Anatomy and Character Sculpture - Project 1 : Stylized Character Blockout
Ting Wen Yi / 0361799
Anatomy and Character Sculpture/Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Project 1 : Stylized Character Blockout
INSTRCTIONS
You are to utilize your character design to create a stylized character block-out where you have to demonstrate anatomy studies applied in your digital sculpting. Characters can be human, any form of biped creatures or hybrid, or quadrupeds. Sculpture should capture as the listed components below:
- Proportion
- Character identity and believability
- Theme
- Readable silhouette
- Identical Landmarks
- Initiated Style
- Muscle Flow
*Note that the character needs to be identical to your concept proposed and details that is sufficient to address appealing structure and form. This will then continued to Project 2 for further development. Further references can be obtained at files/class materials folder. You are strictly not allowed to use any AI generated images or 3D creation. Each progress and processes to be recorded and showcased as a proof of originality. Any submission of final work with AI artwork will be considered plagiarism and no marks will be given.
EXERCISE
1. Male Character
For my vehicle design, I am creating a vehicle for the movie Jurassic World. To complement this theme, I have decided to make my character a paleontologist who studies dinosaur and explores the history of life. |
| Figure 1.1 Paleontologist - Week 2 (2/5/2024) |
I have gathered some inspiration and elements to help me visualize in designing my character. The character is dressed in Jurassic-themed attire, holding with the tools required by a paleontologist, such as books, hammer, and magnifying loupe etc. He wears a hat and glasses to complement the theme.
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| Figure 1.2 Paleontologist Mood Board - Week 2 (4/5/2024) |
To start visualizing my idea, I began with silhouette drawings. I want the character to have a slightly larger and more muscular body shape.
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| Figure 1.3 Silhouette Sketching- Week 2 (4/5/2024) |
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| Figure 1.4 Stylized Character Sketching - Week 2 (4/5/2024) Then, I proceeded to develop the character. I made him wear a vest with pockets, and added a belt with many pouches to carry minor objects. He also wears gloves and boots.
I added a layer for the hat and the high-tech glasses. The high-tech glasses could be equipped with augmented reality features, allowing the paleontologist to analyze and document findings on the go. The hat provides protection from the sun, adding to the practicality of the character's design.
I have blocked out the body of the character in ZBrush. The blockout features many obvious muscles, to highlight the character's strong and muscular physique. The character's body is designed to convey strength and endurance, suitable for the physically demanding nature of paleontological fieldwork. I paid special attention to the musculature, ensuring it looked both realistic and exaggerated enough to fit within the action-oriented context of Jurassic World. |
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| Figure 1.6 Body Block Out (Paleontologist) - Week 8 (13/6/2024) |
2. Female Character
Although we are only required to create one character for this module, I challenged myself to create two: one female and one male. For the female character, which was a continuation of the task from Character Design, I aimed to design an adult-sized Genshin character. I intended to elongate and exaggerate her legs slightly. Since my character is an Egyptian priest, I wanted her to look powerful and imbued with a strong aura.
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| Figure 2.1 Hilda Turnaround Sketches - Week 4 (15/5/2024) |
I took the blockout I made in the Exercise and merged all the objects into one. I then smoothed the skin so that it looks unified.
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| Figure 2.2 Body Block Out (Hilda) - Week 8 (13/6/2024) |
I also blocked out her hair and smoothed it out. Although it looks really bad for now, this helps me to landmark her hair.
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After the independent week, Mr. Kannan gave us feedback on Week 9. I corrected some minor mistakes and resculpted the face to a more anime and girl style, but the ears weren't in the best shape. I watched some tutorials to resculpt the head. I also redid the hair because this week wasn't rushed like last week, as I procrastinated a little on the work. I haven't refined the male version yet.
Figure 2.4 Head Sculpting Tutorial - Week 9 (23/6/2024)
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| Figure 2.5 Block Out Body Amended - Week 9 (23/6/2024) |
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Figure 2.8 Project 1 Compilation - Week 9 (23/6/2024)
FEEDBACKS
Week 9: Arms are too thick, neck too thick, jawline too much, legs diagonal, a diamond behind, legs smoother, calves too thin, push stomach out a bit, knees not round, put knees down a bit, and put the belly button.
Week 7: Open the arm; when you do posing, it will be easier. Week 6 is way better. If you want to do muscles, ask yourself, "Is this too much?" For the knee, just do a ball. Focus on the proportion and don’t do details yet.
Week 3: Maybe you can add high-tech glasses for him.
REFLECTIONS
Experience
Throughout this module, I've had the opportunity to explore more into character design, focusing on both anatomy and digital sculpting. For the male character, I focused on creating a believable and functional design. I learned to balance the muscular physique necessary for the character's role with the practical aspects of his attire and accessories. Working in ZBrush, I refined my techniques in blocking out and detailing the body, ensuring anatomical accuracy while maintaining a stylized look suitable for the character's context. The female character allowed me to explore a different aesthetic, aiming for an elongated and elegant design typical of anime characters from Genshin Impact. This character also presented a challenge in integrating cultural and thematic elements, such as the aura of power befitting an Egyptian priest.
Observation
During the process, I observed several key aspects of character design and sculpting. Proper proportions and anatomical details are crucial for creating believable characters. For both characters, careful consideration of muscle flow, joint placement, and overall body shape was necessary to ensure they looked natural and functional. A readable silhouette aids in identifying the character's pose and action at a glance, and I focused on this during the blocking-out stages to ensure clarity. Balancing stylization with realistic details was a constant consideration, especially for the female character. While maintaining a stylized look, it was important to ensure the details addressed appealing structure and form.
Findings
I found that working with ZBrush improved my proficiency with various tools and techniques. Sticking with the Standard Brush, Move Brush, Clay Buildup Brush, and Smooth Brush helped streamline the process and produce better results.
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