01 / Design
Find the individual.
Compare mask, silhouette, posture, and costume so each member of the ensemble has a recognizable presence.
Cinderbox original
Imposters of Unevercity
Characters, campus environments, and the world of Unevercity, gathered into one evolving project.
Character development artwork · Select to enlarge
Project notes
Meet the ensemble. Enter their world.
An evolving cast of puppet-like characters, each with a distinct silhouette and personality. The workshop brings them together; the silo campus gives their encounters a world to unfold in.
On the workbench
EnsembleIndividual identities and the relationships between characters.
WorldCampus, props, and environments with a shared visual language.
SceneEncounters and performance studies that reveal conflict, tone, and story.
Protagonist / Imposters of Unevercity
Dr. Blaze.
Sculpted clay mask, copper goggles, a lab coat worn to the seams. The puppet and model studies for the protagonist of Unevercity.
Featured character / Dr. Blaze
Built at one-sixth scale.
The puppet sheet sets Dr. Blaze at 1:6 on a ball-and-socket armature, with fabric, mask, and boot studies pinned beside the turnaround.
Mask and goggles
A perforated clay mask under copper and walnut goggle rings. The unmasked head is kept for expression checks.
Surface language
Aged fabric and matte paint: a weathered cotton shirt, dark denim, scuffed leather boots, and a stained lab coat for full dress.
Articulation planning
Rigging points marked at the shoulders, wrists, and ankles for range testing on the armature.
Inside the shop / Cinderbox
From character to construction.
Dean Horn offers a close look at the Unevercity design process: costume, proportion, surface detail, and the points where a character needs to move.
Featured character / Dean Horn
Make the details work together.
The reference sheet gathers front, side, rear, and head views into one design study. Costume and mask details sit beside notes about proportion and articulation.
Surface language
Rust-colored tweed, a cool shirt and tie, and a tan stitched mask establish the material palette. Texture studies help carry that language across the figure.
Articulation planning
The rigging study marks the antenna attachments, shoulder and elbow axes, and wrist joint. These are reference points for testing range and costume clearance.
Character in the ensemble
The narrow silhouette, long antennae, and formal suit give Dean Horn a distinct read while connecting him to the masked world of Unevercity.
02 / Build
Turn reference into decisions.
Use the model sheet to plan scale, surface treatment, joint access, and the space clothing needs around moving parts.
03 / Perform
Test the character’s status.
Pose studies can explore authority, hesitation, and surprise through the head, hands, and stance—even with a fixed mask.
