DD1101 - sculpture

It took a long time to settle on what this sculpture should be. I had dozens of rough concepts of pre-existing characters and new bizarre-looking monsters, but nothing realy inspired me.

The Japanese freeware game Yume Nikki has always been a wild inspiration to me, so I looked up this character sheet from the fanmade wiki for ideas. Number 35 on this list, the Henkei Shita, really called out to me. Other candidates were the Pirori (number 21), and the first train passenger (number 56).

Here's an isolated image:



The henkei shita (meaning 'deformed') is generally perceived to be a headless, pregnant female. Due to the horrific and violent imagery there, fans (myself included) feel this symbolises a fear of pregnancy within the female protagonist. People believe this could conclude she is terrifed of her own sex and wishes to change it, but the process and the male sex or gender terrify her, so this puts her in such immense emotional turmoil she doesn't know what to do. That's more or less my interpretation of the game.

They are found on a path connecting the Eyeball World to Hell. In Hell, a red version which bleeds yellow, with yellowed teeth and a yellow eye can be found.

In a way, this monster feels personal to me, too.






Unfortunately, this hasn't been painted yet. As of typing this, it's not fully dry, so I can't do much with it. When I do paint it, it will either be the first or last design in that above screenshot.

DD1101 - silhouette character 02

Full version HERE!

The second character for the silhouette assignment!

This one's a total redesign of an old character, Nayamou! He/she/it/they (maybe just she? She looks like a transwoman, a little bit) has a very iteresting body, I think! A big ol' demon chimera dragon thing! Her skull is painted with various, generally random designs.

She's a major personal character of mine, even an alias I've used for a long time. A demon counterpart to Daryl.

DD1101 - silhouette character 01

Full version HERE!

So here's the first finished character for the silhouette assignment! I like this character... I think I'll name him Trent. He's possibly a hunter or a taxidermist, or both. He's probably a recluse, and revels in his androdyny. He probably doesn't like gender-specific pronouns in public. Who knows!

This was a really fun character to design, as he's largely outside of my comfort zone in terms of character design! He's growing on me!

DD1101 - silhouette batch

Here's a batch of silhouettes I cooked up for the main assignment! The assignment was to generate two silhouettes and devise two finalised characters from that, but I had too much fun coming up with all of these that I lost track of everything.

I ended up settling for the first and last ones.

Thw top row are all pre-existing characters--the demon chimera Nayamou, the demon lady STRAY (loosely inspired by the Pokemon Froslass), and former motocross enthusiast Leon Greene.

DD1101 - silhouette practice

First attempt with generating a character from a silhouette.

The left silhouete, with a triangle base, is a rough concept for an alien species based on the race known as Forever from the musical project Ayreon.

The left, with a circle base, is my character Houston again!

DD1000 - essay plan

This is very rough!

The Art Deco Design Movement--Essay Plan

Reasons For Choice
I have chosen Art Deco as the subject for my essay as I find a genuine attraction to the style. Art Deco is exceptionally elegant and ornate, with a strong sense of optimism and prosperity. This is probably because of the eras in which Art Deco crops up are always the most prosperous.

Beginning Stages and Key Figures
The movement began in Paris in the 1920’s. It reached international fame from 1930 to 1939, at the dawn of World War 2, where it then promptly fell apart.

It was founded by a group of French artists who referred to themselves as ‘the Society of Decorator Artists’. This group included Hector Guimard, Eugene Grasset, Rauol Lachenal, and Paul Bellot, who were the greatest influence on the principles of Art Deco. Their purpose was to demonstrate French decorative arts and how they would evolve.

Art Deco was not named as such until 1968.

Influences on the Movement
It was created as an extension of Art Nouveau, so that was the most crucial influence on the entire Art Deco movement.

Mathematical and geometric shapes also inspired the forms of figures in drawings, and the forms of buildings in architecture, something key in giving Art Deco such an iconic appearance. That also helps in making the art elegant, stylish, and modern: the core intention of the movement.

Many different cultures and civilisations were also inspirational of the movement, too, such as ancient Egypt, Babylon, Aztec Mexico, and African art. When Art Deco first raised its head, archaeology was fast becoming a popular pastime for the rich, and many of these new discoveries in themselves became a symbol of wealth, which, too, was the core of Art Deco.

