IVN: Task 1 / Vormator Challenge & Vector Illustration

28/3/2022 - 30/4/2022 (Week 1 - Week 5)

SongYang / 0355576

Illustration & Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

Topics: Lecture 2: Character Design Basics, Lecture 3: Chiaroscuro, Lecture 4: Visual Composition, Lecture 5: Composition Theory - Foreground, Middle ground and Background.

LECTURES:

Week 2: Character Design Basics
Stylised Design

1) Iconic: Can immediately recognise them even in black silhouettes.

2) Simplicity: Allows viewers to digest and understand the purpose of the characters easily.

3) Unique: Not only memorable, but makes an impact on viewers.

Principles of Character Design

1) Shapes

Design a character's silhouette
Used to identify a character from one another
Explore the possibilities of combining different interesting shapes for your design
Add weight to personality, use character's persona as basis of the shapes of your design

2) Colours

Establish basic roles of characters
Determine and separate basic characteristics of heroes, villains and background characters
Colour psychology- give impressions of different emotions and easily relatable by viewers

3) Emphasis, contrast

Exaggerate to memorate
Making the design stand out using contrasting colours and shapes

4) Harmony

Compliment each other
Shapes, lines, colours, motifs, patterns must be put together in a tasteful manner
Visual hierarchy
Reflect with narrative of the characters

5) Expressions, poses

Expressive, emotive characters win the audience
Clear visualisations of character's behaviours, quirks, personalities make it easier to appeal viewers.

Week 3: Chiaroscuro

1) What is chiaroscuro

The use of light and dark to create the illusion of three-dimensional volume on a flat surface.
An Italian term which means "light-dark".
In paintings, the technique refers to clear tonal contrast (used by Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio).

2) Purpose of chiaroscuro

To increase the scene's dramatic tension by exaggerating the subject's importance using colour or light contrast.

3) Application of chiaroscuro

For visual artworks such as comic, film and digital works.
Focus point or subject of a scene is brightly coloured or contrasted with a dark background.

4) Different uses of lighting in chiaroscuro

Low-key lighting: accentuates the contours of the subject by throwing areas into shade, while a fill light illuminates shadow areas to control contrast.
To create emotional scenes
To create impactful scenes

5) Use of chiaroscuro in visual narrative

An excellent lighting choice to differentiate positive vs negative spaces.
Positive space: the subject matter or object of interest in a visual.
Negative space: the filled space or background that surround subject matter or object of interest in visual.

6) Why chiaroscuro should be implemented in visual narrative

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: establish visual hierarchy, the main point of the scene.
Make tasteful composition: the play on negative vs positive spaces creates attractive scenes.

Week 4: Composition Theory 1- Visual Types and Shots

Introduction to composition

The arrangement of the elements in your visual.

The answer to arranging your visuals effectively is to arrange them in a way that it brings out meaning.

Composed shots should consciously be arranged so that the focus of the scene stands out even in the subtlest manner.

Basic composition visual rules

1) Visual Narrative

Composition should complement your subject focus and reflect the narrative.
Think of the look and feel of the scene and try to get their emotions on the same page.

2) Visual Flow

Composition determines the path of a viewer's eye through the visual.

3) Visual Balance

It can be difficult to know the exact path a viewer's eye is going to take but you can nudge things one way or another.

4) Visual Hierarchy

The way you visualise and focus your subject matters can have huge effects on the composition the artists make. (can even affect course of history).

Different types of shots

1) Establishing

Wide shots that are used to establish not just the setting, but to portray spectacle and give audiences the chance to take in the beauty of a location, while still getting enough information to process what is going on.

2) Bird's Eyeview

Overhead shots, where the POV is placed directly above the subject. Somewhere around a 90-degree angle above the scene taking place.

3) Frame within a frame

Can fracture screen space, add depth and create visual interest in your cinematic compositions. Can emphasise and highlight the underlying meanings within the story and break down information in the frame for maximum impact.

4) Medium shot

Also called a three-quarters shot. One of the standard camera angles used to drama a character, it's the shot in-between a close-up and a long shot.

