Final Project part 8: Bird and Worm Character Designs

Here are my latest character designs for the bird and worm. I first decided to make another influence map to give me some ideas for the type of build I want to give my bird. The birds I was looking at was a superb and a cape starling, a crow and a raven. I chose these sizes to mostly help flesh out my bird that I have made for my storyboard.

Influence Map: Starling, Crow and Raven

Storyboard: Bird closes in on Worm

I actually drew (what I felt at the time) was the final designs for my characters, I thought the overall design of my bird looked alright and I thought of giving my worm a type of hair style using the tip on a real worm (which is actually the mouth). However I have asked Alan for his impute on my characters latest designs. He told me that they look ok but they need some more shape to give them a smooth and simple look. Alan drew me up same examples of what he was talking about and he also gave me another person to look at, his name is Richard Scarry and I am quite familiar with his cartoons. Alan also told me that the worm looks much better without the tip representing the hair so I removed it, also looking at it now the worm does look better without it.

Bird and Worm Designs

Alan's Examples

I then tried to apply Alan's advice to my work and I can say that the characters look much more interesting. I still think the bird needs more work but he is getting there. The worm seems to be more complete than the bird, I will show my designs to Phil this Monday and see what he has to say.

I have also made an expression sheet for my bird, showing the type of expressions he will use for my animation. The worm does not get one because his face is going to stay sad throughout the animation.

Bird Expression Sheet