Illustration and Visual Narrative - Task 1: Exercises

 

Illustration and Visual Narrative - Task 1: Exercises

October 1, 2024

25/9/2024 - /2024 (Week 1 - Week 6)
GU QIANKUAN / 0369385
Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University 
Task 1: Exercises

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Lectures

2. Instructions

3. Case Study 1: Malike Fevre 

4. Lab 1: The Pen Tool

5. Task 1: Vormator Challenge

6. Lab 2: Chiaroscuro/ Light and Shadow 

7. Task 2: Chiaroscuro/ Light and Shadow on Character Design

8. Colours & Blending Modes

9. Task 3: Texture on Character Design (Clipping Mask)

10. Task 4: Vormator Character Design - Pokemon Card

11. Reference List & Bibliography

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1. LECTURE S 

WEEK 1 (27/9/2023): CHARACTER DESIGN BASICS

Character Design Basics

- Stylized Design: Interesting narratives and lore writing, Appealing characters.

1. Iconic: The audience can immediately recognize them even in black silhouettes!

2. Simplicity: This is because the simplicity of the design allows viewers to digest and understand the purpose of the characters easily.

2. Unique: In return makes them unique characters that are not only memorable, but makes an impact on the viewers!

Fig. 1.1 Stylized Design.

Principles of Character Design

1. Shapes: Think iconic. Add some weight to their personality.

2. Colour: Establish the basic roles of the characters. Think Colour psychology.

3. Emphasis, contrast: Exaggerate to memorise.

4. Harmony: Every element in your design should complement each other.

5. Expressions, poses: Expressive emotive characters, win the audience.

Fig. 1.2 Principles of Character Design.

WEEK 2 (4/10/2023): CHIAROSCURO

Chiaroscuro

- An Italian term which means 'light-dark'.

- In paintings, the technique refers to clear tonal contrast to suggest three-dimensional volume and modelling of objects and figures.

- Purpose: increase the scene’s dramatic tension by exaggerating the subject’s importance using colour or light contrast.

- Tenebrism: A term derived from the Italian 'tenebroso' which means darkened and obscuring. A predominantly dark setting.

- The focus point or subject of a scene is brightly coloured.

- Contrasted with a Dark Background (Low-key lightning).

- Convey emotional image: Don Vito Corleone, a character rarely displays emotions, exemplifies this when he sends Sonny's body to the funeral home director, who owes him a favour.

- Create impactful scenes: Coppola and Kubrick are known to use this approach in their movies and these scenes are the most memorable ones in screen media history.

Fig. 1.3 The Matchmaker (Honthorst, 1625).

Reasons That Chiaroscuro is used in visual narrative 

- This method is an excellent lightning choice to differentiate positive vs negative spaces.

- Positive Space: Refers to subject matter or object of interest in a visual.

- Negative Space: Refers to the filled space or background of the surrounding subject matter or object of interest in visual.

Fig. 1.4 Positive space VS Negative space.

Fig. 1.5 Reasons That Chiaroscuro is Used in Visual Narrative.

WEEK 3 (11/10/2023): COMPOSITION THEORY 1

Composition Theory 1/ Visual Types and Shots

- Arrange the elements in your visual effectively and the answer is to arrange them in a way that brings out meaning.

Fig. 1.5 Basic Composition Visual Rules.

Different Types of Shots in The Scene

1. Establishing: (Wide shots) used to establish the setting, portray spectacle, and provide ample information for audiences to fully appreciate the splendour and grandeur of a location.

2. Bird's Eyeview: Overhead shots (vertical shots), the subject's perspective is directly above the scene, typically at a 90-degree angle.

3. Frame Within a Frame: Can fracture screen space, add depth, and create visual interest in the cinematic compositions.

4. Medium Shot: Also called a 3/4 shot which, obviously frames three-quarters of the character.

5. Close-up: Capture a character's mind, emotions and thoughts within a larger context, enhancing the overall emotional investment.

6. Worm's Eyeview: When looking up, objects look tall, strong, and mighty while the viewer feels childlike or powerless.

WEEK 4 (18/10/2023): COMPOSITION THEORY 2

Composition Theory 2/ Perspective

1. One-point perspective: Draws objects from a single horizon point, shrinking as they approach the vanishing point.

2. Two-point perspective: Uses vanishing points on either side of the horizon. Enhances the sense of space and dimension.

3. Three-point perspective: A vanishing point, typically two on opposite sides of a horizon, combined with another high above or below it, is used to create drama and scale in a scene.

4. Isometric view: For creating detailed concepts of individual buildings, it’s more beneficial to use a simple isometric view, since it allows you to clearly present three sides of your design without distorting perspective or obscuring details.

5. Dynamic application: Perspective is versatile and can be applied to various illustrations or scenes, but it doesn't have to be rigid or strict; experiment with different perspectives.

Fig.1.1 Las Meninas (Ladies in Waiting) is a 1656 painting in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, by Diego Velázquez, the leading artist of the Spanish Golden Age. Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKRKrpz09Fk

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2. INSTRUCTIONS

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LAB 1: THE PEN TOOL (WEEK 1 - 29/9/2024)

Goal of this exercise: Learn how to use the Pen Tool to trace over pre-existing pictures, drawings, or hand-drawn artwork to turn it into editable vector graphics. This can be used to transform raster images into vectors that are high-quality and scalable.

Reflection: I learned how to use Pen Tool with the shortcut keys Shift and Alt.

 

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TASK 1: VORMATOR CHALLENGE (WEEK 2 - 4/10/2024)

Goal of this challenge: Provide each designer with an opportunity to demonstrate his talent for producing a beautiful piece.

Reflection: I learned from this ultimate challenge to create artwork with creativity, every shape has the potential to build a creative artwork.