Keru Alzoom

The project involved transforming a collection of written notes, scattered image references, and the client's existing VTuber model into a fully realized, highly detailed VTuber model with multiple toggles, prepared for professional rigging in Live2D.

Challenge

The client provided an incredibly detailed text-based reference sheet (PDF) with specific instructions for every element, but crucially, no unified concept art. Key visual details were described through text notes, references to other characters (e.g., "glow similar to Gojo's eyes"), and small reference images. As my second VTuber commission, I also had to establish the technical logistics for numerous toggles while ensuring the model remained cohesive and rigging-ready.

Key challenges included:

• Translating a dense collection of side notes, external references (Gojo Satoru, Siamese cats), and scattered image clippings into a single, unified character design.

• Interpreting the client's unique request for a banana-shaped hair clip that functions as a purple highlight on the bangs, without making it look out of place.

• Designing one purple and one blue eye, each with a specific "Gojo six eyes" aura, featuring a Siamese cat slit pupil for the right eye.

• Creating a yellow coat with purple accents, a specific dark purple turtleneck, masculine butterfly piercings, a double necklace (plain chain + butterfly pendant), and a coffee cup with "Keru" lettering—all without pre-existing concept art.

• Planning and executing layer structures for multiple toggles (coat on/off, glasses on/off, cat ears, barista apron, holding coffee cup, holding cat plushie) as part of both the illustration and the rigging preparation.

• Balancing messy, layered hair, formal outfit pieces (belt, leather shoes), and cute/barista accessories (cat plush, coffee cup) into a coherent VTuber aesthetic.

Process

The design process was highly iterative and required proactive visual problem-solving. Since no master concept art existed, I used the client's PDF as a checklist and built the design layer by layer, presenting frequent progress updates for feedback.

References were gathered for the Siamese cat eye slits, Gojo's eye aura, yellow coat textures, leather shoes, and silver chain necklaces.

I then layered a black base hair with a yellow back highlight and a purple front highlight, sculpting the "hair banana" directly onto the purple streak as requested. I focused on achieving a "messy but not spiky, lots of layers" look.

The eyes were carefully separated, designing the Siamese cat pupil for the right eye and creating the glow layers to mimic the "Gojo six eyes" aura effect for both, then rendered the dark purple turtleneck, the belt with reference-based pants, and black leather shoes.

Following the client's request, I designed the butterfly earrings and both necklaces, then created separate, fully-rendered layers for each toggle element, such as the "Keru" coffee cup, Siamese cat plushie with coffee pendant, cat ears, glasses, to ensure clean Live2D integration.

Solution

The final design successfully unified every written note and scattered reference into a single, with some changes as the client requested.

The black hair with yellow and purple highlights ties the character together, with the "hair banana" sitting naturally within the purple streak. The yellow coat and dark purple turtleneck create a complementary color palette.

The model was organized into a clean, logical layer structure in preparation for Live2D rigging. Each toggle (coat, glasses, cat ears, coffee cup, cat plushie) was isolated into its own properly labeled and grouped folder, ready for seamless animation.

Result

The completed model successfully translated the client's highly detailed, text-only vision into a polished, rigging-ready VTuber design, preserving every requested element from the cat eyes to the coffee cup. The model is fully prepared and rigged with organized toggles.

This project strengthened my expertise in:

• Interpreting non-visual briefd and working effectively without traditional concept art.

• Client communication for frequent updates to align on a design built from text and references.

• Toggle planning and asset preparation, structuring a stream-ready file with multiple interchangeable elements from the ground up.

• Combining disparate inspirations into one coherent character.