2D II Update and Research (Part 1): Zines

zine

/zēn/

noun

informal

1. a magazine, especially a fanzine

i.e. a webzine.

So for our latest project for 2D, we were required to design a “zine” for a place that we have been allocated.

These places can be any major towns and districts in Singapore. Examples include Jurong, Paya Lebar, Pasir Ris, Marine Parade and Hougang. Karma struck me when I was teasing a friend to get Punggol, because of its really far location, and I got it instead. At first, I was a little disgruntled because of its relative location to where I stay. However, it took me long enough to realise I had an advantage because of the number of times I have visited the town. This was because my grandmother stayed there and I always visited on the weekend.

So I paid a visit to Punggol on one of the days where I had no class. Here are some of the photos that I took.

I really wanted to encapsulate the very peaceful and serene feeling I get when I visit this place.

Developing on my theme, because of how personal this place was to me, I wanted to show that by creating my zine in such a manner that it seems very personal to me. I thought about it for awhile, and what better way to express my inner thoughts than through a diary entry? It can become a portal into my inner thoughts and feelings for my viewers; to see things that I see and feel what I feel.

Then, what would I write about? I wanted to speak about my grandmother, who was staying in Punggol. Unfortunately, she passed away on the first week of school. I wanted to dedicate this piece of work to her, and my memory of her. Hence, I wanted to recreate that sense of nostalgia that I felt whenever I think of her. I decided on designing it to seem old school, with a whole jotter book layout, just to make the viewer feel like they are travelling back though time.

With that, my designing began.

(End of part 1)

4D II Project 1 – Alter Ego

Storyline:

When I am alone, dancing, I feel like I can become those whom I admire when I practice. Their great qualities and abilities both amaze me and drive me. I can see myself in their likeness, in their footsteps. Sometimes it is as though I am them. With each time I practice, I feel as though I am growing, and will one day be able to surpass those I have revered.

I hope you will go through this journey with me, narrating my feelings from what I feel when I am practicing, and what you don’t usually get to see behind the scenes of a good performance.

Concept Development:

Because my theme is dance, I decided to stylise the entire video to be similar to a dance concept video. The transitions and the visual effects are all added in a bid to make it more similar to one.

Research:

In lieu of the upcoming project, I was nervous as I was worried I did not have the technical skill of pulling off the idea I had in my head at the time. Hence, I spent a lot of nights watching simple youtube videos to understand cinematography and the post production process.

Artist Reference:

Mannequin challenge by Kinjaz

Take Heart by Trevmonki

Koto by Strawhatz

Challenges:

One of the many challenges I had to face was the inconsistency of the shoot days. Due to the conflicting schedules of the cast members, it was difficult to keep the scene consistent throughout the entire video. Another problem I had was that because I used two different cameras, it was hard to do the colour correction to the best degree possible.

Storyboard:

Unfortunately, I am unable to do up a storyboard because of the nature of my video, especially so with the number of visuals that have been edited in.

Tasks:

Task 1: 5 figures of literature or fiction

Harry Potter(Harry Potter trilogy): Bravery and courage
Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games trilogy): Wit and tact
Pip (Great Expectations): Innocence
Jane Eyre (Jane Eyre): Independent and strong conscience
Henry DeTamble (The Time-Traveller’s Wife): Confident and sincere

Task 2: 5 public figures

The Weeknd
Ryan and Silvia
Barack Obama
Brian Puspos
Christopher Martin

Task 3: 5 people I know/known

My Mother
My Sister
My Grandmother
My Roommate
My Friends

Task 4: Top 2 of each list

Harry because he knows exactly what needs to be done and he gets it done
Katniss because she is not only smart but knows when to be smart
Ryan and Silvia because I idolise them as my role models
Christopher Martin because he creates art with his body
My grandmother because she is one of the bravest people I’ve ever met
My friends because of their talent and hard work that let them achieve such a great level of skill of dance

Here’s the link to the final video!

2D Project 3: Ego Study of Colours

Hi, its me again. So this time, I’m going to be talking about the colours I will be using for my final piece. Basically, I have divided the colours I want to use equally into three parts, in accordance with my final piece. This mean that the “me” aspect will take a certain palette, the “situation” another, and the “outcome” one of its own as well.

So, as you know, colours not only bring a picture or painting to life, but they also have meanings on their own.

As seen in this example here, we can see the different representations of colours individually. For example, red can mean both passion,

as well as anger!

Understanding the meaning each colour conveys, I thought and contemplated on what I wanted to use for my final artwork. First, the “me” aspect. As I decided that I wanted to use a photograph of my face for all four, and then layer on additional mediums over, I came to the conclusion that the portraits should be very normal, but lighter a little, to really make the colours and drawings on the transparency pop.

For the paint wise, I wanted each of the three compositions I would be using it in to represent what I felt, my emotions that drove me into choosing those scenarios of myself.

