Body research and inspiration: Resident Evil

As my character is not human, I need to look at other artists who have created monsters. I think the best place to look for these creatures is in film, comics, games ect. I have found Resident Evil to be one of the best sources for these monsters.

Hunter. This creature relates heavily to the sort of creature I want to create for the Dagon

Hunter.

G Virus. 

G Virus. This picture shows all the changes of body that the G virus . I  love the colours and the muscle detail.

Nemisis. I love the wrinkled face and the teeth and gums baring.

Licker. I think the muscle texture is very inspiring and is similar to the type of effect I have been trying to create with my Dagon creatures skin. 

Tyrant

Mr X. I think the shoulders, chest, arms and hands are very interesting, detailed and textured.

Arthur Rackham

Arthur Rackham (19 September 1867 – 6 September 1939) is one of my all time favourite artists and influences. His work is timeless and detailed. As my book is from the 1930's I decided I should keep to an older style, also it my favourite style to work at, I have decided I should look at older artists who were popular around this time. 

Developing Dagon Face Digitally

I feel like I could develop the face better digitally and use my sketches as a stepping stone. 

Original sketch

I uploaded my original sketch to Photoshop and re drew the lines using the brush tool, once I had done this I copied the half and pasted it in the appropriate place once it was flipped so it would match up..

Copied and pasted lines

Once I had done that I came to this stage (above) to complete the gaps I started adding more wrinkles and facial features to add more emotion. I wanted to keep the symmetry correct so every feature I added  I copied and pasted to the other side.

Above, is the stage I am currently at. I am going to add more features and a horn until it is complete then I am going to finnish up detail and maybe colour. 

Dagon face design

After playing with different styles of face I have decided on this final design (I am still developing)

Relaxed face, still strong and angry looking. 

Angry expression.

While creating the sketch above I decided that it was not angry enough, as I wanted to get raw emotion of the Dagon. I wanted pure wrath and a seething expression. So, I decided to create the one below, I pulled his jaw out more and squinted his eyes and added more wrinkles in the face.

Seething expression

Rough final sketch adding pen

To progress my character I am going to upload it and edit it digitally using Photoshop.

Creature Research and Inspiration: The Creature from The Black Lagoon

The Creature from The Black Lagon is and amazing film from 1954 by Chris Mueller. The Monster is so interesting and wonderful, I love the creased features, large lips and buggy eyes. The scales and the webbed hands and feet all together make an awesome combination. I love old horror movie monsters and I am choosing to research them a lot because I find the amount of effort and craft put in to these monsters is simply amazing.

Monster Characteristics research

Whilst looking for other characteristics an aquatic monster like a Dagon would have, I was shown this clip from The Adventures Of Pinnoccio made in 1996. The bad guy turns in to a hideous sea creature after throwing himself in to magic waters.

Character Development Research- Guillermo Del Toro

Guillermo Del Toro is an iconic artist in the horror art community and in film making. Guillermo is most likely my biggest inspiration and favourite artist. His work is striking, detailed and so thought through so every sketch is brilliant.

I wanted to look at his character building and development as inspiration and to learn from, below I have found some pages of his sketchbooks.

Guillermo's sketchbooks, so full of detail in writing and amazing detailed sketches which show his though process and ideas clearly.

Here are Guillermo Del Toro's sketches and process of The Pale Man, a monster in the film Pans Labyrinth. The photo on the right is the final outcome of the monster that was in the film. In the sketches you can see his thoughts and ideas clearly. You can see how he builds on the details and why he uses these elements. Guillermo has a great talent for creating nightmarish creatures by thinking out the box, the idea of making the eyes go in the thin, spindly and wrinkled hands is pure brilliance. As the monster comes towards the camera the audience is filled with fear and stuck with an interest to look at the details of the monsters features.

Another of Guillermo's sketches, next to it is the final creature also from the film Pans Labyrinth. The Fawn is an amazing creature with small details, he combines elements of trees and goats it seems to create this amazing creature. The small slit eyes are interesting, the brow seems to create a scary effect but the wide cheeks a more warmer and calmer atmosphere, reflecting both sides of the Fawns character.