Magic in the Making

The main Antagonist in my game Ricardo the Magician has gone through five redesigns. The more I imagine what the character was like I began to develop a better understanding about character design and the importance of shapes.

A few years back I started it as a pen and paper drawing. As I was able to acquire new methods to paint (drawing tablet to a drawing monitor) it began to advance into more than a dream. I imagined the character to wear a weathered purple suit that morphed into a suit/ duster jacket and have green undertones for example his shoes. The Magician is a quick tempered individual, he is narcissistic, sharp witted but also hopeful and can be caring. I tried playing around with his design after the third redesign with more sharp and angular shapes. In the end it didn't feel right so I returned to the third design but did some tweaking. He wasn't always like this but from the stress of running a business and taking care of the performers who rely on him has morphed him into this eccentric individual. From viewing the history of storytelling and animation I observed how these great artists conveyed emotion and character types. I knew the character would wear purple and green as he was supposed to be bad. He was to play off Gavin's design who wears a heroic color scheme of red and blue.

Through him and some other characters I began to form a backstory for Ricardo and the others. He comes from a land called the Nevermore located in the broken fabrics of the 4th dimension. The inhabitants from the Nevermore can be picked out from a crowd by their clear white eyes and only having eight fingers compared to the ten. The biggest change/ factor comparing them to humans from Earth is that they posses a natural affinity for Magic. Others would perceive these beings as deities for their magic prowess. Not everyone there has the same level of magic powers. Ricardo and his gang are from a lower tier possessing abilities slightly above average. Seeking fame, wealth and a chance to break out of the pressures from their home world they have traveled to Earth to make a name for themselves against those who have no magic abilities.