Project Objective: To create a "blockbuster" movie poster based on a mythological creature. Any skills the class has acquired to date should be utilized in the creation of the poster. Layers, adjustment layers, masking, painting, vector, texts/fonts should all be incorporated. The final poster is also to be displayed on a billboard "mockup."
Mythological Creature Movie Poster Project: Quetzalcoatl
For the culture art project, I addressed the Mayan culture. I wanted to continue with this culture and design a creature based off the Mayan (and Aztec) mythological creator known as "Quetzalcoatl." The history of this god is unknown, and dates back to pre-Aztecan cultures throughout Mesoamerica. The quetzal is the sacred bird of the Maya, known for its long blue tail feathers. Coatl is the Mayan word for serpent. The translation means "feathered serpent." The Maya had a vast pantheon of Gods in their cosmology, and this figure is the king of them all....the creator. He was the god of wind, air, learning, rain, food, commerce, life, and death. He is visible in architecture, stone carvings, murals, jewelry, and paintings on pottery. His aesthetic was always consistent: a long serpent body with a plumed crown. His expression was typically angry or enraged, sometimes with an unlucky warrior sticking out of his mouth. A prophecy of his return was prevalent, and it is theorized that this played a role in the success of the Spanish conquest. The Aztecs and Maya had never seen horses, and the legend states that they were in awe of seeing the Spanish conquistadors on horses, thinking it was their beloved creator returning. This possibly bought time and sentiment for the conquerors which allowed them to ingratiate themselves with the Aztec and Mayan leaders, only to betray them later.
With this in mind, I wanted to capitalize on the anger aspect for the creature, and title my movie "Wrath of Quetzalcoatl." I used a basic serpent/lizard-like body, and a variety of different bird feathers such as Amazon parrots, macaws, lorikeets, and the quetzal to create a resplendent headdress. I wanted it to look more regal and powerful, so I added a brass metal feather sculpture wing to create a bolder crown feature to hold the natural feathers together. I included multiple layers of dinosaur teeth to create the snarling, evil look I wanted, as if the Quetzalcoatl creature were on a vengeful quest, annihilating everything in its path. Adding the bat wings was purely aesthetic, to give better balance to the body due to the gigantic headdress. His chest is adorned with a rendition of an Aztec shield topped with a gold Mayan coin. I wanted to create gold adornments that resembled the real thing from the Mayan culture. Large headdresses, large "spool" earrings, and arm/leg bands were common. These add a sprinkle of true representation of the culture, even though it's a mythical creature.
The Quetzalcoatl image continues to be relevant and utilized in popular culture, especially in the Americas where he once reigned supreme. Modern murals, contemporary art, jewelry, sculpture, architectural features, and even tattoos are everywhere as the angry creator god Quetzalcoatl continues to impact the culture of many nations into the new century.
For the culture art project, I addressed the Mayan culture. I wanted to continue with this culture and design a creature based off the Mayan (and Aztec) mythological creator known as "Quetzalcoatl." The history of this god is unknown, and dates back to pre-Aztecan cultures throughout Mesoamerica. The quetzal is the sacred bird of the Maya, known for its long blue tail feathers. Coatl is the Mayan word for serpent. The translation means "feathered serpent." The Maya had a vast pantheon of Gods in their cosmology, and this figure is the king of them all....the creator. He was the god of wind, air, learning, rain, food, commerce, life, and death. He is visible in architecture, stone carvings, murals, jewelry, and paintings on pottery. His aesthetic was always consistent: a long serpent body with a plumed crown. His expression was typically angry or enraged, sometimes with an unlucky warrior sticking out of his mouth. A prophecy of his return was prevalent, and it is theorized that this played a role in the success of the Spanish conquest. The Aztecs and Maya had never seen horses, and the legend states that they were in awe of seeing the Spanish conquistadors on horses, thinking it was their beloved creator returning. This possibly bought time and sentiment for the conquerors which allowed them to ingratiate themselves with the Aztec and Mayan leaders, only to betray them later.
With this in mind, I wanted to capitalize on the anger aspect for the creature, and title my movie "Wrath of Quetzalcoatl." I used a basic serpent/lizard-like body, and a variety of different bird feathers such as Amazon parrots, macaws, lorikeets, and the quetzal to create a resplendent headdress. I wanted it to look more regal and powerful, so I added a brass metal feather sculpture wing to create a bolder crown feature to hold the natural feathers together. I included multiple layers of dinosaur teeth to create the snarling, evil look I wanted, as if the Quetzalcoatl creature were on a vengeful quest, annihilating everything in its path. Adding the bat wings was purely aesthetic, to give better balance to the body due to the gigantic headdress. His chest is adorned with a rendition of an Aztec shield topped with a gold Mayan coin. I wanted to create gold adornments that resembled the real thing from the Mayan culture. Large headdresses, large "spool" earrings, and arm/leg bands were common. These add a sprinkle of true representation of the culture, even though it's a mythical creature.
The Quetzalcoatl image continues to be relevant and utilized in popular culture, especially in the Americas where he once reigned supreme. Modern murals, contemporary art, jewelry, sculpture, architectural features, and even tattoos are everywhere as the angry creator god Quetzalcoatl continues to impact the culture of many nations into the new century.
All images are stock images from pixabay and other stock websites.
