Character Design - Further Development and Sketches

  Before doing any character sketching, I felt it was most important to get what is happening in the story correct. So this morning was spend changing and defining, leading to the following: 

Final Scenario – Solider Experiment (Sidekick brings downfall)

 

Backstory - Devoted solder is asked to volunteer for new training exercise/ experiment. Was told is successful, he can help win the war and go home to see his family. Lead down to the bunker by scientist, into an empty room and given hallucinogenic drug.

Early Characteristics: Loyal, strong, patriotic, do anything to help his country win the war. Misses wife/ family at home, been away for a long time. Wants to prove themselves and to climb the ranks.

 Later Characteristics: Scared, starving from lack of food and over excessive drug use. Confused and agitated by hallucinations. Often see visions of Wife encouraging him to take the drugs, slowly forgetting what happened to him. The drugs become relatable to a source of food.

   Scene 1 - Soldier left in empty bunker room with a table in the middle (a pill is on a plate), door shuts and locks. Soldier confused as told something different would happen. Told by voice though the tannoy to take the pill on table in the middle of the room, promised that its harmless. Walks over, unsure and hesitant, but takes the pill. Walls begin to warp, colours distort, sounds intensifies.

     Scene 2 – Days/ Months passes. Soldier is left alone in room and each morning more of the drugs appear on the table. These increase with time. One morning, no drugs appear but the room door open, leading to a corridor. Soldier drags himself/stumbles along corridor. Thoughts of escape starts to seep through into his mind. The corridor seems to lengthen and swims, objects crawl under his skin, the wall warping as he lean on them. Side Character (Wife) appears, whispering gentle encouragement of how hungry he is and to look for more drugs, “Where Did the food go” (thoughts of escape disappear). Character becoming more zombie-like with her whispers.

      Scene 3 – Environment continues to change, sharpening in shape and darkening colours. Finding the medical rooms and notices “food” in medicine cupboards, “There it is”. Opening them, he eats, falling to knees to gorge. Side character encourages feeding. To him, the manipulated concept of "food" the is drugs he has been fed over time. Afterwards, he lays on the floor, numb.

 

-           Movements: Room in Bunker – Corridor – Medical room.

The side kick being someone he loves will bring the story more realism, and shall give the soldier more incentive to follow them. Although this scenario doesn't show he is married, its something that can be placed.

With this sorted, discussions with my tutor led to trying to understand who my character is before the change, other then his patriotism. Although serious, mixing in a confidence and jokey attitude will make his withdrawal into madness all the more striking. So with this in mind, I did some sketches to try and capture his serious by calm demeanor. 

Face Drawings

Some Early Poses

Experimentation with Colour

  For some reason, it took me several attempt's to get any drawings down, but some slow progress was made. This may be due to my confidence more that anything. When it comes to changing his environment/ persona later, the German Expressionism will seep in to exaggerate his emotions. 

  As a Drawing style, trying to bring in the German Expressionism is going to be tricky an may take a few tries. But, I'm determined to do it. Next will be playing with the change in the sets.