Illustration & Visual Narrative/ Task 2: Decisive Moment

 

29.04.2022 - 27.05.2022 [Week 5 - Week 9] 

Janaan Ahmed (0353333) / B'Des Creative Media

Illustration & Visual Narrative

Task 2: Decisive Moment

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Lectures 

Week 5 

Composition Theory 2: Fore, middle & background

INTRO

Your compositional choices can create different levels of impact that add varying narrative aspects to your piece.

Creating an effective sense of space is important when composing a scene. Including different types of planes easily help communicate a sense of scale to the viewer:

Fig 1.1: screencap from lecture slide

The following examples from Adventure Time each highlights one of the 3 planes as the main focus using different techniques:

1. Foreground

Fig 1.2: screencap from lecture slide

Size differences and colour contrast used to highlight main focus.

2. Middle-ground

Fig 1.3: screencap from lecture slide

Size differences and light/shadow contrast used to highlight main focus.

3. Background

Fig 1.4: screencap from lecture slide

Size differences and light/shadow contrast used to highlight main focus.

DESIGN FLOW

Good arrangement of visual focus (using the 3 planes) which indicates a sense of movement and rhythm creates design flow.

Fig 1.5: Screencap from Turning Red (Disney, 2021)

Having good design flow helps lead the viewer's eyes  throughout the composition from one element to another with ease.

Visuals should be able to influence the way the viewer will digest your content (especially important in UI and information design).

 

Fig 1.6: Screencap from lecture slide

THE SOLOISTS (GOBELINS 2021)

We watched this animated short to study how the use of fore, middle, and background were combined to create a sense of flow within the animation. I was squealing inside since I've always adored GOBELINS animations hehe.

Lecture Report 4

Fig 1.7: Instructions

GOLDEN HOUR (GOBELINS 2021)

One of my favourite GOBELINS animated short films which I also think has an incredible colour script. (Watch it here).

1. Foreground

Fig 1.8: Film Director gauging the scene

Fig 1.9: mapping the fore, mid, and background

Contrast and emphasis are the main principles used to highlight the main focus of the scene. 

The film director's colour scheme and placement in the centre of the frame helps establish visual hierarchy quite clearly. In this scene, he stands his ground to estimate the remaining daylight hours before sunset to best capture his visionary shot (at the disapproval of the sponsor and dismay of the crew). The composition captures his optimism and reflects his unyielding, artistic ambition. 

2. Middle-ground

Fig 1.10: Allie talking to the cast in the dressing room

Fig 1.11: mapping the fore, mid, and background

The principles that highlight the main focus (Allie, the main character in the middle-ground) are colour/value contrast, emphasis, and rhythm/movement. 

Allie's dark clothing is a stark contrast compared to the rest of the elements in the scene that blend in the with background. This helps establish her as the main focal point. There is also great sense of design flow in this scene that is created by the framing and use of the golden ratio. We see that all the elements in the composition effortlessly point towards Allie and her reaction to the uncooperative cast badmouthing the missing Jeremy. The dressing lights also create a repetitive pattern that points towards a worried Allie.

3. Background

Fig 1.12: Finding Jeremy (frog suit)

Fig 1.13: mapping the fore, mid, and background

Colour and light/shadow contrast as well as size differences help establish the background as the main focal point. 

After relentless searching, Allie finally finds Jeremy in what appears to be a deserted storage room. Emphasis is created on the door at the back from the point of view of a very dejected-looking Jeremy. The use of the bright saturated lighting is quite integral to denote the time of day and remaining hours of sunlight (the main premise of the film). It helps the audience feel a sense of urgency and have a gauge on the passing minutes before the (literal) golden frame for the perfect shot. The dull green inside also helps convey the abandoned and somber nature of the storage and Jeremy's feelings.

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Practical

CREATING CLIPPING MASKS & TEXTURES

We first import the provided chiaroscuro image into Illustrator.

Fig 2.1: Reference Image

We then mask out the character parts of the image that will not be used for this exercise by first drawing a rectangle. The image is then converted into a template and opacity lowered to allow for tracing.

Fig 2.2: Making the clipping mask

On a new layer, we trace over Vin Diesel's silhouette using the pen tool. We started from the centre of the head. The tracing is smoothened and streamlined using the curvature tool and direct selection tool.

Fig 2.3: Silhouette outline

Click [shift] X to switch to fill mode to view the completed silhouette. 

Fig 2.4: Filled silhouette

Lock the silhouette layer by pressing [cmd] 2 so that we can easily trace the shadows on a new path (in the same layer) without any interference.

Fig 2.5: Locking the silhouette path

When drawing strike a balance between sharp and curved lines.

