Z-Team
I had a lot of fun with these character designs. The Z-Team is like if the X-Men had a B-team of duds and losers. Except all the way down to Z.
Chinchilla man, Betty Beaver, Flying Fox and Micro Maniac are the lamest heroes out there. (I mean come on, Micro Maniac has a microwave for a head!)
The style used here is a fun cartoon children’s book kind of style. The rough crayon and paint brushes helped add to the playfulness of these illustrations. Also, using charcoal brushes to give the characters texture really brings a little bit of life to them.
Overview / Motivation
Z-Team is a self-initiated passion project — a space for me to experiment with drawing techniques, brushwork, textures, and character design without any external brief or constraints. I wanted to push myself stylistically and creatively, exploring new illustration approaches while developing a cast of characters with personality, humour, and deliberate roughness.
The concept behind the Z-Team was simple and fun: a group of wash-outs, weirdos, and loveable losers — intentionally not the A-team. Their imperfections became the charm of the project, allowing me to explore exaggerated traits, awkward poses, and unconventional silhouettes.
Creative Goals
For this project, I set out to:
Experiment with different art styles, brush types, and texture techniques
Explore character design driven by personality rather than perfection
Use shape language and exaggerated proportions to create visual humour
Build a cohesive group that still maintains distinct individuality
Develop a relaxed, expressive illustration workflow
This was less about polished production and more about discovery and play.
Process
Sketching & Exploration
I began with loose, instinctive sketches — focusing on silhouettes, gestures, and immediate character impressions. Because the characters were meant to feel slightly offbeat and imperfect, the sketching stage was intentionally messy and energetic.
Style & Brush Testing
A core part of the project was experimenting with tools. I tested:
Rough textured brushes
High-contrast ink-style linework
Softer painterly shading
Grainy overlays and gritty textures
Angular vs. rounded shapes
Bold vs. muted palettes
Each character was an opportunity to try something new.
Character Development
As the Z-Team personalities took shape, I leaned into their “wash-out” identities — mismatched clothing, unusual posture, odd accessories, and exaggerated physical quirks. Their individuality came from their flaws, and each design embraced that spirit.
Refinement
The final stage involved harmonising the group through subtle colour decisions and consistent texture work, ensuring the team felt unified while still reflecting their chaotic personalities.
Outcome
The final Z-Team collection is a series of quirky, expressive character designs that embrace imperfection and celebrate experimentation. Each character carries a strong visual identity, brought to life through bold brush choices, textured details, and playful, unconventional shapes.
This project stands as a snapshot of stylistic exploration — a reminder of how much creative freedom passion projects can offer.
What I Learned / Personal Impact
Exploration without constraints leads to genuine creative breakthroughs
Imperfect characters can be far more interesting and expressive
Brush and texture experimentation can completely transform a character’s personality
Passion projects help evolve your style in ways client work rarely allows
Z-Team ultimately represents the joy of designing for the sake of it — a team of misfits who helped me stretch my own creative boundaries.