Above is what I have made thus far and the image below has the sketch layer on top to show what else I need to add into the image.

This is the basic color palette I felt it will go well with Bajie but this could change once I added in the detail.

The image below is what Wujing’s location looks like, I am pretty happy with the color palette of this location as well, but this could change once I add in the textures.

I finished Wujing’s character I just have to go in and add the textures, his character is bigger than the other characters because he is often describe as being taller in stature. In my previous post I assigned him the colors blue and browns for his characterists but I have yet found ways to incorporate more browns into his palette. His color scheme may or may not change once I go in and add his textures.

I’ve also finished the sketches for his environment and found information on his location.

Like many of the main characters in the novel they were all punished for the crimes they have committed and Wujing’s punishment was to be isolated in a dessert like place where his swords and daggers will randomly be send from the heavens to stab him at randoms. Despite his crimes and him being damned to become a demon in the novel his is often noted to be very kind hearted and the most obedient out of the three companions to Xuanzhang.

This is the rough outline that I will follow but his location will mostly be sand and rocks and in the background there will be mountains off in the distance.

I plan on having all of the environment done and I will work on the textures of the environment in class and over the rest of this week. My goal is to have all of this done by the end of Sunday so I can begin animating everything that needs to be animated and start assembling everything by the end of November or sooner depending on how smoothly the animating part will go since I might have to go back and make revision for the joints of the characters if they cannot be animated smoothly in After Effects.

I never got to finishing up Wukong’s environment but I about done with Bajie I just need to add textures on and he is ready to be animated.

My goal is to have his environment sketched out and Wukongs environment done by wednesday. I’ll be back to work on more later today since I am hoping to have all of the characters ready to show.

On the left is a screen shot that I took from an old animation about Wukong, and on the right is my basic vector drawing of his environment. I am trying to have the same whimsical appeal as what was in the animation but that is all I have gotten done with today’s class time. I had to move some of the pieces around because it didn’t fit with the composition so it looks a little different from my initial sketch drawing. I hope to add textures in my monday and also get a start on Zhubajie on Monday.

What I have done thus far, Wukong (monkey king; the monkey) is completely done while the Monk is almost done. I am still working on his robe and from the group critique there are things that needs to be done to that the monk character and the monkey match in style and texture.

The issue of time and time management is also an issue since I am behind on schedule but I also eliminated a lot of work from my calendar because I don’t have to write a script for each character and their origin story and research are mostly finished. I just need to focus on completing the characters and the environment.

Somethings that are positive is the fact the environment and characters are suitable for the interactive web storybook that I am trying to create.

As for the technical and computer science part, the class that I am taking Art and Code is moving along and I am on the section where I am learning about interactivity so by the end of that segment I should also have the characters and environment completed for me to start playing around with the program.

So, I can’t figure out how to add textures in illustrator so instead I will be using Photoshop instead to make the images for the characters and environments.

Here are some screen shots of the environments from an old animation about Sun Wukong, I am taking inspiration from the images and how they illustrate the environments. I believe they used water color to achieve their dream like environment but I will be using digital mediums instead to illustrate my environment.

Found a tutorial on how to achieve a simple but effective look in photoshop

This is probably the closest to how I want my characters and environment to look like

Xuanzhang was an actual historical figure.

The link above retells his story and his significance in Chinese history by bringing buddhism to China. The author of Journey to the West, Wu Cheng En named his character the Monk after Xuanzhang, much of the premise of the story to Journey to the West is based on Xuanzhang’s adventure traveling to India. The only difference is that the actual Xuanzhang traveled alone was a fugitive from the Chinese Emperor because he left China without his permission (there was a travel ban in China at the time), while in the book by Wu Cheng En Xuanzhang was granted permission and Wukong was sent to protect him from harm that would come his way during his travels.

Also found another much more detailed report history of Xuanzhang by a professor from Peking University China

Because the real Xuanzhang brought buddhism to China for his item I will make a large golden Buddha head lodge between clouds in the Heavens for his symbol.

If I have time I want to make the roofs jingle and move a bit like a xylophone.

The fences will shift left to right like the clouds if the mouse scrolls over them.

This what I sort of have in mind when you open the page, but there will be more details and many of the environment will be done in illustrator. The very top of the page is the Jade heavenly palace and as your scroll down you’ll see the mortal whelm with mountains and the roof tops of the houses. In between the heavens and the mortal whelm there will be a lot of clouds.