All entrants in the inaugural Stealth Sketch Battle were judged on their creativity in dreaming up characters who would look at home on campus. As you can see, our students rose to the challenge. 

If you’re around AIT in Sydney or Melbourne, then you’ll start seeing these characters on campus very soon. In the meantime, we hope you’ll enjoy learning a little more about each character and the students who created them.

Sydney Students

Winner – Jade the Android

Jade is an android out exploring the campus. Right now she’s just taking a break to recharge a bit.

Character Artist: Brendan Neale

ArtStation: BjDj1 

Instagram: @bj._.dj 

LinkedIn: Brendan Neale 

I’m a 3D and 2D artist, constantly trying to improve on my abilities and skills as I develop a range of knowledge to help me make it into the industry. I love creating art and playing video games as I constantly get new inspirations to help fuel my passion.

Jade is an original character I created and designed myself. While creating the artwork I was actually experimenting with new techniques and was doing various art studies at the time and wanting to put them into practice, testing what I learnt. 

The main thing I tried to keep in mind as I was drawing was sticking to the criteria and making sure it ticked all the boxes because that was the biggest part I needed to get right if I wanted to participate, and have fun.

Second Place – Brielle

“Brielle skates across the halls with her shopping haul, rushing herself to the kitchen to stuff her face!”

Character Artist: Ash 

Instagram: @_vixxkixx  

Hi, I’m Ash! I am an artist who enjoys concept drawing, graphic design, and illustration! My Stealth Sketch character was inspired by Strawberry Shortcake and TV shows I watched as a kid, with a little twist of fantasy from myself. 

I tried to use as much motion and silhouette as possible, using ideas from figurines and splash art from video games and other art media. I practised gesture drawings over the years so I applied my skills and knowledge, and applied anatomy with line weight and shape language to create my piece!

Runner Up – Devourer of Suns

“As long as there is life in the universe, The Ever Hunger will live and thrive.”

Character Artist: Zen

Instagram: @cursededz 

ArtStation: ZeMatriarch 

I’m a monster concept artist with a passion for horror creatures, animals and paleontology as well. I love Lovecraftian creatures and I like to bring these horrors beyond our comprehension to life. I also love kaiju and Godzilla and just love almost anything animal related. I want to design creatures for games and movies in the future. 

The creature portrayed in my submission has many names from many different cultures across the universe. Light-consumer, Soul-Eater, The Ever Hunger and many others. All things that are shared between these cultures is the evil this creature spreads. It is forever hungry and its hunger can never be satiated. It started out as a normal creature, but the more it devoured, the bigger it grew. It consumes all, but its favourite food is stars and suns. As long as there is life in the universe, The Ever Hunger will live and thrive. Every star death event births more stars, every star it consumes, more will take its place. It is eternal. 

Runner Up – Dotty the Rabbit Drone

Don’t walk by without saying hello to Dotty.

Character Artist: Georgia C

Portfolio: Georgia C

I am studying 2D animation and I find joy in bringing characters and stories to life through art. What began as a hobby has grown into a passionate pursuit, fueled by my ambition to turn this creative outlet into a fulfilling career. Join me as I navigate the colourful realm of animation, striving to merge my passion with my profession.

My character is named Dotty and they’re a rabbit drone. I wanted to make their design based on AIT itself. I made them a robot because AIT uses technology for their courses. The colour is based on the colour of the logo. And I made them a rabbit because AIT was first established in the Year of the Rabbit. 

Runner Up – Jellyfish Girl

“This is my little jellyfish girl. She spends her time floating around in the Sydney campus fish tank.”

Character Artist: Paige Lester

Linktree: @panshrooms

Portfolio: @pansrooms 

My name is Paige, I work as a teacher to teach kids about animation, game design, and coding. I’m studying an animation degree and I enjoy animating in my spare time.

When I first started studying at AIT, the fish tank was my favourite part of the campus, I loved seeing the little fish swimming about on my way to class. So when the Stealth Sketch Battle came out I wanted to use the fish tank as my location and found an old picture of the fish tank I took when I first started. I used Procreate to create my character.  

Melbourne Students

Winner – Charlotte the Borrower

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

This is Charlotte, a borrower/tiny human who lives in the walls and collects little knickknacks and bits and bobs to create new inventions. After all, one man’s trash is another one’s treasure.

Second Place – Lil’ Alien Guy

Don’t cry, little alien guy.

We might never know the intentions of this little green visitor. Was he drawn to the light of the projector? Did he seek intergalactic connections and knowledge of Earth?

Wherever Lil’ Alien Guy’s UFO takes him next, we wish him safe travels out there.

Runner Up – Kimi the Games Club Nekomimi

“Kimi the nekomimi is ready for another games club session!”

Character Artist: Jazmine Frost

Instagram: @arcticfoxwaffles

I’m an AIT student studying 3D Animation with a goal of being a part of making an award winning film or game and to have my name in the credits. I love watching shows and playing games because of the stories they tell through the visual media, and it inspires me to create things that can make people smile.

Runner Up – Nellie

“Her soul is at peace now.”

Sadly, our brave Nellie did not survive the gruelling D&D campaign she embarked on, but her memory is forever honoured by those who walk the halls of AIT.

Runner Up – AI Receptionist

“Help! Our beloved receptionists are being taken over by AI.”

Character Artist: Lucy Bell

Instagram: @gooseyspen

LinkedIn: Lucy Bell

Second year 2D Animation student at AIT, in my free time I practice life drawing. I aim to be an artistic director and inspire others to nurture the 2D craft. Ideally, I will be in Italy or France animating the streetgoers and bringing more magic to every corner of the world. 

My character is a receptionist who’s been pointlessly upgraded with AI. I usually struggle to draw rendered skin, and tend to work in black and white, so I experimented with different methods of undertone, textures, lighting and eventually ended up happy with it. 

Honourable Mentions

Cosmic Creature

Yet another visitor from the stars. Have you met this cosmic creature?

Character Artist: Bethany Nealon

Instagram: @beanbox03

I love everything about the production of 2D animation, from the character design to the backgrounds and effects.

Black Ops Toilet Boy

Just keep walking. And make sure you wash your hands.

Character Artist: Jimoen Stallard

Instagram: @jimen_salad

Currently studying 2D animation, I’m a total film nerd (the weirder and more unhinged the better). I love drawing weird characters. Not really sure what my style is, I guess I’m still finding it and I’d love to direct my own animated films one day.

I really wanted to do an absurd character revolving around the bathroom. I decided to put a serious looking black ops dude sitting in a toilet. I painted him in Photoshop using simple cel shading for detail. 

Piper

How will Piper get out of this hairy situation?

Character Artist: Lee Leishman 

Lee wasn’t entering to win, they just wanted to see their character back at home on the AIT campus where they first created her. 

And if you think Piper looks familiar, then it might be because you’ve seen her in Lee’s short film, Hairy Situation.

Want to see all the AIT Stealth Sketch Battle characters for yourself? Join us on campus for our next event, or sign up for your very own campus tour.