Illustration &; Visual Narrative - Exercise - Task 1

2023.09.25 - 2023.09.24 / Week 1 - Week 5

Velicia Raquel Dewi Setiawan / 0369188 / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media

Illustration and Visual Narrative

Task 1

JUMPLINK:

• Task 1 | Vormator Exercises
• Task 2 | Decisive Moment
• Task 3 | Digital Triptych
• Task 4 | Self Titled
• Final Compilation &; Reflection

1. LECTURE

Week 1 - Online Class (Sep 25, 2023)

We got to meet our lectureres, short introduction and they gave a brief explaination about the module we're going to learn. We prepare the E-portofilio for summery of future lectures and to keep progress of future task. The structure of the portfolio is up to us, but legible. We're also got with our first exercise our skill with the pen tool, from The Biezer Game.

Week 2 - Online Class (Oct 2, 2023) Vormator Shapes

CHARACTER DESIGN BASICS

Stylized Design

may be the reason why you find these characters appealing (on top of their interesting narratives and lore writing). They are usually iconic (easily reconizable even in black silhouttes), simple (so viewer understand purpose of the characters easily), and unique (memorable and makes an impact on the viewers!).

1. Shapes

It is used to identify a character from one another. possibilities of combining different shapes for your design. Different body shapes add weight to their personality.

Fig 1.1 Character Body Shapes, Week 2(2 Oct, 2023).

2. Colour

Colours plays an important role in determining and separate the basic characteristics of heroes, villains and even background characters. Like the poster below of Star Wars, 'blue' equals good guys and 'red' equals bad guys.

Fig 2.1 Star Wars Poster, Week 2(Oct. 2, 2023).

Different colours give impressions of different emotions and is easily relatable by the viewers. Exactly like color psychology in The film 'Inside Out'. 

Fig 2.2 Star Wars Poster, Week 2(Oct. 2, 2023).

Not relateble, but good knowledge 

3. Emphasis, Contrast

A good character exaggerates on the emphasis and contrasting visual elements to make the design stand out by using colours and shapes.

Fig 3.1 Emphasis and Contrast on Inside Out Character, Week 2(Oct. 2, 2023).

Fig 3.2 Emphasis and Contrast on Inside Out Character, Week 2(Oct. 2, 2023).

4. Harmony

Every element should compliment each other, from shapes, lines, colour, motifs, patterns and more. The movie 'Inside Out' has a good visual hierarchy.

Visual hierarchy directs viewers to the most essential information on a page using graphic design elements like color, size, and alignment to organize and prioritize content. 

Fig 4.1 Harmony On Inside Out Character, Week 2(Oct. 2, 2023).

Fig 4.2 Harmony On Inside Out Character, Week 2(Oct. 2, 2023).

5. Expression, Poses

Clear visualization of your characters behaviours, quirks, personalities make it easier to appeal to your viewers.

Fig 5.1 Expression and Poses On Inside Out Character, Week 2(Oct. 2, 2023).

After the lecture we were given the task to make characters from the shapes given. The following rules have to be followed when creating your artwork:

• You are allowed to rotate, flip and duplicate the Elements.
•  You have to use all the Elements.
•  Scaling is allowed, but proportionally, so skewing or free transform. 
• You add, subtract, intersect and group elements as you see fit. 
• The use of color is unrestricted; you can create your own color schemes (e.g. use adobe Color)
• You allowed to use gradientsThe Elements may be filled, the use of strokes is allowed. 
• You are allowed to use filters or effects (e.g. drop shadows).

Fig 5.1 Expression and Poses On Inside Out Character, Week 2(Oct. 2, 2023).

Week 3 - Online Class (Oct 9, 2023) Light and Shadows

CHIAROSCURO

The use of light and dark to create the illusion of three-dimensional volume on a flat surface. In paintings the technique refers to clear tonal contrast to suggest three-dimensional volume and modelling of objects and figures.

Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio were known to use this technique in their artworks.

Fig 0.1 The Calling of St Matthew (Caravaggio, 1599 - 1600), Week 3(Oct. 9, 2023).

The purpose of chiaroscuro is to increase the scene's dramatic tension by exaggerating the subject's importance using color or light contrast.

1. Tenebrism

A painting method in which significant details such as faces and hands are illuminated by highlights which are contrasted with a predominantly dark setting. This is an artistic lighting choice which the focus point or subject of a scene is brightly colored or contrasted with a dark background.

Fig 1.1 The Taking of Christ (Caravaggio, 1602), Week 3(Oct. 9, 2023).

2. Low-key Lighting

It accentuates the contours of the subject by throwing areas into shade while a fill light or reflector illuminate the shadow areas to control contrast. This lighting is used to create emotional and impactful scenes. Coppola and Kubrick are known to use this approach. Exampel:

• The character Don Vito Carleone seldom showed emotions except during the scene "Look, how they massacred my boy," where he sent Sonny's body to the funeral home director that owe him favor.
• In this scene "Can't you forgive Fredo?" where Don Michael Carleone realized that with the death of his mother, he now need to kill his brother Fredo.

3. Visual Narrative

Chiaroscuro is used in visual narrative beacause of the excellent lighting, differentiate positive spaces (subject matter/object of interest in a visual) and negative spaces (filled space/background that surround subject/object of interest in visual).

Increase Dramatic tension: Gives thrilling emotive depth on the look and feel in the scene.

Fig 3.1 

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Create Sensational Effect: Helps elevate fantastical viewpoints to emphasis on the narrative.

