Concept Art Collection

SKIN TEXTURE: FEATHERS

OWL SECURITY GUARD

CLOUD CUCKOO LAND BASE IDEA

Above are a collection of pieces of concept art I've been working on this morning. They cover three different areas of the world I'm creating: Realism and interpretation, character design and environment.
These ideas are all originally in my sketchbook, but I chose these three to take into Photoshop and experiment with further as I felt they had more potential.

Firstly, I've begun to consider my own interpretation as well as the mediums I could study for my areas of practice. So far I've mainly looked into maquettes and puppets for use in stop motion animation, with specific interest in Laika Studios. However, the idea previously suggested of a lab of prototypes using different materials and processes could be very beneficial and exciting to undertake, as well as avoiding the risk of accidentally pigeon-holding myself into one category. This illustration was based on a rough sketch I did when thinking about how the characters of Pisthetairus and Euelpides would grow feathers once they eat the root that grants them wings. I came the conclusion that it would be a more realistic interpretation and a definite stylistic choice to have the mens arms turn into wings instead of having then sprout angelically from their backs. This could not only add to a potential gothic aesthetic, but also perhaps show a young audience that in order to gain something, you have to work for it or make a fair excahnge? This is a moral I'll be working more on, as so far I don't feel that 'The Birds' has much of a moral story behind it.
The drawing itself depicts the dark navy feather sprouting out of the skin; something I could later on turn into maybe a piece of costume, like a glove, or several prosthetic pieces!

Secondly, the Owl Security guard was a small doodle I did when thinking about the different properties of the birds mentioned in the texts. I already have a fascination with Owls, and was regarding the way they're able to turn their heads almost 360 degrees. This trait they have reminded me of security cameras, and putting the two together I sketched out the Owl Security Guard:

His nocturnal eyes perfectly suited to dark environments, they watch from the doorways and corners of nightclubs, not missing a single trick or drunken antic. Their heads swivel slowly at first, silently scanning the floors of dancing birds, then a sharp turning their heads back to front at any loud noise or sudden movement. No one would dare try anything under their watch.

Thirdly, is my base idea for the city so far. I'm really pleased with this piece as an illustration, but definitely need to work on a stronger concept. As the city is built in a matter of days, there would be no time for grass to grow, and I would also like it to appear more home made or have attributes that help the viewer believe it was built by birds. Maybe have buildings stacked one on top of the other, or look like the city itself has grown from the inside, then been constantly built upon. Looking into architecture could help this too.

Overall I'm very happy with these pieces and can begin to see an improvement in my work, especially when it comes to technique, which I'm pleased with. My next stages will be:
- Begin to research processes and methods I can prototype and begin basic making ideas.
- Focus on specific characters to create specific designs for.
- Research architectures and create a strong concept for the environment for the city itself.

Island Concepts: Photoshop Brush Experimentation

Taking a few of the rough sketches I drew out of the island as a whole from my sketchbook, I've practiced using a few different methods and warm ups in Photoshop. I was inspired to try this more often after being pleased with how the look of my bird priest concept character turned out.

From comparing these three thumbnail drawings, I think that image 2 has the most detail, realism and tone to it. However, this also took the longest to draw out by quite a substantial amount of time.

1 looks the most cartoon like, but this could also be down to use of colour; for drawings 2 and 3, I changed the palette for a much more muted tones.

Ultimately, I think the method used in image 1 gets the concept/ colours and shapes across the fastest, so could be suitable for quick drawings or storyboards. 2 has the most detail so could be used for more in detail concept art of characters, objects or specific places maybe. 3 has a really interesting texture to it, so could be used for feathers, stone, grass, plants etc.

Further Character Concepts

Based on the quote "A Fox is subtlety itself", I designed a loose concept for the character of Zeus's nemesis and infiltrator of the birds city; Prometheus. He sneaks in to inform Pisthetairus of the God's starving condition, hinting on how to dethrone Zeus. He enters the city in a disguise so as to go unnoticed by Zeus or the other Gods. Tying the quote about foxes being subtle and inconspicuous, I came up with this draft concept for Prometheus' disguise: A large hunch, a textured cloak adorned with dry leaves and weird curled shapes. The foxes mask ties back to the quote and is an anthropomorphic link to the animal symbolism I'm using. For this piece of concept art, I went back to the brush and lasso technique I'm familiar with, as I thought it would suit this image better than the previous methods practiced. However, I did experiment with creating the texture on the body section, as I didn't want it to just look like a flat, blank colour.  

What inspired this character was noticing that at one point in the script, religious ceremonies to worship both the birds and the two founding men are created by the birds; hence the idea of a priest character came to mind. This is however, is a concept with a lot of holes; I would need to consider what religious symbolism would actually be used, or what robes could be worn. What I drew was a quick doodle with these ideas in mind.
I based this character on a Gerfalcon, as they have quite a wise but stern look about them, which is how I remember priests to appear when I was younger. However, it still has a piercing eye and very stern demeanor which I like, and I think suits the role.

I used a new technique in Photoshop for this drawing after downloading a new set of brushes. The lasso tool wasn't used at all! Which is a very big step from the usual techniques I've been using. Instead I selected a few different brush styles that gave really interesting textures and look a lot more organic than the lasso technique style. This method was a little more time consuming, (hence why I only did the main body and head) but I'm actually really happy with how it came out! It looks a lot more realistic this way, with the opportunity to add in a lot of different kinds of details, e.g. the dappled grey plumage and highlights around the eyes and beak. 

Material Research: Mister Finch

MISTER FINCH

Mister Finch is a textile artist and soft-sculptor who I've followed on social media and had an admiration for, for quite some time. His materials usually consist of very simple things like calico, wire, simple fabric dyes etc. but he manages to warp and sculpt these materials into a plethora of woodland creatures and animals of his own hybrid creations. He always uses recycled fabrics not only as an ethical statement but also because he believes they have more authenticity and charm than that of brand new materials. Just by looking at a collection of images of his work, I can't help but feel that he's created a whole new fantastical world. through both the animals and plants alike; every piece looks so cohesive with the next.
Having no formal training in what he does, Mister Finch is pretty much a self taught artist, motivated by his passion for making things teamed with a fascination in British folklore as well as the beautiful life cycles of birds, flowers and insects.
There is a definite anthropomorphic feature within his work, tying back to one of my own main topics in my project:

"Humanizing animals with shoes and clothes is something I’ve always done and I imagine them to come alive at night. Getting dressed and helping an elderly shoemaker or the tired housewife." 

This links directly with the humanoid themes I'm looking at within my own work; making animals more relatable to viewers and more appealing to a younger audience too.
Overall, Mister Finch has created a fabric forest that surrounds him and had become his reality every day. I love the faded, worn and almost vintage aesthetic to his work; every piece has a certain charm and character about it, and knowing that the fabrics he uses are incredibly simple just makes it all the more impressive.

