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another ideas>>>

🌀 Project Development Ideas | Inspired by Rhizomatic Thinking

Non-linear Narrative Exploration

Move away from traditional linear storytelling ("beginning–middle–end") and embrace cyclical, fragmented structures (e.g., the looping story of Baba Yaga and the faceless egg).

Develop multi-entry-point zines or visual narratives where each page stands alone and readers can enter the story from any point.

Hybrid Identity & Coexistence

Baba Yaga is not a single, fixed character—she embodies multiple roles: mother, monster, avenger, spirit of the forest.

Explore non-human or cross-species identities (like the snail and butterfly metaphors i mentioned) as part of a rhizomatic character system.

Rhizomatic Use of Media & Process

Mix and merge different materials and formats—ceramics, woodcut, printmaking, paper, collage, zine—extending in multiple directions like fungal networks.

Emphasize "process" and "fragmentation" rather than finalized polished outcomes—like broken tile experiments.

Modular and Flexible Display Ideas

Move beyond fixed framing—consider magnetic attachments, hanging elements, or spatial collage installations that allow for continuous rearrangement.

Treat each exhibition as a “work in progress,” constantly evolving rather than presenting a final static piece.

"Body Without Organs" Visual Approach

Deconstruct the body in your character design—use fragmented, reversed, or blurred forms to represent an unstructured, shifting identity.

Incorporate systems like tarot cards as both symbolic tools and modular storytelling devices—each image as a node in a rhizomatic network.

Nature as a Thinking Model

Use your field research in places like Epping Forest to observe ecological patterns—mushrooms, animals, plants—as metaphors for growth, connection, and non-hierarchy.

Let the ecosystem inform your imagery and narratives, especially in your exploration of witches and other marginalized figures.

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In my printmaking experiments, I mainly worked with lithography and etching on very small plates to explore different textures and effects. I also tried mono prints to bring the witch in the chicken-legged house to life, giving her a more personal, developed character design. I used woodcut too—for small elements and scene collages—imagining whether this bird-like Baba Yaga lives deep in a forest or in a village, adding more background detail to her world.

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Inspired by the idea of drawing directly onto ceramics, I began experimenting with images of small houses dancing in a circle — almost like a ritual. I also started shaping a candle stand into a miniature witch’s hut, reminiscent of the chicken-legged house from Baba Yaga’s folklore. The lines I used were intentionally rough and blurred, echoing the raw, mysterious energy I associate with witchcraft. This process helped me see these ceramic pieces not just as objects, but as symbolic artifacts — like sacred tools from a witch’s ritual. It deepened my interest in how illustration can exist in three dimensions, and how everyday materials can carry mythical or spiritual weight.

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Makoto Kagoshima’s ceramic work really inspires me — the way he blends illustration and craft feels intuitive and emotionally rich. His use of bold, almost folkloric patterns and whimsical animal motifs makes everyday objects feel alive, like they’re part of a story. This helped me think about how I could treat objects in my own project — like Baba Yaga’s house or magical symbols — not just as backgrounds, but as characters themselves. His playful yet detailed approach encourages me to explore how narrative can live in textures, shapes, and everyday forms, especially through handmade, tactile materials.

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As part of my ongoing exploration, I created a small experimental zine inspired by the idea that Baba Yaga could also be seen as a symbolic fusion of a snail and a butterfly. This playful interpretation may seem only loosely connected to my main project, but it actually offers me a fresh perspective. By reimagining Baba Yaga through these delicate, transformative creatures, I started to reflect more critically on themes of hybridity, identity, and mobility. The zine became a space to challenge the rigid, often dark portrayal of witches — allowing softness, humor, and ambiguity to emerge in the narrative.

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https://www.visiteppingforest.org/

https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/michael-mcgrath/artwork/night-ride-anthem-for-new-gods

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6011268-baba-yaga-laid-an-egg#CommunityReviews

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/witch-trials-21st-century/

https://www.tokyoartbeat.com/en/events/-/Kanaha-Iwasaki-Exhibition/8-FF-84497/2024-11-30

https://cara.app/post/b1b0bdc1-f5aa-43c0-98c8-f4823a984d6a

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During a ceramic transfer workshop, I attempted to draw Baba Yaga’s little house and transfer it onto a tile panel. However, the result was not successful — the image didn’t come out clearly, and the visual cohesion was lost. In response, I decided to break up the image into six small tiles, each with a different design. Rather than one unified picture, they became fragments — like pieces of Baba Yaga’s story.

This unexpected outcome sparked new reflections. The fragmented tiles mirror how the witch figure has been broken apart and reconstructed across history. Instead of seeing it as a failure, I began to see each tile as a part of her dispersed identity — misunderstood, retold, and transformed. This fragmented visual language now feels central to my project, echoing the silenced voices, hidden labor, and layered memory carried by women throughout generations.

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Bona de Mandiangues’ use of the snail as a metaphor for fragmented identity and mobility deeply resonated with my ongoing research into witch narratives. Her view of creation as a near-magical, spell-like process mirrors my own exploration of the witch as a symbol of emotional labor and transformation. The way she fuses sewing, cutting, and assembling reminded me of rituals — small, intentional acts of power. This inspired me to consider how my Baba Yaga character might carry her home or identity through handmade objects, blending vulnerability and strength in a constant act of self-making.

