Week 1 - Moodboards and Concepts (22/01/2024)

For references, I’ve observed both fictional and non-fictional examples of Victorian/Victorian-inspired architecture. I first looked at artwork of the backgrounds in Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle due to bright and vibrant take on 19th century British architecture. Plus, I of course looked at photos for the sets of Diagon Alley and their unique use of twisting and bizarre shapes as well as over-the-top architecture (e.g. the Gambol and Japes shop) that add to the magical feel of the Alley, exaggerating and building off from traditional Victorian architecture that helps evoke Harry Potter’s more typical renditions of the concept of magic and wizardry.

In addition to this, I gathered some reference images of Victorian textile mills once I settled on the idea for a Magical Item Repair Shop which fixes robes, brooms, wands etc. Furthermore, I travelled to Truro to take photos of some of the older architecture over there as many designs and textures of the buildings and their materials from the 19th century have persisted (such as the Museum, City Hall and Lloyds Bank) making the perfect subjects for

potential textures.