Below I've put together a visual inspiration map specifically of his bird pieces, relating to the animals I'm focusing on for my own assignment; Above is a collection I assembled of some of my favourite pieces of his work.

The feet especially really interest me; they seem to be wired shapes with the cloth or thread wrapped very tightly around them. Another thing I'm amazed at is the anatomy of the creatures; the scale (1:1) and shapes of the animals is so realistic! His work honestly inspires me so much; The whole world he's created out of recycled pieces that he finds in pawn shops and the fabrics he uses make the animals seem so real and alive.

I found a small tutorial Mister Finch posted on how he goes about creating one of his bulb pieces. It's really interesting to see the kind of methods he uses, and I could perhaps try out this small tutorial to get a feel for the way he works?

Messenger Bird: Photoshop Experimentation

This was the second messenger bird I drew; this time I wanted to experiment with using Photoshop differently to what I'm used to, so went for a patchwork watercolour look. The brush was a lot of fun to use, (the actual texture of the brush can be seen in the dark blue line across the cream background rectangle.) I had to figure out a lot of issues that arose with the layers, making sure that they were blended enough to be able to see the pencil drawing underneath.

Overall I like the watercolour brush, but I definitely need practice in this area, to make it look more realistic. Right now I think it actually looks a little messy, so looking up a few tutorials may be beneficial.

Messenger Bird Concept

As there was a recurring theme of a messenger announcing key plot points throughout 'The Birds' I began considering what these messengers could look like and sketched out the idea of a postal/ delivery/ messenger bird. These could be a flock of small hummingbird type characters that flit around, and due the their speed, size and number, are able to quickly pass on information throughout the entire city very easily.

I firstly drew this out in my sketchbook, then took it over to Photoshop to colour it. I used my usual method of the 'brush' and 'lassoo' tool to get defined edges and crisp lines. However, from looking at other artists styles I'd like to branch out and experiment a little more with how I use Photoshop. For this image I used a new brush for the wings to try and make them look a little more feathered. I'm not sure this was too successful, but I learnt a lot more about the program by just using the tools a little differently and trying something new.

Aesthetics: Grimes

So far the two pieces of initial concept art I've done have been in my own style of drawing as well as the way I use Photoshop. I hope to soon move onto to experimenting with knowledge I've gained from looking into new artists and try out some new styles that could lend themselves to progressing the style of 'The Birds' project.

GRIMES

Grimes is an alternative singer and artist, but for this piece of research I'll only be focusing on her drawn artwork.
With an art style that looks like japanese cartoon crossed with realistic ink and paint mediums, Grimes aesthetic is truly unique. Often finding beauty in characters that could otherwise be deemed quite freaky, I love how every detail down to the proportions and animals chosen are slightly obscure or warped.
The mediums used I believe is probably a software such as Photoshop, but the digital brushes are very select in mimicking brush strokes, ink pens, or even black marker (middle image) which I really like! This method of digital painting is hardly new, but the cartoon-like style gives a new look to traditional looking mediums.
The colour schemes are also a feature I really like; Often sticking to pastel shades or a plain black and white theme, all with quite heavy contrasts throughout the piece.
Grimes work inspires me to experiment with the unexpected, create monsters from animals, test out weird proportions and perhaps even incorporate different cultures and languages into the designs too!

Owl Concept 2; Initial Doodling

Second owl idea. I didn't draw the entire figure this time as wanted to concentrate more on the facial expression and putting a little more detail into the costume. I like the concept of the owl librarian, as it could include a dusty and dark environment for the nocturnal creature to dwell in. The connection with books also connotes to the Greek god of wisdom; Athena, whose symbol was of an owl. 

Owl Concept 1; Initial Doodling

After beginning to research aesthetics and character design within animation, stop motion and music videos I decided to begin doodling out a few characters of my own. I began with owls, as they one of my favourite kind of bird mentioned within the text. This concept has no real solid research behind it, and started as a sketch from my head of the kind of character I'd like to develop. Obviously this design is quite humanoid; wearing human clothes, with elongated proportions, but I think she's quite a cute character.

I'm happy with this as an initial design, but later on I would definitely want the design to reflect the text more. This was basically a warm up concept to gather an idea I thought was quite fun, as well as get back into the swing of Photoshop.
As this is centrally a design and prototyping project, getting back into practicing concept art should be one of my goals for the research and development part of this assignment.

On reflection I should also change the document size next time, so as to avoid the image coming out as pixely before I start drawing!

Aesthetics: Gorillaz

Continuing my research into what makes an iconic and memorable aesthetic, I decided to look into the official art of one of my favourite bands 'Gorillaz', the original character concepts and art drawn and created by Jamie Hewlett. 

GORILLAZ

When studying Tim Burton, it was clear that his art style and character designs held jokes or references within themselves that conveyed humor aimed more at adults, e.g. knives sticking out of eyeballs, bones showing through skin in 'The Corpse Bride' or maggots being best friends with corpses. It was the kind of humor that children find darkly hilarious and their parents can also find disturbingly funny, which I would love to also be able to convey. I feel that this double layered humor appropriate for children and adults alike would really suit the comedy of the traditional Greek play 'The Birds'.

While Burton's work created humor out of the imagery shown, the Gorillaz truly hold a much grungier and messy aesthetic, signature to the sound they create. Extremely alternative and unique in both their style and music, the Gorillaz also have an on going story line that follows them and progresses from album to album, with certain songs hinting at the mystery of whats really happening in their fictional lives.

The aspect of the characters that I really enjoy is the fact that each persona has a very deep and well developed back story, making their narratives all the more believable. The heavy stylised features also appeal to my personal taste greatly, e.g. giant hollowed out eyes, uneven and golden teeth, a very peculiar and punky fashion sense between the characters, and also the fact that with every album release we see the characters age up little by little, again adding to the reality of the designs. The Gorillaz aren't afraid to be grimy in both appearance and in sound. A few animations have also been created as side projects to the band, where the characters use explicit language; the visual aspects can sometimes be questionable also. In terms of my project, these traits are obviously not suitable for a younger audience, but the colour palettes and stylised art style will definitely be something I take into account.

The image to the bottom right caught my attention especially, as it ties directly to the kind of masks and designs I've been looking into previously, and reminds me that this imagery of the beak has been constantly recurring throughout my project research. 
I recently gave a presentation in which this concept of the recurring beak image was also considered, and the idea of creating a lab of prototypes for different mediums was discussed. This would mean avoiding pigeon holing myself into one category of making, and instead experimenting with several different areas of practise. This is definitely an option I'm considering at this point in the project. I've already done a lot of research into the industry of stop motion, but this is still an area I can dip into and a method of practise that interests me greatly, but at this moment within the project I'm keeping all options open.

Storyboarding continued.

A (rough) breakdown of my post-it note storyboard; I've started to organise it into acts and scenes as it makes a lot more sense seeing it written like this and allows me to see the structure a lot better.

Scene 1

Opening title pans down over the scene of the desert that Pisthetaerus and Euelpides find themselves walking through. They are led by two caged birds, a jackdaw and a crow, that are restlessly hopping in the rickety cages they're housed in, perched atop a leaning tower of luggage that Euelpides is trugging along behind him in a wooden wheelbarrow. 

The two friends chat amongst themselves, setting the scene up for the viewer; How long they've been in the desert (about four days), whether they should have trusted the merchant who sold them the birds acting as compasses, leading them to someone who can help them in their goal of a better life.  Using the main characters as mouth pieces, talking about their own pasts the basic story can be set up.

The scene ends with them setting up camp, making a fire, setting the birds down next to them, and discussing their hopes and dreams for the future. This lets us see more of their own personalities, their goals, their motivations, how comfortable they are around each other hinting what their relationship is and how long they've known each other.  

Scene 2

Begins with a sandstorm; I feel that a scene of them getting up and getting ready for their days journey could be unnecessary, unless humor could be conveyed in it somehow, e.g. commenting on how great the day is looking, then the next shot is of an awful storm. 

The birds are going crazy in their cages, the men realise they must seek shelter. They see a very small oasis; nothing but a lonely desert tree in some bush. There's nothing else for miles around, so they duck down behind this tree, putting their luggage on its side to hide behind too. After the storm passes, they hear a voice but can't see where it's coming from. They soon realise it's being emitted by the tree itself, and they meet Trochilus, (slave birds to Epops).  At first he demands to know why humans are all the way out here, but soon they flatter him enough for him to fetch his master.

The men meet Epops, a scrawny molting bird, disappointing compared to the image that Tricholus was painting of him; Opportunity for a funny moment. 

The group of characters are introduced to one another and the goal of the men is discussed; A place to live where they can eat when they want, not have to do chores, not live under the rule of others. Epops suggests a few places, but none of his suggestions peak the mens interest. 

Pisthetaerus comes up with an idea of founding a new city with his new found friends, where they can make up their own rules. The group decides this is a good idea.

Epops calls for the other birds, and soon the sky is filled with a flurry of colours and different bird calls. They spiral down together, landing in the branches of the tree beside Epops.  At first the other birds are outraged as to why there are humans allowed to live in their midst and threaten to kill them, but Epops, the king of the birds, convinces them to give the men a fair trial and hear them out. Pisthetairus uses his incredible gift of the gab to flatter the chorus of birds, convincing them that they're more ancient and superior to both the Gods and mortals. He tells intricate lies and draws from myth to spin an elaborate history and fictional relationship with the Gods to convince and praise the birds.

Scene 3

After being so convinced by Pisthetairus's lies and compliments, the ego-inflated birds approach Zeus himself to inform him of their negotioations. Their city will be built between the heavens and earth itself; the perfect place to control mankind as well as the immortal Gods by controlling the trafficking of sacrificial smoke sent to the heavens by humans, thus starving the Gods. They talk to Zeus, saying if he does not surrender then they will stop his access to the human world. Equally, if mankind doesn't sacrifice to the birds instead of the Gods, then they will destroy their crops, but if they do then they will assist them by maintaining the insect pests that eat the harvest.   

While the chorus of birds are doing this, the Pisthetairus and Eulepides speak with Epops back at his house within the tree. They discuss how the men will become a part of the city of birds if they cannot fly. Epops directs them to a certain root that grants them wings. (There's a lot of potential for very cool scenery here; a forest, a secret cave, Where is the root? What does the root look like? Etc. The wing growing scene also has a lot of potential for something really creative. I should also take into account what the wings look like; typical bird wings or something more hybrid between humans and birds? Or should they look more like sails maybe?) 

Scene 4

 The city begins to get built. Different birds could have different jobs, e.g. Woodpeckers are carpenters, the owls are librarians and gardeners, ravens are postmen, halcyon's are fishermen, (A lot of capacity for character designs here!) 

Along with the physical city being built, the community and society also begins to take shape. Religious ceremonies made to honor the birds are written (I like the idea of a priest design for one of the birds; look into what kind of religion was prominent in the context of the play itself, e.g. when it was written. What kind of robes would they wear?)

After a montage of the city being built, a messenger announces its completion, and a party is thrown to celebrate. The birds all have a great time, and theres food and drinks and we see the birds accept the men as part of their society. 

 Scene 5

The following morning a second messenger announces that while the birds were distracted by their grand party, the goddess Iris has infiltrated their new city after being sent by Zeus to see why their not receiving the sacrificial smoke signals. After questioning her and locking her in cage for  a while, Iris is allowed to fly back home to her father Zeus, and complains about her treatment there (although I don't think including the scene with Iris getting home and talking to Zeus would be necessary.) 

Scene 6

It starts becoming widely known that humans are desiring to join the city and become birds alongside Pisthetairus and Euelpides. A herald from the humans arrives and announces this, before be hastily removed by Pisthetairus (could have a funny moment where the herald gets kicked off the side of the floating city/ slapstick comedy. The idea that humans will pander to whomsoever holds the most power is also discussable here, as  previously the humans worshipped the Gods, but as soon as a higher power holds command then that is who they pray too.) 

However, a third messenger spreads the word that unwelcome people are trying to get into the city. Here, as a new place founded on the ideals of having no rules or government over the two humans that created it, people believe that they have the freedom to do what they want here. For example, in the original script, a youth brings his father here on the premise that here, no laws would forbid him from beating him up. In my interpretation I should choose an example more suitable/ understandable for children, but still conveys the same message. Pisthetairus soon kicks out these humans though, for disrupting the peace. (Idea to do character designs for the messenger birds and maybe police birds?)

Scene 7

The chorus gathers together and speaks of the crimes and laws against their kind now in place in the city. These include catching, caging, stuffing, eating them. (Could be a place for a funny disney style song? Dark humor that appeals to both adults and children.) This setting could be in a courtroom? Or different locations depending on the lyrics of the song? 

While this is happening, the two men leave the courtroom while the birds song continues. As they walk away, the previously clear lyrics sounds more and more like chirping and bird calls. Walking away from the courtroom/ location of the scene (tbc), they're confronted with more humans climbing up the sides of the city using ladders they've made themselves. The following group of humans in the original script includes; a taxman, some traders, a poet, an inspector, a geometer, an oracle monger. Some of these make sense in my interpretation but I could change a few that make less sense in more modern times, e.g. change a geometer to an explorer or professor. These humans immediately begin trying to impose Athenian ways to the birds city, and yet again Pisthetairus rudely dispatches of them before they can make any changes to his personal haven from Athens.

Scene 8

A new figure is introduced; Zeus's nemesis Prometheus, who slides into the city unnoticed by disguising himself with a mask. His goal is to let Pisthetarius know that the Gods are planning something as they have started to starve due the lack of the sacrificial smoke that the Bird city is interrupting. However, he tell's him not to negotiate with Zeus until he promises to surrender his real source of power; his scepter and Basiliea, his maid. This information gets Pisthetairus thinking about Zeus plan, and worried for his beloved city. He confides in Euelpides, and they both await the arrival of the Gods with anxiety.

Scene 9

Soon the Delegation of Zeus arrives made up of three Gods; Zeus' brother, Poseidon, the incredibly dimwitted  Heracles and the even more stupid Triballiaus. They come to represent Zeus and wish to negotiate with the birds, so they don't have to starve any more. 

Pisthetairus, being a smart man, immediately sizes up these Gods, and chooses his first target. He easily outwits Heracles with promises of the leftovers from the grand banquet the birds had when the city had first been completed. Using Heracles as a much taller and stronger mouthpiece, Triballiaus is bullied into submission. Lastly, with Heracles and Triballiaus as two votes against one, Poseidon has no choice but to agree with his fellow compainions, and Pisthetairus' terms are accepted.   

Scene 10

As Pisthetairus' terms have been accepted, he is proclaimed King of the Gods and presented the scepter and Basiliea. The whole film ends with a gathering to the wedding of Pisthetairus and Basiliea.

Though this is the basic plot, I would like to put more thought into the specific locations of each scene, as this whole project is very narrative based and I feel that having a better visual idea of the scenery will help to progress the story as as whole. This is a challenge for me in itself as writing a strong narrative isn't something I'm well versed in, but would like to get better at.

I should also take this written structure and translate it into a drawn storyboard, conveying my transposal fully. This will also be done through the character design and development, as well as the progression of the design of the world surrounding the characters and narrative together.

 

  

Anthropomorphism.

"The attribution of human like characteristics or behaviors to objects, animals, plants and non-human entities."

Some notable examples of this can be seen in Dr Seuss's work, Winnie the Pooh, Spongebob Squarepants, Finding Nemo, Alice in Wonderland, Looney Tunes, Mickey Mouse, Peter Rabbit etc.

One thing that all of these examples have in common is the fact that these designs and use of anthropomorphism are all centered around media for a younger audience. This is probably because different characteristics or traits can be associated with animals easier than they can with different humans. For example, a child can perhaps associate a fox with being sly and cunning faster than understanding a human having those qualities. As humans are less easily distinguishable from being good or bad at face value, many cartoons have instead linked these qualities to a more recognisable animal instead.

For the same reasoning, different shapes can be used in character design to create a sharper more evil figure, or a rounded friendly personality at a first glance.

Following this concept gave me the idea of possibly transposing 'The Birds' into a show that could be suitable for at least more understandable to a younger audience. Seeing as the play already has the potential for a lot of anthropomorphic characters, the designs could be a lot of fun to design and create. I would also have to look into what different body/ face shapes convey at first glance, as well as what colour palettes could be used for different kinds of characters, and what that says about them.

Transposing the play instead from a different time line to a different audience will be a challenge and I will be looking deeply into the narrative in order to translate this into something child friendly and easily understandable. However, as a very old comedic piece of Greek writing, this could prove difficult, but not impossible! To assist me in this, I could look into examples of literature that have been adapted into children's shows/ films/ books already, noting the attributes that make it suitable for children, e.g. colours, shapes, what kind of language used, what kind of humor etc.
I quite like this concept already as it's steering clear of the gothic, skeletal sterotypical idea that came to me when starting this project: I feel that this idea is a much more unique take on 'The Birds'.

Currently, this is just one concept that I've naturally arrived at through research and considering the kind of things I'd like to design and make. My next step will be further research into this to decide whether or not this is achievable within this project as well as tutorials to confirm ideas.

Storyboarding.

To begin getting together the basic narrative for my interpretation of 'The Birds', I've written out essential plot points on post it notes. This way I can re-organise, add in, and adjust the order very freely, and its a really good method for making sure one scene goes smoothly from the other. By ordering it like this, I can check there are no plot holes or story lines left untied.

From this point, I will probably go on to consider my own themes of interpretations and begin applying that to the original Greek story line that I have followed here.

Aesthetics: Tim Burton.

Throughout the research I've compiled so far I've realised that having a strong aesthetic style is one of the key aspects to creating memorable and unique characters and worlds. To experiment with this theory, I've looked into a few artists; illustrators, animators or directors alike. I based my artist choices on those I believe have very strong aesthetic styles, and personal past time favourite pieces of work. 

TIM BURTON

Director and artist Tim Burton is renowned for having a very strong style that is translated between his gothic films. The aesthetic is transferable between both his animated films as well as the live action pieces, from the signature twisted and curled trees, to the wide eyed pale characters. Ranging from his first stop motion film, Vincent (1982) to his more recent films, e.g. Frankenweenie (2012), similarities in his artistic design with both the surrounding world and characters remain evident. These include pale skin and dark hair, large eyes, and often a strange and creative talent within the characters, like an obsession in science or music. Although it could be argued that there is a lack of diversity for an aesthetic that's so specific and associated with one director, I feel that it instead of becoming mundane, it becomes a brand, making the entire style a signature stamp of the director. In order to combat the prospect of becoming too repetitive, the style can definitely be seen to have evolved through the improved used of technology over time. The sets, characters and processes used to create the films visibly improve, meaning that with each production the quality of footage and animation improves.
Overall, the character design is timeless and recognisable as a signature thumb print of Burton's work. His style has become a classic amongst that of the modern gothic genre, with such renowned titles as 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1994), and  The Corpse Bride' (2005).

The Making of: Kubo and the Two Strings.

On researching Laika (both for fun and for this project) I came across this video that held a lot of insight into the company itself; the passions and ethics they hold, and the way departments work together to create a film as advanced and beautiful as this. The processes used to create the sets and puppets are also mentioned which, as my area of study, really fascinate me, and it's amazing to see the level they push their own boundaries.

What I particularly found interesting was the fact that they stated that before post production even begins, the characterizations and the world that they will create take  years to formulate and think out in enough detail. They incorporate aspects of their own lives and experiences into the film to give it more depth that the audience can relate with, giving a wholly human feel. As a project that focuses a lot on design, knowing that industry standard includes literal years of complex design is really interesting. 

Roles in Industry

Character Fabricator roles in the Stop Motion Industry

Sculptors

Head of Mold Making

Mold Makers

Head of Armature

Hand Fabricators

Head Casting 

Casters

Costume Fabricators 

Head of Hair and Fur Fabrication

Head of Painting

Texture Painters

It's useful to know these kind of roles to better understand the kind of industry I'd like to one day get into: what kind of jobs are available and what those roles entail etc.

Laika Studios: Industry Inspiration

Laika is arguably one of the most famous companies in the world of modern stop motion animation, rivaling even the likes of Ardman in terms of technology and aesthetics. 

