Red Panda Muppet 3D Model
1️⃣ Childhood Nostalgia: I've always cherished the old-school 'Loeki de Leeuw' commercials and the timeless magic of Sesame Street. As a child, Sesame Street was not just a TV show; it was a measurement of how late I could stay up. (If you know you know)
Recently those fuzzy characters from the ASN bank commercials also left a lasting impression on me. (Sorry Dutch commercials, that's where I grew up)
2️⃣ Theme and goal: I felt it was time to create something fluffy and fun. Usually, I go for stylized hair or fur style, but now it felt like the perfect time to go realistic.
The goal was to create something that would fit seamlessly into the world of the Muppets and Sesame Street.
Most of the Muppets are based on some animal or creature, so I decided to try and create one based on one of my favorite animals, the Red Panda.
3️⃣ AI Exploration: I didn’t want to spend too long on concepts, so I thought AI could help me out. Unfortunately, all my credits were gone. In the end, I’m happy I didn’t go that route because now I had an excuse to draw something. (With my limited skill 😜) The concept will be at the end of the carousel.
4️⃣ The Creative Process: Grooming with the new hair system was an absolute blast. The old particle system felt a bit finicky at times to me.
Everything in this project was accomplished using Blender, with just one texture map blurred in Clip Studio Paint. From modeling to retopology, texture painting to grooming and lighting – it was all done in Blender. I'm incredibly proud of how it turned out, especially when I compare it to the original concept. It's a big leap from concept to a finished project.
5️⃣ Follow Me: If you'd like to see more of my process you can watch the process over on YouTube:
You could also go for the bare version: https://mvartz.gumroad.com/l/MuppetStarterFile
*Some textures are missing, because I'm not allowed to resell those. The shaders remain intact. Just insert a similar texture.
You'll get the full project file of the finished Muppet