Final Project Proposal (3): Album “Timeless” – Film Theme Collection of Hans Zimmer

Hans Zimmer, composer of The Da Vinci Code, was the man that I have loved for thousands of times.

My favorites among his movie themes include:

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
  • The Da Vinci Code
  • Sherlock Holmes
  • Inception
  • The Dark Knight Rises
  • Interstellar

Her was listed as Top 100 Living Geniuses by The Daily Telegraph and he has created a trademark in Hollywood for making the best movie soundtracks.

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This is a collection of Zimmer’s best composes, with the cover design inspired by another greatest genius – Da Vinci.

This is a album of epic music, heart breaking pieces that integrates electronic music sounds with traditional orchestral arrangements.

This is my memory of great movies, of unforgettable heroes that either lightened history or warmed the destiny of mankind.

1. Time (Inception)
2. Chevaliers de Sangreal (The Da Vinci Code)
3. Homeland (Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron)
4. Dream Is Collapsing (Inception)
5. Red Sea (The Prince Of Egypt)
6. Molossus (Batman Begins)
7. This Land (The Lion King)
8. Heart Of A Volunteer (Pearl Harbor)
9. Drink Up Me Hearties Yo Ho (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End)
10. Aggressive Expansion (The Dark Knight)
11. Fear Will Find You (The Dark Knight Rises)
12. This Is Going To Hurt (The Ring)
13. Imagine The Fire (The Dark Knight Rises)

I will name it Timeless – A toast to the genius!

Final Project Proposal (2): Covered by the Greatest Genius

Cheryl was right that I may only have the energy to develop one really good design. Then undoubtedly I will devote my best effort for Leonardo Da Vinci – the timeless genius.


Background research

“Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.”

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Leonardo da Vinci (15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519), the ultimate Renaissance Man, is far more than a greatest painters of all time. He is acknowledged as the father of palaeontology (the study of fossils as a guide to the history of life on earth.) and architecture (the art of planning, designing, and constructing buildings). In an age of war, he left the world thousands of inventions including parachute, helicopter and tank, centuries ahead of his time.

I admire his ceaseless curiosity towards knowledge and relentless pursuit to understand how our world works. He is renowned for contributions in the study of:

  • Arts: light, painting, sculpting, dissection,
  • Engineering: architecture, music instruments, war machines
  • Sciences: anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, cartography (map)
  • Mathematics: perspective and geometry

For him, painting is just another science.

last-supper trees hands-on-airself-portaits ppl hand  hand  flight child anatomy


Sketches in Illustrator

“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

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  • Symmetry and balance are important guidelines in my design.
  • A high contrast of Yellow and Black is what I intended to go for.
  • There are 9 stories in this design. How many can you spotted out?
  • (Easter Egg) The focal point will move into the brain of the baby.

The CD is specially designed such that when playing/rotating, different observations of the genius reveal.

“The artist sees what others only catch a glimpse of.”

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Digital Coloring

“Only through experiments can we truly see.”

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Attributes

Leonardo Da Vinci posts a great influence in my life.

He is the role model of pushing beyond expectations and dreaming the impossible.

He showed the human capacity, inspiring us to make the most of our lives as we can.


smile Hope you enjoyed his works and quotes. If you are interested to learn more, I highly recommend these documentaries and materials:

Da Vinci and the Code He Lived By (TV Movie 2005)

 

I look forward to discussing with you about him and my design wink

Oh by the way, did I mention that it is a 3D work combining mathematic, mechanics and electronic?

Final Project Research (3): From Ancient to Baroque

For developing the idea I cooked three new meals in dormitory and swam all styles every other day over the last two weeks. I was hoping to the sky-fall inspirations then I realised that it was some inputs that I was actually deprived of.

To navigate myself through the massiveness and possibly messiness of design elements, there I come to my third fest on art study: move from the primitivism of Egyptian art and the rich collection of Nobel Diploma design – to a most exaggerated and dramatic style – the Baroque (1600-1750).

Again, many design principles are involved.


Baroque Paintings At a Glance 

Without study in depth into the history or country representatives, I characterised the Baroque style as (1) detailed decoration, (2) axial symmetry composition and (3) dramatic scenes.