With every film that they produce, the standards are raised for both the industry and for themselves, aiming to use more and more cutting edge technology with every new project. The methods of their production range from using Computer Graphics, puppetry, stop motion animation techniques and real life filmed footage, as well as a combination of all of these, meaning new looks and practices are constantly evolving and being invented. It's this innovative approach to the production of their films as well as how efficient they are in not only keeping up with the technological  advances, but even pushing the most modern techniques to create new effects that makes me really admire Laika.  

Some of their most recognised titles include Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls and the newly released Kubo and the Two Strings. Each film have a very unique and thought out aesthetic, but are tied together with the signature style of stop motion animation films by Laika; A slight choppyness in the movement of the puppets dialogue, creating a very artistic and unique fashion to the way they talk, acting as a casual reminder that each frame and movement has been painstakingly arranged and animated. Continuous themes throughout Laika's films often include a great sense of humor, resulting in characters filled with life and personalities of their own.
Having the cartoon-like aesthetics that they do, Laika films are naturally aimed at a younger age range, but another aspect of their ambitions I particularly appreciate is the fact that they often cover issues sometimes hard to talk about, or could be confusing towards a younger audience. This, although having the potential to be borderline controversial actually promotes a better awareness for the issues that are mentioned, e.g. Kubo and the Two Strings touches on the subject of mental health and young carers regarding character of Kubos mother at the beginning of film. She sits practically lifeless in the front of their home, it's made clear that Kubo takes care for his mother entirely, cooking, feeding, putting her to bed, with not her so much as uttering a word at first. She seem's to have nightmares and flashbacks, and her memory is extremely patchy, not remembering that her own son had lost his left eye years previously. To analyse this, PTSD or definitely some kind of trauma could be being implied, and for someone who might find themselves in the position of being a young carer, I feel that this film and representation could potentially mean a lot to them. 

The love and passion that Laika put into the whole production of their films really inspire me, from creating entirely unique and (in all ways) three dimensional characters, to the messages that lie beneath the beautiful created sets and styles. 

ParaNorman Movie Review

PARANORMAN: DIRECTED BY SAM FELL AND CHRIS BUTLER. 

LAIKA STUDIOS. 

ParaNorman tells the story of a young boy with the unique gift of being able to communicate with spirits that remain in our world after their mortal deaths. The film begins displaying a typical family scenario, with Norman being the younger brother of his family, introducing his mother and father, and teen sister. His dead grandmother also sits in the room, chatting with Norman, and it's obvious that his family cannot see what he does, telling him to stop talking to himself, or reassuring themselves that it's all part of the grieving process of losing a grandparent he was particularly close with. 

It's made clear that because of his gift, Norman is the kind of kid that prefers his own company, possibly due to the amount of bullying he's subject to at school. One bully in particular is the overweight gothy character of Alvin, who delights in scrawling words such as 'Freak' across Norman's locker. 

The misunderstandings from his family and constant bullying at school make Norman a very independent character, not liking to ask others for help, and doesn't let his guard down easily with new people. The whole film displays a really deep sense of character development, both as solo figures as well as the relationships forged throughout. For example, the only friend Norman gains towards the beginning of the film is the only other kid at his school that gets picked on as much as he does, with the nickname 'Fatty' graffitied onto his locker door by the before-mentioned school bully. He describes that he understands why it is he gets picked on, and that it's a simple theory of 'survival of the thickest', explaining that if he wasn't short, ginger, chubby and at the mercy of almost every allergy imaginable, there would be every possibility that he'd be a bully too. The relationship between the two boys progresses when Neil asks Norman to talk to his dead dog; they end up laughing and letting each other know more and more about one another gradually. This kind of progression is really admirable, as it means that as viewers we can see their friendship grow, rather than trying to appreciate a preconceived relationship. Overall, the character development is really impressive, and Laika have lived up the reputation they hold of making these characters feel very complex and human. 

The animation style and aesthetic that ParaNorman has been designed in is an aspect of the film I find really interesting. One character even states "It's like a total slasher movie vibe." The credits (image below) of the film especially mimic this ongoing aesthetic theme. 

Norman is often seen to be watching scary thrillers or slasher films himself, his room decorated in old-school style zombie posters, creating almost an ironic meta of self referencing. This a really smart design choice, as it keeps the aesthetic similar yet nostalgic from start to finish, and of course is related to the ghostly goings-on of the film.

The sometimes dark themes of ParaNorman, such as death, the afterlife; topics usually associated with more adult concepts were told in such a medium that a younger audience can understand and even laugh at, which is a trait of the storytelling I found really interesting. The intervals of humor between scenes of intensity or tension helped to keep it funny and child friendly. Perhaps this could be an interesting way of transposing my own project? 

As I'm focusing on character design for my own project, I concentrated a lot on this aspect of ParaNorman. The first thing I noticed when watching the film was the iconic smoothness of frames, with the choppy feel that stopmotion presents, giving a very hand made and organic feel, even though a mixture of puppets, CG and real life footage where used to create this film.
Something that particularly caught my eye was the detailing of the puppets: the broad range of shapes, colours and characters that were created, as well as the materials used to bring them to life, e.g. the fact that if there was a light behind Normans ears, the 'skin' would glow a slight red translucence, as if real skin. This could have been achieved with some kind of silicone, but it was a detail I found really pretty and very clever to have included. The exaggerated body proportions were an aspect of character design that assisted in making the film more cartoony in style, again appealing to both younger and older audiences, as these over exaggerations were often quite amusing. 

Above is an image I put together showcasing a selection of the main characters. The different body shapes, face shapes, colourings, are all so fascinating and really help to create a set of unique characters; their separate designs all saying a lot about the characters themselves, e.g. what they wear, their fashion choices, how self conscious they are/ how much they care about their appearance etc.

As a potential area of study, I feel that looking into an example of stop motion film making has really opened my eyes to the potential it has to help further my own project. I was already a big fan of Laika studios and had seen their films before, but in studying ParaNorman with the intention of looking into this as an area of practise has defintiely brought about a new perspective.

Bioshock: The Floating City of Columbia.

When I read that in the story of 'The Birds' they plan to build a utopia in the sky it instantly reminded me of the city of Columbia from the game 'Bioshock Infinite' developed by 2K.
Columbia is founded by the "prophet" Father Comstock, a religious fanatic and the main antagonist of the game, who claims to have the ability to see the future of his flying city. Originally funded by the US Government, with its initial purpose being to showcase of all American exceptionalism, it was made capable of cross country travel, free to distribute the founders American ideals to others.

The city was launched with great excitement and was soon sent off to distant shores, but what began as an en-devour of achievement soon went wrong. When one day Columbian citizens took war into their own hands and destroyed the Chinese city of Beijing, it was demonstrated how dangerous Columbia was and was soon revealed to have been a heavily armed battle ship, finalizing the threat it posed.
When ordered to dock back in it's home country, Comstock took matters into his own hands, and instead ascended Columbia into the heavens forever, therefore taking complete control of the city, free to spread his own ideals.

