FFVII background sketches, complete scans

[Shademp]

Mentioned in an older thread, the art book "Kusanagi IV" contains official sketches for (some of) the backgrounds of FFVII, FFVIII and FFIX. Yes, eventually I will make scans for the latter two.
UPDATE: Here they are.

In order to create proper scans, I bought a second copy of the book so I felt ok with ripping out the pages.

Download link: FFVII Backgrounds


These sketches are from before actual color was applied. There are a myriad of differences between these backgrounds and the final result.

The most noteworthy is from page 21. The upper sketch is an example of the artists taking liberty outside of their directions and going for an organic design with the Junon gas chamber. The lower sketch is an unused version of the cockpit for Cid's rocket ship.

If you yourself want to compare each sketch with the final result, here is a list of links to the final background corresponding to the page in the Kusanagi book.

Page:
08 - uutai1
09- uutai2 & uttmpin3
10- uttmpin2 & uttmpin1
11- uta_wa & utapb
12- mkt_mens & colne_5
13- colne_2 & colne_1
14- mkt_ia & mkt_s3
15- mkt_w & mkt_s2
16- mkt_m & mktpb
17- mktinn & tunnel_1
18- niv_w & nivinn_1
19- niv_cl & nvmin1_1
20- elpmb & jail2
21- junbin5 & unused field. The cockpit field used is rcktin5.
22- ghotel & ghotin_3
23- ghotin_2 & ghotin_1
24- losin1 & losin2
25- losin3 & losinn
26- gnmk
27- gnmkf
28- delpb delinn
29- delmin2 & delmin1
30- elmin3_1 & elm_wa
31- elmin4_1 & elm_i
32- anfrst_1, anfrst_2 & anfrst_3
33- anfrst_4 & anfrst_5 and plant life sketches.

 

[Tennyo]

Very awesome. Thanks for putting these up.

These should totally be front paged.

I can't right now, though. Anyone else want to take on the task?

 

[Shademp]

Very awesome. Thanks for putting these up.

These should totally be front paged.

I can't right now, though. Anyone else want to take on the task?

I doubt that would be safe. Won't the likelihood increase that the publishers of the book find out about this and demand that we remove the download link?

 

[Tennyo]

Hmm, good point. I guess I don't know. There's a good chance of that.

 

[Max Payne]

thanks for the links bro

 

[trash panda]

How cool! Now I have a reference next time FFF has a boring landscape drawing contest! XD
That hidden forest was one of my favorite places. Silly frogs. XD

 

[Octo]

Shademp, you are truly magnificent!

 

[Smaddy]

Funny. If you check 020 [sketch of Corel Prison], you actually clearly see what the graffiti is on the Shin-Ra billboard.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

YEAH IT SAYS FUCK

 

[Dashell]

Good job as always Shademp. Always love reading your posts

 

[Shademp]

Forgot to add a link to the thread with the download links
for the FFVIII and FFIX sketches.

Unfortunately, I do not have any rips of the pre-rendered backgrounds from either of those games so I can't link to any comparison pics.

 

[hamsterguy]

Hey Shademp, since megaupload has been taken down. Do you happen to have these scans available still?

I'd really appreciate it, been looking for some background sketches for a long time now.

Thanks!

 

[Shademp]

- FFVII Backgrounds

I don't have the FFVIII and FFIX sketches uploaded atm. I'll get back to you about those.

 

[hamsterguy]

Ahhh!! This is awesome! Thanks for taking the time to scan and share this stuff, I didn't know all these drawings existed somewhere.

So do you know if these background sketches were just painted over digitally? Or were they also replicated in 3d?

 

[Shademp]

So do you know if these background sketches were just painted over digitally? Or were they also replicated in 3d?

I can't say I understand these terms/processes. I don't see how (or why) these 2D sketches would ever be replicated in 3D. The Kusanagi team drew the FFVII sketches in 1995-1996, but I don't know how these original sketches were scanned into the Kusanagi IV book.