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Illustration & Visual Narrative - Task 1: Exercises

 24/09/24 - 1/11/24 (Week 1 - Week 6)

Anggia Tsani Rachmadiyanti, (0368487)
Illustration & Visual Narrative / Bachelor in Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 1: Exercises - vormator and game card design (20%)

 CONTENT LIST 

 MODULE BRIEF : 


 LECTURE NOTES 


 Lecture 1 - Character Design Basics: 

In the first lecture slides, we were introduced to the basics of character design. To make a good character we must make it: ICONIC, SIMPLE & UNIQUE. 

ICONIC - can be easily recognised even in silhouettes
SIMPLE - viewers understand the purpose of the characters easily
UNIQUE - make a huge impact & memorable for the viewers
  • Characters are made starting by simple shapes / combining different shapes together
  • Then add weight to their personality
  • Establishing basic roles of characters - COLOURS play an important role in conveying the characteristics of them.
  • Different colours give impressions of different emotions.
  • HARMONY - Elements compliment each other
  • EXPRESSIVE EMOTIVE CHARACTERS (Fig.1) - visualizes behaviours and personalities
  • A good character exaggerates on the emphasis and contrasting visual elements to make the design stand out by using colours...

(Fig.1)




 Lecture 2 - Chiaroscuro: 

In the 2nd lecture slides, it talked about 'Chiaroscuro'. It means using light and darkness to make illusion of 3d volume objects on a flat surface.
  • In Italian it means 'light-dark'
  • Leonardo da Vinci & Caravaggio used this technique alot in their paintings in which chiaroscuro refers to the clear tonal contrast. 
(Fig.2) - The Calling of St Matthew (Caravaggio, 1599 - 1600)

  • PURPOSE OF CHIAROSCURO - Increase the dramatic tension by exaggerating the subject's importance using colour/light contrast. Also creates emotions.
  • Chiaroscuro is also used in movies and films which is a good artistic lighting choice to focus on the main object to make it brighter and in contrast with the dark background.
  • LOW-KEY LIGHTING - style of lighting for films, tv or photography which accentuates shadows, hight contrast and dark tones achieved by using key lights with minimal light to make the scene more serious and dramatic. For example:
(Fig.2.1) - from Studiobinder.com

  • CHIAROSCURO IS USED IN VISUAL NARRATIVE - because it is good to differentiate positive & negative spaces.
  • POSITIVE SPACE - Subject matter / object of interest in visual.
  • NEGATIVE SPACE - filled space/background that surrounds the subject matter.

(Fig.2.2) - from lecture slides

(Extra video from youtube)
 Lecture 3 - Composition theory 1-Visual Types and Shots : 

In the 3rd lecture, I learned about basics in composition in visual and shots.

NOTES:
  • Composition - Arrangement of elements in your visual.
  • composed shots should consciously arrange the focus of the scene to stand out.

BASIC COMPOSITION VISUAL RULES:
  • VISUAL NARRATIVE - visuals in the scene complements all aspects of the narrative.
  • VISUAL FLOW - scene has clear flow of visual that directs viewer's eyes
  • VISUAL BALANCE - visuals in arrange to balance the composition in the scene.
  • VISUAL HIERARCHY - visuals are arrange in ways that directs viewer's eyes to specific details first

(Fig.3) - Lecture slide

 Lecture 4 - Composition Theory 2 / Perspective: 

NOTES:
  • PERSPECTIVE - The art of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other.
  • One-Point Perspective - objects emerging from a single point on the horizon

  • Two-Point Perspective - vanishing points on either side of the horizon, objects and buildings are drawn to both of these vanishing points. This help create greater sense of space in a scene and give objects more of a sense of dimension and place.

  • Three-Point Perspective - consists of 2 vanishing points on opposite sides of a horizon but with the addition of another vanishing point high above/below the horizon. This helps achieve a sense of drama and scale.

  • Isometric Perspective - creates detailed concepts of individual buildings, as it allows you to clearly present three sides of your design without distorting perspective or obscuring details. 


