For Week 4 of Animated Narratives, the focus was on 'character' so I decided to make a character design that explores the concept of identity with the help of mascots.
Character design is a good way of showing the character’s personality and desires through facial expressions and poses. By using this method, I was able to bring more than simply visual design to the character.
I was inspired by the simplistic but striking design of the main character, ‘Six’ of the horror game ‘Little Nightmares’ developed by Tarsier Studios. Her yellow raincoat symbolizes her resiliency and also serves to make the character stand out against the dark background.
Similar to ‘Six’ I gave my character a yellow raincoat/hoodie to make her stand out, but rather than resilience I wanted to give her an air of lightness and happiness. In the designs, I drew her in poses and expressions that signify shyness which would give a good idea about her personality.
Little Nightmares also makes use of mascots in the form of ‘Nomes’ who are tiny creatures with conical hoods obscuring their face just like Six. They appear inconsistently and for small periods of time, but are still a memorable part of the game because they left a unique impression on players.
Following Little Nightmare’s footsteps, I added in a few baby chicks as mascots to the character because I thought they would contribute to the bright and easygoing feel of the character.
#kaykay #kkan
