COVIDEMONI creature design with process videos and tutorials.

Over the course of the COVID 19 lockdown here in London, I was asked by Pixologic to do a series of ZBrush Live web streams. I decided it would be a good opportunity to develop a creature design based around the personification of the coronavirus as sentient malicious entity. This would be an interesting challenge to develop the entire creature, from ideation to the sculpting process live and with an audience. I thought it would be valuable to see how I work out shapes and ideas in a sculpting medium in sketch form and how much stream of consciousness and just pure sensitivity to curves, angles, and shape language informs decision making. Here is the final result of the three sessions. If you would like to view the videos themselves and see this piece come together visit the links at the bottom of the post to the Pixologic YouTube channel.

For inspiration I drew on the prompts of suffocation, respiration, infection, aggressive and jagged shapes contrasted with elegant reverse curves. For other artworks I drew on the images of sculptors, illustrators, and painters who dealt with themes of putrefaction and disease such as Harry Clarke, Jean Delville, and the Renaissance sculptor Zumbo who created an incredible series of wax miniatures about the plague.

I hope you enjoy the images and the associated tips and callouts I made to hi-light parts of the process I thought other might find useful. All the best, stay healthy, and be well.

Maddiemonster