PROPOSAL & ACTION PLAN

PERSONAL INTEREST & INSPIRATION
What excites you about this project?

I'm excited to create impactful and unique character designs with thoughtful trinkets and assets that relate them to the environmental concepts I'll be concocting. It's a very whimsical and open-minded project and I wish to take advantage of its creative liberty.

How does it reflect your creative strengths or personal style?

I've always enjoyed designing character concepts and outfits and have demonstrated this with my own characters or existing characters in media with new fashion attire that I've created. I want to be able to craft characters from scratch and grant them depth with related environments, alternative outfits, and personal trinkets.

MY OWN CHARACTER EXAMPLES

MEDIA CHARACTER EXAMPLES

Are there any artists, films, games, or other media that have influenced your idea?

Greek mythology, my fascination of space, and Honkai: Star Rail are the most prominent examples. I believe there's a lot of substance when it comes to what the Greeks believed and, in turn, represented in modern day history. The existence of their deities captivates me, all under different jurisdictions, personal ideologies, and distinct aesthetics. They're iconic, to say the least, and many recognize their names and role.

Space is a wonderful thing. It's expansive and imaginative, with little to no limits of how you'd interpret the universe around us or even beyond it. There also persists the symbolism and energy the things in space portray, such as the feminine, intuitive moon, and the masculine, lively sun. I think the fact that the planets in our solar system other than Earth being barren and without life makes it easier for me to implement my own style and spin on what the civilizations on these planets would look like. It doesn't have to be scientifically accurate or logical-- as long as it's fun and interesting for you to create, it'll be an amazing concept.

Honkai: Star Rail depicts a cosmos sailing amongst stars with planets all varying between different cultures, architecture, moral standpoints, and societal expectations. I wanted to include this diversity in my own work, with whole worlds and planets dedicated to a single society, and third parties around the corner involved with other space phenomena, such as black holes, supernovas, and comets.

CONNECTION TO THE THEME
How does your project explore the theme of Realms?

By exploring several planets coinciding with one another and having unique interactions with each society, I believe this will thoroughly delve into the prompt. Realms can consist of a kingdom, a world, a dimension, and I will be utilizing each of these synonyms when designing my concept.

Will your project focus on a fantasy, sci-fi, historical, or abstract realm?

It's a mix of everything-- as it's loosely based off Greek mythology and the prominent deities back then, it'll have a historical undertone with fantasy elements for the actual planets, considering I'll be making a thriving underwater world for Neptune, an opulent, knowledgeable kingdom for Mercury, and a central, reverie-esque aesthetic for all the planets. 

How do you plan to visually represent your chosen realm?

I plan to create silhouettes of each leader or significant figure of the planets before fully designing them and creating a reference sheet, as well as maybe drawing an action scene or interaction between two or so leaders. I will also create environmental shots and concepts for the most noteworthy globes, such as Jupiter.

I want to finish final pieces that are rendered with care and thought.

SKILLS & TECHNIQUE
What digital and traditional techniques will you use (e.g., Photoshop, Animate, hand-drawn sketches)?

I will use ibispaint X on my phone and try Photoshop on my XPPen. I want to get better at drawing on a tablet with a stylus and I think this will be perfect practice for me.

I'll doodle simple concepts and silhouettes on my phone because it is more accessible, before transferring the idea to my tablet when I can dedicate my time to it.

How does this project allow you to develop or refine your skills?

As I've mentioned before, it'll help me get used to and comfortable with my new tablet. I've used my phone for years now, so throwing myself into a new device is both challenging and eye-opening. Making myself create the final concept on Photoshop will confront my ability to adapt and use different medias, as well as improve my confidence and skills for other programs.

Are there any new techniques you plan to learn?

I'd like to create characters that have more depth to them than their design and a simple biography. Oftentimes, I design someone, but then chuck their lore to the side as I begin to procrastinate or lose interest. I want to stop this by refining my concept's story-line as much as I can, with personal touches and cared for details.

INDUSTRY AND CAREER RELEVANCE
How does this project relate to the world of concept art, game design, animation, or digital illustration?

As many industries demand, concept work of environment shots and character designs are critical for a well-versed story that can show without telling. The capability to create such compositions and present them with accuracy, confidence, and passion is extremely helpful and a fantastic skill to harbor when working for a creative industry.

