Author: Micey
J. Shen or "Micey" is a Junior at Umich. She loves character design and telling stories and dabbles in making her own comics. Sketchbook Smashing is an attempt to chronicle her process in designing characters. From first concepts, hairstyle and outfit changes, or even complete shifts in design. She also hopes to map out how her own art style changes throughout the year.
Her website is https://wallmouseart.weebly.com
Her art Tumblr is https://wallmouse.tumblr.com
Yunjun Kila
I’m back guys! And ready to smash more sketchbooks!
I got an iPad over the summer and have been drawing on it. This is the concept for another DnD character, Yunjun Kila. And in the event any of my DnD party members see this, spoilers in the readmore.
Hakkun Update
Last post of this school year! It’s been a wild ride. Here is Hakkun and a few others. I wanted to figure out his cape as well as his outfit. It kinda turned into a fashion show. But I did figure out his spy outfit! He’s meant to be a fashionable guy so it makes sense for him to have a lot of outfits, even if I haven’t figured out his main one yet.
Taya 2.0
I’m satisfied with Taya’s current design but I do plan to change it in-story. I want to keep her general aesthetic but make it more punk or refined. I think she looks cool with short hair.
Dearest Dumb Boi Hakkun
I can’t believe it’s the end of the school year. I’m watching the snowfall out of my window as I type this.
This is Hakkun, one of my DnD characters. He’s a storm sorcerer/unauthorized genie warlock multiclass living in a “futuristic medieval” society. His genie’s vessel is a compass. I wanted to make him a very pretty and fashionable boy. I gave him a hat because I liked its silhouette although I do have trouble figuring out horn placement. I’m proud of his fancy-soled boots.
I mixed a lot of feminine-associated design elements into his design. I often have a hard time figuring out men’s fashion because most of it’s so plain compared to female fashion. I’m glad I did what I did about Hakkun, he looks so stylish!
the Fluxcharger Drummer
Hello there! These are designs for a DnD NPC’s band member. They’re all lightning/thunder-themed because the lead singer is an air genie. I asked my DM for advice on band members and he suggested I add one based on a fluxcharger monster, which was a good idea! I shaped the lightning arching off a charger’s head into an afro-shaped and I played around with silhouette. I thought about making them like a mermaid but the movement seemed awkward. I like the octopus version more. I thought about giving them painted tattoos but those turned out really hard to draw.
The bottom pictures are concept designs for the entire gang.
