Storyboard Artist - Cesar Lemus

Cesar Lemus created the storyboard's for the TV series 'Heroes'.

They interest me because of the illustrative quality (It has the feel of a comic book) - movement is captured through quick dashed lines (such as in the second panel) - the detail allows the idea, concept and camera movements to be visualised a lore more clearly, and in a way helps to promote confidence in whether or not a shot will look good. (Such as the last panel shown here. It not only maps out the key moments of the scene but also takes more technical aspects into account, such as the arrows 'directing' camera (and/or) actor movement, as well as the Frames Per Second being considered. 


 Though my 'animations' only last a couple of seconds, (therefore not being able to incorporate too many camera changes) I think my story board should contain this illustrative quality, as it works well. I think for future projects I should attempt to create story boards, as clear and directive as this. 

*Poke*

Either/or Character Pose and Setting Concept. A sketch edited slightly on Photoshop (Shadows etc). - Was nice to do some simple pencil to paper drawing - a break from rulers and elevations. 

Flip-Book animation.

This is my final attempt at flip-book animation for this project - I'm a bit more happier with this than the others I tried, and have tried to incorporate things like camera movement (such as zooming from the eye) - As I was very impressed by the flowing movement in the Zelda Flip-Notes (Blogged about earlier) - This was done using post-it notes and is about 38 frames - I found smaller drawings are quicker and easier - making the process more enjoyable.

Chris Appelhans

I'm attempting to draw my elevations for my setting (it's taking a while) - but still want to have some 'concept art' showing my character interacting with the setting. 


This is why this artist has caught my eye, the angle (framing) of the pictures help illustrate things like dominance and an air of terror - these are well thought out and help illustrate the 'feel' of the setting.  The use of colour helps enhance the mood and there's a luminosity to them which I think is really effective. The characters aren't 'facing forward' and are preoccupied with what's going on, causing the image to be more engaging. They're all slightly dark in mood and colours - an effect I think I should incorporate (with shadows etc) as my setting is technically underground - I think I should also adopt an interesting perspective too. (For example I really like the second to last picture here, seen through a window, with a hand reaching.)


for a better view of these pictures (and more) created by Chris Appelhans go to:
http://www.froghatstudios.com/mh/mh.html

A-Ha - Take on Me

So I'm not too happy with the flip-book animations I've produced - they're either quite static or too scruffy to look decent, so I'm hoping to make another attempt (if I have enough time left) to attempt a smoother more interesting hand-drawn animation. 
Which leads me onto A-Ha's  classic Take On Me music Video :). I love this video - it's brilliant- so I thought I'd look back to see what makes it so good.


^ (Literal Version)
Original (couldn't embed) :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914&ob=av2e

This animation isn't standard 'flip-book' but is all hand-drawn. It used a combination of pencil-sketch animation and live-action (rotoscoping). This is basically when each frame of the live action footage is then 'traced over' to create a really smooth life like image - which I think is achieved here, the squiggles and illustrative form adding to the effect of an animation but not hindering the overall characters movement. This took Approximately (according to Wikipedia) 3,000 frames - (taking 16 weeks).


I think if I attempt another animation I should try make my images as consistent as possible, yet add quite a lot of movement, thinking about angles and the overall effect I want, as well as perhaps 'cutting' into different 'camera angles' to tell the story more fluently (than having a 'fixed' camera) 

Profile Pic

I found an old sketch and thought I'd try colouring it in. I think it's turned out pretty well - I was attempting to practice colouring in a simpler way - By not altering the opacity as much and rubbing out layers of colour etc.

 I needed some form of picture for my profile so thought this might work - It's not necessarily meant to be me, just thought it would be nicer than the default silhouette I had going before.

Rabbiteyes - KeunJu Kim

This artist is fantastic: I originally found him on :http://rabbiteyes.cghub.com/
and found beautiful concept art for not only characters but also setting. In a range from sketches to really well rendered images, most of them show characters interacting with their environment (something I'm considering doing to further illustrate the connection between them, as well as inadvertently illustrating the scale)
I really recommend checking out the gallery, as well as his DeviantArt account, http://rabbiteyes.deviantart.com/ as there are just so many brilliant pictures -and varying effects (colour stylings etc) that it's hard to show the extent of work - and alternate imagery (for example there are monsters and robot type characters as well as the more elfish) here:
Therefore I thought I'd select a couple of images that relate to my own work :


narsha girl by ~rabbiteyes on deviantART

I really like this above image as it is able to create quite a well toned image - yet keep illustrative qualities such as the large eyes and stranded hair.


a night view of city by ~rabbiteyes on deviantART

This image is quite devoid of colour which adds to the overall effect and environment, it looks cluttered and dirty and is a similar type of effect i wanted to achieve with my design - especially with aspects such as glowing lights.

