Champ Update Exploration

Ze Ocelot·Aug 10, 2015·160 votes·28,722 views

Hey all, every now and then I sketch a bunch of stuff. I've created a lot of skin concepts before (and will continue doing so when possible), but I recently wanted to try out some visual update sketches. Some of these are SUPER rough and sketchy, but these are for fun and practice.

I could have done more drastic design changes for some champs (Taric, Pantheon, Urgot, Eve), but for now the sketches I did mostly have minor edits/changes. Should certain champs be changed in major areas like Sion, or have they built a legacy/fanbase that their original theme, attire, and portrayal are important (but tidied up and more streamlined to match the current aesthetic). It differs for each champ.

How epicly awesome should Cho'Gath be without being too complicated (animation, number of new models needed, and so on), considering all of his other skins would have to receive the same treatment. His body/carapace could consist of segmented plates that allow him to expand and grow when he feasts.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the sketches! They're not perfect by any means, but exploring is fun! Taric's first sketch looks waaayy too similar to Jarvan, the colors for Caitlyn are kind of a mess, BUT HEY feel free to give your input.

If you wanted to check out my other work, my deviantart: http://vegacolors.deviantart.com/

Take care, everyone!

112 Comments

Ironclad DragonAug 10, 201581 votes

This art... these modernizations... https://michaelscomments.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/dis.jpg?w=460

General KeithAug 10, 201518 votes

Upvoted for Ice Cream Sandwich.

MeesterMooAug 11, 20154 votes

Upvoted for relevant meme

TheFirstGokunAug 10, 201521 votes

The kind-of-cloaked-but-not-really Evelynn makes me so happy, and I love how you kept the hair but gave it a new twist. I'd say if anything had to stay from her original design, the hair would be it.

CrazedPorcupineAug 10, 201518 votes

I honestly think the Evelynn VU idea is absolutely amazing. it really captures the essence of Evelynn while also tying her in visually to the Shadow Isles current thematics.

junglerboy16Aug 10, 201513 votes

I like the pantheon concept in particular, but it also looks a little bit too much like Azir's sand soldiers.

HighH1Aug 10, 20157 votes

That's because everyone serves Shurima item 3069 .

LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR Azir

Ze OcelotAug 12, 20151 votes

Oh gosh, YOU'RE RIGHT! Thanks a ton for mentioning that. When I drew the design, it looked really familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it (wanted to incorporate the Solari design/theme into the helmet).

junglerboy16Aug 13, 20151 votes

Yeah, I get a bit of a solari vibe too, but solari symbolism and Shurima symbolism are so similar at times it can be hard to tell the difference.

RiotKindlejackAug 12, 201510 votes

Really awesome stuff Ze Ocelot! I wasn't surprised when I realised you are Vegacolors - been a long time fan of your work. I really like the way you looked at updating/clarifying the shapes and design while respecting the original visuals of the champions. I particularly like Vladimir and Pantheon.

terkmcAug 11, 20158 votes

Urgot looks too Mecha for my taste. Hes supposed to be this revolting bag of flesh not some high-tech cyborg (thats battle cast anyway)

Shroom JunkieAug 10, 20157 votes

I love the Evelynn one. I love her as a jungler and holy shit that just looks amazing.

Radnar the boldAug 10, 20155 votes

I think the pantheon one is great, since his people worship the sun people (leonas people)

HayabusaZeroAug 11, 20152 votes

[{quoted}](name=Radnar the bold,realm=NA,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=5kvHHkOl,comment-id=0000,timestamp=2015-08-10T19:17:53.186+0000)

I think the pantheon one is great, since his people worship the sun people (leonas people)

Yes, i was about to say that. Panth looks great on this VU vision, since it incorporates the look of the Solari and the feel of classic Panth on one design. Pretty awesome stuff!

Only Play DariusAug 10, 20154 votes

Make Urgot look like that, and I might actually play him. Right now his model is just too revolting and i'm not going to pony up for Battlecast.

kJsAug 11, 20153 votes

That's the point of Urgot. He's a revolting, murderous butcher. That is Urgot's identity, not some sleek modernized robot.

Ze OcelotAug 12, 20152 votes

I definitely see both sides of it. I didn't mean for my sketch to make Urgot look sleek/modernized, just a general change in armor layout/flow. He would still have revolting flesh and armor that isn't super shiny/clean-cut.

GamerGoodiesAug 11, 20154 votes

Cho gath needs a VU when he gains stacks with his ulti he'd look larger, gruesome, and more terrifying. usually when he grows he just..grows...If he looks tons more gruesome I will love him.

GorgannanAug 11, 20154 votes

That Swain looks like a french military officer from the 1800s. Damn good.

And Taric literally looks the same but better.

RiotOcelot pls.

GixiaAug 11, 20154 votes

Not really a fan of the Urgot one to be honest. I feel like it looks too high-tech. Too much Zaun, not enough Noxus.

That said, the rest of those are all amazing and I would be very happy with any one of them. I especially like the LeBlanc, particularly the left one. It's amazing how much classier and more threatening she looks when she's wearing something resembling actual clothing. The Evelynn is very nice too. I like what you did with her hair. It looks really ethereal, which helps to sell her shadow isles origins.

