Take a look at this 3D artist's romanticised take on the Joker

Daniel Merticariu is a 3D character artist with 11 years of experience in crafting unique heroes and villains for AAA video games. He likes to infuse his work with elements that were brought to life in various media, and hopes for a future in which game art will have a place in contemporary art museums.

His work mixes in various techniques as he makes use of the best 3D modelling software, from ZBrush to Maya, and texture apps like Marvelous Designer and Substance Painter.

His art, below, is just some of the inspirational character models he loves to create, and he explains the inspiration and design behind his favourites. Inspired? Then grab one of the best drawing tablets, read our ZBrush tutorials for helpful advice, and start creating.

The Man Who Laughs

“This character fuses together three different mediums: a digital painting, the 1869 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, and the Joker.”

Mario Incandenza

“This artwork was based on a drawing and a character from the David Foster Wallace novel Infinite Jest. I wanted to bring the character to life in 3D while referencing scenes from the book.”

The Witch of the Waste

“A character inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s movies and a drawing by John Patrick Gañas. I wanted to develop a freehand style with this piece that’s detached from the technical constraints of game art.”

Dryad

“Another character whose main purpose was to develop a freestyle approach. I wanted to follow the pattern of the wood and to be directed by the happy accidents that arise when using a more grungy brush.”

You can see more of Daniel's work on the his ArtStation profile. For more inspiration, see our feature on what is concept art? and our character design tips.

This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions are available.

Kit to help you start in character design