Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Badgers of Love

I drew these a few weeks ago for a character design exercise we did at work. My first attempt looked like everything I draw, so they told me to branch out and do something new. I have the hardest time breaking away from my own drawing style... mostly because I rarely feel like I have any reason to. But in this case I gave it my best shot, and after a few attempts, I ended up with a final version that looked something like this:
Actually it looked a lot like this because this is it. The goal was to design a squirrel, a badger, or a muskrat that would fit into a video game in a "helper" role. I figured this badger would follow you around and shoot enemies with his love arrows... then instead of wanting to kill you, they would just find you attractive. If their attraction became too aggressive, I suppose you'd have a new set of problems to deal with, but it's not really a game, so I'm not too concerned.

11 comments:

John Nunnemacher said...

Man, I'm torn. I love the retro, stylized 50s sort of design sense ... yet your own style is da bomb.

Thank goodness I don't have to choose. :)

Jason Quinones said...

WOW!

you work in an environment where people actually ENCOURAGE creative freedom and experimentaion as opposed to churning out the same old f'ing crap like my company tells me too!

#@!$%^&#@!@#$%*!

all 4 badgers look great btw!

Adam Ford said...

Ooh I really like how this turned out. Phenomenal!! By the way aren't you going to continue your "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" tradition? You said you were going to do a "He sees you when you're sleeping" piece.

All the same, I think the badgers rock.

Joe said...

Love it. One of my favorites from the workshop.

Anonymous said...

I think I'm with you Shane, your original style is much better. I never did understand the direction modern animators have taken with characters that look like they were drawn while on a "bad trip" or something. I think it's less that it's a new "style" and more that those who draw some of these characters have a good story, but they just can't draw. I think of Sponge Bob, Pokemon, Chowder, Camp Lazlo...These are a far cry from the wholesome violence of Looney Tunes that most of us grew up on. But hey, at least a rabbit was a rabbit....Doc.

Ken said...

these all look great! And thats certainly a different style to what we are used to seein round these parts! But they ALL good, must say this wee guy rocks!

L. D. Torres said...

retro is awesome! I love everything about this pic! and the color variation is very appealing. this would make an awesome pic to hang in my apartment, do you know how i could make a huge print out?

Heather Dixon said...

Wooooow this is awesome! Is it done in Photoshop? Nice stuff. Although I have to admit I like your original style for how funny it is.

Toddington Setter said...

I really like the style of these badgers.
And looking at your progression it seems to me the final one hit the spot well , altho all of them seem to have a cool personality to them its nice.

Youre a very talented character desginer.. im gunna go look if i can see where you work =P



i feel bad starting some kind of debate here but .... i disagree with tpique1.... all cartoons be it looney toons, spongebob or something like joanna quinns work with her more realistic cartoons.... theyre all more childish renditions of real life.


heh ill stop , but maaaan your style is coool

Unknown said...

awesss!!!!

Blake Johnson said...

S.t.
It's nice to see you do something more in the Graphic-E realm. Haha... Like my tribute to Wall-E.