Illustration and Vision Narrative -Task 01 Character Design

Yang Shuo / 0384037

Illustration and Vision Narrative

Bachelor of Design (Hons) Creative Media / Taylor's University

Task 01： Character Design 

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Exercise

This week, our professor gave a brief introduction to the functions and tools of Adobe Illustrator and assigned exercises and homework. We were instructed to create image-based line art using the pen tool.

After the classroom exercise, the professor assigned the first task: to design and illustrate three fantasy characters. We were permitted to utilize AI models for generation.

I designed a pastoral-style rabbit holding a strawberry, a mysterious and playful black cat wizard, and a gentlemanly Mr. Fox. I first used Procreate to draw the draft, and then refined it using AI.

Figure1.1 Sketches

Use the pen tool to outline in Adobe Illustrator. After completing it, adjust the thickness variations of the lines. This step makes the line drawing look less rigid and more vibrant.

Figure 1.2 Process screenshot #1

Figure 1.3 The line art 

Then I continued to complete the coloring work in AI. In this step, I used the real-time coloring tool. After completing the coloring of the inherent colors, I used the pen tool to add shadows and highlights, enriching the details of the image. Then, the drawing part of the task comes to a conclusion.

Figure 1.4 Process screenshot #2

Figure 1.5  Final Output

Moodboard

Straw Hat Rabbit Girl

Magic Black Cat

Gentleman Fox

Rationale

Straw Hat Rabbit Girl

A floppy-eared rabbit wearing a Lolita dress and a sun hat. The theme is bright, gentle, and cute, featuring cream and candy colors with a hint of vintage pastoral style.

Magic Black Cat

A black cat wearing a wizard's outfit. A playful expression peeks out from under a large wizard hat, holding a star magic wand. The colors are in bright contrasting colors of purple and yellow, reflecting a mysterious and lively mood.

Gentleman Fox

A red fox in autumn. Combining gentlemanly, smart, natural, and urban styles. The colors are slightly vintage, warm, and steady. Reflect affinity with the colors of natural leaves.

Techniques Applied

I mainly use Adobe Illustrator to complete this task. I use the Pen tool to create line art, the Live Paint tool for filling with base colors, and finally the Brush tool to add shading details. This task is not difficult. But I think the most time-consuming part is the step of adjusting the thickness variations of the line drawing.

Self Reflection

This is my first time trying to draw using Adobe Illustrator. Although I have learned how to use the pen tool, I feel that my proficiency still needs improvement. Additionally, I believe it is very important to learn about color matching, as harmonious colors will make the characters I design more attractive.