Design Principles / Project 3

on

 

11.02.2021 - 11.23.2021 (Week 11 - Week 14)
Audrey Gracia Djohari / 0348120
Design Principles
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor’s University
Project 3: Visual Analysis


POST LINKS

JUMP LINKS


LECTURES


WEEK 11: 

Lec 8 (Visual Analysis)

Visual Analysis

Visual Literacy is a set of abilities that enables an individual to effectively find, interpret, evaluate, use and create images and visual media. Visual Literacy plays an important role across higher education in many majors including arts. 

  • Visual Analysis is a method of understanding design that focuses on the visual elements and principles.
  • The purpose of visual analysis can also recognize the choices that a designer made in creating the design, as well as to better understand how the formal properties of a design communicate ideas, content, or meaning.
  • It is a critical part of visual literacy, a skill that helps people ready and critically interpret images (in a museum, social media, entertainment, advertising, or news)
  • Practicing visual analysis sharpens critical judgement skills and helps people seek out answers instead of passively receiving information.
How does Visual Analysis Work?
  • Phase 1: Observation
Observation means closely looking at and identifying the visual elements of the design, trying to describe them carefully and accurately in your words. Do not read beforehand about the design at all. This phase is all about looking, thinking, and finding good language to communicate what you notice.

Figure 1.0: Example of Good Observation


  • Phase 2: Analysis
Analysis requires you to think about your observations and try to make statements about the work on based on the evidence of your observations.

Think about how the specific visual elements that you've identified combine together to create a whole, and what effect that whole has on the viewer.

How your eye led through the work and why? Apply the design principles knowledge you have learnt throughout the weeks.

Figure 1.1: Example of Good Analysis



  • Phase 3: Interpretation
In this final phase, your observations, description and analysis of the work are fused with facts about the design work (in some cases the designer) and historical context that you find trustworthy published sources.

What is the meaning of the design, what was the purpose for it to be created?

Relate the art style to other  similar style. Do some research to link the poster style to a well-known art style due to your visual observation of both similarities. Show some examples to make your points stronger

Figure 1.2: Example of Good Interpretation



INSTRUCTIONS


Part 1: Visual Analysis

Select a design of your choice (poster/billboard/illustration/etc).
Conduct a visual analysis of the design in about 500 words.


Part 2: Design

Produce a work of design, in A4 or in A3 size, inspired/influenced by the design you have analysed, or as a reaction to it.
Write a 150-200 word rationale for your design.

PART 1: VISUAL ANALYSIS


Figure 2.0: "Things that have been taken for granted" by Aliya Chen (@chenalii), 03.24.2020

This painting is one of the three illustration series created by Aliya Chen. These are complete collection of "Things that have been taken for granted":

Figure 2.1: "Things that have been taken for granted" #1

Figure 2.2: "Things that have been taken for granted" #2

Figure 2.3: "Things that have been taken for granted" #3

- Observation

"Things that have been taken for granted" is an illustration created by Aliya Chen (@chenalii) who is currently working for Netflix Animation. The concept art is in a landscape format with 4K canvas size (4096 x 1714 px) so it has a strong cinematic vibe. This kind of illustration is often made for films and video games concept. 

The focal point of this art piece is the human figure who wears the purple and red robe, however, it's noticeable that the artist intends to show off the whole place and atmosphere that is dramatically created by the visual elements–the building, the eagles that surround the person and the sky. The image is not only depicting the place and the subject matters, but also the emotion of the place. 

As for the visual elements, the main colors observed are: blue, whiskey yellow, pale green, dark brown, with a little bit of red. The left side of the frame has cooler color while the right side is warmer. Overall, the color palette leans more towards the warmer spectrum. Resulting a dreamy, calm, and content mood that somehow brings up the feeling of longing. It also has a mythological quality shown on the colors and lightings that enhances the storytelling and the feeling of the viewers.

