CHARACTER FX
Characters are a crucial part of my work. I feel that there is nothing more powerful to put on a screen than a character. As viewers we engage so much more when we see another living being on the screen weather it's human or creature. Logos and symbols can be powerful as well, but when it's a character on the screen, It's ourselves that we are looking at. It connects with us on a fundamental level where we are able to empathize and identify with that character.
So as an Artist I want explore characters and specifically character transformation. I love being able to contrast an emotional transformation with a physical transformation such as chemical reactions, or cellular metamorphosis. Character FX add an even deeper level of emotion to the character.
I sculpted this character in 3D-Coat. I also used 3D-coat for retopo and texturing. I then rigged and animated him in Cinema 4D.
For the organic effects, I created a technique in Houdini that uses the characters own UVs to map its movements and distortions. This allowed me to adhere a custom growth solver to the surface of the animation. The effects move with the character as if they were animated as a seamless object.
I also used an L system to create a micro layer of detailed cellular breakup. I test rendered in Houdini's Mantra renderer to check that my texture mapping carried thru from start to end. I then rendered the final result in Octane.
I created this character a long time ago. I never gave him a name but I always imagined he would exist in the nightmare realm. He is simultaneously the God-like master of the nightmare, but also a despairing victim. He is the embodiment of the nightmare's endless fear.
I re-sculpted this character 6 times until I was finally satisfied that I created the character I envisioned. I always try to render this character with a posture, and environment that suggest a tragedy with a somewhat biblical nature. He is a terrifying creature, but he is also a creature who is suffering. I want that duality to carry through in every rendering.
