Certain colours convey certain emotions and I wanted to use the colour to convey certain emotions for certain equations.
For example, for Blue, the negative emotions it has relates to fear/worry, and can also relate positively to love. For Red, it relates to passion, and so forth.
Next, I went to pick the colours I wanted to incorporate into my equations. I started using Adobe Color, a color wheel software that aids you in picking colours!
There are a variety of color rule options, such as complementary, triad, monochrome, analogous, etc, basically all the colour harmonies we can experiment with for Project Ego! However, as I wanted to have a more neutral and pastel color palette, I realised that Adobe Color wasn’t a good platform to use, as they are more of bright, bold colours.
Next, I went online to search on pastel colour palettes, and chanced upon this site , Colour Palettes, which shares tons of colour palettes for references for home decor and anything under the sun! I started browsing through, and decided to use the color palettes I found there as the color palettes for my equations!
Below are the colour palettes I selected!
Before starting on my 8bit work, I researched on Pixel Art.
Pixel Art, is a digital art created via softwares where images are edited on pixel level. 8-bit works are usually done for video game consoles.
The term was first published in 1982, and some types of cross-stitching are very similar to pixel art.
Even Hama beads looks like it!
8-bit is a style used before technology advanced, when all we had was just low resolution digital. So, why not we go back in time and have some 8-bit artworks for Ego?
Although it is uncommon to be using pixel 8-bit style for art illustration nowadays, there is also a tinge of fun factor and aesthetic to having it in 8-bit as compared!
Here’s an example done by Blake Reynolds, of him showing the different styles of illustrated art.
The colours used for original 8-bit styles are simple basic colours. Most arcade games in the past used 8-bit style, like Pac-man and Space Invaders, games I’m sure everyone knows!
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/F8lHL2admUQ/hqdefault.jpg
Till now, some game interface designers still adapt the style, and improvised it! Games like Minecraft is a prominent example, and also Crossy Road – a mobile phone game which I used to be really crazy about!
Moving on from video games, I’ll be talking about artists that does 8-bit/pixel art.
The first pixel art artist I will be referencing is Ivan Dixon.
He is a Melbourne-based animator, pixel artist, illustrator and game maker. Having co-directed and produced pieces for The Simpsons, Fallout 4, Cartoon Network, etc, he also co-runs an animation studio, Rubber House.
Check out his works here!
Look at all these cute pixel animation! I love how having it pixelated there is an essence of quirkiness in there.
And imagine the hard work they put in for the animation though! Each and every pixel has to change, wow. JUST WOW.
Another artist I found is Michael B Myers Jr. A freelance artist from USA that does pixel art, character designs and also illustration. Check out his website here!
His pixel art style is minimalist – simple and nice! The usage of colours he used ain’t like the old day video games colours, that are bold and bright. Instead, he used neutral and muted colours. Seeing his works makes me super motivated to try out my own pixel art too!
Another of his work, he created an animated character out of pixels! How cool is that?! Adding on, he used different tonal values of blue to form the character, what great colour play of monochromatic colours!
When deciding the colours to use, I choose to use more muted, neutral and some pastel colours, as opposed to the original bold bright colours of old day 8-bit. Reason being, I want to have reference of old days pixel art, but also wanting to keep up with the trend – showing that despite moving on forward, previous art styles will not be left behind! Also, pastel colours is the hype of the younger generation now!
Stay tuned to my next post on my research on colours!
Here comes the last 2D project for the semester! *YAS MAMA YAASSSSS*
The final assignment is a little different from the previous ones, as we have more artistic freedom, and not being limited to a certain medium, technique or style!!!
For this project, we have to create 12 20cmx20cm squares, 4 rows of 3 squares each. The first column is used to represent myself, second to represent a setting and third to represent an imagined outcome. A requirement we had was to include the usage of colour harmonies.
I was really really excited to work on this project, as I ACTUALLY REALLY REALLY LIKE 2D!! And being able to illustrate ourselves?! YAS.
Before I even started conceptualizing, I was deciding on the art style to go for first. (i don’t know why was I more excited about this)
Initially, I wanted to work on vector illustrations/line art styles – because I have been really into it!!
This is an example of an illustration I done up – for my Hall’s JCRC work.
