Illustration & Visual Narrative

This was followed by an explanation of character design principles: reviewing the fundamentals of design principles and applying them to character creation.

(Fig.1.2)

Creating the shapes of the characters: We have to learn to try to incorporate different interesting shapes of graphics in our designs.

Establishing the basic role of the character: Colour has a very important role in determining and differentiating the character's characteristics, and different colors also give different emotional impressions that can resonate with the audience. For example, the film ‘Inside Out’ uses different colored characters to represent their emotional images.

(Fig.1.3)

Creating Characters Using Emphasis and Contrast: A good character will have a strong contrast and emphasis on visual and color elements. For example, when creating Anger in the film, fiery red hair and rich expressions were added to enrich the portrayal of the character.

Harmony of Elements: When creating a character, every element used needs to complement each other to better participate in the character's narrative. In the film, Riley's emotional villain is different from her parents, whose emotional villain takes on their main characteristics.

Character's expression design: characters with rich expressions have great appeal and memorability.

(Fig.1.3)

LECTURE 2:CHIAROSCURO

The lecture began with an introduction to the relationship between light and dark in painting.

In painting, the technique refers to clear tonal contrasts to suggest the three-dimensional volumes and shapes of objects and figures. Many famous painters use this technique in their works.

(Fig.2.1)

Chromatic contrast is used to exaggerate the importance of a subject by using color or light contrasts to increase the dramatic tension of a scene, or it can be used to contrast and set off important details. Other applications of chiaroscuro in comics, films, digital works, and other visual artworks - this is an artistic lighting choice where the focal point or subject of the scene is brightly colored.

(Fig.2.2)

Next, low-key lighting is introduced, a technique often used in photography, using this technique with lighting to convey the mood of the character.

The contrast between light and dark can be used in visual narratives as it can be a good way to differentiate between positive and negative spaces.

Positive Space: refers to the subject or object of interest in the visual.

Negative Space: refers to the filler space or background surrounding the subject or object of interest in the visual.

(Fig.2.3)

Then four effects that can be produced by using light and dark contrast are listed.

(Fig.2.4)

Increase Dramatic Tension: Gives thrilling emotive depth on the look and feel in the scene.

Create Sensational Effect: Helps elevate fantastical viewpoints to emphasis on the narrative.

Attract Attention: Helps to elevate the fantasy point of view to emphasize the narrative.

Make Tasteful Composition: The play of negative space versus positive space creates an attractive scenario.

LECTURE 3: COMPOSITION THEORY 1 || VISUAL AND SHOTS

Lecture 4 introduced us to composition, which in design is simply the arrangement of visual elements. The most challenging part of composition is how to effectively arrange visual elements - the answer is to arrange them in a way that conveys meaning. In composition, we also need to arrange focal points to give the visual a sense of standing out.

(Fig.3.1)

Next and we were introduced to the basic rules of composition.

Visual Narrative：The visuals in the scene complement every aspect of the narrative.

Visual Flow：The scene has a clear visual flow that guides the viewer's eye.

Visual Balance：Lay out visuals to balance composition in the scene.

Visual Hierarchy：The visual effects are arranged in such a way that leads the viewer's eye first to specific details.

(Fig.3.2)

Next, we were introduced to the basic rules of composition. When we are composing a picture we need to combine the focal point to complement our subject, consider the look and feel of the scene, and keep their mood consistent. The composition also determines the path of the viewer's vision.

(Fig.3.3)

The composition also determines the path of the viewer's vision. We can also influence the path of the viewer through composition. The lecture then listed different types of shots to us and described the type of performance in different shots and how the viewer feels when they see that shot.

(Fig.3.4)

LECTURE 4: COMPOSITION THEORY 2 // PERSPECTIVE

Firstly the lecture explained to us the principle of perspective: the art of representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface in order to give the correct impression of their height, width, depth, and mutual position.

Next, we are shown some rules for constructing perspective.

(Fig.4.1)

One-point Perspective: The easiest way to make a 3D image is to draw objects that appear from a single point on the horizon.The closer the image gets to the vanishing point, the smaller it gets until it becomes so small that it disappears completely.

(Fig.4.2)

Two-point Perspective: There are vanishing points on either side of the horizon to which objects and buildings in the scene are drawn, which helps to create a greater sense of space in the scene and helps to give objects a greater sense of dimension and location.

(Fig.4.3)

Three-point Perspective: Usually consists of two vanishing points on either side of a horizontal line (as in a two-point perspective), but with the addition of another vanishing point above or below the horizontal line. A third vanishing point on the vertical axis gives you a wider range of angles, which is most useful for achieving a sense of drama and scale, or for displaying more objects in a single scene.

