Wednesday 28th September 2011
Today i have been combing through the Internet generally looking for ideas and direction for my First Semester. I have found various images which i have included below.
The images above start by studying the skeleton/skull of an animal first and eventually working toward simple basic shape of the animal. At the moment i am studying the animals structure and i too will continue to then break up the animals main sections (head, body and limbs) into simple but identifiable shapes. A little like a Mannequin of that animal.
Mannequins clearly and easily show what moves and were on an animal and are a great way to grasp the movement of an animal. Keeping it simple would allow me to work out how i would eventually animate my characters.
Saturday 8th October 2011
Since my previous Research Post above i have changed my direction on the course as you will have read on me Home page. Currently i am looking at animals themselves and their structure.
Yesterday myself and my fellow Masters buddies headed into Manchester for the day to mooch in galleries and museums in search of anything of interest to do with our current direction on the course.
My personal aims where to find anything related to animals and how artists and designers interpreted them. Our First stop on our visit was the Manchester Art Gallery and the following are what i found in relation to my current direction...
The Above pieces are in the gallery on loan from Lazerian. I found these pieces relevant to my current research as firstly they are animals (dogs) which is obvious, but secondly these designs appear to be broken into simple shapes to form the sculpture. They appear to be broken down to the bar basic shapes that make up the animal, what i mean by this is that i can clearly see the basic important parts of the animals body simply presented. i can work out where the head end and the neck begins. I can also figure out the parts that make up the legs of the animal. These sculptures link back to my previous direction about discovering basic shape in animals and mannequins, but also lead me on to my current direction of looking at an animals muscular structure as i feel they are showing me the basic muscle positioning. I also feel that the bottom of the four images links to my current direction as it looks like the sculpture has been 'mix and matched' the body of a dog, but the skin colour and pattern of a zebra.
This image above shows the previous selection of sculptures but from the opposite side. I love the attention to detail in these sculptures, i find them incredibly detailed and the proportions of each animals body look fantastic. I also really like the glaze on these sculptures further enhancing the structure of each animal.
Image above titled; The Last of the Garrison, 1875, by Briton Riviere 1840-1920, Oil on Canvas.
This image i find incredibly emotional, as an animal lover. It is a scene from the English Civil War and shows a Royalist Bloodhound lying dying in a doorway after playing his part in the defence of a manor house. Aside from the emotional feelings i receive by looking at this Oil Painting, i also admire the sensational detailing of the Bloodhounds body structure. Each bone structure and muscle can clearly be seen by observing this painting, even the dogs claws look fantastically detailed. A breath taking, emotional image.
Image above titled; In Manus Tuas Domine, 1879, Briton Riviere 1840-1920, Oil on Canvas.
The painting above is also painted by the artist i previously discussed, Briton Riviere, who clearly had an interest in an animals anatomy as his paintings seem so accurate to that of the animal he has painted. The title of this painting is part Latin and translates as 'Into thy hands O Lord, I commend my spirit'. Which as apparently been used by people facing death. A powerful title for a painting in my opinion, this painting shows a knight siting proudly on his horse with his sword raised symbolising the victory of a mans faith, and the division of light and dark in the painting suggests leaving safety to enter the unknown, this also contrasts with the apparent fear of the animals.
Riviere wrote; that he felt he would have failed if his picture did not carry a message not only about the fears of a medieval knight, 'but to ourselves, today, whatever our doubts or fears.'
Below; a close up of the fear stricken dogs, their bodies hunched into a frightened rounded position, tails between their legs, again a perfect example of the animals structure presented beautifully in this painting.
Below more paintings of interest displaying accurate animal anatomy.
The image of the Lion below was also in the Manchester Art Gallery, but unfortunately for me it had a reflective glass covering making it near impossible to get a good shot with out catching myself, other people or lighting in the shot. Luckily i have found this painting on the galleries website so i am able to share it with you. (the close up photographs are my own).
Image above; Manchester Art Gallery. (2009). The Desert Painting. Available: http://www.manchestergalleries.org/the-collections/search-the-collection/image.php?EMUSESSID=84834a2dedd3e0f85d0e7f1822e6fbc2&imageirn=1205&r=201853821 Last accessed 8th October 2011.
The Painting above; The Desert, 1849, Sir Edwin Landseer 1802-1873, Oil on Canvas.
It has been said according to one contemporary account, Landseer used a dead lion from London Zoo as a model to create this mysterious but accurate painting. Some 10 years later he sculpted four large lions also using a dead lion as a model to be cast in bronze in Trafalgar Square. This information encourages me more that drawing animals from life in the flesh helps to build a basic foundation in design of animals and creatures.
Landseer enjoyed drawing animals from a young age which i too have enjoyed since being young, and he later went on to study dissection and anatomy, further backing my opinions of the importance of studying animal anatomy to progress as a creature designer.
Below; my close up photographs of, The Desert in the gallery...
Apologies for the reflections! But don't you just LOVE the attention to detail in this painting, i also find it sad seeing the Lion like this, the proud 'King of the Jungle' lying motionless the ground, defenseless and worse still knowing these fascinating creatures are decreasing in their numbers, due to being hunted for their fur manes and are currently listed as Vulnerable, just one notch above Endangered... :'(
On that rather sad note, this concludes my Manchester Art Gallery Research.
As i have started experimenting with my own creature design based on inspiration i gathered from the Manchester History Museum, i have decided my next step is to look at creatures in films and games and why i believe they are successful.
Jurassic Park
First to kick off i am looking at films, and where better to start than the Jurassic Park series...
Obviously dinosaur based creatures, but these have been developed from bones and fossils that where found and collected around the time these films where produced. As knowbody actually knows for sure what a dinosaur actually looks like as obviously/unfortunatly we wernt there! So a degree of imagination plays a large part in the creation of these creatures as well as fact, seeing the bones of the creatures working out how they hunted, ate moved etc.
The Jurassic Park series succesfully released three films, and my reasons i believe they are/where so successful are as follows.
Since two more Jurassic Park films have been released and there is talk of a fourth! Again renforcing the success of this creature filled film.
Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Ring series is another example of creatures in film. The creatures below are just a few of what the films have to offer. I think these are successful creature characters as they are more imaginative and pushes the boundaries of creature design. I can see inspirations from animals of today within these creatures which suggest artists look toward whats alive today to study and create something new. This is similar to what i am working on at the moment. The cross between an elephant and a T Rex can about by studying photographs of skeletons on these to creatures and combining them to make something new. I believe that the study of bone structure is important as i know how my creatures are made up and what purpose they are designed for.
For example below...
This creature above is obviously developed from an elephant but is much bigger in size and has more tusks protruding from its skull. I think this creature again would be built up of strong bones and muscles.
14th November 2011 - Yorkshire Sculpture Park Contextual Visit
Following our contextual trip to Yorkshire Sculpture Park on the 11th November i manged to discover many inspirational pieces but some more than others.
The three images above are all of the same piece. I spotted this from a distance and my very first impression was that it resembled a huge Gorilla! Excited by this i made my way down to it, as i got closer the size really got my creative juices flowing, i could see the very basic anatomical shapes forming this piece. Originally i saw a Gorilla but after walking around the piece possibilities of a new creature i could produce based on this shape started to present themselves. I started to envision a large muscular creature, that walked on all limbs but its front limbs are similar to a Gorilla, it would walk on its knuckles. Huge powerful rear limbs for producing power and speed. I decided to take my photographs of this piece into Photoshop and see what i could create. I will post my result on my home page.
