Illustration and Visual Narrative - Task 1 Exercises
1/04/2022-22/04/2022 (Week 1-Week4)
Brigita Maria/0352958
Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Illustration and Visual Narrative Task 1 Exercises
LECTURES
Week 1 Introduction and Briefing:
The first class of this course introduces by Ms. Anis. We were introduced to
all the platform that the class uses, Google classroom, Microsoft Teams and
also a class group in Whatsapp for my section. Then brief all the projects
and tasks for this module.
Mr. Hafiz also came to class and introduce us to the google classroom and
what can we find in there. There are some video tutorials that we can refer
to regarding Adobe illustration available in google classroom.
Week 2 Character Basic Design:
After the lecture class, we were given the task to make a lecture report
visual study on any character.
Here is my report on the given task. I chose Powerpuff Girls as my
topic/character to be analyzed.
Figure 1.1 Powerpuff Girls (from left) Bubble, Blossom, Buttercup
First and foremost, these characters are a girl that is created by a professor. So they are a superhuman girls with powers. Their names are consecutively, Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup. Each character is designed using the same basic shapes. A big rounded almost oval shaped, then a rectangle body with simple legs and arms and also a big rounded eyes that dominates their face. This gives out a cute bubblier and all well rounded character. Big eyes brings out a more innocent look. And it also reflects in their character that is still a kid. And indeed they are in fact still a kindergartener, based on their TV series and Movie.
Figure 1.2 Character Sketches
From their shapes itself we can clearly see and distinguish powerpuff girls from other animated characters.
Figure 1.3 Character Design Colored
But how to differentiate between these 3 sisters? They all had different characteristics and personality that can be a reference and pinpoint to the character design itself.
Bubbles has these nicknames, The Joy and The Laughter, have a more soft and bubbly characteristic (childlike) hence the emphasized color is light blue. The design of her pigtail hair also helps to create the image of a child-like and soft personality that she represents.
Blossom nicknamed The Leader and The Commander, had mentioned that she is the leader or the captain of the sisters/ power puff girls. Using her sassy and ambitious characteristics it reflects in her emphasized color which is red .. A powerful color that had been used throughout the history of art, With her big, big bow on her hair and hair accessories, really indicates she is taller and bigger than the other sisters.
Buttercup The Toughest fighter, is more tomboy and grumpier than the rest of the sisters. Hence her design character has an emphasized green color that reflects an unsweet character like and more boyish / tomboy color. She also has more pointer elements from her hair and she always had her arm crossed (none of the sisters do that). That indicates a more edgier personality.
One thing that I wanted to point out is that every time they move, there is a streak that follows them following the line action. The streak also have the emphasized color for each of the characters.
Week 3 Chiaroscuro:
After a brief lecture all about this lighting style called Chiaroscuro, We
were given a task to choose any scene that applies this type of lighting and
elaborate it. Honestly I don't watch movies or any TV series that much. But
one movie that I was curious ever since the teaser came out is
Encanto.
Figure 1.5 Encanto Movie Poster
After reminiscing and re-watching some of the scene from Encanto, I realized
that there are a couple of scenes that uses this technique. One particular
scene that I want to bring up is the scene of Mirabel and her oldest sister
Isabela.
Figure 1.6 The Madrigal Family Tree
Because of the perfection that she is expected to be and do, it silently makes
her feel trapped and burdened. ( As the song and scene reveal this fact) This
song and scene expresses what she had always wanted to do. To explore, to make
new and different things, not the Miss perfecta that the family and even the
townsfolk expected her to be.
Figure 1.7 Singing Scene
This scene ignites when Mirabel wanted to save the house and thought that the
core of that problem is the cold fight she had with her eldest sister, and
decided to go and apologies to her. But it turns out that this action cause
the sister to create a new thing that she had never even thought of, a cactus
with an orange flower. Different from what we saw from previous scenes, she
only creates pink, soft pink, purple, and soft colors.
Figure 1.8 The Scene
Then she slowly realized that she wanted to be free, free from the prejudice
of her perfect image. "I wanna feel the shiver of something new" that
is the exact lyrics of when this scene happens. There is a revelation, a
change inside Isabela's heart and mind. She starts to show her true self. This
lighting, conveys the main focus on that particular scene; giving the
idea that Isabela stands the closest to the camera or in the foreground; while
Mirabel is clearly placed in the background, and subconsciously drawing the
attention to Isabela.
Week 4 Visual Shots and Composition
After the lecture about visual types and shots, we were assigned with another
lecture report. The report is to identify different types of shots that were
explained in the lecture.
Figure 1.9 Bird Eye view
Figure 1.10 Bird Eye view
Figure 1.11 Establishing
Figure 1.12 Worm's View
Figure 1.13 Frame with Frame
Figure 1.14 Frame with Frame
Figure 1.15 Close Up
Figure 1.16 Close Up
Figure 1.17 Medium Shot
PRACTICAL
Week 1 Practical
We were given the exercise to do the Berzier Challenge.
Here is my result. Honestly I did 2 times the first one I got 26 nodes left
but I feel like it can be improved so I tried it one more time, minimizing
the nodes that I use. And finally I got 33 nodes to spare as my high
score.
Figure 2.1 Berzier Challenge Result - Week 1 (01/04/2022)
Week 2 Practical
Mr. Hafiz gave us a tutorial on how to use adobe illustration to help
us make the Vormator challenge's shapes.
