Pixie: Digital Alter Ego
Overview
Pixie is a fully rigged 3D model created to represent my practice as a new media artist. As my alter ego, her cyberpunk design reflects my artistic influences and multidisciplinary work. She appears throughout my work in digital fashion, editorials, and interactive experiences.
| Project Details | |
|---|---|
| Category | Digital FashionInteractive Art |
| My Role | Art Director, Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Web Developer |
| Project Format | 3D Character |
| Project Timeline | February 2026 – Present |
Art Direction & Character Development
Pixie began with mood boards and visual references, exploring her appearance, personality, clothing, and cybernetic details. I developed the concept and art direction, then commissioned an illustrator to translate my direction into a character sheet. I worked with a 3D artist to turn the character sheet into a fully rigged model, providing direction throughout the process to keep the final character aligned with the original concept.
[Mood Board]
[Early References / Development]
[Character Sheet]
[Final 3D Model]
This is also where I would clearly credit the illustrator and 3D artist by name.
Anatomy of Pixie
Pixie’s anatomy is inspired by how a computer reads and executes instructions to create visual output. Using this analogy, the different skills that make up my art practice become the instructions. When brought together, they create Pixie as the final output. Her name is a play on the word “pixels.” Like a glitch in the system, Pixie represents breaking away from the rules and expectations of traditional design.
Cybernetic Eyes
Eyes are a window to the soul. Pixie’s cybernetic eyes reflect the technology at the center of her character.
Segmented Body Parts
The segmented lines represent the different skills in my multidisciplinary practice coming together to form Pixie.
Binary Code
Binary code represents the instructions computers process to create pixels on a screen. The code along Pixie’s spine, joints, and nose references this process and my creative coding practice. Her name was translated from ASCII into binary to create the pattern.
Bantu Knots
Liberty spikes were originally considered to reflect Pixie’s punk spirit and rebellion against the conventional. I ultimately chose Bantu knots, a hairstyle that shares the same spirit of nonconformity while connecting her punk-inspired look to her Black identity.
The Pixie Pipeline
Pixie was created as a reusable character that can move between the different tools in my art practice. Maya is the center of the workflow, where her rig and animation are managed before moving between other tools for digital fashion, cinematics, and fashion editorials.
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