Blast Off. Gorbi is left behind.

Character Design

Background & Inspiration

Gorbi is a recurring character in my work - an explorer with a tendency to get lost. He's really just me: often caught in thought, slightly out of sync with what's happening around me.

In this scene, Gorbi senses that something is going on behind him - and he's right.The spaceship is blasting off, jets roaring, and he's been left behind. His oversized helmet adds drama, but also creates tunnel vision - limiting his view and making it hard to grasp the full picture. He represents a feeling many of us know well: the fear of missing out, made worse by not being able to see what we're missing.

I originally sketched this scene then brought it to life by modeling Gorbi in Blender. The 3D render became the foundation for an illustration that I turned into greeting cards and prints.

Next Steps

I'm now exploring ways to add articulation - designing parts that snap together so Gorbi's arms and head can move. As for the rocket, I'd like to raise it a few inches using a metal rod to better suggest lift-off. Another idea is to rebuild the rocket using alternating laser-cut slices of wood and plexiglass, with internal lighting, turning the entire scene into a sculptural nightstand lamp.