FZD School of Design

INSPIRED BY SINGAPORE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS

Inspired by Singapore Zoological Gardens

Before coming up with any design, it is important to consult reference materials and my favourites are those taken from nature. Even when I design characters' features and body structure, I get my inspiration from nature such as plants and animals. By studying the different animals' textures, shapes and distinctive features, I am able to design the characters to be representative of the game. In this article, I will be sharing with you on how you can come up with a character design by taking reference from animals.


	Choose the parts that interest you

From the variation in animals'
postures and features, we can
choose the desired animal's
pose as the starting point in
design. I will be using the sea
monster as an example. Before
you start to design, you have
to consider the storyline and
the needs of the character.
If the character lives on
both land and water,
you can consider using
amphibians or reptiles
as reference materials.

The best animals to refer to will be those that have interesting skin textures. Once you have selected the animals you will like to refer to, you will be able to start on a rough sketch based on their pose. In the process of designing character, it is recommended to come up with many different rough sketches. After which, through proper consideration and analysis of the storyline of the game, you are able to eliminate the parts that are inappropriate. In doing so, you will increase the compatibility to the game and this includes the character's pose and body structure.

Once you have decided on the body structure, you will be able to work out the finer details. The details have to match the storyline and development of the game. In this instance, the character is guardian stone. As this character is more towards the defensive role, while designing it, I did not focus too much on offensive features. The weapon the character is holding on to is not a heavy sword but similar to a trident. Once again, these details are in accordance to the storyline and background of the game. Since this character does not attack, I compensated by making its expression strong and aggressive. This way, the character will seem balanced and not weak.

Taking these into consideration, I designed the character on the left. I was inspired by the features of a boar so my character's face resembles a boar. It has the fierce features, icy glare and the entire character gives off
a cold feeling. These are relevant to the storyline and the game play.

The main focus of this character is on the facial features hence less emphasis and attention to detail were placed on its body. All the icy feeling comes from the facial expression which makes it fierce. This is also required of the game character as the character is a icy cold statue.

This is the result after adding the texture


The same can be done for environmental design

Similarly, you can do referencing for environmental sets. I do not recommend copying from other people's work but you can get the inspiration and ideas from daily life. Simply put together all the tiny details and re-organise it to represent your own concept. While doing referencing, it is important that the background and environment go together with the character as it gives a holistic and complete feeling.
The Singpore Zoological Gardens is a good place to source for inspirations as there are so many animals and environments to see. From all that you have seen and experienced, you will be able to design a brand new concept; which is the most fun part of designing.