  1. Detailed decoration -> rich in motion and strong in color

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2. Axial Symmetric composition -> harmony and balance

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3. Dramatic scenes -> for both Gods and men

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From there, only one thing is lacking, the soul that all the forms will live by and a story that I am passionate of telling.

Final Project Process (1): One Thing for Each Greatest Artist

In the first week of working on the proposed idea – Diploma Design, uncertainties are high, so are opportunities.

(Modified on 26 Oct) I do hope you enjoy the journey I have gone through haha.


Who are your favourite artists?

Western

  • Da Vinci
  • Claude Monet
  • Pablo Picasoo
  • Van Gogh

Oriental

  • Xu Beihong – Horses & Cockscreen-shot-2016-10-17-at-6-09-53-pm
  • Zhang Dashan – Mountains & lotusscreen-shot-2016-10-17-at-6-27-22-pm1716715882960385660
  • Qi Baishi – Xia + Flowers + Plantsscreen-shot-2016-10-26-at-10-00-32-pm
  • Bada Shanren – Falcon + Fish screen-shot-2016-10-26-at-10-02-01-pm

 

How can I apply what I learnt from the course?

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What are my strength and weakness?

Strength 

  • Engineering background: Systematic & logic research + Geometry
  • Artistic perspective: Imagination & Synthesis
  • Childhood heritage: Meaning making & Storytelling + a bit more curiosity
  • Practical skills: Photoshop & Illustrator

Weakness 

  • Inexperience in using Color -> I can search for the perfect matches online
  • Inexperience in matching Fonts -> I can limit it to One/ Two font(s)
  • Impatience & Short attention span -> I’d better design simply
  • No talent for painting -> Let’s go digital 🙂

 


So What?

Opportunities

  • I can use this final project opportunity to consolidate my understanding of elements of design, principles of design, space & color in design
  • I can also learn more from the advice and sharing of Cheryl, my DA2002 teacher throughout the design process -> then I shall not be afraid of questions & problems
  • I have one more incentive to study whatever I like in ADM library. I can integrate them into my aesthetic eyesight & design capability
  • I can develop a work that reflect my current thinking & characteristic

Threats

  • I may fall into stereotype of design principles
  • I may lose originality while learning
  • I may change ideas frequently when time is not in my favor
  • I may end up having too many elements on my canvas -> urgent!!!!

 

Anyway, we will be fine (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

Final Project Proposal: The Greatest Artists Award

Graceful of Option 3, I propose a Diploma Design Project that:

  1. Awards to my favorite Greatest Artists in art history.
  2. Applies the essence of Ancient Egypt Art.
  3. Present 2 pieces of design that are distinct and representative.

Idea Mind Map


Preliminary Research

Western Artist

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1st Nomination: Leonardo da Vinci (15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519)

  • “Italian polymath whose areas of interest included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography.
  • The father of palaeontology, ichnology, and architecture, and is widely considered one of the greatest painters of all time.
  • The inventor of the parachute, helicopter and tank.
  • He epitomised the Renaissance humanist ideal.”

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4-vitruvian-man-leonardo-da-vinci images-1

 

Oriental Artist

2nd Nomination: Wu Daozi (680–c. 760)

  • “Also known as Daoxuan, was a Chinese artist of the Tang Dynasty.
  • Michael Sullivan considers him one of “the masters of the seventh century,”.
  • Wu traveled widely and created murals in Buddhist and Daoist temples. Wu also drew mountains, rivers, flowers, birds. No authentic originals are extant, though some exist in later copies or stone carvings.
  • Wu’s famous painting of Confucius was preserved by having been copied in a stone engraving.

吴道子(约680-759),吴道子是一位全能画家,有“画圣”之称。同时吴道子是中国山水画之祖师。他创造了笔间意远的山水”疏体“,使得山水成为独立的画种,从而结束了山水只作为人物画背景的附庸地位。吴道子的出现,是中国人物画史上的光辉一页。

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(Research and sketches to be continued…)

Final Project Research (2): Searching for the Best Design

Thursday, another four days to walk with uncertainties!

 

Where can I find the best design? There are certain judgement factors that I am looking for.

  1. The price people are willing to pay. However the result can be quite unreasonable.
  2. The importance it attachs.
  3. The emotion it evokes.

