Make sure to read ALL the main RULES of the CDChallenge.
Your character can be of any sex, race, and age.
Your character can be a hero, an anti-hero, or a villain.
You can base your design on a fictional or historical character/creature.
Focus on the design of only 1 main character (based on the theme).
Your character can be based on a real person or one from myth and folklore.
For variety's sake, your shepherd can rather be portrayed as a more generic herder attending different kinds of flocks other than sheep, such as goats, alpacas, llamas, camels, emus, reindeer, cows, chickens, etc. (and also more far-fetched creatures such as futuristic electric sheep, or genetically engineered moas).
If your character has a sidekick, please make sure we can see who is the main character and who is his/her sidekick, otherwise, your artwork will be considered as a lineup of characters based on the same archetype, which is against the rules. Due to the nature of this challenge though, we will be more lenient on this rule (see below for more details).
Avoid portraying multiple characters confronting each other in a (so to speak) fighting game-like fashion. As mentioned above, if it's unclear who is the main character of your design, your submission will not be approved. On the other hand, if your character (based on the theme) is clearly identifiable as the main character, it’s then okay if you portray it next to a sidekick (or even if it crashes one of his minions under its foot). Artists confused about this rule should stay away from these grey areas, and instead consider submitting a so-called 'Perfect Entry'. More detailed info can be found in the main RULES of the CDChallenge, which we highly recommend you read.
Again, despite the number of additional characters, the focus of your design must be a single character. If it's unclear who is the main character of your design, your submission will not be approved. Please also check the exceptions above.
Infants and children can be considered sidekicks only if your main character is an adult. If you are confused about this rule, please don't take any risk and include only 1 single character based on the theme in your work.
The theme offers many awesome ideas to explore. Your character can also be from an alternative time (a Shepherd from the future, from the Victorian Age, from the ’60s, etc.) but BE VERY CAREFUL! Make sure your design shows enough elements that connect to the theme, or your artwork will not be accepted. We want the key elements of this theme to be clear and recognizable, and not twisted in a way that makes it unintelligible.
Feel free to explore this fascinating genre. Make sure to do your research extensively, so don't forget to look online for references, info, and visual aids. Start by checking out the Wikipedia page for it HERE and HERE to look up ideas and get more familiar with the theme.
Your character can drive/ride a vehicle or mount a creature
Your design can be created in any style and for many hypothetical purposes. For example, your artwork could be a character study created for an animated 2D, 3D, stop-motion, live-action movie, or a mobile app and a video game (these are ''model sheet entries'', which are by definition, what is considered proper character design in the animation, game and movie industry). Your artwork can also be the illustration of a character for the cover page of a novel, a pen-and-paper role-playing game, a tabletop game, an art book, a comic book, or a children's book (these are ''illustrative entries'', which are welcomed in the group even if they are not proper character design), and it can also be a design for a t-shirt, a brand or a sports team (these are ''mascot entries'' which are also acceptable as submissions in the group). Whatever the type of artwork you decide to submit to the group (model sheet entry, illustrative entry, or mascot entry), please make sure avoid to drawing or painting any complicated, distracting, and overly detailed background.
The official brief for the Theme of the Month (the short story written above), is provided for inspirational purposes only. It’s therefore not mandatory to follow it, and your character can be based on your idea, as long as it stays true to the title of the Theme of the Month.
3D submission can be posted ONLY as additional entries in the comments, please make sure you READ THE RULES before posting, as this might cost you the membership.
AI generators cannot be used in your work.
Anthropomorphic animal versions of your character are more than welcome.