Above: “data privacy” by stockcatalog licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

POLYMORPHIC

Mar 31, 2021 Top 10 Picks

Paloma

3 years ago

Editorial is open for submissions: [email protected]

by Michael McAfee x Drasko V

Item #: PYC-6329 (“Polymorphic”)
Class: LIFE BEARING PLANET
Description: Located within quadrant #[REDACTED]. Item PYC-6329, classed as LIFE BEARING PLANET, has been placed under special observation.

Limited autopsied remains of [REDACTED] are found to be composed of [REDACTED] and material akin to aluminum based alloy. Inhabitants’ genetic makeup are unidentifiable with standard procedures and protocols.

It has been observed that most inhabitants of PYC-6329 are fully self-sufficient and require minimal sustenance. Nearby luminous bodies appear to act as a source of inhabitant’s nutrients.

Inhabitants display an extensive variety of colors, sonic presence, and movements. Each appears uniquely functional in how it interacts with their environment.

Exploration of PYC-6329 is now being classed as PRIORITY.

The Collection:
The POLYMORPHIC collection explores a universe of beings with unconventional methods of locomotion in a surreal, dreamy environment inspired by psychedelia, retro-futurism and pop surrealism.

The collection features 8 audio-visual scenes, a 1/1 physical bronze sculpture, and 12″ vinyl EP with entirely original music. Designed and animated by visual artist mcafee.design, with custom sound design and soundtrack composed by Drasko V.

The Record
The collection includes a 1/1 12” vinyl EP. The full soundtrack experience exists exclusively on this record. Digital audio sessions from the project will be destroyed and the original music will not be accessible anywhere aside from the vinyl. The soundtrack contains two continuous pieces: an ambient musical journey on side A, and a complex, rhythmic, and sound design heavy exploration on side B.

The vinyl is pressed in white and comes in a glass frame, and comes with a Custom designed gatefold jacket enclosure by McAfee.Design.

Once an owner is determined, they will have the option to have their name and NFT related details added to the design of the record as the first original holder of the item.

The Sculpture

The collection features a 1/1 12” tall physical bronze sculpture. The piece is hand molded, casted, and finished with a highlighted brown bronze patination. The sculpture highlights the Polymorphic creature seen in Omnipotent.

Customized with a laser-engraved QR code that links to the digital NFT counterpart.

Design

The visuals for POLYMORPHIC almost always begin with the creatures, often in a very iterative fashion. I don’t go into the designs with a sketch or idea of how the creature should look — somewhere along the way I tend to regurgitate forms and anatomical features from existing animals into the designs.

Every iteration of the creature is informed by imagining how I think that being would exist in its environment: How does it move? What sensory features does it use to make sense of its environment? Does it travel by itself or in a group? I like to think that every visible feature is informed and serves a purpose.

All of the separate designs are married together with a visual treatment, creating a consistent look and feel for the universe. Black outlines of every object give the feeling that the creatures are hand-drawn. Limited and saturated color palettes, often with two dominant colors, give it a duo-tone look. The pieces are textured and colored after the design and animation phase in 2D — this helps dial in a 2D / 3D hybrid aesthetic.

Audio

The feeling of the Polymorphic world and Michael’s aesthetic lends itself to a wide range of sonic exploration. The overall surrealist aesthetic, open ambient environments and biomechanical creatures allow for a world of sonic possibilities. There are 3 key components explored sonically in this collection and the soundtrack: 1. Ambient, soundscapes informed by the environment 2. Simple and intricate rhythmic elements 3. Creature sound design. All of these elements come together to form a cinematic soundtrack that dances between simplicity and complexity.

Audio was not an afterthought in this collaboration. Each scene was crafted from the ground up with audio and visual components being crafted in parallel. This made the artistic process very organic and freeing. My goal with the audio was to do this beautiful visual world some justice and represent the life and emotional quality of the environments and creatures. This was a great opportunity and a challenge – to be combining cinematic audio elements, experimental rhythms and sound design. My goal was to create a sonic signature and create an emotion in each scene to give them their distinct unique qualities, while complementing the other scenes in the collection.

McAfee.Design

McAfee.Design made a name for himself in the digital art space by designing and animating visuals for prestigious artists such as Tycho, Poolside, and Miami Horror. His work has been featured on outlets such as Wacom, Creative Code Art, VFX News, and the front page of Reddit. His visual style maintains a traditional hand-drawn aesthetic but simultaneously takes full advantage of modern CGI tools and technology.

Outside of the work done under the POLYMORPHISM umbrella, he creates design experiences for various Fortune 500 companies such as Google, Boeing, and IBM, and is currently working on a permanent art installation for the city of Santa Monica.

His work has been celebrated at industry events such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, and CommArts.

https://www.instagram.com/mcafee.design
mcafee.design/
twitter.com/mcafee_design

Drasko V

Drasko’s creations are often an intersection of music, sound design, visuals and technology. His creations take form as interactive installations for public environments, digital experiences, music records, audio-visual and generative art.

As a creative director and sound designer, Drasko has created for brands such as Google, IBM, National Geographic, city of Santa Monica, and more. His projects appeared in media such as PressPausePlay Documentary, Red Bull TV, Web Designer Magazine, Computer music magazine, TEDxToronto, IdN magazine, and has been awarded to create a permanent interactive art installation in the city of Santa Monica in 2021.

His music is published on the prestigious IDM record label Detroit Underground. Drasko is an affiliate of Warner Brothers and has licensed music and sound design for brands and films including: Blade Runner 2049, Tenet, X-Men: Mutants, Atomic Blonde, Hellboy, American Horror Story, Gravity, HBO Max, Disney+, IBM, Google, National Geographic theme park and more.

Drasko is the founder of Drastic Studios, an interdisciplinary digital and experiential production company, and has won awards such as One Show Sound Design Award, Communication Arts Award, and has contributed to many creative initiatives.

www.drasko-v.com
http://instagram.com/drasko_v
twitter.com/drasko_v