Abigail Kartika Darmowinoto / 0350525 / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Illustration and Visual Narrative / Taylor's University
Task 1: Vormator Challenge
LIST
LECTURES
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L E C T U R E
Week 1: Subject Outline and Expectations
On the first week, we were introduced to our lecturers, they are Ms. Norannis and Ms. Jennifer. In the first hour of the section, we were explained our module for the whole semester. It was a lot, especially the project for our last assignment. I feel very anxious, as I'm not great in making unique concepts. My anxiety rises as Ms. Norannis told us the theme for our Webtoon assignment is about horror, because I'm really a hororphobic person. But to be honest, I feel very excited to do some illustration and story making.
The next thing we were briefed was our first exercise project. It was to make a vormator challenge. I thought it was pretty fun and challenging because the shapes are limited to this eight shapes:
fig 1, The Vormator Shapes, source: lecture video
Week 2: Character Design
Ms. Noranis asked us what's our favourite character, and why is that. She explained that by designing a character, we have to put some characteristic and uniqueness that can be recognisable in others' eyes. Ms. Noranis said that the most important in designing character are it should be iconic, created easily, and profitable.
Then, Ms. Noranis explained us that character design does have some principles too, such as; shapes, colour, emphasis & contrast, harmony, expression/poses.
1. Shapes
- The first thing to decide in making character is making the shadow / silhouette.
- A character should have a catchy shape, it can be made from circle, triangle, rectangle, or combination.
fig. 2, Aladdin's Character Shapes, source; lecture
2. Colour
- The colour make an impression to the character.
- Colour give certain quality, check colour psychology
- If we want to create colour combination, we should decide a good colour palette by following the colour combination theory.
fig. 3, Type of Colour Combination, source; lecture
3. Emphasis and Contrast
- One visual element, then exaggerate it.
- Cultural elements can make the design more authentic.
Hades in Disney's Hercules is the villain. By using the firey hair and long chin make him look evil.
4. Harmony
- Shapes, lines, colour, motifs, patterns that have been put together in a tasteful manner.
- A balance of visual elements that have visual hierarchy.
- VERY important for non humanoid character.
5. Expression and Posses
- To show the character's personality, behaviour visually.
After that, we were given some feedbacks for our sketches. Fortunately, Ms. Noranis and Ms. Jennifer quite like my sketches, which makes me grow a little bit more confidence :D. After that, Ms. Jennifer demonstrated us how to use the Adobe Illustration for digitalising our Vormator character design. I was really excited yet nervous since I never use this software.
Week 3: Composition 1
In the third week of the class, Ms. Noranis gave us a question that require us to think. "Why do some pictures / visuals in Instagram look so iconic and eye-catching?" Then Ms. Noranis explained that because of some design use a good combination of design principles like hierarchy, contrast, balance, etc. This good combination is called "composition."
There are 6 types of shots / compositions, which we can usually find in movie / film.
fig 7, Type of Shots, source: lecture video
Proceeding to next, Ms. Anis told us about the negative and positive spaces. To make a good composition, it's important to see the value of positive and negative space. A good composition has a balanced space. Then, we were tested to identify the Positive and negative spaces. Ms. Anis also give us a note that, there're no wrong composition, it's either bad or tasteful! That's why we need to study and practice more.
fig 8, Positive and Negative Spaces (BnW), source: lecture video
fig 9, Positive and Negative Spaces (Movie), source: lecture video
fig 10, Positive and Negative Spaces (Movie BnW), source: lecture video
WEEK 4: Composition 2 (Perspective)
Today is a holiday, and Ms. Noranis asked us to watch a lecture video. Ms. Noranis introduced us to an old paintings which has no perspective, so there're no depth in it.
fig 11, Old Painting, source: lecture video
Until... A guy named Filipo produced the first known picture using linear perspective. Then, lots of picture started to use perspective, e.g., "The Last Supper" - Da Vinci, "The School of Athens" - Raphael.
fig 12, Filipo, source: lecture video
So, what's a perspective? Perspective is an illusion to create depth, making a 2D surface looks like an 3D optical illusion. There are some types of perspective:
- 1 point
- 2 point
- 3 point
- 4-5 point (known as fisheye)
How to tell? We can simply just see the vanishing point. Examples:
fig 13, 1 Point Perspective, source: lecture video
fig 14, 2 Point Perspective, source: lecture video
fig 15, Fisheye Perspective, source: lecture video
WEEK 5 Lecture can be found
here.
P R A C T I C A L
Week 2:Ms. Jennifer started the demo by introducing us about Adobe Illustrator. We were taught about the toolbar and some basic tools in Adobe Illustration. Then, Ms. Jennifer then taught us how to use the pen tool to trace the vormator tool. Ms. Jennifer told us to put the shapes together (without combining them).
fig 16, Vormator Shape Tracing, source: lecture video
fig 17, Constructing Cammy, source: lecture video
Week 3:
After we place our shapes together, we were taught to combine some shapes / cut some shapes using the Pathfinder Tool. We can easily combine / divide / substract shapes using this tool. Then, Ms. Jennifer taught us on how to make gradient.
fig 18, Cammy's Gradient, source: lecture video
Then, in the next section of the class, Ms Jennifer taught us on how to make the card's frame. Ms. Jennifer create elements from her sketch by tracing her sketch. In this section also, Ms. Jennifer taught us how to create some slices to the elements. Ms. Jennifer demonstrated how to use the knife tool.
fig 19, Knife Tool, source: lecture video
fig 20, Cammy's Card Design, source: lecture video
Week 4:
On Week 4, Ms. Jennifer taught us how to make the background. First, she add a new file which she use to trace her background sketch. Again, Ms. Jennifer colored her elements using gradient tool. After she finished her background she put it in the card design. Ms. Jennifer also use texture to make the card design looks good.
fig 21, Background Tracing source: lecture video
fig 22, Background Coloring, source: lecture video
fig 22, Finished Cammy Card Design source: lecture video
INSTRUCTIONS
<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZeyEI9ZvcizUdsaL_czufp8L_44zQynp/preview" width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>
Week 1: We have to create some sketches using some vormator shapes with guidelines as instructed below;
<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HptQGSueHFOO4MycQuona8Z44FAk3Uic/preview" width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>
The next step is that, we have to digitalise on of our characters that we choose, and after that make a card design for our character (front and back).
