Better Anansi Sketches

Still Working on nailing Anansi's look. Finally pretty close I think. Looking back at the last post tat had actual images in it, I am amazed by how much he's changed in just a few short weeks. Here, as promised, is my earlier photo-based concept art, plus some new sketches attempting to show some personality:

The story I have finally settled on is Anansi and the Birds. It sounds pretty animation friendly & nobody seems to have adapted it yet. The basic Story is that Anansi, despite all he's accomplished, realizes that he does not know how to fly. He is extra nice to all the birds for a while, asking only a few feathers from each in return.

At night, He uses the feathers to build himself some wings, and practices using them when nobody's around. Owl, the only one awake at his time, makes fun of Anansi & tells him that flyng is for the birds. obviously, the spider ignores him.

Soon, Anansi gets himself jokingly invited to the great bird feast in the mountains. When he pulls out his wings & manages to keep up with them, the birds have no choice but to let him come along. Once he gets there, Anansi forgets his manners and makes a nuisance of himself, eating all the food & making a mess.

Finally he gets fat & falls asleep. As they leave, the birds all take their feathers back. when he wakes up, Anansi is stuck on the mountain with no way down. He asks the last bird for help, and gets kicked over the edge. As he falls screaming to his doom, Owl flies out & saves him by showing him how to make a web to catch himself. Since then all spiders make webs to keep from falling.

And there you have it. Sounds like fun, right? Next stop, Storyboards!