ramonn90

The Hack for Dealing with Multiple Characters' Composition - Banda File & Process

Added 2024-04-03 16:00:20 +0000 UTC

Talking about 'Banda,' my illustration of a mariachi band. Although mariachis are originally from Mexico, in Venezuela, mariachis are very popular at parties, known for their music and style. But how did I end up there in the first place?

The concept developed from a reference I've saved a long time ago of some skeleton panda sea squirts. I was not convinced about taking that particular reference since it displayed six of those little creatures, therefore six characters (too much). But based on their simple yet interesting design, I thought a group of characters using the same uniform might make the whole thing less demanding. Also, my immediate thought was the theme of death. This theme led to popping the idea of the death traditional celebration that happens yearly in Mexico. From there to mariachis, the distance was narrow.

In order to address the execution effectively, I focused on the two characters up front and left the rest more as extras in the background, making their shapes, silhouettes, and gestures different. With some extra details like the hair resembling the sea squirt's shape.

Despite usually spending more time, this piece was quicker due to a solid conceptual foundation. Check the file and full process video for more insights: https://youtu.be/fXPrKlaq470

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