Illustration & Visual Narrative / Task 1

8.26.2021 ~ 9.16.2021 (Week 1 - Week 4)

Seojeong Kim / 0350085

Illustration & Visual Narrative

Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Taylor’s University

Task 1: Exercises

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Lecture

Week 1: Introduction

Today was our first class with Miss Noranis Ismail and Miss Jennifer. Miss Noranis started the class with an introduction to the module. What will we do in the future and what will we learn! Miss Noranis gave us our first workout, the Vormator Challenge. Students will use a limited set of shapes to create unique and imaginative characters. Also this character will be complete as a trading card game. This week we only had to sketch the our Vormator character. I thought it would be a very enjoyable practice just by listening. 

Note: Task 1: Vormator Challenge (Character Design and Making Playing Cards )

Task 2: Movie Scene Minimalist Poster (Animating Poster)

Task 3: Webtoon (Theme: Horror Story)

Final Task: Animated Comic (Duration: Less than 3 minutes)

Week 2: Introduction to Character Design

Miss Noranis asked the students what our favorite characters are? My favorite character, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't pick one. However, after thinking about it, I think I like "Alphonse Elric" by "Fullmetal Alchemist" the most. The reason seems to be that I admired his strong and pure heart. His heart was really straight and strong. 

Also, today we learned about the principles of character design. First of all, the characters we are creating must be appeal to people, and it is profitable to make them stylish and symbolic.

Principles of Character Design: 

1. Shapes

The shape defines the silhouette of the character. It's about setting the character's iconic shape and making it attractive.

2. Colour

Color is useful for expressing character's emotions, feeling, and characteristic.

3. Emphasis and Contrast

Adding a Emphasis and Contrast, makes the character look more attractive. Sometimes cultural element add it to design, making it uniquely authentic.

4. Harmony

All shapes, lines, colors and patterns must be combined in a common and harmonious way. We have to think about the first visual element people will see in your design. When creating a character, what things must be in common so that people can feel comfortable and attractive when they see it.

5. Expressions and Poses

Expressions and Poses are important is because we have to show visually is necessary. Action, whimsy and personality are the most important things a character has.

After that, Miss Noranis and Miss Jennifer Teh looked at the students' sketches and gave feedback. Of course, they also gave feedback on my character. My character had good content and story, but my character was too big and a little complicated. So they gave feedback that it would be good to fix them. And finally, I learned how to design a character in Illustrator Adobe.

Week 3: Composition

1. Types of Shots and Composition

2. A Balanced Distribution of Positive / Negative Spaces

3. The Rule of Thirds

4. Background, Mid ground, and Foreground

5. Create Environment Art

6. Contrast

7. Detail

8. Symmetry / Asymmetry

Week 4:  Composition 2 / Perspectives

Perspective in art usually refers to the representation of three-dimensional objects or spaces in two dimensional artworks. the position from which an individual or group of people see and respond to, the world around them. 

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Instruction

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Exercise 1: Vormator Challenge

Google Drive Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-efVOlU8FFqaLq0qq0LKV-7jyym-dX7_

- Idea exploration with brief descriptions

Sketches: 

Final outcome: 

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Exercise 2: Game Card Design

- Idea exploration with brief descriptions

Final outcome: 

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Feedback:

Week 2:

- General Feedback: Make my own character with good idea, and start practicing Adobe Illustrator. 

- Specific Feedback: Miss Noranis said, my character had great content and story, but my character was too large and a little complicated. I put too much details that I do not need to. So she gave feedback that it would be good to fix them.

Week 3:

Week 4:

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Reflection:

- Experience: At first, the classes were a bit difficult because I had hardly ever used Adobe Illustrator. But always at the end of the class, Miss Jennifer gave a very detailed explanation of how to use Adobe Illustrator, which was a very good class. I was very proud and happy to see my character being completed with Adobe Illustrator. Seeing that the character I imagined was completed in such a cool form, I realized that there was a reason why I practiced.

- Observations: Adobe Illustrator has always been something I need in my class, so I thought I should get it done quickly. Next, I realized that it was very important to watch the other characters carefully to learn these designs.

- Findings: I really learned a lot from this section, the teachers' progress in the class was really enjoyable and not boring. This is the first time I've done a character design with such a high degree of perfection, and this will definitely help me a lot. I learned a little bit about Adobe Illustrator, a little more imagination, and a little more about how to design a character. It was a really useful and enjoyable class.