Lucas Lustenberger
Table-Topped
A story about two best friends who have seemingly drifted apart due to misconstruction of circumstances. Through the use of slapstick comedy, this work conveys one of the characters trying to get revenge on the other for not hanging out with them after so long. This is a project that was initially created for a previous Storyboard and Characters class.
Artist/Thesis Statement
My art is inspired by Saturday morning cartoons, focusing on humor as the main point. Shows such as Regular Show and Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy were big inspirations for my humor and art style. The timing of humor and constantly changing stories for each show were captivating. Humor can make a show more enjoyable when done correctly. While it may be subjective, the pacing, set-up, and delivery are integral to its incorporation. A mixture of serious elements and well-timed humor can always enhance a show more than people believe. For example, slapstick humor, while violent in some cases, allows for exaggeration and shock value that regular jokes cannot achieve.
TableTopped uses slapstick and traditional set-ups and what I define as “random humor”. Often spontaneous with its presentation, this humor skips the set-up of a joke for a quick laugh, shock value, or absolute confusion. It would be a comedic parallel to a jumpscare in horror. Using a curated amount of build-up and random humor, I mix classic and modern cartoon humor to make an appealing story for all ages.
During my creative process, I use Photoshop for any drawing needs and Sony Vegas to edit it all together. Additionally, when voicing my characters, I use Audacity to enhance my audio. Photoshop is easy to utilize, and allows me to create quick sketches that lead to full projects. Some of my character designs from Table-Topped were sketches that I previously drew during Winter of 2020, that I eventually used for my Character Design and Layout class. I have been proficient with Sony Vegas for school and personal projects which I am now using for my final project. From animations to comedic video editing, this program helped me make enjoyable content for people.
