Fairy Tales, Fantasies, and Urban Legends

Fairy Tales, Fantasies and Urban Legends are saturated with creative inspiration. As a group, we were challenged to dig into the mystical world that is home to these tales and extract a common theme to use to develop a collection of three works. Our group decided to use mermaids as the common connective thread between our individual pieces. I was inspired by the traditional Hans Christian Anderson version of the tale "The Little Mermaid" (http://hca.gilead.org.il/li_merma.html).

In addition to finding a fantastical theme to follow, were were challenged with connecting that inspiration to a design style period from the 1920s, 30s, 40s, or 50s. I chose to look toward Art Deco and Streamline in futurism from the 1920s to develop a composition for my mermaid-stlye piece. I was very inspired by Art Deco furniture. Below are examples of pieces from which I pulled inspiration.

http://www.jcbackings.com/gallery.php?itemnumber=CT-77&itemtype=photo&category=mti&tpagenum=1

I used this wall instillation as inspiration for the color and detail in the background structure of my piece. I also used the organic, Egyptian and Aztec detailing seen near the top of this piece to develop the structure of the robot mermaid in my work. I used the shapes and textures to develop the gears and metal plates that make up her body. I wanted her body to be simple and streamline, but to pop out from the background. I used art deco detailing to do that.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adonline/6028311635/

http://colinmillerphotoblog.com/post/25041466395/art-deco-hanging-lamp

These Art Deco light fixtures, comprised of the purified geometric forms and upward movements seen in the style, were a main inspiration for the focal throne type structure the mermaid is resting on. The glow showing through the mostly opaque glass allows for a breath in the composition against the dark background and heavier robot. They also represent the new uses of glass seen in Art Deco.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/155817917/great-gatsby-art-deco-ring?ref=favs_view_4

Art Deco jewelry, specifically the piece above, provided inspiration for the development of the body of the robot. This ring is fairly ornate but is composed of easily definable geometric shapes that overall create a simple but detailed composition. The mermaid, being the main focus of the piece, needed to stand out from the background. I wanted to use more detail in her form to do that, but also remember to keep the details clean so she fit with the rest of the composition. 

http://observatory.designobserver.com/feature/bad-taste-true-confessions-erte/37579/

I used graphic art by Erte as inspiration for the dark background and the draping behind the geometric pillars in the background. Here, again, we see a combination of simplicity and detail which I wanted to evoke in my piece. Erte achieves this with clean lines and geometric shapes. I worked to translate these elements into my own piece. They are seen in the dark background and in the formation of the robot's body. I also appreciate how Erte's figure is feminine but not overtly sexualized. I wanted to translate that idea into my piece. My mermaid/robot has normal female form and is neither idealized nor sexualized. 

http://www.tishmanspeyer.com/properties/chrysler-center

I really liked the fanned and layered geometric pattern from the Art Deco Van Alen Chrysler building. I adapted this structure, combine with inspiration from the art deco jewelry seen below and Erte's design piece, to compose the platform the mermaid's throne rests on. The cushion of the ring and the geometric shapes combine to form the platform. I also drew from the detailing on the elevator doors in the Chrysler building to add more visual interest around the base of the platform.  

http://eragem.com/1920-s-art-deco-engagement-ring-3-5-carat-old-european-cut-diamond-solid-platinum.html

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID021.htm

The scales of the mermaids body pre-robot are inspired by the below scale-like pattern found in art deco. They create depth with a layering effect but are still geometric and connect with the rest of the composition. 

http://www.storm-door.org/category/art-deco-doors/

I was also inspired by the streamline movement in the US and how it constructed a vision of the future. Streamline focused on moving into the future, on fantasy versions of objects like trains, planes, cars, refrigerators, etc. Streamline, also inspired by constructivism, focused on brining aerodynamic principles to transportation. It developed from scientific pursuits, peeling away the ornate nature of Art Deco to reach scientific "pure-line". Achieving these lines was only possible because of the scientific innovation of new materials such as aluminum and bakelite. Even as early as the 1930s, American had a large focus on developing popular consumer products. Streamline products, associated with the future and prosperity, were attractive to consumers, especially middle-calss America. It became such a fad that it was implemented into everyday objects like radios and pencil sharpeners. I translated the smooth, aerodynamic shapes from streamline into the construction of the robots body. Her arms, legs, and torso were constructed with streamline in mind, keeping them fairly smooth.

http://www.emercedesbenz.com/Jul08/29_001305_eMercedesBenz_
Feature_Win_First_Refuel_Later_Mercedes_Silver_Arrows_Return_To_Formula_One_In_1954.html

 Streamline continued to inspire ideas about the future and was implemented into the sets and costumes of the German film "Metropolis". This film takes place in a future dystopian society and focuses on resurrection, divisions of class systems, and human transformation. During the film, a scientist constructs a robot, pumping life into her, turning her human and resurrecting the life of a former love. (Images of the scene are below.)

