Image 4 Research and Design (Mothman)

⚠️Gore Waning/ Sensitive Topics ⚠️

Research:

(initial Ideas)

For image 4 I have gone for the legendary horror myth, Mothman. Mothman is a human and moth creature that’s been spotted and sighted in Point Pleasant, West Vaginia since 1966, Mothman has become the main attraction for Point Pleasant with visitors coming from all over the world to try and spot this creature. Mothman is has been to chase people out of the woods, staring people down with his blood red eyes before chasing them away or hunting them down, no one knows. The creature is said to keep to its self, but have a dark energy around it. (Horning, 2025)

 

Going further into my research I have chosen this myth to be the one I will focus on for my Primary research, having being able to get an interview with the owner of the Mothman Museum themselves though for that to go ahead I need my ethics form approved, to make sure everything is confidential and okay to go ahead with, I sent it in for the submission in early December so I should be hearing back from that soon hopefully! 

 

I have heard so many stories about Mothman growing up but have started really getting into the history and the details of the creature going into a rabbit hole just before starting at York College and University Centre. I always fall asleep watching creepy stories or horror stories and have been really getting into the Mothman ones and have been finding them quite enjoyable. Below I have attached some of my favourite ones if you want to delve deeper into that:

(Photo Research)

like the previous images I am going to look at photo inspiration of past sightings or what other people have seen. I want to gather as much information as possible as this is going to be the grand finale of my Major Project, I am wanting to create a facial prosthesis, prostiche, realistic wings and I have a few more ideas I am not to sure on at the moment but I am hoping my primary research will come into clutch when I will be needing that inspiration. Below I have created another MoodBoard which should spark some creativity when it comes to to creating my design plans and face charts:

Just like the previous blogs I am going to create a list of what I want this image to include. I know for definite I want to push my limits with this image, I want to create silicone wings and a full facial prosthetic. For this image I am going to have to research ways of creating things as a lot of what I am planning is going to be very specific. Down below is the list:

  • facial prosthetic
  • silicone wings 
  • dark
  • in the woods 
  • short video
  • red glowing eyes
  • facial PROSTICHE
  • claws?

now that I have got a list of what I am planning on doing I have chosen to draw up a few design plans/ face charts to give me a starting point of where I want to go with this image.

down below are the few sketches i have managed to get done at the moment: 

 

Design:

(Face charts/ Designs)

Figure 9: Facial Prosthetic face plan/ chart (Rutter.C, 2025)

Figure 10: hand prosthetic design (Rutter.C, 2025)

                    Figure 11: prosthetic wings design (Rutter. C, 2025)

(Design Research)

To further my research a bit like I said above I have been looking into how to make different aspects over my image. I have mostly looked into some videos right now which I will pop below. The things I am most trying to figure out would be the facial prosthetics and the wings. I think after looking into it I will tackle making the wings out of wire encased in silicone, building it on a plastic sheet and colouring it with alcohol based SFX paint pallets. If i can find a way to make them move would be ideal, but since there is a time frame I need to keep in with if I can’t do that then it would be okay. 

                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-Aqj7wzjPk                                                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIbr2eM5GXY&vl=en  

For the facial prosthetics I have decided to create a ‘mask’ that’s not really a mask? My plan is create a wig base for the head past covered in feathers and fluff and attaching that to a facial Prostiche which can be stuck to the face like a regular prosthetic, it sounds a bit confusing but I am going to trail and error it after the Christmas break. Below I have attached some more videos that have helped me come to my sort of conclusion for now:  



Figures:

Figure 1: Mythfolks.com. (2024). Mothman Myth & How Folklore Overshadowed Real Tragedy | Mythfolks. [online] Available at: https://www.mythfolks.com/mothman-legend. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]

Figure 2: to, C. (2025). Mothman. [online] Monster Wiki. Available at: https://monster.fandom.com/wiki/Mothman. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]

Figure 3: Almost Heaven - West Virginia. (2018). Who is the Mysterious Mothman? [online] Available at: https://wvtourism.com/who-is-the-mysterious-mothman/. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]

Figure 4: Scott (2024). Mothman The Harbinger of Doom - Alexandria Ghosts. [online] Alexandria Ghosts. Available at: https://alexandriaghosts.com/mothman-the-harbinger-of-doom/?__cf_chl_tk=mFV_K8t_LFMw0IUckFAlgDH2aCKa9qJcd5BDkpej7T4-1766974794-1.0.1.1-krLFbZ67Qsc11_1pfUseG_EXGuONWLOLxytvYWwfkK8  [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025].

