Prosthetic Effects graduand wins global award for World of Warcraft creations

I created the orcs during my first study block on the MA. I made one original sculpt, which was then moulded and cast twice to create the basis for both characters. That meant the sculpt had to work for both, so a big part of the process was making sure I was happy with the anatomy and expression before moving on.

From there, I developed the two casts into Gul'dan and Garrosh through painting, hair work and finishing. Painting was probably one of my favourite stages because that's when they really started to come alive. I built up the skin with different colours and layers, adding texture, mottling and scars.

I also added hair and lighting to the eyes. What I love about creature work is how many different skills can come together in one piece: sculpting, mould making, casting, painting, hair work, fabrication and electronics.

What made you choose the Prosthetic Effects MA at Falmouth and how have you found the course?

I wanted to come to Falmouth after seeing the work previous students had created on the course. I thought it was amazing and it looked like something I would really love to try for myself.

My background is in theatre and performance design, so I already had experience with things like scenic work, props, costume and makeup, but I wanted to push myself further into prosthetics, creatures and practical effects.

When I started the MA, I genuinely had no idea where the course might lead me. I just knew I wanted to learn, make things and improve my skills, and it seems to have led to some amazing things already.

The course has pushed me technically and creatively. I've been able to work across sculpting, mould making, casting, fabrication, painting, hair work, puppetry and newer processes such as 3D printing.

It has also taught me a huge amount about problem solving. Things don't always go to plan when you're making practical effects, so learning how to adapt to materials, budgets, deadlines and technical problems is a big part of it.

I think if you really put the work in and make the most of the opportunities around you, coming to Falmouth can genuinely be one of the best decisions you make in your life. I certainly didn't expect the course to lead me to something like this.

How does creating a piece like this for a contest differ from the kind of briefs and projects you work on for the course?

Interestingly, Gul'dan and Garrosh weren't originally made for the competition at all. They were created for my MA assessment, so I was working within an academic brief while learning and demonstrating techniques that were still quite new to me.

I chose World of Warcraft because I already loved the visual style and knew the characters would give me the opportunity to explore creature sculpture, moulding, casting, painting and hair work in one project.

I entered the finished pieces into Blizzard's competition in February while I was still studying and then largely forgot about it. I didn't find out what had happened until after I'd finished the course, a week later.

That has been one of the strangest parts of the whole experience. A project that began as university work suddenly had a completely different life outside the course and ended up being seen internationally.

It's also made me realise that the work you create at university doesn't have to end when you submit it. It can become portfolio work, competition work and potentially open doors professionally as well.

How did it feel finding out you'd won and then travelling to California to compete on a global stage?

Completely surreal.

When I entered in February, I genuinely didn't think I would be selected, so finding out I was a finalist was already a huge shock.

I'd never been to BlizzCon before, so suddenly travelling from the UK to California with the work was quite overwhelming, but incredibly exciting. Seeing it there, surrounded by fans, artists and people who have such a strong connection to those characters and that world, felt completely different from seeing it in a university workshop.

Finding out I'd won was incredibly emotional and still doesn't quite feel real.

I've only just received the marks back from my final study block today, so I'm very much at the beginning of my career. To have my work recognised on that kind of global stage so early on has given me a lot more confidence in pursuing creature effects professionally.

Where would you love to see your work go next, whether that's in film, games or elsewhere in the industry?

Creature and character work is where I'd love to keep developing.

I'm particularly interested in practical creature effects for film and television, prosthetics, fabrication and art finishing. I also really love the crossover between games and practical effects because game characters can be so imaginative and exaggerated.

There's something exciting about taking a character that normally exists digitally and figuring out how to make it physically exist in front of you.

Long term, I'd love to work within a creature effects or prosthetics workshop contributing to characters for film, television or games. Any job I will be grateful for.

At this stage, I mainly want to keep learning, work alongside experienced artists, build my skills and become as versatile and useful as I can within the industry. I'm excited to see where it takes me next.

External links

https://www.instagram.com/emmathyst_fx