Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
His motivations are to promote the interests of his own alien race and therefore may run counter to those
of humanity. He considers humans to be like cattle, and his awesome power combined with his aristo-
cratic arrogance make a dangerous combination. The character should communicate regality and strength
without being a brute or animalistic force. He is magical in his presence and uses his ability to manipulate
space and time to subjugate the beings he encounters. Ancient cultures may have feared and worshiped
these creatures as gods.
Design Journey
The brief we just read contains much information about the character we are being asked to design. You will
notice it is full of keywords such as
alien
,
powerful
,
regal
, and
arrogant
. These are points that will help us
define the attitude and presence of the character though the design process.
You may also note this brief has no information about the visual look of the character. Briefs like this will
be given when a director is interested in exploring a vast array of possibilities to find the best solution to his
character. We call this process a
design journey
, and it involves traveling down various concept paths with
the expectation that most of them will not be selected as the final design. Each one will give some insight
into the best possible solution to the character design.
Even though there are no visual descriptions, we can intuit some elements from the director's description.
Regal
,
high-ranking
, and
god
imply a tall, muscular character, like Zeus, perhaps. Or maybe he is a valiant
warrior who has battled his way to the top. Here is where you can choose to be creative. Try to find ways
to confound your own expectations and instincts. If you immediately think tall, what happens if you try to
communicate these traits in a small fat character? This is where the excitement and originality for design
come in. In this chapter we will create a lithe, slender character that has the presence of a decadent king or
a strange high priest. Remember, this is an alien that travels between dimensions. It is a perfect opportunity
to twist the expectations of a human body in strange ways.
Establishing Your Basic Figure
We will begin by considering the most basic aspects of the figure. These aspects are gesture, form, and pro-
portion. I will often begin working on a character by thinking of the overall gesture of the figure. I will think
about the attitude of the character and how it is communicated through his stance. I find that I can get into
the mind-set of the character by standing up and assuming the posture or stance of the character. It is much
like acting, and a good designer needs to be able to get into the head of his subject, to be able to assume its
identity and communicate it to the viewer.
Proportion is another key element, especially in humanoid figures. A figure with an eight-head or ten-
head proportion will appear massive while a six- or five-head figure will appear diminutive and small. The
proportions of the figure can quickly lead the viewer to make all kinds of assumptions about the character,
including its relative size, age, demeanor, and mobility. Variations in proportion can greatly impact how we
view a character. A larger head-to-body ratio can appear less graceful and imposing while a smaller head-
to-body ratio appears taller and, in some cases, more imposing. Later in this topic you will see how a larger
head-to-body ratio is used for the Forest Spirit character design in Chapter 8, “Sculpting the Forest Spirit.”
Search WWH ::
Custom Search