Proj 2 Research & process

Ideas: Singapore folklore, Merlion

Research:

[1] The Merlion is a representation of Singapore’s past, present and future. The fish tail represents Singapore’s humble past as a fishing village which reflects her hardworking nature and serves as a good reminder of not forsaking such a trait in present Singapore. The lion head represents strength and bravery for present Singapore despite the challenges faced as a small nation.

After the first round of consultation, I was enlightened that it was the Bicentennial of Singapore next year. [2] In 2019, Singapore will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the founding of modern Singapore by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819.

Image References:

The Merlion, Singapore’s national symbol, Singapore, South East Asia

References:

[1] Channel NewsAsia. (2018). Singapore’s bicentennial commemoration in 2019: A time to reflect on its rich history. [online] Available at: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-s-bicentennial-commemoration-in-2019-a-time-to-reflect-9823248 [Accessed 15 Oct. 2018].

[2] The Fairytale Traveler. (2018). The Story Behind the Singapore Merlion – Past, Present and Future. [online] Available at: http://thefairytaletraveler.com/2018/05/01/singapore-merlion/ [Accessed 27 Sep. 2018].

Process:

Sketch:

Frame 1: To represent present Singapore by having a city silhouette in the background and having the year 2019 displayed at the corner. The Lion head representing Singapore, a Lion City.

Frame 2: To represent past Singapore by having a kampong settlement in the foreground and having the year 1819 displayed at the corner. The bottom part of the Merlion represents Singapore as a fishing village.

Exploring Textures:

Craving using different tool sizes and a rough outline of a possible background and waves in the design.

The texture print gave me a rough idea of carving the scales of the Merlion while the brief outline open up areas of improvements to the design of the first frame.

Experimentation of carving the Singapore Flyer. Having lines carved in the direction towards the center of the circle did not make it look aesthetically pleasing. Thus, there was a need to change the way the Ferris Wheel is carved.