Creature Design - Kappa

A creature design for Legendary Games. The kappa is a well-known creature in Japanese mythology, with a distinctive pool of water atop their head. I used the pool as a place where plants grow and give the creature a faux-hair appearance.

The finished design!

These sorts of little sketches are just to get pose ideas. I go into them knowing that they'll change tremendously.

Another posing sketch.

Taking it into Photoshop, I refine the design and give it more personality.

This one didn't end up getting picked, but I still quite like it. Maybe it'll show up again in my own work.

Simple color overlay to get things started.

Refining and rendering.

Adding a suggestion of a ground plane, and adding other finishing touches. Done!