APOLLO'S SONG by Osamu Tezuka

I knew it would be important for me to continue using more playful references in this design project, however I also wanted to explore something with some real depth and morals. I thought of how films and books use stories to teach morals and ideas, impacting the viewer/reader. Although I love classic literature, and have learnt a lot from the many novels I've read, the obviously more playful reading experience is graphic novels and comics. I knew that there were many deep, philosophical graphic novels, specifically mangas, so I went looking in the library. Next to the classic 'Astroboy', by Osamu Tezuka, was 'Apollo's Song'. The cover and the artwork attracted me, and I already knew that Tezuka had more adult Mangas than Astroboy, so I felt like it could be a good place to start looking for inspiration in stories/characters. The illustration on the front cover interested me because the drawing style is different from the other mangas I have read. It looked more affecting, like there would be an impactful story or message. This was the kind of thing I was looking for in a reference point.

After becoming obsessed and reading the 540 page Manga in under a day, I knew that there was something I could take from the story. 

Story outline:

Shogo Chikaishi, a very troubled, sadistic, young man, is admitted into a psychiatric ward, because he was caught killing animals for fun. He undergoes treatment by electrical shocking, and hypnotism, which takes the story into a sort of dreamscape, where he is repeatedly transported into new worlds, where he experiences love, pain, loss and death, to teach him compassion. He is so sure that he could never love, because of his childhood of being neglected and despised by his Mum. But in each hypnotism session/dream, he meets, protects, then loses a girl, which eventually teaches him how to love. This repeated message of "you need to experience pain to learn love" is something that I empathised with and was instantly a theme I thought worthy of exploring.

Shogo

I really connected to the main character, Shogo, in an interesting way. The reading experience was unlike most other Manga, in which I hated the main character but also wanted him to learn how to love. Time after time he rejects it, frustrating me because he has it right there in front of him. Often when he feels something for one of the women, he ends up killing them, then regretting it hugely. The extreme, twisted character portrayal is what forced me to keep reading, becoming more and more connected to the character.

Metaphors:

The story plunges you into thought about life and love and humans. The multiple different stories of Shogo in a new "universe" meeting a new girl and then losing her, feels like a metaphor for the different stages of love in a person's life, and the trials and tribulations that come with it. I think Tezuka's general intended message was that we have to experience lots of pain and struggle in love and life, to then begin to understand ourselves. In each new story that Shogo finds himself in, the situation is completely different. The first for example is based in the war in Germany. Shogo, a nazi soldier, falls for a Jewish prisoner girl, and sets her free. She shoots him because she doesn't trust him but he still protects her. This is his first experience of caring for someone. I think this, and the other contrasting situations, is a representation of how people try love with all kinds of different people, teaching them what they really need in love.

Key Points/Themes:

-Frustration

-Pain

-Loss

-Obsession

-Devotion

-Seperation

-Rejection

REFLECTION - FEBRUARY 14TH

The extreme portrayal of a young man learning of love and life, the hard way, is what I think I want to convey in this project. Ideally I will create elements that represents this aspect of life, possibly in an abstract way. I think the character of Shogo is a good reference point to use, because of the development of his morals and the depth of the meaning behind everything he experiences. 

I want there to be an aspect of relatability in this project. The character of Shogo, and the things he goes through  in 'Apollo's Song', are symbolic of the way humans love and live. I think there is a way of interpreting this, and creating a design project around it, that could convey the pain and suffering, but also the wonder and rush of love. I came to relate and sympathise with Shogo, even though I despised him in the beginning.

I am finding it difficult deciding whether there is too much going on in this idea to construct a design process from. I really like the idea of using the character Shogo as a direct reference, taking parts of his personality and journey, and interpreting them as design. But I also don't know if I should just take the fundamental concepts and themes that I have extracted and continue with them. I do think that the book, and its illustration, is the initial thing that excited me so it would probably be the more engaging option, using the character from the book. Maybe by looking deeper into each thing that happens to him along the way, I will create a picture of how I can represent the morals of the Manga.

