Art of Bruce Whistlecraft

The Turnaround.

This is the artwork which will be used by the modelmaker to actually create a 3D version of the figure as a prototype.
Sometimes it will be sculpted by hand, sometimes turned into a virtual 3D render and then outputted to a rapid prototyping machine which generates a resin master form which can them be cleaned up by hand. (But I get ahead of myself.)

I start the turnarounds in pencil in a sketchbook to get it clear in my head and then draw the whole thing out from scratch in a vector drawing program on the computer.
A Turnaround is just what it sounds like. Its views of the figure from various angles to show all the details of the piece and how they relate to each other.
I was sent the vector files of the existing body part I had to build on so started there and built up the rest.

I generally work on all views at the same time so they evolve together, rather than draw the front and then work out the others from that. Its a back and forth process generally refining the details over many passes until it all looks right.
There may be changes that need to be made once the modelmaker starts to work on the piece and finds possible problems such as areas colliding when articulated etc. I have been trained in technical drawing and Industrial Modelmaking though and worked on other peoples prototypes from that perspective for many years so I hope I can forsee most of the problems which may come up and weed them out in this early stage.
The artwork also shows the different parts needed for the toy, but not how each part may have to be broken down further for manufacture.

This artwork is then sent off to the toy company for review.

You may also notice I have locked down the name of the character too by now and had a provisional stab at a packaging logo layout.
It is quite clearly a Gnome. The idea being based on the mythical beings who look after rocks and generally live underground.
I liked the idea of Gnome being an Acronym but felt that was too modern a concept for the design so it became a bit less obvious.
Now he is called the Gyroscopic, Non-Ornamental Mechanised Excavator.
I will give him a more personal name and a backstory later. I am still working on that.