Project 2 – Research

There are 6 posts filed in Project 2 – Research (this is page 1 of 1).

Zine for Kampong Glam (Part 6 – Developments)

(Disclaimer: Here are only the developments that went digital. Most of the other developments are in the Journal)

The feature image of this post is the mood board that I have created for the zine.

As we only have a limited number of spreads and pages to work with, I tried my best to compress a lot of the elements into those few pages. Also, I tried to connect and design the pages as a spread rather than individual pages so that I could show my understanding of spreads and in a way making use of the pages more.

First spread

This was actually the second-last spread that I worked on as I was finding it hard to attempt this and I actually left it last.

There were some main elements I plan to feature in the first spread. It being the day scene, I would definitely want to feature:

  • tourists
  • fabrics/textiles
  • shophouses
  • Sultan Mosque

So the following are the layouts I did for the first spread.

I wanted to have a balance between the tourists and the textiles, making them almost equal. So I tried putting them side by side or even on the same page.

As this was the last inner spread that I worked on, I have trouble trying to show shophouses here since I have already featured the shophouses in the middle spread. So, I decided to make it into the corridor arches instead.

For the colours and style, I was very much inspired my Malika Favre’s work. I realise I was following too closely to it that it is starting to look very much like it too. So I had to change things up abit and change the colours too.

Initial sketches

One of the first sketches I did

One of Malika Favre’s work that I was inspired by

One of my attempts on the spread. It started to look very close to Malika Favre’s work, especially the colours.

End result

I was not too satisfied with this spread as it still looked too solid and heavy despite my attempt to make it lighter by changing some of the illustrations into line works.

Middle spread

This was the second spread that I worked on. All this while I would know the importance of the middle spread as it is the transition spread and would balance out both sides of the zine.

Some elements that I would wanna feature in this spread is:

  • palm trees (for the day)
  • lampposts (as it can help to show the transition and looks close to cutleries and palm trees)
  • cutleries (for the night)
  • shophouses

I tried to make it more dynamic for this and this page was particularly important to show the transition from day to night. So I spend alot of time on this to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Initial sketches

An initial sketch for the middle spread

My first digitalised work for the middle spread. I realise that there were still too much space in it and it was not dynamic enough

I tried to make it more dynamic. Almost there…

End result

I settle down with this as I think there is a right balance and dynamic movement in the spread. I think that the transition from day to night is seamless too, like there is no sudden change.

Last spread

This was actually the first spread that I worked on as I really wanted to show the overlaying and the double shadow effect in the zine.

Some of the main elements that I wanted to show in this spread is:

  • exotic lanterns
  • down-up lighting
  • food scene (plates and drinks)
  • lights

Initial sketches

Can’t really see much here as I mostly worked out the shapes of the illustrations digitally

End result

I was satisfied with the layout of this spread as it was very close to what I had invisioned. The space on the left page of the spread was actually for text, but I decided not to put it in because i wouldn’t want it to affect the mood and feel the illustrations had conveyed.

The cover and back cover

This was actually the last page that I attempted as I was mainly focusing on the contents, and would leave this last so that I would know what the content is already like so that the cover page and back cover would be the design layout that holds all the contents together.

So what would be the better way to hold everything together and represent Kampong Glam? By using shophouses windows! (Since the shophouses have already been used by the middle spread)

Initial sketches

I wanted to make the windows of different sizes, but I decided not to as I think it would make the spread look too messy.

End result

I was pretty satisfied with the outcome of this spread as it also has a smooth transition as the middle spread.

Zine for Kampong Glam (Part 5 – Early Concepts)

To show the transition of the day to night in my zine, I would pick out elements that stand out during the day and the night so to narrow down on what to show in the zine before even actually deconstructing it into graphic forms.

Things that stand out during the day:

  • retail shops (fabrics, carpets, perfume shops)
  • eateries – not too many people except during lunchtime
  • more tourists & tour groups
  • graffiti (particularly stands out in the day, vibrant colours, tourist attractions
  • shophouse windows (colours and patterns)
  • palm trees

Things that stand out at night:

  • pubs & bar
  • eateries (more people compared to during the day)
  • signboards (colourful and bright, LED, alternating colours)
  • lamps (exotic patterns, middle-eastern look)
  • multiple coloured shadows on walls (see more here)
  • lights from surrounding buildings
  • ground-up lighting

Things that stand out throughout the day:

  • the Sultan Mosque (a prominent feature in the day, lit up through the night)

Moodboard & Artist Reference

Since we are not encouraged to do photography style, I figured that I could use illustrations for the graphic forms of the zine. As for the type of illustration style, I would think of flat vector-based illustration as it would help bring out the play with colours and would also allow me to do overlays and layerings without it being too messy.

