Ermintrude/Design Evolution

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Design Evolution

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This page contains the design evolution on Ermintrude over the years during production.

Stop-motion puppet

Series 1

• The original model of Ermintrude had her hair slightly longer and a bit messier and has a black flower in her mouth.

Ermintrude's original model design for series 1 (original series).

Series 2

• In the first half, she appears mostly the same, except she has a bigger smile and her hair, being more tidy, is a bit more hidden.
• In the next half of Series 2, Ermintrude has a second design with her eyes being larger and given a more cartoony appearance. She now has a blue flower in her mouth instead of a black one.
• In the later episodes of Series 2 and "Dougal and the Blue Cat", a third model of Ermintrude has her eyes slightly shifted back up near her hat again and now muches on a white flower.

The first model of Ermintrude in the first half of series 2 (original series).

Ermintrude's second design in series 2 (original series).

Ermintrude's third model for Dougal and the Blue Cat as well as late series 2.

Series 3

• The previous model was used again, except her eyes become a bit shorter and this is also the first stop-motion version of Ermintrude to blink.
• A quarter into Series 3 has her hat shifted so her eyes are more exposed, allowing for more expression and making her look more cheerful.

The previous model was used again for series 3, albeit modified.

Until it was later modified a quarter into Series 3.

Series 4

• An entirely new model of Ermintrude was made with her skin being changed from pink to peach.
• A second model was made with the same concept, except her eyes are smaller.
• The final stop-motion of Ermintrude was used for Series 4 where she had a bigger smile and slightly bigger eyes. This would later be used as the basis of creating the design and CGI model of Ermintrude for the 2005 film.

Ermintrude's first model for series 4 (original series).

Ermintrude's second series 4 model.

Publicity still of the final stop-motion model from series 4, which was used as the basis for creating the CGI model for the 2005 film.

Future Generations

• Ermintrude has a different model in comparison to the ones used in Series 3, except her rosy cheeks are faint and her hair is barely noticeable. This model of Ermintrude was created by Asylum Models & Effects Ltd. and animated by Cosgrove Hall Films.

Ermintrude's model for Future Generations

CGI models

2005 film

In the 2005 film, a CGI model of Ermintrude was created with the stop-motion model used as reference during the concept and redesign. Her redesign has the following changes:

• Ermintrude's body was modified as it still has the peach skin but the number of red spots are slightly reduced.
• Her hair was refined where it has realistic hair strands rendered through Softimage.
• She now has hazel eyes with faint eye shadows and eyelashes as she originally had black dot eyes in the original series.
• The tip of her tail was changed from black to the same colour as her hair.
• Her neckerchief is refined where it now has a emerald fastener with gold trimmings.
• Her limbs are still red, but her hooves are now brown with peach soles.
• She also now has a pair of nostrils which the original stop motion models of Ermintrude didn't have.

Concept sketches for the CGI redesign of Ermintrude.

CGI prototype model for the 2005 film (used for publicity only).

The model used for the 2005 film.

2007 revival series

In the 2007 CGI revival series, the CGI model of Ermintrude was slightly modified:

• Her hair and tail tip are redone as mesh rather than being rendered as realistic hair strands.
• The colour of her hat and spots being a bit saturated.

The model used in the 2007 revival series, albeit modified.

This would be the same concept used for the 2008 game, except her neckerchief was in a pinkish colour instead of red.