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Joy Sim | Naomi Koh | Wong Yi Ting
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P R O C E S S
Using a template found on the internet, we traced this printed template onto our transparency. We then cut the transparency using a pair of scissors and formed the module by using scotch tape and scoring with a pen knife.

Using UHU glue, we use halved cotton buds to form a triangular pyramids. These triangular pyramids were then attached to connect the different modules together, forming a space truss. We also used these triangular pyramids to form our highway.

 

Additionally, cotton buds were used to form a lattice structure of the hub. Black coloured glue stains were then layered over this lattice structure to emphasise on the atmosphere and provide a stark contrast to the white and transparent habitat.


F I N A L
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FINAL

STRIP 1
A Plastic Bag + Time Travel = Messing up time & self

Main colour palette

COLOURS:
This palette has 2 strong saturated hues followed by a few duller, muted ones. The strong hues are kind of complementary to each other while the duller hues are closer to being monochromatic. Combining these colours allows the saturated colours to create visual interest easily as it contrasts strongly from the rest.

Easy-going, able to go with the flow but might be too weak-willed at times – similarly to a plastic bag.

Time travelling was always a cool thing to think about, be it travelling into the future or back to the past. So what if I had the chance to and I did try?

They always say time travel will cause major problems and consequences throughout the entire timeline if it was actually possible, and I’m sure I’m not the capable enough to make no mistakes at all while doing so which is shown by how messed up my persona is: from being a normal plastic bag to a spoon that has a gaping hole and a handle, turning it into a chaotic useless object.

STRIP 2
A Fish out of water + Heart-to-heart talk
= Fishing for honest answers

Main colour palette

COLOURS:
Similarly to the other palette, the yellow, pink and white are the brighter hues while the green and blue are duller. The yellow, green and pink are close to triadic colours, bringing just enough contrast to have a good balance between creating focus and also unity.

My close friends know I like fish a lot so they relate me to fishes, and I thought I’m kind of like a fish out of water, out of the comforts of ‘home’ and in the busy life outside.

I enjoy heart-to-heart talks with friends, knowing how and what they think about things we don’t usually chat about. Exchanging ideas, thoughts and opinions on things feels very enlightening.

After listening to my friends and I have an earnest talk with each other, it feels rewarding, like when you cast a line out into the ocean and catch a big fish. Whereas here, you’re fishing for honesty – basically their hearts of gold.

STRIP 3
A Puzzle Box + Crowded Spaces = Wanting Personal Space

Main colour palette

COLOURS:
This palette is slightly duller, with monochromatic yellow-reds and then the complementary blue and purple. I added a couple of other colours to further enhance the visuals. Utilising these colours and different layer modes on photoshop allowed these colours to shine through and make things look more interesting while still remaining a feeling of unity.

I don’t really share about myself too easily until I really get to know a person and I feel comfortable with them. This is why I chose to portray myself as a puzzle box, something you have to spend time to ‘solve’ and open.

I really dislike crowded spaces, when I have to squeeze and get forced to be shoulder to shoulder and back to back with people, especially people I do not know. It makes me uncomfortable and it’s shown by the mixed up cubes on my puzzle box head.

By being in a crowded place, my number one priority is to either escape or somehow get my personal space back. Sometimes I wished I had some sort of way to get crowds to disperse or at least not squish me into a pancake – like releasing bees and scaring people. (and myself but let’s ignore that)

STRIP 4
A Sweaty Apple + Thing I wish to Try
= Exhaustion & gaining experience

Main colour palette

COLOURS:
Similarly to the rest, the colours are closer to triadic but for this set everything has a green background,  with the dark blue as an added effect, creating a more whole, united look for this strip. The pinkish-red contrasts against the green and blue, bringing focus to the apple, which is the main object of interest.

My peers say I was an apple, I wasn’t sure why but I couldn’t not see myself as an apple either, it’s strange. Anyway I made myself an apple, but a sweaty one as I honestly sweat a lot whether if it’s hot or anxiousness.

There are quite a bunch of things I’d like to try but didn’t get the chance to. One of them being baseball which I chose to illustrate here – with me being the baseball that’s pitched into the glove.

After trying something new that I have absolutely no knowledge or experience in, I’ll be exhausted feeling like I’ve taken a punch or even a crunch, me being an apple and all. But no pain, no gain! Even when I fail or have shortcomings after going through the new thing, I still get some sort of experience that I can learn from. The apple juice being the ‘reward’ of my hard work.

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IDEATION

The basic concept of EGO project is:

ME  +  SITUATION  =  OUTCOME

First off, I needed to personify myself in 4 different ways and before starting on that some self-discovery had to be made – I just went around asking peers their impression of me and also did some deep contemplation alone. (‘:

With some consideration and comments, I’ve decided to portray myself with these personifications and also put them in situations that were relatable personally.


