Stylized characters

For a game character, Shape Language and Readability are the two key points I look at whenever I execute a concept in 3D. Of course, as a rule of thumb, your basic Art Fundamentals such as Anatomy, Color, and even Lighting and Composition are expected to be on point, but I find these two points help polish my characters further.

Strong shape language helps push a character’s appeal and personality. By being able to capture and alter the subtle shapes on he face, for example, we can adjust the character’s overall read.

Early on, I played around with the facial features of the Rooster Monk. A higher eye height relative to the nose and mouth will shift the character to look a bit more aged for instance. While bigger eyes bring out a much younger, more exaggerated look on her. I ended up leaning with option A as this suited my vision for this character. I made changes to her hairstyle and attire to further establish the direction I wanted to take her to.

I will get into talking about Shape Language further and touch on Readability later.