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Attract Attention: Establish visual hierarchy, the main point of the scene.

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Make tasteful composition: The play on negative VS positive spaces creates attractive scenes.

Fig 3.4 

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More Videos about Chiaroscuro:

• Barry Lyndon 1975 – A Cinematic Canvas
• Chiaroscuro Lighting in Film — Balancing Cinematic Light &; Darkness

After the lecture, we follow the tutorial to make chiaroscuro in Adobe Illustration. In the tutorial we learn the tools needed to make a chiaroscuro.

• Pathfinder
• Shape Builder
• Knife Tool

Tutorial Recording:

Week 3 Shapes-20231011_082416-Meeting Recording.mp4

Week 3 Shapes-20231011_085649-Meeting Recording.mp4

Week 4 - Online Class (Oct 16, 2023)

The teacher cant make it.

Week 5 - Online Class (Oct 23, 2023) Colours and Blending Mode

We were shown a tutorial to make a person chiaroscuro, and tried to do it ourselves.

Extra Materials:

In Illustrator, there are six blending modes: Normal, Darken, Lighten, Contrast, Inversion, and Component. Each of these modes works a little differently, so it's important to know which one to use for which effect. You can find them in the "Appearance" section under the "Properties" tab on the right menu.

• https://www.educba.com/blending-modes-in-illustrator/
• https://abduzeedo.com/node/1197
• https://youtu.be/BYIBW-8Xgzc?si=ocI9RNKJDRzDDcdy

2. INTRUCTIONS

Task 1 - Exercises Vormator Challenge

To show competencies in tacit making skills, digital proficiencies as well as analogous abilities. You will be provided with some techniques for exploration for the digital and analogue medium. Assessment is done on a weekly basis.

• Weekly submissions.
• Daily in class technical exercises
• Weekly self-directed conceptual exercises
• Exercises total 20% of the final grades

Marking Criteria

• Vormator Challenge character
• Game card design

Timeframe

Week 1 – Week 4 (Deadline on Week)

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3. WORK PROCESS VERMATOR CHALLENGE

3.1. Exercise 1

We were assigned to play a game named "The Bezier Game". With this game we learn and practice how the pen tool for our future exercise and task. There are a lot of stages but the lecturer said we only needed to finish the car stage.

Fig 3.1.1 The Bezier Game, Week 1(Sep 25, 2023).

3.2 Exercise 2

We were given a few eight shapes to trace and use the traced shapes to make characters of our own. The following rules have to be followed when creating your artwork:

• You are allowed to rotate, flip and duplicate the Elements.
•  You have to use all the Elements.
•  Scaling is allowed, but proportionally, so skewing or free transform. 
• You add, subtract, intersect and group elements as you see fit. 
• The use of color is unrestricted; you can create your own color schemes (e.g. use adobe Color)
• You allowed to use gradientsThe Elements may be filled, the use of strokes is allowed. 
• You are allowed to use filters or effects (e.g. drop shadows).

Fig 3.2.1 The 8 Shapes, Week 2(Oct 2, 2023).

Fig 3.2.2 Character #5 Snake, Week 2(Oct 2, 2023).

Fig 3.2.3 Character #5 Ghost, Week 2(Oct 2, 2023).

Fig 3.2.4 Character #5 Crab, Week 2(Oct 2, 2023).

Fig 3.2.5 Character #5 Golem, Week 2(Oct 2, 2023).

Fig 3.2.6 Character #5 Bug, Week 2(Oct 2, 2023).

3.3 Exercise 3

 For the Chiaroscuro exercise, we were given a picture of a pear and given a tutorial of giving it shadows and 'cutting' it into pieces. Also coloring the many pieces with different colors.

Fig 3.3.1 Character #5 Bug, Week 3(Oct 9, 2023).

3.4 Exercise 4

For the Colours and Blending Mode, we were given a picture of a person shown how to give it shadows and how to texture it with clippng mask.

Fig 3.4.1 Character #5 Bug, Week 5(Oct 23, 2023).

3.5 Exercise 5
For the Vormator Challenge character we were told to add shadows and texture to the character based on our previous lesson. The character design that was suggested by the lecturer to use is the Golem. 

Fig 3.5.1 Shading and Texture, Week 6(Oct 30, 2023).

Fig 3.5.2 Final Result, Week 6(Oct 30, 2023).

Game Card Design

Fig 3.5.3 Game Card Design, Week 6(Oct 30, 2023).

5. FEEDBACK

Mr hafiz said that The golem is the best out of all the other, so i used that for the game card.

6. REFLECTION

6.1 Experience

Having troubles getting the Adobe (some friends suggest just buying it), currently using a free trial. Finally got the Adobe, having some trouble keeping the Taylors email signed in but got it down eventually.      

Throughout these exercises, I get to learn and get used to some of AI tools and it's quite fun messing around with it even though it is overwhelming at the start. Really enjoyed the exercises, kept making diferrent variations of characters.

6.2 Observations

Coming to this class gave me my first proper experience of Creative Media Design or any design class for thet matter. The learning stlye is very different from senior high school in Indonesia. Not used to have keep progress for each of my work every week to show updates. Its a good thing that the lecturer recorded the tutorial part of the online class, so we can follow it again at our speed.

6.3 Findings

There are a lot of tools in Illustration, even though their uses are quite simple if used well they can make a huge impact to the illustration.

7. FURTHER READING