Week01~Week14/24.05.2025~03.08.2025
Yap Guang You/0363730
Bachelor of Design(Hons)in Creative Media/Vehicle and Props Design
Final Project
Content
Instruction
Module Information Booklet
Project 1/Pre-Production
We need to create a suitable vehicle and props design for the world we’ve proposed in our character design and anatomy project (optional), or we can choose to develop it as a separate concept. Our vehicle and props should clearly communicate their functionality in a way that reflects the world we've designed. For the vehicle—which must be a man-made, mechanical design—we need to choose at least one from the categories of land, air, or water. The props should be components that complement and are suitable for our chosen vehicle, and we'll continue to develop them all the way to our Final Project. In this task, we will be showcasing our ideation process as outlined below.
- Moodboard and style guide
- Thumbnail Sketches ( 20 drawing in 2 sheets)
- Silhouettes (10 pieces in 1 sheet)
- Rough Value painting (5 chosen from the silhouettes)
- Design breakdowns
Project 2/Production
We need to continue developing our vehicle design from Project 1. From our previous concepts, we’ll pick one vehicle and its related prop to expand further with a design application that communicates clearly and appeals to the target audience. In this stage, we need to showcase our development process, which includes the following steps:
- Thumbnails (Vehicle and Props Breakdowns)
- Value studies
- Color studies
- Textures
Final Project/Post Production and Profiling
We need to present the final polished designs for each of our vehicles—land, water, and air. Alongside these, we must include a call sheet that clearly breaks down the design of our props, interior elements, and engine components (if necessary). Each vehicle concept should also be accompanied by a key art piece, as shown in the example provided. The call sheet must be well-organized and thoughtfully laid out to effectively communicate our design intentions.
- Color studies
- Textures
- Key Art
- Props Breakdown
- Orthographic
Pre-production
Week02/Research and Insporation
For this vehicle design, I started with a simple but evocative idea: a vintage motorcycle pulling a compact mobile structure. Inspired by the aesthetics of a post-apocalyptic world, I imagined this motorcycle towing a makeshift pharmacy — a lifeline in a world stripped of modern infrastructure.
The core concept is about mobility and survival. In a wasteland where resources are limited and danger is constant, the ability to bring medical aid across broken landscapes becomes a symbol of hope. A motorcycle, retrofitted with scavenged parts, offers agility and speed — perfect for weaving through collapsed highways and ruined cityscapes.
Behind it, a small, rough-edged trailer or cart functions as a portable apothecary. Built from salvaged metal, wood, and repurposed components, this unit carries essentials like handmade tinctures, herbs, old medical kits, and relics of lost pharmaceutical tech. I envision it marked with faded paint, patched symbols like a red cross or green-glowing containers — all layered with the grit and dust of the wasteland.
This is not just a vehicle — it’s a statement. A relic of the past repurposed for survival. It travels between scattered survivor camps, a nomadic healer’s ride, delivering hope in a broken world.
Below are some of my initial sketches exploring the form, function, and silhouette of this vehicle. I focused on proportions, wheel structures, suspension ideas, and potential storage placements. More to come as the design evolves!
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| Initial Concept Sketches |
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| Initial Concept Moodboard |
After sketching out my initial vehicle concept, I started to think about what kind of world it would belong to. I wanted a setting that combined post-apocalyptic survival with industrial aesthetics, where such a rugged, makeshift pharmacy vehicle would not only be possible, but necessary.
After some research and reflection, I decided that my idea would fit perfectly within the world of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress (甲鉄城のカバネリ).
The anime presents a beautifully grim world plagued by a virus that turns humans into deadly Kabane. The survivors live in fortified stations and rely on armored trains to travel between them. Resources are scarce, and every journey is a fight for survival — a perfect environment for a mobile pharmacy designed to carry medical supplies, herbs, and experimental cures from one outpost to another.
In this context, the vintage motorcycle becomes a relic of an older era, retrofitted with makeshift armor and mechanical enhancements. The pharmacy it tows can be a hybrid of wood, steel, and salvaged train parts — echoing the gritty and worn-down aesthetic of the show.
Choosing Kabaneri as the setting helps solidify the visual language I want to express: industrial ruins, patched metal, worn leather, steam-powered gears, and constant motion. It's not just a vehicle; it's a vital role in this harsh world — a roaming medic unit trying to keep hope alive.
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| Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress |
Week03/Concept Redirect and Silhouette Sketch
After conducting more in-depth research and watching a few episodes of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, I realized that a motorcycle — while interesting — might not fully capture the scale and energy of the world I wanted to express.