Dolly Doodle

 Another quick sketchy mess around on Photoshop - trying different colouring techniques (wanted to see her in a bluey light again) and in general doing a little bit more Character Development - Again just wanting to show that Dolly's not evil! So look, she's happy in a content, calm way :) - (I like to think this is how she looks when she's finished creating her den) : 

Lecture - Post-Modernism

Following Modernism our next Lecture was on 'Post-Modernism' I found this a lot more interesting and this time have actual legible notes (I'll also summarise the main points from the lecture which relate to my course):

Post-modernism is 'Notoriously difficult to define' but is known as following and responding to modernism, becoming a lot more frivolous and less serious and is generally said to begin in the 60's. Post-modernism could be said to be the opposite of modernism, having a disillusioned with the idea of absolute knowledge, therefore being pessimistic. Charles Jencks said on 15th July 1972 3:32 modernism died and post modernism began, with the demolition of the Pruitt Igoe - a 'Utopia' built by modernist thinking but resulting in crime and vandalism.

What interested me about Post-Modernism was it's pessimism helped create Dystopias which influenced films- for example Bladerunner (a Film i'm going to watch at some point in the near, near future. I have the Dvd... i just need to open it.) Where the technology hasn't helped the world (as modernist's believed it was) but instead leaves the world permanently dark. Post- Modern Film's were heavy influenced by different aspects of the past, and cherry picked ideas and imagery from older films - for example referencing different aspects of old detective movies. This idea of taking and copying things from the past conflicts with the 'forward thinking' modernist ideal.

Post-modernism is self-referencial and breaks the fourth wall, revealing that it is aware of what media it is expressed in. For example the video game Metal Gear Solid is self referential as it often breaks the fourth wall by referring to the fact it is a game, whilst video games are all in a way self referential (they will tell you to 'Press A' to do something for example), Metal Gear incorporates it into the experience, and uses it as part of the game. There is a moment where the back of the box the game came in has to be read in order to progress further. More examples  can be seen in the following Youtube clip. When Psycho Mantis instructs to put the control down, it 'moves it with it's mind'. This doesn't detach the audience from being involved in the game, but instead has the opposite effects and fully immerses the player - who feel that even outside the game they are being involved.

Character Turn-Around

 Dolly's Character turnaround. I meant to do a full T-POSE - but ended up in a more relaxed stance.

She wouldn't like T-Poses anyway

Setting Development - Dolly's Den

This is a colour 'concept art' of my setting - Dolly's Den - I'm still a bit undecided whether it's too dark or not as it is meant to have limited light sources. 

This floor plan roughly shows the general layout and measurements of the setting. The scale may change because I have no concept of measurement - however despite that, and the fact rulers and I don't get on I think the general proportions are pretty much ok. - Hopefully the elevations will be easier to do now I've gotten used to the scale.

Sketch of Setting

Zelda Filpnotes

These animations were the winners of a competition for The Legend of Zelda's 25th Anniversary, using a program that creates animations similar to that made with Flipbooks. 
(Flipnote Studio - a free downloadable app for the Dsi)  - The fact that these are made on gameboys is even more impressive.
Looking at this I am captured by the movement through the animation, and realise my own flip book may be a little static and simple - and that maybe I should animate my character to move in a more lively fashion - thinking about how i can make it interesting.

Doctor Who Story Board: Evolution of a Scene

I would embed this video but it ends up too large on my page - Instead here's the link.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/episodes/b010tb7q/videos/p00gk4kk

This shows the storyboard and the final product of a scene in Doctor Who. It's interesting as it shows how the main shots were thought of long before being on set, and are (in general) stuck to later. It shows the importance of storyboarding for mapping out the scene. I have to create a storyboard for a flip book - this therefore doesn't need to be anywhere near as long as this scene (as it will literally only last a second or two), but should still illustrate what I'm trying to achieve.

