Character Design

Hoo! It took me a long time, but I finally got the character sheets for these two completely done. The files are large, so be forewarned if you have a slow connection! Also, nudes, so NSFW!

Ruth:

Virgil:

Size Comparison:

I went through multiple steps and countless references to arrive at the final results. I did anatomy first, made sure that was right, and that faces were accurate, then went on to do their basic clothes, and then how the coats, hats, etc. would hang over them. I had to make sure they were historically accurate, true to character, and fit properly. The final image has values applied, to get a better idea of how they'll appear in the animation.

All the endless revisions and research paid off, though. It's just great to see these two as fully fleshed-out people.

The last image is the height comparison, a kind of marking point for myself, the most pertinent information out of all of these - how they look (clothed) standing side by side.

Also, these need to be added to the wall of madness in my room. :P

Anyways, since finishing the sheets, I've moved onto trying to simplify and stylize them for animation.

This is pretty close to what I want. (I also love Ruth's terribly derp face here.) Virgil's been slimmed slightly, to emphasize his height, and Ruth's joints have been thinned, to make her seem a bit more fragile. You can see my notes of ideas to try, but I think I like this quite a lot. I tend to work in an angular fashion, and it's fun besides. They're angular people.

I still need to figure out shading, been playing with it to an unsatisfactory degree.

As a bonus for you guys, I did this piece as a joke. Erin Conley (Virgil's creator and the originator of all of this) commented thought of how terrible it would look if they were SUPER KAWAII DESU NE anime-fied, and so I of course had to draw it. XD Don't get me wrong, I love anime - but this Western is decidedly NOT one.

THIEF Monogatari is what the title reads, haha. I know that hand is way huge, and the anatomy's not perfect, but it's just a doodle that got way out of hand. I find it somewhat unnerving to see the two of them so smiley, haha, and Ruth's eyes so big. I am especially proud of that crazy coat, though, and their poses. I think the linework being thinner would really push the 'anime' look, but I thought of it too late.

Anyway, I'm currently working on storyboards, and I have most of it roughed out. Now it's all a matter of refining and getting it to something I can work from, (as well as finalizing the style) and then the animating can begin!

So next time - Storyboards sneak peek!