As a task to develop my techniques after leaving University, I focussed on developing concept art for an idea based around one of my favourite movies, Princess Mononoke.
By setting it in modern day England, I tried to adapt the story's original environmental themes, something I feel strongly about, to the state of the world at the present.
sadly I feel I complicated the plot too much, so I plan to redo the concept. however I can still use the old assets as inspiration.
Alfie, the protagonist is a young boy who feels estranged by his community, but finds solace in gardening and nature. one day he finds a small fairy who asks for his help in heading to the city and talking to the urban spirits in hopes of stopping their borders from encroaching on the forest.
Atasi is a young girl from the city, who thrives in social situations. however she finds her community seems to have withdrawn lately , as her surroundings grow greyer, she crosses paths with a fairy who asks her for her help in counselling with city spirits, for the benefit of both their worlds.
A young Sylph, chosen by Oberon itself to parley with the city spirits, in order to avoid a war between Domains. with great uncertainty they set out, to resolve the conflict with no bloodshed.
Servants of Oberon, king of the Fae. they translate what they feel the monarch might mean. often conceited or prejudiced, they aim to keep the wilderness far away from humans, but not without reason, they see the rapid expansion of concrete as a threat and are more than ready to war with the humans if it means keeping them out of their woods.
Oberon, king of the Fae. a living legend, personification of the forest and the wilderness. they have not ushered a word in almost a millennia, not even in the face of the threat of deforestation. the servants say that when the time comes, Oberon will head to the city to destroy its spirit, but none have seen the king outside of the clearing.
the God in the City, the spirit of the concrete itself. when first found by the protagonists, its still a grub, to young to accept its role as the lord of its domain. it darts down the alleys of its home, searching for rarely growing pockets of wilderness. after it metamorphizes it no longer hides in the concrete.