IVN Exercises

26.08.21 - 24.09.21 (Week 1 - Week 5)
Chai Yi Xuan / 0346645 / B' Creative Media
Illustration and Visual Narration
Task 1 / Exercise: Vormator Character Challenge

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LECTURES

Week 2 (Principles of Character Design)

Character designing is an essential part of visual narration. A good character design means that your character is iconic and easily recognized by the audiences. There are a few principles of character design that allows us to create an impressionable character:

 

1. Shapes

 

Figure 1.1: Character sheet for the Disney animated movie Aladdin

The shape of the character defines the character's silhouette. It is important to emphasize on it because the viewer recognizes a character mostly by its figure/body shape.

2. Colour

Colour is important in character designing, as it helps the audience to determine the protagonist and antagonist of the story. Characters with their own palettes allow the viewer to associate the character when they see a certain colour. Each colour evokes a different emotion in people, so the choice of colour should be considered in character designing.

3. Emphasis & Contrast

 

Figure 1.2: Exaggerated expressions of the character Hercules

Exaggerating visual elements creates interesting characters, as it gives a unique look to them that makes them memorable. At times, adding cultural elements can also amplify the distinctive look of a character— plus, giving them an identity.

4. Harmony

Shapes, colour, motif and patterns create a good-looking character, but they must be in harmony. Elements should complement each other and create the whole look; rather than clashing with each other and fighting for attention. In this case, visual hierarchy plays a vital role.

 

5.  Expression/Poses

The way a character carries themselves can tell a lot of things. The way they react to things and their expressions makes a character feel real, allowing the audience to sympathize and maybe root for the character themselves. A classic "Show, not tell".

Week 3 (Composition [1])

 

Figure 2: Types of compositions

A lot of photos we see online, especially Instagram, are visually appealing because of good compositions. Different types of shots can bring about different kinds of messages, and different focal points. One of the main aspects of an appealing composition is the balance between positive and negative space. There must be visual hierarchy, so the audience would know what to focus on during that scene. Mood, rhythm/movement, elements essential in storytelling should also be considered when composing a scene.

There is no right or wrong compositions, only bad and appealing ones. The key is to observe and note down as much as possible to find a good, aesthetic composition.

Week 4 (Composition [2])

Paintings before the 14th century are rich and beautiful, but they appear flat. This is because of the lack of depth and perspective.

 

Figure 3.1: The Tribute Money by Masaccio

 

It was around the 15th century that linear perspective was introduced into paintings, where there are form, volume, buildings receding, and light and shadows. Perspective creates depth, an optical illusion of 2D becoming 3D. To create perspective, one should be acquainted with vanishing points. There are:

• 1-point perspective, usually used at long hallways
• 2-point perspective, usually found when standing in between two streets
• 3-point perspective, can be seen when observing tall standing buildings
• 4/5-point perspective, provides a fish-eye view
  

 

The parallax effect:

 

Figure 3.2: An example of parallax effect (Link)

Usually found in comics, this perspective utilizes layers to create a 3D illusion. The layers consists of foreground, middle ground and background. It mimics the 3D view, which creates depth in illustrations.

Week 5 (Composition [3] & Chiaroscuro)

 

Figure 4.1: Screenshot of a lecture slide in Week 5: Composition (3)

A good composition involves values tones, shapes, positive and negative space, and perspective. All of these contributes to rhythm and movement. Rhythm and movement create dynamic, which captures the audience's attention. Without it, the artwork will look flat and boring.

Movement can be easily created with shapes and lines. Of course, we have to also consider overlapping elements and establishing patterns and rhythms to create a good-looking composition.

 

Chiaroscuro (kee-aa-sku-ro):

Figure 4.2: An example of a Chiaroscuro artwork (Link)

Chiaroscuro is the use of light(chiaro) and dark(scuro) to create the optical illusion of 3D. This technique can be found often comics, to create mood and depth in a 2D artwork. It produces dramatic tension and a tasteful combination of positive and negative space. Chiaroscuro is also a great way to study form and value.

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INSTRUCTIONS

To-Do List:

Create a character using the Vormator Challenge, and create game card design for them

Part I: Vormator Character

Before I started, I wanted to design my character's appearance based on their personality. I find it amazing how certain personalities can affect the way a person expresses themselves, so I want to reflect it in my own design.

Figure 1.1: Various characteristic traits thrown into a random picker (Link)

Figure 1.2: Characteristics chosen by picker

Once I had the personality traits of my character, I started exploring certain traits that can influence a person's outer appearance.

 

Figure 1.3: Exploration of character traits

After determining the physical traits I want for my character, I started designing my Vormator character.

 

Figure 1.4: Exploration of character designs

Figure 1.5: Character design, elements derived from Character Sheet 1

Feedback was given by Miss Anis and Miss Jennifer, so I made minor changes to the design. After the changes, I experimented with the colours for my character.

 

Figure 1.6: Character design, exploration of colour palette

In the end, the second palette was chosen since it was the most suitable among the others for my character. I digitized my character in Adobe Illustrator.

Final Outcome

Figure 1.7: Vormator character, digitized

Who Are You?:

A sleep demon outcasted by his own clan, Troian lives as a lone demon. Lil' Buddy, a fear parasite, stuck themselves with Troian for too long that he already accepted his fate. As a sleep demon, Troian can put a person to sleep, but the person will eventually wake with a horrifying nightmare. Every time Troian uses his power, he loses a decade of sleep. He hasn't slept since the Black Death. Please let him sleep.

Part II: Game Card

Prior to this, I wanted my game card to have a similar style to tarot cards(fitting, the card size is also a tarot card-). So I tried to search up on tarot cards to find a style I want for my card.

 

Figure 2.1: Tarot card design

Figure 2.2: Tarot card design, the Major Arcana

 

Since my character is a demon, I decided that the card should a motif related to demon stuff. And taking into account that Troian is related to sleep, my card should have a night motif as well.

After some planning, I came up with the design for my card.

Figure 2.3: Game card design, back

Figure 2.4: Game card design, front

After the sketch, I started digitizing my card. I made more adjustments during the process since I felt the card was lacking. There was a lot adding and deleting, but finally I was satisfied and exported the game card design.

Final Outcome

Figure 2.5: Game card, front, digitized

Figure 2.6: Game card, back, digitized

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FEEDBACK

Week 2

Sketch in Character Sheet 2 is okay, but the arm appears too complex. The first design in Character Sheet 1 has a more simplistic look. Try to use a simplistic approach to the character's appendage.

Week 3

Among the three palettes, the second one is the closest to the concept I want to make. The first one is too fiery and the third one leans a bit towards the sad side.

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REFLECTIONS

Experience

The exercise was a lot of fun, though I may be biased on this part since I love creating characters and background story/lore for them. This exercise let us have free reign of what we want to design, but at the same time, we must be clever about it.

The reason the Vormator challenge is a called a- well, challenge is because of the limited choice of shapes you can use to design your character. And true to its name, I did have a little bit of a hard time creating my characters because of the limitation. Of course, eventually I figured out a design, but it was definitely one of the harder parts in this assignment.

Observations

I observed that this assignment allowed me to think outside the box, as I needed to use several Vormator shapes to achieve the look that I want.

Findings

I found that we should be creative with our limited resources. Instead of lamenting of what we lack, we should try to improvise with what we have. And sometimes, with a little more exploration, we can make something better than having limitless resource. Work smarter, not harder (or is it work creatively, not stubbornly? Need to dwell on that).