 

Then I fitsr come to the Nobel Diploma Design for the greatest contributors of mankind.

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Final Project Research (1): Starting From Ancient Egypt

Wednesday: five more days to generate my final project idea.

 

I had a clear mind when walking by the bookshelves in ADM Library.

  1. I am eager to learn from the best art.
  2. Among all the colorful books and massive pieces of ideas, can I find a limited set that all the others are originated from?

 

I was lucky to found the fasciation in Ancient Egypt, Babylon and Near East Arts.

(Source: All the pictures are taken from the following four books)

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  1. Eternal Egypt : treasures from the British Musuem / Singapore exhibition presented by the National Heritage Borad ; organised by the Asian Civilisations Musuem = 永恒的古埃及 : 大英博物馆藏 / 新加坡展覧由新加坡國家文物局主辦 ; 亞洲文明博物館籌劃. (@ADM Lib. N5350.E83E)
  2. Beyond Babylon : art, trade, and diplomacy in the second millennium B.C. / edited by Joan Aruz, Kim Benzel, and Jean M. Evans.(@ADM Lib. N5345.B573)
  3. The British museum masterpieces of ancient Egypt / Nigel Strudwick. (@ADM Lib. N5350.S927)
  4. Art of the ancient Near East : a resource for educators / Kim Benzel … [et al.]. (@ADM Lib. N5345.A784)

 


The Aesthetic

The principles of design are proved not to be a modern invention, but the agreed perceotion of beauty.

  1. Balance | Movement & Static, angular & circula:img_7118(3800-3700 B.C. | Iran)

img_7137 img_7134Cylinder Seals | (1300s B.C.)

 

2. Sysmetryimg_7150Cylinder Seals | (1400-1300 B.C.)

img_7120(2200-2100 B.C.)

 

3. Patternimg_7189 img_7145Headdress | (1479-1425 B.C.)

img_7159(1625-1525 B.C.)

img_7148Glazed Tiles | (1184-1153 B.C.)

 

4. Repetition | Alternating:img_7131(1000-1400 B.C.)

img_7171-smallWalking Figure Of An Official | (1275 B.C. | Egypt)

img_7173(Back of) Mummy Mask | (1000 B.C.)

 

5. Rhythm | Alternating:img_7163Helmet | (1500-1400 B.C.)

img_7165Wall Painting Fragment | (1625-1525 B.C.)

 

6. Rhythm | Progressive:img_7183Mummy Mask | (1000 B.C.)

 

7. The Golden Rati0:img_7168

 

8. Complementary Color:img_7122(1325-1450 B.C.)

img_7186(1350 B.C.)

img_7140Beads | (1300s B.C.)

 


The Playful

Despite circumscribed environment and arduous process, our ancestors created splendid artworks from meticulous observation and unconstrained imagination.

  1. Vivd expression from simple carving:img_7125Relief Vwsswl (1800s B.C.)

 

2. Animals -> Functions:img_7142Axe | (1340-1300 B.C.)

img_7127Game Board (the dogs, pigs, foxes, mice are discernible)| (1981-1802 B.C.)

img_7129Horse Shaped Handle (what an ingenious design with the hoof!) | (1350-1400 B.C.)

img_7155Ivory Cosmetic Spoon (from the neck and shoulder I saw the power of the tiger) | Egypt

img_7157 Ivory Mechanical Dog (pressing the handle below the bellow will triger the mouse to open) | Egypt (1390-1352 B.C.)

img_7175(1985-1795 B.C.)

img_7152Duck Shaped Vessels

 


The Perspective

From 3D to 2D:img_7181Mask (notice the ears and hair, the stereo mask is flaten) | (1500 B.C.)

From 2D to 1D:img_7190

(Could’t I abandon my knowledge of perspective as well as the long-rooted impression of nature environment? Start to obseve everything as alienate, to record each detail and with surprise)


The Reflection

At the end of the day, the world surrounds me seemed newborn. I look up to the ancient artworks and I want to share with you. Let’s pay our highest respect to the artisans who had spent their whole lifetime to understand nature and illustrate their devine presence.

At the end of the day, I felt their wonder and appreciation of the world. How facinating it is being an observer and creator!