Telling Tales// Getting used to 'The Style'

As part of this project both me and my partner are required to settle on a 'style' (or visual aesthetic) for the animation, regarding the character designs and the environment designs. We both decided to work with a visual style that I would design. I knew from easily on in the project that my personal way of drawing characters wouldn't translate perpetually well into a Maya model purely because they were far too complex to be easily modeled digitally; there for I would have to simplify my designs and break them down to the very basics. I began researching existing animations featuring humanoid characters that were simplistic yet very expressive. Below is a research image collage I stitched together for inspiration:

I focused my research into character design regarding over all shape, after being given a lecture by our new tutor Sara. In her lecture she mentioned how certain shapes can effect the over all impression that character gives the audience, however certain character can be blended together using two different shapes; Such as sully from monsters Inc, who is square all over however is rounded to give him a softer appeal, as well as being fluffy and the color design to his character. Having already done some research into David O'reilly and his character designs I then began to look at similar humanoid characters developed for animation. I came across a crude Japanese animated film called 'Panty and Stocking' with lovely character designs. The characters are very simplistic overall with their shapes, with defined shapes making up their anatomy; perfect designs for 3D animation in my opinion. I then discovered the studio that designed theses characters were heavily inspired by cartoon networks 'PowerPuff Girls' and then began researching into their original concept designs and how far they developed. I've begun to scribble down a few thumb nails of possible character designs to work from recently, I'll set the deadline for myself to select which character I want to develop for next week.