DESIGN PROCESS: AXEL
Axel is one of the main characters of my project, Underworld! He is a loud, high energy 19 year old who was raised by wild demons and has developed a ferocious fighting style as a result. Axel has an almost unhinged desire for battle, constantly provoking others for the chance to test his strength against theirs. The immense amount of entertainment he gets while fighting can be seen from his manic, almost evil smile which is always spread across his face. His wild upbringing has lead to Axel developing an animalistic fighting style that doesn’t rely on strategies, instead overwhelming his opponent with unpredictable attacks and taking advantage of his razor sharp senses.
Nothing holds his attention for too long as he constantly needs stimulation and to be on the move. Despite all this, he is lacking in the brains department and is rather lets say... simple minded BUT, overall he’s an energetic, fun and crazy character!
DSIGN CHOICES & INSPIRATION
Axel’s wild and manic hair is a reflection of his erratic personality. Furthermore his left pant legs features flames that go up his leg, to demonstrate his fiery and fierce personality (also because it looks cool!).
In my Underworld project, the people of Hell are capable of an ability called Pyromancy. This involves the inhabitants of Hell being able to shoot flames from the palms of their hands. It is similar to fire bending in Avatar however, instead of the flames being used offensively, it is used to enhance their movement in combat and commonly implemented in their fighting styles to propel themselves forward. This ability has the potential to harm the user if they push their bodies past their limit. As a wild warrior who’s obsessed with becoming stronger, Axel constantly trains his pyromancy, which leads to him damaging/burning his hands and forearms. For this reason, he always has bandages and wraps around these parts of his arms.
His clothing is inspired by traditional Shaolin Monk robes or Kaseya. This is due to Axel being raised in the first circle of Hell, which takes cultural inspiration from ancient China.
COLOURS
I decided on red for Axel as it perfectly suits his personality. Red for me, is a loud colour that can be associated with feelings of passion and aggression. Similarly, his orange flames promote his energetic/enthusiastic nature and is also a nice callback to his attire’s Shaolin Monk inspiration. I also decided to feature purple in Axel’s design as it elicits feelings of power and ambition. Axel is a very intense and determined character so making purple a prominent colour in his design, assists with portraying this aspect of his personality.
FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS
I am extremely happy with Axel’s design so there is not much that I would change however, I would love to experiment with his pants and exaggerate how baggy they are. I believe this would further drive home his rebelliousness and form connotations to the clothing style of Japanese delinquets/gang members in the 60’s.
IMAGE CREDIT:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidehook.com%2Farticle%2Fhealth-and-fitness%2Ftrain-like-shaolin-warrior-monk&psig=AOvVaw2FjTcu0IQpBhSvb0CtpeYx&ust=1694848476154000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CA8QjRxqFwoTCJCj1dyIrIEDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FStardustCrusaders%2Fcomments%2Fiu6mr0%2Fbanch%25C5%258D_a_youth_subculture_that_was_popular_in%2F&psig=AOvVaw20MdWgfgOrRQ63Q6EPo2hm&ust=1694848553578000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CA8QjRxqFwoTCND82oGJrIEDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAq