My Room - Clown
Colors
This color palette is inspired by the Joker and Beetlejuice just like the mood- and styleboards.
Backstory
Name: Victor, clown, 28
Victor had just come home after another long day at the circus. He sits on his unrefined chair at his worn-out desk. He takes off his jester's hat and dumps it in his chest, which is simultaneously his closet and his costume storage. At the circus he doesn’t get to do as much as he wants. He’s not the main act, so the audience barely sees him, but behind the curtains he has a lot of work to do. The boss never appreciates him and gives him more of what he doesn’t want. Victor doesn’t talk much with the other performers. He usually sits alone in his trailer when the show is over. He can’t be bothered to take off his drastic makeup or change into his own comfortable clothes. He hates working at the circus, but he thinks it’s the only thing he is good at. Not to mention he doesn’t have anywhere else to go. He’s been with this circus for 18 years now. He started performing as a child, people loved to see an adorable little boy perform tricks. As he grew older so did his tricks and people wanted more. His act changed and he became Victor the Clown. Unfortunately, he doesn't get as much praise as he used to and has become less and less satisfied with this job, this career, which became his life. He's been drinking heavily since he became the clown. Every day he wishes he was someone else. Luckily the makeup helps with this, to hide himself and put on a mask for the unknowing, happy world. Every day he looks into the crowd wishing he were one of them. But he has to face reality that he will never be someone else. His dangerous acts at the circus have caused multiple mental health problems for Victor, but he tries his best to make something of his life. After all, clowns are supposed to be happy, right?
Moodboard + styleboard:
Proces
I started with my short story and realized that clowns usually don't have rooms but trailers, at least my clown does, since he travels with the circus. I knew I wanted patterns and wanted to make it feel lived in and busy. I started with a rougher version of the trailer and worked until it looked how I wanted. I dont have pictures from the earliest stages of the process but these are the ones I do have. halfway through I figured out I didn't like the pattern the way I did it with the blocks, so I turned them all and colored them all with 4 different colors. It took time but I like the end result, i think it looks way better this way.
The finished product:
I added final details like the scribbles on the mirror, bed and chest. I wanted it to look haunting and kind of like a fever dream. There's empy bottles all over the room and it overall looks messy. On the desk are two little dolls, a makeup palette, a small painting and a cup to hold brushes. The window is closed off by wooden planks. The pattern on the wall behind the chest is a little off, we dont know why. Maybe Victor hides his best whisky behind one of the green tiles. I wanted it to feel somewhat lived in but not too much after all, my character, Victor, doesnt really do much in his room.
