OUGD406 - Studio Brief 1 - Little boy development

Brainwashed boy

I used this image as a reference because it perfectly shows the lighting that I was trying to produce - just lit from the television screen. 

Concept Sketch.

I did an initial sketch of the boy from the image, I thought that I could use this as a base for the more inky style that Dave McKean uses. I feel like I haven't got the right expression across here though - he looks bored rather than hypnotised by the television. But I thought that this could be sorted out when I inked the drawing up. 

I tried to mimic McKean's style, but of course I couldn't get all the nuances into the design that I wanted to and it started to look less serious because it lost detail and looked like a cartoon. I also couldn't manage to fix that bored expression on his face! If anything he looks more bored here. So I decided I would go back to basics and use image manipulation instead.

So, deciding on a digital interpretation I thought that I may as well use the same image. I made it black and white to add more contrast and then played about with posterising to further up the contrast for drama. This was Level 3 which I chose in the end because it had just the right amount of detail 

I then removed the boy and erased a bit of him with a soft eraser brush to make it look like he is in a dark room, the areas I have kept will be in the beam of light from the television. I thought this would create a moodier tone, instead of a playful one.

So against the dark background he appears from the darkness and doesn't stand out too much. 

I then added in the beam of light and I think it really makes the image pop because it points the viewers direction of the two main elements of the story - from the boy to the tv and vice versa. 

I then thought the use of black and white was too harsh, so I changed it to a navy blue as blue has a calming effect, luring the viewer in suggesting that the brainwashing that the boy is receiving could be rather enticing.

Finally I went back to Illustrator and created a vector of it. I lost some detail in the vector making process but I think that it adds to the anonymity of the piece - this little boy could be anyone. I also made the shine from the screen lighter and added the illusion to the screen to further emphasise my message of brainwashing.