Tag: sci fi

Future Of the Body: Context: Asimov

Future Of the Body: Context: Asimov

by turquoisecho ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

For the sake of keeping recent context in one place, I will copy in a few excerpts that I’m drawing inspiration from at this stage in the project. These all come from Asimov’s short story I’m In Marsport Without Hilda. I’ve put anything I particularly like in bold, because chances are you’ll see it come up in my work.

“He had thrown me. I knew what Spaceoline was. If you’ve been on a space-hop you know, too. And in case you’re Earth-bound yourself the bare fact is that everyone needs it on the first space-trip; almost everybody needs it for the first dozen trips; lots need it every trip. Without it, there is vertigo associated with free fall, screaming terrors, semi-permanent psychoses. With it, there is nothing; no one minds a thing. And it isn’t habit-forming; it has no adverse side-effects. Spaceoline is ideal, essential, unsubstitutable. When in doubt, take Spaceoline.”

“Big industrialists don’t go space-hopping much; they use trans-video reception. When they do go to some ultra-high interstellar conference, as these three were probably going, they take Spaceoline. For one thing, they don’t have enough hops under their belt to risk doing without. For another, Spaceoline is the expensive way of doing it and industrialists do things the expensive way.”

“The one who carried contraband, however, couldn’t risk Spaceoline—even to prevent space-sickness. Under Spaceoline influence, he could throw the drug away; or give it away; or talk gibberish about it. He would have to stay in control of himself.”

“He said, in a dreamy voice, “Surrealismus of Panamy hearts in three-quarter time for a cup of coffeedom of speech.”

That was Spaceoline all the way. The buttons in the human mind were set free-swing. Each syllable suggests the next in free association.”

“One of them must be faking. It wasn’t hard to fake the thing. Comedians on sub-etheric had a Spaceoline skit regularly. You’ve heard them.”

Future of the Body: Week Three

Future of the Body: Week Three

by turquoisecho ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This week I had the chance to get more work done on my Futures project, having successfully uploaded my e-portfolio and sent it to Brighton.

I finished off the worksheet with all of the photo references I’d been saving along the way. You can see where I’ve used them in generating initial ideas here.

I re-read a couple of Asimov’s short stories and stumbled across a drug called Spaceoline. It makes space hops easier – which are usually associated with feelings of free-fall and terror, and can be quite traumatic mentally.

Here I experimented with the product’s branding and form. I looked at American gas station logos and Americanised product branding. Then, I speculated on what form the drugs would actually take – but I’m pretty settled on powder pressed into pills.
This was a hastily concieved idea of a Spaceoline jar, for the purpose of experimenting with all sorts of media. I have become enamoured with this piece, even though it’s just a concept sheet. Shown above is: Embroidery, collage, pen, pencil, marker, concertina paper, rings of paper glued on and weaving through the paper.

What has been successful this week? I particularly like the row of pill bottles with collaged insides on the first worksheet. The pill bottle made of concertina paper was actually an accident, but I’m really pleased I kept it: the shape is pleasing and I like that it stands off the page.

The woven paper in the second sheet became the trail for a rocket launching, which I LOVE. I might have to use it again, or use the texture as inspiration. I was told that the blue watercolour puddle was successful as well, so might incorporate that in further work.

Where am I going to take this?

The next steps for the project have been worked out through a group crit we had on Monday, which is a blessing as it makes me confident in where I’m going. I’m going to design and make some brand packaging for Spaceoline. Since it’s a fantasy world and not an actual graphic design project, I can go absolutely goofy with it and have all the fun designing this in the world. Into week four!

Artist Research: Tabares 核の冬: Future

Artist Research: Tabares 核の冬: Future

by turquoisecho ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

My research and context takes two forms: research into original source material, e.g. sci-fi novels, video games, etc. and into artists creating similar work to draw inspiration from and to place my own work contextually in the world of illustration.

Tabares is a freelance illustrator, also collaborating with merchandise brands who feature their art. (I have tried and failed to find an English version of their full name – only their social media handle, nuclear_winter__ – and their name stated on all other sites is Tabares 核の冬. I will refer to them as Tabares.)

Conventions of their work and style include:

  • Usually female portraits
  • Cyborg, or robotic parts. They tend to create robotic neck muscles or hands and arms.
  • Saturated neon colours and lighting – e.g. bright magentas, greens and blues.

Tabares’ work inspires mine colour-wise. I like bright colours. My research has also been into futuristic body modification, with my project description being “Future of the Body”. This means the subject of the work is also relevant to my current project.

This is a still from a very short animation in which a mask covers the girl’s face mechanically. I might consider a short animation.

Contextually, if I were to create work similar to this, it might sit in the freelance illustration category. Tabares is creating visually pleasing work that people want to buy, and from this they are also receiving lots of commissions for people who want personal art in their style.

Future of the Body: Week One

Future of the Body: Week One

by turquoisecho ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This project is the first one in which we are really given free reign over what we do. I’ve been drawn to sci-fi and futuristic, creative body alterations or modifications.

All of my scribbled ideas and pathways are in my sketchbook, in mind maps or where I can find space – but what I’m documenting is the ideas I’ve taken a little further – to thumbnailing and experimenting visually.

This was an idea for bioluminescent body alterations, a new beauty standard that exists in the future. I saw an interesting article about futuristic body modification in a fashion show called A.Human, which inspired a lot of these images. I collected a range of bioluminescent animal photo references in order to be inspired here.

You can see the beginning of an idea here. The concept is a pill that you can take which contains a script for a dream that has been pre-recorded. When the user falls asleep, they will experience that pleasant dream. I imagine they’d range from adventures to friendships to romantic and sexual exploits. You can see I play with words for possible brand names – find In Your Dreams – and then immediately thumbnail a possible logo.

This concept was directly inspired by one of Issac Asimov’s short stories, in which a corporation sells dreams and employs creative thinkers to imagine and “record” for them.

On this page you can see I develop the logo so that it has a graphic elegance – an eye winking. I moved away from the realism I’d been sketching before to experiment with bright colours. I continually evaluate the designs with notes to the side.

This page was a fun one to do. I started by laying down the basic watercolor shapes to force myself to include variation. I was happy I did this, because the top right design really spoke to me – so I took it further.

This is where I am currently with this train of thought. You can see some possible brand poster thumbnails – but I’m also considering actually creating the brand packaging for the pills too.

What do I need to do next?

I’m aware that I’ve gone quite specific quite early with this train of thought. I actually plan to do some collage work, create another mind map and widen all of my thinking back out again. With all of my research into sci-fi and notes I’ve taken, I’ll find another path of interest to liaise with for the next week.