Re-imaging the Future
through Subculture
SCI-FI CHARACTER DESIGN
Character Design for Science-Fiction
SCI-FI CHARACTER DESIGN
Synopsis
Re-imaging the Future through Subculture, was the challenge of a personal creative project, which meant to bind graffiti, spirituality, and futurism. By analyzing cinema classics such as ‘Blade Runner’, I often wondered about the fashion design and how believable and timeless it still was, which I credited in my studies to not being too outlandish but still fitting science fiction, thus making it believable.
The Idea Generation
Persona profiles and mind maps.
To explore deep narrative design, oftentimes not only caring about what looks good but also asking ourselves, ‘Where is the emotion?’
It’s about having empathy for who the character is.
With all these branches to explore within the map, we can try to tie some art+design together: Are they an introvert? What is a motif that can describe this? Maybe giving them a hoodie and a mask would not only fit the environment they live in but also be a nod to their introverted personality.
The Visual Story
Mood boards and Brainstorming
through Sketches.
Researching through the use of mood boards, sketches, and any other means necessary, to create a more believable narrative and balancing the workings of the inner mind with what we already find in our world was a key to balance what’s too creative and wild with what’s believable and relatable.
The Result:
Software: Zbrush, Marvelous Designer, Photoshop, Keyshot.
By the end of the project, what was achieved was an array of solutions to answer the problem of concept art and design, what started with an emphasis on storytelling and narrative at heart, turned out to give, as a nice byproduct, an array of services like:
– Mechanical designs, blocked out in 3D, fully functional from an engineering standpoint.
– Fashion design in Marvelous Designer, which comes with UV maps tied to the garments by default, slashing production time and the effort of the production 3D modeler later on.
– Graphics and decals, as well as a style guide language to rely on, not only for these character designs but also others that may come later and need to be developed.
– A 3D base that is overall efficient enough for marketing illustrations, concept art, and speed up the 3D production later on.
Looking to start a project?
Thanks for looking through! If you’d like to start a project, please reach out below and book a meeting or interview.