Video Mr.Hafiz told us to watch this video for extra info:



 Lecture 5: Fore, Mid, & Background 

NOTES:
  • When composing a scene, making an effective sense of space is very important.
  • Foreground - nearest to viewer
  • Middle-ground - between background and foreground
  • Background - furthest away


  • You can use size differences & colour contrast to highlight main focus
  • Design Flow : good arrangement of visual focus should also indicate sense of movement, and rhythm
  • Design flow is the way eyes move around the composition
  • A good flow will lead viewer's eye throughout the layout




-Week 1-

During our first week, Mr. Hafiz introduced us to IVN module and told us to get our Adobe Accounts ready. We were given an exercise which is 'The Pen Tool' game: 'Bezier game'. It is a tutorial and game for beginners to learn how the pen tool works in Adobe Illustrator later on. 

Bezier Game
  • Bezier curves are widely used in computer graphics to model smooth curves using paths, anchor points, and dragging/clicking the mouse and keyboard keys.




As a beginner, I found this game really helpful as it helps me equip my curve pen tool skills for Adobe later on. I still haven't gotten used to the curve tool, what to click and how to drag the paths. In this game it taught me basic things first such as making a circle using the tool.



-Week 2 and 3-

Task 1: Vormator Challenge character

In this task, we had a creative exercise aimed to teach us the fundamentals of vector illustration and character design using Adobe Illustrator. The challenge is that Mr.Hafiz have given us a set of pre-defined shapes, and our goal is to create a unique character by combining and manipulating these shapes while adhering to specific rules. We were not allowed to distort, compress or stretch any of the shapes. This will help us develop your skills in proportion, balance, colour, and composition, as well as master the Illustrator tools.

For this first project, we have to design a character using the only 8 given shapes:



We then had to trace all these shapes using Adobe Illustrator and use the pen tool, curve tool and anchor/path:





I was so happy with this class as i've just learned more about tools I didn't know before which I realised I could've used before during my foundation year until Mr. Hafiz demonstrated us the many ways we can create the shape. I learned a new way of creating the curvy shapes by just starting using a rectangle shape and then curving it. He taught us the shortcut keys as well and tools like: Pen, Curvature, Shape tool, Guides, direct selection and much more!

These are 2 inspirations I got from Pinterest as I am planning to make a robotic-like dragon. This gives me good insight on this project and how I can execute it creatively....





Extra notes from sir:



I read this website for more information : https://dreamfarmstudios.com/blog/shape-language-in-character-design/amp/


Here is a video we watched on using Pathfinder tricks on Illustrator:



 sketch idea of my character :



Mr. Hafiz approved my character so I moved on to building my character on Illustrator. here's the process, tools and techniques I used:

  • I tried to combine different Vormator shapes together, creating a new unique/different shape
  • I mirrored/flip, duplicated and repeat some shapes too and rotated it when trying to combine the shapes together.
  • I explored more new tools in Adobe Illustrator such as: Inner Glow tool and cast shadow to give depth to some areas and a metallic effect using the inner glow tool on the robot-like character i'm doing
  • I coloured some areas using the colour Gradient tool to give a more realistic look and a smooth transition effect on the colour of the body
  • By overlapping some areas and shapes, I got to create many new shapes from the combinations.
  • I was happy to have been taught in class how to use pathfinder to create shadows.

WEEK 3 Class Exercise:



In tutorial class, Mr. Hafiz demonstrated us on how to use pathfinder and shape-builder on illustrator to make us get used to the keys shortcuts and the techniques. We did an exercise on making the Adidas logo too.


Screenshot progress + using pathfinder/shape-builder to create shadows:


Firstly, I built the shape of my character first by duplicating the shapes I traced earlier. I repeated some shapes too as well as rotating, overlapping and mirroring them. I started first by making the head, and then slowly the body and tail...


I had to keep in mind to not stretch or compress any of the shapes by holding the shift key every time I want to resize a shape, maintaining its original ratio given by sir.

I tried using the Divide tool in Pathfinder option to create a shadow of some shapes and details of my character to give more depth....








