The Yokai

Taking inspiration from my favorite horror franchises (Silent Hill, Dead Space, etc.), the artworks of Pitch Canker, deep ocean life and my own personal experiences with loss and trauma, I developed the design of the Yokai. A horrific shapeshifting creature that lures unsuspecting victims to their demise by disguising itself. The finished costume represents the Yokai in mid-transformation from an unassuming female form to a vile amalgamation of flesh, bone and hunger.

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In order to capture the shifting nature of the creature, I fabricated its cloak by layering several different fabric types and textures. Contrasted with the hand-sculpted exposed flesh and brightly colored claws that mimic the exoskeletons of deep sea crustaceans the Yokai creates the perfect balance of beauty and dread.

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"It rose from the shadows of the alley. What sounded like a woman crying for help, had become bones cracking, flesh tearing and blood boiling."

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