Design and Construction of the Internal Skeleton

This week, my main focus was on the design of the robot’s internal skeleton — the core framework that supports all external components. Since everything else will be built upon this structure, it’s a crucial step in the overall process.

While designing the skeleton, I also had to take into account the shapes and requirements of the outer elements. Rather than treating it as an isolated design, I approached it holistically to ensure consistency throughout the layers. Because this model relies heavily on a clear visual hierarchy, it’s important to consider how each part overlaps or interacts with others.

Shape Adjustment

Before moving forward with the next steps, I took some time to refine the character’s overall form. The goal was to make the silhouette more dynamic and to improve the proportions for a more balanced and believable appearance.

Building

I also explored a new CAD-based workflow using a software called Plasticity to better handle this more industrial design style. This approach proved to be more efficient for hard surface modeling, allowing for faster and more precise output.

Using the sketch as a reference, I made sure the form completely wrapped around the internal skeleton. This helps prevent the outer components from feeling overly bulky later on. After completing the modeling in Plasticity, I imported the model into Blender for the next stage. During this process, I referenced a wide range of industrial components to guide the design.

Reflection

This week’s focus was mainly on learning the software, but at the same time, my understanding of the underlying theory also deepened a bit. When adding details, it’s important to constantly remind myself that I’m working on something very small, so there’s no need to overcomplicate the design.