Category: Process

Following consultation with Mimi, I presented 2 drafts on my MUA idea.

I wanted to use makeup products to convey the job but it was a bit too abstract and I had doubts about it + Mimi advised me not to do it so the idea was scrapped.

This was the draft for my eyeliner idea but Mimi felt that this did not really convey the message because if you do not watch MUA regularly, you would not know about this trend so it was a bit risky. She advised me to do paper cut (I did my previous sem final project with it) on false lashes and incorporate my name in the lashes itself. She sketched it out and then I remembered they looked a little like this (refer to the picture down below). I’ve seen those in Watsons before.

So after that consult I went to research on shadow typography so that I could create my name with the shadows reflected below.

I came across some designs on Pinterest and I went to research and came across this artist – Fred Eerdekens. He uses shadows in his works to create an experimental piece and most of his works involves using drop shadow at the bottom. The “cut-out” picture is actually one of his works. I decided to use his technique as while researching, there were many forms of shadow typography which were more complexed and I felt that this technique could be accomplished relatively easily.

So I experimented with the lashes. I did not want to make my name too obvious but at the same time I wanted the desired effect of the shadow reflection my name. The first paper cut above was not so clear cut while the second one below was too obvious. But after several tries, I finally knew the angle for my “E” for the lashes to look like lashes but created the shadow too. I struggled the most for the “E”.

3rd Idea: Mixologist

Coming from a family who appreciates alcohol, I was inspired by that to create something from that. I chose mixology as it involves a special knowledge to mix drinks whereby the alcohol compliments each other, catering to the customer’s tastes and also the ability to do stunts while mixing the drink and not spilling it.

This was my first draft of the idea and first time using illustrator which was quite nerve-wrecking for me. The reason I chose a Flaming Lamborghini drink was because everyone becomes fascinated when the mixologist shakes it around and lights up the drink. This drink captures the essence of mixology which to me is in a way like a performance art. I showed this to Ben and Debbie who gave me some feedback about how to improve it. I did not see this before until Debbie mentioned that the flame in the middle looked liked an “M” and Ben told me to not use such a harsh outline for the martini glass. I showed Mimi this and she was glad to see that I finally got the idea of being conceptual and not narrative but she thought that the flame reminded her of an iceberg. I tried tweaking the job scope to fit something icy but just couldn’t so I decided to improve on it.

4th idea: Landscape Designer

My original idea was a gardener because not only is my house situated in a very vegetated area but I love nature. Moreover with the meaning of my name Emma as universal, nature basically explains all of that as it surrounds everyone.

I came across this on Pinterest and I thought it was well-suited to the idea. But I wanted to improve on it and then I remembered coming across Anna Garforth’s design back in secondary school whereby she uses REAL moss as graffiti that grows on the walls. 

I thought her idea was rather innovative and interesting as it fuses modernity with nature and also reminds us that nature is all around us.

 The reason I chose landscape designer instead as my condo hired a landscape designer once to beautify the area and my mum complained about them a lot because she thought she could do a better job. Also, during that time I learnt a lot about plants used and where to place them. I did more research on the job and realised they also help to design mazes in huge gardens and as a kid I love playing with mazes. Thus, I chose this job and the maze concept to incorporate my name.

As you can see, I sketched out my name and I also wanted to make it into a maze that can work and this design took me 3 hours. I googled actual mazes too to give me inspiration on how to design one. Initially I planned to Photoshop the moss but I felt it might have been to flat + I had leftover fake moss from 3D so I decide to use that as my medium.

5th idea: Palaeontologist

This was the week before the deadline and I had one last idea to go but I had a creative block. I was discussing with Ben about different concepts and I wanted to do archaeologists but my idea was based more on Palaeontologist and so I started to google for tools and fossils found at the sites.

I came up with this but Mimi said it looked a bit too cutesy which I understood and also because the dino foot prints were considerable the main focus of my name. So I scrapped the idea and went onto Pinterest again for inspiration and I found my final design.

6th idea: Beekeeper

I found this 3D typography and that gave me inspiration for my job as a beekeeper. I love bees and some may find that weird but I just adore these cute creatures who are beneficial to us too. Most of the time they are harmless but most of us still get scared by their stings. I got stung by a wasp once so in a way bees were much cuter and friendlier than wasps. Also when I visited UK in 08, it was my first time coming across BUMBLEBEES which are the fluffiest and most adorable insect I’ve ever seen. They were so fat and round and that was when I wanted to become a beekeeper for bumblebees.

My idea involved using Illustrator but it didn’t work out and I deleted the file of my draft so apologies for the lack of drafts. I decided to use Photoshop instead as I was under a tight schedule and so I googled for a honeycomb pic and the photoshopping began. I tweaked the bee into a bumblebee by making it fluffier + tweaked the stripes to create an “M” for my name. The honeycomb was photoshopped with beeswax to create an “E”.

 

From the research about my name, I tried to incorporate the meaning of my name into my works.

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This was my initial idea listed. Some had no linkage to my name and most were food based. As you can see from the red marker scribbles, that was what I struggled the most while executing my ideas.

1st Idea: Sushi chef

I have always loved sushi and I watched most of the sushi documentaries I could find because that is how much I LOVE sushi. Thus, I tried playing around with the food elements in sushi making and the red characters at the top actually was my english name, Emma, translated to Japanese. I did some sketches during the first/second lessons but Mimi said these were too narrative so I scrapped the idea + the idea was quite overdone too. 

Second idea: Makeup Artist

I wanted to become a makeup artist because their work itself is refined and takes a certain skill and patience to master it. Nowadays when I’m on Instagram, I spend most of my time on explore page watching makeup gurus putting on their makeup, drawing their eyeliner with a flick that can kill; false lashes that looks so real; eyeshadow that is blended to perfection. And I’m just watching it in awe due to their patience and ability to create a look requires creativity and thought when choosing the colours. In a way makeup artists are like artists but their canvases are faces and I’ve always wanted to put use makeup like how they are creating a character but I kind of always give up after blending. Also, I am quite lazy so I usually don’t put makeup on unless I have the time. 

I wanted to use the eyeliner flick and incorporate my name into it as I am always amazed at how makeup artists always manage to draw a perfect flick on other people’s eye because I always take 2/3 tries before getting it perfect. Moreover, I had inspiration from this idea that I came across on Instagram and later more MUA (makeup artists) started hopping onto the bandwagon and copying it.