Research: Human Experimentation during WW2

As VeePees is involved in human experimentation I thought it was important to document how this affects his character and more importantly how this affects the emotional connection between the character and the viewer.

It is stated in The Ethics and Politics of Human Experimentation By Paul Murray McNeill that there were very few who expressed any humanitarian concern for subjects of experiments during WW2. It was considered valid to put research subjects at considerable risk with no possible therapeutic advantage for them. These 'test subjects' were prisoners and mental patients so it was the general consensus that it was acceptable to put these people at risk if it meant that a cure for malaria was found, for example. 
This is precisely the mindset of VeePees, if he can find a cure for physical deformities  his methods are valid. He believes the ends justify the means. This is very similar to the outlook of many popular anti-heros (I have illustrated the advantages of using an anti-hero character in an earlier blog).

 I believe this aspect of VeePees will create a debate within the viewer/s. Whether they agree with his methods or not getting involved in the ethics of human experimentation with form an emotional connection with the character.


Reference:


Murray McNeill P (1993) The Second World War and the attitudes towards human experimentation ‘The Ethics and Politics of Human Experimentation’

Final head outcome

Final 3D hand

 Low poly hand created in 3ds Max

Using Mudbox I added all the detail to make it look like a more organic form.

Another Photoshop render

In this Photoshop render you can see VeePees' mutated hand in action as he pulls on a glove, ready to begin his experiments. I drew this from the victims point of view, looking up from an operating table, the bright circular lights behind VeePee's make the environment seem like an operating theatre. I added some blood splatter to his lab coat and mask to make the scene more frightening.

3D Max model: Head/mask

This is an attempt at VeePees' head and breathing apparatus. Although not as detailed as I would want it has all the key features of his head; his goggle eyes holes,  the indents under his eyes, the lower part of the mask which covers his mouth, the indents on the side of his head which will reveal skin and the cylindrical shape in the center of his mask.
For my final 3D Model I will add more geometry to his head/mask and add textures.

3D Max models- Mechanical ears

This is a 3D model of VeePees' mechanical ears, which allow him to ear on account of having no ears of his own. I was aiming for a rusted metal texture, as I wanted the ears to looks like an old piece of antiquated equipment, but I couldn't quite achieve that. That will be rectified in my final 3D model.
I like this design as it has a distinct side profile and silhouette, which will be visible when looking VeePees in the face.

Final character design

This is a front and back sketch of my character in it's entirty. For the most part VeePees has a typical human shape, but there is a few key features that make him unique; the design of his head and his mutated hand (which makes his lab coat bulge and rip). Instead of having his coat button up with traditional buttons I decided to replace those with metal rivets, like he's bolted into his lab coat, never taking it off. This could highlight his commitment to his work.

His logo/symbol is a broken diamond shape. My thinking behind this shape is that it looks broken and incomplete, just like VeePees. It's a constant reminder to him of what he is and what he's working toward.