DUCK DASH
GOAL
To develop a believable, story driven world by designing original characters, props and environments. The story will be illustrated appropriately for a children's book, with a consistent, unique art style and color.
CONCEPT TEASER
Feathers and fuzz of chicken brush against each other, creating an overwhelming warmth that fills the air. Chickens flare their wings in futile attempts to cool down. The shed in which they lived in their entire lives was uncomfortable, yet familiar. Some chickens strived for something different, something new, something beyond this small shed, while others accepted the lifestyle of pecking aimlessly at scattered grains across the floor.
Amidst the flock was an unexpected duck, the first and only duck who had grown up in the shed. Despite the obvious differences, quacks against the clucks, the chickens treated the lone duck with familiarity. Yet, not all chickens were so kind, aggressively fluffing their feathers when the duck waddled too close.
The duck did not want this life. Stuck within the lifestyle of a chicken, the duck never swam in a pond or met others similar to itself. So the duck strived for freedom. With the chickens, the duck plotted a plan of freedom!
01 INSPIRATION
I searched for photos that would guide my decisions in character and environment design. The bird coop is small, a little broken down, and a bit dingy. The chicken characters will have interesting feather pattern combinations and textures that correlate to personality! Beyond the coop is a world of freedom, featuring beautiful meadows and scenic views.
02 STUDIES + CHARACTER IDEATION
I first worked on developing my anatomy and knowledge of drawing birds. I referenced pictures and did some quick studies! After, I experimented with some unique characteristics.
03 FINAL DESIGNS
04 ENVIRONMENT SKETCHES
The goal is to create an environment that the characters believably live in, using the inspiration gathered in the beginning. The art style used in the environments should work with the art style of the characters.
05 CONFLICT?
After illustrating these environments, I compared them back to the character illustrations. They do not seem to match. I could not imagine the characters living in this world, as it seems over-rendered, detailed, and rigid in comparison. I decided to take these illustrations, and redo them in a simple style that matches the character designs.
06 ATTEMPT #2
Ahhh... that feels better! There's a consistent line art style throughout the characters and environment now. I used the same brushes in all of the illustrations to maintain a consistent rendering style!
07 PROPS + COLOR!
Here are some simple, unique props to make the world recognizable and believable! In this stage, I introduced a vibrant color palette, correlating with a playful children's book theme.
08 FINAL ILLUSTRATION!
Apply characters, environments, and props into one final illustration!
