LION short movie lion's concept

Concepts of the hero from my graduation short film, the african fairy tale LION, made with my dear team, Amélie Goursat, Thierry Hav, Pauline Toutain, Melissa Fournier, Gaïanka Martinet. A young and golden magic lion is crossing a dry and faeric savannah in quest for water.
He is a strong, fast animal, discovering the spirit of the lion still sleeping deep in himsef, in the shadow world. The color and african patterns on his fur shows his magic nature; more sabertooth tiger based at the beginning of the journey, he gains his sun mane later in the story to become the first lion. More about the 3D version in my CG work.

first research of stylized lion

first research of stylized lion and lioness

emergence of the idea of patterns in the research

first test for the anterior story with an irresponsable lion dad

watercolor and digipaint mixed for a color and pattern test

affining shape research with watercolor

various head test, all unsuccessful

first test approved by the team for the new scenario

first concept for a scenario review with team and teachers

shaping test with photoshop fluidity based on a smilodon anatomy by Jun Huang

approved shape with color

skeleton check up for rig (head maybe too thick for roaring ?)

fur pattern research

final concept approved by team

mane test

various rejected mane test

head turn for first tests in zbrush

affining head 3D model, testing shape with concept and color

expression 1, too agressive

expressions 2, peaceful

lion expression referenced by photography

quick posing test for animation

lion in the shadow world concept, patterns and big neck showing his future mane

I also made our poster for the graduation short based on a team choice , featuring the final 3D version of the lion :) Gaianka Martinet worked with me on the sculpt and made the fur, Amélie Goursat worked on the mane version, and i did the texturing.