Introduction to The Human Hybrid

Now we are done with our wound assessment, we are on to the bigger and more scary section..The Human Hybrid!
Kat gave us our task, we will be using the concept of physical transformation as inspiration and we are going to design a creature character for our theme 'The Brave New World'. Our aim is to create a new understanding of beauty, one that is derived from creating a human hybrid that is a link between nature and the body.

I am going to do a lot of research on hybrids for this unit before deciding on what I am going to do, I am going to look at hybrids in film created using special effects make-up, costume and computer effects, hybrids in Disney animated films and real life animal hybrids as well to give me inspiration on what kind of creature I can design. I am also going to look into fashion as inspiration to see what designers create collections with animals, natures and hybrid creatures as inspiration. I am very nervous about this uni as I have the feeling a lot of expected from us and I don't really know where to begin with the word 'hybrid'! I am also worried that my technical skill won't be up to scratch with certain designs so I want to make sure I design something that I will realistically be able to create when it comes to our assessment.

The definition of a hybrid is something made by combining two or more different elements, the could be a plant or an animal for example. There are a large number of different types of hybrids as listed below:

Single cross hybrids - The result of two true breeding organisms. This creates an F1 hybrid, this means Filial 1 which means first offspring.
Double cross hybrids - The result of the breeding off two different F1 hybrids.
Three-way cross hybrids - The result of a F1 hybrid and one from an inbred line.
Triple cross hybrids - The result of the crossing off two different three-way cross hybrids.
Population hybrids - The crossing of plants or animals in a population with another population, for example crosses between different breeds.
Hybrid species - a hybrid population evolving reproductive barriers against their own parent species

The term hybrid is derived from Latin 'hybrida' meaning the "offspring of a tame sow and a wild boar" and "child of a freeman and slave".

Some examples of hybrids most people are familiar with already:

Mule - A female horse crossed with a male donkey
Zorse - A zebra bred with a horse
Liger - A cross between a lion and a tiger
Bengal cat - A result of a domestic cat bred with a Asian leopard cat

Over my next few posts I am going to begin my research by looking further into real animal hybrids and what some of the most interesting combinations have been.