Illustration & Visual Narrative - Final Project

5/12/2024 - 5/01/2025 (Week 11 - Week 15)
Felice Jolin 0373636
Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Final Project - Illustrated Typography Poster  

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TABLE OF CONTENT

Lectures

Instructions  

Final Project

Reflection

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LECTURES

Week 11
Mr.Hafiz briefed us about the final project. We were required to make a webcomic. One cover page and a  minimum of 3 panel comic page based on the short story "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs.

Week 12
Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud for narrative transition techniques. Moment to moment is the simplest as it shows a very minim movement of blinking eye for instance. Action to action is from doing one action into another. Subject to subject is when the object is changed from one person to the other. While Aspect to aspect is showing 2 very different things. 

fig 1.1 Transition

Week 13
Mr.Hafiz open face-to-face consultation class. I consult my panels sketches and and asked whether my transition and composition is right. 

fig 1.2 Composition

Week 14
Christmas break

Week 15

Mr.Hafiz showed us previous work and brief us about animation, we can do it in photoshop, after effect or any animation software. 

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INSTRUCTIONS

<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rNGbkae0gZbTiNQ80yJob4cGh9tFkjVB/preview" width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

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FINAL PROJECT

Idea Development

fig 1.3 Story

• This is the part of story that I took to make into the webcomic.
• "He took the paw, and dangling it between his forefinger and thumb" : Sergeant Morris held moving the paw in his hand while talking to Mr.White.
• "Better let it burn," said the soldier solemnly. : Sergeant Morris is about to throw the paw into fire.
•  "If you don't want it Morris," said the other, "give it to me." : Mr. White snatched the paw from Sergeant Morris. 
• "If you keep it, don't blame me for what happens." : Sergeant Morris disclaim himself and doesn't want to care anymore.
•  "The other shook his head and examined his possession closely." : Mr.White look at the paw closely with a curious face.
  
  
  Cover : I designed the cover to show that this paw brings chaos (fire) everytime it came out or is used. I want to create surrealistic direction that focus on the paw. I would like to show as if it is coming out from the cloud with the background fire. In addition to the surrealisric concept, I will make the paw melting and moving for animation. I also took one of Dave McKean’s artwork as a reference for adding texture for last touch to my artwork to give a horror vibes .
  
  

  Panel : In the panel, I will also focus on the paw for the surrealism concept. I will make the paw moving and melting for the animation. In addition, I also took reference from Dave McKean’s cover where I added a soft horror texture to my work for final touch. I also took reference of his painting-like style. For the colour, I mainly use dark ones and some of the text is red colour to show threats.
  

  
  
  
  Reference
  
• For the surrealistic direction, I was inspired by the melting clock by Salvador Dali so I searched up melting hand. I focus on the paw to make  it look surreal (melting).
  
  
  Reference for panel : I would like to make the paw melting for the pane. I also took reference from Dave Mckean cover.
  
  fig 1.4 Reference #1
  
  Reference for cover : I want the surrealistic direction that focus on the paw coming out from the cloud, with the background fire and the paw melting.
  
  fig 1.5 Reference #2
   
   I was also taking reference from Dave Mckeans artwork. I plan to take reference of the texture from the below picture to add spooky effect. The texture of the lines that could portray horror. Also like painting effect. This apply for both cover and panel.
  
  
  

  fig 1.6 Reference #3
  
  I also searched for some comic references as below :
  

  
  fig 1.7 Reference #4

  
  
• For the transition based onScott McCloud, I mainly use 'action to action' and 'subject to subject'.

fig 1.8 Transition

• For framed ink, I use 'big vs small' , 'overpower upshot' and 'close-up'.
  Big vs Small : Panel 3
  Overpower Upshot : Panel 6
  Close-up : Panel 1, 3, 5

fig 1.9 Frame Inked Composition


• The colour palatte I use more to classic tone. 
  
  
  
  fig 1.10 Colour Palette
  

(PANEL)
Sketch

fig 1.11 Sketch #1

This is my first sketch, Mr.Hafiz said that the transition is okay, and I need to proceed to the composition.

fig 1.12 Sketch #2

Here is my second sketch, Mr.Hafiz said that is I want to show a conversation it is better close up, because mine is quite far. He also said that it's very monotone and boring. He also reminded me to make frame inked as reference. 

fig 1.13 Sketch #3 & #4

Mr.Hafiz said this has big improvement and I can proceed to digitise. 

fig 1.14 Sketch #5

 

These are the ideas for each panel :

*Sergeant Morris wearing hat, the other man is Mr.White

1 : Close up Sergent Morris holding the paw which is moving in his hand, while facing to Mr.White.

2 : Fire stove

3 : Sergeant Morris was about to throw the paw into the fire.

4 : Mr.White with fiery face snatched it from Sergeant Morris. 

5 : Sergeant Morris pose with hands up disclaiming himslef of telling him the consequences already. 

6 : Mr.White full of curiosity face looking at the paw. 

fig 1.15 Transition

Transitions : 

Panel 1 - 3 : Action to Action

Panel 3-4 : Subject to Subject

Panel 4-5 : Subject to Subject
Panel 4-6 : Action to Action

Digitize

I began tracing the my sketch in Illustrator mainly using pen tool / brush and make it into shape using shape builder.

fig 1.16 Digital Sketch

Next I add colours to the shapes based on my colour palette reference.

fig 1.17 Add Colour

 

The first try colour is not really good I think so I chaged it all.

fig 1.18 Change Colour

Then I use brush to colour it looks like 3D and add detailing like eyes. I adjust the opacity of the brush and add blur effect. For the wall backgorund I add texture (grain). