Studio 1 Week 4
This week I explored character development. I wanted to create a warm character which still retains its own sense of self, instead of relying solely on the typical representations of older women. It was important to me that I create an interesting female character who is middle aged, as this age group is often overlooked in the media.
This work lies in the field of 2d animation, but in terms of character there are examples in the wider category of film that echo my aims with this character. For example, The First Wives Club (1996) is all about middle aged women, and whilst these characters have different motivations than my own, there are similar ideas behind them. The film is outstanding in its field because it delivers three middle aged women who ultimately reject the passive, ‘fade into the background’ route set out for them. There are a few other films which fit into similar narratives, all with camp and comedy elements, but I still think it’s a narrow category which I enjoy.
Whilst my character design is not motivated by revenge, there is a similar effort to convey a rejection of society. In my character this comes across in their dedication to the ‘outdated practice to weaving and unconventional fashion. The bright colours insist on being seen, in spite of the mainstream notion that older women are not really that significant, and in spite of the idea crafts like weaving are unvalued labor because it is not a form of employment. Whilst these ideas surrounding weaving are not obvious in my character design, I hope this studio work puts a spotlight on this bright character, who is not a conventional heroine in terms of age.
I started this work doing traditional sketches of my mum, then from there I used Clip Studio Paint to do different iterations until I decided on this design. I also used multiple photo references for the colours.