The design of the first characters

The following project is part of a name I like to call "ARTA" because I had an idea to use the word art in the title as the subject is what I enjoy the most above all as a hobby and as work. I first started to have the idea of a world inhabited by fantasy creatures of my own design. This idea was inspired by a series of three games in which as well had a world of its own called "ODDWORLD" link to website: http://www.oddworld.com/firsttenyears/index.shtml I looked at the concept designs of the characters and wildlife of these games and just imagined my own but from a different concept. I juts thought it was extremely fascinating to see a world of monsters and strange animals in a world of which the society is very similar to or won. I wanted to create a world similar but with different plots, characters and many other aspects because I do not wish to copy wright something that is not mine.

It first began with an animation project for my "Final Major Project" at the Bournemouth & Poole College for my Foundation Diploma in Art and Design. I decided that it should be a stop-motion animation because modeling the puppets involved the topic of sculpture. I first began to draw the characters and how they should look like. OOD was the main title and principle character of my story. Now most of my drawings have insect traits for physical appearance and I personally think it suits best for my creatures as insets mostly ruled our planet Earth before. OOD is a "C" shaped creature with four large eyes, ears and arms at the back of his body. He is able to reach out which is why I gave him long arms. He is smaller than a man and is equally at running very fast. OOD is a good natured creature and is to be known as the "hero" of my story who will be involved in the future events of my future projects. The design on the left is the very first concept drawing of my character.

The villains of my story, I like to portray them as the industrial corporation of our society, representing the bitterness, the greed and corruption of humanity but placed into the bodies of hideous insect creatures. The first one I call the "Hexoright". Hex is defined as a curse. They are portrayed as tall, very skinny creatures. Long thin arms with long fingers, eyes at the side of their head. On the left are the first drawings of what the Hexoright appear. This lack of physical strength means that they are cunning and intelligent creatures, built in by enormous wealth and own many industrial and strange medical facilities. Also, hobbling alongside them are short creatures, thought still bigger than OOD, I call the Parakecium. They are based upon the guards called "Sligs" in the "OODWORLD" series: http://www.oddworld.com/firsttenyears/universe/industrial/characters/sligs/ow_worker_design.html#scrollAnchorw_worker_design.html#scrollAnchor

The Parakecium body form slightly resembles the Slig but do not have "bionic legs" The Parakecim wear armour plated trousers. Instead of tendrils they have an insect mouth like the Hexoright. They do no have strange masks, the Parakecium have a "visor" or sunglasses gear on their eyes. These characters I like to portray as the comic relief, villans or "henhcmen" that sometimes get the work correct but "goof " the situation at some rare occasions.