Character Design: FIGURE

Seen as my idea is based around a man taking a stroll I decided to take a look at some character design. I began with designing different styles ranging from detailed figures which show the muscles to stick men and even robot style! I found I was fonder of the image in the top right of the page. This is because it is very simple so can be easily animated, however, still presents certain details which will be important when animating to walk. For example to the hands and feet.  

After deciding which figure to go for, I refined it slightly and began looking at different medias to produce it. I first began with simple pen drawings, looking at scratchy lines and plain, straight lines. I experimented with fill the figure in and using a coloured background to illustrate the image. I also experimented with charcoal. I prefer the pen drawings rather then the charcoal because, although would produce a very busy effect i feel produces a line which isn't strong enough for the man focus of my animation. 

After looking into the obvious ways of producing a drawing, I decided to experiment with concepts i learnt from our Observation and Communication module. I looked at creating stamps to produce the figure, using ink and acrylic. 

Ink Stamps

I felt sometimes the final outcome was difficult to recognise and often came out messy with areas missing. 

Acrylic Stamps

I like how using acrylic without adding water produced a a very unique effect on the image; it appeared almost like veins. Perhaps an idea to animate the beating heart, however, could be very hard to work with when the outcome is unplanned. 

As well as using stamps, i created stencils which i then used to sponge around the figure and inside the figure. 

Acrylic Sponged Background

Without a doubt  my favourite. I love the texture left from sponging and how the the faded edges could be used to create that energetic feeling i felt in the music. The final figure portrays that unusual effect which the other ideas didn't.

Acrylic Sponged Figure

This idea looks very similar to the stamps, however, has a very different texture. I like how applying different pressures to the sponging technique can produce very different effects. When animated it would produce a very fuzzy and crazy feel because it would be constantly moving.