that G1 stripe. Dunno why, just looks more attractive to me.

the white/silver stripe that goes from the nose of the truck to the rear? That's on there.

Like I said, the stripe makes it look much more attractive.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by robotmel May 15, 2013

Came down folks, they are quite clearly two very different versions of our beloved Autobot Leader!

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Hero Alpha May 15, 2013

That may be the best Optimus earth truck mode I have seen. Although I am partial to the cab-over design from my childhood, this is sweet. Very glad the guy didn't have to use the flames I really dislike those. Is this going to be a new show, game, toy? I'm happy with all three =P~

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Eagleblaster May 15, 2013

Nice. I see the direction Hasbro is going in with paying attention to making figures like the live action movie. Very good.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by xyl360 May 15, 2013

Hey look, it's Staksimus Prime

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Sabrblade May 15, 2013

Yet another reveal in a line of Aligned Continuity character concept art reveals from the Binder of Revelation.

And it looks more reveals are on the way:

And stay tuned to the blog for the next couple of weeks, I got the green light to post a few more 'Aligned Continuity' Transformers concepts. But be prepared for the watermarks. It's the only way I can get these fully rendered images out on the internet...

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by No One May 16, 2013

The whole we need to use the long nose semi for more mass is mute. You can use a larger sleeper cab COE design to get more mass.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Sabrblade May 16, 2013

MR Optimus Prime wrote:The whole we need to use the long nose semi for more mass is mute. You can use a larger sleeper cab COE design to get more mass.

Maybe they wanted to keep his truck mode at a reasonable size (rather than being ungodly huge) while still getting more mass for robot mode?

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Sabrblade May 16, 2013

It also looks like it could have been somewhat inspired by Movie 1 Voyager First Strike Optimus Prime.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Mindmaster May 16, 2013

Sabrblade wrote:It also looks to be the direct inspiration for Movie 1 Voyager First Strike Optimus Prime.

Yep, that's why the design looked vaguely familiar to me.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by No One May 16, 2013

Mindmaster wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:It also looks to be the direct inspiration for Movie 1 Voyager First Strike Optimus Prime.

Yep, that's why the design looked vaguely familiar to me.

Sorry, I myself don't find one line of them resembling each other. Not even for inspiration.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Sabrblade May 16, 2013

MR Optimus Prime wrote:Sorry, I myself don't find one line of them resembling each other. Not even for inspiration.

Not even deco-wise (which is what I was getting at)?

Note that the blue paint on the toy's roof was added to give more blue to the Robot Mode's lower legs, since they would have ended up being all red.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Sabrblade May 16, 2013

Just noticed the 2009 date on the image.

I'll correct my previous post about its similar deco to the Movie FS toy.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by El Duque May 17, 2013

Our friend Ken Christiansen continues to reveal his Aligned Continuity concept art. Earlier this week we got a look at his Optimus Prime truck mode, today we get Megatron in tank form. Click here to visit Ken's blog, Bad Flip Productions, to read more. Ken can also be found on facebook at: Bad Flip Productions

Last but not least, don't forget to visit Ken at this year's BotCon Artist Alley!

Ken Christiansen wrote:The assignment was to envision a near-future tank, so I did a few quick sketches, got feedback from Siebenaler, and actually only did a colored line art pass, because of a time crunch. After the presentation and following feedback, I was asked to render it fully, with no changes, along with the Prime truck, that was also initially done as colored line art, for the same pitch.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Eagleblaster May 17, 2013

Are you kidding me. That's the best Megatron alt mode I ever saw.
I hope that these are going to be the movie figures. Hasbro pull out all the tricks for that figure. Make sure it has everything good.

I'm waiting for these live action movie toys. I'm going to open a savings account just for those figures, lml.

AND PLEASE, I NEED A LEADER MEGATRON.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by 1984forever May 17, 2013

Hasbro seems to like the idea of Megatron being an earth tank with a G1 color scheme, so why isn't this tank on TV or store shelves? A retooled, recolored and enlarged universe G2 Megatron is a quick and easy step towards turning this concept into reality.

Re: Aligned Optimus Prime Truck Mode Concept Art (view post)

Comment by Mindmaster May 17, 2013

84forever wrote:Hasbro seems to like the idea of Megatron being an earth tank with a G1 color scheme, so why isn't this tank on TV or store shelves? A retooled, recolored and enlarged universe G2 Megatron is a quick and easy step towards turning this concept into reality.

The Legends figure?