Composition - Crafting Stories by Merging Multiple Narratives (PSD + Process Video)

Hey Everyone!

Here are some insights about my process for the "Test" piece!

Concept
Often, I picked a single picture and created a piece from it, but I didn’t want to feel limited by one reference, just in case I couldn’t find one that I liked. So, I decided to combine three. Each of them was particularly interesting in its own right, and since they all shared the common theme of being felines, I thought it made sense to have them interact in some way. 

Building art pieces from different pictures is not a new concept; it's a technique many artists use during the research phase. However, constructing a story from varied images is a different challenge. If you wish to try a similar approach, I suggest thinking like a movie director. Your goal is to assemble a 'cast of actors,' pick a common subject, and choose references that share this theme and fit within your narrative. Ensure that each reference has something distinctive or unique, a visually striking element that becomes the focal point of your concept.

Another way to approach this form of storytelling is to imagine you are assembling a team, where each member should have a distinctive role, different from the others. Once you’ve identified a common theme among the references, look for images with diverse shapes and colors that can help shape the meaning or motivation behind these roles. Check main teams or characters in existing stories for a point of reference; this can help you understand the idea.

For instance, this piece was inspired by the idea of a sensei teaching two disciples, each talented but different in character, one inclined to the dark side and the other to become a positive figure, a theme found in popular films and anime series.

Shapes
I chose three distinctive shapes along with values as the first part of the process: a grey oval shape for the "sensei," inspired by a Persian cat; a thin and bright shape for the kid, representing the white cat with the fish in its mouth; and a big black shape for the leopard reference, symbolizing the potential villain apprentice. 

Although these shapes were clear from the beginning, they lacked a source of connection through a moment. Initially, I was clear about this master/student dynamic, but it was not Kung Fu oriented, and I wasn’t sure what the actual action of the scene was supposed to be. Throughout the shape silhouette exploration, I slowly unfolded gestures and suggestions of what it could be. Eventually, I concluded that a skill test situation while eating would be relatable and would justify the leopard’s expression, which could be associated with surprise or anger.

Colors and Shadows
When creating two characters, it’s simple – one black and one white, as I mentioned in the previous process of the "Guardian" piece. This approach helped me figure out color palettes faster since I just needed to make adjustments over bright or dark tonalities, integrating 2 or 3 colors as companions. However, in this case, having three characters, I decided to give priority to white. I made both the sensei and the little boy white, as the reference suggested, but for the leopard, although it was primarily yellow with black dots, I decided to keep it black and suggest the leopard skin through a piece of fabric, similar to a scarf. The logic behind this decision was to prioritize the composition of values over a close interpretation of the reference. This also highlighted how opposite the characters were in terms of motivation, subtly but effectively.

Adjustments: I was exploring colors in shadows. I often didn’t like to make colored shadows since I believed the lack of light often doesn’t showcase colors at their best. However, on white surfaces, like the sensei and boy’s clothes, it made a good case for cold shadows. My pieces often remained very desaturated until this point, and I have to say, it added a very nice touch, especially with the "color balance" filter. Check the PSD for more.

Conclusion
While the idea of combining more than one reference into a single story might sound strange, it is very useful. Not only will you improve your narrative skills by translating real-world references into original concepts, but you will also showcase a wide range of pieces for your portfolio. Look forward to more unconventional ideas in the next couple of weeks; my goal is to explore and provide new ways for you to come up with original art.

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