REFLECTION

One of the many things I have learnt through consultations and experimenting with my mock-ups was that
If I were to do any pop-up mechanisms, it should be a highlight. The book is a tool and story about myself as a designer. Any embellishments should be a highlight and complements the portfolio, and not distract and take away the main point, which is to show that I am an illustrator that goes beyond pages.

The quote ‘Less is more.’ became a reoccurring mantra during my experimentation as I was a little too caught up with making the design fun, and missed out how my executions could make me lose the essence of my portfolio. The portfolio forest book is the internal mind that I want to showcase and bring the readers on an adventure.

Reflecting upon my final presentation work, it would have been better and so much clearer if my portfolio package was bigger ( instead of 13cm x 13cm) had more extensions so I have more space to show more close-ups and talk about my works. This is a project I would revisit again to improve on the output. 🙂

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PROCESS BEHIND:

https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/yseng001/vc4-project-1-hello-world_portfolio-package/

INSPIRATION

I was very keen with character design, and experimenting on textures of illustrations as I am especially drawn to children’s’ book illustrations.

I personally enjoy going on hikes or nature walks as it is comforting. Nature walks delights me and makes me feel free. I was heavily inspired by the story telling concept of ‘Winnie The Pooh and The Hundred Acre Woods’ picture book that I have read as a kid.

CONCEPT

Each of the characters had a role to play in the hundred acre woods. Just like how Pooh took the reader on a trail to visit his friends of multiple personalities and character in the woods, I wanted to bring my viewer into my version of a hundred acre woods where my category of illustrative works have their own unique personality as well.

METHODOLOGY

I changed the environment from a woods into a forest as it is more realistic of our tropical country, Singapore. I would like to show that I am an illustrator that goes beyond pages. Hence, by using a trail into a forest I can bring my viewers on a visual journey on how I have applied my illustrations on multiple surfaces.

I wanted to capture the essence of being an illustrator that can go beyond pages in my accordion fold portfolio, applying illustrations as skins to multiple surfaces. And by incorporating my existing works of various styles into elements in the forest, I would like my viewers to see that I am an imaginative illustrator and I aim to delight.

One of the most yet challenging aspects that I had to consider was how to tie projects of varying styles together, since they are quite different. I made use of the forms and shapes of the artworks to pair it with an element of the forest to tell a story. For instance, my 4m long banner as the tree trunk, the weaved cockroach installation as an insect on a branch, and the Dugong packaging as a aquatic creature in the lake of my forest.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FINAL WORK:
https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/yseng001/?p=1335&preview=true