A peek behind the curtain

The kind of art I enjoy making is focussed on creating characters with personality and flaws, just like people. But I can't draw people yet. So, it's mostly robots. I like bright, bold colour palettes, full of whimsy, and a little bit of that nightmare vibe. Some of my favourite works really impress me with their style and storytelling, and are examples I look to when I am seeking inspiration.

Killer7. (2005), Capcom

Take a look at that picture. That is a classic 2005 game called Killer7 for the Ps2 and Gamecube. The image above is the player in control of moving their character. This is often shot at a weird angle to unease the player. The game is about 7 assasins that murder demon things for an old man or something. It's been a while. Anyway, I love this particular artstyle for the way it handles bold colours and contrasting splashes. This plues the simple 2-tone shading on the character gives the game's visuals a light-hearted feel, in stark juxtaposition to the nature of the plot and the violence. The picture below is the shooting perspective. What it looks like when you shoot demon things.

Killer7. (2005). Capcom

Another fine example of bold colour palettes and dark subject matter, here's my favourite painting of all time...The Scream.

Munch, E. (1893). The Scream. Oslo, Norway.

I love this painting. The story it tells, the story it doesn't tell, the shapes, the colours. I like how rough it is. This picture inspires me because it shows that something so simple could be so scary. Just an idea can give you nightmares. The main thing to point out with these examples is that they are all very stylised, something which I haven't quite grasped myself.

The Devil Wears Prada,. (2015). Space EP Cover.

Another major influence for me is music. Music tells stories just as well as visual art. The music that inspires me the most is concept EPs and storytelling lyrics. These help me to paint pictures in my head that match into the music. It gives me emotions I simply don't get from visuals. I think this may be due to the oversaturated visual medium we are bombarded with on a day to day media. From social networks to advertising, images and videos are everywhere. Whereas music is still something to be searched for.

#inspiration #GDS210