REFLECTION - FEBRUARY 16TH

I am beginning to form pictures of a design in my head and I'm undecided on whether this is a good thing or not. I know that it can be a mistake to narrow down a design too early, especially in my pathway, where it is very important to really consider the location on the body for which you are designing. I have constructed an image of a garment-like piece that is worn on the torso. I think I should probably ignore this until I have properly settled on a focused concept. I am also imagining using fabric and textiles, which can be quite a restricting medium, so I should try to not restrict the materials and methods I initially plan on using in my process.

So far I have used a story that I have connected with to form a multitude of different conceptual directions for me to go in, all coming from different aspects of the character of Shogo in "Apollo's Song". I think the main place these inspirations came from was my connection to Shogo, because of the underlying connection to youth rebellion and culture. It is like Shogo is an extreme portrayal and metaphor for the cultural shift of youth to the forefront of society around the 60s/70s. A rebelling of angst and violence, representing youth wanting to be heard. Researching the Sukeban reinforced my interest in this idea of youth rebellion in conjunction with the emotions involved. The main emotional themes that I think could relate to an idea of youth rebellion, are pain, love and hate. These are the emotions that I think help teenagers to grow and learn more about themselves. I wonder if I should focus more on the emotional side or the youth side. I think having a balance of the two ideas could result in something that people like me could relate to.

I don't think I want my work to be directly linked to a certain protest or revolution. This is because I wouldn't say I have a terribly strong connection to any one movement in particular. I am often drawn to Japanese culture because my parents lived there, and growing up I was surrounded by many aspects of Japanese culture. I was always reading Manga, playing with Japanese toys or looking at old Japanese objects. This interest for this certain culture is what initially attracted me to 'Apollo's Song'. However I think in this project the more important part of the inspiration is the character of Shogo, and not the culture he has originated from.

REFLECTION - 20 FEB

I need to bring back the recent research I have done into the realm of Shogo. I have kind of established that I want to use different styles/materials to represent each part of Shogo's transition into learning compassion. He experiences insanity, death, love, hate, loss, pain, obsession and anger. I wonder if by finding ways to visually represent each of these themes on different sections of the piece, a narrative could be created, relating to Shogo's character. I have again run into the issue of whether or not to ignore the actual book 'Apollo's SOng' and the character of Shogo, and simply use the themes and emotions I have extracted from the story of Shogo's character. It would probably be the better way to go because I would be less restricted conceptually. I would be able to express these emotions/themes more freely, and develop the representation ideas further, without being restricted by following the idea of reflecting Shogo in the piece. Also simply having the book/character as a starting point or a backstory to the piece. I could name the piece "Shogo Chikaishi" or "Apollo's Song" to credit where I got the idea in the first place.

REFLECTION - 24TH FEBRUARY

Today, in class, I was thinking about what kind of things I should use to represent each emotion/part of Shogo's story. The dragon design from Skyrim (shown above) is something I think would be an effective representation of the harsh, angry, painful side of love. I like that I chose to reference it simply because of my personal interest in the design of it, but also because I instantly associated it with harsh/painful emotions. The images of the dragon made me think of anger and terror, something you can connect to the bad feelings involved with love. I think this extreme portrayal of an emotion, through abstract imagery association and material processes. These associations can be abstract but I think it would only make sense for me to ue them if they connect to me in some way. I should think of general associations I make with different emotions, preferably visible imagery or aesthetics.

REFLECTION - 25TH FEBRUARY

I think I am leaning more towards the youth theme suddenly. I want the piece to be relatable and I think at my age the best way to approach this is to focus on the youth culture and feelings that I connect to. Being young is all about escapism; escaping from stress, pain, boredom and love. The love aspect is a big part of teenage angst, and this mood is something I can relate to. I want to use my research. I have a vision of portraying the youth angst mood with an escapism/fantastical abstraction. I need to immerse myself in this, through watching films that show young love and wonder in a fantasy setting. Fantasy in places like films, video games, books and imagination is often used by young people as an escape from their current state in life. This is a very relatable idea for me. Fantasy video games and films that have themes of love and care are what I often turn to for escapism.

YOUNG LOVE

I have been thinking about how, when we are young in our teenage years, we feel everything more vibrantly. Our first love for example; its like its the only thing in our world. Everything else is dimmer and less important. You are consumed by each other, forgetting about whatever is going on around you. When something goes wrong its like the end of the world, and you forget that you are still so young, with so much ahead of you. You think you have lost everything because its your first experience of love. Its all you know so its the best thing you have ever experienced. I want to capture this overwhelming experience of young love and the loss of it. This relates to the idea of escapism because we use it to escape from the world around us, being so consumed in this relationship with one single person. We also use outlets to escape from the feelings when we lose this love.

REFLECTION - 26TH FEBRUARY

Teenagers get so nervous but when all the nervousness is broken down, huge waves of love flow out. It’s a build up of about 16 years of emotion finding a reason to break free. We invest all of our time into one person because it brings us more happiness than anything else. Completely absorbed and obsessed. We use this part of our life as a method of escapism. Its like the more exciting part of life that we can turn to. Its like a fantasy or a dream that we go to when we need the colour and excitement. I want to represent this teenage escapism through love and excitement, by referencing styles from things like video games and movies that have fantasy/sci-fi worlds.

REFLECTION - MARCH 1ST

I think when young love is shown in sci-fi/fantasy stories, it highlights the purity and excitement you feel when you have a connection to someone at a certain age. I will use contrasting materials and shapes between the two headpieces to represent the unknown of each person to one another.

HEADPIECE PATTERN MAKING

I wanted to find an interesting shape for a pattern for one of my headpieces. I simply cute and stuck pieces of paper onto a head mannequin to find a shape that would suit my style. Because I have been inspired by rough, fantasy armour styles for this one of the two headpieces, I wanted it to have some sort of panelling, and protective pieces. The piece on the sideburn was something I thought of on the spot, and I liked the look of it. Since this piece is partly intended for a female, the extended parts of this headpiece could aid in concealing longer hair, which is actually important because I want the piece to be actually make the wearer look as different as possible, without covering or altering the face. I need to keep developing the pattern and shape of the piece, to make something transformative.

REFLECTION - MARCH 3RD

It's like the "Romeo and Juliet" idea. The almost forbidden, extreme love between two contrasting people in fantasy films or video games. I am obsessed with the idea of these two lovers being so different, representing the intensity of their love (young love). The contrast of the two lovers is what I want to represent through the different species of them. This is why I have been researching relationships like the one in lord of the rings. I am thinking of possibly making two pieces, one for the "man" and one for the "woman", and having a performance video of them kissing. The pieces would be two different styles/species, for example one of a futuristic character (Tron), and the other a fantasy creature (Lord of the Rings or World of Warcraft). To settle on two character ideas I think it would be best for me to develop illustrations of these characters, experimenting with different styles. I also had the thought of making one piece which is like a collision of the two characters, portraying the connection between them. It could potentially be like the love-child of the two characters.

I am slightly unsure of how I can keep the idea of youth in this piece, because I do still want it to be evident that I was inspired by the idea of young love. If I end up making a video of a performance with the pieces, then that would be a good way to make the young love aspect very clear, but I still want to find a way to make the piece feel youthful. I think it is important for me to make sure that the pieces are as vibrant as possible, to keep the feeling of excitement and fantasy.

RELFECTION - MARCH 4TH

I think I may want to make head pieces, like hats that are shaped like the hairline of someones head. Hat-like pieces would be more relatable for young people, and I think if they successfully fitted the hairline they would be more of a transformative piece. I think I still want to make a two-person performance piece to film a video for the interaction between the two characters. 

PATTERN DEVELOPMENT

 I used my drawings to develop pattern pieces that fit my newest designs for this 'Orc' headpiece. I designed the piece to have leaf-like panels that protrude from the shape of the head, making the piece look more like a helmet, which is taken from my inspirations. I built up the pattern on a polystyrene head-mannequin, but when I took it off I realised it was much too small for most real heads because of the hair. I will have to enlarge each piece of the pattern by a bit, while perfecting the construction of the pattern. Since I want this headpiece to be more intended for a female, and I wouldn't want it to be much too big for their head, so using my own head wouldn't work. I need to start thinking about which materials I will use for the final piece, because there are lots of options for this style of piece. I know I want it be a vibrant, lime green and leather is difficult to find in this colour but I will have to try and find something if I decide on this material. I think leather would be effective in imitating the rough, rugged orc style I'm going for.

SPIKES

I began thinking about how I would make the spikes to be attached to the scalp area of the hat. The idea developed into having the spikes look like they are coming through the surface of the main hat material. I made this prototype out of wood, by simply carving and sanding the edges. I tried drilling narrow holes at the bottom of the spike to find a way of attaching it to the fabric. I thought of stitching the base of the spike onto the fabric (leather).

 I wanted to experiment with different materials with the spikes. I was always originally imagining the spikes being metal, or just looking like metal/rusty metal. Using an angle grinder, I cut off parts of a steel bar to make a rough, faceted spike.

REFLECTION - 15TH MARCH

I made three different versions of the spike. The wooden one would most likely be for a cast to make plaster multiples of it. Then with the metal one, I just wanted to see what I could make out of actual metal, because I had a feeling it would look the best. However making around 10 of these, and in different sizes would be a lot of difficult work, and I also think they would be too heavy to wear on a hat. It would also be very difficult to attach them to the material of the hat. The metal spikes are just an unrealistic option. If I cast spikes in plaster and then decorated them to look like metal/wood. I would want to use the general shape and style of the spike I made out of metal, because of its colour and rough surface. I tried painting a foam spike to look like metal but the texture didn't work. I need to try painting plaster casts, to see if I can imitate the metal surface effectively. i actually just pictured the spikes being left as white plaster, and I think it could look really cool with the green headpiece. I need to try that out.

REFLECTION - MARCH 17TH

I decided that casting spike shapes in plaster is the best and most realistic option, because it's cheaper and easy to make duplicates of them. I pictured the headpiece having spikes that are white/off-white like bone. I figured this could be a more transformative design, as it would look like they come from the persons scalp. I need to do some detailed drawings of the bone spikes ripping through the material of the headpiece. I am also thinking about how I want the actual material of the piece to look; bright or dull green, brand new or worn/distressed.

CASTING

I made four generic spike shapes out of foam. Using pva and vaseline I sealed them and made a silicon mould of them. I then cast them in plaster twice, to make 8 plaster spikes. Because I wanted them to look individual, and not like copies, I used files to carve edges, and smooth parts down. I wanted them to actually look like worn bone spikes.

After I had cast and refined the spikes I painted a layer of shellac on them to seal and protect the surface of them. I want them to be strong enough to attach to the headpiece. I will have to then paint them to be the bone colour I want, or to look like metal if thats what I decide. I actually really enjoy the casting process, because of how satisfying it is to have the exact shape you want come out of the mould. I like how using the foam as the negative for the mould created a rough, imperfect surface for the spikes. The whole process is natural yet precise, and I think I will use it often in jewellery next year.

REFLECTION - MARCH 18TH

I haven't been thinking back to my main concept enough in the recent development I have been doing. Although I have furthered the actual design, and begun the craft of the piece, I need to think back to the reason I am making the piece now. I suppose it is good that I have been immersed in the making process, and considered how I can realise my idea. However I need to make sure that what I am making still correlates to my initial idea. The first headpiece I am making is going to be a leather/canvas headpiece inspired by armour in fantasy films. It will have bones spikes piercing through the scalp of the piece. The transformative value of the piece is supposed to relate to young love through fantasy/sci-fi portrayal. I feel like this concept may have been slightly lost, however I am also happy with how my design has developed so I don't think its a problem that my initial idea isn't blatantly obvious in the recent design developments.

REFLECTION - MARCH 20TH

Now that I am pretty much satisfied with my design idea for one of the headpieces, I will refine the pattern and think about how I'm going to make it. For 'Orc' I want to use materials that look used and worn, and also comfortable, to contrast with the harsh spikes tearing through the scalp of the hat. I was originally thinking of using bright green leather, however I think it would make the piece look a bit too costume-like, when I actually want it to look more relatable, as if it's almost just a hat, but worn by a otherworldly creature. I want to see what it looks like with the spikes coming through materials like wool or cotton jersey.

