Character design: Atticus the Owl

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Project Brief

This project calls for the inception, design and building of an interesting and compelling character that is workable in a stopmotion context. The character needs to be fully posable and beautifully designed, taking into consideration, colour, shape, texture, medium, silhouette, gesture and expressions. Atticus, a humanoid owl and potioneer, is the resulting character from this project.

Technical specifications & deliverables

1x Physical, built character design

1x Main pose and expression sheet, A3, landscape, in PDF format

1x Photographic mini-storyboard, A3, landscape, in PDF format

Design Strategy

The character of Atticus is inspired by a fantasy setting and backdrop, a creature from a magical land with wizards and potions and talking owls. Atticus is an owl species from the Avian kingdom, where humanoid birds replace the role of humans. Atticus is a potioneer’s apprentice, an energetic and well-meaning young bird that struggles with an unusual affliction, pyromania. In a wooden village filled with flammable potions, Atticus constantly plays the internal role of a bull trying to navigate a china shop.

The visual style of Atticus is loosely based on the features of a Greater horned owl, with his ‘ears’ exaggerated in size to emphasize his emotions and enhance his expressive nature. His large bushy eyebrows paired with a smaller beak emanate a slightly awkward but sweet-natured energy, while his lanky form and oversized, soot dusted trousers show his youth and inexperience.

The medium used to create Atticus is mostly a pliable wireframe wrapped with synthetic fur, which is treated with gel and paint to resemble singed feathers. Atticus’ eyes, beak, toe claws and ears are moulded from putty, and have magnets inlaid that allow easy repositioning and alternating between facial features during animation. The colour palette of Atticus is mostly warm reds, orange, yellow and black. These were specifically chosen to convey his burnt ember, singed appearance, alluding to his character flaw of pyromania.

The resulting storyboard details his established struggle with resisting his flammable tendencies while working, but still managing to set his room on fire accidentally.

Initial design concepts