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In collaboration with creative agency Innocean, we produced this little gremlin for the latest KIA car advert. Affectionately named ‘Derek’ by the creatives, we worked from concept to completion to bring this creature to life. Look out for him at the Cannes Festival and see how the creative developed below in our behind the scenes….
Derek, our wide eyed cheeky creature, is the brainchild of Innocean. The advertising agency came to us to develop the character for their campaign highlighting the build quality of the latest Kia models. Innocean provided a scamp and a sketch of the little creature, as you can see in the first two images to the left. Our concept artist, Luca, then developed the character through a series of sketches that considered form, look, personality, posture and emotions.
Once we confirmed the design of the character, we completed the colour research and prepared the model sheets for the modelling stage in CGI, posing the character on the back car seats. The little monster was worked up further using illustration comped into the photographic backplate, so focus on details such as the positioning of the seatbelt across the body. This then went forward to CGI production, where our artists used Zbrush, the digital sculpting tool, to craft the 3D model and combined with texturing and painting. Development of the character’s skin material was important to get subtleties such as translucency and moisture correct to give the desired effect.
``Playing with the elements, we sketched lots of different varieties and started to develop something that drew everything together; a rounded shape contrasted with sharp elements, big glossy eyes and very short legs.`` TJ Concept Artist
Once we confirmed the design of the character, we completed the colour research and prepared the model sheets for the modelling stage in CGI, posing the character on the back car seats. The little monster was worked up further using illustration comped into the photographic backplate, so focus on details such as the positioning of the seatbelt across the body. This then went forward to CGI production, where our artists used Zbrush, the digital sculpting tool, to craft the 3D model and combined with texturing and painting. Development of the character’s skin material was important to get subtleties such as translucency and moisture correct to give the desired effect.
Following modelling, texture, lighting and shading, the 3D model was rendered to print resolution suitable for press and poster. Our creative retouchers then had the job of compositing this fellow into the photographic backplate, seamlessly integrating the lighting and elements of the car that interact with the character. The backplate also required adapting and cosmetic retouch, before an overall colour style was developed and the piece came together. From start to finish our creatives and artists worked closely with the agency and the client to ensure the outcome was of the award-winning quality expected. And that is how Derek was born.