Artist Reference

Malika Favre

One particular artist works that captured my attention as an inspiration for the zine is the works by Malika Favre. I loved how she used flat vector illustration and minimal use of colours and details but could create a variety of graphic shapes and forms.

La Documenta by Malika Favre (http://malikafavre.com/la-documenta)

I loved how even by using 2 colours (not including the white) the artist could form a crowd and many different people with minimal or very minor details.

The Traveller by Malika Favre (http://malikafavre.com/the-traveller)

Part of the 3 illustrations under The Traveller series, I liked how the artist has used a similar pattern for the floor tiles as the patterns I spotted on some of the exotic lamps during my night visit to Kampong Glam. I could attempt to do something similar for my zine maybe.

Part of the Christmas in Bologna series (http://malikafavre.com/christmas-in-bologna)

Part of the Christmas in Bologna series (http://malikafavre.com/christmas-in-bologna)

Part of the Christmas in Bologna series (http://malikafavre.com/christmas-in-bologna)

Part of the Christmas in Bologna series (http://malikafavre.com/christmas-in-bologna)

For this series, Christmas in Bologna, I could easily relate how the artist illustrated the windows, patterns and walkways with the many shophouses, walkways, and windows at Kampong Glam. I could possibly try a similar style for my zine for this.

Adam Koon

Another artist work that I was inspired by is the works by Adam Koon. I particularly liked how he used irregular shapes to make the works look more fun and not rigid. His use of colours even though is also minimal still manage to make some of the elements in the works stand out more, hence, visual hierarchy. He has also added some textures and minimal line works in the works, making it stand out more and have a more overall impact.

Moodboard

Adding on to the artist reference, I have also created a mood board for the zine. As mentioned earlier, I plan to use flat vector illustration + use of vibrant colours throughout, which are the colours that can be seen in the graffiti and the shophouses at Kampong Glam. For the night scene, I plan to use a similar style but with a darker background. The illustrations will also begin to overlap and overlay each other, the effect which I found on the walls which is the overlaying coloured shadows. The colours would be more saturated and bright to contrast with the dark background.

Laying It Out

Before I would actually deconstruct the content into graphic forms, I would lay out the content first.

Front and back cover

Since it will be a day and night zine, the front and back cover would be bright and dark respectively. So the readers would know that the book is about day and night, respectively. As for what is on the cover, I would plan to put what would be easily recognisable as something very Kampong Glam – the shophouse windows.

First spread

The first two pages would be to show what goes on in the day. So as mentioned earlier:

  • retail shops (fabrics, carpets, perfume shops)
  • eateries – not too many people except during lunchtime
  • more tourists & tour groups
  • graffiti (particularly stands out in the day, vibrant colours, tourist attractions
  • shophouse windows (colours and patterns)
  • palm trees

It would showcase what is prominent during the daytime.

Middle spread

The middle spread would be most important as it showcases how the place changes from day to night, which is the transition of Kampong Glam. The content would feature some of the elements from both day and night, in a way blending both together, hopefully seamlessly.

Last spread

In contrast to the first spread, the last spread would be showcasing what is prominent in the night. The pictures will be overlapped in a way to show the double imagery mentioned earlier.

  • pubs & bars
  • eateries (more people compared to during the day)
  • signboards (colourful and bright, LED, alternating colours)
  • lamps (exotic patterns, middle-eastern look)
  • multiple coloured shadows on walls (see more here)
  • lights from surrounding buildings
  • ground-up lighting

Comments on the first draft:

  • give a thought about pacing & breathing space
  • pages too cluttered and filled
  • allow the reader to stop & rest
  • front and back cover too minimal as compared to the inner pages
  • include some design principles for the layout of the pages (middle spread is a good example/attempt)
  • have direction and flow for the spreads
Links

Zine for Kampong Glam (Part 4 – Night Adventures and … More Ideas)

So my earlier ideas got rejected because it was too “touristic” as if its a promotion or publication for Singapore Tourism Board. So I decided to think it through again.

Idea 4: Silk Roads

For this idea is a play on the fact that previously Kampong Glam used to be a place where people do trade, selling different items to make a living. Another thing that stands out during my visits there is the number of streets there is, how they criss-cross each other and forms like a grid system for the area. So I could play with these 2 elements to create the zine.

However, I would think that the idea is not deep enough as a concept.

