Designing a Character
We were asked to create a character that we would then model in 3D and place in an environment. The brief was something I knew I'd enjoy, so I went about researching and looking at successful character designs already out there.
Pixar characters are always good examples of character design. For example, Toy Story characters, Woody and Buzz, work because they are completely opposite to each other in shape and even their style. Woody is a long and floppy cowboy whilst Buzz is a futuristic astronaut.
|
I love Finding Nemo and how well Pixar made each fish so individual. I really liked the use of the different types of shark in this scene.
|
Below are some concept art pieces for Toy Story and Finding Nemo. As you can see, the early character designs were really different to the designs now. Woody looked much meaner and unlikable and Buzz looked really small and not obviously heroic.
The Finding Nemo designs help show the different scales and expressions of certain characters. Carter Goodrich is extremely good at character design and portraying certain moods and expressions.
The Finding Nemo designs help show the different scales and expressions of certain characters. Carter Goodrich is extremely good at character design and portraying certain moods and expressions.
I think Monsters Inc have a really good selection of characters. In the scene above, you can see the various monsters lining up to do their job. How they look and even how they prepare themselves gives insight into their character without much dialogue from each. The monster designs are so varied and colourful and fun to look at that it works perfectly for this kind of movie and plot.
Above: Here are some concept art pieces for Monsters Inc. As you can see, the colours and shapes were very important to the creation of each monster to make them all look different and vibrant. I like the design of Sulley now as he looks like a big friendly giant in comparison to his earlier concepts.
Below: Here are some other monster designs that are non Monsters Inc related. The artists have played with shape and quirkiness to bring the characters alive and make them unique. You can almost imagine their stories just by how they are stood or by the expression on their face. That makes good character design.
Below: Here are some other monster designs that are non Monsters Inc related. The artists have played with shape and quirkiness to bring the characters alive and make them unique. You can almost imagine their stories just by how they are stood or by the expression on their face. That makes good character design.
A really good example of character design is Tangled. I really loved the characterisation in this film and especially the concept art that really showed the character's personality. The whole movement of the horse, Maximus, is basically like a dogs. That was the point and it made Maximus really funny and relatable since more people own dogs than horses.
The flow and movement of each drawing of Rapunzel really captures her personality. She is animated when she speaks and is usually quite chirpy. I love these designs because they are so well drawn. You can really get Flynn's arrogance in some of his pictures just from his stance. I love the final image especially as you can see the type of relationship between Flynn and Maximus as Maximus looks disdainfully at Flynn who seems cheeky.
Below is the maquette's for Rapunzel. These give animators a good idea of what the character will look like in 3D before she is actually modelled on a computer.
Below is the maquette's for Rapunzel. These give animators a good idea of what the character will look like in 3D before she is actually modelled on a computer.
My Designs
After looking at a few different characters, I drew a few of my own characters just to get a feel of a character I may have wanted to draw.
First we were told to get into groups and draw each other. I guess this was supposed to be more a caricature lesson that anything, but I found this hard to do just because I am used to drawing in a more realistic style than exaggeration. Below are my attempts at drawing some people in class, but it was more difficult than it should have been.
First we were told to get into groups and draw each other. I guess this was supposed to be more a caricature lesson that anything, but I found this hard to do just because I am used to drawing in a more realistic style than exaggeration. Below are my attempts at drawing some people in class, but it was more difficult than it should have been.
Above: Here are some of my other character designs. I wanted to make a really cool looking character, but the realisation that I would have to produce a maquette version of them put me off the designs. Also, my tutor said they didn't work too well for the project.
Below: I jumped onto the computer to do some drawings and thought about doing an astronaut. I thought I could get really simple and round shapes for the body so it would be easy to model. Of course it wasn't just about practicality, I thought about design and his story. However, I scrapped this idea because I didn't want to do anything involving space again (like my first ever Ravensbourne project for Time Based Narrative).
Below: I jumped onto the computer to do some drawings and thought about doing an astronaut. I thought I could get really simple and round shapes for the body so it would be easy to model. Of course it wasn't just about practicality, I thought about design and his story. However, I scrapped this idea because I didn't want to do anything involving space again (like my first ever Ravensbourne project for Time Based Narrative).
I looked back at some of the old designs I did before we started Level 2. I knew we were going to do character design in term 1, so I had made these concept art pieces before I started. Looking back I really would like to continue to develop these characters and my idea as well as their world.
My idea involved a Native American type chief and his son. I wanted to portray a story about a father teaching his son the ways of their people, such as how to hunt etc. I didn't want them to be exactly Native American, so I threw in some other tribal references to mix things up. The world is dominated in brown colours and very neutral, earthy tones. I tried to show these above.
I used Photoshop for these pieces. For the first I used a crayon-y type brush and drew on a canvas like background to make it look almost authentic. The second piece I drew everything out with lineart, then coloured and removed the lineart. To make the change in colour around the edges, I used the gradient tool and dotted the surface with a rough brush then I further added with an overlay of a rock and paper texture on low opacity. Then I set an orange filter above the colours to make the tones more warm.
I used Photoshop for these pieces. For the first I used a crayon-y type brush and drew on a canvas like background to make it look almost authentic. The second piece I drew everything out with lineart, then coloured and removed the lineart. To make the change in colour around the edges, I used the gradient tool and dotted the surface with a rough brush then I further added with an overlay of a rock and paper texture on low opacity. Then I set an orange filter above the colours to make the tones more warm.
When it came to modelling with clay, I had to change my design a bit, to accommodate making a plasticine model of it. I wanted to make the dad quite top heavy in comparison to the boy who would be small and cute. The dad was supposed to look quite menacing, even if he wasn't menacing in personality.
In the end my clay model came out terribly, showing my skills are not in sculpting! However, I tried really hard and enjoyed it, even if I used the wrong material (I used clay instead of plasticine).
Below, as you can see, I got the whole top heavy part, but I had to change the legs to accommodate the weight and spread the weight evenly.
In the end my clay model came out terribly, showing my skills are not in sculpting! However, I tried really hard and enjoyed it, even if I used the wrong material (I used clay instead of plasticine).
Below, as you can see, I got the whole top heavy part, but I had to change the legs to accommodate the weight and spread the weight evenly.
I watched Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs again recently and found that the dad had the body shape and look I was going for. I may further adjust the dad's design and really make him look strong, cool and fatherly.
I reworked my character a little more and decided on a final design of this below.
To be honest I really simplified his design as I did not have much confidence in my actual modelling skills. I thought I would make a nice and simple character to practise with. I feel like through his face, you can see his stern personality and by his pose, he looks like he is in charge, which effectively he is. Since he is a father and all.
I wasn't sure what colour clothes to use, but I knew to be part of a kind of Native American/Tribe type people, I had to give earthy colours that they would use. I did in the end choose the version on the right.
I wasn't sure what colour clothes to use, but I knew to be part of a kind of Native American/Tribe type people, I had to give earthy colours that they would use. I did in the end choose the version on the right.