Star Wars Prequel Reviews (RedLetterMedia)

I've finally watched all these reviews of the Star Wars Prequels (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and  Revenge of the Sith). I genuinely find these entertaining and funny, despite the slightly odd and creepy deviations now and then of the 'Character' that is speaking (in a zoidberg-esqu voice). Judging by the youtube comments there's a mixed response to these - some people take it far too literal and serious whereas others (hardcore fans for the originals) are glad to fuel their rage against the prequels. Though obviously incredibly biased towards the original 3 Star Wars movies and against the newer 3 these reviews have some interesting points about 'what makes a good film'. Character development and form of stories - such as the use of the protagonist - are mentioned as well as  camera shots  and staging. For example in the third review it is pointed out that having major scenes set on a sofa lacks excitement especially with the dialogue shown through shot/reverse shot camera shots. It also makes a large point about special effects and how they should be used to emphasise and help tell a story (which should have relatable characters and genuine suspense) - instead of becoming the story and visually spamming the audience. It shows the pitfalls of constantly using green screen (as the actors have nothing to react to) and the end results seems a little too artificial - 'Lacking Humanity'. I think this is an important point to take into account with special effects and their use in films.

http://redlettermedia.com/plinkett/star-wars/


All the reviews can be found on the above link ^

John Park

This artist - found at http://jparked.blogspot.com/ does a lot of concept art scenery. I find him particularly interesting (and relevant to my own design) because a lot of his work involves rubble and clutter, especially the first one shown. Despite it being a dark picture there is still a vast amount of detail and the mass of all the clutter can easily be seen - as well as looking realistic and in a sense -'weighted'.

From this I should be considering adding a lot of detail and depth into my setting concept art - as well as creating a well thought out floorplan/elevation along with it- as the above image shows that it is possible to involve more organic shapes into them - whilst still taking measurements into consideration.

Bit of Peace - Quick doodle

So it's been said (On many occasions) that Dolly is creepy - with a scary grin. I'm not disagreeing...(though all she wants is a hug!)... but I thought I'd take a quick opportunity to just show her a bit more calm and relaxed (Whilst also attempting to practice some colouring - specifically to do with lighting - since I'm not that skilled with shadows etc.) 

'Seedseven' - Prince of Persia Picture

http://fuckyeahconceptart.tumblr.com/post/2641688263  I can't seem to put this picture up here - and the link to the artist doesn't lead to any more work so I'm afraid clicking this link will have to do. 
I really like this picture, and the style that it has been drawn in. It's rough 'brush' marks help the sense of action (such as in the arms) and the colours - a range of golds/reds (a little bit of blue) help create atmosphere - there's barely (if any) black used - which is quite impressive and is something I need to try at some point (as I usually always end up with black outlines, etc, in my work - giving it a slight cartoony look. ) 
The lighting here (especially on the woman) is interesting as the use of highlights brings attention to the import an areas. Eg Face and armour. 
Also, by fading away parts, such as the legs and cape, the eye is more likely to be drawn to the torso. As concept art it not only introduces characters but also creates an exciting atmosphere.

Setting Mood Board

This is a compilation of my photos from the museum trips to help myself have an idea about the shambolic setting my character should be found in. Not the brightest/boldest of colours - all a bit bleak really. I'm going to search for some concept artists who may give me some ideas/ inspiration.

Lecture - Modernity and Modernism

'Modernity and Modernism' is the first lecture under our 'Context of Practice' Module. My notes are a little dishevelled/illegible to be scanned in, so this will be my attempt at condensing them into a summary. 


Modernism  is described to be something that 'improves', 'is new', 'the best', as well as emerging out of the subjective responses of artists/ designers to modernity.
It is generally said that Modernity started mid 18th century and finished by the 1960's and goes hand in hand with The City - which with it brings Industrialisation and Urbanisation. As trains and electrify are invented people began converting from slow-paced country to busy efficient cities. Paris lead the way as the most 'modern' city for quite some time in the early 20th Century - a contributing factor being that during the mid 1800's they had literally bulldozed the winding streets and replaced them with open boulevards by a designer ('Haussman') this lowered crime rates but also created a form of Social Control. Paris also created the Eiffell tower which 'rises above other things' and represents modernism (being true to it's material - not trying to mask it), showing the ambition, drive and power of modernity, whether or not this benefited the individual however is to be questioned - as though - during modernity countries agree on a standardised time and become more 'in sync' than ever, there's a large increase of Lonelyness, Isolation and individualism in cities, personality has to be presented through more obvious, aesthetics, such as fashion. People began drowning their sorrows. Work became rationalised, and there was an increase in stress as things began to develop, things that help our productivity as a whole - but perhaps decreased happiness.  The cultural race for supremacy however did create pro's - such as during the 18th Century Scientific/ Philisophical thinking making leaps and bounds.