One of the most striking elements in the anime is the presence of heavily fortified, steam-powered trains that travel across a world overrun by infected zombies. These trains are not just transportation — they are moving fortresses, lifelines that connect isolated human settlements.
This sparked a new idea in my mind: what if the pharmacy wasn’t pulled by a bike, but integrated into a specialized train car? A dedicated medical carriage that travels alongside armored locomotives, offering emergency treatment, antidotes, herbal medicine, and post-infection care to soldiers and civilians alike.
So, I quickly shifted gears and began sketching ideas for a small medical train. I also looked for visual references from the anime, real-life industrial trains, and wartime hospital compartments. The design focuses on rugged structure, reinforced panels, steam vents, hanging lanterns, and improvised storage compartments.
The mood becomes more solemn, and the narrative potential much deeper — this is no longer just a pharmacy-on-wheels, but a crucial unit of survival in a brutal, infected world.
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| Silhouette Sketch 1 |
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| Silhouette Sketch 2 |
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| Silhouette Sketch 3 |
Week04/Sketches and Moodboard
After experimenting with silhouette sketches and playing with basic shapes, I moved on to develop a more refined concept sketch for the vehicle. During this stage, I also began to rethink the core purpose of the train carriage.
Instead of functioning purely as a pharmacy, I decided to reframe the vehicle as a resource transporter — a critical supply unit that moves essential goods like food, fuel, water, and basic medicine between outposts in a dangerous, zombie-infested world.
This shift in function influenced how I approached the design. I started focusing on the front bumper area, using it as a visual anchor to express the vehicle’s protective nature. The bumper is now reinforced, heavy, and possibly armed — not just to clear tracks but to symbolize toughness, reliability, and survival.
Every shape, line, and silhouette in the design now speaks to the idea of endurance and functionality in hostile environments. I’m aiming for a look that’s brutal yet believable, with worn metal textures, bolted plates, external chains, and cargo containers visibly attached.
This step helped me to align the visual language of the train with its purpose — not just a concept sketch anymore, but a potential lifeline in the world I’m building.
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| Rough Blockout |
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| Concept Sketch |
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| Color Tryout |
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| Moodboard 1 |
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| Moodboard 2 |
Week05~06/Concept Refinement and Texture
This week, I experimented with an alternative design language for the same core concept — the post-apocalyptic resource transporter. My main focus was on adjusting the form to explore how different shapes could convey different emotions and functions.
One of the key changes I made was hiding the wheel section using a protective side plate. Instead of exposing the wheels and mechanical parts, I designed a rounded shield-like structure that both protects the undercarriage and gives the vehicle a more aerodynamic and rapid appearance.
The rounded silhouette contrasts with the earlier bulky, industrial feel and adds a sense of motion and agility. I imagine this version of the train might serve more urgent supply missions, needing to travel faster between outposts or escape from sudden threats like Kabane attacks.
In addition to the form exploration, I also began experimenting with some texture detailing to help visualize material contrast — such as rusted metal plates, worn-out paint, scratched armor, and possibly areas patched with leather or cloth.
This round of experimentation helped me explore how form and texture can work together to build a more convincing and expressive post-apocalyptic vehicle.
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| 2nd Design Sketch |
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| Texture Study 1 |
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| Texture Study 2 |
Week07~08/Finalize Concept
As I moved into the final stage of the design process, I decided to tweak the form of the vehicle while staying true to the core concept. I kept the roundish language I had previously explored, but refined the shape to be slimmer and sharper at certain edges, giving it a more agile and aggressive silhouette.
This new shape helps balance the idea of speed and protection, while also introducing a more creature-like feeling to the overall design. I wanted it to look almost alive — as if the train is not just a machine, but something that moves with intention and instinct in a hostile environment.
For the color scheme, I drew inspiration from one of Studio Ghibli’s iconic works: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Specifically, the massive worm-like creatures (Ohmu) inspired me with their earthy green carapaces and glowing red eyes. I adopted a similar palette — a mix of mossy green, rusted copper, and bio-red highlights — to give the train an organic-mechanical hybrid look.
This color direction not only adds mood and storytelling to the vehicle but also gives it a unique identity that sets it apart from typical post-apocalyptic machinery. It now feels like something that could blend with the wasteland or charge through it like a mutated beast.
I’ll continue refining surface details, weathering effects, and mechanical parts — but this version feels much closer to the final vision I had in mind.