The Cho'Gath I... actually don't know how I feel about it? He looks badass and cool, but for some reason I also feel like he reminds me too much of Baron or a minion. He looks less like a playable champ and more like an objective boss fight. But maybe that's the point? 6 stack Cho SHOULD feel that way. I don't know, I feel kinda mixed on that as a design for Cho but it looks amazing either way.

551202Aug 11, 20153 votes

The cho one look so cool! Much more better than the actual one (with his very old model NEVER updated since his release 5 years ago)

NarokKuraiAug 11, 20153 votes

I'm sorry man. I see what you're trying to do, and I respect that, but I just can't live in a world where Caitlyn doesn't have big ol' titties. I can't do it. There are things that are good, and natural, and right, and then there's Cait without cleavage, and I know where I stand.

Ze OcelotAug 12, 20152 votes

Sorry T_T. I know there are many who like the cleavage, and then others who prefer more clothing. It tough finding that middle ground.

UltimateMasterAJAug 11, 20153 votes

CHO LOOKS BEAST

Darlantan12Aug 11, 20153 votes

RIOT?? When Cho'gath VU? item 3070 Chogath

HupsisAug 10, 20152 votes

Holy mother that Evelynn looks sick af!

Good job! :D

Toa of DeathAug 10, 20152 votes

mmmm, that Cho VU is sexy. He's got so many cool concepts.

aaronconlinAug 10, 20152 votes

dat Pantheon and Cho'Gath rito pls :<

CosmosaurusAug 10, 20152 votes

God if that's how Cho'Gath's VU turns out I'd let him eat my carries any day

The HeraIdAug 10, 20152 votes

I love the pantheon one as well. Although his helmet looks like one of Azir's soldiers along with spear, but I could work with that for sure. Keep up the great work.

HighH1Aug 10, 20154 votes

That's because everyone serves Shurima item 3069

LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR Azir

The HeraIdAug 10, 20153 votes

{quoted}

That's because everyone serves Shurima

LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR

DEATH TO THE FALSE EMPEROR!

HighH1Aug 11, 20156 votes

YOU DARE DEFY SHURIMA. SHURIMA LIVES IN EVERY GRAIN OF SAND.

The HeraIdAug 11, 20152 votes

{quoted}

YOU DARE DEFY SHURIMA. SHURIMA LIVES IN EVERY GRAIN OF SAND.

I melt your sand into glass with Exterminatus, and defile it with Daemons and sacrifice.

LeetriAug 11, 20156 votes

Purge the heretic!

The HeraIdAug 11, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Purge the heretic!

SOMEONE GOT MY REFERENCE! YES!

LeetriAug 12, 20151 votes

It's a sad day on the internet when people won't get 40K references. :o

10TicklerAug 12, 20151 votes

DIS ONE NEEDS MOAR DAKKA!

LeetriAug 13, 20151 votes

WAAAAAAAAAAAH!

HighH1Aug 12, 20152 votes

I got your reference I was just playing along.Follow your own emperor. YOU NEED NOT FOLLOW BUT YOU MUST WITNESS

Vistha KaiAug 12, 20153 votes

http://memestorage.com/_nw/71/03375614.png

PurodyuusaaAug 10, 20152 votes

That Cho'gath one looks like Godzilla and that's alright with me.

Kerrigan 4 PrezAug 10, 20152 votes

Need Cho gath, so awesome.

Valhala Warior31Aug 11, 20152 votes

evelynn isnt enough bad ass :D

kJsAug 11, 20152 votes

As amazing as all of these look, I think they all look very similar in their clothing and theme. They have all the same sleek thin leafed shape in their clothing designs or physical bodies bodies (Cho'Gath/Urgot). It looks much more like a line-up of same themed skins that a series of separate characters with separate personalities and backgrounds.

Cho'Gath's VU idea would work really well if it was more jutted out like the live model - spikey - and didn't have a sleek sharp look with the plates. The surface of the plates shouldn't be smooth is what I'm trying to express. Cho'Gath represents terror, there is nothing smooth about him, his character is terrifying, so his physical self (I feel) should reflect that terror.

UrgotVU just wouldn't work. He's too sleek and smooth. His lore is that he was a butcher in war, ruthless and probably sociopathic. From Noxus. He is reanimated as a zombie weapon, similar to Sion, and the techmaturgists who worked on him are from Zaun. They won't care if he looks crap or ugly. He is a living weapon and he must be effective at murdering people, nothing else. He had a revolting, murderous personality in life and in death he should be just as much.

These are just my take on the characters in relation to your VU.

Ze OcelotAug 12, 20152 votes

Thanks so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it. It's difficult to tell textures apart since my sketches are only rough lines and base colors. If I did shading and rendering, the designs would differ more in feel and look.

My sketch for Urgot doesn't do justice to his revolting/rotting look. I actually want to keep those parts of him intact, especially because of his lore, but my sketch is too simple to show the ugly side, lacking in textures. I didn't intend to make him look sleek and smooth, just an exploration on how the armor is shaped and used.

Thanks again.

UltimateMasterAJAug 11, 20152 votes

Riot play make this chogath VU work ITS AMAZING

LeagueOfLejhinsAug 12, 20152 votes

I love it all, but Cho'gath looks to much like a pokemon, and then I'd start playing pokemon in the middle of my league games. And we can't ahve that now