Process: i am a playing card

My first and favorite idea for the entire project.

Was researching on a whole bunch of photos and really jumped when I saw the playing cards with nothing but words to describe it:

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What’s even more interesting is my initials ‘K’ and ‘J’ which corresponds to the cards King and Jack.

The problem? Making the actual card itself.

Firstly, I wanted to use illustration to complete the work.

In order to do so,  I had to draw and scan the different components of the design so that i can photoshop them.

The components for my cards are:

1.  K

2. J

3. additional designs

4. The pattern for the card

The ‘K’

Initial drawing of the ‘K’.

The ‘J’

J.jpeg

Initial drawing of the J.

Additional designs

ribbon and design

Initial drawing of the designs and pattern of the card.

Making the pattern

pattern

Start with a basic unit

pattern1

Reflect the basic unit

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Repeat the unit 4 times to get a tile

pattern4

multiply the tiles to get a column

pattern5

multiply the column 3 times to get the final pattern.

Funny how we can get such an interesting pattern with just a small little drawing.

Probably the best discovery that I did in this entire project.

Combining everything

Playing card old

combined result. Final work looks fine to me.

However, the perspective is wrong when put together, it makes the composition much more confusing. The letters are also a little tilted to be able to fit the composition properly.

Playing card 1

refined the K at the top corner and inverted the colours of the card. Was quite pleased with the end result but still had to adjust the words.

In the end, I decided to re-illustrate the entire central part of the composition to produce a more properly rendered work.

K and J

Combined

cleaned up the lines and perspective for the drawings

Combined composition 2

Playing card pre final

Final composition, added red to the ribbon to create a sense of saturation to the picture. This is to bring attention of the viewer to the center of the image.

Playing card

Added a stroke to the overall composition, finally achieved a more illustrated look.

Used this for my final product.

Process: i am reflective

The second composition that I tried.

Used a foam board from Daiso as my first try.

Reflected only the images that has symmetry about them. This was the end result:

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The reflection actually made sense! However the composition is lacking in terms of the last 2 letters.

Also, the material came off as too flimsy and was recommended to get the magic sponge from Daiso to use as a medium instead.

Below was the result of the second try:

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All the letters are relfected! Just had to clean up the workmanship and remove the frame.

Removed the frame and stuck a black piece of paper on the back. This was the end result:

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Turned the alphabets in different angles to give a more dynamic vibe. This is also to ensure that the composition can be viewed as a whole in multiple angles.

Process: I am a risk-taker

With the idea of the playing card, I wanted to explore more compositions with the idea of having red, white and black.

Had the idea of using a red dice to convey a message of ‘risk-taking’

gambler old

my first sketch done via digital manipulation. Composition feels way off. Consulted and had an idea how to compose the entire composition.

Decided to use actual photos of different dices to provide a more naturalistic look the final compositions.

This was the set-up of my photo-taking process:

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Took many photos of the dice in different orientations. Had to make them tilt in an angle to achieve a more dynamic look.

Below are the results:

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Took one of the dices and put it through photoshop to create my initals.

 

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original photo

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After cleaning up the surface and arranging the dots of the surface

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original photo

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after cleanup.

This process took quite a while to complete.

Compositions

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first attempt at the compositions. Dice looks like 2 separate groups instead of the intended ‘flow’ that i wanted. The composition also looks a bit too flat.

Inserted more dices and blurred the ones at the back. Changed the highlights for every dices to give a sense of ‘receding’:

gambler crowded

Picture has a stronger sense of motion but might be too crowded.

Removed and shifted some of the dices.

gambler

Gave the dices some breathing space. Effect turned out much better. Used this as my final composition.

Although simple, it took a while to be able to achieve this look.

Simple design but the process taught me about how to show depth by playing with lights and blurs. Also, I’ve learnt about placing images together to give off a sense of ‘flow’. Also, the need for ‘breathing space’ in order for the dice to have a more individual character.

Tedious process but learnt a lot in the process.

Process: i am a sweet-addict

This is also a rather difficult composition to complete.

Main reason is that i stuck with just purely image manipulation in photoshop with pictures found from the internet.

Below was a sketch of the composition:

Used a picture of 2 candycanes to create my initials. Liked the ‘J’ curve of the different candy canes.

candycane (1)

image that i started out with

candycane old

first sketch: multiple problems – Candy cane is not well cropped. The image resolution of the sugar is also too distant and feels a little fake.

Furthermore, the candy canes are too ‘perfect’ to show the idea of ‘addiction’ decided to add in broken pieces of the candy cane in order for it to look more convincing.

Edited the image and this was the result:

candy

Notice the broken pieces: I had to crop and design them out individually to ensure that the entire composition still looks fine in the end.

Some of the references that i used to be able to achieve the broken candy cane look:

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I noticed the white parts that appears at the broken ends of the candy cane. Had to draw in my own ones when i was manipulating the image. This can be seen at the broken edges of on the top of the ‘J’ word. Very small changes but it made all the difference in the look of the image.

played with the highlights and shadows to provide a more naturalistic feeling and clean finish to the composition.

Subtle changes but took a lot of effort to ensure that the final composition looks presentable.