I drew inspiration from this image specifically for the mermaid/robots body positing and the use of "vortex" type lines to indicated transformation. 

I combined Has Christian Anderson's "the Little Mermaid" story with moments from "Metropolis"to inspire my piece. In the original Anderson text a young female mermaid wishes for legs so she can go on land, fall in love, and gain an immortal soul. She trades her voice for her transformation. In the end, her love rejects her, she commits suicide, becoming part of the sea and the air. Below is a select quote form the story that I found particularly helpful in constructing my version of the story.

"I know what you want," said the sea witch; "it is very stupid of you, but you shall have your way and it will bring you to sorrow, my pretty princess. You want to get rid of your fish's tail, and to have two supporters instead of it, like human beings on earth, so that the young prince may fall in love with you, and that you may have an immortal soul." (http://hca.gilead.org.il/li_merma.html)


 I chose to depict the moment of the mermaids transformation, pulling from the robots transformation in "Metropolis". In my adapted version, the mermaid is granted legs and, like the robot in Metropolis, is transformed into her new body. But instead of changing into a human with flesh and blood, the mermaid changes into a robot. Her request was a vain one, she desired a change in appearance so someone would fall in love with her. She traded her voice, which in Anderson's text seems representative of her soul, so a boy would think she is beautiful. She desires an eternal soul, but one that stems from a superficial love. The consequence for her vanity and selfishness is her new robot form. Her transformer, a sea witch in Anderson's text, granted her promise to give the mermaid legs and an eternal soul, for she has legs and can never die as a robot, but her state will be a constant reminder to appreciate herself for who she is, and not to change for a superficial love that ends up rejecting her no matter what she changes about herself.

Below is the first attempt at constructing the background for the transformation of the mermaid.

I liked how the majority of it turned out. I liked the dark background with the structural, geometric lines and how the orbed structure popped out from that background. I didn't like the large structure below the throne. It felt to heavy and flat to be a part of the rest of the compositing. I decided to look back at art deco architecture and pull from there to develop a base that was structured but had a lighter air. As explained above, I drew inspiration from the Chrysler building, the Chrysler building interior, and art deco jewelry to develop the new structure seen below. 

I liked this much better. It fits with the rest of the throne structure in color and design. The new detailing related better to art deco design.  From there I added the body of the mermaid in transformation. As stated above, I pulled both from the simplicity of streamline cars and the straightforward detail in art deco. 

I used blues and greens in the mermaids body to separate her form from the rest of the compositing. The  cool blue colors pop forward while the warm yellows and oranges push backward. I also used blues to reference her connection to the sea and the natural world, even though she transformed into a robot. In reference to streamline, I used simple elongated spheres to constructed her body. I added simple gear and line detailing to add more visual interest to the main focus and to pull art deco into the form. 

Next, I added the robot head and the mermaid tail to the figure's body.

 I used more organic forms (but sill geometric) to create the tail as to reference the moment in the story where she is not quite a robot, not quite a mermaid. I was happy with how the tail and the lower "vortex" came across, but I was not happy with the face of the robot or the hair. The hair looks like she's being electrocuted instead of transformed and the face is too blank. The vortex looks more like an odd headband than anything else. I decided to revise the face and hair to look more like the mermaid version of herself than the robot.

First I changed the hair. This made the figure look less manic.

Then I changed the face. Changing the face to a more human one and lowering the point of transformation to the figures neck more directly emphasizes the idea of transformation. It also added more life to the figure. I was much happier with this final result.

After some consideration and conversation with my peers, I concluded that the face should be more robotic and less like a mermaid. I repainted the face to fit with the rest of the streamline body. Now, the mermaid is transforming from top-down instead of middle-out. The design still fits well with the concept but is less confusing and more greatly emphasizes the robot.