Art Style Analysis

 

In our groups we looked at 3 art styles from different series and games. We were given 7 questions about our chosen art style to answer:

• Who is the Target Audience?
• What are some key likely influences?
• What mood is the selected piece trying to convey through its art style?
• Describe how you think the art complements the story telling in the piece
• What do you think this piece does “better” than similar pieces? What do you think it maybe does “worse”?
• Come up with at least 3 (or more) rules that you would implement in trying to communicate/replicate the style with a team

 

I decided to analyse The Bad Batch, an animated star wars spin off series on Disney+. I chose to analyse this art style as the art style helps convey the narrative.

The Bad Batch is an animated spin off series and continuation from Star Wars; The Clone Wars. The Bad Batch are a group of experimental clones who are forced to evade capture from the Empire and adjust to surviving the new regime in the galaxy. While the Clone wars was targeted towards kids aged 8-14, The bad batch appeals to ages 12 and over as it has more mature and dark themes and has gained a more mature audience due to the popularity of the star wars franchise. The more mature narrative is reflected in the dark and moody art style. The characters have sharp, angular features and muted colour schemes to fit in with the serious tone of the story.

 

According to the Art Director Andre Kirk, the designers looked at films such as Indiana Jones, Goonies, and Alien to try and replicate how they convey certain tones or themes in some episodes.

 

Similar pieces are The Clone Wars (2008), Rebels (2014) and Tales of the Jedi (2022), all clone wars continuation/Spin offs.

Clone wars is brighter as its targeted towards kids and its themes only get darker in later seasons, shows as later seasons become bleaker. Animation was rigid as it started off episodic and animation was targeted towards kids so episodes needed to be quickly and easily produced. The Bad Batch uses both the occasional episodic format as well as following a linear narrative, certain episodes will progress the story and follow darker themes. Because of this linear narrative and the backing of a multi-billion dollar company (Disney) The bad batch’s visuals have drastically improved with fluid animation compared to its earlier spin off installments.

Tales of Jedi focuses on different perspectives from diff characters so varies from episode. follows same design principle

 

 

 

From reading the interviews I broke down the art style into 3 rules:

• sharp, angular features in design
• follow bleak, colour scheme
• Painted textures
• Get to know your characters and the world they’re in, put yourself in their shoes and how would their design/personality be affected by the environment (emphasized by art director himself)

 

 

 

References:

Why Bad Batch Looks Like Clone Wars Instead Of Star Wars Rebels (screenrant.com)

Art Director Andre Kirk Interview – Star Wars: The Bad Batch | StarWars.com

The Bad Batch Concept Art Hints At Huge Star Wars Legends Connection (screenrant.com)