Character Concept Design

In this post, I shall start developing my project by beginning with the character concept designs. This will include all the visual sketches and ideas that will come with each character.

This is the 12-character identity archetype, I will be using this wheel to determine what roles my characters shall take towards the campaign.

The Great Tree –

After researching character archetypes, I decided that this character shall be the Hero and the Caregiver in the campaign’s identity. The role of the Great Tree is to be the protector of the forest, rising taller than the rest, being able to spot threats and providing oxygen to all.

For the design of this character, I want to be able to show a sense of age and wiseness within the appearance, while still providing a solid structured body. To capture these elements within the design, I will be using visuals of old and tall trees to influence the form.

These trees shown have their own unique structure, starting from the roots all the way to the top, the older the tree the more characteristics are shown within the appearance. Twists and the roughness of each body can show age and strength, in my own character design I shall use this concept and deformities to bring the character to life.

Here is the pencil sketch of the character, produced within my sketchbook. This design excludes the leaves that are on top of the tree, I want to be able to have them created with a separate texture and material to show a range of mixed media, for example maybe using oil pastels or charcoal to generate the roughness.

In my opinion, I like the way the facial features appear on the tree, its human-like characteristics can really help sell the emotions to the viewer being able to build a connection. When scanning this onto the computer to develop it further I shall consider the leaf placement on the head of the tree.

This is the digitally drawn outcome using a variety of brushes from the software Sketchbook Pro. My art style for this project shall be heavily watercolour-based with the guidance of a hard fine-line pen to capture the body’s bold features, I have chosen this aesthetic to greatly blend with the material that I want to produce for my younger target audience.

Bully The Bulldozer –

Bully plays the antagonist role within the campaign’s image, he shows the threat against nature in the form of a bulldozer. In the character archetype list, I feel like he falls under the outlaw/magician category because he holds a lot of power within his hands on how much construction and harm he can cause. By having Bully act negatively within the scene towards the trees, I am hoping to achieve clarity within my audience, making them feel emotion towards it and educating them early.

Images of Bulldozers, 2D & 3D, to use as a reference to influence my own design.

Bulldozers were formally designed for helping plant crops in fields but over time mankind has found its high horse powers need effective in other areas which do more harm to the environment than help it. They are used now for construction to build and deconstruct surroundings. The character Bully is driven by this same objective, he has grown up from a small truck knowing wrong, being misguided by society damaging nature than helping it.

Concept Design of Bulldozer made within Sketchbook.

Using the same tools as the first design, I produced this visual design of the character Bully. I love the vibrance and tones of yellows used within this piece, layering it harmoniously draws my eyes towards the body, and the colour yellow can also signify the meaning of caution. There can be a danger when approaching these machines if not careful, the yellow is a symbol to avoid at all costs.

Acorn Troop –

The acorns are the children and troops of the tree, they fall to help protect against any threats that try and cause harm. They also provide the role of a caregiver, offering not only nutrients as a food source to all creatures but they have the power to also sprout into their own trees and grow. In relation to my target audience, I want them to become a part of the troop and educate them to help fight the cause together.