At the start of this assignment we were given a short description for a character. Our task was to build on that description to create an original character.
I got the job of illustrating a "Miserable Urban Monk". Here's how I did it.
1. Backstory
Imagine the scene,
Nagasaki, the year is 2056. Smog has virtually consumed the city, which is visible only by a million neon lights and traffic. Somewhere on a street corner, hunched up in his ragged old cloak, an old monk sits alone, silent.
The continual decline of the city's habitability has dulled the people's enthusiasm for religion. Faith has virtually been exterminated by humanity's blind loyalty to technology. With the city falling to decay, and the people giving up on religion, the old monk has found himself becoming a dying breed.
As acid rain trickles down his worn out gas mask he just sits there, silent. Gently holding his trusty staff. Hopeful that one day, maybe, he won't be sitting silent again.
2. Mood boards.
I decided to go for a dystopian future/Blade Runner type aesthetic, this being because in the past and present day monks were/are never really prominent in an urban environment. Besides it gave me a much better opportunity to convey the loneliness and miserableness of the character.
Character Mood Board:
Location Mood Board:
2. Silhouettes.
Next I set about drawing silhouettes to create a base for the character design. I mostly went with a lot of huddled up, closed poses to convey a certain type of sadness and loneliness.
3. Design Phase.
Having found the silhouette I liked most I added the greyscale base colors.
Once again emphasizing a very closed up pose.
After I was satisfied with the base colors, lighting and shading, I added the main colors.
I replicated this process with the side view.
The Final Result: "The Miserable Monk."
