Chikumbutso - WIP

Once while in a college library, I saw a doll on display, an Asanti fertility doll. I'd been in that library many, many times, but I had never focused on the doll in any real regard.

I had never seen a face with such a calmness. She (it's a female fertility doll, after all) seemed as though despite any troubles, despite any hardships she had, she was centered and the definition of serene. "What would this doll look like as a character? Imagine the visual of her just turning her head." From the moment I saw her face, I knew I had to make her a character.

The name, Chikumbutso, is apparently not Asanti. It's a Chewa name that means "memory," according to Behind the Name, my favorite site for finding character names. I'm honestly not exactly sure why I picked that name with that meaning. I recall I wanted a name with a ton of syllables, so there's that... I feel as though I wanted to have a name that meant something intangible, like a memory. This character is supposed to be a supernatural entity of sorts, someone that exists outside of space and time. Maybe I wanted something that suggested that she had memories of ancients and the future? I don't know. Maybe I just liked the sound of the name.

Flatting her is simple. The real challenge is how to shade her flat face. I'd imagine the eyes, lips, and nose (especially the nose) would create distinct shadows. It'll be a real test of my lighting chops.

#flats #cartoon #genrechowderstudios