Littlenobody FABLES | LUMA Black Cat – Armature Puppet Build – FACE

CHAT had a lot to say about the blog post, heres their input –

LUMA continues to evolve from a structural armature into a recognisable character. Every stage of this creature build provides physical reference material for SORA 2, supporting the production of a 2-minute 30-second animated short exploring fables, morality tales and emotion through visual storytelling.

This stage focuses on developing LUMA’s face. While the armature defines movement, the face defines personality. Small adjustments to the eyes, muzzle and proportions begin to transform a sculpt into a believable character.

Refining the Sculpt

Rather than chasing realism, the goal is creating a face capable of communicating emotion while remaining grounded in feline anatomy.

The build focuses on:

• Refining facial proportions
• Developing the muzzle
• Adjusting eye placement
• Improving symmetry
• Defining surface texture

Testing Character Expression

Throughout the sculpt, temporary eyes are repeatedly fitted and adjusted. This allows different expressions to be evaluated before committing to the final design.

Sometimes moving an eye only a few millimetres completely changes how the character feels.

Photographing Progress

Each stage is photographed from multiple angles to build a growing library of reference material. These images become invaluable when generating consistent AI imagery later in production.

Looking Ahead

With the facial structure established, attention shifts towards constructing LUMA’s ears and refining the silhouette that will define the character from a distance.

Conclusion

The face is where LUMA begins to exist as more than a puppet. It becomes the emotional centre of the character and one of the most important references for the animation process.