CHARACTER DESIGN GCD61704/Task 3: Characters creation

CHARACTER DESIGN 

GCD61704/Task 3

LIU CHENG RUI  (0370930)

GCD61704/Environment design/ Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University  

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INSTRUCTION

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Task 3

week9

This week, we started working on task 3, which is the 2D Splash Art for characters. We can create element types or environment types.

First of all, I looked for some relevant references and lessons to learn from.

Fig9.1 Moodboard/Image References

After that, I began to create my sketches of character backdrop. I mainly wanted to create a Splash Art based on dragon elements or summon types from cultivation and martial arts stories.

Fig9.2 Sketches of character backdrop 1

The first creative idea is that the dragon, as an ancient spiritual beast, is the highest condensed form of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The character can make their own aura resonate with the dragon vein through the spirit control or dragon control method, thereby summoning a semi-materialized spiritual dragon to protect and assist them in battles, symbolizing that their cultivation has reached a certain level, that is, the mid-term cultivation.

The second creative idea is that the Heavenly King is a subordinate of the Celestial Realm's divine generals. It is a guardian spirit summoned by cultivators through secret incantations or contracts. It has a human form but possesses strong divine characteristics, representing that the character's cultivation and strength have reached a higher level. It is already at the middle or upper stage of cultivation and can borrow divine power from a higher dimension, providing a powerful backing for it to perform offensive and defensive great supernatural powers.

Fig9.3 Sketches of character backdrop 2

The design concept of the third one is to demonstrate that the character integrates their own magical form with the spiritual power of the dragon race and then summons a higher-level celestial deity to protect them. This is a late-stage compound immortal art, showing that the character is about to achieve the ultimate cultivation level, capable of controlling dragon energy and communicating with deities. It belongs to the ultimate combat form that only upper-level cultivators possess.

week10

This week, I began the Hero Pose Exploration. Since my character was created against the backdrop of cultivation, I prefer to make the character's action poses more flamboyant and highlight the outstanding temperament of cultivators.

Fig10.1 Hero Pose Exploration 1,2

In the first picture, the character's upper body is twisted to the left front, and the body is in a half-side position in high-speed rotation. Extend the right arm forward, hold the sword and thrust it forward, keeping the wrist stable. Swing your left arm backward to maintain balance. The legs are in a straddling position, with the right leg slightly bent and the left leg flung backward, demonstrating the centrifugal force generated by the rotation.

In the second picture, the character's body remains upright, with both feet firmly on the ground and the center of gravity lowered. Hold the long sword horizontally with one hand and lean your upper body slightly forward to enhance the direction of the impact. Spread your shoulders and keep your back straight, presenting a prepared posture of "holding your ground". The sleeves and cape were slightly lifted by the airflow, and the hair strands fluttered backward, creating a visual effect of spiritual energy converging all over the body.

Fig10.2 Hero Pose Exploration 3,4

In the third picture, the character is half-squatting and charging forward, with both feet seemingly stepping on the water ripples formed by spiritual energy. The long sword was raised horizontally, and its momentum was compressed to the periphery of the blade, evoking a strong oscillation of the sword intent. The hem of the garment was lifted by the powerful energy, presenting a sense of arrogant yet steady strength in the movement. This move was like a long-accumulated sweep, ready to burst through the blade at any moment.

In the fourth picture, the character leans forward and leaps up, with the entire movement plunging downward, just like an eagle soaring through the sky. The hair, cape and armor pieces were pulled backward by the rapid airflow, and the spiritual energy rotating all over the body rolled into a spiral shape, making the force of the thrust more concentrated. The sword's edge locked onto the target ahead, and with a swift, precise and unmistakable thrust, it broke through the formation.

Fig10.3 Hero Pose Exploration 5

The character in the fifth picture adopts a low and steady forward pressing posture, with the center of gravity on the front foot and the body slightly leaning forward, presenting a ready motion to charge forward at any moment. Press the long sword forward and downward with the right hand, bringing the spine close to the center line of the body, and use force from the wrist to maintain control. Extend the left arm to the front to stabilize the overall balance and form a forward, open attacking Angle for the upper body.

