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CHARACTER DESIGN | VISUAL DEVELOPMENT | ANIMATION
TANOD
Two law enforcers and best friends realize their definition of justice don't match. The characters for my solo student thesis film that fuses 3D backgrounds with 2D frame-by-frame animation.
OBET
A paragon of true virtue and duty. He stands by the rule of law.
Obet is meant to symbolize the harsh nature of law in the Philippines. While made with justified—and sometimes noble—intentions, enforcement of it can often be used as a means of violence and abuse by those with authority and power.
He is a good person, but is ultimately unaware of the injustice the law can bring. His armored suit is not only protection, but a load he carries—the weight of the law. This makes him inflexible, lacks the nuance and awareness to act in a truly just manner, and will not break the rules to achieve a better outcome. To him, obeying the law will always lead to a good, just, and humane outcome.
His design primarily uses square shapes to show his rigidity, while his thinner, more triangular legs makes him feel unbalanced, as if he is about to fall over.
ISH
A misfit with a big heart. Despite his position, he stands by his own rules.
Ish symbolizes flexibility and compassion when one is burdened with responsibility. While good in theory, this is can be used as a means for evading the law all together, even when the punishment for the crime committed is fair and warranted.
He is a good person, but his position as an enforcer of the law makes his own creed of justice difficult to follow, and ultimately leads to ruin. More than that, he is willing to use his position to achieve a more merciful, and nuanced outcome for other people, something that seems admirable but avoids the rule of law, making him no better than those who seek to use their own power for their own gain.
His design uses longer, more triangular shapes to show his physical and moral flexibility, while his large gloves keep his hands clean of anything he does.
CES
Ish's younger sister. She is hopes to change the state of the nation.
Ces represents the youth of the Philippines—those within the Millennial and Generation Z. The events that transpire around her show how the system aims to keep said youth powerless, while simultaneously admitting they hold a lot of power.
She is a good person, but is ultimately used as a scapegoat by more nefarious forces, which acts as a metaphor for the naivety the youth can have. She does not completely know how the system works, and so was exploited by the system, like the majority of the many peoples in the Philippines.
Her design is simple enough to convey that she is a civilian, but is similar enough in color palette to the enforcer uniforms to show that ultimately, we want the same thing: justice and compassion.
DA GANG! AT ANG
MAHIWAGANG SINIGANG
Bubwit discovers friendship while on a quest to cook the ultimate sinigang. I focused on emphasizing a specific shape for each character to give them a distinct—but charming—look, while keeping them simple.
Bubwit is honest, and hardworking. I chose a saturated red for his bottle-cap hat to keep him noticeable across many different scenarios. I added a little vest and necklace to balance out the design.
Kiliti is kind, and resourceful. It was important to me that her design not get too complicated, so I opted for a simple bag shape, using the needle on the outside to imply more items inside.
Nanot is sneaky, and crafty. The primary challenge in the design phase was making sure to make the cockroach look palatable and not too gross. This was achieved by simplifying the face, and using a primarily round shape.
TABLETOP ROLEPLAYING
GAME CHARACTERS
Tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) character key art. These are a mix of personal and commission characters.
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