I created two characters for my video Two Time : Gia, an atypical girl with a jester-like appearance, and Bin, a tiny, chubby bunny-like jester. Together, they form an unpredictable duo, constantly seeking out fun and finding amusement in the strange world around them.

They are also both subjects of the circus’s absurdity, constantly being thrown into bizarre situations and manipulated by the randomness of their own world. Yet, rather than resisting it, they embrace it. They find comfort and companionship in each other, allowing them to navigate this chaotic and nonsensical environment together.

While Gia is more grounded and curious, Bin is the more mischievous of the two. Bin also has the ability to transform into a jack-in-the-box, appearing unexpectedly and adding another layer of surprise and unpredictability to their adventures.

 MOODBOARD & CONCEPT

I really wanted to create a human jester character that would embody wackiness, silliness, and absurdity within the overall design. I drew inspiration from the essence of a circus a world built around unpredictability and playful chaos. I tried to translate these ideas into Gia’s color palette, clothing, facial features, and overall appearance.

For Bin, I wanted to create a cute mascot-like companion for Gia, while still giving it its own sense of whimsy and personality. Rather than simply being a sidekick, Bin was designed to have its own unique character and playful qualities, complementing Gia while bringing a different kind of energy to the duo.

When it comes to my workflow, i rarely make sketches (since i’m not that good at drawing lol) so instead, i’d rather make a precise moodboard to capture the overall vibe of a character i want to create and then I immediately start 3D Modeling it and figure it out along the way.

I know it’s not usually how characters are made, especially in the industry, there must be a sheet with their facial expressions, postures, etc.. but working this way has always been smoother for me and quicker to get “straight to the point” if that makes sense..

Anyways ! Enjoy these BTS :3

GIA’s FIRST CONCEPTS

Initially, I wanted her to appear more spiritual and otherworldly rather than fully human, giving her an ethereal quality that would make her feel slightly detached from reality, which is why i chose blue for her skin color initially, before settling for a bright white.

GIA TOPOLOGY

Here is a closer look at Gia’s Model, shown in wireframe, viewport and render view in T-pose and from up close.

GIA’S MODELING PROCESS

  • Face modeling

  • EYE structure

  • buttons placement using geometry nodes

  • buttons modeling

  • face topology

  • belt modeling

  • hand modeling

  • eye modeling & shading

  • sleeve modeling

BIN’s FIRST CONCEPTS

When it came to Bin, I experimented with multiple color schemes before settling on his current palette. I wanted to explore different ways of expressing his playful and mischievous personality through color, while making sure he still complemented Gia visually.

BIN TOPOLOGY

Here is a closer look at Bin’s Model, shown in wireframe, viewport and render view in T-pose and from up close.

BIN’S MODELING PROCESS

  • ears placement

  • body modeling

  • leg modeling

  • head modeling

  • face structure

  • bin V1

  • BIN v2

  • clothes modeling

  • bin final version

RIGGING

Both of their body rig is quite classic, i used bone constraints to make the skirt, hats, ears and hair flowy without using physics or simulation. For the face rig, i used shape keys and drivers to attribute every bone of the face to a specific driver to control the shape key value, allowing me to have a white range of facial expressions.

BOX RIGGING

For the box rigging, I used a spring-like structure to give the movement a more bouncy and dynamic quality. I parented the head bone to the central bone of the spring, allowing its movement to drive the head’s motion.

This setup creates a natural bounce that also makes the hat and ears wiggle along with the head, adding a playful and slightly exaggerated feel to the animation.

THE MASKS!

These masks are extracted directly from Gia’s face, it’s like they’re a part of her.. Anyways! they have the same face rigging system, using shape keys, drivers and controllers to optimise face expression control

Précédent

The Flippies
Suivant

Sun & Moon