alexthomasfmp

[alexthomasfmp]

Costume and Accessory Sheet

Witch Doctor

The world of my game is filled with trickery, so many of the doctors are ones that are posing as people giving aid, with malicious ulterior motives. Witch doctors were not actually witches - they cured ailments and cast spells to prevent curses affecting people in the future. Another interesting way to view this is that maybe these were early forms of medications and vaccines, based on superstitions.

Conical Dog Collar 

The use of the dog collar was more as a symbolic metaphor than a mask to cover the face. It suggested that the user was unhinged and dangerous. For context, the cone applied to dogs was intended to stop them from licking their wounds, preventing further damage. This could apply to the character wearing the dog collar as if to say that they are unhindered by their injuries.

African Masks

The masks of African tribes were used in rituals, but markings directly into the skin of the face, arms, legs and chest were more prevalent. These markings were similar to the blessing of a witch doctor, however they were more 'permanent' in the sense that they were affixed to your body through life and death.

[alexthomasfmp]

“Harvesting House” Scene draft sheet

This sheet started as a sketch sheet for facial expressions, but I decided to add a body with the intent of digitizing it later. This sketch would turn into the patient on the operating bed of the “harvesting house” drawing.

The butchers’ knife in the knee of the paper sketch made it into the final drawing, however it was from a different angle in the digital mockup so it was a bit harder to work with. I think i should’ve used the facial expression in the paper sketch to influence the digital output more, as it was very detailed for a sketch- it went to waste not being used.

The fainter figure on the left slightly influenced the pose of the character standing beside the operating table.

[alexthomasfmp]

Story Sheet

Design sheet in comic-book format

This sheet is a basic idea of the lore behind my project. It details what the backstory is, who the adversaries are and the struggles faced by the characters. I presented it in a comic-book style, hoping to come close to the design of a Penny Dreadful comic. The main three themes that strike the viewer when they look at this sheet is the use of masks, trade of organs and infection. 

[alexthomasfmp]

Mask Design Sheet

The masks in the lore of my game were designed to outwardly express the wearer’s inner identity, sometimes holding their darkest secrets in the form of small custom pieces on the mask.

The sheet that i used to draft mask ideas in my concept piece depicting three people with masks and various head-wear

Japanese Influence

Most of the masks i looked at were Japanese traditional masks, as i think their history concerning masks in culture is the most rich, next to the Aztecs and Egyptians.

Other influences and my own ideas

The Guy Fawkes mask was also an idea - Even if it wasn’t present in the Victorian era, it could work with the target audience of the present day, given its’ prevalence in the modern age

I also experimented with some masks of my own, turning the friendly-looking Kidrobot logo into a creepy, strange mask using more aggressive lines and exaggerated facial features.

[alexthomasfmp]

Why are we drawn to the odd?

"Cursed Images"

I think that cursed images are images that look and are real, but they shouldn't exist in the real world. This plays tricks on the mind, giving the image a sense of awkwardness to it.

I find that when a cartoon entity is brought into the world in a realistic way, it gives off a creepy vibe, as if it doesn't belong in the real world.

This image of the Simpsons seemingly brought to life

These images motivate me to explore why something can be off-putting when it has only been changed slightly.

Even things that have no inherent danger to them can be seen as creepy, based on the sole fact that they are unnatural. The brain likely sees this an “impurity” within the natural system.

[alexthomasfmp]

Scene Draft

What is the scene based on?

This is the image i used as a foundation for the initial sketch of a scene I worked on. It is a modern reconstruction of a Victorian operating room. 

However, I think that using old drawings of the operating rooms would have been more effective.I think an old image would also be useful for the design of the character costumes, hair, and aid with the general atmosphere of the scene.

I changed the cupboard area in the top middle into a doorway, experimented with changing the electrical lamp to a more old-fashioned oil lamp, and planned to add more pictures to the wall.

While i used the positions of the people in the image to determine where they stood in the sketch, i changed their poses.

To relate to the Tea Party theme, the person on the bed was intended to be the feast, while doctors surrounded them fighting over posession of body parts

In doing this piece, i was experimenting with the Brush tool. Previously, i had only used the Pencil tool to illustrate. It was difficult at first, but i think that learning the uses of the Brush tool has increased my drawing ability a lot. The brush tool is less tedious to shade with, and gives a more traditional, paper-based look to my art style.

I shaded the sketch, then added another layer of color over the top. The boot at the bottom left was a sketch of a character i was going to put in the viewing booth, but was never finished. i kept some of my colour palette at the bottom right, so i could easily switch between different shades. This helped me stay within a specific colour scheme. 

Experimenting with text and where it was placed

I used a Colour Balance layer on the drawing, leaving the text exempt from any colour changes. I think I  should’ve used a darker, more gloomy colour.

