Littlejon

So here's the Littlejon character design I did for my recent picture. I wanted to make him, not only tall but built like the proverbial 'out' house. Giving him the neck of an ox weighted him really nicely, resulting in a powerful looking figure who would calmly bat away even the most aggressive opponent with barely a second thought.

A concern I had was making him seem powerful and simultaneously playful without him appearing incapable, like a medevil version of Steinbecks ill-fated Lenny. The sterner expression on the final pose was added to address this issue.

Robin of Loxley

I was looking for a small project that had enough mileage for me to be able to produce both characters and also a rich environment for them to sit in. Enter, Robin Hood. I selected the famous moment when Robin hood encounters Little John for the first time, described below in one of the 17th century Robin Hood ballads.

'Thou talkst like a coward,' the stranger reply'd;

'Well armd with a long bow, you stand,

 To shoot at my breast, while I, I protest,

Have nought but a staff in my hand.' 

From The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
by Francis James Child, 1888.

Despite its popularity the Robin Hood mythology has only spawned one notable animated adaptation so I felt there was room for me to explore new versions of the characters without treading on the toes of previous incarnations.

The reverence that has been built up surrounding Sherwood forest allowed for a nicely atmospheric depiction without feeling too far removed from the English countryside.