Robot Miner

This hard-surface study showcases an original character design influenced by classic automatons, with inspiration drawn from Stray and The Iron Giant.

Made in Maya, Blender, Substance Designer/Painter, with the MVP being a plugin called ConjureSDF which allowed smooth non-destructive modelling.

People in the know may recognize this character as thematically similar to the main Character in Autonima. I was never satisfied with the way that character worked out. I focused to hard on making all the mechanical parts and didn't have the right tools to get the look I wanted.

This character exists in a society where the technology which created them is no longer available. They repair and maintain themselves with what little is available. Oil, rubber, and wax are commodities, as is paint. As their original red coat pealed away from hard labor they applied new coats of what was available – cheap, lacquers tinned with copper oxide and other things.

Their face is painted with cosmetic identifiers, expressions of individuality unique to each robot. Their eye lights indicate an emotion state. In this case, blue is sadness. This robot is depressed.

Various concept sketches I made to work out the general anatomical style a world this character would exist in. No all character sketches had potential of being this model, but all were an exploration of the extremes present in that world.