CHARACTER DESIGN 1
I don’t usually gender my characters.
I like them to portray as sentient thinking beings, feeling and encountering situation, interactions or emotion. However, for shorthand, simplicity and clarity I have called my character Cat Boy. For some reason, Cat Girl felt pretentious, so for now Cat Boy it is.
Early in my illustration career I created a series of drawings called ‘A Bit Like Cat Woman’. I loved the notion that one could be “a bit like” all sorts of people and things. However small, a simple connective likeness could form a link with something you admired or aspired to (like Cat Woman for example), and that that link was real and inspirational and fun.
This idea, and a strong likeness for cat-like creatures, has followed through and cropped up throughout my career. Cat Boy, by donning a cat hat and costume, elevates into a surreal interaction with the world, seeing life through a different lens.
Cat boy is quiet. Self-sufficient. Sharp. Intelligent. Emotional. Agile.
Cat Boy is ‘normal’ in their own eyes. They are kind.
They may not act as we might expect. They are highbred and unique (like us all in fact).
As I kid, I loved Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. (pub. 1963 by Harper & Row) The main character, Max with his wolf suit, having extracurricular adventures from his every-day life, but within his experience of ‘normal’.
The parallel continuity of worlds from real to imaginary within a scope of an average day mimics my understanding of, and interaction with the world. Constant storylines, at tangents and entwined with the now, makes for a diverse, multifaceted and playful day-to-day.
Cat Boy is extraordinary, because they believe they are. Their challenge, like all of us, is to keep a handle on the world. Stay level. Keep it together.
These drawings arose from a quick sketch for one of Sasha’s Character design workshops: drawing with the wrong hand; drawing in an uncomfortable position; drawing in an unfamiliar medium, which I mention in an earlier blog post. All exercises to encourage a looseness and abdication from controlled image making. It prompted a series of quick drawings which tapped an intrinsic autopilot of uninhibited character creation.
I chose to maintain the free-spirited style of uneven, rough outline – a contrast to my usual style – but one which I love and often aspire to. The impromptu appearance of the character appeals to my desire to create pictures that are fresh, raw and above all, honest. An aspiration that the uninhibited and immediacy between me as the artist and the artwork, is mirrored in the easy-read connectivity between artwork and viewer.
Boy wears a cat suit and becomes Cat Boy. Simple.
I have indicated this by the long sleeves ending at the wrists, the open face and in some variations the inclusion of 2 pairs of ears – one feline, one human. The feet remain cat clad which adds an element of ambiguity as to the embodiment of the feline avatar into reality, whereas the hands are human.
Cat Boy does not have superhuman powers, other than a belief in themselves and an openness to connect to the world. The animation I imagine for him are quiet, introspective, illuminating and thoughtful. Interacting with the beauty of the world, they have an affinity with nature and other animals.
Colour scheme – grey, white, blue – slightly other worldly, neutral and distinct from the clutter of the real world. Possibly a red stripe to indicate a degree of toughness and independence.
I am enjoying the exaggerated scale and perspective of their eyes. This I feel helps emphasise connectivity, intent and interaction. As if they are really looking at the world, taking note and alert.
Hands. I love playing with the scale of hands. They are just so expressive and interactive – reaching out into the world and inviting connection. By varying the size of hands, emphasis can be deferred, minimised or exaggerated, all good tools for storytelling and animation.
In further Blog posts I will document and explore my creative platform with Cat Boy. To be continued.
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