26/10/2025 - 16/11/2025 / Week 5 – Week 8
Gabriella Grace
Christyanti / 0371915
Character Design / Creative Media / School of
Design
Task 2: Character Design Development
1. Instructions
2. Lectures
3. Process Work
4. Final Output
5. Feedback
6. Reflection
1. INSTRUCTIONS
2. LECTURES
3. PROCESS WORK
3.2 Pose Process
For my pose sketches, I began by selecting my favorite poses and creating ten very rough studies based on those references. I then consulted Sir Fitri for feedback on which poses would be most suitable to develop into three action-pose explorations and one final cleaned-up pose. He recommended using poses number 6 and 12, and allowed me to choose the third pose independently. I proceeded to refine all three selected poses and completed a cleanup of pose number 6, which I ultimately chose as my final action pose for the assignment.
3.3 Expression Research
For my expression sheet studies and references, I primarily used fan-made Overwatch expression sheets that closely resembled the original character designs, along with official expression sheets released by Blizzard Entertainment. I selected expressions that I felt were most appropriate and believable for my character, eventually narrowing them down to ten. I initially encountered some difficulty because my character wears an iron mask, which made conveying facial expressions challenging. However, after consulting Sir Fitri, I was advised that I could apply squash-and-stretch principles even with the mask, leaning into a more cartoon-based logic. This approach resolved the issue and allowed me greater flexibility in depicting the character’s emotions.
In my expression sketches, I applied a similar approach to the fan-made expression designs of Widowmaker, where she is depicted without her facial battle gear. I adopted this method for my character because the armor details and hair components attached to the armor would be too time-consuming to render for every expression. Therefore, in my expression sheets, the character is shown without his accessories to allow clearer focus on the facial expressions.
3.5 Weapon Research
For my weapon research, I gathered dagger references from Overwatch and also drew inspiration from Genji’s sword, as it similarly incorporates traditional influences. When studying daggers, I focused on identifying unique visual elements that I could adapt into an original design for my character. I observed that weapon designs in Overwatch and other Blizzard titles tend to be very shape-driven and stylized, while avoiding excessive complexity. This informed my approach to creating a dagger that feels cohesive with that design language.
Sir Fitri selected the first design, so I continued by refining and adding color to the weapon before moving on to constructing the final version.
For the outfit variations, I conducted the most extensive research, as I initially did not have a clear idea of how the costume should look. I began with an alternative outfit study, focusing on officially released red-themed Overwatch costumes. I then expanded my research to other games for additional inspiration. A friend also assisted by showing me characters with Indonesian-themed outfits from games she had played, including a design inspired by Garuda Pancasila that I found particularly compelling and chose to pursue.
4. FINAL OUTPUT
Final Presentation Slide Character Design Development
Final Presentation PDF5. FEEDBACK
Throughout the process, Sir Fitri provided guidance at every stage to help refine and strengthen my character design. For the poses, he recommended developing three from the initial ten rough studies, specifically suggesting poses number 6 and 12, while allowing me to select the third independently. His feedback helped me focus on refining the selected poses and ultimately choosing the strongest one for the final action pose. Regarding expressions, he advised that even though the character wears a mask, I could use squash-and-stretch and exaggerated, cartoon-like principles to convey emotions effectively. He also supported depicting the character without accessories on the expression sheet to maintain clarity and focus on the facial features. For the weapon design, he selected the first Barong-inspired dagger concept, encouraging me to refine and color it for the final version. When reviewing alternative outfit options, he chose the first outfit paired with the fifth mask variation and guided me to test multiple color palettes, ultimately confirming that the original palette was the most effective. Across all stages, Sir Fitri emphasized the importance of iteration, refinement, and adhering to Overwatch’s visual language, including dynamic silhouettes, stylization, and color harmony, to ensure the character felt cohesive within the established universe.
6. REFLECTIONS
Experience
For this task, I found the process of exploring poses, expressions, weapons, and outfit variations both challenging and rewarding. Developing ten poses and narrowing them down to three required careful consideration of action, balance, and personality, while creating expression sheets pushed me to think creatively about conveying emotion through a masked character. Weapon and outfit design demanded iterative exploration, experimentation, and refinement to ensure that every element felt visually dynamic and consistent with the Overwatch style. Overall, the task reinforced the importance of iteration and feedback in producing a cohesive and polished character design.
Observation
I observed that Overwatch character designs rely heavily on dynamic silhouettes, clear readability, and stylized yet functional accessories. Poses and expressions must communicate personality immediately, even for armored or masked characters, and props like weapons should reflect both cultural inspiration and the franchise’s visual language. Additionally, color choices and outfit details play a critical role in defining a character’s identity, where small adjustments can greatly affect the overall cohesion and appeal of the design.
Findings
From this task, I learned that strong reference research and iterative sketching are essential for creating a character that feels believable within an established universe. Consulting official and fan-made materials helped me understand how to balance originality with franchise consistency. I also discovered that design decisions for poses, expressions, weapons, and outfits must be made holistically, as every element contributes to the character’s overall readability, visual impact, and emotional resonance with the audience.
Comments
Post a Comment