For college we were set the task to design two characters, a protagonist and antagonist, or yin and yang.
Students were given themes to use as a starting point, one of which was 'kitsch'. So taking gaudy fashion sense and a love for cartoons like Hey Arnold! and Pepper Ann I set about making my own two characters: Lexi and Derek, two youngsters making their way through school, home and whatever else life throws at them.
A happy-go-lucky Lexi (left) and moody and dour Derek (right), drawn in Illustrator.
The assignment consisted of three parts: model & expression sheets; maquettes, and vector renderings; one for each character.
Turnabout and expression sheet for Lexi. Drawn in blue and 3B pencil and inked with a brush pen.
Turnabouts and expression sheets drawn on A3 paper. The rough-and-readiness of pencil and ink lends a lot of personality to the characters.
Derek's turnabout and expression sheet. Again, drawn with blue pencil and 3B, inked with brushpen.
Maquettes are made out of humble plasticine and built upon a wire frame.
Front, back and sides of a 3D Lexi, compiled in Photoshop.
3D and three Dereks, stitched together in Photoshop.
A group shot of Derek and Lexi.
These maquettes got moves.
