To make a long story short, I had a request from a friend to do some character design work for Skulla, one of the characters from Ebon. Skulla doesn’t appear in the pilot, so this design isn’t technically part of the project, but my friend apparently has some sort of unspecified plan for her. So here she is.
It was my first time drawing with a tablet, so she came out pretty squiggly. I should probably go watch this again.
With the set dressing mostly complete, the last remaining upgrade is Monk’s. I’ve been putting this off for good reason. Officer Monk needs major work, and not just on the outside. His rigging is quite ancient, and his shoulders and ankles will need quite a bit of reconfiguring. After that he’ll need the same mouth and eye controls I built for Ebon.
For now, I’m concentrating on the uniform redesign. Monk’s outfit was never all that much to look at, and now I’m trying to introduce some detailing without making it too “fussy.” New darker color scheme, new pockets, new CSPD patch. (I tried changing it to read “POLICE,” but it made him look like an editorial cartoon or something.) I considered giving him a walkie-talkie and some other miscellaneous equipment, but it tended to ruin his silhouette.
Next I need to rebuild his boots, and then it’ll be on to rigging.
I built the set for this scene two years ago, and haven’t really touched it since then. Now that I’m heading into final production, I figured it was time to polish it up, although “polish” implies that I’m making something smoother and shinier, when in fact the opposite is the case. 3D sets always look too clean to begin with. Maybe “tarnish” would be a better word.
Anyway, I added a ton of new grunge textures everywhere and some painted-on shadows around the fixtures. A dingy little first-aid kit completes the new look. Oh, and my latest discovery? Tinted lights! Man, they make a huge difference.
