The Wolf that could have been

Before I found the book by Angela Carter I made some rough concept sketches for what the 'wolf' could have looked like.

For the first sketches I went with the really obvious wolf pelt idea just to try and generate other ideas as I was having a really hard time thinking of something more abstract.

I started to think about an element of anonymity in the sense of not being able to judge a persons character by their appearance as most young children are very open and welcoming of all people despite their appearances. Still keeping with the Eurasian Nomad theme I tried to keep the designs looking very time worn and slightly feral. I had the idea that maybe the wolf was a part of a village or tribe who was cast out for committing some questionable acts and so reverted back to an animal like state living out in the wild on his own and preying on vulnerable children.    

Things started to get more abstract and I drew this entity covered in furs with an almost doll like face like a child's toy but completely mute.

Finally moving away from the 'wolf' character concepts and reading 'The Bloody Chamber' I made another sketch of my Nomadic Red Riding Hood. She's pictured with a satchel and her Father's hunting knife that her mother gives to her with the safe knowledge her daughter knows how to use it. 

I made a quick google search to see if I could find anything on nomadic hunting knives and these were a few that I thought looked like nomadic outfits. Straight away I think I'm going to make a belt and attach the knife using a similar design and I like what look like small trinkets hanging from the belt. Maybe I could incorporate some carving into the belt and sheath.

an Adaptation of an Adaptation

Whilst browsing in the library I came across a book called 'The Bloody Chamber' written by Angela Carter. Her novel, entitled 'The Werewolf', takes the classic tale of Red Riding Hood and gives it a dark twist. It presents the reader with a more modern adaptation of the traditional tale by exploring elements of feminism and presenting Red as a competent and independent heroine. Red's mother sends her off to her grandmother's house with her father's knife safe in the knowledge that she knows how to use it and of the perils that lie outside the house but they accept this fact as everyday life. The innocent girl is very aware of the dangers the outside world and is capable of defending herself against any enemies she may encounter. This is surprising to the reader because the little is always perceived as the victim.

It also refers back to my initial research and how the heroine in 'Mad Max: Fury Road' is portrayed as a very independent and competent character completely capable of defending herself without the unnecessary aid of a male role.

wolf crisis

I'm really struggling to think of how the 'wolf' character could look without it being blatantly obvious but without it being so abstract the audience can't tell what it is.

I've looked at so many pictures of wolves and I don't just want to make a wolf head I want to create the human embodiment of what a wolf represents, what it stands for in the fairy tale. 

From Beauty to the Beast

I'm having issues with my project idea already in that I'm not sure if I can bear sewing for the whole project and I can't justify giving Little Red Riding Hood weapons as she is seen as the innocent little girl she is and that factor can't really be changed or it would dramatically shorten and kill the moral of the original story. Because of this I'm thinking about focusing more on the role of the wolf and how I can portray him as a different entity instead of a literal wolf.

I Googled the definition of a 'Predator'. It said, 'an animal that naturally preys on others'. Or, 'a person who ruthlessly exploits others'.

I then searched for the definition of a wolf and found that it was a wild carnivorous mammal native to Eurasia and North America.

It's also used to figuratively refer to a rapacious, ferocious or voracious person or thing. 

Design and Destination

This is one of the first full body costume designs I've made for my character, I'm not entirely sure about the hat or the patterns on the coat. I had a presentation yesterday where a tutor said that it could be interesting if the pattern reflected which group or area she was from. I was also told to move away from the idea of giving her a gun as it made her look too prepared and ready which would ultimately prove to be a much shorter story than the originals. Other than that not much else was said so I can only assume that they liked my idea. I will possibly look into Red riding hood traveling through an area near to Chernobyl or Ukraine where radioactive matter could have created some mutated man or beast that could play the 'wolf' role.

I found this geographical image of the Eurasian Steppe so I have an idea of whereabouts roughly they'd be likely to travel. The animals that inhabit the Steppe that I have found are the Corsac Fox, Mongolian Gerbil, Saiga Antelope, Northern Lynx and the Saker Falcon.