[alexthomasfmp]

Unused Character Draft

At first, to distinguish each character, I wanted to use different patterns on the face, rather than different masks. I found that there was a lot more information and research on the Internet about various masks, than facepaint.

If I went down the route of using patterns on faces, it might have been better, as if be forced to work creatively to come up with my own lore for the varying face paints.

The lines from scars on this face are said to represent crop fertility, supposedly displaying the tracks of farm equipment on his face.

[alexthomasfmp]

Walking Dead - Terminus

To start, the name Terminus connotates the concept of being at the end, or being restrained by boundaries.

Looks are deceiving - The inhabitants of Terminus appear to be those that aid lost survivors, but upon further exploration the group find that they are malicious. It would be interesting to apply this to a person that aids others, such as a doctor. The doctor may pose as a helping hand, but end up using the patient for their body parts.

[alexthomasfmp]

Early Character Design Board

This is an early design for a portrait that I never used, but was good for practice. I aimed to use various stimuli and combine them in the hopes of creating a character with a strong backstory, but not much ever came of the sketches.

The use of various images for inspiration is the technique I employed with a few of my final pieces. This worksheet was the foundation of the ideas I used in my later projects.

[alexthomasfmp]

S.A.R.S (Japan)

S.A.R.S is an artificial bacterial strain that originated in China.

There are theories as to the origin of the virus, as upon further study by a scientist it was found to have a structure that is only creatable by humans.

Quarantines

With no vaccine, isolation was the most effective way to avoid SARS. As the effects of the disease began to set in at around two weeks after infection, the infected would be shut away from the public to prevent further spread.

Nature still has a lot of power over the human body. A chilling thought is that even though the virus is man-made, it spreads through scientists harnessing nature, creating an artificial strain that uses nature destructively.

Effect on society

Handshakes and business cards no longer used

Handrails not used

Communal places feared

- Telephones, vending machines

[alexthomasfmp]

Otto Dix

In Otto’s pieces, every character in the frame displays an emotion and interacts with their surroundings. It is rare that there are any characters that are idle, or emotionless.

The rough and uneven appliance of pencil to paper exemplifies the wildness of some of the scenes.

It intrigues me that some of the subjects of his pieces look at the viewer, but to me it does not look like they are aware they are being looked at.

[alexthomasfmp]

Enemy Character Design

The colour of the head was taken from an actual skull. This gave me an idea of how the shape of the bones in the skull react to light. It helped me also add depth and definition to the highlights and concaves of the face. I liked the broken-in hole on the nose of the skull, and applied it to the illustration.

I think I could have improved upon the expression on the characters' face, using the teeth to make it look more agrressive. There is a hint of fear in the face coming from the frowning mouth.

I think that the props, such as tools and weapons on the character model allowed me to formulate a story about how this character lived and what their purpose was.

I made the outfit using varying shades of the tone covering the skin and bones. It turned out well, I like that the body is very slender and solid, but the outfit covering it is free-flowing and loose.

[alexthomasfmp]

“Behind Closed Doors” Mood Board

This mood board will be very beneficial, as the design of masks plays a big part in my project. I’d like the masks to be for more than the protection of identity, to outwardly cast a character’s persona and make an impression on others

[alexthomasfmp]

“Cross Over” Mood Board

Features portals, hybrid humans and animals 

This will prove useful in the biological side of my project, to inspire crossbreeds of various creatures, changes in size and shape.

[alexthomasfmp]

Batman - Contagion comic

The virus in Contagion is first believed to be avoided through isolation. However, one of the people isolating themselves with other unaffected people has the virus.

Poison Ivy is immune to all toxins and diseases - she is used to transport toxic material across the city. Giving a main character an ability like this gives them a sense of individuality

The shading uses soft gradients and soft colours as opposed to brushstrokes, keeping it linear and easy on the eye.

[alexthomasfmp]

Siamese twins

Siamese twins are born as two newborn babies conjoined at some point of the body - whether at the waist, neck or head. Half are stillborn, meaning that they are born showing no signs of life - and around a third die before the next day. It occurs when the fertilised egg of twins does not split properly. Most conjoined twins are female.

Freak Shows

P.T Barnham’s circus employed Siamese Twins - Chang and Eng Bunker were brothers, joined at the torso. The term “Siamese Twins” comes from these brothers, as their birthplace was Siam, Thailand.

[alexthomasfmp]

Jacques de Vaucanson

Jacques created many automata throughout the 1700s, mainly for the personal use of the rich, or for companies to use. The complexity of them is very surreal and impressive, given the time period. Some of his early designs include the Flute Player and the Tambourine Player.

The flagship piece that distinguishes him in his craft is the Digesting Duck, comprised of 400 working parts just in each wing. He claimed it could digest a mixture of water and seeds - However, there was a hidden compartment filled with breadcrumbs and green dye that took the place of digested food, which was released after the duck was fed.