Illustration and Visual Narrative

13/04/2020 - 18/07/2020 / Week 1-Week 14
Avery Ong Xuan Ting / 0344462
Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Multimedia
Weekly Journal

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LECTURES

Week 1 / Introduction to Character Design :
Principles of character design:
- Shapes
- Colours
- Emphasis and Contrast
- Harmony
- Expressions / Poses

My favourite characters:

fig. 1.0 ; Winnie The Pooh

Week 2 / Chiaroscuro:

Chiaroscuro refers to the use of light and dark to create the illusion of three-dimensional volume on a flat surface.

An Artistic Lighting choice to:

- Increase dramatic tension

- Create sensational effect

- Pull your Attention to a subject in an intense way

- Create a tasteful composition of negative vs positive spaces

fig. 2.0 ; research ; comic

Week 3 / Composition (i) :

fig. 3.0 ; type of shots / compositions

Rule:

- Find a balanced distribution of Positive vs negative spaces.

- Visual Hierachy

- Mood

- Rhythm / Movement

- Visual Elements that tell / Stage a story

Week 4 / Composition (ii) - Perspective :

Definition:

- To create depth

- An Illusion

- A representation of objects

Types of Perspectives:

- 1 point

- 2 point

- 3 point

- 4-5 points (fish eye)

fig.4.0 ; research

Week 6 / Composition (iii) - Rhythm and Movement :

Basic visual elements (tools) to create movement:

- Shapes

- Lines

" Good Artists Immitate, Great Artist Steal " - Pablo Picasso

fig. 6.0 ; research

Week 7 / Transitions :

Comics is an undying passion to tell a story through pictures.

Ideas:

- Brainstorming

- Mind mapping

Art is a form of communication between the artist and the rest of the world.

Week 8 / Gestural and Expression :

- Expressions are an integral form of visual narrative : Eyes, eyebrows, mouth, jaws.

fig. 8.0 ; Expression

- Gesture = Action : Clear Action Poses.

fig.8.1 ; Gesture

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PRACTICALS

Project 1:

Character Design ( Week 1 )

sketchbook ; PDF

Trace out the provided elements and use them to design as a vormator.

fig. 1.1 ; elements

Sketches:

fig. 1.2 ; sketch

I roughly do some sketching on my sketchbook for some inspiration. However, I'm trying to design some cute and fierce vormator.

Progress:

fig. 1.3 ; vormators design

Finalize Vormator:

The vormator I chosen to finalize was vormator 01 and vormator 04. I tried to combine them together according to the feedback Ms. Yvonne had given.

fig. 4.1 ; vormator 01 and 04

The body of this vormator is a roly-poly toy. I also designed it's leg to a wheel .Therefore, it is a combination of vormator 01,02 and 04.

fig. 4.2 ; first outcome

I downloaded many types of texture from online to finalize the vormator.

fig. 4.3 ; textures

After adding those textures to the vormator, I do some minor changes on it's body and ears. I added horn and hair on its head to make it not too simple. I think my vormator looks very cute.

fig 4.4 ; final outcome

I downloaded two cards for this part and tried to edit one that fits the vormator.

fig. 4.5 ; cards

After that, I tried to edit two types of background to suit the card. I think the first one looks more suitable for the card I had downloaded so I chose that to finalize.

fig. 4.6 ; added background

fig. 4.7 ; outcome

fig. 4.8 ; final outcome

I was happy with this outcome because I think this looks better and the colour of the background was more suited with the card's colour . As a conclusion, this is my final outcome.

Task 2 :

Chiaroscuro ( Week 2 )

Apply chiaroscuro to our own image in Adobe Illustrator.

fig. 2.1 ; me

I chose a picture of myself from gallery and changed the effect to black and white before I start to apply chiaroscuro.

fig. 2.2 ; final outcome

Task 3 :

Composition (i) ( Week 3 )

fig. 3.1 ; pear

- Draw out the pear.
- Practice pen tool using illustrator.

fig.3.2 ; first outcome

I downloaded some texture from online for this exercise.

fig. 3.3 ; texture

After that, I create a composition to THE PEAR exercise.

fig.3.4 ; outcome

Task 4 :

Fanart Exercise ( Week 4 )

Chose two characters and combine together in Photoshop. Practice this exercise using brush tool .

fig. 4.1 ; two characters chosen

I chose two of my favourite characters for this exercise which is Winnie the Pooh and We Bare Bears. Both of them are cutes and have same characteristic. So I tried to draw them together.

fig. 4.2; sketch

fig. 4.3 ; outline

fig. 4.4 ; final outcome

Task 5 :

Art Challenge ( Week 6 )

- Maximum 4 colours ( can blend )

- Create Movement

- Existing Painting

- Abstract Art

fig. 6.1 ; Reference

I chose this to try the art challenge in Photoshop. Followed by the directions Ms. Yvonne taught us in class. Below is my outcome.

fig. 6.2 ; outcome

Task 6 :

Short Comic ( Week 7 )

- Maximum 12 panels , minimum 4 panels

- Life in this pandemic

- pen down the punchline

fig. 7.0 ; punchline

After my punchline was proved, I started to do the sketches by my phone.

fig. 7.1 ; sketches

fig. 7.2 ; comic

Project 2 :

Decisive movement - Poster ( Week 8 )
We have to create a simple, animated poster. The theme is: Hollywood movies or any equivalent famous movie titles in other regions of the world.

fig. 8.0 ; sketchbook

Project 3 :

Motion Comic ( Week 9 - 15 )

fig. 9.0 ; instruction

fig. 9.1 ; sketchbook

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REFLECTION

Before this module start, I thought it would be very stressful and difficult. I learned Photoshop and Illustration few years ago but I'm not familiar with it yet. I am lacking of confidence about my drawing skills and creativity. My exercises were not as good as other classmate, I also felt self-abased every time when I saw their work but I always tried my best. However, this module wasn't as difficult as I thought. Compare with other module, I think this class was more calm and lesser assignment. The assignments were quite difficult but Ms. Yvonne always gave us enough time to do. I learned how to draw in Photoshop especially using Pen tool. Other than that, I also touched a new apps which I didn't even heard before, Adobe After Effect. Although I still not familiar with it yet but I will practice during this semester break. As a conclusion, thank you Ms. Yvonne and Mr. Kannan for everything.