The God Shem: The tale of a lost Spirit

Miriam R. Mercado

The God Shem: The tale of a lost Spirit

ART 141 Digital Art Fundamentals Spring ‘21 Process Book Prof. Anya Zinoveva

TABLE OF CONTENTS Character - Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 Storyboard - Scene Depiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6 Movie Poster - Shem’s Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8 Shem’s Influence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10

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Your Character Silhouette

Shem This character emerged from the feelings of fondness for horns, spirituality, and someone I know.

Shem is a male, humanoid, spiritual, and eternal being with no time or space that binds him. He is often confused and depressed about where he belongs in a world full of humans. The immortality has led him to have a very complex mind that is full of wisdom.

Due to his infinite knowledge, those who can see him would seek his help from their problems. Shem did not mind helping those who came to him because it would fill his days with something to do, since he was a lost spirit. Eventually he became a god to the people, since he was unlike any human and appeared in many different time periods.

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Your storyboard

Realization Shem is full of despair as he falls to his knees.

In this scene he’s come to a very important realization near the end of the story. As a male spirit who had no place to be bound to, he wandered aimlessly throughout time and space. The day came when he finally found something he wanted to live for, a person.

Being immortal is not as nice as villains in storybooks make it out to be. When somebody else’s time stops ticking, yours will keep going, whether you want it to or not. Before Shem realized, he had fallen in love. Once he was aware of his emotions, there was only one thing he felt like he could do.

“I must let her go, so that she may find happiness in the limited time she has. Even if my heart breaks, I’ll be glad to know she got to live a life full of positive emotion. An emotion that would not be entirely possible if I were the one by her side.” At this moment Shem is aware of a very important life lesson, which is “I can not be human.”

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Your poster

The God Shem: The tale of a lost Spirit Shem came to being one day with no recollection of how he was brought into the world. He is a spirit that can roam freely between time and space and some people who can see spirits would occasionally see him.

People mistook this mystical being as a god and began to worship him and make temples for him. Shem took refuge in these temples even though he did not need any material belongings since he is not bound to a body. Those who could see and speak with Shem would seek his advice and knowledge.

Shem enjoys listening to other people’s problems and giving his feedback or advice, but he will never open up to anyone. He is confused about where his place in the world is and because of his ability to free roam through time and space, he has many complex thoughts from all the different time periods he has learnt from.

In one time period he finds a lost little girl who he becomes fond of and watches her grow. He interacts with her and soon becomes friends with her. Although Shem was still battling to understand his place in the world, he now had someone to be by his side. As the girl reaches adulthood, feelings of love seem to blossom between the two but because Shem is a spirit and the girl, known as Arla, was not, Shem would not allow for such emotions.

Shem simply continues to admire Arla from afar and she eventually finds a mortal love. He wishes her well in life and leaves with a broken heart, simply to roam time and space once again.

A bittersweet end. Shem got a taste of what it felt like to be human, but soon came to the realization that he, as a spirit, could never be human.

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Shem’s Influence I thoroughly enjoyed creating Shem and his story.

There were plenty of other stories I had already planned that I could have used, but I wanted something new to motivate me. I actually took a lot of inspiration for this project from a close friend of mine and a previous artwork I had made for them.

The story is meant to pull at people’s heartstrings and make them feel sorry for the main character. By making the main character a supernatural being and having them confused, it allows for those people who also do not know their place in the world to feel a strong connection.

I like stories that dig into the mental state of mind. Shem’s story highlights how unstable he is because of the endless passage of time. He is trapped inside his own story.

I would love to make a comic for Shem some day and publish it.

It may even become a short animated film if it becomes popular enough. This story is highly personal and I hope it can touch the hearts or minds of others.

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Instagram - @baka_panda214

Miriam R. Mercado is a Californian aspiring Art Teacher. They Love to create anything in their power, whether it be an art piece, baked goods, or even carpentry.

“You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.”

-Matthew 5: 13-16