Survey and Character designs

So I have completed my survey here it is. I have used a snowballing technique where I have sent an email to 25 participants in my address book, all differing ages ranging from 20 to 65, and I have asked each one of those to send it to at least one other person who they know.

Hopefully I will get a reasonable and varied return rate. Failing that I am also distributing it via facebook for a very short period of time. This is a fail safe option. I would prefer to get high numbers, even if the age group is similar. I already have 8 responses (mostly by women and all of the participants have been in their 20's...lets hope I get more varied ones soon.... )

So I am also hoping to get a focus group arranged by the end of this week.

Now to address character and prop design inspiration. I am trying not to get too bogged down with this yet, as I am aware I have a weakness for spending too much time on design in general.
For me personally, it is difficult to be concise in this area.

(Taken from "http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/Page_004_%28Faust%2C_1925%29.png/392px-Page_004_%28Faust%2C_1925%29.png")









So here we have an illustration from the 1925 version of Doctor Faust, I love this graphic, but I can appriciate that in a new media interactive version people would want something a little more modern and contemporary... But it might be worth looking at these character designs to inform my designs.

I don't want people to associcate this with 'cartoons' and zaniness, but neither do I want the style to be too realistic... or else I think the freedom for expression will be limited.

I decided therefore to look into illustrations (and by an extension comics) that aren't for children. This panel is taken from a currently popular online comic (soon to be published) comic called "Hanna is not a boy's name".

(Image taken from "http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/095/d/4/Easier_to_Forget_by_vert_is_ninja.jpg")

(Image taken from "http://hanna.aftertorque.com/comics/2010-04-06-hbnc_112.jpg")














I really like the 'mood' that is created in this comic, the use of colour conveys atmosphere without too much suggestion of a location. I'd like to use colour in this fashion if I can. I also like the panelling in this... it suggests something about the pace. How I would translate this into a new media narrative I'm not entirely sure, but I like the pace. Even though the style is abstract, it isn't particularly 'childish' although, it is unlikely that it will infulence my style of drawing.

(Taken from "http://www.l4d.com/comic/assets/1280/L4dpg01.jpg)









Another example showing that for adults don't necessarily crave realism (the left for dead 4 comic which is a tie in with the new game franchise), but I think there is a sense of 'edginess' in adult graphics, something that isn't present in comics and illustrations for children (not to mention the odd smattering of blood everywhere)

 (Taken from "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u122/naniiebim/Illustration%20work/t100330Meths03flatunfinpg27-28.jpg")










I feel that a combination of the drawing styles from above would create something more suitable for adults, obviously due to the stories in question, the style can't be overly cute and fun. It has to be rich and expressive. I feel that something a little more artistic would be quite good in giving these classics a sense of 'character' that is contemporary
 
Now for something a little less cartoon/ comic based and more illustration(ish)
An old college tutor of mine created these graphics (Malcolm Stanbra), I feel that they would really lend themselves to interactive design. 

 

The next illustration graphic I have here is from an artist on Deviant art known as 'BlueLudeBar' her use of texture is really interesting, although she usually uses them in quite colourful cheerful images, there is a clear 'adult'ness about these designs.