Blog Post 2 ♡ Derpy Adventure Cat

Introduction

    In this blog post, I will be revealing my original character. I will also explain the my process in creating the character, and showcase my high concept, mind-map, sketches, and more.

High Concept

The purpose of a high concept is to define the design goals clearly and concisely so the artist can design with intent. It is similar to a summary that someone can find on the back of a book or movie case. I think this is a great place to start, as it prevents the artist from hyperfocusing on the details that could end up hindering the creative process. A high concept is assembled from keywords generated during a brainstorming session (Solarski, 2012).

My character is a creature whose small and plump figure mirror their tiny and cozy village. Although they always prefer to see the glass-half-full, their boring town has always left them wanting more adventure. They are honest, determined, and zealous, in contrast to the dark and deceptive forest that lurks beyond their village.

Mind-Map

The next step in my process was to create a mind map. This helped me further brainstorm words that I would associate with my character, and also gave me a starting point in figuring out what concepts and images I wanted to research. 

Each of my 6 words had to do with my character in some form or fashion; for example, my character would need a weapon to be able to travel through the dark forest, and their cozy clothing would show that they are accustomed to a simple and comfortable life in their small village.

General Sketches

To start, I made a few sketches of my character's clothes and weapons. I wanted the clothes to be adventure-friendly, but also give off a cozy and comfortable feel--after all, my character has never left their home, so they've never needed anything but homey clothing. I wanted the character to have a variety of weapons at their disposal, so I sketched a few different ones, like daggers, axes, and more.

Character Sketches

    I knew that I wanted my character to be a bipedal fat cat, so the sketches were mainly to see its full body shape, some expressions, and the character with all the clothes on.

Character Statements

Physical Character: My character is a young and small cat that wears cozy, warm clothes and carries a giant adventuring backpack.

Sociological Character: My character lived in a tiny village in a big forest their entire life, and has never ventured outside their village.

Psychological Character: My character has always longed to leave the village and seek adventure.

Character Growth: My character has to go through a coming-of-age journey after they realize that adventure isn’t always just fun and games.

Character Development: The player must watch the character quickly mature and befriend forest creatures to find their way back home.