Art help: transition to tie together 2 images. Infernolab.

[jasonbar]

Howdy-

I'll trim out the lengthy backstory & background, as I know that most readers will just nod off... :]


Let's focus just on this one image.

Let's say that I'm very happy with the flaming gear up high & prominent.

Let's say that I'm very happy with the idea of the gear-themed joystick & buttons on a circuit board landscape whose traces run out to the horizon.


I have tried for quite a while to tie these 2 images together with some sort of transition between them & have yet to make anything that pleases me. I've tried:
- tapering the traces to a point (centered or offset)
- dropping them off randomly to result in a "graphic equalizer" sort of termination
- stopping them at a horizon line
- having them go all jaggie like electric lightning to cradle the flaming gear
- terminate in a big perspective arrowhead pointing to the flaming gear
- come to a point in the very center of the flaming gear, overlapping it
- having the traces take a right angle (perspective) turn "up a wall" & angling about in a PCB-type fashion to make a nest under the flaming gear (with or without solder pad circles at the ends)
- terminating the traces in jaggy lightning bolts pointing at the flaming gear
- terminating the traces in a PCB edge connector or DB-style connector
- many more not worth mentioning


The current image shows nice shaded rendering, but I intend for the final art to be simple flat 4-color printed & cut vinyl, to look old-fashioned. I'm looking just for some inspiration/sketches/scribbles/ideas on how to tie the two regions together. Any input is much appreciated!


Thanks,
-Jason

[pixelObsession]

Just what I would do off of the top of my head.  With a bit more time you could figure out how to run the lines to avoid the balltop and to include your red gear up top, and maybe alter the perspective to match the bottom or vice-versa.

[jasonbar]

Thanks tons for the input.

I'm not against having the circuit traces run behind the ball top--I'd rather that they were all aligned & routed "realistically" instead of having them go around the stick.

I've been having trouble getting the circuit traces to all converge at the horizon and/or find a good transition. I like your idea of the traces going into the gear outline--I'll sketch up some ideas along those lines.

Thanks!
-Jason

[pixelObsession]

cool, happy to help!

I'd like to see where you go with it.