Character Design from the Legend of Lanna Ghosts: Towards the Creation of Multimedia Art in Order to Propagate Lanna Artistic and Cultural Identity

Abstract

The study entitled “Character Design from the Legend of Lanna Ghosts: Towards the Creation of Multimedia Art in Order to Propagate Lanna Artistic and Cultural Identity” consisted of the following objectives: 1) to investigate the cultural beliefs about Lanna ghosts and their role in Lanna folktales; and 2) to apply a body of knowledge gained from studying and collecting data on Lanna ghosts in Lanna cultures in order to design characters and present them in the form of creative multimedia. The study used an art-based research technique to explore related materials, concepts, and theories, as well as an in-depth interview conducted via field study in a cultural setting where beliefs in Lanna ghosts and their role in Lanna folktales were prevalent. The research areas included Chiang Mai province. The data obtained were analyzed and synthesized before the concepts and techniques on the graphics computer were identified, and presented in descriptive form and creative art.

From the study, the following results were found: 1) Beliefs and rituals involving ghosts have played an essential role in Lanna people since ancient times, providing hidden analytical reasoning and ways of life for people in the society. These beliefs show certain traditional beliefs that have survived over time while incorporating social values. Cultural stories and rituals have shaped the identity of the Lanna people and have been passed on to future generations through the process of self-cultivation and learning in the form of folk tales that serve as guidelines for one's behaviour based on past traditions and beliefs. 2) After collecting data from oral and written literature, the researcher developed multimedia art based on the traditional beliefs in Lanna ghosts, which was then replicated in the form of character design. This is regarded as local wisdom passed down from the ancient ancestors through compilation and voice recordings. Subsequently, the data obtained were transcribed into digital files and converted into shapes using a computer program, resulting in a free-form animation featuring geometric shapes. With this, the Lanna ghost characters were created. This is seen as a new dimension of learning cultural stories. This allows viewers to realize the concreteness of Lanna ghosts using design techniques and theories. Multimedia has been used as a medium to foster understanding and preserve cultural identity so that it can better reach people in today's world. Based on this creative output, income is generated in the form of a cultural commodity, which is the dissemination of cultural identity through commodities and other types of media in the future.