Making Monsters

Abstract

Monsters are an essential part of culture. Because they feature prominently in visual media, designing monsters is an important task for any concept designer, but the field of monster studies is generally not concerned with the artistic aspects of the topic. This thesis aims to bridge the gap between theoretical and applied monster studies. By reviewing the history and the various interpretations of monsters throughout time, certain characteristics can be identified: Monsters are both hated and loved, which lets them inhabit a special niche in storytelling. They are terrifying, because they draw on the deep human fear of becoming prey and because the monstrous body challenges norms and habits of categorization. The monster is utterly different, which is what makes it fascinating and desirable. This effect is similar to the paradox of horror media, which despite being gory and disturbing, is immensely in demand. Additional research questions address the understanding of fear and disgust, which are both essential for monster creation. The analysis of the monsters from Alien (1979) and The Thing (1982) lead into the second part of the thesis, concluding in reference for monster creation and a series of monster designs to demonstrate the application of research within this thesis.

Keywords: monster theory, creature design, horror media