CASE STUDY: The Pogles

hand drawn illustrations AND 3d stop motion puppets
translates across media/process
world-building for children's entertainment - in both traditional publishing and stop-motion television

WST: Character Design - Brenna Bramble

Initially this character was called 'Bonnie Birch', one of the Birch family who own the Birch Bakery in Whistle-stop Thistle but only once I'd uploaded this character design page did I realise that the word 'Birch' looks like it says 'Bitch'.

Amongst my ideas for the name change was 'Bonnie Beech' (another tree), but this didn't sound right either.

I eventually settled on Bramble, which isn't going to get confused with any swear words. 'Bonnie' wasn't suiting the character anymore, it sounded like a country singer: 'Bonnie Barley / Bonnie Bramble', so I tried a few different names before going with Brenna.

The dry-brush eraser effect works really well behind the text to bring it out - I wonder how this would work on some of my 3D illustration scenes to add text to busy coloured photos?

WST: Character Design

A logo/title for the series. I'm pleased I went with this name as it does work as a place name, it sounds fun and exciting, nature-based and it looks great written down - lots of ascending letters and fits nicely with thistle underneath. Only worry is that children struggle with this 'th' phoneme. Test on children, see if they can remember the name of the place and if they can actually say it!

Having a consistent branding like this across all the products I create will tie it all together as a series. Although I'm no expert on branding/graphic design (this might be terrible) it is something that will bring all the material together and stamp it as coming from this one world.

Started to colour some of the characters I've been drawing in my sketchbook. I've not drawn for a while and I know I often overlook it/avoid it in briefs in favour of MAKING but I have had fun drawing these characters and I definitely have spent longer figuring out who these characters are than I usually do.

I like the big, round shape of the bodies - think this cold be a distinctive 'characteristic' of the Thistle-folk that makes them distinctly recognisable.

The 2D illustrations could be applied really easily to products like clothing, lunchboxes, wellies (specifically outdoor/exploring products for children... backpacks?) so I intend to keep drawing and have the drawing/3D models work alongside each other as part of the world.

CASE STUDY: Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom

I hadn't realised until now how much my idea for Whistle-Stop Thistle had been influenced by Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom. I only watch this when my little cousin is at my house on Tuesdays, but I had obviously soaked up some of the ideas from this show and regurgitated them in my pitch. For example, the idea of my little town being hidden behind a big bramble bush is exactly the same introduction as B&H's. I didn't consciously decide to make mine the same as B&H's, I thought I had conjured up this idea on my own but had evidently been informed by what I had been watching with baby James.
I will need to change this as although I do want my world to be SIMILAR in audience and tone, I don't want it to be a COPY and I want it to stand out, be unique!

I spent at least two hours researching Ben and Holly this morning and I've learned a lot about the creators' intentions and the response of the audience to the show. It's been a really successful product and it's useful to evaluate why that is/what makes a world so charming.

I do think what makes Ben and Holly pleasing to me is that it's not 3D CGI like most contemporary children's television, it's much more basic in its construction. B&H, alongside 'The Little Princess' and 'Charlie and Lola' are all flat, 2D animation shows that I find easier to watch and enjoy. In this way is is quite nostalgic of the older, classic children's television that I grew up with. I do find physical puppetry and stop-motion much more engaging as a viewer, but CGI puppetry is too in-your-face and modern, lacking the honest and handmade charm of physical puppetry.

Reflections on the Whistle-stop Thistle Pitch

Ben Jones, Shelly Kaur, Meg Swan, Emma Knowles, Sophie Edwards-Smith, Sophia Watts

I presented my idea for creating the 'Whistle-stop Thistle' world and it went really well!
This project has potential for lots of mini-projects and applications so it is definitely something that will keep me busy for the remainder of the course and that could be extended beyond this module/my time at uni.

https://www.soundtrap.com/studio/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpyQZhk6Anc

Proposal

Come on! It's time to go. We're going somewhere new.
At the bottom of this field, behind the big bramble bush.
There, can you see it?
You're going to have to squeeze. Mind the thorns!
I told you to wear sensible shoes.
Past the nettles... shh! A little closer.
Can you see it yet? You'll have to squint your eyes really tight.
DOWN THERE, IN THE LEAVES!

Teeny tiny people.
The woodland elves of 
You thought elves and fairy folk lived under toadstools? No!
The townfolk of Whistle-stop Thistle are quite civilised.
They have tiny houses, see! There's one.
A bakery, can you smell Bramble pie?
Little seed breads, I wonder what's cooking.
Oh a toy shop! I bet the little thistles love it there.

Can you imagine the stories these little people might tell?
About nature and community, magic and the animals they meet.
How sweet it would be to hear those tales, or to see them move on a screen.

Remember all those stories we used to love about tiny magical worlds? Toy town,
pogles wood, Trumpton,
Moominvalley, Narnia and Oz!

Oh think of the possibilities! Toys and stickers or even a live show.
Stories for children to read before bed,
easy-to-read picture story books,
adventures and worlds for escaping the everyday.
Encouraging imagination, exploration, go outdoors!
Illustrations that look like you could step right in.

Town Building

Progress on the house. Loving this door! Tiny bits of jewellery and scrap metals to make the knocker, handle and letterbox. Would they have tiny flowers in window boxes or GIANT (real-size) flowers? Perhaps I should make them daisies or even forget-me-nots so the scale is accurate. They also need painting and a lot more detail because at the moment they are just card/paper petals.

The Bakery is also moving on. In parts where I've used UHU glue to stick shelves to acetate windows, there are little bits of orange discolouration! How can I fix this? Repaint? Different glue?

Needs a big sign. I am happy with the colours though, looks very twee and almost Wes Anderson themed.