Unit 1-Lesson #3 – DESIGNing A UNIQUE CHARACTER IN 3D, continued

Your designs for new, unique characters are fantastic!  Way to go.

The purpose of the last lesson was to give you a method for coming up with new and different design ideas for a character that you would like to sculpt in 3D.  Perhaps you really like one of the ideas that arose from that last lesson.

The next step to character designing is to refine your design.

That’s your goal for today’s lesson.

Refine? why we have to?  The big idea here is to follow a process for designing a new, unique, and fascinating character that you will sculpt. I’m not sure when we will get back into the sculpture studio, but in the meantime you will have learned the design process and done the preparations.

Your character needs to be fully developed.    What are your character’s personality traits?  Evil? Heroic? Kind-hearted? Bold and outgoing?  How do you show his/her traits visually, in the character’s appearance?

1.What attributes about your character could you Exaggerate so that his/her character is better described (Superman has an extra big chest and arm muscles)?

2.What could you give your character to hold or wear that could help to describe his/her character? It should be something that can be uniquely attributed to that character (Superman has a cape and an emblem on his chest).

3.What Colours represent your character’s personality? Delicate, soft colours? Harsh one? Dark ones? Child-like bright colours?

I’m using my friends at BaM Animation to tell you about three important factors to consider when designing a great 3D imaginary character:  CLARITY of Silouette, Colour palette, and  Exaggeration. I want to mention that the BaM animators want a character that is simplified – you don’t!!! Because you are not designing for animation (necessarily).  So ignore their “simplification” advice (thanks Sloane) and pay close attention to the rest.

Please watch their video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wm9ti-gzLM

After watching their video please draw a REFINED version of your character that you have designed. Make your drawing FULL PAGE.   It is probably one of the 3 shape characters from last lesson, but perhaps you need to alter one of those designs to be more suitable to your taste.  Go ahead.

Here are the criteria for the character drawing:

1. DRAW A CHARACTER OF YOUR OWN DESIGN.
2. WRITE A CHARACTER DESCRIPTION BELOW THE DRAWING TO CLARIFY WHAT TRAITS YOU WANT IT TO HAVE.
3. MAKE THE CHARACTER HOLDING OR WEARING SOMETHING THAT GIVES IT HIS/HER OWN IDENTITY.
4. REFINE THE SILHOUETTE SO THAT THE PARTS OF THE CHARACTER ARE DISTINCT (ie. boots are sharp, collar is large and pointy, ponytail is high and long).
5. COLOUR THE CHARACTER IN A COLOUR SCHEME that tells of his/her character traits.

Whew!  That’s a big challenge.  Take your time.  Email me a photo when you finish.  Come back to my edublog on Monday.  Til then, happy designing.