Figure 3.0: Color Palette

The illustration doesn't use any outlines. The artist tends to use soft brushes to create gradient and shadows while harder brush is used for the crisp edges and sculpting. Many parts are left unblended to create contrast. Many elements are motion blurred which make the whole illustration moving as if the image is taken from a paused movie scene. The cropping is also interesting because it made the whole image tilted which adds the effect of moving. Overall, the illustration is flowing, opulent, dramatic-looking, and tranquil.

- Analysis

The illustration's composition is asymmetrical balanced. The illustration is digitally hand-painted using a tablet. The focal point is on the human figure which is a little bit off-centered and is standing more to the right side of the frame. The figure's internal part of the robe has a red color that is contrast to the other elements, making it easily distinguished and emphasized.  The human figure's line work is slightly more rigid, but there's softness as well because there's no particular geometric lines.

Next, the eagles' wings make this artwork look even more special. They look very fluid and natural because the line work are soft. When it comes to composition, the flying eagles that are circling around the human figure create movement and flow of the illustration. Unity can also be seen from how all of the eagles are pointing at the human figure which is the main emphasis. The movement, flow and unity clarify the visual hierarchy which draws one's attention to the human figure, then up to the eagles from the right side to the left side of the frame (as seen in Figure ......). One's attention then ends up with the architectural elements that are noticeable in the background. 

Even though the building is not the focal point, but it fills up most of the space and enhances the sense of splendor and depth. From what I analyzed, the depth and illusion is created by the perspective that is used in this illustration. Other than that, the architectural building is the only element that has geometrical lines.

Figure 4.0: One-Point Perspective

A repetition of flying eagles which is found at the top of the frame are also indicating depths, because they fill both the foreground and background. As seen in Figure ...., the bird behind the human figure is smaller and the birds in front of the human are bigger, these show how distance and point of view affect the proportion. The proportion is harmonious because the elements have a correct relationship with each other and they respect to size and quantity.


- Interpretation

Aliya Chen is a very talented artist who is currently as Visual Development Artist in Netflix and is famous for creating perfectly captured moments in mid action, her style always drives a strong emotional response. Her soft style hides beautiful details in every corner. 

Here's what Aliya Chen said about her current job as Visual Development Artist in Netflix: "What makes the visdev position so exciting is the sheer variety of assignments I’m given. In the beginning, I worked on moment paintings and style exploration. Later on, I designed sets, buildings, props, and patterns—I also had the opportunity to model some of my sets in 3D, which was an enjoyable challenge. I’m currently working on lighting keys, where I paint over renders and match the color and mood to our colorscript."

The work done by a visual development artist closely relates to a concept artist, but vis dev usually applies to animated movies and TV shows.Visual development artists create the mood, tone, and color palette of every piece for an animated movie. This can include environments, characters, clothing, props. The job is very demanding but also offers incredible freedom in actually designing an imaginary world from scratch. One special part of vis dev work is the color key or color script. This is a board of shots featuring moods and colors made to reflect the tone of the production.

Figure 5.0: Example of Color Keys

Concept art helps to convey the look, feel and mood of a design idea. It is used to capture and convey the overall design vision of a project before anything goes into production, versus trying to express everything in specific terms at the very beginning of design development.
Concept art is a visual representation that tells a story or conveys a certain look. It is commonly used in film and video games to convey a vision and set the tone for an entire game or movie. Concept art provides a strong reference point that helps align the creatives working on the project.
– Ryan Fitzgerald, CG Spectrum College of Digital Art & Animation
Now, let's talk about the design elements. The main figure in Aliya Chen's artwork looks like a human. The human's sex is not officially known, however, judging from the clothing style which looks like a female clothing from Ming Dynasty and also by looking at the other illustrations from the same series by Chen, it's safe to say that the figure is most likely a she and the character is inspired by the Chinese Dynasty female. Also, by analyzing the other 2 artwork from "Things that have been taken for granted" series, the figure with Chinese clothing looks like the female protagonist, while the other character is obviously a boy judging from his outfit and hair. There's a scene where the two characters meet under the tree. 