These media require a steady flow of creativity, trial and error, and capability to adapt and overcome frustrations that may occur due to your work. I'd like to use my change in programs and pace as an example, considering it will help me make my palette more diverse.

What industry practices or workflows will you follow?

The fundamentals and basic grounding of a character design is the silhouette. A strong, recognizable shape that is easily identified, even in different settings or posing, helps reflect their personality, role, and their most significant feature. A bulky, towering figure may prove to be strong and ruthless, whilst a lithe and flowy one is hasty and elegant. I want to use this principle in my own work by starting off with a silhouette and working up from there.

A color palette is also crucial in identifying a character's demeanor and giving their design depth. For example, Frozen's Elsa is depicted with silvery whites and blues, which exudes isolation, calmness, and elegance. This bleeds into her journey of self-discovery. I want to use this technique by creating a suitable arrangement of colors for my characters that take their personality, origin, and background into account.

Finally, consistency. My character may have scarring across their face, or unique markings along their skin. Showing these assets helps identify them but also provide stability and a 'core' to my design. I'd like to incorporate this into my FMP by granting my characters unique characteristics that are still visible even in action or expressing a different emotion.

How might this project help you build a portfolio for future education or career opportunities?

As it is a raw documentation of my abilities to string together ideas, create concepts and basic compositions, and weaving it all into a colorful package of both engaging story-telling and environmental as well as character imagery. The fundamentals of an artistic portfolio are examples of what you can do, which this FMP will help me achieve.

FINAL OUTCOME & AMBITION
What do you aim to achieve by the end of this project?

Hopefully a solid concept with detailed world-building and enrapturing character designs. I want them to blend and interact with the environments that I'll fabricate, instilling the audience with emotions relevant to the piece (chills down the spine for a mysterious or violent ultimatum, or a smile from a kind and peaceful scene down the fields.)

What format will your final piece take (e.g., a series of concept art pieces, an animated sequence, a character/environment design portfolio)?

It will be a series of concept pieces as well as character and environment designs.

How do you hope your audience will interpret or respond to your work?

I'd like my audience to feel something, similarly to how I react when I see a piece of art that I find phenomenal. I get this rising in my chest, almost like butterflies, and analyse every inch of the piece, filled with inspiration. I want people to feel this way when looking at my work, too.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

What is your core idea? Summarise your project in one or two sentences.

Planetary Civilisations is a realm in which Earth is now inhabitable and the other eight globes, including Pluto, have managed to build stable societies within them. Whilst this is where the main plot is held, there are other groups across the cosmos, perhaps living deep within the rock of meteors, or travelling swiftly amongst stars.

How does it connect to the theme of ‘Realms’?

By exploring several planets coinciding with one another and having unique interactions with each society, I believe this will thoroughly delve into the prompt. Realms can consist of a kingdom, a world, a dimension, and I will be utilizing each of these synonyms when designing my concept.

Will your project focus on character design, world-building, storytelling, or animation?

Character design and world-building. It'll be a visual project and example towards my artistic and creative capabilities.

GENRE & MOOD

What genre does your project fit into? (Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror, Historical, Surrealism, etc.)

Space-faring fantasy.

What mood and atmosphere do you want to create? (Dark and eerie, futuristic and high-tech, whimsical and dreamlike, etc.)

It really does depend on every planet. Overall, though, if I had to say-- probably whimsical, packed full of action, and colorful. I want it to be lively and almost unhinged.

VISUAL STYLE & TECHNIQUES

What art style will you use? (Realistic, stylised, cel-shaded, painterly, etc.)

Stylised. I want to use my own style, which consists of painterly shading and bold lineart. I'll put some examples of my own work below of what vibes I want this prompt to give off.

What software and tools will you use? (Photoshop, Animate etc.)

I will use ibispaint X on my phone and try Photoshop on my XPPen.

Will you incorporate hand-drawn elements, digital painting, or animation?

I will only be utilizing digital painting.

STORYTELLING & NARRATIVE

Does your project have a story or narrative?

This is going to be a world where Earth is now inhabitable and other planets have grown into stable civilizations, with various different laws, cultures, and architecture surrounding each planet from our solar system.

I'd like to follow Greek and Roman mythology where each planet is represented by a deity and the leader for every civilization is inspired by these gods. My concept will reflect the characteristics and myths associated with them.

