#research notebook

Research Log #001 - Current research staff

Status: somehow making progress

My research into Slavic folklore to find the stories of the Rusalka and the Leshi (Images 1 and 2 of this research post) led me to the beautiful illustrations of Russian artist Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin (1876-1942), famous for his illustrations of traditional Russian folktales.

What attracts me so much about this particular style is his use of a varied color palette, mixing bright, vibrant hues with more muted shades for drama in each piece, as well as his obvious influences from the Art Nouveau movement. If I can, I’d love to be able to utilize some of this style in my own work over the next few weeks and practice the sort of linework and intricate patterns used in these pieces. 

Observation log #001

Subject: Thor Odinson

Objective: Assistant demonstrated a Midgardian gesture directed at Tony Stark.

The subject immediately attempted to replicate the gesture, interpreting it as a positive social custom.

Efforts to correct this misunderstanding were unsuccessful.

Explanations provided only reinforced his belief that Midgardians possess "very confusing customs."

Thor has subsequently used this gesture on the following individuals:

• Tony Stark

• Two palace guards

• An unnamed nobleman

• Loki (once)

Further intervention may no longer be feasible.

A sketch I did while studying media composition on 10.27

The top sketch is a still from the dance scene ‘I’m Old Fashioned’ from the film ‘You Were Never Lovelier’ (1942) starring Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth. The sketch on the bottom is a still from Orville Peck’s music video for ‘In the Dead of Night’ (2019). 

My notes at the bottom say:

Use of draping, slightly sheer curtains with light visible through fabric 

Poses

Conceptually - a safe het[erosexual] romance allowed to be told vs. a gay artist creating his own space in a hostile genre

Elegance vs. gritty showmanship

Peck’s costume is a blend of the masculine lines of Astaire’s suit with feminine embellishments of Hayworth’s dress

The two pieces of media are very different on the surface, but I think in terms of composition for the purpose of storytelling and in the impact both pieces can have on an audience there’s a lot of connections to make between them.