EXERCISE
Week 1: Sketches
Here are some sketches that I made, based on my fantasy;
fig. 23, sketch 1-5
fig. 24, sketch 6-7
Week 2: DigitalisingAfter I finish my sketch and choose my favourite sketch, I started to digitalise it. First, I started with tracing all the vormator elements. It was a struggle at first as I neither ever use this software nor the pen tool before for making a design. But anyway, here is my tracing.
fig. 25, Traced Vormator Shapes
I think all the elements are similar to the real, although there are some weird curves if it were zoomed out. Moving on next, I started to put things together to build my Mr. Upocacti character. It was a fun thing to do. By the way, the colour I use in the picture are still random, and here it is:
fig. 26, Building Mr. Upocacti
Truth to be told, I'm still confused of what colour combination should I use, so I decide to surf on Adobe Colour. Actually I planned to make a green cactus and the plate will be terracotta or something.
fig. 27, Colour Palette Discovery in Adobe Colour
Then, after I found my desired colour palette, I use them in my vormator shapes. I adjust some colour values a bit.fig. 29, Coloured Upocacti
Then, this is the gradient version of my character;
fig. 30, Gradient Version
Finally, This is the final version of my Vormator character design;
fig. 31, Upocacti final version
Then, I give my character a back story, as a guide to help me decide the theme of my card design:
"Once upon a time in year 2933, born a half alien and cactus breed. They've known as Cactionus Breed. Over a decade they've live in a Cactionus Amongus planet, which located 139.500 km near Moon. As time flies, earth has become the #1 waste producer in the galaxy, thus make the CA planet become unstable. In year 2950, born a hero, a fighter named Mr. Upocacti. Under his name, they soon begin to plan their invasion for a revenge to earth."
About the Cactionus breed:
- They have a plate under their body which make them able to fly/teleport everywhere, easily across the galaxy.
- They have long tentacles which resemble the real cactus' roots. They do their activities using their tentacles.
I do some idea explorations trough out the process, here are some ideas I got:
Actually when talking about card designing, the first idea that came in my mind is my favorite card game, back when I was a kid:
I want to design something like that, but I think it won't fit with my up-cacti, so I do some more research:
I actually want to make it more fantasy, so I searched for some inspirations on Pinterest.
fig. 34, Brainstorming on Pinterest
After that, I decided to start designing my card. When I was attending a party suddenly I got an inspiration on making the card, so I ask a waiter a paper and borrowed a pen from my mother, and here is my sketch;
fig. 35, Sketch
So, here is my first attempt doing it digitally:
fig. 36, Draft 1
I was thinking of making my character stand still, because for me it's a little bit weird, so I rotate it a bit. I add four circle to describe his feature.
fig. 37, Draft 2
I started to adjust the background. I add some gradient to the sky and ground. Almost all of the gradient I use, I used Freeform Gradient because it's easier to adjust. I also add planet earth and mars to make it more clear where the planet is. To make the stars, I made it step by step following a YouTube tutorial, first I make the shape, and add it to symbols, then I used the Symbol Sprayer Tool.
fig. 38, Background
fig. 39, Cutted Background
I also add some pattern to the circle, I want to show the galactic vibes. I made them using pen tool and remove the center to make the shape.
fig. 40, Circular Shapes
Then, I add my description, and his name;
fig. 41, Font Preview. 1
The font I use for the description is
Atlane. For the name, I used
Magnificent Serif I got from fontmeme.
fig. 42, Font Preview. 2
Next, I add the icons to describe his features. I mostly used pen tool to make the shapes. For the "S" I used Arial Black, and for the star, I made it using circle and bloat it taught by YouTube :D
fig. 43, Informative Elements Added
So, this is how it looks like;
fig. 44, Background + Frame Preview
Then, for my front card last touch, I add some vines to make it more plant vibes.
fig. 45, Full Preview
I copied the background and frame of my front card design to make the back card's background. Then, I add some tentacles there using pen tool:
fig. 46, Designing the Back
As time goes on, I got another inspiration.
I was inspired by my local product card named "Nussa & Rara," which we can scan the card and see the AR version of the character. I add it, similar like that, but instead of making the AR version, I made my character preview using GIF. I post it to GIPHY, and generate the QR using a web. Thus, his is my final card design;
fig. 48, Final Front and Back Preview
You can see the GIF preview here:
fig. 49, QR Preview
fig. 50, Final on PDF
FEEDBACK
Week 1:- General Feedback : n/a
- Specific Feedback : n/a
Week 2:
- General Feedback : In the IVN course, we have to use Adobe Illustrator as our main software, so that we can master the AI software. Also, we were recommended to do a lot of pen tool practise as it becomes the most important part in IVN.
- Specific Feedback : The character is good but the pink and green on the character's body need more adjusment.
Week 3:
- General Feedback : n/a
- Specific Feedback : The color adjusted is way better than last week progression.
Week 4:
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