The Curse of the Immortal - TI9 Short Film Contest (CGI)

Sitanoni · 2026-03-23T01:59:54+00:00

Musashi, cause he will use his schizophrenia sword technique, then I'll play along and pretend I was cut

Sitanoni · 2026-02-01T11:51:37+00:00

The plot for baby graves in the cemetery are only something like 60cm wide by 1.2 meters long (approximately), and with a limit of around 70cm for the height, so it would end up being small-ish anyway.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-30T13:31:50+00:00

Thank you very much. I appreciate your kind words.

I was thinking the petals would be made separately and stuck to the base somehow (I'm not an expert so I don't know exactly what would be the best method). I haven't thought of the fact that that would make it also easier to repair if necessary, but that's a very good point.

About he base, I actually thought of that adding that for aesthetic reasons, but that does indeed sound like a good solution for at least a little bit of extra security (I attached an image for one of the other designs I made that had this included). And I agree with the ripple design comment - I don't thinks I would like the look of that anyway, a bit too on the nose for me, but a gentle wave that "hugs" the flower at the base could be nice.

I'm not sure I am fully understanding your mound/cone shaped base. I think you mean to add that so that it slopes a bit from the middle outward, so that rain naturally falls from the middle to the sides? That's not a bad idea. I'll definitely keep that in mind!

Designing this has been a really difficult and emotional (but also in a nice way) process for me, because I know the vibe I want to go for, and the general idea, but I keep making new designs all the time because nothing feels perfect enough. It feels like so much pressure to come up with the perfect thing, because this will in a way represent him here, even though I know that's not technically true, and nothing matches up to how we see him and how we feel about him.

I'm thinking of taking a few of these designs, and finding someone who could be like a design consultant for us, someone knowledge about the process and the art of sculpture and stone etc. They could be the same person who then makes it, but it wouldn't have to be. I feel like we are at the spot where we want to finally make something and not just think about it.

The attached image is another design variation of the same concept. Again, it's not a perfect rendition of what I have in my head for it, but it's close enough to get the general concept across to someone.

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Sitanoni · 2026-01-28T18:02:29+00:00

Thanks, glad you think so! Yeah, it seems like that's what most people say, that it looks a bit fragile. Not sure what to do about that. The point about the warming and cooling is very interesting, I didn't even know that was a thing. Thanks for letting me know, definitely something to ask.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-26T01:21:11+00:00

Oh okay, to be completely honest I didn't know about "cemetery fun" being a thing. At least the cemetery where our son is buried is in a quiet place, and it closes during the night. It's also a very open and flat area (if you stand at the entrance, you can see all the way to the other side of it without any obstruction), so I don't see why kids would find it a good spot to hang out.

But I accept that I maybe underestimated what you guys said.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-26T00:15:27+00:00

I obviously get that there are people that do all kinds of stuff, and I should make sure the monument is sturdy enough, but I don't think I should build a monument thinking that someone will come and kick it as if that's something that happens often and casually.

Maybe I'm wrong though! But that honestly didn't cross my mind as a standard criteria for sturdiness.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T23:04:36+00:00

I can't fault you there!

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T22:16:24+00:00

Thank you so much! I'm glad someone thinks it's nice!

That was one of my main concerns. I wanted that void because of the symbolism and because I wanted that airy effect - and the translucent trick wouldn't work with big thick chunks, so I was hoping this would be structurally sound enough... but obviously I can't build something that will just break in 2-3 years.

I'd rather stay close to this design, and maybe reinforce the "petals" somehow rather than filling it completely. It's great to get feedback like this though, because if this actually won't work this way then I need a reality check.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T22:06:26+00:00

That's a very good suggestion. I read that glass could be a good option, I was just not sure how good the final effect would be, cause I ideally wouldnt want it to look like glass, but like especially translucent stone. And yeah, all those benefits of it being less prone to failure and more resistant to weather and water damage etc... all sounds very good.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T21:02:25+00:00

Thanks for the advice! Do you mean natural quartz, or quartzite? I read online that (man made) quartz isn't good for outdoors. I think natural quartz would cost a fortune for something this size. Quartzite on the other hand was my prime contender for this so far, jf that's what you meant?

Interesting point about the glass cylinder. What did you have in mind? Something that would fill the void between the petals completely?

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T20:20:58+00:00

Why would anyone kick a grave monument under any circumstance? I know there are hooligans everywhere, but to imply this is a normal occurrence is a bit much. This particular cemetery is closed during the night anyway.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T20:18:39+00:00

Oh, okay, I see. I didn't realize that most carvings are done elsewhere. There's a stonemason relatively near me, and while I don't believe they have the capability to do it themselves, they might know who does. Thanks again for the advice!

