My latest project has had me digging through some dusty, forgotten corners of the web. Un-styled html, visitor counters. Normally these would be signs that my research has gone down the wrong path, but in this case I’m not worried. I’m looking for stories. More specifically stories about foxes.
The idea for this project came to me as I was looking through sites on mythology and folklore. I was struck by how often the fox came up as a major character. The trickster, seldom good, but not truly malevolent. Sly, cunning, and clever. It was popping up in Greek mythology, Native American legend, and ancient Japanese folk tales.
I soon had the idea of an illustrated, animated, cultural world tour with the fox as its centerpiece. I dug through countless web sites (many of which had not changed their design in this century) for fox lore. There was a lot of it. I stayed away from the new age, ‘what’s your spirit animal?’ sources in favor of actual stories. Creation myths, legends, and parables that informed the beliefs of those within a culture.
Research led to a loose script, a moodboad, a tighter script, and some character design. See below for what I’ve come up with so far. Check back in for regular updates throughout.
fox reference, pretty cute
proof of concept scene
character design