Experimenting with first compositions for new Welsh folktale, Gelert.

After making some rough sketches, I started making some symmetrical paper cuts by folding the paper in half and seeing the image repeated on the opposite side. I used this method as I wanted to see the effect symmetry could have as an outcome. I think the symmetry is a great effect but the paper cut is very limiting for the type of detail I would like to incorporate, and also has to be cut in a considered way so that it will stay together as one image, but is an efficient way to plan a composition at a fair size quickly. 

1)

2)

Image 1 has a mountain in the centre, with trees on the left and right, with 2 streams leading from the mountain to the lake at the bottom, with Gelert, the King and the Prince in the centre. 

Image 2 has a tree directly in the centre, with a mountain either side, clouds hanging from a line across the top and a small hut at the bottom. This scene is not completed with characters yet, but will have a drawn version. 

Final Composition of Cadair Idris

Development of Cadair Idris Compositions

Below are sketchbook images of character designing for Idris' wife and Idris himself. I started making these sketches as I started to hit a wall with the large collage as I felt I was too concerned with the medium and the outcome, over being creative. I still plan on making a larger composition, but by using pencils and colouring pencils as it gives a more immediate outcome and better detail.

Idris' Wife:

Idris: 

Larger collage as development from the first 3 compositions in previous post. Has not been completed as it wasn't working for me, therefor decided to move on: 

First Compositions for Cadair Idris

After looking at theories for compositions, I started making sketches for the location of Cadair Idris as it is a real mountain in North Wales. In the bottom right corner of this first image is a doodle of an idea I had in mind, and from this I used black and white collage to experiment with making possible images. For the first two images I used the rule of thirds, and the third image is based on symmetry. These images were a great way to start out by being able to see areas of improvement such as scale, composition and detail. 

One of the elements that needs improvement is the giant sitting on the mountain in the first composition, as it is too big and needs to include the whole character. The next step will be to recreate some of these images at a larger scale, with more tonal  variety to help distinguish depth and overlapping of certain elements, and also to develop a range of faces and emotions for the giants. 

Image 1 

Image 2

Image 3