Exercises 1

Baby Otopus Repost

Form design & design ideas：

The shape of the baby octopus brings me a cute and friendly temperament. The round body and tentacles of the octopus are very easy to identify, and the tentacles are also richer and more flexible. In the design, elements that can be simplified into spheres show the abstract and interesting effect of the baby octopus, while maintaining the core characteristics of the octopus. Although the structure is simple, it does not lose its interest. It can not only keep it simple, but also increase recognition and interest through subtle design.

Design process:

1. Preparation and Planning

Before I started preparing I prepared a few drafts on my iPad

2. Create body shape

Create the octopus head

Add a sphere:

 In Blender, use `Shift + A` to open the Add menu and select "Mesh" -> "UV Sphere". This will generate a basic sphere model as the head of the baby octopus.

Adjust subdivision: 

After the sphere is generated, you can adjust the subdivision level in the toolbar and set the number of segments and rings to appropriate values ​​to ensure that the model surface is smooth enough.

 Scale adjustment: 

Use the `S` key to zoom and adjust the size of the sphere to match the proportions of the character you designed.

Add tentacle structure

Add multiple small balls: 

Use the same method (`Shift + A` -> "UV Sphere") to generate multiple small balls as the tentacle shapes of the baby octopus. The sphere should contrast with the head, but maintain a certain proportion.

Arrange the tentacle spheres: 

Place the small spheres around the head, creating a petal-like arrangement. This step can be done by dragging the ball directly, or using the mirror and array tools (`Array Modifier`) to align.

Adjust the scale:

Use the `S` key to adjust the size of each tentacle ball individually

3.Design facial details

add eyes

Create the eye base: 

Use `Shift + A` to add a new UV Sphere for the eye. Resize the sphere into a smaller oval, elongating it to the appropriate shape by scaling (`S` key + `Z` key to adjust vertical proportions).

Place the eyes: 

Move the eye sphere to the front of the baby octopus's head, move it with the `G` key and place it precisely on the front side of the head.

add mouth

Create a circular mouth:

 For the mouth part, use `Shift + A` to add a Torus, shrink it and adjust the thickness to make it the base shape of the mouth.

4.Add a unique detail – a hat on top of your head

 Create a cone:

 Use `Shift + A` and select "Mesh" -> "Cone" to create a basic cone. Take the cone as the unique feature of the baby octopus's head and make it smaller.

 Adjust scale and position:

 use the `S` key to zoom and the `G` key to move the cone to the top of the octopus's head. Adjust the angle as needed so that it blends naturally into the octopus's head.

Smoothing:

 If you need to make the cone smoother, you can add the `Subdivision Surface` modifier in the modifier panel on the right to ensure that the surface of the corners is softer.

Lighting and Rendering

5.Set as surface light

Add a light source:

 Add a point light source to the scene (`Shift + A` -> “Light” -> “Point”). Place the light source above the octopus's head and adjust the intensity and position so that it highlights the character's form and details.

Ambient lighting: 

Increase the ambient lighting to make the overall light of the scene soft and non-glaring.

Color matching:

  - The main body has a soft pinkish-purple hue that contrasts with the surrounding crimson spheres. The color choices are very warm and muted, enhancing the character's lovable attributes.

   - The golden hat forms a visual focus with other parts, which can guide the viewer's attention. The black eyes are simple and effective, contrasting well with the character's other colors and making the facial expression very striking.

Expression design:

  - The expression is very simple, with two oval-shaped black eyes and an opening resembling a small mouth, conveying an emotion of surprise or innocence. This expression is suitable for expressing cute, harmless characters, and allows the viewer to easily connect emotionally.

Summarize：

Through the combination of rounded shapes and soft colors, it successfully conveys a cute and relaxing visual effect. The unique golden corners add recognition and interest to the character. I thought my design might be suitable for use as a mascot, cartoon character, or non-player character (NPC) in a game. Its simple and cute style is suitable for young audiences, and its appeal can be enhanced through simple animations and interactions.