I chose Red Cap from English folklore as the subject of my work—a goblin lurking in old castle, preying on unsuspecting travelers. Its dark fairytale-like presence captivated me.
Ⅰ. Silhouettes
Since Red Cap’s presence is like the Grim Reaper, I wanted its silhouette to embody death and predation. One of the most recognizable symbols of the Reaper is the scythe, so I deliberately shaped Red Cap’s silhouette to echo that distinct curve—enhancing the imagery of death and hunting..
Ⅱ. Concept Development
After looking at previous creations of Red Cap, I found most of them predictable and repetitive. Wanting to break away from convention, I aimed to infuse unexpected elements into my design to create something fresh and surprising.
This approach was inspired by Fate/GO, my favorite game, which seamlessly merges seemingly unrelated yet subtly interconnected elements into its character designs, creating figures that feel both distinct and compelling.
For my version of Red Cap, I retained its signature red hat from folklore but introduced a plague doctor’s beaked mask, inspired by the medieval Black Death. The sharp contours and hollow eye sockets add to its aura of mystery and terror.
To enhance its gothic aesthetic, I adorned its clothing with countless iron spikes.
Throughout the design process, I explored multiple variations—experimenting with hat or cloak, the style of hat, and clothing under the cloak… and finally chose the one that I think is the most horrifying, mysterious, yet unexpectedly cute (yes, I even think it’s kind of cute).
Ⅲ. Color Exploration
When it came to coloring, I only tested two variations. The red hat was non-negotiable—it’s the defining feature of Red Cap—but I had limited room to explore beyond that. This led me to focus on the mask, which became the key element in setting the tone of the character.
• White Mask + Black Eyes: This was the first vision that came to mind, and I instinctively went with it.
• Black Mask + Red Eyes: An unexpected experiment that turned out to be even more sinister and unsettling than the white version. Surprisingly, in comparison, the white mask almost looked… kind?
Ⅳ. Storytelling
While designing this character, I constantly thought about its expressions, voice, personality, movement… and most importantly, how it kills.
Gradually, a scene formed in my mind—
The night is dark, the wind howls.
A traveler walks through the wilderness. Up ahead looms a decaying castle, its walls consumed by shadows. The dense forest behind him is foreboding, and with nowhere else to go, he has no choice but to stay for the night.
Deep into the night, a heavy dragging sound echoes through the hallway.
The traveler stirs awake, his heartbeat quickening. The sound grows closer. A creeping sense of dread overtakes him.
Then—
“Knock, knock, knock.”
The abrupt rapping on the door shatters the silence.
He hesitates, paralyzed with fear. But after a moment, he slowly, carefully, opens the door.
Standing outside is a small figure draped in a red cloak, its face obscured by a long-beaked mask.
“Good evening,” it says, voice polite and eerily cheerful—almost like a deliveryman.
“Your ‘Kill-Eats’ order has arrived~”
Before the traveler can react, Red Cap strikes—swift, merciless, and unforgiving.
“I’ve been starving all day, goo~…”
It mutters, carving open the fresh corpse with practiced precision. Reaching into the gaping cavity, it retrieves the still-warm organs and indulges in its first meal of the day. (Oh, poor guy… It’s been hungry for so long, hasn’t it?)
After feasting, the goblin pats its now round, full belly, lets out a satisfied burp, and flashes a contented smile.
“All full, goo~”
Ⅴ. The Final Result
And so, Red Cap was born!
After countless iterations, it finally became exactly what I envisioned—cunning, mysterious, terrifying… yet somehow tinged with dark humor.
Mission accomplished. Cheers to that!
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