I already had a rough idea what I wanted the strips to portray but after consulting, I edited and changed my ideas, finalising into these equations:

  1. Fish out of water + Heart-to-heart talk = Fishing for honest answers
  2. Puzzle Box + Crowded space = Wanting personal space
  3. Sweaty apple + Thing I want to try = Unexperienced, gets worn down but also gaining experience
  4. Plastic bag + Time travel = Messing up the timeline and in turn, my own being

Now time to develop a visual direction!

RESEARCH

When we were told we could use any medium, I knew I wanted to do mostly digital and it would be illustration right at the get go. However I also wished to explore and try new styles to produce these strips! Since I enjoy playing around with colours, why not try to stick to a set colour palette for each strip – which limits my colour choices, but allows me to optimise the focus and unity more than an unlimited palette would allow.

I took off to Instagram and Twitter where I get most of my illustrative inspiration from your day-to-day artists!

https://www.instagram.com/robogabo/

For colour inspiration, I really admire robogabo’s choices of saturated colours that might seem like they clash but the way they utilise it makes it still feel unified.


https://twitter.com/pooopskin

Similarly with nico a.k.a pooopskin, they use strong colours as well, but instead of just tossing in lots of many differing hues, they choose to keep with a set of strong colours that are usually complementary: creating high contrasts. I also like their slightly textured simple but effective rendering, probably with a textured chalk-like brush.

PROCESS

Holding onto the colour and style inspirations, I went onto to Coolors.co to experiment around with the colour palettes until I achieved the desired complementary and triad colour schemes. The palettes might have many different hues, but I’ll be using these colours in a way that still retains contrast and balances out the visuals.

While keeping in mind to use these colours mainly, I did use a few more colours that aren’t pictured above to enhance the overall visuals.

After consultations with Shirley and also my peers, I sketched out the panels with their corresponding colour palettes with Photoshop.



This was the rough look I wanted to follow and below is the final illustrations!

A more detailed write-up for the illustrations will be in my EGO Final posting!

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R E S E A R C H

MODULAR DESIGN

It is a design technique that deals with designing a structure with numerous smaller parts that are usually known as ‘modules’ or ‘skids’. These modules allow the structure to be malleable and flexible in ways that normal structure can’t, for one, they are able to be reused, rearranged, replaced rather easily while still retaining its functionality. This becomes cost-efficient and increases the efficiency for improvement, edits or even removal.

Here are some examples of modular design and structures:

FURNITURE

Re-arrangeable shelves, seats, tables, etc.

Wine Shelf

NATURE

Honeycombs

ARCHITECTURE

Urban Rural in Istanbul

Izola social housing in Slovenia

 

COMPOSING SHORT TUNES

To start things off, we were grouped to create 2 different tunes with the instruments provided – I was grouped with Joy and Naomi! We picked the Resonating tone bars, Rhythm sticks, Finger cymbals and Wooden egg shaker and came up with the tunes.

The instruments we used for both our tunes.

 

AUDIO A:

Dominant: Resonating Tone Bars (RTB) (Deng deng deng deng….)
Sub-dominant: Rhythm sticks (Clack! Clack!)
Subordinate: Finger Cymbals (Ding!……Ding!)
This tune is slower, smoother and feels kind of spiritual, as if you were in some sort of temple chanting away. The RTB acts as the melody, the constant beat throughout. The Rhythm sticks clack away constantly in a 2-beat interval. The Finger cymbals come in at the end of every ‘set’ of 4 RTB beats, creating a high ding!

AUDIO B:

Dominant: Wooden egg shakers (Shhschshhchshh…)
Sub-dominant: Rhythm sticks (Clack! Clackclack!)
Subordinate: Resonating Tone Bars (Deng……)
This tune is slightly fast-paced, excited but with a abrupt sense of calmness. The Wooden egg shakers acts as the background sound, it’s swishing making a nice base.The Rhythm sticks is the loudest and fastest, creating the feeling of energy in bursts without stopping. The RTB is the pop of serenity in this busy tune, resounding and fading at the end.

INDIVIDUAL MOODBOX

I selected AUDIO A –the slower, spiritual one; to interpret into a moodbox.

DOMINANT: Black thread (Resonating tone bars)
SUB-DOMINANT: Wooden planks (Rhythm sticks)
SUBORDINATE: Ball of coiled wire (Finger cymbals)

The tranquility and calmness was the main aspect that I wanted to depict in the moodbox; as it brought feelings of serenity, divinity and also clarity.

As the Resonating tone bars (RTB) continuously went on as the melody and beat, it feels like it’s climbing higher with the finger cymbals clinking in high pitch. So I chose to depict that by letting it flow fluidly upwards. The melody created was soft yet solid, thus the use of black thread – its strong black colour suggesting solidity while the flexibility shows the softness.

The Rhythm sticks stood out from the tune as distinct clacks, sharp and loudly. Wooden planks were used to imitate that rigid, sudden prominent sound as it contrasts and stands out against the monochromatic scheme of the moodbox.

With everything rooted to the base, the Ball of coiled wire hangs high above the rest of the parts as the Finger cymbals give a satisfying resounding Ding! at the end of each 4-beat set, making the tune feel less down and a pop of lightness and divinity.