5) Close-up

An intimate moment, a look into a character's mind. It allows us to 'catch' emotions and make us invested in the characters' well-being. These type of shots emphasise emotions and thoughts within a grander context.

6) Worm's eyeview

A POV where the camera is being placed at a low angle and is pointing towards the top. It is almost like the view from a worm's perspective, opposite of a bird's eyeview.

Week 5: Composition Theory 3- Fore, Mid and Background

Composition

Composition refers to how your image is put together. If used in the right way, it can take your art to the next level and make a piece really grab your audience's attention.

When composing a scene, creating an effective sense of the space is very important.

1) Foreground: Nearest to the viewer

Using size differences and colour contrast to highlight foreground as main focus

2) Middle-ground: In between foreground and background

Using size differences and light/shadow contrast to highlight the main focus

3) Background: Furthest away from the viewer

Using shapes and light/shadow contrast to highlight the main focus

Design Flow

Good arrangement of visual focus using foreground, middle-ground and background should indicate a sense of movement, and rhythm in your design

What is Design Flow?

The way your eye moves or is led around a composition
A design with good flow will lead the viewers' eye throughout the layout, moving from element to element with ease.
Able to influence the way the viewer will digest your content. (Important in interface and information design types where you need to combine type, line, contrast, colour and imageries).

Week 2: Character Design Basics

Lecture Report 1: Visual study

1. For your study, find one animated cartoon / anime character.

2. Write a short report (min. 300 words) about how the character design elements works in relation to their personality and story in the media.

3. You can re-use back the points identified in this slides to help you write your report.

4. Post your report into your blog as your weekly entry.

Fig. 1.1 Mascots from the Beijing Winter Olympics

Shape, color, emphasis and contrast, harmony and expression are principles of character design. My character research report selected bing Dwen Dwen, the mascot of the just-concluded Beijing Winter Olympics. Because bingdwen Dwen's original shape is panda, so the color match selected panda's original fur color, black and white. And a circle of colorful thin lines around the face is the color of the Olympic rings, representing the Olympic Games. From the perspective of color psychology, different colors will give people different emotional impression. The large black and white color combination gives people a calm and grand feeling, which accords with the characteristics of the Winter Olympic Mascots.A good work makes the design stand out by using visual elements that emphasize and contrast. The work uses large areas of white and black near Bing Dwen dwen's ears, arms and legs to show a strong cool tone, in line with the winter theme of the Olympics. At the same time more prominent palm red heart, for the mascot to add some lovely. The principle of harmony is that each design element compliments the other. Shapes, lines and patterns are combined in an elegant way.The main image of Bing Dwen Dwen is cute and not aggressive, so all the lines of the work are displayed in curves. Again with some lovely elements, such as curved corners of the mouth, the heart of the palm, the overall picture will be very harmonious.The last principle is expression and posture. Bing Dwen dwen's facial expression, whether smiling or laughing, is an expression of joy, because Bing Dwen Dwen is the Special design of the Olympic mascots. As a mascot, it needs to welcome many countries from all over the world to Beijing for the Olympic Games. If the expression is sad or angry, it is obviously unreasonable. There are many different poses in different situations, such as skating on skates or snowboarding.However, the official pose and most of the ice blocks are smiling and waving, which has a lot to do with the ice blocks mentioned above. Bing Dwen Dwen welcomes athletes from all over the world to the Olympic Games as the host country, so most of the time, Bing Dwen Dwen is smiling and waving, fulfilling his role as the mascot.

Week 3: Chiaroscuro

Lecture Report 2: Visual study

1. Read the web article as attached.

2. For your study, pick ONE scene from any screen media (Movie, drama series, animation) that utilises chiaroscuro lighting- style that emphasies shadow and light.

3. Write a short report (min 500 words) about how the lighting in the movie impacted and accentuate the importance of the particular scene in the narrative.

I chose scenes from director Bertolucci's The Last Emperor to analyze the importance of lighting to emphasize and influence specific scenes in the narrative.

