2D Zine Process/Execution/Experimentation

Cool out it

Upon hearing the details of a new project, I’m always very ambitious about it and thought of a lot of ideas. Hence, I am always stay cool whenever I start a new project.

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For this, I chose blue colour to show the feeling of cool and peace.

I chose a cat from my ego project represent curiosity, like how I am curious to explore even further into a new project. The eyes background, which is also from my ego project represent my eyes looking at various directions, like how i explore new things at the start. I edited the eyes background to have a spread out liquid effect to its border (since liquid/water reminds me of the colour blue) and posterise it to give it a unique texture and overlay both images together.

The font is kept to the side against a white background, hence bringing forward the text, making it stands out.  The word “cool” is also larger to bring the viewers’ attention to it, since it is the most important word in the text. The words are also arranged slightly tilted, like they are floating in water, giving a relax feeling.

Angry at it

After being ambitious about a project, I will always meet difficulties in my project. Therefore, I would get irritated by it and starts to procrastinate.

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For this, I chose colour red since red usually represent anger.

I chose the shoe from my rhyme project, duplicate it and overlay them to have a interesting composition. One of the shoe is enlarge to show the feeling of anger. The shoe prints all over the floor also seems like there’s someone stomping angrily on the ground.

The red colour slope gives the feeling of running down hill, hence unstoppable.

The scratch like mark at the sides are from my line project which is for the word exhausted. Similarly, I used this line work to show that the feeling of tired and it also looks like someone who is angry scratching on the wall.

Similarly, the word ” angry” is also larger compared to other words to bring the viewers’ attention to it.

Get over it

As the project deadline approaches, I will usually hope that the project gets over quickly and anticipate another new project.

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For this, I chose green colour since it reminds me of the green man at the traffic light, and green usually represents the meaning of “go”.

I pasted the Chinese calendars and “Z”s (from my ego project) on the right side of the page. It means that the days go by quickly when I am doing a project. The green colour lines from my line project looks very messy and irregular, hence showing the feeling of getting tired of it and get over it.

Since the images are placed at the right, I placed my text at the left where there is a lot of white spaces. Similarly, the word “get” has large white space around it to catch the viewers’ attention.

Cover page

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For the cover, I chose the drawing of my face from my ego project and my name as the title because the project is about my 2D progress. The image is edited to create an interesting texture to it. I chose that font because it gives a light-hearted feel to it. The colours of the alphabets also represents the 3 stages as mentioned above.

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Continue to next post for my final work~

 

2D Zine Research

Since the style throughout my 2D works changes everytime, I find it difficult to find a common theme for my zine. Hence, I am inspired by those zine design with only single colour per page, so that the whole design has an unity.

Below are some of the zines that I have looked into:

I am also not an excellent writer, hence I want minimum writing in my zine.  Thus, I just summarize my thought process for almost every 2D work as below:

Cool about it

Angry at it

Get over it

Check out next post for the progress~

2D Point of View Final outcome

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Moon from the point of view of 包青天 (bao qing tian) is tattoo.2D_baoqingtian

Moon from the point of view of 嫦娥 (chang e) is 2nd home.

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Moon from the point of view of earth is the only child.

2D_family tree

Moon from the point of view of aesthetician is bad skin.

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Moon from the point of view of werewolf is plastic surgeon.

2D_werewolf

Moon from the point of view of sun is stranger.

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2D Point of View Process/Execution/Experimentation

1. Moon in the point of view of Baoqingtian is tattoo

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The initial design of the composition. I placed the hat at the center with a person holding a chop to stamp onto the bun. The crescent moon on the bun is also blended in like it is part of the bun.

However after consultation, this composition is not interesting and the sides of the hat are not long enough to be recognized as Song dynasty hat. Also, since my idea is tattoo, it will be better if the crescent mark is stamp on top of the bun instead of being part of the bun.

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I added in waves patterns found on Baoqingtian’s robe in the background, with black colour as the base, since Baoqingtian’s robe is mainly black, and the black makes the white bun stands out.

The texture of the bamboo steamer is also added onto the hat so that it seems the bun is sitting on a steamer that looks like a Song Dynasty hat.

Steam are also added in to create a slight comical effect to the over image.

2. Moon in the point of view of Chang e is second home

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I tried to replicate the Singapore PR IC with a Chinese twist to it. The position of the photos, logos and texts are approximately the same as the original IC.

