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Curated collections of Workshops organized by subject matter, such as Environment Art, Character Design or Effects Animation.

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A Pungent Character

Getting Grit Into Imaginary Faces with David Meng

Lessons

Description

In this lecture, David Meng shares his thoughts on how he creates personality and expression in a character bust. He will discuss his thought process behind doing an unconventional take on a traditional creature. The practical aspects of working with plastalina and building armatures will also be discussed. Viewers will get to look, from start to finish, at how David creates a physical clay design maquette for the film industry.


Duration: 3h 07m

Format: HD 1280x720

Lessons

David Meng

Creature Designer and Sculptor, Weta

David Meng is an Illustration and Sculpture Artist with over twenty years of experience in the special effects industry. He has contributed to films such as Avatar, The Shape of Water, Crimson Peak, and The Hobbit, collaborating with companies including Weta Workshop.


David's work has been featured in numerous art-of books and exhibited internationally at CoproGallery, The Hive, the Dowse Gallery, and in Shanghai. He has received several prestigious awards, including Gold and Silver honors from annual science fiction and fantasy publications, recognizing his outstanding contributions to illustration and sculpture in film.

  • We have been very fortunate to work with a large number of extraordinary creatives in our career here at Weta Workshop; David is one such person possessing of extraordinary creative talent, conceptual thinking ability and superb draughtsmanship, what's more, at his heart, David is a fine art sculptor, inventing unique and dark original characters from his ever abundant mind.

    - Richard Taylor
    Co-founder / CEO / Creative Director of Weta Workshop

  • Don't let David's youthful appearance fool you; I watched him sculpt for two months in NZ and was blown away by his brilliance. Whether it's his flawless technique, boundless imagination or commitment to professionalism, this man will teach you everything and more about sculpting. What you hold in your hand is the product of a true master.

    - Wayne Barlowe
    Concept Artist / Writer / Producer at Unnatural Histories, Inc.

  • In this industry, where it can become easy to borrow from other artists, Dave has the capacity for genuine original concepts and unique designs. I would recommend his tutorials to anyone who wants to learn a fresh take on the craft.

    - Jamie Beswarick
    Senior Sculptor at Weta Workshop

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