Here’s a look into the design process for my monsters.

I usually start off with a very quick sketch to make sure the shape and colors are appealing, and then draw it for real after that. I tend to use “groups” rather than layers, so anything I might want to move around is put into a group (arms, face, etc), and this just keeps it separate from the rest of the drawing. I use Flash’s line tools and convert them to fills to smooth out the edges a bit. I use the “paint inside fills” option with the paint brush when shading. I usually stick to 5 shades for a color that’s used over a big area, with the most extreme shades being used sparingly. I color the black lines on softer or lighter edges. I break the rules when needed, like using gradients for smooth or glowy things. And I pose the drawings a bit in the early stages, to make sure they can actually be animated in the intended ways. Oh and if anyone doesn’t know, Flash is vector art – it doesn’t use pixels. Every line and shape is an object.

Anyway, the lava idols are vaguely based on the Stone Idols from EBF5. I wanted to draw something with slime oozing out of their faces, and the first idea was seaweed, but I went with lava.

The Ice Idol was designed around the death animation. I wanted it to change appearance when it dies, but also kinda look like a stalactite or icecream cone. So this is what I came up with. I also like the Pokemon Bergmite.

I’ll share the rest of the idols next week!