I changed the country crest to a full moon with wings. The photo of Chang e is in black and white. The colour of the card is in light blue like the Singapore PR IC. Her NRIC is M1 because she is the first resident in the moon. I also researched on when the story of Chang e started, which I found out it is dated back in Western Han Dynasty, hence the date of birth wirtten on the IC.

I added moon texture to the IC, to show that this IC is connected to the moon, and also added Chinese patterns on the top to show that this story originates from China.

For the background, I chose bright red colours with Chinese patterns to further represent that this idea is inspired from the Chinese folklore, and the bright red colour slightly contrast with the light blue.

Overall, this is one of the easiest to create, with lesser problems among the other 5 ideas.

3) Moon in the point of view of Earth is the only child

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At first I did a normal family tree on a piece of scroll. I have to show only less than half of the family tree since Jupiter has more than 50 moons and I do not have the space to fit in do many moon. For this design, it looks flat and dull.

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After consultation, I did a 3D style of the family tree which represents the solar system. The route for earth and moon is highlighted in red to gather the viewers attention. I added slight sun rays on the background. However the over image still looks all over the place and unfocused.

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Hence, I further darken the background so that only the sun rays can be seen so that the planets and moons could stand out.  I also added sun waves where the pole touches the sun so that it seems like the pole directly came out from the sun.

4) Moon in the point of view of asthethician is bad skin.

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For this design, I wanted to have those before and after kind of cosmetic advertisement feel to it. With the left side as the original moon, which is dark and patchy to represent the bad skin, while the right side as a smoother and whiter moon to represent the good skin. Two cosmetic bottles are also placed on the right to show that “after you use our product, your skin will turns to the one on the left”. However, the overall design is plain and boring, hence this whole idea is rejected.

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For the new idea, I added instruments that will be use during facial and tried to manipulate moon texture onto the human skin.

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After learning how to change the tone of the texture, the face is less scary than before, but good enough to represent bad skin.

5) Moon in the point of view of werewolf is plastic surgeon

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This is the first illustration that I did on Clip Art Studio before exporting it to Photoshop. I wanted to try a more detailed and dynamic drawing than this, so I edited the image again to the image below.

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The colours that I have chosen are mostly cool colours so that it will fit into the mysterious atmosphere. Then I further blurred the moon surgeon and background away from the werewolf, so that the werewolf would stand out.

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6) Moon in the point of view of Sun is stranger

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At first I came out with this designed inspired from the google images as sown in my research post. Both moon and the sun are facing away from one another and arranged in different depth to so that they do not each other. The colours, yellow and blue, are so complementary with one another, hence it makes the characters stand out. However, the image may still does not give out strong sense of “stranger”.

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After consultation, I try to follow the style of Facebook. The sun is sending friend request to moon, however moon is rejecting the sun since they have no mutual friends, hence they are stranger. For the background, I took the lastest desktop version of Facebook. However for the friend request box, I used the old Facebook version, since it is the only version that shown 0 mutual friends. I also added shadow behind the friend request box so that it seems like it pops out of the screen.

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Proceed to my next post for the final work.

2D Point of View Research

Below are some of the ideas that I have thought of.

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After much thoughts, I have chosen the subject moon.

I have decided to finalise with the ideas below.

Moon from the point of view of

1) 包青天 is tattoo

2) 嫦娥 is second home

3) Earth is the only child

4) aesthetician is bad skin

5) werewolf is plastic surgeon

6) sun is stranger.

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1) 包青天 is tattoo

I do not want to use human to represent Baoqingtian in this since my other idea already has human in it.

Firstly, I researched pictures of Baoqingtian.

I decided to represent baoqingtian with chinese bun, since both have similar word. So, I wanted to incorporate the elements of Baoqingtian, such as his iconic hat, patterns on robe, his skin colours and his crescent birth mark.

The crescent moon on his forehead is represented like a red mark on the Chinese bun, as shown in the picture below, hence a tattoo on the bun.

The bamboo wood texture that I will be adding into the hat of Baoqingtian.

2) 嫦娥 is second home

At first, I thought of doing a illustration of Chang e in her home. However, that idea would be very boring. After consultation, I decided to create a Permanent Resident Identification Card (PR IC) for Chang e, since she is somehow a PR on moon.