The 'utopia' certainly held its flaws, but were not seen as such by the Founders. Comstock and his supporters believed in the 'old fashioned traditional' view of America, and believed that the modern world had turned away from its divine purpose, having abandoned slavery, racial supremacy, religion and militarism. He believed that Columbia should embody his own ideals, and so with a city free from governed law, institutionalized racism and elitism were quickly widespread. There was constant paranoia from the elites, of the "foreign horde" and "anarchists" due to the racial beliefs of the time, causing Columbian xenophobia and militarism.

Similarly to Columbia, Cloud Cuckoo Land in 'The Birds' was conceptualized under the dream of a city where one cunning individual could avoid the mundane formalities of living in a governed city. As the beliefs of his home land of Athens did not suit his personal taste, he decided to create his own city where the laws would be founded on his own ideals, and he could live the life he viewed as Utopian.
Another strong similarity is that both Columbia and Cloud Cuckoo Land is that they're both designed to float between the heaven and earth, becoming a purposefully alienated world of their own. This kind of detail will be an important factor in my own designs and considering how the city would stay suspended.

Although I personally love the Bioshock series, I will make sure not to derive concepts straight from this design for my project. I would prefer to go back to original sources for research purposes, although something like the strong aesthetic choices or process behind the design work of Columbia could inspire idea choices of my own.

Characters: Birds mentioned

The specific breeds of bird that are mentioned in the text are as follows: 

Peacock

Owl

Flamingo

Woodpecker

Hawke

Gerfalcon

Blue jay

Halcyon

Duck

Partridge

Taking inspiration from the initial breeds of birds could give me a much more original set of ideas, rather than looking at other similar character designs already created by artists. Already there's such a huge range of shapes, colours, sizes that I could use to experiment with in my process of character designing. Overall, the concepts I've had all come back to the base theme of character design and creation, e.g. character masks, animation puppets, or even the creation of the world that the characters reside in. 

Key Quotes: The Birds by Aristophanes.

Previously I was torn between the two plays 'The Birds' and 'The Orestia', but in developing the kind of projects I'd like to produce, I've noticed a natural preference in 'The Birds', as most of my designs seem to be more geared towards that play. In order to gain inspiration directly from the text, as well as analyse and develop the play, I've read through a translation of 'The Birds' and collected some key quotes that may assist in furthering my project or design ideas.

"Weak mortals, chained to the earth, creatures of clay as frail as the foliage of the woods, you unfortunate race, whose life is but darkness, as unreal as a shadow, the illusion of a dream."
- Strong imagery, also conveys the view that the birds have regarding humans. A lot could be made out that quote alone in the form of artistic animation or clever film making, as there are a lot of descriptive terms that could create a very surreal image, e.g. dream, shadow, clay, woods etc. 

"I would treat her like an egg, the shell of which we remove before eating it; I would take off her mask and then kiss her pretty face." 
- Promotes the theory that the bird characters may not actually be animals, but humans wearing masks. Asks what roles are really being played, and how that could be conveyed in theatre, film, animation etc. Whether the birds are in fact just birds, or if they're symbolic.

"Ye children of Man! Whose life is a spark, protracted with sorrow from day to day, Naked and featherless, feeble and querulous, sickly, calamitous creatures of clay!" 
- Gives a physical description of the birds perception of men. A mental imagery of humans, and something I could potentially work into my designs, Mentions clay as well; something I could physically use to prototype character designs and stay true to the imagery in the text. 

"A fox is subtlety itself." 

- Ties into the anthropomorphic theme I've been looking into, and emphasizes how the symbol of an animal can simultaneously give characteristics to a human. Promotes the idea that if a character is fox-like, then they are sly, sneaky, crafty etc. Can use this to add anthropomorphic features into my character designs. 

These four quotes are a small collection of the lines I thought could develop my ideas and themes specifically. 

Potential Project Pieces.

In order to gather my ideas so far I put together a visual mind map of the kind of things I'm looking at producing. So far , as potential project pieces, these are:

1) WINGS: Made for the characters of Pisthetaerus and Euelpides in 'The Birds.' Could open and close, made for theatre. Inspired by the amazing wings crafted for Angelina Jolie's leading role in 'Maleficent.' The research behind this would be figuring out mechanisms that would allow the wings to unfold and open. Materials like feathers, and what would the base/ support of the wings be would also need a lot of looking into.

2) FLOATING CITY MODEL: Scale model of my own interpretation of the city that is built in 'The Birds.' At the moment, I really like the idea of it being made with either steam powered technology or kinetic mechanisms, e.g. windmills, hot air balloons. This would be a lot of fun to design and figure out how, if it were real, it would work, how the birds built it, justifying the design choices etc.

3) FURIE DESIGN AND COSTUME: Gothic, a sewing project as well as mask making. Would be made for theatre. Just looking at the collection of images above, there is a definite gothic aesthetic as an overall vibe. I could potentially use this aesthetic as inspiration for a style in my work.

4) A SERIES OF MASKS: As they were traditional pieces of costume it would be fitting to transpose that conventional idea , and adapt it to suit a more modern play. This project could be suitable for film, and could include a variation of styles and features depending on what character they'd be portraying.

5) STOP MOTION MAQUETTE: Character design, sculpting and model making. Focusing on one or a few characters to research deeply, and create story boards, expression sheets etc. This character design project could also present the opportunities to use new softwares, which I find really exciting! Concept art and experimenting with a range of materials for sculpting and casting both the face and bodies of the puppets will also be exercises within this project.

Areas of Practise: Initial Ideas

Now I've completed some basic research and summaries, I'd like to start thinking about where to take my project in terms of making and development. To do this, I've been asking myself questions like, what methods of making and design would suit this brief? What potential does it have in different areas of practise? What kind of skills do I want to learn or expand? To answer these questions, I've thought of a series of potential project ideas as starting points that can be developed further into areas of design and making.

1) Greek Masks
As examples such as plague doctor or Venetian bird masks have already begun to surface in my research and concepts so far, the idea of traditional Greek masks would be a very good place to link back to the original subject of Greek theatre. Conventionally, in traditional Greek theatre every actor on stage would wear a mask, the designs varying depending on the character being played, e.g. different designs for a man, a woman, a child etc. The designs themselves being symbolic of the character being portrayed.
Mask making has been something that I've been quite interested in for a while, as there are a variety of methods that can be used, including sculpting and casting, and a range of materials to chose from as well. For these reasons, a project in mask making would present diverse opportunities in both design an building, which are both skills I'd like to improve throughout this project.

2) Anthropomorphism
Animal symbolism is a theme that runs solidly through both 'The Birds' and 'The Orestia'. Working on this theme and developing it into the character design directly could be a really interesting way of experimenting with characters, e.g. How different animals could be worked into aspects of costume design, or facial features. This could also tie in very easily with the design and making of masks, as mentioned above.

