Illustration & Visual Narrative / Project 1

03/10/24 - 11/10/24 / week 1 - week 3

Sara Patel / 0362875

Illustration & Visual Narrative/ Bachelors of Design in Creative Media/ Taylors University

Assignment 1 

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LECTURES

WEEK 1 :During the first week, we were introduced to the basic module information such as the aim of the module which is to understand the process of transforming ideas into visual concepts and effectively communicating them to the audience through illustration. We were informed that this goal would be achieved through studio assignments, practical demonstrations, an exploration of the history of visual communication, and learning the art of storytelling through images and illustrations. We were also update that in addition to practical experience, lectures on working methods will support the development of successful illustrations. We were also provided with an overview of the assignment briefings and examples to enhance our understanding of what to expect from the module.

WEEK 2 :In the next lecture, we covered the basics of character design focusing on how to create memorable characters. The emphasis was on stylized designs, which are often appealing due to their iconic nature (easily recognizable even in silhouette), simplicity (making the character easier for viewers to understand), and uniqueness (ensuring the character is not only memorable but impactful). This was further illustrated through the example of the Doraemon's character. 

Further we went through the principles of character design which are applied into creation of characters. The principles are :

• Shapes: It is used to differentiate one character from another. This can be further explored by combining different shapes to create new shape, with the character's persona being reflected in the shape of the design.

• Colors: Color plays a crucial role in defining and distinguishing a character's basic traits. Different colors evoke various emotions and help establish a connection with the viewer.

• Emphasis & Contrast: A well - designed character emphasizes and contrasts visual elements to make design stand out often by applying different colours for different shapes.

• Harmony: Every element in design compliments one another, working together harmoniously. It also creates a visual hierarchy that affectively reflects narrative of the character.

• Expressions / Poses: Clear visualization of character's behaviours and personalities make it apealing to viewers. 

WEEK 3 :In this lecture, we explored Chiaroscuro, an Italian term meaning 'light-dark', used to create the illusion of three-dimentional volume on a flat surface. This technique, also known as 'clear tonal contrast' in painting to model objects and figures and were also used by renowned artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio in their artworks to increase the dramatic tension through contrast of light and shadow.

We examined several examples to understand the concert better: 

• The Talking Christ: Highlights illuminated details like faces and hands, contrasted against a predominantly dark background.

• Girl With A Pearl Earring: The artistic choice of light focuses attention on the subject, with bright lighting emphasizing the focal point.

• Barry Lyndon: This film used low-key lighting, creating contrast with a dark background and using fill light to accentuate the contours of the subject.

• The Godfather: Lighting was used to evoke emotions, particularly in screen lighting for films.

Next we also discussed on how chiaroscuro is used in visual narratives, as it is an effective lighting technique to differentiate between positive (subject of interest) and negative (background surrounding the object) spaces. It's applications include:

• Increasing dramatic tension: Enhances emotional depth, as seen in Houseki no Kuni.
• Creating a sensational effect: Elevates fantastical viewpoints, as in Batman.
• Attracting attention: Establishes visual hierarchy, exemplified in Into the Spider-Verse.
• Creating tasteful compositions: The interplay between negative and positive space makes scenes visually striking, as in Moon Knight.

The lecture concluded with 2 videos which clearified the subject better.

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INSTRUCTIONS

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TASK 1

Exercise : Vormator

We firstly understood how to use Adobe Illustrator and did the Bezier game which teaches how the pen tool works. After few trials got a basic grip of the tool. Next we started on our task with the vormator challenge in which there were a specific set of shapes which we had to recreate on AI.

Fig 1: Tracing the vormator shapes 

Further we were asked to combine  those vormator shapes to construct a character. We could overlap, combine or delete but the challenge was to keep the shape intact. Firstly I started by sketching out few ideas using these vormator shapes. After alot of trials got to these character sketches.

Fig 2: Sketch of characters

Finally decided on one of the sketches and started digitising it on Illustrator. Started with basic structure than kept on adding ideas while creating the character.

Fig 3: Outline of characters

Fig 4: Process work of character

Fig 5: Final character

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FINAL SUBMISSION

After alot of trial and errors got to the final submission combining the character along with the silhouette and outline version of the character.

Fig 6: Final outline and silhouette

Fig 6: Extra submission 

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REFLECTIONS

TASK 1:

This assignment significantly enhanced my creative abilities and problem-solving skills, at the same time it was really challenging as we had to work within a specific set of shapes, which initially limited my ideas. It felt constrained by the available shapes, especially when the shapes did not align with the character in mind. However, these limitations pushed me to think outside the box, leading to unexpected and innovative results. Along side i saw alot of my classmates working on human-like figue so i decided to do something different by exploring more on cartoon characters and also i really find flurry characters cute which got me more attracted towards this character. It also helped adapt with difficult times while exploring different shapes that didn’t immediately fit my vision.  This also involved combining different shapes in creative ways, simplifying features, or rethinking how to represent certain characteristics. Apart from the character structure also got to learn and explore new tools in Adobe Illustrator for the first time. Struggled alot in the process but then finally got the basic hang on it. Overall it was a really nice experience allowing grow as both a designer and a creative thinker.

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