Chu!

As I’m sure so many of us fanatics have dreamed, my love and adoration for the amazing work at Studio Ghibli has grown into an endless aspiration to embody the whimsical yet grounded feeling of so many of their films. Using this as inspiration, I chose this character design by Janice Chu as the basis for one of my Capstone projects. Combining the inspiration of Ghibli with my experience studying abroad in Japan, I found this crow design reflected a lot of the feelings and emotions I had experienced in my time there. This whimsy, possibly lost, crow, appears headed on a journey, but do we know where? I find this is a question I often come across while reflecting in my work. Using Janice Chu’s original character design, I decided to explore this character and their story in 3D, and delve into just where this little guy is off to, and why, through story ideation and 3D art.

(2024) Art by Janice Chu, responsible for all other aspects. Softwares used: Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Arnold, Procreate.