I googled some PR IC on google for references.

I also googled for some Chinese style patterns and moon texture to be incorporated into the IC.

3) Earth is the only child.

The first thing that I thought of is to construct a family tree to represent the only child since earth is the only planet in the solar system with one moon.

Some of the references images that I have used:

4) aesthetician is bad skin

I wanted to mimic the design with skin care advertisement and putting moon texture over the face.

5) werewolf is plastic surgeon

I will be doing digital illustration for this since I want a comical style to it. I googled reference images for drawing the plastic surgeon room.

6) sun is stranger

At first,  I just google images of strangers.

However, the images of stranger in google does not really give off the feeling of “stranger” at first glance.

After consultation, I decided to use Facebook friend request to represent the word stranger.

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Proceed to next post for the progress in work.

2D Typographic Portrait Final outcome

These are the final outcome of my work.

1Overall work

2chocolate consultant FINALI tried to be as realistic as possible in my digital drawing. The dark chocolate contrasts with the white chocolate background. Gestalt Closure theory is applied here with the first letter A and D to make things interesting.

4comic lover FINALThe leading lines are are pointed towards the name. The name is also off balance from the image to create dynamic effect. Alphabets are overlap as often seen in comic book. The red on the name contrast with the green halftone background.

3pessimistic FINALGestalt Similarity theory is used here since similar raindrops shape are grouped together to form my name. The colours and gradient used give off a gloomy feeling. Original sketch of the raindrops are also added into the background to fill up the space. Shadows helps to make the name stands out.

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The alphabets are are designed like they are wearing shoes. Different shades of green help to separate the alphabets. Blue floor is chosen to represent the stadium running track. The alphabets are running upwards to give off a tired feeling.  Sweats, timing and distance are also added in.

Thank you for reading ~

 

2D Typographic Portrait Process/Execution/Experimentation

After the research, this post is about the progress in my project.

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I am Ada and I am an animator 

I wanted to do a flip book to introduce my name. I designed my name into a building, so that the alphabets in my name will be lowered down like those in construction site. Click on the image below for the GIF image to see a better explanation!!


output_qNAEb5(Click on image)

After consultation, I removed the building elements since it maybe boring and slow. So, I try to create fun movements with the alphabets to show that I want to be a fun and entertaining animation. Click on the image below for the GIF image to see a better explanation!!

output_74HGoJ(Click on image)

However, when I print out each page of the flip book, I find that it is too difficult to flip the pages on A5 and the papers runs too fast and its difficult to control.

3(A5 size)

2(Smaller than A5 size)

With time running out, I rejected this whole idea after all the efforts. ._.

I am Ada and I am a comic lover (THE CHOSEN ONE)

At first I drew out a comic and try to incorporate my name into the comic. However after consultation, it was too visual to be a typography.

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So I look at Google for the comic style typography. This is the easiest to create. I use the software Clip Studio Paint and their pre-installed comic elements into my work, such as the shout box, half tone and the blood stain. I arranged my name in Photoshop and export it to CSP.

I chose red on green so that my name would stand up from the complementary colours. I also chose black and white background because most of the comic that are read are from Japan and their comics are usually in black and white. Also, since I like to read action comics, I added blood stains and leading lines to create an action feel to it.

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I am Ada and I am pessimistic (THE CHOSEN ONE)

At first I wanted to do a photo collage to form a half filled cup with my name in it. However, it will look too confusing. So I googled pessimistic and I found that clouds and rain are most often associated to pessimistic. So, using my Chinese name Le Tong, I drew my name with clouds and rain as seen in the picture below.

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After consultation, Shirley commented that the typography has too many visual elements too. She suggested to use raindrops to form my name. Thus, I came out with the drawing below.

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I chose spirals for my clouds as it gave off a sad and gloomy feeling to it.

So I edited this drawing in Photoshop. I added gradient to my raindrops and clouds to give further gloominess into the work. I also chose dirty dark green so the the overall look will be sad. I added shadows at the back of my raindrops so that they would pop out from the green.

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I am Ada and I am a volcanologist

One of my favorite subjects since secondary school is Geography, especially Physical Geography which is to study about the Earth, so I chose volcanologist, someone who study about volcano.

At first I wanted to do a 3D volcano with papers, glue and plastics. However, since I am not that good in craft work I changed my idea to use sponges to create the texture of volcano in my name.

