Terry Brunt - Computer Animation Arts: Character Design

This final session of Character Design was operated like it was a test. We had the whole day to create a set of developed characters.

To start things off, we were put into groups. I was with Shannon (http://shannonfisheranimation.blogspot.com/) and Vincent (http://vincent-lange.blogspot.com/). We were then given a cartoon that we had to create original characters for. Luckily for us we were given Miraculous: Tales Of Ladybug & Cat Noir, which just so happens to be a show that Shannon enjoys.

Our task was to create three new characters, a hero, a sidekick and a villain. Shannon worked on the hero, Vincent worked on the villain and I worked on the sidekick.

Since all the characters in the show are based on animals, our first task was to decide on an animal. We settled on flying squirrels, but we also mixed in elements form red squirrels to make it more recognisable. The sidekick I ended up designing was a "Kwami", a small chibi-esk creature that works with the hero characters. The one I ended up creating was based on a squirrel.

My reference drawings of a flying squirrel, a red squirrel and a kwami

Gland, The Squirrel Kwami.

After we made these, Justin told us that we had to make a playset, which we did, but I don't have the drawings of. For those you'll have to go to Shannon. Same applies for when Justin asked us to create an electric toy.

At some point during the day, Justin told us that a racing video game was being made based on our characters and we had to redesign our characters as cars.

I'm actually quite proud of this. Since it's a small character I decided to model them after a small car, the Peel P50. If you don't know about this car, I highly recommend you watch Jeremy Clarkson drive one around the BBC headquarters.

Throughout the day, we were tasked to draw a turnaround for our characters. I drew a few throughout the day.

None of these are perfect, but I think I was getting somewhere with the design, as limited as it is.

Character Design - Sessions 8 & 9

Session 8

Session 8 was all about perspective and animation layouts. I didn't get very much done in the lesson itself as I spent most of it trying to understand perspective, which is something I find very difficult to do in 2D.

So my perspective art and my animation layouts were done outside if lesson, on photoshop.

Perspective Concept Art

Perspective Concept Art (With perspective and horizon lines)

Animation Layout

Session 9

Session 9 started with Justin giving us a category and we had to design logos for an organisation of that category. I was given spies.

A bunch of different logo designs for Spy Corp.

Our next task was to create a movie poster for a film of our choosing. I decided to draw a poster for Shin Godzilla. With most of these drawings I was trying to show the sheer size and power of Godzilla.

This one is a redrawing of the original movie poster.

After the break we continued with our character projects, for one last time before the break.

I decided to start on a character expression sheet for my main character. Faces 1, 2 & 3 work well, but face 4 looks a bit too manic. I'm thinking of naming the character Robin, after both Robin Hood (As he is an archer) and Sir Robin from Monty Python & the Holy Grail (As they are both cowards).

I also began on an expression sheet for the crow.

Since you can't see the knights face, an expression sheet seems pointless; so I started a gesture sheet.

Monday, 25 November 2019

Character Design - Session 7

Back to Character Design, this time the focus was was on story telling.

Our first task had us find a scene from a film and break it down into a storyboard. However, the storyboard we had to make was only the key shots and not a full storyboard.
I drew Spinel's introduction from Steven Universe: The Movie.

For our next task Justin gave us a setting and we had to create a chase scene. I was give an office.
The first thing I decided to do was draw a rough layout of the office.

We had to create a kinda storyboard pointing out the key shots of our scenes.

Here's a couple more panels.

In the afternoon we returned to our main project.

I started by draw a stick figure version of the Archer in some action poses.

When speaking to Justin, we started working on a piece of concept art.

Here's a slightly altered version. This still needs to be revised and improved.

I also drew the layout of the castle as a reference of how the story will progress.

Monday, 18 November 2019

Character Design - Session 6

This session was focusing on props and sidekicks.

Our morning session was about creating props.

Justin gave us a prompt civilisation and we had to create both a character and props based on that prompt.
Justin gave me Ancient Persia. I know absolutely nothing about ancient Persia, so this was not the easiest exercise for me. I started by drawing some weapons and clothing.
Justin suggested I look at Persian mythology and then I noticed that the Manticore is Persian.

Our next task was to take our prompt and give it a sci-fi twist.
I got a bit carried away with the Manticore. What I ended up with was a version of the Manticore inspired by King Ghidorah from the Godzilla Anime. I also created a spaceship inspired by Persian weapons.

Getting back on track, Justin suggested I create a cultist character that worships the Manticore. I ended up with a character wearing robes, with laser weaponry inspired by Persian weapons.

The next part of he lesson moved onto sidekicks, however instead of giving us a new prompt he asked us to create a sidekick for our project character.

Since my hero, the Archer, is on his own in my story I figured that his sidekick could be a horse, or more likely a donkey, in the distance.

However I then started to think, how about a sidekick for the villain instead. At first I thought of a crow for the villainous vibe, but then Justin suggested a falcon for the Archer, but we discussed maybe giving it to the Knight to show power.

So this is the general design I settled on for the falcon. It's hunched over and grumpy looking. This is a bird that's been jaded by life.

After talking to Justin, I started stylising my characters. The Falcon here is a bit more exaggerated.

The Archer is a lot more lanky than his design from last week, taking inspiration from the design of his longbow.

The Knight is now even buffer than before and a lot more stylised.

Wednesday, 6 November 2019

Character Design - Session 5

This session of Character Design was about facial expressions.

Justin showed us varies expressions that a human can pull and then he tasked us with drawing our own faces while blending some of the expressions together.

He then gave us a random object or building that we had to create a character out of. He gave me a church.

I started by drawing a couple actual churches

I then decided to do this with it. Take that as you will.

Our last task before lunch was to create facial expressions with animals. Justin asked me to draw a llama.

Starting with some ordinary llamas

Then tried to give it a somewhat snobby personality.

Back to the main project. I decided to use this lesson to explore the Archer's face a bit.

Luckily, Justin didn't hate these. He did suggest a few changes, mostly with the actual structure of the faces.

The Archer needed to look lankier and his face a bit more rounded. Justin also ask that I make the knight's helmet more aggressive looking, so I did that.

I also started plotting out the main action of the scene.

Character Design - Session 4

This session of Character Design was all about body language.

For our morning lesson, Justin put us into random groups and then, in rotation, one of us had to stand and do a pose from a list on the board, while the rest of us drew the pose.
My group was: Myself, Coyle, Vincent and Alexandra.
Our first task was to draw the general shape and position.