 The city became the 'city of life' - a character within itself - and therefore changed the way artists painted - they depict people interacting with the city - illustrating the isolation and busyness and showing the painters interpretation of modern experiences - instead of paintings which depict stories etc. This also meant techniques in the application and style of painting changed abandoning realism for expressionism, trying to paint 'experiences' through the way they paint, not necessarily their subject matter.


Modernism in Design - Focuses on truth to material, where Form follows functions.  'Ornate is crime' - said by Aldof Loos, sums up modernism, as it is supports anti-historicism, (there is no need to look backward at old styles) to try and be 'in trend' will mean the object will become dated. (I can't help being reminded of a thing in 1984 where Winston finds a paperweight beautiful - because the blown glass serves no discernible purpose - the way it looks had no use, other than to be ornate -which is the complete opposite sentiment of this) Modernism in design becomes international, a language of design that could be recognised and understood everywhere. It even reached such things as font. 'sans-serif' took away any flick or embellishment that are in such fonts as Times New Roman , because they serve no purpose. It's also found in such things as Bauhaus cutlery, it will be 'timeless' as it serves its function and is simple.


It seems that this information on Modernism and Modernity relates to the course through its ability to be changed into a 'story'. Whether it being through the Transmedia Character - the 'Artist Genius' - such as Van Gogh, that is apparent through a lot of films etc. or it's influence in such things as science fiction. A lot of science fiction is a produce of modernism - even indirectly. In the 1920/30's modernist writers were already exploring different ways of exploring story tellings, playing with the form and structure of narrative, finding new ways of using time and space. For example, a strong theme in modernist writing was alienation, causing the 'norm' of the protagonists surroundings to seem unusual and bizarre.

Ross Tran

I've been looking at this artist - http://rosstran.blogspot.com/ - Ross Tran - whose Character concepts are really interesting and well done - The Characters are preoccupied and interacting with their environment - their poses helping to show their personalities slightly, I'm considering drawing something along these lines to enhance my Character Development.

 This space-esque illustration is found underneath the heading 'Some Late Nigh Sketches' in a blog... - (I'll just repeat that again..Late night sketches!!. -wow-) It still manages to capture an atmosphere for the Character and their surroundings and illustrates a high level of skill.

Quick Bit Of BackStory

Whilst taking a break from working on the Character 'T- poses' - I thought I'd do a quick rough drawing of what Dolly looked like before everything went all apocalyptic - as well as showing her at her favourite place (which she's desperate to get back to - as it has connotations of being cared for - since she visited it with her 'Mother' - who I thought would be better off not being fully 'imagined' ). You can see she's had to chop off her hair since and is a bit younger and happier -hopefully it just gives an idea of the contrast between 'then and now' in her case. I seriously considered drawing her wearing a Bonnet - then realised... that's nothing to be happy about.

Dave McKean

Regarding the crazy expression on my character's face, it was recommended that I have a look at Dave McKean's 'Joker' Illustration. This illustrates an intense insanity to it's highest level - from the whites of the eyes shining out of the blackness (or web or red) to the slightly 'dirty' way its been coloured - giving a disheveled feel. This is a lot different to the smoother way 'anako' (previous artist research) colours, and seems more manic.




 What also caught my attention with this artist is the fact he is also a film maker - and designed and directed the film 'Mirrormask' - a film I have been interested in seeing (but have yet to) for a long time. It looks quite surreal and steam-punky and seems to incorporate a lot of animation so should be of interest. Hopefully I'll see it at some point soon.

Dolly's taking shape...

So after thinking about the colours of my character - Dolly I decided to try a more detailed attempt at illustrating her in Photoshop. This is the end result.

 I quite like the dull, grey colours as it seems more 'apocalyptic' - and practical, though I may need to work into the oil a bit more - to create a slight 'shine' to it. I'm quite happy with this for the moment - especially since I've finally managed to emulate the hair/skin colour contrast I was looking for. 

Illustrator Induction

I've never used Illustrator before - so was interested to see what could be done with it and what effects it could produce. I still am attempting to get to grips with it, as i find the pen tool quite fiddly - yet can see how it is of use to create quick, clean images. 

This picture to the right is a combination of some of the practice exercises we completed. - It shows a use of the pen tool (attempting to create smooth curved lines), Live Paint, and the 'Gradient Mesh Tool' as is probably evident I have a little trouble with the gradient mesh tool - not really creating a subtle effect which I know is possible.