Figure 5.1, 5.2: Ming Dynasty Female Clothing

Aliya Chen never released the official written story for this series. However, she once said that her personal work were often inspired by anything from a recently-finished show or novel to a favorite song or the numerous disorganized boards that she kept on Pinterest. So until today, the real story is still a mystery. However, when we see how the illustrations come together, it's very possible that "Things that have been taken for granted" series is about a boy and a girl's friendship. The first illustration shows the boy with his tigers, the second illustration shows the girl with the eagles. While the third one shows both of them under the tree.

There are many possibilities of what this series really mean. One possibility is that it tells about how they both meet. They come from different places and background (judging from their clothes and individual scenes), and they eventually meet and bond under that tree. However, if we analyze the title: "Things that have been taken for granted." this may lead to a possible sad story. it might be about separation. It might be about how they fail to properly appreciate each other–their friendship. If that's the case, the first and second scene might be showing how they cope with the feeling of regret. And for the girl, she goes to somewhere peaceful, the architectural ruins. And there she could find peace and enjoy her resignation. The fact that she doesn't do anything to the eagles that are flying around her shows how she just wants to let everything go, and enjoy the loneliness. Or she wants to be free.

And when we analyze how Aliya Chen chooses the colors, she uses soft colors which tends to be light and bright. There's no signs of anger or hatred, it seems that she wants to create a peaceful and longing feeling. 


Similar art styles:

Figure 5.1: Conceptual Art Illustration By Sylvain Sarrailh, Game Concept

Figure 5.2: Conceptual Art Illustration By Wenjun Lin
PART 2: DESIGN

- Visual Research

For this project, I'm inspired by Aliya Chen to create a concept scenery illustration with a unique story. I wanted to create something out of this world and mythical, because that's the mainreason people create concept art in the first place. And my main goal is being able to create a strong mood only by relying to the visuals and colors and design elements, just like how Aliya Chen did.

While I was brainstorming for this project's ideas, I remembered an island in Papua which looks way more mythical compared to other islands on earth. The name is Raja Ampat. I found these pictures on the internet and I think the colors are absolutely breath taking. And those islands have very unique shapes.

I think Raja Ampat is still too underrated. That's why I want to use it as a reference so that I could show off something different from my home country through my artwork.

 
Figure 6.0: Raja Ampat Island, Papua

Figure 6.1: Raja Ampat Island, Papua

Here are some references for the ruins, characters, weapons, and monster that could be found in my final outcome:

  
Figure 6.2, 6.3: Ruins Reference

Figure 6.4: Papua Traditional Costume

Figure 6.5: Parang Salawaku, Traditional Weapon of Maluku

Figure 6.6: Kasuari Gelambir Tunggal (Casuarius unappendiculatus), Papuan Bird

- Idea Exploration

#1 Sketch
The first sketch I made shows a protagonist with cape who is standing on the rock as if he's the king of the world. The sea and the rock's shapes are inspired by the islands in Raja Ampat. I wasn't so sure with this sketch's story, but I liked the composition very much and I think the movement of the wind could give movement and flow to the whole composition.

Figure 7.0: Idea Exploration Sketch #1, 11.14.2021

#2 Sketch
The second sketch has more story to tell. I planned to emphasize the ocean power because Raja Ampat is famous for its beautiful corals and sea creatures. I want to emphasize the person swimming in the sea and I placed the rock the way they were to create framing.

Figure 7.1: Idea Exploration Sktech #2, 11.14.2021


On classtime, Dr. Charles asked me a very important question about my work: What story do you want to tell? And on that moment, I decided to link this work to its main inspiration, the Raja Ampat Island itself. 