(Fig.4.4)

Isometric grid: To create a detailed concept of a single building, it is more beneficial to use a simple isometric view because it allows you to clearly present all three sides of the design without distorting the perspective or obscuring details.

(Fig.4.5)

LECTURE 5: COMPOSITION THEORY 3 || FORE,MID AND BACKGROUND

This lecture explains the importance of an effective sense of space when creating a composition. The foreground, midground, and background in an image will immediately want the viewer to wear a sense of proportion.

(Fig.5.1)

FOREGROUND: Objects that are nearest to the viewer

MIDDLE-GROUND: Objects in between foreground and background

BACKGROUND: Objects that are the furthest away from the viewer

We can highlight the foreground as the main focus by using size differences and color contrasts.

Highlight the focal point by using size differences and light contrasts.

(Fig.5.2)

Highlight the focal point by using size differences and light contrasts.

(Fig.5.3)

Design flow is the way your eye moves or is guided through the composition. A fluid design will guide the viewer's eye throughout the layout, moving easily from one element to another.

(Fig.5.4)

Example:

Task 1: Vormator Challenge character

Mr. Hafiz asked us to make a monster using eight specified shapes. First, I made these eight shapes using the Pen, Curve, and Rectangle tools in AI.

Then, I started making the hands based on the monster's features. I browsed some monsters online, and many of them had tentacles like octopuses, so I used three of the eight shapes: cobra, sausage, and tentacle, and combined them to make the tentacle.

Tentacle

Then, I used the Zerk and the Bar to make the monster's body. I combined the characteristics of the eight shapes. I chose the chevron as the monster's mouth and combined the other two shapes to make the mouth of the monster. In order to show the monster's ferocity, I used the Drop and the Badge to make the feeling of blood on the top of the teeth.

Body

Mouth

Then I used the overlapping and merging of several shapes to create the eyes of the monster, then I used the pen function to add color to the tentacles of the monster, and finally, I added some textures and decorations to the body of the monster.

Task 2: - Composition Game Card Design

Sketch:

Here's my first version of the background and monster story, but I didn't feel like the background had enough space in the front and center views, so I revised my background sketch again.

Fig.1.1 First draft

Reference Board：

I went online and found a lot of design work to learn from, which was the inspiration for the background and the monsters.

Fig1.2 Reference 1

Production process：

After that, using AI, I used the pen tool and layers to design the scenery as foreground, mid-ground, and far-ground. Using the pen tool to select the needed elements, I used a combination of PS to adjust the colors of the individual components and the overall color.

Fig1.3

When designing my backgrounds, I learnt a lot about background design. I chose the Monster Cottage in conjunction with my monster story. I used different rock colours to differentiate between the foreground and the midground, and in the foreground, the sense of distance is represented by the near large and far small rivers.

Fig.1.4 Final background image

This is the background picture after adding the little monster：

Fig.1.5

This is the effect of adding Pokemon card:

Fig.1.6 Pokemon card (PNG)

Fig.1.7 Pokemon card (PDF)

Backstory：The little monster's name is Addison, he has powerful tentacles, he lives on a bizarre planet, on this strange planet, there is only a terrible moon without the sun, there are a lot of strange plants on the earth, these plants are planted by Addison, he uses these plants to enhance his power. On this weird planet, everyone has to fight for the land to increase their energy, Addison will use his tentacles to fight for the land with others, his tentacles are very hard, and his power is also very strong, in the fight for the land with other little monsters, he will use his long tentacles to attack from a long distance, and he will always defeat the other little monsters easily, but Addison is a very kind little monster, even though he is a little monster, he will always fight for the land with his long tentacles. But Addison is a very kind little monster, although he occupies a lot of land, he will help many weak little monsters, and give them a place to live, they live in a place with a lot of stones to resist the attack, Addison also planted a lot of plants that can attack other little monsters.

Reflection

When completing this assignment, we learned how to use the tools in AI to create monsters based on the vector graphics provided by the professor. I think this assignment is very interesting. This is my first time trying to use AI to create a specific image.

Practical 2

'The Show'Mural Competition

This weekend I took part in a mural competition at school with my group, the theme of the competition was unity in diversity, so our group chose the theme of world peace. The center of our picture was the earth half of which was a peace sign and half of which was the national flags of different countries. We fused the earth with the body of a dove and on one half of it we drew some famous places of interest in each country, such as the Great Wall, the Twin Towers, cherry blossoms, etc. On the other side, we drew little people of different colors, and underneath the picture, we lifted the earth with the hands of different colors. Participating in this activity taught us a lot about working together and developed our teamwork skills.

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Illustration & Visual Narrative - Task 1: Exercises

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