The Red Panda Muppet is a project I’ve been wanting to create for a while now. It’s a product of multiple things that inspired me.
1. Childhood Nostalgia: I’ve always cherished the old-school ‘Loeki de Leeuw’ commercials and the timeless magic of Sesame Street. As a child, Sesame Street was not just a TV show; it was a measurement of how late I could stay up. (If you know you know)
Recently those fuzzy characters from the ASN bank commercials also left a lasting impression on me. (Sorry Dutch commercials, that’s where I grew up)
2. Theme and goal: I felt it was time to create something fluffy and fun. Usually, I go for stylized hair or fur style, but now it felt like the perfect time to go realistic.
The goal was to create something that would fit seamlessly into the world of the Muppets and Sesame Street.
Most of the Muppets are based on some animal or creature, so I decided to try and create one based on one of my favorite animals, the Red Panda.
3. AI Exploration: I didn’t want to spend too long on concepts, so I thought AI could help me out. Unfortunately, all my credits were gone. In the end, I’m happy I didn’t go that route because now I had an excuse to draw something. (With my limited skill 
) The concept will be on the bottom.
4. The Creative Process: Grooming with the new hair system was an absolute blast. The old particle system felt a bit finicky at times to me.
Everything in this project was accomplished using Blender, with just one texture map blurred in Clip Studio Paint. From modeling to retopology, texture painting to grooming and lighting – it was all done in Blender. I’m incredibly proud of how it turned out, especially when I compare it to the original concept. It’s a big leap from concept to a finished project.
5. Follow Me: If you’d like to see more of my work and what I’ll be sharing next, you can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mv.artz/
Concept art:
