Premise: Thumbnails and Draft Character Concepts

 I initiated my premise project with visual brainstorming, formatted as digital thumbnails. This method of planning and design enabled me to identify a prevailing aesthetic and theme to my rough narrative animation ideas. My drawings reference Shintoism and are also inspired by artists Simon Stalenhag and Olya Bossak:

Above, Thumbnail sheet #1. I became fond of a small character wearing a Japanese fox mask, reminiscent of the character in the game Journey. This character is seen in most of the thumbnails.

Above, Thumbnail sheet #2. I explored the masked character from my previous thumbnail sheet whilst expanding the stories universe through new creatures and architecture. 

Above, drafting influence and more detailed character concepts.