For the one on “ennui”, I wanted something to represent my boredom, as well as the underlying tone of listlessness and dissatisfaction. Hence, I chose dark and deep cool shades. The black is obvious, showing a void within me. The blue represents the hints of sadness within this boredom. Finally, a deep shade of purple to show how this feeling is an unknowing and mysterious one.

Next, I wanted to add a splash of colour for the one I wanted to show how I was unsatisfied with my looks. Here, I chose three colours as well, but I was also focusing a lot on how they would turn out when blended, forming a forth colour on the transparency itself. I chose red, which represents my dissatisfaction and my anger. The yellow here represents the jealousy I have for people who I think have the “looks”. Lastly, the white as a representation of how I want to “blank out” my face. In combination, they turn out to form an almost skin tone, as if trying to show me covering my skin with more skin. (The white is there, just that there are not borders.

For my final painted transparency, I used very neutral tones not to try to convey something, but rather the lack of. The lack of energy. Instead of using bright and vibrant colours, I toned it down and selected very muted, neutral colours that have a pastel feel to them, making it seem calm and relaxed, sleepy at most, like “me”.

Moving on, it will be the scenarios. For these pictures, I didn’t want any colour in them. Reason being, I wanted to show the somberness and the seriousness of these settings. I wanted to show how they are pretty ordinary, but I bring the colour into them. Without the subject (me), this setting is but a setting.

For my final “outcome”, like I mentioned in my previous post, I wanted to represent my addictions in the form of drug addictions. This would mean that the pictures I would have liked them to turn out rather psychedelic. It should have the feel of a “trip” one would take when they are high. This is so the viewers would have a glimpse of what I would feel when I take my own “drugs”. Hence, lots of purple, pinks and blue is a must.

However, I wanted a stoner feeling as well, so I would not make them too vibrant, thus sort of a compromise between bright and pastel.

With that, I hope I have taken you on a colourful journey! Stay tuned for my artist reference, and *rolls own drums* my final artwork post!

Stay brilliant!

My Line Is Emo – Emotion 18: Alienation

Alienation

/eɪlɪəˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

Alienation is when you feel left out. When you feel you don’t belong. When you are outcasted and you are ostracised.

I used a simple spray bottle to achieve the pokerdotted effect, representing the people who shun, while I smudged ink to show the vibes of sadness, creating one dot to represent the shunned.

My Line Is Emo – Emotion 17: Horror

Horror

/ˈhɒrə/

Horror is the intense feeling of fear and shock. When you are scared, when you don’t know what’s coming for you, what is after you. You are petrified and you cannot stop thinking. Too much.

I created this emotion by first using lino to create a grainy and unclear background. I then used a thin, flat surface with white ink to create the lines, smudging them and masking what lurks behind, to create that feeling for the viewer.

My Line Is Emo – Emotion 16: Distracted

Distracted

/dɪˈstraktɪd/

Being distracted is the lack of focus during a task. Being unable to concentrate means you cannot accomplish the task properly.

I used a flat, thin surface together with black lino ink to create the effect of the lines. First, they are properly spaced like somone concentrated would do, before eventually “messing up” the lines from losing focus, getting bored, being distracted.

My Line Is Emo – Emotion 15: Pity

Pity

/ˈpɪti/

The feeling of pity is emotional sympathy for someone else. You want to reach out and help, but you don’t know how, and they won’t see it as an act of kindness.

I used chinese ink and dripped it onto one side to create the effect of “reaching out”. The colour black symbolizes the way the person you pity views you as. I then used a .38 ink pen to draw out the “barriers” that the people you pity shut you out with. I then used chinese ink and shaving cream to create a vidid marble effect, whereby the poor soul, as represented by the doodle, basks in their sad state.

My Line Is Emo – Emotion 14: Jealousy

Jealousy

/ˈdʒɛləsi/

Jealousy is the feeling of resentment, of anger at someone else for their accomplishments, of their attention they’re getting, or if you feel like you are being cheated in love

Jealousy begins slowly at first, as a suspicion, as a little envious. Here I used a brush with plastic bristles with chinese ink to create the sharp pricks of jealousy within oneself. I made the lines to grow to be more and more violent and outrageous, as jealousy grows to the point where one cannot think clearly within the mess of their minds.

My Line Is Emo – Emotion 13: Hypocritical

Hypocritical

/hɪpəˈkrɪtɪkl/

Hypocritical is when you believe you are better than someone else. It is when you are two-faced and you don’t mean what you say. It sometimes feel like you are fractured as a person, like you are broken because of this horrid behavior.

I wanted to achieve the multi-faceted look to create the aspect of being two-faced, of playing from different angles. Hence, I crushed the paper before carefully spray painting it from a single direction, allowing me to bring forth the different sides of the crushed paper, creating the many surfaces.

My Line Is Emo – Emotion 12: Longing

Longing

/ˈlɒŋɪŋ/

Longing is the yearning for something, usually someone else. It is the desire to transcend space and time to be with them. It is human to do so.

I wanted to express the human touch in the line, hence I used my own hands as the paintbrush. By creating this line white on black, it has a skeletal feel to it, symbolizing the innate human nature, reaching out for each other.