The Lost Daughter of Blodeuwedd

The Lost Daughter of Blodeuwedd - University Final Major Project

For my FMP I decided to take the plunge and finally face an aspect of 3D Art I have tried to avoid for my entire University career, character modelling! I always found organic shapes very intimidating, and digital sculpting unapproachable due to ZBrush having awful UI in my opinion. During this project I tried out Nomad Sculpt, which completely unlocked 3D sculpting for me. It gave me the confidence to finally explore character modelling. I also dabbled in some IK rigging and managed to create a few poses to play with when I got to developing my display shots.

The story of Amalia:
Amalia is the main figure of my FMP, and the wearer of the armour I will be developing as the key piece of my project. Her name, meaning ‘unceasing, vigorous and brave’, (Campbell, 2024), relates to her unwavering strength and true loyalty to being the first disciple of Blodeuwedd, a figure in Celtic mythology. Blodeuwedd declared Amalia her first disciple after finding her in the dense forest; cold and alone. Amalia had just been betrothed to the son of a notable figure in her village, her father hoping the marriage would improve his reputation in the small community. Seeing so much of herself in Amalia with her own forced marriage to Llew, Blodeuwedd took her under her wing, promising freedom and control over her owl destiny, as long as she aids Blodeuwedd in her goal. The goal is simple, create a coven of women whose autonomy was stripped away from them. Under her worship, Blodeuwedd vows to keep any woman who falls into her care safe from men who wish to take control of their destiny.

Over years they saved more and more women from mutual fates, their coven growing stronger by the day. It seemed as if they had truly created a society free of those who wished to silence them. Unfortunately, that peace did not last forever. Llew had discovered the blissful life Blodeuwedd had made for herself and many other women, and concluded that this matriarchal paradise could not last for much longer. So, at dawn, he put his plan to kill Blodeuwedd into action; slaying her with a mindless brutality.

Upon finding Blodeuwedd’s lifeless body, Amalia is wracked with a grief she has never felt before. Brushing her eyes gently closed, Amalia and the over women of the coven carry their fair Goddess’ body to her final resting place - a soft bed of blooming flowers under a great magnolia tree. Sisters weep together as they grieve their fallen saviour, watching as the roots of the tree envelop her delicate form, her body returning to the ground she once rose from.

A broken sisterhood, losing their mother and the heart of their community. But something brewed inside Amalia, something stronger than her grief. A searing rage coursed through her body, hate burning through the very fibre of her being. She was not going to let Blodeuwedd’s death be left unpunished. She was going to find Llew.

She was going to avenge her mother.