Inner Glow tool:



Choosing gradient colour:



My colour palette:





Final Silhouette :





 EXTRA COLOURED CHARACTER : 

9/10/2024 - Final Vormator Design

 Concept & Background story : 


In a kingdom "Dragotron" where magic & technology once coexisted in harmony, a great war called "The Merge" shattered the balance, leaving both realms (fire and ice) in chaos. Deep in the mountains, a legendary dragon named 'Frostburn', with the power of both fire and ice energy which he got from the effect and remains of the war, was mortally wounded protecting his kin. As he lay dying, a group of mystical engineers found him. To preserve his strength & power, they combined his fading life force with advanced robotics, creating Frostburn---a half dragon, half-robot being.

Description:


Frostburn is an imposing figure, with sleek, metallic body adorned with scales that shimmer. He can unleash powerful blasts of ice & fire in battles, shifting between freezing his enemies or incinerating them. His purpose is to restore the balance between magic and technology, ensuring the world never falls again into war. In battles, his tail can poison his enemies quickly with his many scorpion like tails. Both of his robotic arms can shoot both fire and ice. His 2 horns & head with gradient hues of red to blue symbolizes his mastery over both elemental powers.



Challenges / Reflection:

- This task was overall fun and I didn't find it quite challenging, however, sometimes thinking of creative ways to merge more than 1 shape together to form a new one takes time. I love how we were challenged to make our characters with limited shapes given and that we were not allowed to stretch or compress it. I got to explore new techniques and tools as well in Adobe Illustrator which for sure will be very helpful for me later on. I was grateful that we finally know how to use pathfinder tool and shape-builder to create details and shadows as well as extra knowledge on how logos are built using simple geometric shapes. I also realised this module is about self-exploration. We can find our own style through alot of researches and sketches. 




-Week 4 to Week 6 -

Task 2: - Composition Game Card Design

Objective: Place your Vormator character into a Pokemon card composition, incorporating foreground, midground, and background elements. You may also create a new shape not bound by the vormator rules or shapes. You may also come up with a new character that does is not bound by the vormator shapes.

Tools to Use: Pathfinder, Shape Builder tool, Knife tool. You may also use other warping tools that will be introduced in the following weeks. 

Steps: 
1. Apply color and shadow to your Vormator character to enhance its visual appeal. 
2. Design a composition that effectively uses foreground, midground, and background to tell a soft narrative about your character. 
3. Create a Pokemon card layout featuring your character, including its name, powers, and ability ratings. 
4. Write a brief description of your Pokemon, explaining its abilities and characteristics. 

Submission Requirements Artwork: A completed Pokemon card featuring your Vormator character, showcasing the use of composition rules (landscape) or your new character in it's environment as a stand alone illustration. (A4 size PNG) 

Write-Up: A short description of your Pokemon, including its powers and abilities, formatted like a traditional Pokemon card.


References from Framed Ink book :

Screenshots of pages from the 'Framed Ink' book I used as reference:





I read these 2 websites during the lecture:

- https://boords.com/blog/16-types-of-camera-shots-and-angles-with-gifs

My First idea Sketches and Inspirations:



Screenshots of progress:

We were not restricted to the vormator shapes now for this task, so I made and used new shapes using the pen tool to build my character. For some areas like the horns and the spikes on the tail i used one of the Vormator shape (Tentacle). I also made the curvy lines using the curve pen tool. I used pathfinder tool as well to unite/divide shapes as well as using the shape builder tool to make some of the shadows. 





ShapeBuilder tool



I added gradients so many parts of the body to give more sense of depth and since it's a half robot, I wanted to make it look shiny.


On week 5 (23/10/2024) We had to show and send all these sketches and our progress to mr. Hafiz for feedbacks. Sir told me that the character is ok, but the background is very important so I had to make it more detailed and make sure the background conveys a story about the character's environment.

-----------------------------------

 WEEK 6 - Redo the background.. 