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I used different shades of acrylic brown for the volcano and red for the lava. After consultation, I changed the arrangement of the alphabets so that they are linked more closely together.

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Sadly, after several attempts at home, I felt that the alphabets did not pop out and the whole work looked very messy. Hence, I rejected the idea. ._.

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I am Ada and I am happy

I wanted to try to mix English alphabets with Chinese characters. The above picture shows some of the attempts. However I rejected the idea since it will contradict with my pessimistic work and my pessimistic idea is more developed.

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I am Ada and I am a slow runner (THE CHOSEN ONE)

I drew out all the alphabets that seems to be running. I wanted to arrange those alphabets found in my name to be at the back of the race, while the rest of the letters will be at the back. However after consultation, the comments were there were too many letters in the typography.

So I googled to find turtle are often associated to slow. Hence I try to use my name to form a turtle shape as seen in the picture below.

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However, it is difficult to see my name, hence I used turtle texture instead.

I googled for suitable turtle texture and I found this.

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Hence, I drew out my name with the above patterns. I also I added other elements such as the timing for my run. The details for this work will be written in my final post.

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I am Ada and I am a chocolate consultant (THE CHOSEN ONE)

One of the best jobs in the world according to Google. I drew my name into chocolate like form. At first, I wanted to arrange my name into a chocolate box. After consultation, I decided to just place my chocolate name on white chocolate so my name will pop out and contrast with the background.

I use Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint for digital painting and editing of my work. I tired to make those chocolate look as realistic as possible.

I also tried to remove bits and parts of the chocolate in the letter A and D. According to the Gestalt closure theory, one would close up the gap to identify the alphabets.

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Click on my next post for the final work in my project.

2D Typographic Portrait Research

2D Research on Gestalt Psychology

Gestalt Laws:

  1. Law of Proximity: objects that are near or ‘proximate’ to each other tend to be grouped together.

  1. Law of Similarity: similar objects tend to be grouped together

  1. Law of Figure and Ground: identifying a figure from the background

  1. Law of Continuity: perceptions of connected and continuous figures to disconnected and disjointed ones

  1. Law of Closure: constructive or generative aspect of perception

  1. Law of Simplicity: elements are always perceived in the most easiest way possible

2D Research on Typographic Potrait

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The above picture is a list of things I want to be or I am.

Below are some of the images from internet that inspired some of my work:

For slow runner, I initially wanted to use my name to form turtle shape.

For animator, this is using flip book to present the typography.

For comic lover, using comic style to arrange my name.

For happy, I want to try to in-cooperate English alphabets into my chinese name 乐.

Click on my next post for the progress in my project.

 

4D Film analysis week 5

I will be analyzing the short film “Land and Bread” by Carlos Armella using the 3 Act Structure.

First act (beginning) (setup)
– Beginning: Introduction of the pet dog.
– Inciting action (Set-up characters/ environment): There is a little girl playing with her pet dog. The weather is windy. It has a fun and relaxing atmosphere.
– Second thoughts: The windy weather may also hint that a storm (crisis/problem) is coming.
– Climax of act I: There is a pregnant woman (the mother) walking towards the hut. She seems to be in pain, most likely she is going to give birth.

Second act (middle) (confrontation)
– Obstacle: The little girl helps her mother back to their hut and she runs off to seek help.  The dog barks get more aggressive.
– Obstacle: The little girls manages to get her father and a doctor for help. All of them looks anxious.
– Midpoint: The doctor first left the hut with blood stains on his white coat. The little girl also calmly keeps all the hanging clothes. The outcome of the birth is still unknown.
– Obstacle: The father left the hut angrily. He shouts at the dog and let it runs away. (The dog probably runs away to look for food)
– Disaster/ Climax 2: From the previous scene, we know that the mother has a miscarriage. The father carries the dead baby out. He starts to dig a hole to bury the baby.

Third act (end) (resolution)
– Falling action: The mother and daughter are seen mourning in front of the grave of the baby. The weather also clears up, hinting the end of the crisis.
– Resolution (wrap up/end): The dog came back to sniff the grave (probably it thought it is food buried below, i think.. since the family looks poor and they probably do not have money to provide the dog food.. ._.”)

Overall: The short film is filmed at a fixed location and the only camera movement is zooming out. The dog is always at the center of attention.