Assignment 1 Therapeutic Graphics: Final

The final image for assignment 1:

image6
25cm x 25cm

The challenges I faced were

  • Deciding on the final direction I wanted to go with. There were so many ideas I had that it seemed such a pity to just focus on one but due to practicality and time constraint, I eventually settled on what I feel I could do.
  • Technical skills could be improved. I feel that I’ve learnt quite a bit about drawing on Photoshop through this assignment and aim to improve my knowledge.
  • Choosing of colours: I wanted to go with colours that would pop and be pleasant to the eyes hence the choice in pastel colours. The flowers had their own colour schemes too which made having a library in Photoshop a godsend.

Assignment 1 Therapeutic Graphics: Research

screen-shot-2016-11-15-at-11-43-40-am
First visit to Eng Teng Fong Hospital

In our first class, we received out brief: Create something that would fit on the glass window of the hospital and consider its relationship with the viewer, that’s what we would tasked to do. During the field trip to the hospital, here are the things I noticed about the space we were supposed to design for.

  • The space was airy and large but seemed a little cold because of the monotonous colour usage.
  • Some windows were blocked by grilles which provided a limited view of the outside.
  • There was light coming in from all side and shadows were very diluted.
  • People were mostly zoning out or  looking at their phones. Most of them were staff and some of them were patients. Some patients and their presumed relatives seemed worried or tired.

Through this observations, I thought about the function of my graphics and wanted them to be positive, light-hearted, and have the ability to provide a moment of happiness for the viewer. Since the location is only a place that links people to other parts of the building, they only have a few minutes to spare which is the only time I have to capture the attention of the people.

Initial imageries I wanted to play with were plants, for the soothing atmosphere it provides and its link to the outside of the hospital, or patterns with colours, that would invoke an emotional response in viewers.

The initial ideas I had were:

  1. Create 3D interactive pieces that viewers can interact with. e.g plants made out of cotton wall.
  2. Stickers with fun designs to be pasted on the wall. This opens up a lot of opportunity to play with the light coming through the window. Also there is a possibility of creating a suggested space where viewers can imagine the stickers as items that sit on the window ledge.

After learning that this was a purely 2D project, I decided to focus on the second idea. I then came up with 3 mood boards.

screen-shot-2016-11-15-at-11-51-58-am
Patterns and colours form a soothing design
screen-shot-2016-11-15-at-11-52-04-am
Papercut-like designs- nature and floral motifs
screen-shot-2016-11-15-at-11-52-11-am
Design of plants with cute graphics. Creation of a garden within the space of the window.

 

Throughout this three mood boards, I decided to work on the third idea and came up with some rough sketches. Before working on the rough sketches I decided to research on the function of a garden and the meaning of flowers which I was going to introduce to the design.

image3
The flowers were limited to just 5 different kinds with varying colours.
screen-shot-2016-08-21-at-5-28-41-pm
The flower language of white zinnia is goodness.
screen-shot-2016-08-21-at-5-28-19-pm
The flower language of yellow tulips is sunshine in your eyes.
screen-shot-2016-08-21-at-1-18-31-pm
The flower language of smilax is loveliness.
screen-shot-2016-08-21-at-1-18-26-pm
The flower language of iris is hope.
screen-shot-2016-08-21-at-1-18-07-pm
The flower language of pink rose is sweet thoughts.

 

The flower language of all five flowers form a bouquet of good thoughts and well wishes which I attempted to convey through the array of colours and graphics.

I went to reference books on landscape design after to understand what the best way to design a garden was. Some tips I took away and decided to utilise were:

  • A well-equipped garden will revitalise us
  • The presence of plant life in a confined area inspires a feeling of satisfaction
  • Garden as a place for leisure
  • Perspective can be used to make a garden seem larger

 

Rough sketches:

image2
Incorporating the flowers and pot graphics into a design
image1
Another perspective but instead there are shelves.

 

After the consultation with Michael, our lecturer, and the class, there were suggestions that the garden could be less dense while the flowers in the foreground could be larger to suggest that the garden is closer. The floating flower pots and its almost fantasy-like nature received favourable comments. Since it was a personal favourite too, I decided to keep it.

 

Second draft:

image4
Using one point perspective helps lead the eye in and create a suggested space. The pots seem higher and seem to float above the viewer.

Stages of development:

img20160828232916-copy-copy
Other ideas for design of pots
pots_individual
Colouring the pots.
screen-shot-2016-08-26-at-1-08-07-am
In-progress. Pots and flowers coloured.

 

Impossibilities of Being- 4D Fundamentals Assignment 2

Delving into the subconscious with these 90 images, I seek to show the three stages of sleep and my idea of the myriad of chaotic processing that goes through ones’ mind when in slumber.

The images are set in three stages: falling into sleep, light dreaming, and deep sleep.

Stage 1: Falling into sleep

The images are a metaphorical take on the act of falling into sleep. The figure is literally sinking downwards in a calm blue background. Bubbles and water then rose up to consume her entirely; they engulfed her being. Bubbles are almost whimsical things, they are fragile and disappear in the blink of an eye, and water has always been used to represent many things from peacefulness to danger. These two items introduces the viewers to the second stage.

 

Stage 2: Light sleep

 

The figure’s environment represents her state of mind. Flowers start appearing in different combination, in abundance to a single unit, and this represents observations from everywhere. We perceive with our five sense and each flower is a representation of the observations. When they clump together, they become an idea.

The flowers are present in an ever changing mass, they seem to be constantly in motion in the photos, while interacting with the figure.

The flowers are still realistic and recognizable here, suggesting a link to reality and the conscious.

 

Stage 3: Deep sleep

Flowers are shown with paintings in art. The figure awoke to find herself in a painting. This is her mindscape and the act of travelling represents the act of thinking through solutions to problems or mulling over an idea in one’s sleep. The figure is interacting with her subconscious here and it’s a personal space; the art are pieces which I feel an affinity to. The choosing of using art as a mindscape was made through my previous experience with art over the years too.

The environment is no longer reality and this suggests a break from it. The figure is truly in a space that does not exist but only in her mind. This is where she can find her true thoughts and ideas. It ends with the figure lying back down to sleep, exhausted with her mental forage, and ready to wake up to reality.

 

Artist reference:

Jeeyoung Lee

The Moment, Jeeyoung Lee

Childhood, Jeeyoung Lee

An artist who manipulates the space of her studio to showcase different realities.

 

Akira Kurosawa’s Dream

 

A movie that featured a part where a character went into Van Gogh’s paintings.

 

Hannibal

Screen Shot 2015-09-17 at 11.19.40 am Screen Shot 2015-09-17 at 11.19.33 am Screen Shot 2015-09-17 at 11.19.20 am Screen Shot 2015-09-17 at 11.19.26 am

There were certain scenes in Hannibal that showed the character sinking into water to reflect what is going through their mind at that point in time.

 

Reflection:

I have to admit, this was a really stressful assignment for me, perhaps because I have yet to define what photography means to me. Therefore I am still in the midst of experimenting and attempting to incorporate my skills with photography. I feel that this series aesthetic visuals were pleasant though awkward in some areas but I should also learn how to let photographs speak for itself and exist by itself instead of doing major photo-manipulation.