For one of our new modules, DGA 140, we’ve been placed in groups and asked to come up with an idea for a short animation based around the idea of tea. Before we decide on an idea as a whole group, we’ve been asked to come up with individual ideas to present.

My idea is based off a myth of Chinese origin.

Here’s a short summary of the myth-

- Takes place on Mount Ying T’ang

- Monks lived on the mountain and farmed

- Monkeys would come to the mountain and steal the Monks’ crops/harvest

- One year, the Monks decide just to share their harvest with the Monkeys

- The following spring, the Monkeys returned with bags full of tea leaves to share with the Monks.

- These leaves grew in higher trees and could not be reached by the Monks!

- This new tea was then called ‘Monkey Tea’

This legend seems fairly simple and easily adapted to an animation.

I drew up some potential designs for the Monk and Monkey characters, you can see them below:

I decided to use quite a simple style, because my target audience is a wide range of people, from older people to families. The simple style would also be a lot easier to keep consistent within an animation!