I involved myself in expanding my ability to paint digitally - especially when it came to background elements. Adobe Photoshop is my home for my digital illustrations, but with this (currently ongoing) project I've been really pushing design aspects.
The project also involves designing a singular, individual character who inhabits this world of Alyria.
Selene / Umbrage Beneath Thy Celestial Being (Umbrage) is a cold, ruthless and unfeeling exceptional specimen, whose power allows them to transform. They are somewhat allegorical for my own personal experiences, but are presented in a digestible style (inspired by the Japanese Gachapon style of videogame).
It's a culmination of what I'd been learning.
Alyria, as a world, is in tumult from the existence of Anthropomorphic animals existing alongside humankind, and where there is distress, there's space where malicious factors can take root. Beliefs, society, and even the occasional psycho-morphic power all permeate this strange, colorful, and exciting world.
Simplicity in shape and value, and developing a better feel for composition and digital color-space are some of the wonderful things I absorbed while expanding my skill individually during this stretch of time.
I love the idea of exploring inherently humanistic, romantic ideals through the strangely inhuman features of Anthropomorphic animals. These individualized expressions and characters feel so much more freeing than traditional, human characters. The political schemas are different, and I'm inspired by the explorations of deep, carnal vices, such as those present in the manga Beastars, by Paru Itagaki.
Architecture
Architecture
Garments
Environment
Environment
Physiology
Physiology
Physiology
Technology
This project was also unique, because it deconstructed how I usually worked (with loose, gestural sketches), and forced me to adapt to learning things from a sort of "shape" aspect. These quick, explorative thumbnails at the beginning of the project were just the beginning.
