Viktor the Vegan Vampire Bat

Here's to the most fun I have ever had in Character Design class! This was our final project for the semester. We had to take a character, new or old, and explore them very thoroughly. We needed to make an inspiration board, make variations, do turn-arounds and gestures - the whole nine yards. Here is what I managed to do with my character from the beginning of the semester, Viktor the Bat.

It was fun doing this character because, quite frankly, I imagined him to be a sleepy guy who works his butt off for his job anyways/because he has to. Can you say: all of us this finals-season?

Viktor was a vampire in college, but due to his expanding mind and evolving mental capacity, he decided to drop the whole "sucking blood" thing commit to a vegan diet. He would stay up late in college by secretly transforming himself into a nocturnal vampire-bat to pull all-nighters. His great college career led to a great, high position at an office. When Viktor needed to pull an after-hours late night job, he morphed back into bat form. To his demise, he woke up to an office full of confused co-workers: his veganism had inhibited his powers to turn back into a vampire-human!

Now Viktor enjoys the office life tirelessly as he doesn't know how to properly sleep anymore. This is good, because he has to work extra hours in order to keep from being fired (until, that is, he wins the hearts of his coworkers).

Viktor is addicted to coffee. If he has more than one cup, he is officially awake. If he has more than 2 cups, he becomes a hyper-active version of his former self. Insanity ensues.

Previous posts about Viktor:
http://sarahmaeschmidt.blogspot.com/2013/09/viktor-bat-1-initial-design.html
http://sarahmaeschmidt.blogspot.com/2013/09/viktor-bat-2-silhouettes.html
http://sarahmaeschmidt.blogspot.com/2013/10/homework-bat-poses.html
http://sarahmaeschmidt.blogspot.com/2013/10/halloween-bat-face-party.html

Ian McKelldoge

Our last assignment for Character Design class (other than the final, of course) has got to be one of the strangest assignments I've had this semester. Caricature and make an animal of a celebrity from a given list. Here's what I ended up with to celebrate the upcoming release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. So silly... but I kinda like him.

Now back to my finals! Lots of updates to make here in the blogger-sphere once I'm done.

In-Class: Caricatures

Character Design class caricature exercise!

Skinny Chickens in Costumes

I'm really trying to crank out the homework this weekend for the sake of my sanity during these upcoming weeks. Here's our next assignment for Character Design: take the character from our character-swap project and shove him/her through different time periods and costumes. Here's what we have! Viewer discretion advised, there's some posers in there.

I think it's fun I ended up stuck with a wizard on this project - I like to think that he would zip through time to get different things done in a quest-like fashion. It makes perfect wizard-sense!

This is another exercise that I suggest anyone trying out. Give it a shot!

Life Drawing Week 14: Critique Group and Ethics Pardy

Ethics teacher started class by explaining what an owl bear was.

 I then proceeded to draw such owl-bear all over my notes.

Fine art critique night with Brynna Ferguson! 

Sam is pretty.

Many Kali

 Other Sam, more Brynna, more Kali, a dash of Theresa

EricSamSamKali

Best of friends Brynna and Sam

Reverse

Portfolio class notes and fun.

And lastly, we're back to Ethics class.

Space Puppy Lineweight Fun Party

One of my few remaining assignments in the beloved Character Design class is this one regarding line weight. We had to take an existing character and draw him/her using 5 different line styles. I chose to experiment with Space Puppy, considering I will be drawing lots of him over the next few months, and also because I am curious as to how exactly he will end up in the final render of my thesis project.

This is definitely an exercise I think everyone should give a shot. The biggest thing you get for it is a better understanding of why line weight is important and appreciated. Also, it instantly forces you to push and pull your line style - something that isn't always at the forefront of our minds!

Skinny Chicken

The next assignment in character design was a quick fun one where we had to interpret a description of a character given to us by a partner. Thanks Scott!

 Original sketches/chicken scratches:

Life Drawing Week 13: CTN!

Aaron Bhenk's Critique night.

 More of Aaron and Co.

Doodles of Headless Studio guys @ CTN in Burbank, CA.

SO MANY CTN DOODLES

Chicken scratching

Waiting on restaurants hurts my capabilities

Andrea Rawson and I doodled many crabs in anticipation.

And then we feasted.
Thanks cool guy also waiting. Old ladies are cool to talk about.