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Wanted: artist willing to develop full character design!

Kardinull Numbers
Registered User
Join date: 19 Sep 2007
Posts: 4
09-19-2007 12:02
I signed up for SL a while ago but am just now starting to make a home for myself there, and I think I'm ready to pay for a real artist to develop a full skin for my avatar. If you do this sort of thing and have a portfolio of skins you've done in the past, feel free to PM or email me to discuss it further.

For anyone who's interested, here's the meaning behind my nick and the character design I had in mind, it should be pretty straightforward actually but I'm graphically challenged to say the least!


Name Origin

When I joined SL I had to use the surname "Numbers", which actually works well for me since I did a degree in math and physics. In mathematics, "cardinal" numbers are used to describe the size of sets, particularly various types of infinite sets for reasons which are important to the foundations of mathematics (for example, even though there are infinitely many integers, there are a lot more fractions, so you can define different cardinal numbers to describe the relative difference between the two sets).

Of course somone had already grabbed the name "Cardinal Numbers", so I went with "Kardinull", the "null" part representing the smallest possible set (an empty set), as well as being a standard computer programming construct, to reflect the Metaverse origins of SL (the K in Kardinull also being a hacker-ish touch).


Character Design

An obvious inspiration for the visual design would be a Catholic cardinal, both as a visual reinforcement of the nick and since cardinals are often thought of as mysterious figures commanding powerful secrets (like the foundations of mathematics!). A cardinal's outfit is quite straightforward, traditionally a simple red robe:

http://www.precious-times.eu/deluxe%20cardinal.jpg


For colour and texture I was thinking a deep red velvet, much like JP2's robes of state:

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/interactive/world/0504/gallery.vatican.events/05.pope.state.pool.jpg


However to reflect SL's modern setting, I was thinking of a much more modern tailoring job, something like the coat Neo wears in the Matrix 2 and 3:

http://tecnologia.tiscali.it/sfondi/matrix_reloaded/media/Neo_Matrix-reloaded.jpg
http://images.quizfarm.com/1130268505NEO.jpg


Other touches to the outfit could be a jacquard inlaid with various mathematical symbols, or perhaps just a simple aleph-null instead of a crucifix (aleph-null being the smallest transfinite cardinal representing the size of the set of counting numbers, e.g. 1, 2, 3 etc.):

http://www.tbray.org/ongoing/When/200x/2003/04/21/Aleph-Null.png


For the character himself, I was thinking he should be humanoid but just a bit extraterrestrial - think Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen:

http://www.fumettidicarta.it/Garage_Ermetico/DOSSIER%20WATCHMEN/watchmen10.jpg
http://fp.ignatz.plus.com/images/Manhattan%20LifeDeath%20small.png


I imagine it would be trivial to take an existing SL skin of a muscle-y dude and remove his hair, harden his facial features, smooth over his eyes and so forth, but again I'm graphically challenged so take that advice with a grain of salt. ;)


Anyway thanks for reading, and if you have any suggestions or would be interested in working on such a design, feel free to post here or PM/email me, I hope to be gliding around in a much improved Kardinull Numbers avatar soon! :)
Michael Bigwig
~VRML Aficionado~
Join date: 5 Dec 2005
Posts: 2,181
09-19-2007 12:26
In my honest opinion, I think one of the most talented avatar designers is Hydrogen Excelsior, owner of 6ixth Sense.

You MUST check out his work. My avatar is one of his designs...very high quality. All avatars hover around the L1000 range.

I would start with him...definitely. And tell him I said hi.
_____________________
~Michael Bigwig
__________________________________________________Lead Designer, Glowbox Designs
Crash Prefect
Darklife Art Director
Join date: 4 Dec 2004
Posts: 55
character design
09-19-2007 18:35
Hey there, I have a background in video game character design and I'd be interested in talking with you about this if you are serious about it. Hydrogen Excelsior is a good guy and by all means please go check out his work as well.

here is a link to my deviantart gallery.

http://www.crashadams.deviantart.com



if you check my profile in world you can come check out my store.

I have skype, msn, AIM, yahoo, and ventrillo as well.


hope to chat soon!. :D