Press [cmd] [option] 2 to unlock paths/objects. Then select both layers and use the pathfinder to divide. Go to outline view [cmd] y and delete any extra parts you observe.

Fig 2.6: Using the shape-builder tool to delete extra parts

Fig 2.7: Filled shadows

We then select an individual section without colour and then go to: Select > Same > Fill and Stroke. Change the fill colour and outline to white or a light grey. (I also changed the fill shadows into a dark blue).

Fig 2.8: Outline colour changed to match bg

To display the contrast better, we then change the background by drawing a rectangle below the character. Next, we make 2 duplicates of the artboard.

Fig 2.9: Artboard duplicates

The next step is to add texture to the shadows. Mr. Hafiz recommended downloading free textures from freepik. For this exercise we download textures that are dark in value. 

Before placing the texture, make sure to select the character and enter isolation mode. 

After placing the texture behind the character, you'll find that grouping the shadow paths together, selecting same > fill & stroke to create a clipping mask does not work. This is simply because Illustrator doesn't consider all the sublayers in a group to be a single path/ object. 

The solution around this is to simply convert them into to a single compound path.

How to create a compound path:

Fig 2.10: Selecting areas with the same fill & stroke

Fig 2.11: Making a compound path out of selection

We then send the texture layer to the back. Then we select both the compound path and the texture and make clipping mask.

Fig 2.12: Sending texture image to the back

Fig 2.12: Making a clipping mask

Simply repeat the process with the remaining 2 textures.

Outcome:

Fig 2.13: Outcome with 3 different textures

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Week 6 

Composition Theory 3: Perspective

BRIEF HISTORY

We watched a video about how perspective evolved throughout art history.

4 TYPES OF PERSPECTIVE

Images become smaller closer to the vanishing point.

The horizon line is essentially the ground level.

1. one-point

Lecture screencap

• most simple method of constructing perspective
• good for lots of details
• can also depict emotion, speed, etc

note: use fore, mid and background to create atmospheric perspective.

2. two-point

Lecture screencap

• has two vanishing points with two sets of perspective lines.
• objects drawn to both vanishing lines are placed in either side of the horizon line
• greater sense of space + dimension
• good for establishing dynamic scenes, size

note: you don't have to use only one type of perspective for your image. A combination of the  different types can make interesting illustrations.

3. three-point

Lecture screencap

• has 3 vanishing points- two on horizon, one on top or bottom of the y-axis.
• indicates height and greater size
• illustrates worm's eye-view or bird's eye-view
• the further the y-point to the horizon, the more dramatic the angle

4. isometric 

Lecture screencap

• not perspective per se because there are no vanishing points
• parallel lines are used
• often seen in games because perspective can be hard to maintain
• can give fantasy charm to the visual
• can help maintain detailing of design for individual elements
• allows clear presentation of 3 sides of design

Lecture Report 5

TEEN TITANS (2003)

1. one-point

S1E7 Screencap

perspective breakdown

2. two-point

S1E2 Screencap

perspective breakdown

3. three-point

S1E7 Screencap

perspective breakdown

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Practical

HOW TO COLOUR

tba

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Instructions

Task 2: Decisive Moment

Visual Research

SCREENCAPS FROM MOVIES

For this task, I wanted to take something from an animated movie. A couple of scenes from some of my favourites popped into mind:

1. Mulan 

I mean we can all agree that the haircut scene itself is pretty iconic, but there were also a couple other screencaps that drew my attention:

Fig 4.1: Haircut Sequence

The other obvious choice was of course from our favourite training compilation – specifically, the decisive moment where our best girl reaches the top of the pole:

Fig 4.2:Mulan's unwavering determination to not give up

2. Coraline

The scene that I chose was when the Other parents tell Coraline that she could stay for eternity on the condition that she sew buttons in her eyes. 

Fig 4.3: Screencaps from the chosen scene 

MINIMALIST POSTER INSPIRATION

I noticed a lot of Gestalt within the minimalistic posters that I thought would be interesting to implement in my own work as well. 

Fig 4.4: Poster by @annaescapicua

Fig 4.5: Poster by @adamrabalais

Fig 4.6: Poster by @imamong

Fig 4.7: Poster (by ? source)

Fig 4.8: Poster (credit unsure)

QUOTES FROM THE MOVIE

Some quotes that stuck out to me from the scene in question to be used in the poster:

1. "For our little doll."
2. "so sharp you won't feel a thing."
3. "Soon you'll see things our way."

Sketches

ROUGH SKETCHES

I first got my ideas down on a rough piece of paper and explored a few compositions.

