Making Monsters (Vector Style)

Hello Loyal Viewers! (At this point, it's just a trademark and tradition, so you can disregard it if you wish) For several projects, I've had to create some local fauna in order to add a little substance to a 2D world. These creatures make up the ecosystem of Primitive (The Penguin Project, as everyone forgets the actual name), as well as other projects. These monsters are built using vector graphics in After Effects, and follow a similar basic pattern. They may be made to suit many different purposes, and at one point, a particular creature was even adapted slightly to suit the needs of a project coming soon.

I've always enjoyed the process that goes into constructing one of these monsters, as it can be changed and suited depending on what you wish to design. Certain subtle additions can indicate different ecological roles, such as predators and prey. In this brief tutorial I'll explain the basic process for building a vector based monster, as well as certain additions you may wish to make to indicate certain traits. If you've bothered to read this far, you're clearly interested, so let's get started.

Another creature made for the project, only this one saw the light of day

Above is the finished and unused Predator originally meant for the Penguin Animation (may it rest in unfinished peace).  You also may notice the slight adaptions used to make them appear a little more advanced in the poster above. The key with beginning the Frankenstein-ish process is to start with a body. This can be either a simple or horrifyingly complex shape depending on what you're going for, but in the case of the creature above, I started rather simple.

This body sets up the neck and tail ahead of time. It's a flexible starting option, and leaves some room open for some experimentation down the line. To accomplish each of these shapes one must simply hit the After Affects Pen Tool and begin drawing these basic shapes, which are then set up as layers.

From here you add the legs. This adds some proportion to the creature, and gives a pretty good idea of what size to make everything else. Each of the legs' three sections is its own vector shape similar to the body. When making the legs, it is important to manage the layers, so as to keep some degree of continuity in the creature's limbs. Oddly layered limbs leads to a creature looking physically broken, as if it was hit by a bus resulting in shattered kneecaps. If that's what you're going for though, break away. Another key thing (with regard to my animator relatives out there) is to set up the anchor points in the legs. This is incredibly important if you want to animate the creature later, as these anchor points function as joints for the legs.

After the legs, add a head (there will be a little more on this later) to give the creature some substance. It'll add some degree of personality, and build on the sense of scale started in the legs. Be sure to add anchor points to each part of the head. The upper jaw and lower jaw should each move independently.

From here details are added to the head and body to give the creature a little more substance, and round out the main development phase. I wouldn't recommend always adding a head plate, but a different color on the belly helps fill some empty space and make the monster more interesting. These need no anchors as long as they're bonded to the head and body so they move with it. There are few things stranger than a creature leaving bits and pieces of itself behind as it moves around, unless it's a corpsified zombie actively decaying in its motion. In such a case, you may need to see another tutorial, as I can't really help you there.

From this point, we have some big decisions to make about our newborn monster child: what kind of monster is it? Is it friendly? What does it eat? Should I be worried about something like this attacking as a mutant after nuclear apocalypse? The answer to those questions, as will be discussed in this tutorial, are as follows: Predator, probably not, less fortunate and smaller creatures, and absolutely yes. All joking aside, I'll be discussing primarily how to make both a carnivore and a herbivore in this tutorial just to give you some variety.

If one seeks to go the more aggressive route, the most obvious addition is teeth teeth and more teeth, particularly sharp teeth. Good canines are a clear indicator of a carnivore, as they are used to cut and tear prey and food (I bet you didn't realize you'd get an ecology lesson as well as an animation tutorial). The large claws are also a hunting mechanism used to attack and subdue prey for easier consumption. Without them, our creature would have little defense other than its gaping jaws. One can also opt for claws, but large imposing death-blades make for a more entertaining beast.

And now, for something completely different. The herbivorous beast is a tad different than the vicious predator above. Its lack of sharp teeth indicates a diet based more on plants rather than meat, along with its shorter, less aggressive head style. Its pupil is widened to give it a less hostile look, and add a bit more vulnerability and innocence. The creature's arms were also completely overhauled and replaced with little claws that seem more fit for picking at low hanging fruit than tearing into prey.

The contrast between the two is notable, and these smaller details should be taken into account when setting up this character. Wildlife plays an important role in setting, and a potentially large role in story, so it is imperative that time and effort is dedicated to making it unique and notable. Hope you all enjoy!