Wednesday, 17. February 2010
Eurydice Character Design
Today I finished the concept design of my Eurydice character. She's just a minor one, but she'll have to walk in two directions though. Minor character is a very unprecise description, since Eurydice somewhat like a MacGuffin: she's the reason why the story is going to be told.
The main time she'll be moving to the left when Orpheus and she try to leave the Underworld. But in one situation she'll be moving towards the audience, so that part of puppetmaking (and then animation) could become a little challenging.
Eurydice is an oak nymph, a pure and graceful creature. Nature and wild life are part of her, and she loves to play and dance. She is grounded and lives close to nature, and everything around her is in simple and clear balance. She is married to Orpheus, who tries to free her from the Underworld after she had died.
I assembledd two pictures I shot during my time in Bristol and Vienna to have a nice background. The character's sketch is placed into the picture to get a good impression of what she's like. That tree really exists!
I traced the character's vector outlines by hand, and coloured them black to get an idea of how she'll look like as a shadow puppet. My scale drawing will be based on this picture.
Below you'd see the character design I drew two and half a year ago... I'm much more pleased with the new one, not to say I really like her. I think it won't be easy to build a front-view silhouette puppet but I'll definitely give it a try.
Comments
michael wrote on Thursday, 18. February 2010 at 12:56:
I especially like the elongated neck of Eurydice.... I wonder if I ever told you about Sam Kieth's Epicurus: The Sage comic book. A really nice and completely different look upon Greek Philosophy and Mythology. I really can recommend it - I can send you my copy for having a look if you want. Really nice
And thanks a lot for the hint about the McGuff thingee - really helping. Sorry, that I can't give any usable advice or any help about the current topic. Nothing but my attention and admiration for your work... all the best !
Shelley Noble wrote on Thursday, 18. February 2010 at 22:47:
I love how the new character desig is part of the wholistic style of the production now. Such an interesting stylized feeling. Really successful!
That tree!? My God, that tree! It's positively mystical!
I love how symbol your film/story is!
Jessica Koppe wrote on Saturday, 20. February 2010 at 22:02:
Hey Nils, thanks for the suggestions. I actually thought about designing Eurydice more floral but I wasn't really sure if that is what I want... I'd like to keep it simple... Perhaps I'm giving her skirt some flowerish pattern... The problem with the front view is, that in some part of the story it's necessary to have her completely symmetrical (I wouldn't say more, spoiler alert!)... Your idea with her hair moving is nice and I'm now thinking about way to replace the hair easily.
Michael, I'd love to see that comic book! I'm always open to new views on ancient tales. I guess that's why we're still telling them, hm?
Shelley, that tree is hillarious! I'm going to send you a larger version via e-mail. Perhaps it's going to find its way into Halfland? :)
Leo wrote on Friday, 5. March 2010 at 22:29:
Nils: Now you are some nasty, dirty old man ;)
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Nils wrote on Wednesday, 17. February 2010 at 23:27:
Regarding the front view version: Maybe you can create three head versions for running towards the audience with moving hair. I don't believe that a symmetric front view will work properly.
And there needs to be "more nature" attached to a nymph. ;)
But again - nice work! The idea of a half transparent dress is great!