24/09/24 - 22/10/24 (Week 1 - Week 4)
Samantha Kristalyn / 0373905 / Illustration and Visual Narrative /
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 1 : Vormator Challenge - Character Creation
LECTURES
Week 1 :
On our first lecture, we were introduced to the outlines and tasks that
we will be doing in this module.
Mr. Hafiz instructed us to set up our Adobe Illustrator software so we
can start working on our first task.
He assigned us to create a character using the vormator elements that
he gave to us on Google Classrooms.
We will have to submit the sketch and silhouette by the 11th of
October.
Week 2 :
During the second week's lecture, Mr. Hafiz taught us the controls in
Adobe Illustrator; he instructed us to trace the given shapes after
giving us the tutorial on how to properly trace them with the pen and
shape tool. We were also told to try out The Bezier Game to help us in getting to know the pen tool better by practicing
using the game. It was quite difficult for me since it was my first time
operating Adobe Illustrator but it got easier as time passed by. We were
ordered to continue our character creation work as well for the
submission on the third week.
Fig. 1.1, The Bézier Game
Fig. 1. 2, Tracing the given vormator elements on Adobe
Illustrator (03/10/2024)
Week 3 :
On the third week, Mr. Hafiz taught us on how to make use of the
Pathfinder tool using the old Adidas logo. By using the Pathfinder
tool, we can create new specific shapes using merge, divide, etc.
He showed us the step by step tutorial on how to create the logo
with the tool. It was quite difficult for me to get used to the
Pathfinder tool and I think that I still need further practice to
be familiar with it.
Creating the old Adidas logo with the Pathfinder tool
INSTRUCTIONS
TASK
Week 1
Vormator Challenge : Character Creation
→ The Vormator Challenge is a project that challenges designers and artists
to produce a design using a very limited palette. This challenge features
eight shapes that were given to us that may be utilized to create a graphic.
The design might range from a basic animal, a humanoid, to a sophisticated
and detailed monster.
1. References
Before sketching, I conducted a research by browsing through Pinterest to
get an idea of how I want my character to be.
Here are the references that I have used on my sketches :
Fig 1.1, References for my first sketch
For my first sketch, I wanted to combine these three elements into one
single character.
I thought of using the Plague Doctor costume because it gives a cold and
mysterious aura which I wanted to implement onto my character.
I myself am a big fan of the Berserk manga because of its detailed dark
fantasy artwork. I decided to use one of the characters from the manga,
the Great Goat, as a reference. His lanky and tall build is the perfect
anatomy example that I wanted to apply onto my character.
The Sachel Skull's design is quite similar to the Plague Doctor's mask so
I decided to take reference of the shape.
Fig 1.2, References for my second sketch
The references and ideas that I used for my second sketch are quite
simple. I wanted to combine the idea of a Nine Tailed Fox in Wolf form.
It wasn't my best work and idea so I have decided not to go with
it.
Accessible Links :
2. Sketches & Ideas
I created two character sketches, but I wanted to challenge myself, so I
ended up digitalizing the first sketch, which is far more complicated than
the second.
I created two characters, a humanoid and an animal, to choose which one I
preferred before incorporating them into my final piece.
Fig. 1.3, My first sketches
3. Tracing Shapes
While I was tracing and combining the shapes together, I came to a
realization that I won't be able to copy the exact same elements and shapes
that are on my sketches since the Vormator shapes that were given are very
limited and are not allowed to be distorted.
Because of that, I had to modify my character's design to follow the rules
of the Vormator shapes.
It was challenging for me because of the intricacies; I struggled to keep it
symmetrical and neat.
Fig 1.4, The shapes and body parts of my character
I worked on the character's body parts from top to bottom following the
outlines of my sketches.
I decided to make my character face forward instead of giving it a dynamic
pose to make the process faster since it is way more efficient.
4. Final
The picture below is my final work in A4 size with the PNG format.
It includes the silhouette of my character which shows all of the shapes
that are incorporated in making my character.
I also included the filled in (coloured) version of the character.
It was quite a challenge for me because I had to only use three colours in
order to fill it in. However, I ended up using Grey, Purple, and a Gold-ish
Yellow as the colours of my design.
Fig 1.5, My final silhouette and filled-in work
I decided to write some lore to give my character more depth.
I initially created Noctus as a mysterious and quiet entity who serves as
a guide to souls transitioning between life and death. He is not just a
servant but a warden of the souls, ensuring that they find their rightful
place in the afterlife, whether it be a paradise or an abyss.
Noctus is a being from a forgotten realm where time flows differently, and
the laws of the mortal world hold little sway. Once a scholar and
philosopher in a kingdom long buried under the sands of time, he was
cursed for his hubris in attempting to understand the nature of death
itself. His curse transformed him into an immortal servant of the
afterlife, forever bound to ferry souls between realms.
He resides in a realm known as the Twilight Sanctum, a vast plane where
shadows dance on the walls and eerie, golden lights flicker in the
distance. It is here that Noctus waits, ever patient, until the next soul
arrives under his care. His presence brings calm to the dead and dying,
but he offers little solace—his only task is to guide them to their
destination.
Noctus is cold and calculating, yet not without a sense of duty and honor.
He has long abandoned the emotional entanglements of mortality, viewing
death as an essential part of existence.
He often speaks in riddles, offering cryptic advice to those he
encounters, but rarely does he intervene directly in their
fate. Despite this distant demeanor, Noctus is not without a sense of
melancholy. He retains faint memories of his mortal life and, on rare
occasions, may show fleeting glimpses of nostalgia or wistfulness, though
he will never acknowledge it openly.
FEEDBACKS
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
REFLECTIONS
Experience
Creating characters using the provided vormator shapes in Adobe
Illustrator was challenging but rewarding. Working within the constraints
of predefined shapes had forced creative thinking and helped me learn on
how to reimagine simple forms into unique characters.
Observation
Limitations━ though tricky at first, turned into a fun exercise in creativity by
encouraging exploration within the boundaries that were set.
Findings
The project had led to improvement in pen tool skills, as manipulating
the vormator shapes required precise adjustments and smooth curves. Other
than that, the limitations were challenging but it can drive innovation,
boosting creativity into creating new and unique work.
Comments
Post a Comment