Behind the characters, the gods are presented in a semi-transparent and illusory form, standing tall and upright, forming a clear "guardian - possession" counterpoint relationship with the characters' postures. The illusory figure's body remains upright, as if sharing the same central axis with the character. The dragon-shaped aura wanders behind the celestial deity, extending its outline and creating a visual pull forward and backward with the direction of the character's forward pressing action.

After that, I added characters based on the background to create Splash Art.

Fig10.4 Splash Art Exploration 1,2

Fig10.5 Splash Art Exploration 3

When I was making the third Splash Art, I asked Mr. Fitri for his opinion. Mr. Fitri thought that this pose and the subsequent Splash Art were good. A ground could be added to the character, and the ground should be inclined at the same Angle as the clouds surrounding at the bottom.

In addition, Mr. Fitri also suggested that I could add some smaller clouds or smoke, so that there would be a distinction between large, medium and small.

Fig10.6 Modified Splash Art Exploration 3

week11

I chose Splash Art Exploration 3 as my final Splash Art, so I began to color and add some details.

Fig11.1 Final Pose (without background)

I first did the basic coloring, which included the illusory image of the gods behind the character and the clouds and mists surrounding it.

Fig11.2 Basic coloring

After that, I thought the clouds and mists around the character were too monotonous, so I added some layers by using different colors.

Fig11.3 Increase the layers of clouds and mist

After completing all these, I referred to the images of some divine characters in Chinese mythology and added a kind of light wheel symbolizing divine power behind the illusory images of the gods.

Fig11.4 Light wheel reference

Fig11.5 Final Splash Art (Final rendered artwork with background)

Task 3 slides

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FEEDBACK

week10

Mr. Fitri thought that this pose and the subsequent Splash Art were good. A ground could be added to the character, and the ground should be inclined at the same Angle as the clouds surrounding at the bottom.In addition, Mr. Fitri also suggested that I could add some smaller clouds or smoke, so that there would be a distinction between large, medium and small.

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REFLECTION

Experience

During the process of doing this character design Task 3, for the first time, I truly integrated the character, pose, background and atmosphere into a complete Splash Art. I personally experienced the entire process, from collecting references, to designing the poses of the characters, and then to background composition, lighting and shadow, and atmosphere.The greatest lesson I learned from this process is that a good character illustration is not only about drawing the characters well, but also includes lighting, atmosphere, movements and environment. These elements must work together for the picture to have a sense of story.

I also realized the importance of exploring character actions. Different movements will bring about completely different atmospheres. I tried multiple poses and finally chose the one that best represents "summoning, spiritual energy, and the sense of cultivation", and added elements such as clouds and mists, light wheels, and virtual shadows of deities to make the picture more complete.

Observation

During the process of painting, I observed many points that I had not noticed before.

First, there is the relationship between the background and the characters. I used to only focus on the characters themselves, but this time after my mentor reminded me to add the ground, adjust the tilt Angle, and add layers of clouds and mists in front and back, I realized that the environment would directly affect the reading experience of the picture. The clearer the spatial distinction between the front, middle and back of the picture is, the more likely the character is to become the visual focus. Secondly, the importance of ambient color and light and shadow. I made different adjustments in depth and brightness for the clouds, gas, aperture and deities' shadows, and found that these minor changes could all affect the mystery and energy of the entire picture.

Findings

This mission made me realize that the core of character illustration is not "drawing beautifully", but "whether the picture can tell a story". To express concepts such as summoning, deities, power and aura, it is not about the characters standing there, but rather about the actions, light and shadow, background and atmosphere working together to support them.

I also clearly see several areas where I need to improve:

1. The composition ability is still not stable enough, and sometimes the space between the front and back is not clearly distinguished.

2. The control of light and shadow as well as the atmosphere still requires further practice.

3. Bolder and more proactive designs are still needed in terms of the unity of the background and characters.

Despite these shortcomings, it is precisely these issues that have enabled me to truly understand the difficulty of Splash Art and have also made me clearer about where I should strive in the future.