From the course: Learning Character Development and Design

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Characters in context: Designing a cast

Characters in context: Designing a cast

From the course: Learning Character Development and Design

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Characters in context: Designing a cast

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- When a fantasy character is purely an invention of the artist's mind, establishing authenticity is critical. Making the viewer believe in the character's reality stems from drawing upon elements that the viewer recognizes, and reimagining them in a new context. Juxtaposing elements to create a new kind of creature or being resonates believability with the audience. For Nick Kole's Forest Guardian creature, he starts with the basic premise of the Greek mythological creature, the Minotaur, which is half man and half bull. Nick's character explores this theme and adds wood elements to suggest the character's role in the story. From the first gesture sketch to the finished color image, he tries to capture the spirit of the Forest Guardian using a framework we recognize from mythology and elements that make sense for his character. When developing the mythic beast for Copernicus, Nick similarly drew from characters that we recognize and reconfigured them, mixing and matching elements to…

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