Gampu

This project features Gampu, a baby sea dragon character I created as part of a character design and 3D modeling course. The goal was to explore various Blender techniques while developing a stylized, cute original character from concept to final render.

Procreate
Blender
Photoshop
Affinity Photo

The concept began with the idea of a cute little sea dragon. I researched sea creatures on Pinterest, and the sea angel stood out due to its unique shape and color. Inspired by it, I started sketching dragon designs from memory, blending in fins and tails based on the references. I experimented with different horn shapes to make it resemble an aquatic creature. Despite trying many versions, I struggled to make it look cute enough—until I landed on a design that, while not perfectly dragon-like, captured the mood I wanted. I explored facial expressions and poses to give it personality, aiming for a grumpy-but-cute vibe.

Once I finalized the concept, I created a front and side view of Gampu for reference in Blender. This step helped define the proportions and forms, making the 3D modeling process more efficient and consistent. My focus was on making Gampu feel alive, stable, and well-balanced.

With the references set, I started modeling Gampu in Blender. This stage helped me identify which parts of the 2D design could be translated smoothly into 3D, and which needed adjustment. Some design elements that looked good in 2D didn’t quite work in 3D space, so I made small changes to preserve the overall vibe while improving the structure and believability.

To reflect the sea angel inspiration, I gave Gampu a gradient body combining warm and cool tones, with a semi-transparent look. I wanted the surface to resemble plastic art toys, like the Dimoo sea creature collection. This part was challenging—I spent several days digging through tutorials to figure out how to create the right shader and material settings.

Because of the translucent body, lighting and environment were crucial. I tried different setups and eventually chose a purple background, which harmonized well with Gampu's colors. However, the transparent body sometimes blended too much into the background. While I wished it popped more, I’m happy with the overall visual coherence.

With the final touch ups and lighting design, Gampu is done!!! I also added Aberration and Bloom(Glare) effects before I rendered the animation. Then I used photoshop to make the GIF file.