My cooperative stick figure challenge continues to evolve. After I got the trigger to read about androgyny in Wikipedia, it inspired me to try something new: three different types of stick figures.
In Western culture, the best-known and most effective androgyny concept is contained in the myth of spherical men, which is put into the mouth of the comedy poet Aristophanes in Plato’s fictional, literary dialogue Symposion.
According to this myth, humans originally had spherical hulls. There were three genders among them: a purely male, a purely female, and the mixed one of the andrógynoi (ἀνδρόγυνοι), who had a male and a female half. The purely male spherical people originally descended from the sun, the purely female from the earth, and the bisexual from the moon.”
Wikipedia (German)
Something itched in my fingers after reading this text. I took my graphics tablet and pen in the hands and tried something out. And so Luna, Sol and Gaia were born, three very different stick figures from three very different planets!
Who of it is male, female or androgynous, we can visualise each for itself in our own fantasy as we would like it.
At best, they are inwardly balanced stick-females, stick-males and stick-united ones who have brought their inner parts into harmony no matter of their outer sex.
They hold hands, these three living beings. They breathe, they live, they love. They show us the way. Let them strive individually or together for something higher than violence, aggression and oppression.
Basic needs. Security. Feeling cared for. Joy. Well-being. Creativity. Self-Worth. Independence. Courage. Love. Empathy. Connection. Truth. Honesty. Communication. Wisdom. Imagination. Intuition. Soul plan. Unity consciousness. Being.
As a test, I tried out how to animate Luna, Sol and Gaia in my 2D animation software. This was done quickly, the joint and bone structure could be set up with a few clicks and I could make them dance. You can see the result in the video below.
No days of struggling to create three new characters. And if even I can get it done that easily, I’m sure other 2D animation artists (newbies welcome) can get together for a cooperative and inspirational community film project.
The idea continues to grow…