Idea 5: A Fictional Destination

So there is a palace. Many shops that sell different made things. Many shops that sell items needed to make stuff. A mosque. And food outlets, restaurants. An idea struck me in a way that it looks like the elements that can be found in a game. Castles, shops that sell items, a place of prayer, and food shops. So I could create a form of promotional content for a new in-game area that just opened. The design concept would be pixel art, like those Pokemon-top-view games.

However, I would feel like I’m just literally making the place into a game, and not really exploring much of the graphic forms and visuals.

Kampong Glam at Night

So after rejecting my own ideas, I decided to go back to Kampong Glam. but this time I decided to go at night, to see what is there, and what are the differences, and to my surprise, it was actually quite different.

(Sorry for the bad images! I have really unsteady hands)

Eating and chilling

At night, there seem to be more people there to eat, drink and chill, and more food shops open at this time too.

Neon lights and signboards

The things that would stand out the most would be the neon lights and the signboards that would only be switched on at night. In the day it would appear as just a plain signboard. Some signboards would even change colours!

Lamps of all sorts

At night, the lamps that you normally see along the streets will be switched on, hence creating and displaying all these different patterns and colours that you won’t normally get to see in the day.

A barbershop that operates into the night

Bottoms up!

Not only referring to the drinking culture in Kampong Glam at night but the lights at some of the buildings at Kampong Glam also does it too. The lights shine upwards on the buildings creating a unique look and also making the buildings look different.

The lights on the minarets of the Sultan Mosque changes colours too!

Other findings

A friendly resident

Lights from the nearby buildings, such as this Duo offices and residence, has a unique look too!

The lights shining in between the window panels make it look like an opening book effect

The many different lights caused a layering effect on the walls, which is really interesting!

The lights also caused some of the seen patterns during the day to be hidden, creating an interesting look to it.

So after all these findings, I came out with another idea that hopefully works.

Idea 6: Day to Night to Day

After all the research and visits, I could see that there are different activities that would stand out during the day and also at night. In the day, most of the retail shops would be open, and the place would be crowded with tourists groups. In the night, however, the retail shops will be closed and the bars and pubs will open. The lights from different signboards and lamps will be switched on creating an entirely different vibe to the area. All these would be interesting to explore and put in the zine.

Zine for Kampong Glam (Part 3 – Further Research and Ideas)

After the site visit, I continued my research before I could finalise my idea and direction that I would go for.

Kampong Glam in the News

There’s quite a bit of news about Kampong Glam but I picked out 2 that are interesting to me.

Basically, this article mentions how despite the government’s efforts to conserve the architecture and the make it as close as to what it was before, which is an Arab/Malay community, many of the original residences and tenants are still unhappy as the culture is not the same. The place has become too commercialised and it has lost the original kampung spirit, which is the real culture of Kampong Glam.

However, this article by Today, as a National Day Special, focused on how Kampong Glam turned from a fishing village community to a modern tourist attraction. It also mentions, in contraction to the previous article, that eventhough it has lost some of the old cultures, it is still similar. In the past, people from different countries come together bringing in culture and trade. But in this modern times, people from different backgrounds still come to this location to do business. Kampung spirit is still there, with shop owners helping each other out. Even a mention of owners coming together during the fasting month to break their fast together. In a way, it is just a modern version of what was going on in the past.

Ideas for the Zine

Time to get some ideas going

Idea 1: Trades of Kampung Glam

As there are many trades in Kampung Glam, I could feature them in the Zine. Silk, fabric, rattan, fragrances, using the elements of those items of trade and creating designs in the zine.

Idea 2: Architecture of Kampung Glam

Knowing that the architecture could pretty much be the same in the past and present, I could maybe play with this idea, where it shows the transition and the differences over time.

Idea 3: No lost of culture, just modernisation

From the articles, there are mentions of Kampung Glam being too commercialised and lost the original culture of the place, and also that it is not lost but it is just a modernised version of the old. I could play with this idea of blending the old and the new cultures together to make it seem like it’s not lost, just different.

Zine for Kampong Glam (Part 2 – Site Visit)

So after doing the pre-search for Kampong Glam, I finally went there now having already mentally prepared myself.

When approaching Kampong Glam, you would definitely see the shophouses first as the whole perimeter of the area is lined by them. No matter where you come in to enter Kampong Glam, you will for sure be greeted with a row of shophouses.

Some of the shophouses that you find: As you go deeper into the area, you will come to this famous street, which aligns nicely with the Sultan Mosque. Both sides of the street are filled with eateries selling Middle Eastern cuisine and some other shops selling unique items like textiles and fragrances.

And of course, the main feature of Kampong Glam, the Sultan Mosque, with its shiny golden dome high above everything else in the area.

