Beauty Standards
This self-led experimental project explores the evolution of Western beauty standards through cel animation, projection mapping, and sculpture. Using satire and an exaggerated visual style, the work critiques how beauty ideals have been constructed, performed, and reshaped throughout history.
Designed to be watched together
Cel Animation
Projection mapped onto a sculpture of my own face
Immersive
Historical Reflection
Satire
I was Guided by the Question:
How can cel animation and sculpture, used through satire, critique shifting historical Western beauty standards and prompt audiences to reflect on the absurdity?
The Brief
An experiment-led approach that combined research, technical exploration, and interdisciplinary media design processes. I used the project as an opportunity to investigate how physical form and animation could work together to communicate a socially meaningful concept in a more immersive and emotionally engaging way.
Design Approach
The project was designed as both an animation and an art piece, using projection mapping to bring a sculptural face to life. As the animation progresses through different historical eras, the face transforms to reflect changing beauty ideals, highlighting the performative and often unrealistic nature of these standards.
Throughout the process, I explored:
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cel animation techniques
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projection mapping onto sculptural surfaces
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how form and surface affect projected animation
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colour and lighting experimentation
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balancing visual exaggeration with animation practicality
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creating outline guides to improve projection consistency and streamline setup
These experiments helped me understand how physical materials, light, and motion interact in immersive media design.
Projected face
Process & Development
A large focus of the project was experimentation and iterative development. I did multiple tests to refine how the animation aligned with the sculptural surface and adjusted the visual style to ensure the projections stayed clear and expressive when mapped onto a three-dimensional form.
Storyboard
To support the satirical tone of the concept, I used a Lowbrow-inspired illustration style that combined historical references with playful exaggeration and distortion. This approach allowed the project to critique a sensitive topic in a way that felt visually engaging, accessible, and slightly humorous rather than overly confrontational.
Research also played a major role in shaping the outcome. I investigated the history of Western beauty standards across different eras and used this research to inform the animation style, character design, and transformations throughout the piece.
I was interested in creating a balance between humour, discomfort, and absurdity, using exaggerated visuals and theatrical performance to encourage reflection without making the experience feel inaccessible or overly serious.
Styleframes