Rationale

For my Toy Design project my license was Warhammer Age of Sigmar and Warhammer Invasion. 

I wanted to create a figurine under the Death Alliance. After researching the existing characters in that alliance, I found there weren't many female characters. I decided on my character being a female to stand out more from the rest. 

My characters name is Leben (German for life) and is the partner of Nagash, Lord of the Undead. After dying together on the battlefield, year later Nagash was bought back to life with dark magic. Because his and Leben's love was so strong she was also bought back to life. After discussing my original idea of my character with Gary we thought it would be a good idea to make Leben the Empress of Life rather than Dead. This means I wouldn't be creating a female version of Nagash. Life ties into the Death Alliance as there is no death without it. It works like Yin and Yang, they can only work well together and not a part.

I decided on creating collectible cards also. With the figurine comes a silver booster card that when played with Leben gives her immortality for 3 turns. The cards work for the Invasion game and the figurine can be played with the Age of Sigmat table top game. 

I wanted to bring these two different audiences together and introduce them to the other game. Having the silver card free in the Leben figurine pack sparks an interest in the table top game audience and gives them the desire to collect the other cards. Because the silver card (the second best of Leben's booster cards) is guaranteed in the figurine packaging it creates a strong want for the card game players to buy the figurine. Then they are introduced the the table top game.

I had a few bumps along the way in this project (everything that could go wrong with the model did). But considering the mistakes and time limit I think I pushed on well. I am happy with my ZBrush sculpt of my character but the physical version I have some issues. It was printed with a missing half to the face so I had to cut the head off and replace it with the new one. That also happened with the skirt. After gluing and bogging these areas, it was a blocky mess. I tried to fix it with sanding but there was only so much I could achieve. 

I was very worried about the painting because it is a very small figurine but with the time I had I think I did well. I am very happy with my base and packaging designs. 

I had a problem with the sheets are the new versions of them didn't save properly or got deleted somehow so I had to quickly redo them on the day of hand in/the day after. This means I lost my good versions of my character in colour (for character sheet) and also the illustrations for my design sheets. With the time I had to get these out I feel I did ok considering.

I learnt so much in this project about ZBrush and also 3D printing. I really enjoyed experimenting with the packaging side of it (which is strange because I was originally quite scared of this area I hadn't experimented in before).

Sheets

Finishing my Figurine

Final Main Packing Base Design

Putting together my Figurine

The cut lines weren't matching so I had to get them sanded or cut away. (I got the work shop guy to help me because I'm unco/scared.)

Cleaning up my model with Isopropyl Alcohol.

Super glued together and bogged up. Next is sanding, priming and then painting.

Blind Packaging Card Design Final

Final Card Designs

Base Packaging Mock up - Size

3D Print!

The first time Dylan printed the head, a quarter of it didn't show up so he printed another head for me. I need to cut off the old head and stick the good one on the body. He also reprinted the skirt because it was too thin. 
The seams that I cut don't match with each other so I need to cut them in the workshop also. 

Cardboard base for main Packaging Mock Up

Mock up packaging sleeve that goes on the bottom on the main packaging. Has a shorter section to view more of the figurine inside. Includes all the information needed on packaging (not including card packaging).

Final 3D Model

Modeling Cont.

Modeling Cont.

Packaging: Mocking up the Main Package

I mocked up the packaging with paper and it worked well. It was annoying to put together but it stood well. (I didn't have any string so I used my headphones)

 Next I experimented with the plastic at a larger scale. While I was constructing it I figured out I made it way too big for the model. The plastic was very hard to use. I cracked and split on one of the faces and didn't create the shape it was meant to. I will look into re-sizing the packaging, and using a thinner plastic. I will also search for more nets just in case this one doesn't work. 

Packaging: Mocking up Diamonds

I searched for some diamond nets and came across some good ones. I mocked up the ones I thought were the most interesting or closest to the staffs design.

These were just rough mock ups in paper. For my final packaging I will digitally paint my own texture on them and get them professionally printed. I need the diamond to sit on top of my packaging so I will look into how I can alter the net to suit this.

I'm wondering if I could get this printed on a metallic or shiny surface to add to the diamond affect - I will look into this. 

Linking Packaging

I was trying to think of a way to make different and creative packaging for Leben and I came up with the idea of basing the packing on Leben's staff -like I did with the potion on the playing cards. 

The staff shape is quite unusual. I need it to be big and round at the bottom and slimmer at the top. I don't plan for the packaging to look exactly like the staff (its just unrealistic for me to achieve that). 

I was trying to decide between having the package purely made from card, from mainly card and two plastic windows or purely plastic. Either way I know I want to paint the edges gold to bring that elegance and colour in from Leben's character. 

Also on my staff is a diamond rock. I will look into how I could possibly have the diamond sit top my packaging somehow. Maybe it could hide the ribbon and you simply take it off to reveal the opening.

Packaging Ideas

I decided having a box for packaging wasn't interesting enough. I think I could do a lot more with packaging to make the whole concept stronger.

I looked into different shapes and thought about using fully plastic vs plastic and card. One part of packaging that I am struggling with is how my model is going to sit inside the package. I don't want to tie it down (like Barbie) because it doesn't look how a collectible should. I will look into making a mold around my model base so my model can sit comfortably in the box without wobbling around. 

Packaging Styles from Tutors' Collection

Gary showed us different styles of packaging in class today. I was really interested in the simple packaging like boxes with a door on the front and a window underneath revealing the present inside. I think this would suit my company as their packaging is in simple boxes too. However they don't have a door and window so this could be a point of difference for my collectible.