  • What is Raja Ampat Regency?
The Raja Ampat Islands are an Indonesian archipelago off the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula in West Papua. Comprising hundreds of jungle-covered islands, Raja Ampat is known for its beaches and coral reefs rich with marine life. Ancient rock paintings and caves are on Misool Island, while the crimson bird of paradise lives on Waigeo Island. Batanta and Salawati are the archipelago’s other main islands.
Once upon a time, a husband and wife living in Teluk Kabui Kampung Wawiyai Kabui were going into the forest to look for food. They were forest encroachers. When they got to the bank of the River Waikeo, they saw 6 dragon eggs. They were hidden in a bag from which the man and woman retrieved them and took them home putting them away in storage. During the night, they heard whispers and after investigating where the whispers were coming from they were surprised to find that the eggs had hatched and brought forth 4 boys and a girl. One egg did not hatch. The clothes they wore indicated that they were descended from royalty. The children were named as follows:
  • The King of Waigeo was War
  • The King of Salawati was Betani
  • The King of Lilinta (Misool) was Dohar
  • The King of Waigama (Batanta) was Mohamad

The girl was named Pintolee and when she was found to be pregnant, her brothers placed her in a shell and sent her floating to Numfor Island. The egg that refused to hatch was named Kapatuai and turned into a stone. It was still treated as a King and was kept in a room that was special with guardians represented by 2 other stones. Year after year, Kapatuai is washed and that water is flushed and used in Baptism of Kawe. The stone is only seen when it is being washed.

The people of Raja Ampat are very respectful of the eggs and a house was put up by the Waikeo River as a home for them. It is now the object of worship for the people of that locality.

- Digitization

I used Adobe Color Wheels to find these color palettes. I wanted to maintain the blue and greenish ocean color. I added shades of yellow and brown for the sands and rocks.
Figure 8.0: Color Palette, 11.25.2021

I started sketching using ProCreate on my iPad.

  
Figure 8.1-8.3: Illustration Process, 11.25.2021

Progression Video (estimated hours spent: 12 hours):

Figure 8.4: Progression Video, 11.28.2021

- Design principles Application

Here are some design principles I tried to apply on my work:
  • Rule of Thirds: Can be seen in Figure 9.0
  • Layerings : Can be seen in Figure 9.1
  • Symbols : carvings on the ruins, they are drawings of the eggs, some kind of prophecy.
  • Movement : flying group of birds, and wind
  • Emphasis : The girl holding the traditional weapon. She wears a red clothing to create emphasis.
  • Asymmetrical Balance : If the frame is split into half, The elements are asymmetrically balanced.
  • Repetition : Repetition of green islands on the sea can be found
  • Contrast : can be seen on the color selection for the sand, sea, and rocks.
Figure 9.0: Rule of Thirds

Figure 9.1: Layerings

  
Figure 9.2, 9.3: Symbols

Figure 9.4: Movement

Figure 9.6: Asymmetrycal Balance

Figure 9.7: Repetition

- Animation

I managed to re-imagine the drawing by augmenting it with spatial strokes, 3D navigation, and animations using Mental Canvas. The animated outcome can be seen by clicking this youtube link: 

  
Figure 10.0: Animating on Mental Canvas, 11.28.2021

- Final Outcome

Figure 11.0: Final Outcome in JPG, "The Myth of Raja Ampat", 11.28.2021

Figure 11.1: Final Outcome in PDF, "The Myth of Raja Ampat", 11.28.2021

Figure 11.2: Final Outcome in Animation, "The Myth of Raja Ampat", 11.28.2021

  • Title: The Myth of Raja Ampat
  • Description: 
"The Myth of Raja Ampat" is a visual product of how I picture the legend that has been told from generation to generation in Papua. I want to make it like a conceptual environment design, or a design for a movie/game scene. Because it's pretty seldom to find a modern illustration inspired by Indonesian traditional culture, especially from Papua island. The main idea of creating this is to make a place or a situation even more dramatic and magical, bringing an imaginary utopia to life.