I also created my character in illustrator (with a sketch to guide me - and 'trace' off of). This proved quite time consuming due to the detail (compared to the picture of Totoro) and strange curved of such things as the hair -etc. I managed to colour her mostly - though for some reason (perhaps my lines not being right) some areas didn't fill. The right image shows an attempt at using the Gradient Mesh Tool - but this again proved difficult and only worked on certain areas - and causes me to prefer the left image.

At some point I may transfer this into Photoshop and edit her - but I'll leave her for now.

Quick Colour Splurge

I've been thinking a lot about the colours of my character (since my Photoshop doodle seemed far too bright) so I tried out a quick splurge of duller, more faded colours, since it seems more fitting...

In all honesty I prefer the black and white layer...but it looses any innocence Dolly may have by shadowing her too much.

I'll keep at it...As I think there's potential in the duller, steampunky-esqu colours, that'll fit well with my apocalyptic theme, as well as hopefully making her look a bit softer...

anako - Daria Widermanska-Spala

I've just found a brilliant artist, Daria Widermanska-Spala, at -  http://anako-art.blogspot.com/.  Her Portfolio can be found http://www.anako.pl/.


 This artist seems to specialise in character design - a lot of her work showing development and thought into the character. Such as this image I've attached, you can see the amount of detail put in the outfit for her character. A lot of her work that I have seen are of girls - this is of particular interest to me as my character is also one,  so the softness of skin tone, and light, silky hair she manages achieve inspires me to experiment more with photoshop and achieve a proper - perhaps more realistic illustration of my character -(perhaps not as soft).

I heavily recommend looking at the 'digital painting illustrations' section in her Portfolio- it's filled with fantastic colour images, most are of girls, she manages to capture an air of fragility in the skin tones (such as with blushing cheeks etc) and expressions. I love the balance of detail, as the images themselves have an air of disney to them, but enough toning and detail to seem more realistic. 

Also - on a note about composition, the focal point of her pictures are usually the face and specifically the eyes, which are dark and deep, such aspects as the hair can be left to fade out/ are created with softer strokes - there is a picture called 'Lila' that illustrates this well - and is worth checking out. 

The (almost) 25 expression challenge

On Deviant Art I've seen a few '25 expression Challenge' sheets done - they seem to encapsulate a characters range of emotions/ facial expressions. A couple of examples are:
http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=25%20expressions&order=9&offset=192#/d1zron3 and http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=25+expressions#/d3dhowd. 


I thought it would be a good excerise to build up my concept of the character, her facial expressions and perhaps the way she carries herself. For example, due to her having insane tendencies, her 'Happy' face is a little intense. Whilst doing this I realised I wanted Dolly (that's her name) to use her hands a lot, despite them being caked in oil, to illustrate that the dirt doesn't phase her - as well as showing her to be a bit more 'physical' and perhaps - i suppose - 'primitive'.

[Attempt at listing from Left to Right] Serious, Content, Confused, Curious, Excited, Confident, Sad, Distraught, Happy, Shocked, Bored, Sulky, Exhausted, Upset, Tired, Relief, Fear, Anger, Rage, Crazy, Anxious, Worried. (I didn't manage to fit 25 on)

Sketches, a bit of Photoshop and a crazy face.

Here are a few sketches as I begin to question the sanity of my character...

This slightly demonic face was drawn directly into Photoshop, and was just a chance for me to mess around with colour ideas and sketch a possible expression. As far as colour goes, I think I'll have to work at it, as though I want her very pale - and a little sickly (hence the blue) her skin looks a little too 'bright' and lacks depth. Also the eyes - though are meant to be black - should perhaps be a darker grey to again add depth.

Soul Eater (om nom)

Whilst working on this module I have become more aware of the depth of Character development in media. Having just finished (and enjoyed) watching 'Soul Eater'; an anime produced by the Japanese anime studio 'Bones' and Illustrated by Atsushi Okubo, I've realised that growing attached to the Characters results from a well written Character personality coupled with striking design and a considered animation.


Specifically, the characters body language is very telling of their character, for example, Black Star - an arrogant and 'macho' - but quite short - boy, usually adopts a power stance when standing still, and when moving is full of an overwhelming amount of energy, this is complimentary to his design - being of quite bulky/ muscly build. Soul on the other hand adopts a 'cool guy' attitude usually, and slouches, or talks with his head tilted downwards - often not making eye contact. 