Themes of the Movement
It was ornamental and modern with the intention of showing off wealth, especially post-War during the 1920s. No politics were involved within the movement as it was entirely a means of personal pride. The wealthier countries became, the more the themes of Art Deco crop up.

Commonly Used Materials
All materials used within Art Deco pieces are now strongly associated with wealth, and stylish elegance. These materials included animal hide, ebony, ivory, chrome, lacquer, stainless steel, inlaid wood, and aluminium.

Design Attributes
Art Deco often made use of many iconic shapes and motifs. These included steeped forms, geometric curves, chevron patterns, fountains, sunrise motifs, iconic ‘Broadway’ font.

Notable Works and Structures
Golden Gate Bridge, the Chrysler Building, Midland Hotel, old theatres, US railways (look up more)

End of the Movement
The initial surge of the movement ended at the dawn of the Second World War, due to many countries losing the wealth that formed Art Deco’s ethos.
There were resurgences in the 60’s and 80’s when there actually were booms of wealth.

Conclusion
Talk about how Art Deco has greatly influenced the art and design of today.

DD1000 - art deco

Art Deco began in Paris during the 1920’s, although it only saw international fame between 1932 and the dawn of the Second World War in 1939. It is a movement very strongly associated with wealth, and so sees resurgences in areas experiencing prosperity--such as, for example, Europe during the lull between the World Wars, where Art Deco began.

It was founded by a group of French artists (including Hector Guimard and Eugene Grasset) who referred to themselves as the ‘Society of Decorator Artists’. They aimed to demonstrate the French decorative arts internationally, and how they would evolve therein. Unsurprisingly, the ornate nature of Art Deco was an extension of Art Nouveau.

However, the term ‘Art Deco’ had not been coined until 1968, by historians.

It was largely inspired by mathematical and geometric shapes, which is a thing very much obvious through a mere glance at their architecture. Achieving a kind of stylish, modern elegance was extremely important for them. Another major inspiration came from history. The art and architecture of ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, Aztec Mexico and Babylon, especially, were an influence. This was due to, at the period in which Art Deco emerged, the world was in the midst of ground-breaking archaeological discoveries. It became fashionable in and of itself to excavate these ancient locations, which coincided brilliantly with the notion of Art Deco revolving around individuals showing off their wealth.

Art Deco was always ornamental. Politics was never involved in any pieces created in the movement, seeing as it centred on personal pride, rather than making statements to change the world. It needed to be modern and, if anything, push the world away from the past and misery, to move into an era of prosperity. This became more prevalent whenever countries grew wealthy post-war, and people were more inclined to showcase their prized possessions and earnings.

A whole host of different materials were incorporated in Art Deco pieces. These included aluminium, lacquer, chrome, stainless steel, ivory, ebony and animal hide: mostly expensive items, now generally considered iconic of the rich, entirely due to this movement. This is very much obvious in film noir, in which many middle-class and rich individuals were seen sporting animal hides or fur, as well as ivory. This is a mentality and association we still have today.

Common motifs in Art Deco included steeped shapes, along with geometric curves, with chevron patterns and ziggurat shapes. Fountains and sunburst designs were also very common.

However, as Art Deco became popular and mainstream and mass-produced, it was derided as gaudy and considered cheap by many. That mind-set was often why the movement would die out.

DD1101 - painting practices

Practicing with a couple of painting styles! The upper image is a method I always wanted to practice, and the lower ball one I already use almost always!

Very fun to do, and I am very pleased with the result! They both need work, though!

DD1101 - black and white character lineart (fixed)

...and here is the fixed version of this! I am very, very pleased with how this came out. The stance is more natural now, and it actually is detailed enough this time, especially with the boots. Much better than them being vague shapes!

DD1101 - black and white character lineart

A digitally-inked version of this!

I was given some great feedback on this, and I was informed of everything that was off about it--the right arm, the left knee, and the not-so-detailed boots.I am currently fixing these things as I type this, so I thought to upload this for the sake of documenting this!

DD1000 - symbolism mood board

Entirely featuring art from Gustav Klimt and Odilon Redon. I adore the figures and paint quality of these two artists a whole lot!