3) Models/ Dolls/ Puppets for use in Stop Motion Animation.
This project would present a new area of study and research but would include skills I've already practiced and have basic ability in. I would therefore not need a lot of tuition within the aspects of making, meaning I could design a much more independent brief for myself, making this a beneficial project for third year self directed study. This skills needed could include; Scale work, sewing, casting, painting, concept art and design work. Some of these skills I've already put into practise the past two years, but this brief would present the opportunity to fine tune these creative abilities.

This project would also revolve around research, prototypes, and experiments, which really suits the framework we've already been briefed on for 'The Greeks' assignment.
The theme of anthropomorphism could also be linked into this character design project very easily. 

The Orestia: Character Relations

Above is a tree showing the relationships between all of the central characters in 'The Orestia'. This took quite a bit of figuring out but in the end it's actually clarified a lot for me regarding the relationships between characters, how they're related, etc. Below I've used the same tree but inserted red arrows to indicate who kills who, an important aspect of understanding the characters motives and relationships.  

The Birds: Character Profiling.

PEISTHETAIROS:
Traits - sneaky, ambitious, determined, sly, political, good at talking, a trickster, cunning, crafty, resourceful, gift of the gab, lazy in terms of he doesn't wanna pay tax or deal with responsibilities of society, high spirited, the leader, clever.

Relationships - friends with Euelpides, his partner in their mission for a better life. Tricks Zeus and the rest of the Gods, including Heracles, Poseidon and Tribulus. Adopts a very casual attitude when negotiating with the gods. Also tricks Epops into following his ideal, as well as his slave bird Trochilus. Gets married to Basilia, Zeus' assistant.

Goals - A better life, power, no responsibility, freedom from a government/ a society with hierarchy at which he is at the bottom of.

EUELPIDES:
Traits - follows his friend unquestionably, fades into the background after a while, forgettable, obedient. Similar to Peisthetairos but less charismatic? The friends often tease each other of their failings and their companionship is portrayed quite realistically and with good humor, they work well together in difficult situations, but this is largely due to Euelpides willingness to follow Peisthetairos.

Relationships/ Goals - Not a lot of his relationships are explored in The Birds, other than he desires the same thing as Peisthetairos and so has a common goal with his ally.

TROCHILUS:
Traits - Large and threatening, Epop's servant, demanding but persuadable, open to flattery, accuses Peisthetairos and Euelpides of being bird catchers.

EPOPS:
Traits - The script says that he is a 'not very convincing bird who attributes his lack of feathers to a severe case of molting; his could suggest that the birds are actually supposed to be humans wearing masks, or the idea of costume and mask can be translated into theatre and performance. It adds to the comedy of the play and also potentially breaks the fourth wall in allowing the audience to know that there is a costume, and that for a bird he 'isn't a convincing bird'. Happy with his life of eating and loving, married to the Nightingale,  king of the birds,

Relationships - Asked Trochilus to become a bird too when he was transformed from a man so he could continue to serve him. Likes Peisthetairos' idea of ruling over both heaven and earth, has respect for him.

Goals - He enjoys his bird lifestyle, but feels pity for the men as he used to be human too. Enjoys the idea of being above humans and Gods, came from a place of power, can't help but have the class rule ingrained in his mentality.

The Orestia Initial Ideas.

From writing up my summary of the Orestia, I've realised that the main area of interest for me are the characters of the Furies. They so far inspired ideas of potential character designs, piece of concept art, and possible areas of study that the project could manifest in. The first thoughts I had when reading about these spirits, were creepy bird like creatures of death. In the text it describes them as wearing all black, and that the 'blood must continually flow', referring them punishing the one who has already murdered, e.g. blood must continue to be spilt.
Piecing together the creepy bird creature image and possible symbols of death I could use to convey the character of the Furies to a viewer, I was reminded of the Plague doctors with their long beaked masks, empty eyes, outfits made entirely in black and the association they have with a period of history where death was prominent. This idea could also be inspired by the work I've simultaneously been doing on 'The Birds.'

The current ideas I have for the Furies are as follows:
- The continuous blood and black garments promote a red and black colour scheme.
- The idea that they are goddesses/ gods/ monsters of vengeance.
- The idea that they could be personified curses.
- Design them with the aspects of being inhuman; no gender, a monster, try to make a human the least human like I possible can?
- In that trail of thought, a robot sentinel with continuously flowing red wires? Or should this character be something more organic?
- Tribal? In the images above I've included a Tibetan death mask (lower right corner) and a carnival costume of a witch shaman lion. This tribal style really appeals to be and conveys the magic and anonymity of the Furies that I'd like to create if I choose to follow the route of this play.

The Orestia; Summary.

THE ORESTIA: SUMMARY

1) A generation before the trojan horse, two brothers, Atreus and Thyestes contended for the throne of Argos. Thyestes seduced his brothers wife, and was driven out of Argos by Atreus, who then established himself as the sole ruler. 

 2) Eventually, Thyestes returned and asked to be forgiven. Atreus pretends to forgive him, but secretly plans on the revenge for the seduction of his wife, and at the same time eliminate his competition for the throne, by proving his brother unclean and unworthy in the eyes of the citizens of Argos. 

3)  Atreus murders Thyeste's two sons, and chopping up their bodies, he serves them to his unknowing brother as a banquet, given in honor of his return. Thyestes is horrified when he learns what he's dined on. He curses his brother and all his descendants and flees from Argos, with his only remaining son, the infant Aegisthus. 

4) Atreus dies, and his thrown is inherited by Agamemnon, who marries Clytaemestra, daughter of the king of Sparta. Their children are Iphigenia, Electra and Orestes. Atreus other child Menelaus marries Helen, sister of Clytaemestra, and became king of Sparta when her father died. 

5) Most of the Greek chieftains had also been suitors to Helen, and they had made a pact to respect her choice and come to her husbands aid if anyone attempted to steal Helen from him. Sometime after Helen and Menelaus were married, Paris of Troy seduces Helen and carries her back with him to Troy. Faithful to their pact, the chiefs rally their troops and a great force was created to restore Helen to her rightful husband. 

6) Agamemnon, son of Atreus was made commander of this fleet. 

7) The expedition assembled at Aulis, but was unable to set sail due to horrific stormy weather. Calchas, a sooth sayer accompanying the army declares that the goddes Artemis was responsible and could only be appeased by sacrificing Agamemnon's daughter Iphigenia. 

8) Agamemnon was appalled at first, but eventually gave into the peer pressure from the other chiefs, and asked Clytaemestra to send their daughter to Aulis so she could marry Achilles, the greatest of the Greek gods. When she arrives, she was sacrificed and the winds immediately changed, so they set sail for Troy. 

