So I've had strange struggle over the last week or so. I've been working on a deMent-triloquist sample for some upcoming workshops (M.E.C.C.A, Zinnia, Valley Ridge, Lemoncholy, CrescenDoh, and Art is You) and was faced with a bit of a quandary. Originally it was going to be a sideshow devil sort of dude...bright red. Well that didn't pan out.
The red was even too creepy for me...looked good but a bit too much like muscular diagram. So from there it went to a toned down steampunkish devil.
All was fine but he still seemed a bit creepier than I wanted. The solution? Turn him into a Martian of course
I was astounded how a subtle change on top of the head made the guy slightly less grim. I said...slightly...
You decide for yourself. Does it make a difference or not?
This got me thinking...
I decided to compare Martians and Devils.
Lets look at Ray Walston from My Favorite Martian
Here he is an everyday little green man.
A simple replacement of the antennae...and behold...Ray is much more sinister.
Okay okay...in an effort of full disclosure...I did enhance his brows.
Even so,
I think this guy is way more menacing...
than this guy:
I know what you're saying...the great Kazoo from the Flintstones is not exactly a good example of an ominous Martian type, but I still think my hypothesis stands. Martians with long antennas are much less threatening thank devils with horns.
Now just to confuse the issue a bit more.
Here's a version of Lucifer from the 1400's, by Michael Pacher
Is this the devil...
or is it an episode of My Favorite Martian: the Early Years?
4 comments:
hysterical! laughing reading the entire thing...the little boingy antennae coming out of the horns = perfect...the other thing that is funny and menacing is the '70s stash with the Wyatt Earp goatee...very deMengted now. perfect. kp
so demengted. the antenna are perfect. my husband is looking at me askance because I'm laughing so hard.
LOL it does make a difference swapping antennae for horns....personally I prefer the horns though not sure exactly why:) I think it's that the antennae add a comical edge that isn't in the rest of the piece?
Yes, the antennae make a huge difference, interesting isn't it? Reminds me of Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke, the idea that the fear of horns and pointy tails are some sort of prescient knowledge - why are the horns more discomforting than antennae? Don't know, but they are :)
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