Poulpo - Stylised Octopus

This little octopus chef was my way of exploring a more stylized, cartoon approach, with bright colors, exaggerated shapes, and a fun personality
One of my favorite parts was pushing the shapes and silhouette to make the character feel appealing while keeping everything simple and readable. I also had a great time experimenting with hand-painted textures, trying to find that balance where the details add charm without drifting into realism.
Stylized art always fascinates me because it's all about knowing when to stop. Every brush stroke and every shape matters, and finding that sweet spot between simplicity and enough detail to tell the story was probably the biggest lesson from this project.
Also my first ever VFX with Niagara !

This project was inspired by the amazing concept art from @lilbob.art on Instagram, and it quickly turned into a really fun challenge.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DUnkyQdikzW/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I really enjoyed diving into a completely different artistic direction and challenging myself to understand its visual language. Exploring different styles is something I want to keep doing, as every project teaches me a new way of thinking about shapes, colors, textures, and storytelling.