PREMISE

Online Greenlight Preview

30/01/2018
by
Michaela Cernejova
 About My Idea
For my final short animation, I would like to create an addaptation of one or more Native
American legends. Native American culture was an object of my interest since I was a child.
One of the reasons were my Grandma and my Uncle who were a big role models and strong
influences for me throughout my childhood. They used to tell me different Native American
legends with a moral messages and other stories/interesting facts about the culture. I also
remember having a set of vintage native american warrior figures which was my most fa-
vourite toy to play with. Undeniable part of this cultures is body art, which became an object
of my interest over the past years. Tribal arts in general were usually used as an old storyte-
lling technique. Body art, especially tattoo art was for ancient tribes members and still is for
todays people as well as for me used as a way or medium to tell a story about a person who
wores them. I would like to tell a choosen legend(s) for my addaptation through exploring
ancient tribe origins of tattooing in Native American culture as both of the subjects are very
fascinating for me.
 Notes - History
• the legends, meanings of symbols and tattoo purposes (meanings) differs from tribe to tribe
• reasons for getting tattoos in ancient Native American tribes:
- religious ritual
- war - trophies
- hunting trophies
- belief that only with tattoos on their skin they will be granted the access to the afterlife
- enhanced their beauty/social statues (mostly women)
- mystical or spiritual meaning to the owner
- belief that the tattoo would give them a supernatural power or strenght
- belief they have healing powers
- system of an identifications for a different tribes
- marks of protection
 Notes for the Idea and Technical Issues

• I am planning on looking at what tattoos mean to the person who wores them and combine it
with some legends/myths and beliefs from Native American culture
• a story of a character with motives and symbols on his/her skin for protection, magical
power/help and guidance
• the animated short would show one of the adventures of the character and how he/she are
gaining tattoos on their skin
• the tattoos on character‘s skin coming out to life to physically help the character
• combination of 2D and 3D, tattoos animated in 2D and the rest of the character and envi-
ronment by using 3D and CG animation
• the character would be fully rigged
• possibly having another creater or animal character depending on the choosen legend
 Legends/Myths and Symbols
I am considering to use

• thunderbird - supernatural eagle-like creature of power and strenghts

- often considered as a protector of warriors
• windigo - mythological evil and people eating creature with hypnotic eyes and impossible to
defeat
• coyote - creator, teacher and trickster
• wolves - considered by many tribes as closely related to humans
- symbol of power, strenght, loyalty
- black and white wolve as reminder of good and dark side of everyone
Subjects I Still Need to Research Deeper and Useful Materials
• Ink Mapping Technique
• Native American Symbolism and Mythology
• Animals and Symbolism (in Native American Culture)
• Colours meanings (in Native American Culture)
• books:
• Drawing with great needles : Ancient Tattoos Traditions of
North America (by Aaron Dether - Wolf)
- examination of meanings and tattoo traditions in Native
American tribes by using a variety of approaches
• Bodies of Subversion: the Secret History of Women and
Tattoo (by Margot Mifflin)
- history of women‘s tattoo art
Visual influences