This was one of my first major projects that I made over 10 years ago when I was just 11 years old. Here I experimented with hyperrealism to create an unsettling creature that distorts human anatomy and comes across as a boundless predator. Due to the creature's exaggerated features of the human form, it lies in the uncanny valley where it evokes to viewers a sense that it is not of this world, dominating, and dangerous.
Developed for my AP Art portfolio, I experimented with sculpting polymer clay and developing a hyperrealistic eye to be the standout feature of this a hollow, mysterious, man that has been consumed by his constant rumination of his mortality and loss. This guy was a part of a larger portfolio of two soulmates whose outlook on mortality and their time together, is vastly different. Feel free to read up on his story in the other tab that is coming soon!
What I love about this guy's distinguishing feature is that depending on how you orient the camera, you can convey a whole range of emotions from shocked, fearful, neutral, angry and more. Utilizing the negative space (however much or little) of the dark red part and some clever camera tricks, a static sculpture becomes a creature with so much story to tell. Whether you lean into sound design (Which the composition "He Who Wanders" in my music composition section is about) or background details, the fun part is that nothing in the sculpture changed.
What does he seek?
She went through a few iterations, but she ended up being the counterpart and soulmate of the character above. She is an optimist whose mind blossoms with positive thoughts and outlooks as she retains a peaceful and neutral face in the midst of the circumstances around her. Counter to the man above, she acknowledges their fate, which makes their love far more meaningful to her. Despite their difference, these two are united in the one ting that transcends time.
