FINAL FIGURE DESIGN

The aim is to animate the figure shown below, walking over the bridge.

However due to the curve of the path before the bridge, in order to make the walk of the figure look believable I will need to draw different angles of the figure.

The figure will start off entering from the right side by the green tree at the smallest scale.








       Above is the first figure I will use as it will be coming in from the right hand side, therefore the figure will be seen showing the left side of its body.



                                                               
The figure will then change direction therefore I will change the format of the body to its right hand side.
Coming over the bridge the figures position changes again, and so I will go back to using the first figure showing the left side of its body.

(While the changing of the position of the figure proceeds, there will also be a gradual increase in scale of the body).

                                                                                       This last drawing will be the last figure I use in the animation for when it walks away after crossing the bridge. The path after the bridge is straight forward therefore the figure is drawn from its front profile.

HOW I CREATED THE FINAL FIGURE:

After looking at different illustrations of the Grim Reaper I then went on to create my own.

Due to the background for my final piece being almost an abstract painting, I though creating a detailed angel of death would not suit. And so I decided to create a very simple dark gown with an unsettled edge. In order to do so, I used a black spray tool for the bottom of the gown and then went over it with a glow rubber, giving it the smokey hovering effect. I am happy with my final character as I believe it suits the background, however in order to improve, next time I would create a more detailed background and character. 

HOW WILL I ANIMATE IT:

Now that my character has been created on Photoshop, the next step is to animate it, which I will do on After Effects. Luckily as my character is wearing a gown, there will be no need to create a physical movement for its body, my only intention is getting it to hover over the bridge, therefore my main focus will be on positioning. Also due to using different figures for different positions I will need to concentrate on opacity in order to fade the figure out, and then use the new figure at a different position to face in. I will also need to focus on scaling. 

FINAL TOUCHES:

Once I complete all of the above, the next step is lighting. 

The main idea is that this figure comes and walks along the bridge followed by darkness. And so I hope to change the light settings getting darker and darker throughout the animation starting from the far right hand side where the dark figure enters. As the figure walks along the darkness follows.