Rain & SkyMcCauley

I believe in the importance of dragons.

I revel in the fantastical, the terrifying, and most importantly, the impossible. From high fantasy to space operatics, my art thrives on the creation of imaginative worlds. Therefore, whether it be eldritch abominations devouring stars or coral deserts wandering skies, as a digital illustrator and visual development artist, I can make the imaginings of the fantastical come to life.

Free from the constraints of reality, fantasy provides a safe space to contemplate possible alternatives to our lives. By creating conceptual designs, I conceive these alternative realities from scratch through shape language, color theory, and composition—all with a dash of fantasticism. And in a time defined by seemingly insurmountable problems and impermeable despair, fantasy gives us hope that the world can be a better place, which is why we need dragons—and why I endeavor to create them.

Sky McCauley, 2022

Storytelling forms a coherent narrative about the world abound; it organizes information, helping the brain retain what would otherwise be vast quantities of information unstrung in meaning and form. A story ties the facts and ideas together, and thus improves communication, further aiding in the navigation of the world.

I draw upon the visual narrative using 2D digital animation to create stories. I work to entertain my audience while also investigating the present and future using worlds that are slightly, or in some cases, highly askew from our own. I have chosen science fiction and fantasy to connect to the audience.

More than factual storytelling, fictional storytelling serves as a mnemonic device for navigating the human experience. As humanity searches for ways in which to define, secure, and shape our existence in relation to our environment, culture, and identity, the communication of fictional narratives grounds humanity’s past and helps prepare for the future. A fictional tale has the ability to seize people’s attention, arouse emotion, foster cooperation, and resonate in memory.

My animations focus on character driven plots, specifically with interest on characters struggling to be good and do right. This battle between right-and-wrong is a universal tale that speaks to audiences on a primal level; it is something we as humans analyze on a daily basis. I take it a step further and ask this question using time and environment to investigate. What is the conflict between right-and-wrong in a universe thousands of years in the future or governed by alternative laws of physics? Interestingly, each audience member will have a different answer beginning a new chapter of investigation into my worlds.

Rain McCauley, 2022

Here Be Dragons

Here Be Dragons is a 2D digital keyframed (24fps) collaborative video complete with colored backgrounds. With a runtime of roughly one minute and thirty seconds, the video is divided into four sections; each section showcases a landscape overlaid with two animations in comic-styled panels—all composited into one overall video. This project is a stepping-stone for an expansive production of the same name with similar characters and settings for an episodic variation.

The exchange of ideas, narrative storytelling is an integral part of human development and connection. After all, no story is told in a vacuum; collaborative in nature, stories provide a common ground for communication where perspectives can be shared, and differences can be overcome. Therefore, Here Be Dragons is an example of how we can use art and storytelling as a catalyst for exploring our own humanity—but with a fantastical twist.

Here Be Dragons takes full advantage of the perks inherent in the genre of fantasy. Fantasy not only gives creators the freedom to explore ideas unfettered by the restrictions of the real world, but also allows for the safe exploration of concepts and issues by the viewer under the guise of fun. Most importantly however, fantasy, deriving from the word ‘fantastic’, exercises our sense of wonder and satisfies humanity’s continuous need for exploration—of the earth, of the seas, of space, and in the case of fantasy, of the imagination. Fantasy asks the question, “what is possible?” and braves the frontiers of the human imagination to find out. Hence, the name of the project, ‘Here Be Dragons’, which is a historical reference used in mapmaking to mark the uncharted and dangerous reaches of the world where monsters were thought to inhabit.

Rain & Sky McCauley, 2022

(L)

The Confluence, Terraconga

Digital Illustration

2022

The Fornst, Hemaltschland

Digital Illustration

2022

Floating Mountains, Daiguo

Digital Illustration

2022

(R)

Here Be Dragons (Still) Animation (00:01:48) 2022