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| Finalize Concept |
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| Concept Breakdown |
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| Finalize Concept with Texture |
Week09~10/Final Adjustment and Blueprint
As I approached the final stages of development, I decided to make a few key adjustments to improve both functionality readability and visual harmony.
In the previous version, I used chains to connect different parts of the train. While the idea of using scavenged chains fit the post-apocalyptic theme, I realized that it wasn’t visually clear enough — especially in sketches or from a distance. So, I replaced the chains with a more recognizable modern-style connector, similar to what we see in urban LRT or subway systems. This makes the linking between train segments more obvious and adds a subtle touch of believability.
On the color side, I reflected on my earlier use of green and red. While the contrast was strong and helped create a creature-like feeling, it also made the design feel a bit too aggressive and chaotic. For the final version, I decided to focus on a dominant green tone, and introduced a slight hint of cyan into the palette. This shift softens the overall impression and brings a more harmonious, grounded feeling to the vehicle, while still retaining the organic essence inspired by Nausicaä's world.
These final touches help balance storytelling, design clarity, and aesthetic coherence — allowing the vehicle to truly feel like a living, working part of its fictional universe.
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| Final Concept Adjustment |
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| Blueprint for 3D Blockout |
Production
Week 10/Interier Concept and First Blockout Tryout
Alongside the exterior development, I also started exploring the interior space and the key props that define how the vehicle functions from the inside. While the full interior isn't finalized yet, I created a quick sketch to visualize the general layout and design language.
For this vehicle, I decided to focus on two major props:
- The Engine – This is the heart of the train. I envision it as a hybrid steam-mechanical engine, made from salvaged parts and reinforced with steel plating. It releases bursts of smoke and pressure, and is filled with valves, rotating gears, and visible pipes. It’s loud, gritty, and very much in line with the industrial-punk tone of the setting.
- The Control Panel – I wanted this to reflect a more tactile and analog feel. Instead of digital interfaces, the control board is covered with levers, knobs, pressure gauges, and hand-crank mechanisms. It feels like something you'd have to wrestle with, rather than simply operate. Everything is slightly rusted, patched together, and clearly customized over time by the operator.
These props not only add depth to the design but also help reinforce the vehicle’s backstory — that it's been used, repaired, and modified again and again in a harsh world. They give the interior its own identity, and help ground the design in realism.
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| Interier Concept |
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| Props Concepts |
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| 3D Blockout Front |
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| 3D Blockout Side 1 |
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| 3D Blockout Back |
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| 3D Blockout Side 2 |
Week11/Continue Develop 3D
This week, I continued developing the 3D aspect of my vehicle concept. Initially, I began the blockout phase using ZBrush, focusing on form exploration and basic volume. While ZBrush was helpful for quickly sculpting rough shapes, I started to feel that it might not be the best fit for the mechanical and modular design I had in mind.
After some consideration, I decided to switch to Blender for the next phase of development. Even though I had no prior experience with Blender, I was motivated to learn — so I spent time studying the interface, watching beginner tutorials, and getting familiar with the core modeling tools.
Once I felt more confident, I began to re-block out the train in Blender, aiming for more accurate proportions, clean topology, and modular pieces that can be detailed later. Blender's flexibility with hard-surface modeling and real-time viewport feedback really helped speed up my iteration process.
This step marks an important shift in my pipeline — not just in software, but in how I think about modeling structure, detail planning, and future texturing.
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| Blockout in Blender Front |
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| Blockout in Blender Side 1 |
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| Blockout in Blender Side 2 |
Week12/Interier and Props Concept Refinement
This week, I returned to focus on refining the interior design of the vehicle. I sketched out new angles and explored different sections of the interior to better visualize how the space would function in a real-world context.
The goal was to add more narrative-driven details — elements that not only serve functional purposes but also help communicate the world and the character who operates this train. I explored things like seating placement, storage compartments, hanging tools, and how light might interact with the machinery inside.
In terms of props, I also finalized the designs for both the control panel and the engine system. The control panel now has a more deliberate arrangement of analog dials, levers, and hand-crank components — conveying a sense of age, resistance, and tactility. The engine design has also been tightened up, incorporating steam vents, exposed piping, and bolted metal casings, giving it a more industrial, hand-crafted aesthetic.
These refinements push the design closer to a believable, lived-in space — one that not only functions logically but also adds to the overall tone and storytelling of this post-apocalyptic world.