Fig 1.2 From Zhihu app

In order to vividly present puyi's realistic situation and psychological state, when Puyi appeared almost all with side light, back light or side light, his face is often divided into two sides of the light and shade, this is to suggest that Puyi is bound, not free state, as well as his inner shadow.

Fig 1.3 From Zhihu app

When he left the Forbidden City in 1924, Puyi did not use the side light for the first time, but with the light echoing his joy out of the Forbidden City.

Fig 1.4 From Zhihu app

However, in Tianjin and Manchuria, his face was surrounded by side light, indicating that he was once again immersed in the shadow of the outside and inner. At the war criminals' office, he was never far from the shadows.

Fig 1.5 From Zhihu app

When Pu Yi returned to the dry Qing Palace in his later years, the film still used a side backlight to show pu Yi looking up at the dragon chair. This light is more like a summary of Puyi's life. There was only so much light in his life, and the rest was all shadows, shadows from the order of reality and the situation of history, and the desires of his heart.

Fig 1.6 From Zhihu app

It was not until Puyi chatted with the son of a palace guard that his face failed to use a side light. Because in the end of life, that is not honor and disgrace are not important, this time puyi is just an ordinary old man in dialogue with a child, his life has regained clarity, so the director here with the light.

Week 4: Visual Types and Shots

Lecture Report 3: Visual Study

1. Using your phone camera, take pictures that depict the six different types of composition explained in this lecture.

2. Upload these pictures into your blog.

Different Type of Shots

1. Establishing

Wide shots to establish the setting, portray spectacle
Give audience to take in the splendor and grandeur of a location
Give them enough information to process

2. Bird's Eye View

Known as overhead shots
When the POV (point of view) placed directly above the subject
Around 90 degree angle above the scene taking place

3. Frame within a Frame

Well composed frame within a frame can fracture screen space, add depth
Create visual interest in cinematic compositions

4. Medium Shot

3 quarters shot
Around the head to torso
Show what they are doing

5. Close-up Shot

Take a look into a character’s mind
Catch emotions and add interest and invest into the character’s well being

6. Worm's Eye View

Intimate moment, look into a character’s mind
Causes us to catch emotions so as the rest of the scene plays out, we are invested in the character
Emphasise emotions and thoughts with a grander context

Fig 1.7 Establishing Shot

Fig 1.8 Bird's Eye View

Fig 1.9 Frame within a Frame

Fig 1.10 Medium Shot

Fig 1.11 Close-up Shot

Fig 1.12 Worm's Eye View

Week 5: Fore, Middle and Background

Lecture Report 3: Visual Study

1. From any video, screen capture scenes that portray foreground, middle-ground and background in the story.

2. Outline areas in the scenes for each grounds.

3. Upload these pictures into your blog.

4. Explain what design principles applied for each visual and how it affect the narratives.

the foreground

Fig 1.13 (the bad guys)

the middle-ground

Fig 1.14 (the bad guys)

the furthest view of the background

Fig 1.15 (the bad guys)

Chiaroscuro exercise part 1

Fig 1.16 pear chiaoscuro exercise 1

Fig 1.17 pear chiaoscuro exercise 2

Chiaroscuro exercise part 2

Fig 1.18 Chiaroscuro people

Task 1- Exercise 1: The Vormator Challenge

This task requires us to create our own unique character by using a set of given shapes. There's also a list of rules that we have to respect. Some of them are:

We don't have the right to alter the original shapes.

We cannot use strokes.

We are allowed to rotate, flip, duplicate, group, subtract and add the set of shapes provided.

Fig 2.1Vormator Challenge Elements

Fig 2.2 Sketches for my character

Fig 2.3 My design line draft

Fig 2.4 Final Vormator Character- Aquarain

Fig 2.5 Final Outcome

FEEDBACKS

More time should be devoted to the work, and more efforts should be made to learn how to use Abode Illustrator and its tools.

REFLECTIONS

I need to work harder on the AI and get good at its tools. Try making more difficult character designs.

SONGYANG

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