Illustration and Visual Narrative | Final Task : Self-Titled

21/11/2023 - 05/01/2024 (Week 9 - Week 14)

Yong Xiao Tong / 0368290
Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media 
Final Task: Self-Titled

---

Self-titled is an exploration project for the students to express their own individuality and reflect their personality into digital art self-expression. 

The main idea is to build up self-confidence and discover their interest. 

Part 1: Idea Development

My biography 

Intro	Tell us about yourself I'm Yong Xiao Tong, the youngest member in my family, and my life has always been surrounded by art, thanks to my designer aunt. I have been looking at her paintings my entire life because they hang all over the house. So, the pursuit of art has been deep inside me since I was a child.
Paragraph 1	What is your passion? My passion lies in the realm of art, and I find joy in exploring various styles. I don't confine myself to a fixed art style; instead, I embrace the diversity of expression. Whether crafting something surrealistic, realistic, or exploring the current fascination with Y2K style, I revel in the freedom to experiment and create. Despite my love for art, I also enjoy listening to music, exploring nature, and pondering the mysteries of space.
Paragraph 2	What’s motive you to achieve your dream? While I currently find myself without a specific dream to pursue, I am confident that my dream will mostly be related to art. But at this moment, instead of having a predefined dream, I am more motivated by the ongoing exploration of various artistic styles and the joy that accompanies each moment of creation.
Summary	How do you want to visualise your dream into an artwork? Given that I currently do not have a specific dream, my artistic vision focuses on transforming the diverse influences that captivate my mind into a visual narrative. My art becomes a reflection of the continuous exploration and evolution that defines my creative journey.

My work statement 

Intro	Tell us about your work Recently, I've been really into these nostalgic allure of retro games and the captivating aesthetics of the 80s, 90s, and Y2k era. This got me excited to make a poster with a beach retro game vibe mixed with those awesome styles from back in the day.
Paragraph 1	What is the concept behind it? The concept behind my poster is about embracing imperfections. We all have flaws, and I'm learning to accept them in myself and others. Additionally, the "millennium bug" was a prevalent concept during that era. Incorporating glitch effects into my animation aligns perfectly with the concept of embracing imperfections.
Paragraph 2	What is the message you want people to understand it? The message is simple: embrace imperfections. Glitches are the unique strokes in the canvas of life's artwork.
Summary	What is your motto/ quote? Embrace imperfections.

Moodboard

Fig 1.1 References

Part 2: Design Direction

Sketches

Fig 2.1 Sketch 1 & 2

For the word to insert into the poster, I've chosen the word "glitch", but I did consider using "shine". So, I want to give it a try and see how it looks after digitalising.

Attempted Digital Posters

Fig 2.2 Digital poster progress 1 & 2

After a very serious consideration, I decided to use the word ''glitch''. In my beach-themed poster, the word "glitch" is like a surprise element.  

But in opting for the word "glitch" over "shine," my choice is a deliberate reflection of a personal philosophy that has been evolving. While "shine" conveys the radiant and positive aspects of life, "glitch" represents a shift in perspective towards embracing imperfections. 

The decision to highlight glitches in the artwork is an acknowledgment that nature is not always flawless, so whats wrong with flaws people. Also, based on my poster style and artwork statement, where I will add the glitch in my animation, so this make sense.

Process

Fig 2.3 Self-portrait 

I decided to give my glasses a sunglasses look to complement the beach theme.

Fig 2.4 Select and mask, then darken the lenses of my glasses.

Adjust the tone by increasing the saturation a bit to bring more intensity and make it appear more vivid.

Fig 2.5 Increase saturation, before and after

Continue adding the coconut trees element.

Fig 2.6 Apply artistic effect, before and after

Continue adding the wave element.

Fig 2.7 Apply artistic effect, before and after

Continue adding the tree stumps and fruits elements. I use the same coconuts trees image, I erase the upper part of the trees to make tree stumps, then add tropical fruits. I decided to use pomegranates and pineapple because of their bright intense colours.

Fig 2.8 Erase upper part of the trees

Fig 2.9 Apply artistic effect, before and after

Add the sun, and make it like those Synthwave aesthetic.

Fig 2.10 Apply colour gradient

To make the grid background, I make 2 different colours squares, then arrange it one by one, the line by line.

Fig 2.11 Making grid background

For the typography, this is the font I created. I decided to use the bubble effect to make it more like those Y2K style. I bend it to the same curve as the sun.

Fig 2.12 Curved balloon effect text

Add grid background and yellow frame.

Fig 2.13 Without background, with grid background, with yellow frame 

Final Poster

Fig 2.14 Final Poster ''Glitch Harmony''

TITLE

Glitch Harmony

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am still learning how to embrace imperfections as someone who struggles to accept flaws. Whether this stems from a pursuit of perfectionism, I don't know. Nevertheless, I have grappled with the challenge of acknowledging both my own flaws and the imperfections of others.

Regarding the word "glitch", it aligns with the retro game style I aim to present, as glitches were common technological quirks during that era. Additionally, I plan to incorporate glitches into my animation. Secondly, "glitch" feels more fitting for conveying the embrace of imperfection. Thus, the word "glitch" carries a deeper meaning, serving as a reminder. Everything itself has flaws, so what's wrong with acknowledging the flaws in people?

Overall, I named my poster "Glitch Harmony". It reflects my current fascination with retro game aesthetics and serves as a personal reminder to embrace imperfections.

Part 3: Execution and Post Production

Import file into After Effect

Fig 3.1 Masking path & adjust text ''glitch'' position

Fig 3.2 Shape layer for motion graphics

Fig 3.2 Add another image for line effect

Fig 3.2 Add another image for glitch effect

Part 4: Final Submission

Final Animation

Fig 4.1 Final Animation "Glitch Harmony"

---

REFLECTION

Experience

I though the project required two different versions for DPI and IVN. However, I found out that only one version of the work is needed for submission to both DPI and IVN. The one I submitted here is different from the one I submitted to DPI. After a careful consideration, I have decided to use the version I submitted here as my final self-titled work. 

Observations

Creating the poster, I had to find the right balance of elements to make it look good. Every little detail, from colours to where things were placed, will make a big difference visually. Transitioning from a still poster to an animated one in After Effects was surprisingly not as hard as I thought. Also, picking the right music made a big difference. It needed to be arranged properly so the animation could sync with the music beat, making it more complete.

Findings

This project taught me that expressing myself is a mix of being creative, knowing who I am, and using the right tools to bring it all to life. In the end, my self-titled project wasn't just about creating a cool digital poster and animation. It was a journey of turning my own aesthetics and thoughts woven together and expressing them through artwork.