The Sultan Mosque. Probably the tallest structure in Kampong Glam

Moving into the right lane and you will spot something that is not a shophouse. It is the old Temenggung palace, now converted into the Malay Heritage Center.

The Malay Heritage Center, which used to be the palace.

The Architecture

As mentioned in the previous post, there are 4 main types of architecture found during my research. So I decided to look for these 4 different styles.

Art Deco Shophouse Style

It took me a while to look for this one as the main features are hidden behind the signboard, but what gave it away is the “striped” pillars.

Late Shophouse Style

This one was not hard to find as it was the most decorated and detailed amongst all the shophouses.

First Transitional Shophouse Style

This was quite hard to find as it was across North Bridge Road and I would not expect it to be there, at the famous Zam Zam store!

Early Shophouse Style

These few shophouses, eventhough colourful, was a little out of the way and was furthest from the center.

Trades of Kampong Glam

So based on the research that I found, I tried to look for the different trades in Kampong Glam. There were a lot of different kinds of trades that can be found around Kampong Glam, but most of them are located along Arab Street. There you can find mostly carpet traders and tailors who also sell different kinds of fabrics.

There were a few shops selling carpets of different designs and shapes

On one side of Arab Street, you can literally find a whole row of fabric shops.

Alot of the fabric shops also offers tailoring and can be seen having mannequins outside

Another type of shop that you can find are perfume shops.

Modernisation of Haji Lane

Most of the things you see in Kampong Glam would seem old and dated, very traditional. However, if you go towards the famous Haji Lane and Bali Lane, you will find more modern shops such as boutiques, hipster cafes and bars.

The sign that you see at the entrance of Haji Lane

Towards the other end of Haji Lane, there are more pubs, tattoo parlours and more graffiti works on the walls, which have been an attraction by itself for tourists and occasionally for locals too, making it a photo spot.

Some of the photos of pubs. It’s considered empty as I went there on a weekday lunchtime. It would be more crowded in the evening and weekends.

And some of the graffiti works that you can find filling up the walls of this section of Kampung Glam:

Zine for Kampong Glam (Part 1 – Early Research)

So the brief of the project is to design and do up a brief based on an assigned location

After getting the brief for the project, I was pretty thrilled with the project as I get to do one of my favourite pass times – exploring. I also thought that I could do photography. Then we got to know that we cannot focus too much on the photography side, but that is fine too.

After a random draw lots from my group, I got assigned Kampong Glam as a location for the Zine. Despite going there before and quite often, I would start the project with some research.

Where is Kampong Glam?

It is the area of shophouses between Bugis and Lavender MRT stations. It’s not hard to spot as it is the only shophouses in the area surrounded by high rise buildings.

Research of Kampong Glam

Before going to the site itself, I would definitely want to know more about the place first.

The History

Kampong Glam (originally spelt “Campong Gelam” when it was named around 1830) is one of 10 subzones of the Rochor area located in the central region. The road names in Kampong Glam such as Bussorah, Muscat and Kandahar streets – named after places in the Muslim world.

Kampong Glam was land set aside for the Sultan and 600 family members after he signed the treaty to the East India Company. The Sultan also instructed the Temenggong, a governor to the Sultan, to build his palace there.

Aside from the royal family, there were many other ethnicities living there too, such as the Bugis, Arabs, Boyanese, Javanese and Muslim immigrants. All these different groups set up their own mini-kampungs, which created Kampong Bugis, Kampong Melaka & Kampong Java.

Temenggong’s Palace now the Malay Heritage Centre (https://thoughtmoments.me/tag/kampong-glam/)

Further research

Many would think that Kampung Glam is just a place full of hipster cafes, boutiques and filled with Arab and Malay influence. So knowing this, I would try to avoid doing up something based on that,  … but what?

I started asking what people know about Kampong Glam, aside from the mentioned above.

The trades of Kampong Glam

Before it is known for its hipster cafes and graffiti walls, Kampong Glam is known for its different trades. From the old days, many cultures live amongst each other bringing in culture and items for trade to make a living.

Some of the trades that are frequently mentioned in my research include fabrics, carpets, and fragrances. Some of the shops that you see at Kampong Glam now has been there for a long time.

Other crafts are also available, such as rattan and cane furniture, and also other intricate handicrafts.

The architecture

Through my research, I also found out that Kampong Glam has been gazetted into a conservation area in 1989, where the buildings in the area have to stick to certain guidelines, like retaining and restoring the exterior of the buildings.

Meaning to say, the buildings that you see today at Kampong Glam could have possibly looked like that ever since it was built! With the exception of the colours and modern pipes of course.

And the shophouses all come in 4 different types of shophouses:

Sources: