Shelter
the narrative
Henry, a frontiersman, lived as a nomad for years. His dedication to self-sufficiency leaves him alone in his adventures but also equips him with the tools to survive. While hiking the mountains, a treacherous storm forces him to find shelter in a cougar’s cave. The next morning, the cat returns. While trying to reclaim its home, the cougar is trapped in a ravine where it continues to torment Henry.
pROCESS
Project:
Team Size:
Software:
Workflow:
2D Short Film
Solo Project
Photoshop
Research > Story Development > Sketch > Reassess > Refine
Environment
This story takes place during The Great Expansion, in the 1800's. Our protagonist, Henry, normally finds himself deep in the mountains, surrounded by towering pines and thick underbrush. Now, trapped in the cave, he would find scarce vegetation and cold stone. I began my concept by exploring different ways to express the natural landscapes through research and sketching. Starting with silhouettes and then developing them into thumbnails, I gained a better idea of how my environment would look.
Silhouettes and thumbnails of plants and landscape
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
With a better vision of my environment's structure, I worked on finding the right style for the final look. I took elements from my sketches and worked them into scenes that our story takes place in. For the final renders, I chose an establishing shot for the greater area, as well as, the cave where most of the story takes place.
Establishing shot render
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
Cave entrance render
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
Characters
Henry
Henry is a burly, middle-aged man who moved to the mountains, seeking purpose and adventure. Alone, he traverses uncharted wilds, relying only on his wit and grit. Henry's needs are simple and he feels comfortable in the harsh wilderness, but he longs for something more.
I followed the same process for my characters. Using silhouettes and thumbnails helped me confidently create a design for Henry. Our gruff, seasoned, protagonist needed to look both stubborn and tactful. I then took that idea and drew expressions and a character turn-around for production.
Silhouettes, thumbnails, expressions, and turn-around for Henry
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
Before finalizing Henry's design, I had to personalize his belongings. Most of what he has is either scavenged or crafted. Wanting to reflect that, I chose a very simple but thoughtful design for his bow.
Silhouettes, thumbnails, and render of Henry's bow
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
The last decision I had to make was which color palette to choose. I tried different looks based on different animals or plants that are used to make real clothing at the time. I also thought about how time and weathering could affect the clothing and the character. With all of this in mind, I crafted Henry's final look.
Color exploration and final rendering of Henry
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
The Cougar
The cougar is a simple yet elegant creature. She is a powerful force of nature that acts upon instinct. Although she is smaller than Henry, the cougar is one of the most dangerous predators he could face.
I played around with different features and builds for the cougar until I settled on a design that fit the narrative. I wanted the cougar to look imposing without being a monstrous thing. To further support that, I worked on poses and expressions that would capture the full nature of this character.
Silhouettes, thumbnails, expressions, and poses of the cougar
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
Finally, I tested out different colors for the cougar. Focusing on realistic palettes, I found inspiration from many different subspecies. I took elements from a few cats and developed them into a final render that would showcase this beautiful and fearsome animal.
Color exploration and final rendering of the cougar
Tools used: Photoshop (Drawing Tablet)
