Queen Vespera

Queen Vespera rules over a dystopian society which is defined by the fusion of old-world aesthetics with futuristic technology.  Though she portrays herself as a benevolent ruler to the elite, her reign is marked by ruthlessness and cruelty as she rules with an iron fist, using a combination of fear, surveillance, and propaganda to maintain her grip on power.  After a failed assassination attempt, resulting in serious injuries and scarring on half her face, Vespera now has one robotic eye, prosthetics, and cybernetic implants to keep her alive.  Such modifications are not uncommon in this kingdom where robotic labour, AI, and cybernetic enhancements are prevalent, especially among the elite.  She is dressed for the festivities of a masquerade ball, inspired by the Venetian masquerade balls of the past.  These occasions have become a trend set by the queen, who always wears a mask to hide the damage to her face.

With this design I wanted the shape language to be sharp to reflect the cruelty of this character, while also having curves and flowing shapes to link back to the ornate influence of Venetian masquerades.  I took inspiration from skeletal shape language to bring together the paradoxical ideas of death and life, man-made and organic, new and old.  I also researched high fashion and 3D printed fashion to inspire the design.

The process of producing this 3D piece has allowed me to learn new techniques and deepen my knowledge of key industry software tools.  I extensively used ZBrush which vastly developed my skills and understanding of this software, as well as Maya, Substance Painter and I also learnt and used Marvelous Designer for cloth simulation.

Professional links:

https://www.artstation.com/chloekethero

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-kethero-15a01a200/