Disaster averted! This little cutie was almost completely different.

There I was, modeling Lopi (who had no name yet), a Skinwalker. My challenge was to take a generally horrifying, shape-shifting element of Native American folklore and represent him as a cute little buddy. 😬

As a shapeshifter, the Skinwalker would be unrecognizable in his natural form and much to scary. My approach was to make him in the form of a coyote or wolf and have a mask ready to wear to “shape-shift, “without being terrifying. I was nearly finished. Cute coyote/wolf with a stylized skull mask turned around to the back of his head. Enter Roma, my toughest critic.

Roma, 15, is the lore-keeper of Flambi Cryptids. She is in charge of all of their little back stories and all of the world-building for Flambi Hollow. She is also my most honest critic of all of my artwork, whether for fun, illustration, games assets, etc. she will shoot straight with me. She took one look at the newly forming critter and said “nope.” (I don’t think literally, this time, but something to that effect).

She suggested that the Skinwalker be wearing a wolf costume. That the wolf/coyote character should be the mask and the Skinwalker for underneath and kind of a blank slate. Then she suggested something brilliant. “Make the costume like fluffy footed pajamas.” Beautiful. Together we brain stormed the big zipper going up that back and Lopi was born, far better than he would have been just coming out of my head.

The creative input and collaboration with my team is invaluable to this project! They may not directly touch the software (yet) but these kids are definitely in control of the spirit of each of these characters.