But I scraped that idea off when Prof Mimi showed us some seniors’ past year works for inspiration and told us that for those that did digital art, many used vector illustrations.
Thus, I felt that if I were to do it, I might be at a losing end as firstly, I had no experience in illustration, and to create a work that stands out compared to my classmates/seniors – it will be really tough!
I went to put on my thinking cap again, and my thoughts started wandering everywhere. Traditional media? Painting? Paper cut? Digital art? Photo Collage?? Hmmm.
Traditonal media will probably take a toll on me as
1. not a fine arts background student = can’t draw/can’t paint
2. I WILL BE BROKE
3. I am super indecisive so I will probably keep changing my ideas
Traditional media? – Strike out!
And then I remembered.
8 bit. (also known as Pixel Art)
I feel that as a student still learning more about design, I should step out of my comfort zone and try something different. 8-bit style, might not be an art style that I will be venturing into in future during my career – so why not try it now?
Ever since I went to Melbourne (before university life came in), I’ve wanted to do something 8 bit-ish, inspired from this burger bar I went to in Melbourne!
As original as it gets, the burger bar is called 8bit. hahahaha
Anyways, school is also about experimenting and learning from the process!
I started my research with just a simple Google Images search on “8 bit”, and the images that came up were mostly akin to games, such as Pac-Man, Minecraft.
I felt that it will be pretty interesting to work with 8bit art style, as it is a different way of illustration and considered quite a retro art style! (Will elaborate further on 8bit art style in my upcoming posts!)
After deciding on the art style I am going for, I started conceptualizing ideas!
I started off penning down a few prominent situations I usually face and what always happens when I’m stuck in that situation. (Ignore the bad handwriting – I just really wanted to pen my overwhelming thoughts down)
For example, as a performer, performing on stage gives me really bad stage fright, and I always get butterflies in my tummy just the moment before I perform! & to manymanymany people, I am known for being late. Like seriously, I have no idea why am I always late.. My time management skills, practically doesn’t exist.
All these situations brings out who I am, but I wasn’t satisfied. I wanted to do something of a different concept, compared to what mostly had been done before. Thus, I started brainstorming for different concepts!
Just then, I remembered getting tagged on Facebook by my friend J, and it was a related to having a degree in arts.
Cerdits to @Collegememes https://www.facebook.com/College-Memes-265913313897422/
This sparked another concept that I had, and it was the entire setting I’m in now – me being in university and doing arts.
I had an idea of the usage of memes, huge thanks to social media and the Internet. Very often, I see a certain kind of meme, that talks about a main situation, and having it depicted in different perspectives!
Based on memes like this, I begun conceptualizing on the 4 possible different perspectives.
After conceptualizing, I got really excited about this idea and felt that it was more aligned to what I wanted, compared to my initial idea. This had more light-hearted vibes and I felt that it will suit the art style I was going for – 8 bit!
Thus, I decided to work on this “meme” concept!
I decided to work on the perspective of “What I think”, “What my parents think”, “What society thinks” and “What actually happens”
My first idea for the 4 rows are as follows:
Me + What I think (getting to learn stuff/being picasso) = My expectations
Me + What my parents thinks (always partying/drinking) = Spending money
Me + What society thinks = What future do you have (begging on the streets)
Me + What actually happens = DEATH/BAD/STRESS
But after a consultation with Prof Mimi about my idea, I realise that my content needs to be more specific and narrowed down, as they are pretty generic now. There should also be more play in Me, such as “Sad Me”, “Angry Me” and etc, as my idea originally was just to place an illustration of me, same throughout all 4 “Me”s. Also, I feel that my placing the panels is wrong. The perspectives should be placed in the last column of imagined outcome, instead of setting.
After more thought processes, I came up with my final settings!
Equation 1: Me, from a business background + Learning basic design skills = What I think
Equation 2:
Me, still a child to my parents + Receiving pocket money = What my parents think
Equation 3: Artsy fartsy me + Doing well in an arts course = What society thinks
Equation 4:
Sleepyhead me + Deadlines = What actually happens
I will be working on the illustrations now since I’ve settled my settings!
Stay tuned to my upcoming posts!
Till then,
Flazéda!
jamz
x
