Environment Final Pieces: Sketch

The rough layout for my final pieces. I decided to change a few aspects of the second one, because I liked the general idea of the piece, but the background was very boring and it didn't really make sense to have the surrounding area be land when the bridge was the central part of the scene.

Environment Studies

For the second part of BA1, we need to produce two finished pieces, in full colour. Similarly to the last project, we develop our ideas through the stages of lineart, value studies, and colour studies, before starting the final pieces.

Lineart Pieces

 

Value Studies

 

Colour Studies

 

Research: Edo-Japan Environments

Image research for my environment studies.

Witch Value Studies

Taking the three of my favourite silhouettes, I created these value studies, clarifying the details of the figure, pose and clothes. My designs are more traditional figures for the time, despite my character being the Witch. Given the time period, I was drawn to the idea of the Witch being not a magical creature linked to the mythology of the time, which I initially considered, and instead a woman who was cast out of the village because of her family's shame. 

Honour was incredibly important to the Japanese, particularly in this period, and shamed samurai would be expected to commit seppuku. In my version of The Tinder-Box, the Witch's father, a samurai, was ruled to commit suicide, and she, through both the shame she had for her father, and the village's disdain for her family's lack of honour, left her home to live in the wilderness. Suspecting the Tinder-Box's power, because of local legends and myths, she waited for someone to retrieve it for her in the hopes she could recompense for her father's shame and rejoin the village as an equal, despite the unlikeliness of that situation.

In this study, the Witch appears in more regal attire, although her kimono, having been dragged along the ground for so long, has frayed and ripped. Her hairstyle, a traditional bun, has also become loose as time has progressed, with her long hair trailing strands behind her as she walks.

In this study, my figure was more decrepit, needing a support to help her walk. Instead of going for a traditional cane or stick, I decided to design something a little more exaggerated, basing the support from the traditional red gates, Torii.

Here, I decided to have the witch hide her face, as part of her shame for herself. Until she can restore her family's honour, she will not allow others to see her face, deeming herself unworthy to be looked upon. She also holds a long stick, to aid her walking, although this is much simpler than in the previous study.