Full version is here!

XB1000 - game overview

As everything else is finished, here is the overview!




GAME OVERVIEW
There’s been a murder! The police are on the scene, and have their eye on a few suspicious-acting witnesses who were first to discover the body. The air in the apartment is odd, like something is amiss. It comes to light that something has been stolen. One of them must be responsible! It’s up to the lead investigator to track down the culprit, and then the others must cover their tracks.

PREMISE
Crime is fascinating, whether it’s fictional or real. The more unusual a crime is, the more people pay attention. This game was created as a means to generate a unique, strange scenario for players which would be different every time they play.

Another goal was to see what a player could infer in a situation. If the crime scene was immaculate, the victim was killed with a sword, but the stomach had been stolen, what would that image paint to the player? How about a scene of unusual cultish activity, but the victim had been gassed with pesticide, and a mobile phone taken? What would that say? The motive should be up to the players themselves and, hopefully, discussed between them.

What better way to accomplish these than to make it a (slightly out-of-the-ordinary) roleplaying game?

PLAY ORDER/GAMEPLAY
The play order was chosen entirely from a logical standpoint if it was a real crime scene. Logically, an older person would be more level-headed and intelligent to cover their tracks or look for evidence. Somebody younger may be a little sloppy and careless, or at the very least, nervous and hesitant.

Again, this is because it is a roleplaying game, and approached logically.

The player count is also ten because the idea of a large group of people playing suits the idea of playing a game perfectly. They should be social. Additional to that, a big part of this game would hopefully be the differing interpretations of a scenario. That psychology is also fascinating.

Event cards are also intended to mimic potential real-life situations. Stress affects the best of us, and for that to trigger an argument with someone would not be too far out of the question. The same applies to somebody becoming clumsy as the night draws on, dropping an item or accidentally revealing crucial information regarding the case. That has very likely potential to happen.

SCENES
Each of the scenes were chosen to attempt to capture as many different uncommon conditions a crime scene may appear in; from a messy and bloody cult, to something all too clean and pristine. Variety is always wonderful, and the more bizarre and startling a crime is, the more interesting.

LOCATIONS
There are a wide range of locations that can be plucked at random. Some of these were inspired by various games in the Silent Hill franchise--such as the hospital, the amusement park, and the locked apartment. The art gallery, the diner, old mill, and theatre were all inspired by many of the locations in Deadly Premonition, as that game in itself is a cryptic murder mystery, and otherwise a large inspiration on this game and everything I work on.

There is not much real-world significance to any of these locations, however most (if not all) of them would not be surprising areas for a crime to occur.

WEAPONS
The chosen firearms were mostly rather inconspicuous, and depending on the scene or area, they would not seem entirely out of place. They were also inspired by weapons commonly found in the Silent Hill games. Since the original PlayStation Silent Hill game, there have been handguns, shotguns, and hunting rifles as weapons in almost every game. In the extra story in Silent Hill 2, Born from a Wish, a revolver was introduced and one of two weapons protagonist Maria could wield. Submachine guns became available in Silent Hill 3, and revolvers made a return in Silent Hill 4: The Room. Silent Hill: Origins featured two kinds of pistols, a revolver, a shotgun, and a hunting rifle. It also featured an assault rifle. Silent Hill Homecoming had two kinds of pistols, shotguns, and assault rifles.

In fact, quite a few weapons within this game were inspired by the series. Steel pipes are a series staple, there has not been a single game which has not featured a pipe. The same can be said for knives and cleavers. Hammers made an appearance in Silent Hill, Silent Hill: Origins, and Silent Hill Downpour. Swords (of sorts) occasionally crop up, too, such as the Great Knife in Silent Hill 2, the katana in Silent Hill, Silent Hill 3 and Silent Hill: Origins, and the Great Cleaver in Origins. A broken glass bottle was obtainable in Silent Hill 4, too, where baseball bats also appeared, the latter of which was also a bonus weapon in Downpour. Frying pans were also weapons in Downpour.

Technically, a pillow was a weapon at one point within the world of Silent Hill 2; protagonist James Sunderland smothered his terminally ill wife with one, which was the cause of his breakdown and journey to the town of Silent Hill.