I applied design principles I've learned throughout this semester to create this artwork. And for the colors, they are combination of green, light blue and brown, inspired by the atmosphere in Raja Ampat itself. With all of those things combined, I'm trying to bring the feeling of bravery, heroicness and at the same time amazement from this scene. It's sort of like the introduction of the second protagonist in a movie (the mysterious girl holding a weapon). And here's the story behind this illustration:

According to the legend, Raja Ampat is the island of kings, and it all started with the 6 dragon eggs that were found by the locals. In this artwork, I visualize how the myth occurs in the form of conceptual             illustration art. The setting takes place in the Papuan beach where there are 6 small rock island which turns out to be 6 hatching eggs. Waikeo, who is searching for food in the forest near the beach heard a sudden huge crack. The local Papuan boy then rushed to the source of that mysterious sound and found something so surreal he could never believe his own eyes. A scary-looking gigantic yellow eye is staring at him from the hatched island. Waikeo froze, he just realized that turns out he lives in an island full of dragons all along! Just before the dragon manages to chase him, a Malukuan girl appears out of nowhere and she is ready to fight the dragon without hesitation using her magic weapon, Parang Salawaku. Little did they know that the other 5 eggs are hatching as well. And it is the legendary beginning of how the island meets its rulers. Later, the 5 dragon eggs brought 4 boys and a girl. One egg did not hatch. The clothes they wore indicated that they were descended from royalty. And the 4 boys become kings. And that's how the island is named Raja Ampat, meaning: The Four Kings:
  1. The King of Waigeo was War
  2. The King of Salawati was Betani
  3. The King of Lilinta (Misool) was Dohar
  4. The King of Waigama (Batanta) was Mohamad


FEEDBACK

WEEK 13:

Specific Feedback
Dr. Charles said that I don't have to categorize the visual analysis to a specific art movement. He explained to me that I just have to understand why these concept work/illustrations are made? Why are they existing? Why people use this art style to portray what they're portraying? 

He suggested to explain the times when people make this kind of art. He said that this kind of art is made because people want to see a lot more than they can see today, creating something bigger than them. Creating a place where everything is possible. So, the important question is: What is being envisioned by the artist when she created this artwork? What are these eagles?

Dr. Charles said my second sketch seems to tell more story. He told me not to add elements because I want to add elements, but add elements if they are really needed for the storytelling. 

He also asked me: What story do you want to tell? This really made me rethink about the whole elements and concept. I was inspired to relate the concept art to the real legend of Pulau Raja Ampat.

Lastly, he said that I can call this art work 'concept art' as long as I can explain why. Don't be afraid to coin the terminology, but add some references and quotes to validate my explanations.

WEEK 14:
General Feedback
Dr. Charles said to everyone to never take other artists' work apple to apple. Using other artists' work as a template is considered as plagiarism. Always create a valid original work. So look back at your work and reassess it. 


REFLECTION

Experience
I had so much fun doing this project, I think it's very interesting because I could do an art genre that I never did before. I think I really pushed myself to do this artwork and I'm very proud of how it turns out. And I'm also very glad to be able to analyze my favorite artist's work deeper and noticing things I never would notice if it's not for this project.

Observations
I've never done an environmental concept art before, this is my first time. Because actually, i'm more comfortable illustrating humans, so illustrating scenery that has rocks, oceans, and islands as the main elements are very challenging. However, I realized that as long as I have a good reference, I could create whatever I want. Learning to find suitable references turns out to be super important in designing.  I also observed that successful artists always have their own style. In the design industry, uniqueness is priceless, because that would be the reason why people choose your design over the others. And I realized that this project really made me rethink of what my style is. All this time I have not been serious enough to strengthen my own style, and it's time to clarify my identity in art.

Findings
I found that analyzing other artist's work can give so many insights and new tricks. Undertsanding the composition, proportions, perspectives, colors, etc. really deepens my knowledge of the design principles. I found that to be a better artist, we need to do more research on other people's work. I could not agree more with what Dr. Charles & Mr. Martin quoted, "good artists borrow, great artists steal."



REFERENCES & FURTHER READING

Exercise 1 : Elements, Principles of Design, Contrast, Gestalt Theory
Exercise 2 : Balance, Emphasis, Repetition, Movement
Exercise 3 : Harmony, Unity, Symbol, Word & Image
Project 1 : Self-Portrait
Project 2 : Sense of Place
Project 3 : Visual Analysis

Comments

Post a Comment