Figure 5: https://facebook.com/freddyinspace  (2016). The Terrifying Mothman Was First Spotted 50 Years Ago. [online] Bloody Disgusting! Available at: https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3414927/terrifying-mothman-first-spotted-50-years-ago/. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]

Figure 6: Unsolved Mysteries. (2024). The Mothman Revisited. [online] Available at: https://unsolved.com/gallery/the-mothman-revisited/. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]

Figure 7: Squires, J. (2016). West Virginia Man Believes He Photographed the Mothman, 50 Years After First Sighting. [online] Bloody Disgusting! Available at: https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3415438/west-virginia-man-believes-photographed-mothman-50-years-first-sighting/. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025)

Figure 8: Julian, G. (2022). A ‘Mothman’ Found Footage Horror Is Soaring Our Way! [Indie Spotlight Solo]. [online] Dread Central. Available at: https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/427868/a-mothman-found-footage-horror-is-soaring-our-way-indie-spotlight-solo/  [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025].

Figure 9: Facial Prosthetic face plan/ chart (Rutter.C, 2025) York, York College

Figure 10: hand prosthetic design (Rutter.C, 2025) York, York College

Figure 11: prosthetic wings design (Rutter. C, 2025) York, York College

 

References:

Bailey Sarian (2020). Creature That Terrorized West Virginia - The True Story of Mothman| Mystery & Makeup Bailey Sarian. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td3yWddS_Ek  [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025].

grimmlifecollective (2025). The True Story Behind The Mothman of West Virginia. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqAN7ijLii4  [Accessed 25 Sep. 2025].

Horning, S. (2025). West Virginia Wonders: Mothman - Tamarack. [online] Tamarack. Available at: https://www.tamarackwv.com/2025/04/04/west-virginia-wonders-mothman/. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025]

IndieCabaretNYC (2019). Adding Hair to a Latex Mask - a Tutorial by Russ Turk. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN8th-CJwJ4  [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025].

oompaville (2025). The Unsolved Mystery Of The Mothman... [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUaF8eC4ZFw

[Accessed 29 Dec. 2025].

RV Waggin Tails (2024). The Mothman: Where Mystery, Legend and Tragedy Converge | #Mothman. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7iILgOQ8sc  [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025].

Tiffany Gordon Cosplay (2025). The EASIEST Way to Make Stunning Cosplay Wings + Hidden Harness Build (FULL GUIDE). [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIbr2eM5GXY&vl=en  [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025].

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). Easy DIY Movable Wings. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-Aqj7wzjPk  [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025].

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). Werewolf Prosthetic & Hair Application Tutorial. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GQVz9zSFKw. [Accessed 29 Dec. 2025)

 

Bibliography:

https://www.facebook.com/baileysarian1/videos/did-the-mothman-make-the-silver-bridge-collapse-/1170020601403322/ 

https://www.facebook.com/ProjectNightfall/videos/is-the-mothman-a-savior-here-to-warn-us-about-impending-destruction-or-is-he-a-b/801291552762782/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7JPo5N-YPk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHFtd4IBPgA

https://www.mothmanmuseum.com/

https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Mothman

https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/mothman-point-pleasant-west-virginia

https://uwm.edu/letters-science/in-focus-2021/history-student-tells-the-story-of-the-mothman/ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px5RYzXXqtc

https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/mothman-legend-west-virginia-monster-rcna163428#:~:text=%E2%80%9CNo%2C%20the%20mothman%20is%20not,real%20in%20the%20American%20imagination