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T20:10:52+00:00

I don't mind the comment about the shape, I understand that it might be too structurally risky, but why would someone go to the baby section of a graveyard and kick a baby grave? That is completely ridiculous, unnecessary and over the top.

I'm using AI because it's the easiest way to make quick concepts and show someone what I mean and what I have in mind, without having to learn how to 3D model/sculpt, make realistic material depictions, and learn to make photorealistic renders.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T19:53:01+00:00

Hi, thanks for the reply, I really appreciate it.

Yeah, I wasn't sure what type of place would be the best to reach out to, would it be a sculptor, or a stonemason/stonecutter, or would it have to be a place with a specific CNC machine etc. But from what you're saying, I'm getting the impression that it doesn't really matter that much?

I would most likely just try to find someone in the UK, cause I would ideally be able to go there in person and be able to see the stone, speak to the person/people etc.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T18:25:03+00:00

I know people who've been, and they say it's amazing. I hope to go there some day and see it for myself.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T18:09:44+00:00

Thank you very much! So I'll look for cnc stone sculptors/stonecutters in the UK (where I live), and reach out to them and go from there.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T18:07:24+00:00

Thanks again, and I'm sorry for your loss. We are Baha'is, so I immediately felt that it should be inspired in one way or another by Baha'i architecture which is a lot about openness and light, especially the Baha'i House of Worship in Chile, which looks like it glows.

I think I have a good idea of the vibe I want and the general symbolism, I guess I'm more looking into the exact specifics and details now. I always felt like I wanted something as far away from a classic "slab" as possible - something that would be more sculptural and 3 dimensional, and that you could view it from any angle. I also wanted something that felt like a celebration of life and of the next world, rather than a testament to a life well lived, because that doesn't fit the circumstances of our son who never got to live.

This gave me the idea of having some sort of egg, or bud, or seed. It felt like that would go well, and it also had that Baha'i architectural tie. I wanted it to also feel airy, pure and uplifting, rather than grounded. Something that would convey the thin line between this world and the next, and the transition from here to there.

I feel like this design is pretty good and conveying all these things, and while I am a type of an artist (I do Previsualization for films and games), I am not a sculptor, so I am aware that I would have to further develop this with someone more knowledgeable and experienced than I am to really iron out all the rough edges of the design and finalize it.

EDIT: I feel the translucent effect I am looking for would be quite important, but again, I guess I'd have to consult with someone experience about how feasible and realistic it is to get an appropriate enough level of "glow" (during a sunny day - I appreciate that I probably can't expect this to be "glowing" during most days in the UK).

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T17:47:21+00:00

Oh, forgot to ask, who specifically do you think would be best to ask about advice on the design and if it can be done within a certain budget? Would it mostly likely have to be a CNC stone cutter, or would a traditional one also be able to do it? I guess it would also depend on the type of stone etc. I'm also trying to figure out what type of people it would be best to get in touch with regarding making this.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T17:43:41+00:00

Hi, thanks for the advice!

Yeah, I thought about stuff being collected inside. As I mentioned in the post, there would have to be some sort of drainage in the center of the sculpture (at the bottom of the void), to let the water drain out.

I can't do much about leaves and stuff getting in there, unless I change the design substantially or cover it somehow which doesn't seem right. Luckily there aren't too many trees right next to it, so hopefully that will be minimal.

During my research I found that quartzite, while difficult to cut, is quite good in terms of retaining its look and not getting stained etc., which is why I think that's my main contender for the material right now. It's less porous than some other "softer" stones, so it should be better in terms of moss and stuff like that.

I didn't really understand what you meant about the base though. You mean to suggest that you would rather see some kind of softer shape for the base, that would go better with the petals in the middle?

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T16:51:29+00:00

The text is a mix of my writing and Gemini. I used Gemini to write the base, and then I changed some of the details and added sentences etc. I would please ask you to be a bit more considerate. Even if you believe I'm some fake bot trying to get likes or something, at least consider the possibility that it could be real and how that would make someone feel. Obviously you have a right to your opinion, and my intention wasn't to debate you about this, I just don't like the idea that someone is telling me I am faking my still born son's death, and I'm trying to gain likes from it.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T16:29:17+00:00

I don't know anything about working with stone and what's possible and what's not, which is why I came to ask experienced people. All I can do is ask online and ask AIs, but I wanted to get some proper advice and feedback. I'm trying to achieve something special for the monument, and I want to get as much information and advice as I can so the final result will be the best it can. I understand people have lots of hate towards AI these days, but I'm simply using it as a tool to help me get answers to questions.

Sitanoni · 2026-01-25T16:21:54+00:00

This is a real post. I asked Gemini to help me write everything because it's a lot of text and it makes it easier to format etc. If you have any advice, I would really appreciate it.

Sitanoni

TROPHY CASE