9) Meanwhile, Aegisthus, the surviving son of Thyestes returns to Argos while Agamemnon leads the force to Helen. He begins plotting against his cousin in the hope of regaining the throne he considers rightfully his, as well as avenging his brothers and father.

10) Aegisthus discovers that since the sacrifice of her daughter, Clytaemestra developed a bitter hatred for her husband. This only grew with reports of his infidelity while he was leading the fleet. Aegisthus and Clytaemestra soon become lovers and conspire to kill Agamemnon on his return. 

11) The siege of Troy lasted ten years. Finally the city fell; The first past of the trilogy, 'Agamemnon', takes place in Argos shortly after the fall of Troy. 

12) Agamemnon returns with one ship after the rest were scattered in a storm at sea. he is accompanied by his most recent lover, Cassandra, daughter of the king of Troy. 

13) Aegisthus remains in the background while Clytaemestra gives her husband a warm welcome home. Later, she traps him in the bath and kills him with an axe. Cassandra is also murdered. Aegisthus and Clytaemestra become the new rulers. 

14) Part two of the trilogy: The Choephori. This takes place a few years later. Orestes, son of Agamemnon, was living in exile. The god Apollo tells him to avenge his father. He seeks out his sister Electra, disguises himself and murders Clytaemestra and Aegisthus. Orestes tries to justify the murder, but in the final scene he is plagued with madness and flees in terror from the Furies; hideous spirits who hunt down and punish murderers. 

15) The last play of the trilogy, begins a few days later. Orestes seeks refuge in the sanctuary of Apollo. He is forced to wander as an outcast the next few years with the furies constantly tormenting him. 

16)  Finally, he arrives at Athens, and throws himself at the mercy of the goddess Athene. The Furies follow him and insist he must be punished for matricide. He claims he acts by Apollo's orders and therefore can't be held responsible. 

17) Athene convenes a special court to hear the case, but the jurors are unable to reach a verdict. Athene casts a deciding vote and Orestes is acquitted. The Furies angrily swear vengeance on Athena, but she calms them by offering them a position of honor in the cult of her city, which they accept. The ancient Furies are transformed in benevolent spirits and their names are changed to the Eumenides, of "kindly ones" to symbolise their new characters.  

The Birds; Summary and Initial Ideas.

THE BIRDS: SUMMARY

When researching The Birds and reading through different editions of the text, I realised that with every translation the play was slightly disimilar, probably due to it being an old text. Overall, I gathered a simple summary together: 

1) The characters of Euelpides and Pisthetaerus leave Athens after purchasing a crow and jackdaw, after being told these birds will lead them to someone who can assist them in their quest for a quieter country, free from taxes and social responsibilities. 

2) Upon following the directions of the crow and the jackdaw in their possession, they are lead to Tricholus, slave bird to Epops, who is the character that is said to help them in discovering a new place to begin life. They flatter Tricholus, saying they wish they could be like him; carefree, devoid of debt, etc. 

3) Introduced to Epops, they ask him to direct them to a place that is more pleasant than Athens. He makes several suggestions, but none suit Euelpides or Pisthetaerus.

4) Pisthetaerus comes up with an idea to found a city. It will be built in the sky; the perfect place to control both mankind and the Gods by controlling the trafficking of sacrificial smoke, thus starving the Gods and intercepting the communication between the heavens and earth. 

5) Epops likes this idea. He awakes and summons the rest of the birds. From descriptions of the birds we can guess that they are references to public figures of the time. 

6) The other birds are startled and frightened of the two humans and decide to try and kill them. However, Epops convinces them to hear out the men by listing their virtues and flattering the birds. 

7) Pisthetaerus speaks to the birds, once again telling them they're superior and older to both Gods and men, and that they should rule over all dominions. He tells elaborate lies, drawing from myth about their history and relationship with the Gods to convince them of their superiority. 

8) The birds decide to approach Zeus and get him to surrender his power to them, otherwise they threaten that they will no longer allow him to go to earth in order to sleep with mortal women. Equally, if mankind doesn't sacrifice to the birds instead of Gods then they will destroy the crops. If they do, then they'll help then out by maintaining pests. 

9) Epops directs the men to eat a certain root that grants them wings. They begin building a city, and arranging religious ceremonies to honor the birds. 

10) A messenger announces the city complete, but a second messenger soon announces an infiltration by the goddess Iris sent by Zeus. They don't let her pass into the city, and threaten to kill her even though she's immortal. 

11) Afterwards, a Herald comes from the world below telling Pisthetaerus that thousands of humans want to join the bird city and convert to birds too. 

12) Pisthetaerus enters the bird city, masked for fear that Zeus will discover him. Zeus finds him and tells Pisthetaerus that the Gods are starving as they're not receiving any of the smoke, and leaves saying that he will sends messengers to negotiate. 

13) Heracles, Poseidon and Tribulas come in peace to negotiate. Pisthetaerus asks that Zeus yields power to him, and pitches an advantageous alliance with the birds to the Gods. The play ends with them being convinced, and the wedding party of Pisthetaerus amd Basilea, Zeus' assistant.  

Currently, the concepts I'm getting that are inspired by this text are as follows:
- a series of masks, stemmed from the idea that masks in traditional Greek theatre were very widely featured, and one of the key symbols form the contextual time era.
- The idea that the city and the birds could be mechanical.
- Anthropomorphic character designs for the different breeds of the birds.
- Egyptian transposal of the play, as that time era has a lot of similar themes the play suggests e.g. gods, heaven and earth, power, hierachy.
- The idea that the play, although a comedy is quite heavily based in politics.

Minor Project Introduction: Term 1, Year 3.

The Greeks: Minor Project, Year 3. 

To kick off the third and final year of university we've been given 'The Greeks' as a subject area and a selection of texts, poems, and plays from the era to base interpretations and transposals around. The chosen texts are as follows:

The Birds by Aristophanes. 

Lysistrata by Aristophanes. 

The Odyssey by Homer. 

The Orestia by Aeschylus.

The Restless House by Zinnie Harris.

Medea by Euripides.

Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. 

Greek by Steven Berkoff. 

Iphegena in Splott by Gary Owen.

Upon reading and researching each of these texts individually, the two that I find myself most interested in are the 'The Birds' and 'The Orestia'. Both of these have the potential for a lot of character/ world design and creation which are areas that I'm personally interested in and would like to use this project to explore further. 

Certain areas of practice and research that I'd particularly like to use in terms of developing my project will be soundtracks, aesthetics, location hunting, and areas of inspiration from artists, designers, developers etc. 

Areas of focus and concepts that sprung to mind when discovering the theme of Greek theatre for the term include mythical monsters, animal symbolism, myth and magic, solar and lunar cycles, gods and mortals; themes thought of with a quick brainstorm. My first stages of development will be researching the plays further and deciding which one I will focus on, as well as deciding on potential making and design projects to undertake.