My final rationale and more feedbacks, ideas and reference images:



 New Progress screenshots and Tools I used: 


i used a lot of layers in this new one to work on the foreground, middleground and background. I used the pen tool, pathfinder and shapebuilders to create all the elements step by step. I decided to add a gradient to the sky colour. I also was told to add more elements which related to my character, so I want to add spiky ice crystals on tree branches and the ground, since ice is my character's superpower.


I used the gaussian blur tool to make glowy white edges to show the snow on the ground



I put 2 big crystals on both side for the Foreground infront. I added inner glow effect to some faces of the crystal to give a more realistic look.



Halfway through, I placed my character during my process so to make sure that it matches with the surrounding habitat.



 Tools used: 

  1. Pen Tool
  2. Pathfinder & Shapebuilder
  3. Filters
  4. Drop Shadows
  5. Gaussian Blur
  6. Brush tool
  7. Gradient
  8. Inner Glow

FINAL CHARACTER:

FINAL LANDSCAPE:



Final Pokemon Card:
Final Card Design - (28/10/2024)

MY REFLECTION

Making this composition was hard for me at first as I was just newly introduced to making illustrations in Adobe Illustrator. But sir guided me throughout my process and gave me many feedbacks on which areas to improve. I've learnt so much more about making a good composition and how to illustrate a habitat which conveys and reflects the story and who my character is. I had to makesure that the background tells the story of who the character is. The whole process of making the card, made me research more things and I explored new interesting tools on Illustrator such as the Glow and Blur effects.

Im happy with my result, however, I will need to get used to the program more and improve further on my composition skills. Overall, even though this task was challenging, it was surely a fun one.


 'The Show' Mural Competition @Starhill 6/10/2024 

There was a graduate showcase event at Starhill, Bukit Bintang organized by Taylor's Design School. So we design students were encouraged by our lecturers to attend it since there was a Mural Art Competition on the theme 'Unity and Diversity'.


Many students from Taylors took part in the competition like: Foundation in Design, Bachelors in Creative media design, fashion design students and even some from other programmes. I was in a group of 8 with my foundation in design friends. We were given 2 A2 papers and had to make a mural drawing/coloured drawing, painting about Unity in Diversity. We were given a duration of only 2 hours to make it. Unfortunately, my group didn't win but it's ok. We had so much laughs and fun together making it and the fact that our artwork looked hilarious. I am happy that I got the experience to join this competition. Everyone's work was amazing! The winning groups really deserved it so much!








OVERALL TASK 1 REFLECTION

Experience - For the Vormator character task I found it really fun and helpful for me as I didn't really have much experience with Adobe Illustrator now. Im happy that sir have taught us the simple tools and techniques in illustrator and even some shortcut keys. It was a good challenge for me as well as training my problem solving skills like building characters with a limitation of only the 8 given shapes. It was overall an enjoyable task for me. 

Observations - From researches, sir's lectures and classes, I realise that everyone has their own style when creating something. I realised that for my Vormator character, I just stick to my flow and do a character I would love doing. For example, I loved watching Lego Ninjago on netflix and it had many interesting creatures so I ended up using some inspirations from that series/movie.

Findings - I Feel that in the future I can and hope to improve my Adobe illustrator skills more, expanding my knowledge and being able to use more tools. Throughout week 1-3 itself i've learnt that in Illustrator there's more than 1 ways/tools you can use to create something. I should further explore more and practise more of illustrator in my free time so that i'm more skilled in it.


FURTHER READING

1) 'The Visual Story' - Bruce Block


As a person who really loves videography and the art of cinematography and photography I really really enjoyed reading this book. It talks about how important visual narrative is in everyday life and the entertainment industry. I learnt how to structure visuals carefully like how writers structures story or composers make their music. Visual narrative teaches you how to design and control the structure of your production using basic visual components of space, line, shape, tone, colour, movement, and rhythm. It can effectively convey moods and emotions, create visual style and utilizing important relationship between the visual and the story structures. This book didn't only illuminated the elemental process of adapting words to images, but also guided me more on how to be more aware when constructing a story. 

SEM:

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