MONSTER IN THE WOODS
Overview
Monster in the Woods is a 50-page self-authored and illustrated book that blends traditional storytelling with emerging technology. The narrative is enhanced through augmented reality elements, made through experimentation with AI-generated animations, expanding the visual world beyond the printed page.
Project Components
Illustration
Book Layout
Augmented Reality
Animation
AI Integration (Midjourney)
When scanning the physical book, the characters will begin emoting corresponding to the scene.
Process
Monster in the Woods was initially positioned as a graphic-novel-inspired work and featured a much simpler style. Ultimately, I felt that for this project, making Anne smaller and Opal, the guardian spirit, bigger would create a more visually striking contrast and amplify the feeling of awe and helplessness when Opal is revealed not only to be real but also much, much bigger than Anne. It also creates irony in the scene, as despite Opal's intimidating nature, Anne and her grandparents are the ones laying waste to the forest and its inhabitants.
Opal's original design, while fitting, made her seem more like a resident than the guardian of the forest.