Challenging Conventions of Character Design

Finding a starting point is one of the most difficult parts. Finding one for my MA was even trickier! 

Firstly, though, I considered what I enjoy, what I specialize in and what I've dabbled in before. How could these things create a pathway for me to explore? 

My specialism is in character design. When I considered this, I reflected on how I used mythology as an influence for previous characters. In regards to this, the suggestion of culture - something that widely interests me -got me thinking further about how much of an influence culture can have when designing characters. 

There are a few examples, such as Okami, where the obvious cultural influence screams out at you. Immediately, you know it is an art style taken from Japanese culture.

Okami - traditional Japanese ink painting style

                                   

But how does this reflect in less obvious characters and, by extension, their worlds? I want to question the impact of cultural influences and references within character design and how people interpret those characters. One could design a character, and it may or may not work in one style or another, designs influenced from existing cultures - both historical and modern. 

In terms of exploring this, I would begin with researching existing characters from various different media and investigate their impact on their respective audiences. How clearly do people see the cultural references, if there are any, and do they understand it? Does this spark their interest in that culture or does it put them off? 

By no means, when I'm referring to the influence of culture, does it merely apply to an art style. It could be in that very character's personality or the clothes they wear, which might be influenced by a place/era/tradition/you-name-it. Perhaps, while the inspiration behind the character might be subtle, this kind of thing has a bigger impact than people might think. I want to challenge whether there is more to character design than simply creating a recognizable mascot.

Take Mario, a blatantly recognizable character for various reasons, and yet one of the things that makes him so fun and agreeable is the novelty that he is an Italian plumber, and with it he brandishes the typical mustache always associated with Italian culture. Stereotypical though it may be, the influence from Italy is clearly there. Would the character have been taken/accepted any differently if he had been of any other culture?

And there's my starting point! The point raises a number of questions; now it's time to begin searching for the answer to them.