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Digital Archives & Primary Sources

1. British Library. n.d. Witchcraft in Europe. [Online]. Available at: https://www.bl.uk/collection-guides/witchcraft [Accessed 2 June 2025].

2. Wellcome Collection. 2021. Witches in Early Modern Europe. [Online]. Available at: https://wellcomecollection.org/exhibitions/witches [Accessed 2 June 2025].

3. Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive. 2002. University of Virginia. [Online]. Available at: https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/ [Accessed 2 June 2025].

4. Folger Shakespeare Library. n.d. Macbeth and Witchcraft. [Digital Collection]. Available at: https://www.folger.edu/macbeth-witchcraft [Accessed 2 June 2025].

5. Museum of Witchcraft and Magic (Cornwall). n.d. Online Collections. [Online]. Available at: https://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/collection/ [Accessed 2 June 2025].

Art & Image Repositories

6. Rijksmuseum. n.d. Witches in Prints (1500-1700). [Online]. Available at: https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/search?q=witches&p=1 [Accessed 2 June 2025].

7. Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2020. The Witches of Dürer and Baldung. [Online Exhibition]. Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/durer-baldung-witches [Accessed 2 June 2025].

8. Web Gallery of Art. n.d. Witchcraft in Renaissance Art. [Online]. Available at: https://www.wga.hu/html_m/ztheme/16/witches.html [Accessed 2 June 2025].

9. National Gallery (London). n.d. Witches in Art. [Collection]. Available at: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/search/witch [Accessed 2 June 2025].

10. Wikimedia Commons. n.d. Category: Historical Witchcraft Depictions. [Online]. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Witches [Accessed 2 June 2025].

Academic Databases & Projects

11. University of Exeter. n.d. The Witchcraft Bibliography Project. [Online]. Available at: https://witchcraftbib.exeter.ac.uk/ [Accessed 2 June 2025].

12. Oxford Bibliographies. 2023. Witchcraft in Europe. [Online]. Available at: https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/obo/page/witchcraft-europe [Accessed 2 June 2025].

13. Digital Bodleian. n.d. Witchcraft Manuscripts. [Online]. Available at: https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/search?q=witchcraft [Accessed 2 June 2025].

14. European Institute for Pagan Studies. 2019. Triple Goddess Iconography Archive. [Online]. Available at: https://www.paganstudies.org/triple-goddess [Accessed 2 June 2025].

Museum Collections

15. Louvre Museum. n.d. Magic and Witchcraft Objects. [Online Collection]. Available at: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/search?q=sorci%C3%A8re [Accessed 2 June 2025].

16. Germanisches Nationalmuseum. 2022. Hexenbilder (Witch Images). [Digital Exhibit]. Available at: https://www.gnm.de/en/exhibitions/hexenbilder/ [Accessed 2 June 2025].

Cultural Studies & Symbolism

17. JSTOR Daily. 2021. Why Are Witches Women?. [Online]. Available at: https://daily.jstor.org/why-are-witches-women/ [Accessed 2 June 2025].

18. Public Domain Review. n.d. Familiars, Imps, and Witchcraft. [Online]. Available at: https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/familiars-imps-and-witchcraft [Accessed 2 June 2025].

19. Archaeology Magazine. 2020. The Archaeology of Witchcraft. [Online]. Available at: https://www.archaeology.org/issues/392-features/witchcraft [Accessed 2 June 2025].

20. Women in World History. n.d. Witch Hunts: Gender and Power. [Online]. Available at: https://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/modules/lesson10.php [Accessed 2 June 2025].

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Although this particular sketchbook is not directly related to my main project, the combination of trees, plants, and animals I observed has inspired me to explore a more diverse visual approach. I see potential in integrating these natural elements into the world-building of my witch character — creating a richer, more layered environment that reflects both folklore and the mysterious connection between witches and the wild.

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I visited Epping Forest to do some on-site drawing and writing, aiming to capture the atmosphere and the shifting light and shadows. By observing and responding to the environment directly, I hope to bring a more immersive and intuitive quality into my project. These impressions from the forest will serve as visual and emotional references as I continue developing my narrative and character designs.

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During my trip to Marseille, France, I visited several comic book shops as part of my research. One of the displays that caught my attention was themed around sirens — mythological sea creatures whose gaze causes people to speak only the truth. Another featured sketches of various monsters, with very imaginative and strange character designs. I found these visuals really inspiring and took photos to document them. I hope to incorporate some of these ideas into my own poetic illustrations later on, especially as they connect closely with the symbolic and transformative imagery often found in witch-related narratives.

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In addition to my main research, I’ve also been studying the visual designs of different tarot cards. Tarot itself is a significant part of witchcraft and symbolic storytelling, which aligns closely with my project. This has inspired me to consider creating my own series of tarot illustrations. I’ve been especially drawn to works by illustrators like Yuna Akabane, who combine mystical imagery with personal narratives.