REFLECTION - MARCH 23RD

Because I want the colour to be faded, I want to find a way to use natural dyes to dye the fabric green. Its also a good way of being sustainable, and keeping nature in mind when you are making pieces. Another reason I want to dye naturally is that the fantasy creature/character I am basing the headpiece on, wouldn't have artificial dye at her disposal, living in the woods or way in the past. It just seems like a more realistic, immersive way of creating the colour of the piece.

REFLECTION - MARCH 25TH

Today I realised that I need to properly reconnect with my project, by refining the design and considering the making process properly. I need to be realistic with what I will be able to make, with the materials I have at my disposal. Luckily I have already cast the spikes, so they can be used for my 'Orc' headpiece. However the rest of the headpiece was initially intended to be made of leather. I need to make a mockup 'toile' of the headpiece out of scrap fabric, before I decide which material I will use for pieces . I have an old bedsheet that I could use for this. 

APRIL 1ST

In the process of creating the pattern for this headpiece, I had to find a way to make the pieces fit my head in the way I want them to. I wanted the pieces on the top of my head to be curved around the scalp, but also extend off the back of the head, like in the armour research I have done. Above is a developed pattern for the centre strip of the headpiece, which doesn't exactly fit my head. I think I would have to widen these two pieces, so they can cover more of my head. I originally wasn't going to make the piece fit my own head. But now all I can do is use my own head for the fitting of the piece, so it will have to be my size.

REFLECTION APRIL 5TH

The same way love transforms life into a fantastical new experience, and creates a new, "happier" version of yourself, I want my piece to have a transformative quality. I am returning to the original reason that I am making this piece the way it is. Its to transform the wearer in a unique, relatable, fantastical way. It was originally in pursuit of portraying the way love affects young people, and I like the way this idea has abstracted and developed.

EVALUATION

JFFA

FINLEY GOOLD 

Looking back to my initial proposal, and comparing the outcome to my original ideas, really solidified the change I had begun to feel in my creative desires. I was desperate to express a multitude of different concepts and sentiments at the same time; a situation I often find myself in when being set an assignment. Fast-forward to my final piece and it is clear that I decided to simplify and direct my ideas into something more concise. Although my ideas changed drastically, the crucial reflection of youth remained the key point of inspiration.

I wanted to connect my piece to youth because of my instant inspiration from the anime book ‘Apollo’s Song’, which is a powerful, extreme portrayal of the things young people go through. This triggered my research into anything that connects to my own childhood. I begun broad research into fantasy, comics, sci-fi and just anything that I could relate to my personal, childhood interests. This greatly shifted my direction, moving from a more sentimental composition - thinking about performance and interaction – towards a piece that focuses more on giving the wearer a youthful and playful feeling.

“BABY ORC” is a headpiece that transforms the wearer into a character in my world, in the most wearable, relatable way possible. After a lot of character designing I decided on a headpiece that has horns or spikes protruding from the scalp. I cast the spikes in plaster because I wanted them to be detailed, unique and durable. This vision was just so clear in my mind and I knew I had to realise it in the exact way I pictured it. The strengths of the piece are in its combination of playfulness and naivety along with craftsmanship and design. To me it has the perfect balance of fantasy and reality, putting the wearer in the place where these two worlds meet (otherwise known as childhood).

During this project I have learnt the importance of making exactly what you want to make, and making sure that your ideas become a reality, before you discard them. This is something that the foundation course has instilled in me for my creative future. This project has been a final learning experience before BA, giving me a clearer idea of which design processes are most effective for me. Going into Jewellery design feels like the exact place where I should develop my skills and style, because I am still discovering myself.

The current circumstances pushed my idea through a funnel of essentiality, forcing me to use the materials I had at hand to complete the outcome. This led to it flourishing in its purest form. The lack of materials was in no way a hindrance to my process, and more of a director. I felt inclined to make the piece in whichever way I could. The situation of isolation led to a lot of self-reflection on what I truly find effective, creatively. I asked myself questions like “what do I actually want to use my time for?” and “which processes really come naturally to you?”. Although the restrictions on life are distressing and can impact aspects of a creative process negatively, an atmosphere of clarity has formed around me, and I feel like I have more direction and concentration on what I want to make. The way this project came to a close has been very satisfying and I wouldn’t have wanted it to go any other way. I feel like I have created and ejected my idea into the world, and now it can remain in the way it intended to be.