Aplicação do estudo do vale a estranheza na criação de personagens e no desenvolvimento de um artbook

Abstract

This paper investigates the expressive potential of the Uncanny Valley, moving beyond its classification as a mere design risk to be avoided. The study contends that the perceptual ambiguity inherent in this theory can be intentionally manipulated, serving as a visual strategy that enriches the emotional and narrative depth of characters. The theoretical foundation explores aesthetic liminality, anchoring itself in analyses of the grotesque and the abject, which validate discomfort as a source of symbolic meaning rather than an aesthetic flaw. This perspective aligns with the exploitation of psychological horror through visual paradox. The methodological proposal is embodied in an Artbook, whose central content is the project's Concept Art. The Artbook, by documenting the visual choices, demonstrates the theory's utility by conceiving a pair of protagonists that explore opposing aesthetic poles: one utilizes the exaggeration of infantile features (Neoteny) to achieve the Sweet Spot of Affinity; the other explores the boundary of the Uncanny Valley, managing the discomfort to generate a reaction of empathy through contrast. In summary, the TCC illustrates that the conscious design of extreme aesthetics, documented in the Concept Art contained within the Artbook, constitutes a robust conceptual choice for subverting initial revulsion and channeling it toward ethical reflection and emotional connection.