MAP QUEST
the narrative
The material plane has been explored and charted to completion. "Map Quest", a struggling map-making company is failing to keep up with the larger, wealthier guilds that chart and sell maps to adventurers far and wide. With no way to compete, Map Quest must tap into a new market to survive. The humble guild prepares two teams to survey and chart maps of the levels of Hell and the Feywilds, in hopes of alluring some top class adventurers.
pROCESS
Project:
Team Size:
Software:
Workflow:
2D Television Show
4 Members
Photoshop
Research > Story Development >
Style Guide > Sketch > Reassess > Refine
Character Exploration
I was responsible for creating three characters for an ensemble cast that would belong to three different groups within the narrative. Working with my team, we determined the basis for all of the characters in reference to the 12 Jungian Archetypes. Before we could begin designing our cast, we had to establish a style that could be easily followed and replicated by the group. I created style guides for my team so that our cast looked as unified as possible.
Character style guide
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
Detailing style guide
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
Once we were happy with the structure of our ensemble cast, we each chose three characters and began working. I chose the Innocent, the Artist, and the Everyman for my characters. Making sure that we were all staying on style and making our cast feel cohesive was a challenge but was rewarding in the end.
Laz
Laz is a member of one of the adventuring parties that gets sent out to chart unexplored levels in Hell. His role in his group is to be the protector but he seldom is the first to swing. Laz prefers to stay passive but is easily swayed by those he trusts. I designed him with soft, round shapes to convey a sense of kindness and naivete.
Silhouettes and thumbnails for Laz
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
Sigmund is just a regular guy who loves his 9-to-5. His place is back at the office with a few others who handle the logistics of these adventures. He is a proud worker whos enthusiasm, though needed to save their guild, constantly annoys his peers. Sigmund's design needed to show that he is reliable and forgettable. Uninteresting shape and stiff silhouettes allow his character to fade into the background.
SigmunD
Silhouettes and thumbnails for Sigmund
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
Silhouettes and thumbnails for Harmony
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
Harmony is on a different adventure within the Feywilds. Although Harmony is very capable, her methods often come with "side effects." I wanted her character to reflect creativity and attitude. I started with strong shape language and look for different ways to fill those silhouettes. Harmony was then taken further into development, in a later section.
Harmony
Harmony Expansion
My next stage in Harmony's design was to give her emotions. Starting with expressions and then moving to poses, I was able to show Harmony's vast spectrum of emotions. Staying mindful of production, I maintained strong and simple shapes so that my team and I could align our drawings with the style guides.
Expressions and poses for Harmony
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
Finally, I created one final style guide specifically for Harmony. Since she would be one of the main protagonists, she would need to be drawn by different artists, repeatedly. Using that guide I then made a character turn-around for production.
Style guide and turn-around for Harmony
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
