12 Character · Mixed-technique animation · AI style transfer
Naafiri — Hounds of Iron
One character, many bodies.
The question
How do you tell the origin of a champion who lives in many bodies — and keep her unmistakably herself?
- Studio
- Royale
- Client
- Riot Games
- Years
- 2023
- Status
- Shipped
- Role
- Creative and art direction, concept, style frames, treatment
- Disciplines
- Character, Mixed-technique animation, AI style transfer
- Constraint
- Each stage of the transformation needed its own visual language without breaking the character.
Method
01/03
3D, cel, 2.5D, and machine-learning style transfer, each assigned to a stage of her transformation.
Painterly stage
02/03
Style frames, colour dynamics, and the treatment, shaped with We Are Royale’s executive creative director.
Glass-fracture montage
03/03
Pre-visualisation for pacing and a technical framework for AI style transfer, so generated passes stayed on-model.
Pit-embedded eye
Results
- Animation MagazineWe Are Royale Unleashes Naafiri in New ‘League of Legends’ Character SpotOpen source (opens in a new tab)Covered the mixed-technique approach to the champion’s origin.
Carried forward
A character survives any technique once you define what must never change.
Credits
- Ryan BrantCreative and art direction, concept development, style frames, treatment deck
- We Are RoyaleStudio
- Riot GamesClient