This week, I focused on researching mechanical design references and exploring hard-surface modelling for the first time. Since I had no prior experience with hard-surface workflow, everything—from structural logic to sculpting methods — was new to me. This week became an important breakthrough as I pushed myself into an unfamiliar area of design.
To begin, I collected and analysed a wide range of references related to mechanical joints, armour structures, and robotic models. Because the character will later need to be rigged, I paid special attention to functional joint designs. I looked at articulated action figures, mechanical model kits, and robotic limbs to understand how they reserve enough space for bending and rotation. These observations helped me plan my own mechanical parts so they would move naturally without causing mesh intersections.
Secondly, anatomical study became essential in shaping the mech body. Many well-designed mechs are essentially stylised abstractions of real human muscle groups. With this in mind, I approached the mech surfaces with anatomical logic, ensuring the plates and structures followed physiological forms rather than random decorative shapes.
Third, I considered the silhouette and visual balance of the design. Hard-surface models tend to rely heavily on sharp lines and rigid forms, so I intentionally incorporated curved tubes and flexible elements to soften transitions and maintain a readable silhouette. I also organised the density of details. Since I wanted the visual weight to fall mainly on the chest core area, hands, and feet, I simplified other regions to avoid overwhelming the design with excessive components.
Finally, I examined the transition between the organic head and the mechanical body. The character retains a human-like face, while the body is fully robotic, so the neck area needed a believable transitional structure. Although the modelling here will stay relatively simple, the material and texture work later will be crucial to visually connecting organic skin with mechanical components.
This week allowed me to build a structural and aesthetic foundation for the mech body. The research has helped me better understand functional design and will guide the following modelling and rigging stages.