PAINT A FANTASY BEAST CONCEPT

From developing ideas to painting methods, illustrator Xiao introduces her process of bringing imaginary creatures to life

When it comes to character concept design, it doesn’t matter whether you’re designing for a given brief or a piece of personal work – you will naturally draw inspirations from your own memory and experiences, things you’ve seen, read and felt. And consciously or not, you will channel your personalities and aesthetics into your work. So your concept character is like a reflection of yourself.

In this workshop, I would like to summon my spirit animal, designing a fantasy creature from start to finish. I will offer advice for each stage of the process, and will share my main painting methods.

There are some key guiding principles to be aware of when doing concept work. First off, your design’s silhouette is essential, as it makes your creature recognisable. Secondly, a good understanding of anatomy is important, as it helps your creature feel real. And third, do not add details before the fundamentals are done. These principles aren’t laws, but they are great pieces of advice, tried and tested by many!

Let’s take a look at my character concept design process, from initial concept sketches, to the final, detailed piece.