Brief Character Profile:
Mr. Sir is the guide of the Parallel – a reality overlaying our physical world, like a dreamscape or a spirit world, where the unseen becomes seen and logic becomes subjective to the Walker (a person that enters this realm). He goes by many names as he isn’t picky about labels. As long as you give respect where it’s due he doesn’t care. His origin remains a mystery, even to himself, but you can trust that he knows the Parallel like the back of his hand. More importantly, he knows where not to go. He is a benevolent yet neutral being. He doesn’t take sides; he stays mostly to himself.
I chose the name Mr. Sir because he doesn’t actually have a fixed name. He has existed for so long that he’s been addressed by many things over time by many different people. His fellow spirits call him one thing, kids call him something else, animals address him differently, and so on. He doesn’t care for labels, only that you intentions are to show the respect due. So the name Mr. Sir came when I was thinking of how he’d respond to being asked what his name is: “My name? Oh I don’t know, child. Call me whatev– Mr. Sir! Call me Mr. Sir, I don’t care, now hurry on up. With those young ass knees, you got no excuse to be walking like you used to get down with the get down at Studio 54 back in the day!” Him not having a single fixed name I think echoes how figures morph through oral traditions, yet still hold the same essence. For example, there are many characters who embody the wise storyteller and “guardian of the crossroads” archetype: Papa Legba (law from Haitian Vodou), Anansi (from Akan Folklore), Eleggua (orisha from Yoruba Mythology), etc. The form changes yet the essence stays the same. The name may and will change so it’s not important to Mr. Sir, or whatever you call him.
Here I tried experimenting with shape language (developing off of the found objects sculpture I had made earlier). I wanted to communicate stability and a grounded quality but also keep a sense of flexibility hence why I wasn’t feeling too many square shapes. Here, the top-heavy silhouette started to feel the most appealing.
Finalised Sketches, Turnaround and Expression Sheet