Project Overview
This project focused on creating a stylized character optimized for real-time rendering in Unreal Engine, blending vector cartoon aesthetics with modern 3D workflows. The goal was to achieve a unique, expressive look suitable for realtime interaction with the public in a live environment.
My Role
- Look Development: Following the original concept for the character, develop the best Unreal shaders to ensure a balance between stylization and technical feasibility.
- Rigging & Expression scultping: I received the static 3D character, that I retopoligized and rigged in Blender, followed by the sculpting of the 52 ARKit shapekeys for Rokoko mocap facial animation.
- Shader Research & Realtime postprocessing: Implemented custom NPR shaders in Unreal Engine to replicate the aesthetic of vector illustration while maintaining dynamic lighting.
- Rigging & Animation Prep: Built a production-ready rig for expressive poses and animation tests.
Challenges & Solutions
A challenge was achieving a hand-drawn look without sacrificing performance. I solved this by creating a hybrid shader system in Unreal Engine, combining flat shading with dynamic outlines.
One of the key challenges was managing the live, public nature of the event, where actors had to animate the character while interacting with the audience in a noisy environment for extended periods. To address this, I developed solutions in Unreal Engine that allowed the operator to seamlessly pause the live performance and switch to pre-recorded content that matched the aesthetic perfectly, enabling actors to take essential breaks without disrupting the experience. Additionally, I implemented a backstage feedback system, providing actors with a secondary screen to monitor their performance in real time, synchronized with what the audience was seeing.
Outcome
The final character successfully demonstrates how stylized art can integrate into real-time workflows, opening possibilities for live events, games, VR experiences, and animated productions.