Learnt more about value structure and how shadows can provide a better sense of depth onto the composition.

Conclusion:

The works might look simple but a lot of time and effort was put into ensuring that they look as good as they possibly can with my limited knowledge of photoshop and crafts.

This assignment was particularly frustrating due to some delay in my understanding of the question requirements.

This is as close as i get to fulfilling the requirements.

Anyways I have the habit to ensure that all my compositions have a sense of consistency instead of each one having their own bombastic style but not aligned with the others.

Once again I focused on my project as a whole and not just individual pieces.

I elaborated my design considerations and concept in my ‘final’ post.

Hoped I achieved the sense of coherence that I set out to do for this particular project.

If not, I think I still benefited from the project.

Mainly I’ve learnt to express type via different forms, I am confident this frustration will turn useful sometime in the future when I attempt on other different design works.

Thanks for the experience! Hopefully people will like my work!

Have a great day.

KJ

Typography Books

Below are some reference photos that I found particularly interesting:

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The ‘handmade’ vibe given off by these compositions provides additional depth to the work. However, these might have too many additional visuals for it to work for this assignment.

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The use of stencils! Stencils always have a particular charm about them, particularly when it relates to a hidden image underneath it. However, not relevant to the project again due to additional visuals, works should provide a more direct meaning to the description of oneself.

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Interesting play of words and colours to form various objects. However, might come off a bit too forced as the words are unclear even in this composition.

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Particularly love the use of flowing ribbon to create words. However, the central object of the composition and not the cassette tape.

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This just looks cool. Maybe an idea for the future.

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Finally an idea that can work! I loved the way the card is simply decorated by words and simple shapes. Eventually developed this idea of a ‘playing card’ into my final product.

Browsed many more books, but these were the ones that particularly caught my attention.

Internet Reference Pictures

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I really like this kinda smart designs. But not really applicable to my name.

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Closest example to what the requirements are: Words that relate exactly to the word itself.

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State of the words – I am blur, I am myopic

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Another clear message of typography.

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Using objects that are mold-able and changing them into type.

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Reflection typography! Looked really cool so decided to use it for one of my final compositions.

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hand craft typography.

This is some among a few thousands of reference pictures. Just thought these were more relevant to my final products and ones that I find things particularly interesting.

Have a great day.

KJ

IMPERFECTIONS

For this typography portrait project, I want to convey the idea of my personal ‘weaknesses’.

In order to do this, I used simple images and a consistent color scheme (Black background with Red or White) to tie the 4 compositions together.

1.  My name is

candy

and i am a SWEET ADDICT.

I have a sweet tooth to the point of being unhealthy.

I still remember days in secondary school where I will finish entire packets of sweets by myself.

Generally, if something is sweet, I will love it a lot.

In order to convey this idea, I used the look of a candy cane for my name.

The broken candy cane and the little sugar bits are used to show ‘crumbs’ where I do not just use candy canes as just mere decorations but also sweets that I consume messily.

With the small spotlight vignette effect, I hope to bring attention to the central of the composition, which is the candy cane.

It is the same way that I want to bring attention to my own addiction.

For this composition, it is done through image manipulation.

2. My name is

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and I am reflective

I tend to be a very insecure person.

Thus, I always look upon myself to ensure that I am a complete whole.

However when I’m not reflecting and being aware, I feel incomplete and disoriented, just as the composition would be without the mirror.

Furthermore, I have a tendency to compare myself with others. When someone comes into my ‘mirror’, their reflection appears in my frame of mind and I will start to see parts of myself that are not ‘as good’ as the other.

Being insecure also made me a person obsessed with looking in the mirror.

When there is a mirror or some form of reflection of myself, I will have the habit to look at myself and ensure that I look fine.

Being insecure caused me to be obsessed about my looks.

 For this composition, it is done through hand-craft.

3. My name is

gambler

and I am a risk-taker

Feeling insecure about everything all the time, I developed a habit of doing things compulsively in order to make decisions for myself.

When faced with a scenario which requires me to make a decision, I tend to overthink about all the different outcomes of my choice. Most of the time it served to confuse me more than help.

In the end, I will ‘roll the dice’ and go with things that I am unsure of.

This is probably the reason behind a lot of my shortcomings in life.

However, these shortcomings are valuable lessons that help shape my life and help me understand myself better.

This composition is done through photo manipulation.

4. My name is

Playing card

and I am a playing card

A playing card tends to be made of cheap materials and games played with them always provide a cheap thrill.

Just like a playing card, I am a person that is easily interested in things. I also fall out of interest as easily.

This has become a habit and I tend to jump from one thing to another.

The rotational aspect makes the composition change according to the orientation of the piece. This relates to the ever changing aspect of my character.

This composition is done through hand drawing and digital painting.

The compositions are done using 4 different mediums: Image manipulation, hand-craft, photo manipulation and drawing.

Like my character, they have their own respective shortcomings and imperfections.

Thus I will prefer to refer to myself as the ‘Jack of all Trades’:

Playing card

My name is Kuang Jun, and I am imperfect.

Thank you.

Have a great day.

KJ