The idea is that, after Earth eroded and soon became completely uninhibited, the planets began to form over millennia through the soul of their respective Greek gods. As they are on a higher plain, and not exactly 'alive' nor 'dead', they cannot be perceived by the naked human eye.

Unfolding from Earth's now corroded core lives a slumbering Azathoth-like deity (in which it holds the matter of anything and everything, like from H. P. Lovecraft), and if anyone were to stir it awake, the entire universe and beyond would cease to exist. Its woven existence make the average person shrivel, not daring to utter its name- if they come to know it. The leaders of each planet work tirelessly to keep it sleeping.

Who or what are the key characters, environments, or objects within your world?

The main planets I will be focusing on are Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Earth with snippets of the others. This may change later on.

Hermes, depicting Mercury, is the messenger of the gods. It would be a planet that stores the universe's largest database within an expansive, opulent library, littered with scholars and communicative devices. Outsiders must be well-informed and hold a degree equal to or higher than a master's if they want to visit. Despite their strict approach when it comes to the intelligence of an individual, they do not care what topic the degree contains, as long as it is a valid certificate.

Aphrodite, depicting Venus, is the goddess of beauty, love, and fertility. It is a female-lead society that prioritizes aesthetics, cleanliness, beauty, affection, and optimism. Outsiders are welcome, unless they do not take the beauty  or cleanliness of their planet seriously, in which case they should expect a venomous community. Other than that, Venus is incredibly friendly and prohibits judgement, as long as it does not hurt oneself or others.

Ares, depicting Mars, is the god of war. There is a constant civil conflict occurring on the planet, surrounded by the blood shed by soldiers and citizens. There's a red mist that shrouds the globe, and even Mercury struggles to gather information from this civilization. Outsiders are not allowed inside due to the raging war, and even if the General is less than pleased with the idea, Jupiter's nobles are the only ones that are able to come into Mars without permission.

Zeus, depicting Jupiter, is the king of the gods. With the sun, Jupiter is a superior civilization to the rest and is in charge of keeping things in check. The planet is glorified, although there is shady selfishness behind the scenes when it comes to their nobles. Despite this, justice is a very prominent subject in this planet, with some living by it sincerely and others using it as an advantage to take for themselves. Jupiter is treated as a tourists' resort, and oftentimes it is those from Mercury or Venus that come visit.

Cronus, depicting Saturn, is the god of time and harvests. This is where the freshest crops and harvests originate, and Saturn is well-known for their cuisine and ability to shape together unique and inspiring dishes that travel across the solar system. Outsiders will not have an issue entering Saturn as the planet is known for their food and unique vegetation. 

Ouranos, which has the planet named after himself, was the primordial god of the sky, which I will keep instead of his association as the father of the Titans. Airborne sports, creatures, and architecture is prevalent here. Tall towers, tangible clouds to live on top of, and daily life is catered to those that fly. It would be difficult for an outsider to travel in Uranus if they do not own an aircraft or have the funds to buy one when visiting.

Poseidon, depicting Neptune, is the god of the sea and earthquakes. Water being a holy concept, the planet is almost entirely submerged with an underwater population thriving underneath the sparkling surface. Provided a shell-shaped vial, those who drink it may breathe underwater and survive the high pressure if they were to dive deeper. Outsiders are cautious of visiting Neptune as they are not well-versed in swimming entirely underwater or simply fear the idea.

Hades, depicting Pluto, is the god of the underworld. As a dwarf planet, it's mysterious and distant, with a small civilization that prefers to keep to themselves rather than communicate with the other planets. Pluto does not allow any outsiders and has even barricaded Jupiter's ability to visit with an incredibly powerful force-field encapsulating the globe.

The creature holding everything in place curls around Earth's shrivelled core, birthing from its biting death. During its eternal slumber, anomalies have shrouded the cosmos, threatening to dislodge each planet from their once peaceful existence.

How will your visuals communicate the story or theme?

As stated previously, I will create sketched concepts of action scenes and environments affected by the creature's existence (black holes, meteorites, infestations from other solar systems) to present its danger and importance in the story.

I may draw Jupiter's representatives glowing underneath the spotlight with a cheery audience, whilst the flick of the red curtain behind reveals the grueling truth of their less-than-ethical methods of dispelling the creature.

There's many things you can do to show two sides of the same coin in an art piece-- which makes it dynamic and intriguing.