«What can you tell about a character before they even speak?»
Greetings, traveler!
I’m Maris, a Character Designer 2D & Illustrator
I create characters and illustrations in which visual design reflects a character’s personality, story, and world.
I’m particularly drawn to: ○ mysticism, ○ witchcraft, ○ anthropomorphic creatures, ○ fantastical imagery.I enjoy inventing unusual characters, developing the details of their appearance, and using those details to tell their stories.This portfolio features
01. frame-by-frame 2D animation
01. illustration
01. game project
01. 2D ANIMATION
Project name: «Black Lake»
An animated music video for the song «Black Lake»
by the band «Nemnogo nervno».
→ Status: ongoing
Tags:
slavic folklore ballad drama mysticismSynopsis:
The plot centers on a herbalist girl who is sentenced to be burned by her own father and fellow villagers for having ties with evil spirits. But at the moment of her execution, it is precisely the creatures that people call monsters who come to her aid. The music video explores the themes of rejection, acceptance of one’s nature, and the right to be oneself.Objective:
To tell a story about the right to be oneself in a world that fears everything that is different, through the design of the characters.
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From the very beginning of her journey, the heroine is connected
with healing and witchcraft: she wears a wreath of flowers and a dress
with long sleeves that conceal burns from experiments with poisonous herbs.
In the finale, she turns out to be the daughter of a forest fairy and a demon‑monster: she inherited black horns and a snout from her father,
and dragonfly wings from her mother.
Together with her magical attributes, she looks harmonious,
despite the difference in the nature of her parents.
The girl’s mother is a forest fairy, the embodiment of softness and roundness. Her eyes have an unusual shape to reflect her connection to the world of insects, and three Hindi dots shine on her forehead, protecting her from the evil eye.The father, in contrast, embodies sharpness and sharp angles. It was important for me to show that he belongs to a dangerous type of evil spirit; even the forest dwellers are afraid of him.
Brownie, Evil, Mermaid, Jackalope
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Other mythical creatures are completely harmless to humans,
unlike the heroine’s father; they are rounder and more stocky.
02. ILLUSTRATION
Project name: «Magical Calendar of Holidays»
A series of 13 illustrations, where medieval witches relax together, drink wine, and terrorize the town’s residents!
→ Status: completed
Tags:
cheerful middle ages catholics witches engravingSynopsis:
Curly has curly hair and often finds herself in trouble, while Echidna, despite her more biting and cunning nature, always manages to save her.Objective:
To depict the episodic adventures of two witches, Echidna (it translates as impish) and Curly, in order to showcase their character and adventures through their appearance.
03. GAME PROJECT
Project name: «The Priest — half dead! »
A 2D funeral home simulation game.
→ Status: completed
