Detail Refinement

At this point, most of the exterior design has been completed. However, with only the current components, the robot’s interior — especially the torso area — still lacks sufficient internal detail.

The next step will be to focus on filling out this section to enhance the overall structural complexity and visual richness.

I started by adding a spine structure, which will serve as a key visual anchor within the torso. This element not only reinforces the mechanical logic of the design but also adds a strong sense of complexity and depth to the interior.

I then added joints and some piping in key areas to further enhance the industrial feel of the overall design. These additions not only contribute to the visual detail but also help reinforce a sense of mechanical functionality throughout the model.

By now, the robot design is now largely complete. The next stage will focus on building and designing the environment in which the character will be placed.

Reflection

Although adding internal details may seem simple, figuring out how to fill as much space as possible using the fewest mechanical parts—without using too many resources—is significant. For example, more complex parts are needed at key points like joints, while simpler components are enough for smaller gaps and less critical areas.

Outer Shell Design and Refinement

This week, I moved on to designing and refining the robot’s outer shell. In the early stages, I used simple planes to block out the shell as a rough sketch — this approach made it easier to adjust and already conveyed around 60% of the final design, providing a helpful preview.

I carried out most of this workflow in Blender, as mesh-based modeling is more flexible for this phase compared to a CAD-style approach.

The outer shell design was primarily based on my earlier sketches, aiming to align closely with the internal skeleton. This helped avoid issues with proportions later on, such as parts appearing overly bulky or disconnected from the internal structure.

The next step was to add thickness and detailed elements to the outer shell. This process helped further enrich the design and give it a more mechanical, grounded feel. I referred to a variety of industrial components and incorporated some of those design elements into my own model.

With this, the outer shell design was mostly finalized.

Reflection

Although this week’s focus was still on hard surface design, the outer shell and the internal details followed different approaches. The details on the outer shell were developed more along the flow of surface lines, which helps make the design look more natural and visually appealing.

This week’s focus was on worldbuilding. When creating a fictional world, it’s important to use key visual and narrative elements that quickly communicate the setting to the audience.

First idea

My first story has a feeling similar to Top Gun. I imagined a world where people race with fighter jets, like F1 racing but in the sky.

The main character loses his best friend in an accident during a race. After that, he feels very sad and stops flying. He goes back to a normal life, but one day he remembers the last words his friend said before the crash. After thinking deeply, he decides to return to flying and join the race again.

Feedback

Although the theme of my story seems clear enough, it’s still important to provide enough background information at the beginning to make the whole story feel more complete and well-rounded.

Second idea

My second story is more focused on action. It’s about a robot that breaks into a lab to get its memories back. On the way, it fights many robot guards and finally reaches the memory storage.

At first, this story didn’t have much meaning, so I added a small twist. When the robot finds its memory card, it is already broken. In the end, the robot decides not to hold on to the past. Instead, it takes a blank memory card nearby and chooses to create new memories for the future.

Feedback

The second story has a similar issue — it lacks a clear background to support the narrative. Since it mainly focuses on animation, it’s important to add a more detailed setting to give the story more depth.

Third idea

The third story is a continuation of a project I made last term. In that work, I used the human body as a metaphor — like a huge factory — and designed a mechanical heart inside it. The idea was told in a fable-like way to remind people to take proper rest and care of themselves.

In this new story, I continue with the same theme and explore it further.

Feedback

The third story has the most serious problem — it doesn’t even tell a complete story. Although the background is well-developed, the narrative needs to be finished to make it whole.

Reflection

Overall, although I’m able to develop a relatively complete storyline, I need to focus more on strengthening the background and setting. This helps provide strong motivation for the characters and builds a believable and coherent world.

Mise-en-scène and Worldbuilding

This week mainly focused on the fundamentals of mise-en-scène and camera language. We explored how elements such as set design, characters, and props can be used to convey narrative atmosphere and emotional tone. Composition also plays a key role, especially through the use of the rule of thirds and the golden ratio.

After gaining a theoretical understanding of these principles, we began working on filling in the actual content. Worldbuilding involves considering multiple dimensions — such as time, location, and culture — all of which contribute to how believable and immersive the world feels.

At the heart of the story are the characters. They need to have a convincing background and a distinct personality, as these traits will shape how they react to different situations (similar to how character stats affect outcomes in tabletop RPGs).

Assignment

This week’s main assignment focused on the early development and exploration of storyboard ideas. We were asked to create three different concepts, each experimenting with composition and shot planning.

Personally, I gravitated toward sci-fi and action-based scenarios, as these genres align with my interests and allow me to apply the techniques we’ve been learning in class in a dynamic and engaging way.

I explored a few different directions for my storyboard ideas. One was inspired by a narrative similar to Top Gun, involving fighter jets and aerial tension. Another leaned more towards action and combat, with a looser focus on plot and more emphasis on movement and intensity. The third idea was an extension of a previous project, continuing a storyline I had already developed.

Muscle Structure Development

This stage mainly focused on the design of the muscle layer. In fact, there’s nothing particularly special about the modeling itself — the real challenge lies in understanding human anatomy. It’s a true test of fundamental skills. As long as the muscle layout follows accurate anatomical structure, the result can be visually appealing and well-balanced.I mainly based the muscle layout on the directional flow indicated in my sketches, using them as a guide to shape the volume and rhythm of the forms.

For each muscle bundle, I almost directly replicated the shape of human muscle structures. This combination makes the robot’s design more striking.

To make the muscle details more intricate and sci-fi-inspired, I added some small design elements and surface features.

Refelction

This week, I spent a lot of time studying human muscle structure and gained a better understanding of the overall flow of the muscles. However, I’m still not very skilled at applying it yet.

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.

Drafting and Design Development

This week, most of my work focused on building the rough draft and establishing the main direction for the design. I experimented with several approaches, including both bulky and slender body types. However, I found that the bulkier design resulted in the muscle layer occupying too much space, which made it harder to maintain visual clarity and recognizability.

In the end, I chose EVA Unit 08 as the primary reference for my design. Based on that, I constructed the basic body structure and adjusted the overall posture. With this foundation in place, I’m now ready to move on to the next stage of the design process.

Although they may look somewhat similar at first glance, the underlying design approach is completely different. I believe that in the final piece, you’ll be able to see a distinct style emerge from this process.

At the same time, I began creating initial sketches for the robot’s muscle bundles and outer armor, which will go through several iterations in the coming stages.

I tried many different muscle forms and eventually realized that the human muscle structure is the most suitable.

The outer shell draft was still built based on the large body structure, and at this point, the direction of the final result is starting to become clear.

Reflection

This week’s learning deepened my understanding of blocking out shapes, human anatomy, and basic geometric construction.