Related to that, asphyxiation would be among the most uncomfortable methods, so that is why that was included. There is no direct motivation or inspiration for the weapon choices therein, though.

Hypnosis and mind control is a very unnerving thing. If genuine and successful, it is logical to assume one could command a person to kill themselves in one way or another; such was jumping out of a window or walking out in front of a vehicle. This would mean the culprit would not have to lay a finger on them.

Starvation--or other torture--would be excruciating. It also does beg questions (as everything included within the game hopefully would) as to the circumstances of this. Was the victim locked in their home alone? Were they monitored? Was it voluntary?

Pesticides too are a mostly hands-free way of killing a person, but there would a higher risk of collateral damage depending on the location and size of the area, due to the gas. The unusual nature of the method was the only reason it was included, to spice things up and include more unusual methods.

An overdose, too, would be rather inconspicuous. If the medicine would be the victim’s prescription, what would it have originally been there to treat?

Many of these weapons may be spontaneous, or some could be more premeditated. This was done to give the audience more fuel to generate their own interpretations of the scenario they are having a hand in generating.

STOLEN ITEMS
Some of the stolen items were included to be typical cliché objects to be burgled from a crime scene. For example, the antique jewellery and the identity information are more common things to be stolen. However, depending on a player’s interpretation, there could be a more sinister motive other than the identity theft or the theft of a priceless heirloom. Trophies may also be the same story.

Hunting trophies, however, would be more unusual. Parts of dead animals being hung up in a person’s home is an inherently creepy and unnerving thing. The 2010 Xbox 360 game Deadly Premonition was the immediate thought. Stuffed deer heads crop up fairly often, such as in the Sheriff’s office, as a lock to a secret room under a bar, and lining the walls of the supernatural Otherworld.

Stealing a photograph or any image, too, could be strange. Would the culprit covet something that the victim owned? Was it jealousy or rage? Could it be both? Again, there was no specific inspiration for anything included. It was merely the thought of a person compelled with envy and wrath toward one single individual and everything they own, how would they act on it? Were they a stalker?

Cult activity makes another appearance. All of the ‘symbols’ were taken as being cult symbols or artefacts, items so weird and out-of place, that it is curious as to why they were taken in the first place. Nothing awfully specific in the field of why these items were taken--except a book could be the group’s holy material, they may worship a statue, or they may light candles during their rituals.

Three of the stolen body parts have a rationale behind them. In old comparative religions, the heart, the liver, and the stomach were all considered gateways to the soul at one time or another. Certainly the heart was most common and still largely considered so today.

An eye being removed from the body had no prior real-world significance. It came from a character I own, a police officer who had her eye cut out while on the job. Eyes have significance in her story, as the man who attacked her belonged to a cult which revered eyes in a bizarre, obsessive fascination.

However, as it turns out, eyes are also a gateway to the soul.

The stolen lips were inspired largely by a scene from the 2005 Xbox 360 game, Condemned: Criminal Origins. As the player explores an old school, they find a pair of severed lips on the shelf of a blackboard, with the phrase ‘loose lips sink ships’ written above it. The victim found soon after is missing those very same lips, bundled into a locker, half-dead.

Most of these could have also been performed ante mortem. What would the player assume with all of this information?















REFERENCES

7 Murder Weapons That Will Challenge the Cleverest Sleuth(2010), retrieved October 16, 2012
http://nancycurteman.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/7-murder-weapons-that-will-challenge-the-cleverest-sleuth/

The Third Chakra (2012), retrieved October 16, 2012
http://www.multidimensions.com/Unconscious/uncon_thoughts_3chakra.html

Condemned: Criminal Origins [video game], Xbox 360 (2005)

Silent Hill [video game], PlayStation (1999)

Silent Hill 2 [video game], PlayStation 2, Xbox (2001/2002)

Silent Hill 3 [video game], PlayStation 2, PC (2003)

Silent Hill 4: The Room [video game], PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC (2004)

Silent Hill: Origins [video game], PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2 (2007/2008)

Silent Hill: Homecoming [video game], PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC (2008/2009)

Silent Hill: Downpour [video game], PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 (2012)

Deadly Premonition [video game], Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 [Japan only] (2010)