Like a Ghost or a Whisper

I've been working on character designs, and I think I've settled on the protagonist's look:

 I guess I should talk about what influenced the visual style. I'm used to working in a more conventional style that's slightly less basic:

But the content of the narrative lends itself to an art-style that's more childlike and deceptively cutesy. This works for two reasons. One, it appeals to a younger demographic, and two, when the weird, messed up junk starts happening, it isn't too scary to alienate viewers but creates this odd juxtaposition of spooky and adorable. A lot of this is directly influenced by the work of Pendleton Ward, specifically his show Adventure Time.

 Adventure Time is like a bad acid trip recounted by a ten year old, and I think its zany/creepy nature is largely what makes it such a universally beloved show. It's this kind of visual creativity I want to utilise in my own work.

Above are images from Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, an astounding animated film that I've loved dearly from childhood. Much of the imagery is similar to that present in Michele's story, making it a natural influence on this project for me.

This is an extract from Bryan Lee O'Malley's Seconds, which honestly has nothing to do with anything other than I love it to bits and hope some of its greatness will rub off onto me somehow.

This is Noelle Stevenson's cover to the first issue of Lumberjanes, another forest-set comic that has a great sense of humour and fun. Stevenson's artstyle is an undeniable influence on this project, though I'm also hoping to capture the same spirit and energy she presents in her work.

That's about it for now. Tomorrow? Into the forest! (If I can come to terms with my fear of public transport and social interaction, at least.)