Figure 2.2 Tutorial - Week 2 (08/04/2022)
Week 3 Practical
Figure 2.3 Tutorial - Week 3 (15/04/2022)
I continue to search for improvements to make in my character
Week 4 Practical
Following the lecture part about Chiaroscuro, this practical exercise has a
relation to it.
Figure 2.4 Pear - Week 4 (21/04/2022)
Figure 2.5 Skull - Week 4 (21/04/2022)
From these images we were told to trace the pear shape and also add the
shadow from the picture. That's the basic shape. Followed by slicing the
pear and slicing it and add dimension to it ( don't forget to add some
seeds ). Lastly add the skull's silhouette inside the pear acting
as the highlight and shadow.
Figure 2.6 Example of this exercise - Week 4 (21/04/2022)
Figure 2.7 Pear shadow using pen tool - Week 4 (21/04/2022)
Figure 2.8 Shadow with Knife tool - Week 4 (21/04/2022)
Figure 2.9 End result - Week 4 (21/04/2022)
Figure 2.10 End Result JPEG - Week 4 (21/04/2022)
Week 5 Practical
Today we practice on using pen tool and clipping mask. We use a picture of a man that looks like Vin Diesel :> And using Chiaroscuro we can determine the light and shadow. This also help the next exercise.
Figure 2.11 Chiaroscuro - Week 5 (29/04/2022)
Figure 2.12 End Result JPEG - Week 5 (29/04/2022)
Figure 2.13 End Result JPEG - Week 5 (29/04/2022)
Figure 2.14 End Result JPEG - Week 5 (29/04/2022)
tips and tricks:
select the layer u want to copy to new art board. click + alt and
drag the artboard that you want to copy
shift + x to invert color
fill texture color: select same fill color , then make the path
into compound path, then select the object and texture u want, then create
clipping mask
INSTRUCTION
Idea development
I started the challenge by surfing the Pinterest world to get some idea
on what character to create. When I scroll through my Pinterest
page, I came across a playing card deck design. This reminded me
of the Joker card that you'll always came across in any playing
cards.
Most of the joker that I came across has an eerie characteristics to it.
More pointier, a more slender figure.
But after looking at the vormator shapes, I decided to make a more cuter
and rounder joker.
Figure 3.1Joker Inspo 1
Figure 3.2 Joker Inspo 1
Figure 3.3 Joker Inspo 1
From these photo inspo, I can get the idea of the main element of a joker character. Even though they have this slender and slick feature to it, but I think I can make a more rounder character, yet still implies "joker" vibes in a different way.
Using the vormator shapes I cut some pieces and combine them into my desired shape.
Figure 3.4 Vormator character breakdown
Figure 3.5 Vormator character sitting design 1
Figure 3.6 Vormator character standing design 1
I think for this attempt the joker is too friendly looking, but I like the
approach. Then I add some shadows to my character to give it some dimension. And
also add some accessories to the shoe of my character
Figure 3.7 Vormator character breakdown final
Figure 3.8 Vormator character design final
As I am quite satisfied with my character, I add some more poses to my
character design.
Figure 3.9 Vormator character design final ver.2
Figure 3.10 Vormator character design final ver. 3
Card Design
To start the card designing, I try to find some inspiration for the
design. Since to be honest, the cards that I am familiar are Love and
berry, that one arcade game that was a huge hit not long ago. So, I need
some research to do.
Figure 3.11 Tarot Card
Figure 3.12 Card design inspo 1
Figure 3.13 Card design inspo 2
Figure 3.14 Card design inspo 3
Figure 3.15 Card design inspo 4
Figure 3.16 Pokemon Card
Then I decided to go on for Figure 3.13 kind of style,
Figure 3.17 Initial card design
After some input from Miss Anis and Mr. Hafiz I revised my card become
this. Honestly I can't really choose the color way that I liked the most, I struggled a bit here.
Figure 3.18 Card design 1
Figure 3.19 Card design 2
Figure 3.20 Card design 3
After asking my friends and tallying the result between the 3 of the cards. With various reasons, I finally went with the Figure 3.19 as my final design.
FINAL CARD DESIGN
Figure 3.21 Final Card Design
FINAL COMPILATION OF TASK 1
FEEDBACK
For my first attempt on the vormator, Mr. Hafiz suggest to add more shadows
in the character to make it more 3d looking. for the card design he
suggested to add some description to the character, like Pokemon cards. A long description. So I tried to do that
As for Ms. Noranis, she commented that some addition can be input in the
shoe design, as well as the card design to use different color and
experiment with different colors.
REFLECTION
For me this experience of task 1 did taught me a lot, and do a kickstart to my journey in the art of design in general. As well as the basic things in illustrator. To be honest, I did use illustrator in the past but I never learn in thoroughly, just the tools that I tried and picked up from photoshop that seems to be similar to illustrator. Now, I think I can say I am starting to master illustrator more after some of the tutorials and exercise given. I also did have fun on designing a character only from those vormator shapes. I learn to use those limits into my advantage not the other wise. I think I am more capable if there is limit, compared to the card design that is limitless.. I tend to struggle in that, cause there is maaannyyy possibilities that I can do to design the card, which made me indecisive.
Overall, I felt really excited as well as nervous in this class. Looking forward to the upcoming weeks.