Death the Kid

 One of my favourite characters - Death the Kid - has OCD, needing everything to be symmetrical. This is shown through his design, as his outfit and everything he has control of (for example his weapons - twin pistols) are symmetrical. Though his hair is not symmetrical (which upsets him), it has been deeply considered by the artist - and is meant to represent the Sanzu River - the river which must be crossed to reach the afterlife. His need for symmetry sometimes commands his movement - especially when fighting, allowing graceful, more aesthetically pleasing fight scenes. His fighting ability and OCD, coupled with his 'status' as Deaths' son, also seems to command him respect, which is shown through his outfit - a suit (instead of, for example Soul's Hoody) and way he carries himself. Unlike Soul and Black Star he is less inclined to slouch and adopts a more formal stance.


Finally the expressions and general 'air of madness' some of the Characters adopt in 'Soul Eater', with wide eyes and stretched grins, has inspired me to, in a sense 'loosen' my own characters' grip on sanity. These expressions give a sense of disjointed sanity that doesn't necessarily mean evil (...but usually does...in Soul Eater's case). The attached video seems to  compliment the 'crazier' aspects through a montage that promotes the insanity, plus seems fitting since it's nearly Halloween! 

Photoshop Induction

 I love Photoshop, and get a bit childishly excited when I find out something new it can do (and since I'm not actually that knowledgable on it - this happens quite often). So during our Induction  last Wednesday I got quite giddy when I was taught about the Vanishing Point technique and Photoshops' ability to work out Panorama's itself - as well as Image Stacking! 

 However, as interesting as those were, there were two main points in the Induction that I not only found really interesting (as it explained why some of my Images in the past didn't turn out as expected) but also really invaluable.

These were:

- The difference between RGB and CMYK - (and how to check your print will turn out well/ colour gamuts etc) - as I never understood this before - so would be constantly disappointed when my prints of digital work wouldn't come out as vibrant as I had intended.

- How to edit an image in an 'non-destructive' way - This involves using layers and adjustment layers whilst leaving the original image constantly intact - Usually somewhere along the line in the past I have destroyed an original image when editing -(But hopefully not anymore!)

At the end of the Induction we were able to apply what we have learnt to a series of stock images and create an 'environment'. This is my attempt, I think it turned out Ok, though certain aspects - such as the bottom of the buildings, could be improved.

Archetypes - The Child

So we have been asked to look into Archetypes to help us solidify our characters personalities and traits. Whilst researching I've found 'The Child' archetype to be most interesting and fitting for the character I'm developing.


The Child Archetype is described on 'www.listology.com' as  'a pattern related to the hope and promise for new beginnings' but seems to have a range of different interpretations - as in other sources it's described as 'a Child who displays adult traits, wise' or to have 'Childish to childlike longing for the innocent, regardless of age'.

I like the idea of the character somehow being wise and perhaps representing the future in someway. As I am thinking of having a Dystopian type future - it would be interesting for the character to represent a destructive future, the 'hope' being a bit 'hopeless'. This line of thinking led me to find this specific aspect of 'the Child' on www.myss.com/library/contracts/four_archs.asp (However I am aware it refers to more psychological ideas - as apposed to character traits)


Magical/Innocent Child

The Magical Child sees the potential for sacred beauty in all things, and embodies qualities of wisdom and courage in the face of difficult circumstances. This archetype is also gifted with the power of imagination and the belief that everything is possible.

The shadow energy of the Magical Child manifests as the absence of the possibility of miracles and of the transformation of evil to good. Attitudes of pessimism and depression, particularly when exploring dreams, often emerge from an injured Magical Child whose dreams were "once upon a time" thought foolish by cynical adults. The shadow may also manifest as a belief that energy and action are not required, allowing one to retreat into fantasy.

The  'injured Magical Child' idea grabbed my attention as I feel my character will be attempting to escape from the war-fuelled apocalyptic environment she finds herself in - also being a child, she will need the ability to 'see the potential for sacred beauty in all things' - she will be 'injured' mentally perhaps, showing traits of insanity, longing for the innocence of her youth whilst also illustrating the direction war and destruction is taking the world she lives in.

This is one of a few initial sketches of my character, influenced by the 'Child' Archetype.

Moodboard

After looking through the photo's I gathered at the Museum visits I began to create a mood board with initial ideas relating to my Character and Setting. This is a compilation of both my own photos and some found on the internet (such as the lily pads).

I really like the idea of a 'futuristic pond' being somehow involved with my character - through the setting mainly, - so there is a rough idea sketched on this moodboard to show my line of thinking with it - as it was inspired by the photo's of the lightings. There are also a few texture photos, and images in general to get the feel of what my character will be exposed to. - Such things as futuristic/electronic aspects - warning lights etc, as well as destruction (such as the crack in the pillar)