Tiger Gem Garden
The piece was created for the opening of a new Sumo Restaurant in Karl Johans Gate, Oslo, Norway, a vibrant area popular with tourists and locals and surrounded by historic architecture. Considering the installation’s location, I developed a theme that blends Asian fusion with a Norwegian touch. The work consists of a multi-screen set installation designed to function as a cohesive visual experience. The challenge was to convey elegance and grandeur without making it feel overly exclusive or unreachably high-end.
Role
Creative Director and Motion Designer
Client
SUMO Restaurant, Norway
Behind the Scenes
I began exploring a prism-inspired illustration style, imagining light bending and dispersing into multiple colors. I wanted to capture the allure of glittering gems and crystals and the captivating pull of a simple yet mysterious centerpiece.
The Tiger
I wanted a central figure to dominate the frame, with background details added later. While exploring Oslo’s neighborhoods, I initially envisioned a lion guarding a treasure, inspired by a statue near the Parliament building, symbolizing bravery, nobility, and fearlessness. The concept imagined the statue coming to life to protect the treasure.
I later adapted the figure into a Bengal tiger to align with the Asian theme. In many Asian cultures, the tiger symbolizes strength, power, and protection against evil spirits, making it a more fitting and culturally resonant choice.
Tiger Head Turnaround Sketch
Frame Sketch
Animation
Tiger Head Animatic
Given the complexity of the light and form concept, the animation was designed to be mostly static with minimal movement, maintaining an ambient and unobtrusive presence. In the final animation, she appears as a friendly guardian in a temple hall, where a hidden gem lies amid a luminous, dreamy crystal forest. Her gaze is inviting, but she commands respect — don’t provoke her.
At the time, I didn’t have many plugins available, so I manually rigged each shape point to a null object and added keyframes to control them. It was tedious, but I focused on a solution I knew would work.
