Componente Studio Digital Design and New Media Studio

Nikolai y Roquefort

Date: March 2023

The Idea

At our studio, we love to balance our professional work with personal projects, which allows us to explore new ideas and push our creative boundaries. These personal projects often spark fresh innovations, giving us the freedom to experiment with different techniques and storytelling methods. One of the most exciting outcomes of this philosophy was Nikolai, the first character we created together as a team. This project marked a significant milestone for our studio, bringing everyone’s skills and imagination into perfect sync.

The project centered around three animated renders that followed the adventures of Nikolai, a Russian immigrant who’s just arrived in New York City. With his skateboard in hand, headphones blaring A Tribe Called Quest, and a coffee cup never far away, Nikolai sets out to explore the city's skate parks. His journey takes an unexpected turn when he befriends Roquefort, an adventurous sewer rat with a daring love for cheese and adrenaline. Together, they form an unlikely duo, navigating the chaos and charm of city life, with each moment of their shared experiences captured in animated snapshots.

This project was particularly special because it grew organically from a shared passion within our team. Nikolai wasn’t just a character we designed; he was the result of creative collaboration, with each member contributing to his story, personality, and visual development. From initial sketches to the final renders, the process was a true team effort, blending 3D and 2D techniques to bring both Nikolai and Roquefort to life in a way that felt authentic and playful.

The Process

World Building

For the environment, we aimed to capture the gritty, industrial vibe of New York City. To achieve this, we combined 3D scanning with polygon modeling, blending realism with creativity.

We also designed a unique collection of graffiti, which we strategically placed throughout our 3D stages to enhance the urban atmosphere. As a bonus, we transformed these graffiti designs into packs of stickers, giving them a life of their own beyond the screen.

Character Design

For the design of Nikolai, we wanted to create a character that was both relatable and unique, someone who embodied the spirit of New York City’s street culture while also having a personal, distinctive style. Our vision was to capture the essence of a young, adventurous immigrant—someone who's just arrived in a bustling new world, full of curiosity and ambition. Nikolai needed to feel grounded in reality, but with a touch of charisma that would make him instantly likable.

When designing him, we drew inspiration from urban life, especially from skate culture, which we saw as a natural fit for his personality. The skateboard was a key element, representing freedom and exploration, while his love for A Tribe Called Quest helped us tap into a laid-back, yet energetic vibe. We wanted his clothing to reflect this too—something comfortable and practical, with a bit of an edge, blending casual streetwear with subtle hints of his Russian heritage.

His facial features were carefully modeled in Blender, giving him a expressive look that would make it easy for the audience to connect with his emotions. We paid close attention to his posture and movements, ensuring he had a relaxed, confident stance that reflected his passion for skateboarding.

For the textures, Substance Painter allowed us to add layers of detail that brought him to life. We gave his clothing a slightly worn-in feel, adding texture to his sweatshirt and shoes to reflect the wear and tear of city life. His skateboard became another key element, designed to look well-used, with scratches and scuff marks that tell a story of his many adventures.

In essence, we were looking to create a character who was authentic, grounded in the real world, but with a sense of individuality and charm that made him stand out—someone who feels both new to the city and completely at home in it.

As a special treat, we created limited-edition Nikolai and Roquefort art toys, 3D-printed to bring a piece of Componente Studio into the homes of our followers and supporters. These collectible figures capture the spirit of our characters and offer a unique way to connect with the world we've built.

The Finished Product

Creating these animated renders allowed us to explore the storytelling potential of everyday moments—whether it was Nikolai grinding a rail at a local skate park or the duo embarking on a cheese-fueled adventure through the city’s underground. These renders didn’t just showcase technical skill, but also our studio’s love for character-driven narratives.

The Nikolai project is a perfect example of how we use personal projects to nurture creativity within the studio. It gave us the opportunity to experiment, collaborate, and, most importantly, create something that reflected our shared vision. This character and his story have since become a beloved part of our studio’s identity, reminding us that the most exciting ideas often come from following our own passions.

Digital Design and New Media