Fig 4.9: Rough Sketches

COLOUR SKETCHES

I then made some digital colour sketches on Clip Studio Paint (my go-to drawing software).

Fig 4.10: Colour Sketches

Choosing a colour scheme was not so hard since I already had a pinkish neon one in mind. This was inspired by the scene where the Other Mother reveals her true form to Coraline.

Fig 4.11: Screencap from Coraline

The sketches I liked best are shown below. Ultimately though I chose the one on the right since I liked the compositional flow of it. 

Fig 4.12: Finalised 2 compositions

Digitisation (Illustrator)

LMy initial attempts involved trying to directly draw the shapes without using my sketch as a template. 

Fig 4.13: Initial Attempt

That however didn't work out so well, so I made a template layer of my sketch to make tracing easier. I also placed a screencap over the sketch so that tracing Coraline was easier. 

Fig 4.14: Template layers

I used the eyedropper to get the exact colours on my sketch to be on the final design. 

Fig 4.15: Progress with shape and colour

After getting the solid shapes of the composition down, I proceeded to add the text. I downloaded a PNG file of the movie logo and imported it into Photoshop to make some changes. I changed everything except the button into blue. 

Fig 4.16: Customising logo colours on Photoshop

After importing the image back to Illustrator, I also used the type on a path tool to for the tagline. 

Fig 4.17: Progress with text

I then began to add reflective details to the button eye using the shape builder tool. 

Fig 4.18: Using the shape builder tool to create new shapes

Fig 4.19: Adding colour to newly made shape

The next step was to add some texture so the poster didn't look so flat. I used the gradient tool, transparency layer and clipping mask on the hair to get the desired effect. I then added a stippling texture. 

Fig 4.20: Adjusting direction of gradient 

Fig 4.21: Clipping mask with colour over hair 

The I repeated the same steps on some other parts of the illustration. 

Fig 4.22: Adding grain texture to shadow on finger

Fig 4.23: Grain texture for shadow

Everything was coming together, however feeling like the typeface didn't match the overall theme, I changed it to a more fantasy, storybook type.

Fig 4.24: Changing the type to match the theme

Fig 4.25: Adding director info

For the finishing touches, I created a multiply layer pull all of Coraline's colours into a cohesive whole so it looked more like her reflection.

Fig 4.26: Setting a multiply layer mode

I also added a reflective sheen over it to further push the surface quality of the button. 

Fig 4.27: Using soft light layer mode for the reflective sheen

Animating GIF

FRAME BY FRAME (ILLUSTRATOR)

My idea for the GIF was to animate the Other Mother's finger tapping the button eye to foreshadow her sinister intentions. I also plan to animate the reflective sheen to push the narrative more. 

Fig 4.28: Frame Sequence of reflective sheen

Fig 4.29: All frames

After the frames were done, I saved them as JPEGs. 

IMPORTING TO TIMELINE (PHOTOSHOP)

I used the technique I learned from a task in Typography since I felt more comfortable with the familiarity.

Fig 4.30: Going to File>Scripts>Load File Into Stack

Fig 4.31: Creating Frame Animation

Fig 4.32: Duplicating Frames and changing the visibility of each layer/frame 

Fig 4.33: Adjusting the timing of each frame

Final Outcome

Final Outcome in JPEG

Final Outcome in PDF

Final Outcome GIF

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Reflection

EXPERIENCE

Coraline is one of my favourite movies ever so this task was extremely enjoyable to me. I did run into some trouble exporting the final GIF and felt really helpless thinking it was a problem with my computer. However I got lucky this time since it turned out that the exported frames were just too large. Saving them at 72 dpi resolution on Illustrator did the trick.  

OBSERVATION

I found it hard to commit myself to a single idea and felt the urge to come up with a million compositions. I felt that something better could come out than what I already had so dealt with a lot of discomfort working on it. I also found myself getting stuck on the details a lot (ironic seeing as how the poster is meant to be minimalistic). 

FINDINGS

I had to constantly reassure myself that it is alright and only human to not create work that's always a 100% up to one's standards. My perfectionist tendencies sometimes get the best of me so I have to remind myself to be realistic in the expectations that I set for myself. At the end of the day, seeing through an idea and getting it done felt quite accomplishing though it might not be the 'best ever' idea to have come out from the brainstorming session.

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References

texture 1: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/dark-black-texture-background_5505938.htm#query=texture%20background&position=48&from_view=search

texture 2: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/blue-paint-wall-background-texture_2761065.htm#page=3&query=texture&position=4&from_view=search

texture 3: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/black-glitch-effect-texture-background_15550679.htm#page=2&query=dark%20texture&position=4&from_view=search