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| Props Engine Design |
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| Interier Concept 1 |
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| Interier Concept 2 |
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| Control Panel Design |
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| Control Panel Breakdowns |
Final Project
Week13/Final Block Out
As I reviewed my earlier 3D blockout, I realized that the shapes and design language were drifting away from the blueprint I had originally planned. The proportions, silhouettes, and form cues weren’t fully aligned with the sketches and the design story I had developed so far.
Because of this, I made the decision to do one last round of refinement — this time still using Blender, but with new techniques that I recently learned. I began experimenting with the Knife Tool to cut cleaner geometry and started building more custom shapes from scratch, instead of relying on primitive meshes.
Even though it was my first time using these tools, and the results may not be perfect, I did my best to bring the form closer to my original intention. Under time pressure, I focused on maintaining clarity in shape language, silhouette rhythm, and modular breakdown — while keeping the design faithful to the world and story I had envisioned.
This final refinement helped bring more consistency and confidence into the model. It also marked an important personal milestone — pushing myself to learn, adapt, and rebuild even under tight deadlines.
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| Final Blockout Front |
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| Final Blockout Side 1 |
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| Final Blockout Side 2 |
Week14/Turnaround and Breaksdonw
In the final week of the project, I decided not to focus too heavily on the 3D blockout due to time constraints. Instead, I took screengrabs from my Blender model and did a paint-over to create the final turnaround sheet.
For the color palette, I revisited my previous choices — particularly the green with cyan highlights — and felt that while it looked striking, it also felt too fantastical and difficult to imagine being built in real life. So for the final version, I decided to go with a more grounded, fully green palette, which brings a sense of harmony and realism to the design while still holding onto that creature-like vibe I wanted.
After finalizing the turnaround, I also created part breakdowns to help explain the vehicle's structure more clearly. I wanted to make the design more understandable to others — especially in terms of functional logic, construction, and visual storytelling.
This approach allowed me to present a complete concept without over-investing in full rendering or polish — finding a balance between time, clarity, and communication.
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| Breakdowns Connection Group |
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| Breakdowns Chimney |
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| Breakdowns Window and Light |
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| Final Turnaround |
In the final week of the project, I decided not to focus too heavily on the 3D blockout due to time constraints. Instead, I took screengrabs from my Blender model and did a paint-over to create the final turnaround sheet.
For the color palette, I revisited my previous choices — particularly the green with cyan highlights — and felt that while it looked striking, it also felt too fantastical and difficult to imagine being built in real life. So for the final version, I decided to go with a more grounded, fully green palette, which brings a sense of harmony and realism to the design while still holding onto that creature-like vibe I wanted.
After finalizing the turnaround, I also created part breakdowns to help explain the vehicle's structure more clearly. I wanted to make the design more understandable to others — especially in terms of functional logic, construction, and visual storytelling.
This approach allowed me to present a complete concept without over-investing in full rendering or polish — finding a balance between time, clarity, and communication.
Final Submission
Pre-Production
Procution
Final Project
Reflection
This project really tested my time management skills, and I think I did fairly well — at least during the early stages. However, as the project progressed, my energy started to be pulled away by other assignments and deadlines. This is clearly something I’ll have to face and learn to manage better in my future career.
Learning to make the right trade-offs is crucial. I feel like I’ve started to understand this idea, but I still have a lot to learn from professionals and those with more experience. I’m especially grateful to our instructor, who generously shared both his experience and practical time-saving techniques with us — those helped a lot more than I expected.
When it comes to the design process, one of the key takeaways for me is that it’s essential to truly understand the theme or world you’re designing for. I chose Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress as my reference setting, and I think I did a decent job at first — my vehicle concept fit into that world reasonably well. But as I studied the series more deeply, I started to discover new directions and ideas, which required changes and took more time. That said, I think I adapted quickly and made decisions when needed. If I had understood the source material more thoroughly from the start, I could have worked more efficiently — that’s definitely something I’ll keep in mind for future projects.
Another milestone for me in this project was learning Blender from scratch. Although I’m still very much a beginner, I see it as a solid first step. Honestly, I do wish I had started learning it earlier, but under time pressure, I managed to pick things up surprisingly fast. Of course, I’d prefer to learn in a more relaxed way — but in the end, it was worth the effort. I'm grateful for the guidance and support from our instructor, which really helped me understand how to translate 2D ideas into 3D space more effectively.
Lastly, I’d like to sincerely thank our instructor once again for his support and patience. His feedback and advice were truly valuable, and I learned a lot throughout this project.
