Mexican Wrestler

Year Nine Graphic Communication
Character Design
Drawing and Design
Lucha Libre or “Free wrestling” is a term used in Mexico to
describe this sport of Passion, Mystery, and Masked Wrestlers.
The mask has always been a prominent piece of Lucha Libre
since the beginning. Some say it goes all the way back to Aztec
influence. Early masks were very simple and were just meant
to hide the wrestler’s identity. Slowly though, the designs
became more complex to symbolize animals, gods, villains, and
heroes.
Outcome 1. – Complete double page spread of researched
information including images and your own opinions. Your
research must cover the following;
What is a ‘Luchador’? What is a ‘luchadoras’?
What are ‘Mini-Estrella’?
Provide a basic history of Mexican Lucha Libre, What
are the features of this immensely popular sport. What
are the ‘Tecnicos’ and ‘Rudos’. What happens if a masked
wrestler lost a mask match? What happens if an
unmasked wrestler loses a match?
Who was El Santo
or ‘the saint’? –
What happened
when he died?
Who was his arch
rival? What were
their trade mark
masks like? Provide
an illustration.
Year Nine Graphic Communication
Drawing and Design
Masks (máscaras) have been used dating back to the
beginnings of lucha libre in the early part of the 20th
century, and have a historical significance to Mexico in
general, dating to the days of the Aztecs. Early masks
were very simple with basic colours to distinguish the
wrestler. In modern lucha libre, masks are colourfully
designed to evoke the images of animals, gods, ancient
heroes, and other archetypes, whose identity the
luchador takes on during a performance. Virtually all
wrestlers in Mexico will start their careers wearing
masks, but over the span of their careers, a large number
of them will be unmasked. Sometimes, a wrestler slated
for retirement will be unmasked in his final bout or at
the beginning of a final tour, signifying loss of identity
as that character.
Character Design
Year Nine Graphic Communication
Character Design
Drawing and Design
Outcome - 2 print out and stick in to your books, the
work sheet entitled ‘Lucha Libra character designs’.
Complete the sheet by creating colourful designs for your
own character. Use fine liners to outline the features of
the masks. Create a final design on the biggest mask.
Remember your design can be influenced by animals, gods
and ancient heroes. The design can break free of the
outlined face. Evaluate the ideas.
Above are key rings which are given out at the door
on entrance to a Mexican wrestling match. They are
proof that the holder has paid to get in. They will often
feature the masks of the wrestlers who are fighting as
the main event. Each Key ring contains a small piece of
information with strengths, and stats.
Year Nine Graphic Communication
Luch Libra character designs’
Evaluations
Drawing and Design
Character Design
Year Nine Graphic Communication
Drawing and Design
Outcome - 3 download the wrestler mask template illustrator
file. Convert your final hand created effect into a vector
graphic within illustrator. Embellish your design if you wish to
amend it with further complexity. Print out your final design
and stick into your book with an evaluation which explains the
design choices you have made.
Paper Craft
Outcome - 4 Print out the next page. Complete some practice
ideas leading up to your final design for a paper craft figure.
This can be a different character from the one competed in
outcome 3 (if you want). Using colour - complete your final
design on the largest version.
Outcome - 5 Download the file ‘PAPERCRAFT WRESTLER’.
Using illustrator create a new layer to work above the
existing one. Adorn the template into your own wrestler
design. Print out and construct the figure. Photograph and
stick in the image. - Explain and Evaluate the process and
outcome. Try printing onto slightly thicker paper to allow
your model more rigidity. Use a knife to cut straight lines
and scissors to cut curves. - Score with a blunt instrument.
Character Design
Year Nine Graphic Communication
Drawing and Design
Character Design
Year Nine Graphic Communication
Character Design
Drawing and Design
Character Animation
Outcome - 6 Visit the Warner brothers site “Mucha
Lucha” which is a children’s TV programme about
Mexican wrestling. The site enables you to design your
own character. Once you have saved your character,
print it as a PDF and save it to your Graphics folder.
http://www2.warnerbros.com/lucha/home.html
Once you have created your character and saved
them as a PDF document you are ready to take it
into flash. Here you can Modify / Trace Bitmap.
This will break it up so that we can animate
individual parts.
Year Nine Graphic Communication
Character Design
Drawing and Design
Once you have traced your character within flash, you must
download and open the flash file called “Animating wrestler
template”.
Here is a pre made wrestler with a functioning armature play with this to see how it operates.
By moving the time line and changing the characters
legs and arms - Flash automatically animates the figures
moves. To upgrade the figure to include your own, you need
to find the relevant part in the Library and make a new
layer to paste sections from your own traced Mucha Lucha
figure.
Once you have finished, you can move the figure around on the scene. You can also
include your own wrestling introduction by recording your voice and editing it in
audacity or any sound editing soft ware. Take screen shots of your animation and
stick them in your book. Evaluate the process.
Character Design
Year Nine Graphic Communication
Drawing and Design
So my little Mini-Estrella’s,
What have you learnt . . . . ?
We need to look back over the past weeks, to
see what skills you have now mastered? What
knowledge have you acquired? What nutrients
have you taken in to allow you to show boat
your design skills? Have you truly swallowed
the golden eagles yolk, it iz thee beeessst?
Outcome - 7. Create a final decorated page
answering the following questions.
What do you know about Mexican Culture
as a result of completing this scheme of
work?
What new skills have you picked up?
Are they all technical or are some thinking
skills?
What aspects of design do you think we
investigated and explored?
How might the learning help you in the
future?
What target audiences have we covered?