1. Dark Crystal Creature concept designBy
Dan Sanders

2. Introduction
Using the world of Jim Henson’s The Dark crystal I have researched and started designing a small woodland creature that could potentially live in The Dark Crystal universe as a creature puppet.

3. Similar products currently circulation
These are some productions in the making, or have already been made;
Dark Crystal movie (19820 and Dark crystal Netflix series (coming soon)
Puppets- Muppets, Sesame street
Labyrinth
Lessons learned (Toby Froud film)

4. Zeitgeist Dark crystal movie (1982)
Jim Henson productions- Muppets, Seseme street,
Fraggle Rock, Labyrinth
Lessons learned- Toby froud (2014)
Puppets- Yoda (Frank Oz) in empire strikes back (1980)
1980’s previous movies like; Star wars, Blade runner, Tron, E.T, Muppets show (series )
These films and puppet related films helped build a science fiction/ fantasy culture that helped to not only bring the dark crystal idea to life but helped build a audience as previous films made these strange and wonderful creatures that became appealing in the dark crystal

5. Genre and format of your product
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Potentially I’m thinking the final product to be a traditional clay or digital Sculpture or a material based hand puppet.
My Creature will be a type of small woodland creature, relating to the world of Thra in the Dark crystal
My Designs are mainly inspired by by Brian, Wendy and Toby Froud.
BRIAN FROUD ARTWORK

6. Breakdown of characters
First ideas for the character was a aquatic/ reptilian/ cat like creature that has small fish fins integrated into the body.
Thought about a creature that is in enslaved or works alongside the Skesis, so a evil and twisted personality
Main ideas were;
Webbed feet for swimming
Tail for balance
Large ears
Whiskers
Claws
Fish Fins
My sketchbook is being passed around to help you see my design process.

7. Animal research/ combinations
Top 3 my photos

8. Artist research Include main artists that inspired designs
Brian, Wendy, Toby Froud
Iris Compiet
Jonge Baptiste Monge
All of these artists and many more inspired my designs

9. Breakdown of Narrative
My creature lives among the trees in the swamp or darkest caves of Thra
Hunting for food in the forests of Thra, but was captured by the Garthim
Held in a cage by Skesis (as seen in movie)
Being exposed to the crystal while in the cage as the podlings lost their souls, this creature was empowered by the crystal with the help from the skesis (like the Grathim)
Becoming a ally to the Skesis
With large ears and features that fitted a tree or cave like environment
Skesis used this creature as their eyes and ears to find out knowledge from the mystics

10. Breakdown the Setting World of Thra
I have considered a swamp like environment as there is trees and water for the character to interact with.
Looked at some scenes from the Dark Crystal movie to help with designing some environments.
Used inspiration from art found on pinterest and real life photos to help make the designs have depth.

11. Value Environment Thumbnails
Photoshop value studies, Here I have used basic block colours of grey tones to help show depth.
Some colour helps separates the scene.

12. Colour Environment Thumbnails
Digitally painted in Photoshop, includes swamp, forests and caves.

13. Research an Target audience
Age rating 8+
Looking on the BBFC website they gave the certificate PG which suggests that the target audience would be eight or older
Fans of the Dark crystal or Puppet movies (Muppets)
Sci- fi/ Fantasy fans that enjoy strange mythological creatures

14. product appeal
As a small woodland creature want it to have that weird fantasy creature that would relate to the world of Thra.
Hand puppets or mechanically controlled puppets that have that visual design like in the movie
Weird creatures that looks unnatural, as looking at Brian Froud a lot of the designs have misshapen features

15. Breakdown of the products visual identity
Being a servant of evil for the Skesis was thinking this creature needs to have those elements that show it works for the Skesis
Perhaps different evil features E.g.
Dark colours
Evil eyes
Crystal shards
As my creature is like a spy could have large ears and a flexible body to move quickly to avoid detection
Image here is a combination of a bat ears, Racoon fur face, cat nose, fish fins, Frog feet, monkey tail, otter feet

16. Marketing and distribution strategies
Posters Trailers Billboards Adverts Short film clips I was thinking of making a short clip or trailer for the creature using either a puppet or a 2d animation

17. Peripheral products and merchandising strategies
Models
Warhammer models
Board games
Action figures
Soft furnishings
I was thinking of making some small/ miniature models of the creature using green stuff or perhaps spare warhammer creature parts

18. Plan of Action! Finalize character designs Detailed colour designs
Model sheets and expression sheets
Sculpt miniature models of the character using; Plasticine/ fimo/ Monster clay/ Green stuff/ etc
Finalize environment either Swamp or Crystal cave in Thra
Full scale drawing of creature
Final Product: Hand Puppet inspired by Jim henson Muppets and Brian froud designs

19. Materials Required for puppet
Glue Gun
Foam
Polyboning (material used for bone)
Beeds
Metal wire
Ping pong balls/ polystyrene balls (eyes)
Ducktape
Cardboard
Black felt (mouth)
White felt (teeth)
Thread (stitching)
Threading needle
Fur faux/ fabric material
Researched into Frank Oz (Yoda puppet) and Muppet puppet creators on Youtube to see how they made their puppets

20. Production Schedule
This is a rough production schedule

21. Q&A
Any Questions?