Stranger Things - Demobat

As the look development artist for the Demobat in Stranger Things S4, I created the creature’s CG look and developed several variations. The biggest challenge was achieving the right subsurface effect for the wings. Since we weren’t aiming for physical accuracy, we drove much of the effect using depth maps. This was necessary because the wings couldn’t be too thin, as it would complicate the physics simulations for CFX. The subsurface effect is stronger toward the center of the wings and tapers off near the limbs. I also varied the intensity of the veins and subtly added them to the displacement to break up the light interaction.

We paid particular attention to the variation in the skin’s graininess, ensuring that some areas of the creature felt slimier, while others had a rougher texture for added realism. There was also a lot of back-and-forth with the modeling department to ensure a smooth transition between the teeth and the mouth, focusing on how the subsurface blended between the two materials.

It was rewarding to see everything come together in the epic final fight, where a literal storm of Demobats attacked the heroes.