Tails of Adventure

Author/Artist Name

Samantha LamFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Fall 11-15-2024

Artist Statement

In the whimsical world of Tails of Adventure, an unlikely trio — a kind-hearted fox, goofy alligator, and angry rat — invites you to embark on an exciting journey with them. Starting the adventure from Meadow Mound, it's an interactive story where many things go awry. Tails of Adventure is a playful, lighthearted brand that invites you to escape into a world where every day is a new adventure.

Through my artwork, I aim to offer a distraction from life's burdens through branding and illustration, focusing on the importance of making people smile. Branding allows me to craft a memorable first impression, while illustration adds personality that words alone can not convey. Combining these elements, I have created mascots that are charmingly simple and cute yet endearingly weird, connecting with the audience through their unique stories and personalities. I believe art does not always need to be complex — it can simply exist to bring joy. Tails of Adventure is built on playful typography, nature-inspired elements, and eye-catching illustrations that bring the adventures to life. I aim to spark joy and connection by inviting people into the world of these beloved characters through immersive, relatable storytelling.

To make the experience more immersive, I designed interactive elements like collectible stamps, allowing people to follow along with each adventure and mark their progress. The characters come to life through large cutouts, making it feel as though the adventure gang is right there, sharing the journey with you. The fun extends beyond the stories themselves, with merchandise like stickers, activity sheets, and art prints that allow fans to take a piece of the adventure home. By designing and offering these items, I have created a little shop that lets the audience further interact and engage with my pieces.

When creating my work, I’m inspired by various animation companies, such as Studio Ghibli, who make magical lush landscape illustrations with dynamic compositions. Like the Pokémon Company, it’s fun to extend characters' charm into branding and merchandise, offering fans the opportunity to take home a piece of the experience. Additionally, Usagyuuun, a Japanese mascot I adore, is a character that has become its own brand identity through its odd yet charming depictions and interactions, something I draw from while making my work stand out with its abundance of personality. These influences drive my vision for Tails of Adventure, as I build a world full of whimsy, joy, and everyday adventures.

Advisor/Mentor

G. Scott Cook; Jim Bryant; Antje Gamble; T. Michael Martin

Description

Tails of Adventure is a whimsical, lighthearted children's brand that invites you to escape into a playful world of fun and adventure. Centered around an unlikely trio—a kind-hearted fox, a goofy alligator, and an angry rat— I wanted to create an interactive storytelling experience that blends illustrations, nature-inspired design, and engaging branding.

The show includes a video teaser trailer, three ID cards talking about each character, and six large 24" x 36" illustrations with three 10" x 10" panels underneath, showing the different destinations and events that occur. To make it interactive, I included lifesize cutouts of the characters with a large 8'x8' backdrop where people could take photos, a stamp map where you collect stamps at each destination, take-away activity sheets, and a little vendor store to buy merchandise. At the store, the audience could buy art prints, wooden keychains, stickers, sticker sheets, and mystery bags, and use the gacha machine for a random sticker. Overall, I wanted the audience to have fun in my show and take home at least one piece of the adventure.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Lam, Samantha, "Tails of Adventure" (2024). B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498). 142.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art498/142