Zera Character Concept
Zera (serial number #M3265) is a robot character I made and illustrated for a science fictional Dungeons & Dragons campaign. The key thing to consider as I was designing them, as with any robot character I design, is to prioritize function over form. As a scientific field research assistant, they have state-of-the-art camera lenses for eyes and an otherwise expressionless face (as they are not built with human socialization as a priority). I also included wires, buttons, speakers, and visible lines where panels meet all to create believability in their design as a functional robot within the world.
The 180 degree illustrative view of Zera is placed on a contract that the scientist Dr. Melonie Williphe signed to rent them out for research purposes. I wanted to make the document appear physical, despite being made digitally, and included background texture and a tea or coffee stain accidentally left by the eclectic scientist.
Subtly placed along the neckline/collar is the logo for the Ziffen Research Association (ZRA) that built and rents out the #M3000 series of robots. I designed this logo prior to the character with input from the campaign’s Game Master (the game’s host that orchestrates a Dungeons & Dragons story and builds the world), who wanted to lean into the modern and minimalist corporate sci-fi aesthetic.