Complexity of character design
Man, sometimes character design could be cumbersome. You knew almost exactly how your character should look and feel but you still can’t get a picture of it. I’m talking about Iris Noa, one of the leading characters from Rainbow Dreams project. I’ve came up with her idea somewhere in 2007 and spent hella a lot on rendering her variations. The recent one (facial closeup) was an enormous rendering process with me painting every pore in her skin and every hair until it looks good in my eyes.
I’ve posted in online to see the reaction and the results were so-so. Some 3D guys liked the texture but the whole character doesn’t fired up the emotions I need. For the character designer it means that (s)he wasn’t successful in translation of characteristics or design is really weak. It feels, well, not suck but more like you have to find a key that unlocks a flow. Each character concentrates and represents some energy so you feel sympathy or anger or crush or something else to him/her. If you don’t bother at all it means that there is no flow between you and character.
Even if you’ve years and years of experience under your belt you can’t avoid obstacles. Some younger artists may look at your work and think, dude this guy is awesome! but you don’t feel so. You constantly see new challenges and trying to deal with them. It’s not a big deal anymore to draw some superhero chick you’ve been dreaming 10 years ago (it’s all about chest and legs guys!), but your mind is working on puzzles like how to express this and that character trait and so on. This is where most of tutorilas fail because they focused on external side (how to draw) and not internal (what to draw). So you’ve to rely on your own, personal experience and try to express that character you’re looking for.
Oh my, I’ve to go back to my desk and start again!
I totally agree. The depth of a character can be seen in his/her expressions, as well of the body as the facial. Depth is much greater then surface only, but to really catch the right spirit of the character like it is alive in our drawing/painting is a very big challenge.
I don’t know what work you where writing about in this post because you didn’t post a pic with it. But if it was the girl in your banner, I really like her!
@DidiKong
Well you can check the image here:
http://agnidevi.deviantart.com/art/Iris-face-132405408
The girl shown on banner is Selena, leading character from Rainbow Dreams project.
@Leo
She is wonderfully painted!
I know it was your artistic decision to do only one plane of sharpness, I can’t help but think it might have worked well to see a little more transition between sharp and blurry in the areas and light around her face. More play with contours would give us also a little more information about the depth of those twinkles floating around her. Took me some time to notice them, at first I thought the blurry twinkles where light coming through forrest in the distance.
Anyway there is indeed some amazing rendering going on right there. Thanks for posting the image.
Leo,
Did you fail?
Well. as a head design, I think this served its purpose. You of all people should understand that human emotions are complex, it takes lots of time and bonding to learn how to read expressions. Someone could be crying but what are they crying for? Laughing, but what are they laughing for? Remember, different cultures might read the same subject differently.
LOL.
If you really wanted to explain the complexity of the character you should have designed more blueprints and thumbnails, If you are telling a story you should be more descriptive. I want to see more character development, What does she ware, does it reflect her personality, What role does she play in society. Why does she look so beautiful, hmmm, thats because she is an elf, they are perfect, physically
Character design, concept design, concept art all comes before a final illustration.
Posting on deviant art does not make you a better artist, its exist to motivate younger artist, sell your work and stroke your ego! Especially being as Freaking awesome as your self.
ConceptArt has become to large a site. The average sketchbook stays at the top for like 4 min.
Man, your work is Unreal, I’m a friend and a big Fan! Maybe we can Collaborate on something in the future? Keep it up man.
As for me, I gave up concentrating on one style and starting concentrating on becoming more diverse in hopes that in the not to distant future fuse them together somehow. There is one problem with that, people have a difficult time Identifying your work and that eliminates, the classification you get overtime.
@T-Flux
This is really great and sort of eye-opener for me. Well I mean it’s uber important to see other people perspective because if you stick to your own for too much you may go completely off the track. And I’m really appreciating that feedback you guys providing.
Considering collaboration, well I would be more than happy. I found you full of ideas and following your imagination is a great experience. Personally I would like to see you designing some cultures for RainbowDreams because of your design sence and I beleive you can came up with stunning ideas but I understand it’s too early to pitch the idea since there is very little information goin’ on.
@Leo
Are you kidding me? I would love to try designing some cultures especially since most of your characters seems to live in tropical environments. I can relate to some level because I grew up in the caribbean. Yea, I’m down for this as soon as you have more information on the world.