The Brief
This project is a collaborative effort across third year illustration students to create a book full of "exquisite corpse" (a form of surrealist collage) artwork. Each participant has been given four random Characters Of Note™ to create a full-body illustration of. Once the illustrations are all completed, they will be cut into sections & compiled into a book to create a dynamic exquisite corpse work.
Blog posts containing & discussing the concept of "exquisite corpse"
The outcome of this project is self-determined, so the parameters of our illustrations are decided as a group, they are as follows:
Research & Inspiration
The subjects for this project are distinct fictional or historical characters with often absurd descriptions, so their illustrated portraits will have to capture the same energy as in their descriptions.
I see this project as a challenge in character-design, so I will need to explore means of conveyance within that concept. Character No. 36 - Tokyo Sexwale
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Character No. 41 - Papá Gonzalez
(Fictional Character)
"Profession: Mexican Outlaw
Notes: The biggest sombrero and moustache along the Rio Grande."
Notes: The biggest sombrero and moustache along the Rio Grande."
I'm going to place this character's style & aesthetic to the very general "Wild west" era (mid 1800s to 1910-ish). A very stereotypical western character (see Bandito).
Article on potentially relevant historical details
Character No. 46 - Stanley Judkins
(Fictional Character)
"Profession: Professional Footballer
Notes: Played for Preston North End 1922-23. Famously used his shiny, bald head to temporarily blind the opposition."
Notes: Played for Preston North End 1922-23. Famously used his shiny, bald head to temporarily blind the opposition."
1888 - 1889 Illustration Of Preston North End FC.
Preston North End Kit 1914 - 1930
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1920s Football Boots
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Character No. 54 - Terry Austen
(Fictional Character)
"Profession: Writer
Notes: Jane Austen's younger brother, wrote action-adventure novels. Suffered from gout."
Notes: Jane Austen's younger brother, wrote action-adventure novels. Suffered from gout."
Jane Austen was active during the Napoleonic Wars, publishing works of writing near the end of the conflict. Her real brothers (Francis Austen & Charles Austen) both became Officers in the Royal Navy from the 1790s onwards. Therefore, this fictional brother should have some sort of link with the military at the time, after all, there's plenty of action & adventure in the military.
Article on era-specific fashion
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Initial Sketches
Papá Gonzalez Sketches
Trying to establish the size of the sombrero & moustache within the limitations of the frame.
Papá Gonzalez Sketches
A more rotund build fits this character better than a wiry body shape, and uses more of the space available.
Papá Gonzalez Sketch
Exploring treatments to keep the moustache length appropriate, but also within the top segment.
Fitting the bodies' proportions within each section is challenging for some poses. Very "Big head mode".
Stanley Judkins Pose Sketches
Exploring more dynamic poses that fit within the frame for Stanley Judkins while keeping his shiny bald head in the forefront.
Terry Austen Pose Sketches
An overly muscled character will contrast with the delicate fashions of the 1800s. Is there such thing as a standing dynamic writer's pose?
Tokyo Sexwale Sketches
To convey the politically rhetoric nature of Tokyo Sexwale, I've used various scholar's cradles & hand gestures in these sketches; the body-language of a speaker.
Developed Work
Papá Gonzalez WIP
Terry Austen WIP
Stanley Judkins WIP
Tokyo Sexwale WIP
Final Outcomes
Papá Gonzalez Finished Illustration
Terry Austen Finished Illustration
Stanley Judkins Finished Illustration
Tokyo Sexwale Finished Illustration
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Research Paper Proposal & Discussion
Key Texts
The Virtual Vloggers Taking Over YouTube
This article covers the history of virtual vloggers & 3D animated avatars as content creators. It also discusses the practical side of producing these forms of content creation & the cultural context of some of their designs. The unique appeal of virtual vloggers, for content consumers & content creators is explored, as well as the advantages of having a digital image/ body for the purposes of multi-platform content production.
REALITY: Broadcast Your Virtual Beings From Everywhere
This paper addresses the technical aspects of VTubing within the context of a live performance, software involved, the degrees of motion-capture possible (full-body, just facial translation, or a mixture of both), human-to-avatar expression translation & solving issues of conveyance (software detecting & translating live-human expressions onto a less subtle avatar's face to make them readable), the translation of VTuber models into other digital spaces such as video-games.
An Introduction To Cybercultures
This book contains a thorough examination of Cybercultures, with still-relevant ideas & concepts 20 years after its publication. There are many definitions & terms included in this book which will be useful for discussing VTubers (or any digitally-derived subculture). The many chapters of this book will provide ample opportunities for citations.
Essay Structure
As follows is a list of possible subjects/ content that I may cover in my essay, this list is yet to be refined into a properly considered order:
- Abstract - critical theories & discussion topics
- Introduction to the world of VTubing - what is VTubing (Cite Shirai 2019) (specific terminology/ common language), general history, the cybercultural context. (Cite Lufkin 2018)
- Case studies
- Independent VTubers
- Projekt Melody - Virtual Camgirl to virtual Twitch streamer. (Adult-focused virtual streaming transitioning into general virtual streaming).
Virtual performance evolution & possibilities within the adult entertainment industry. - Nyanners - Internet celebrity to virtual streamer. (Known internet personality adopting a virtual streaming format).
Transition of a known personality into a virtual performer. - Ami Yamato - Virtual IRL Vlogger (Example of a very early virtual performer).
The beginnings of virtual performance. - Kizuna AI - Virtual Youtuber™ (Early VTuber, coined the term "Virtual Youtuber" as a self-descriptor).
The evolution of Virtual Youtubers as an archetype within cyberculture. - CodeMiko - Virtual streamer (Very open about the technological side of interactive/ live virtual avatars, showing the IRL setup & performer behind the VTuber performance).
Behind the scenes of virtual performance.
- Projekt Melody - Virtual Camgirl to virtual Twitch streamer. (Adult-focused virtual streaming transitioning into general virtual streaming).
- VTuber Groups
- Hololive/ Cover Corp - Japanese corporation that scouts VTuber talent & builds their Virtual Performance & brand (Very influential in the world of VTubing in terms of performance formatting, & cultural impact).
- VShojo - American VTuber agency that focuses on VTuber talent on Twitch. (Western, more liberal VTuber agency but retains much of the Japanese influence which seems to be omnipresent within VTubing).
- Independent VTubers
- Discussion on Cultural Imperialism - Heavy Japanese pop-culture influence (possible semiotics discussion).
- Gender Bias - There are vastly more female VTubers than male (possible reasons for this, advantages of a Virtual Performance vs. performance without an avatar).
- Sociology - The power of anonymity (negative aspects & positive aspects).
- Conclusion(s)
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Image List
The World Of VTubers
An important point to consider within my subject is that few people outside of certain internet subcultures will be aware of VTubers, so I will have to introduce & explain the concept of VTubers in a clear manner.
Some Examples Of Independent VTubers, & VTuber Groups.
Flow chart showing some wide-ranging examples of independent performers & performer groups within the world of VTubing & some brief context.
Author:
Elliot Watson, Illustrator with a background in historical swordsmanship and all the weird and wonderful trappings that entails.
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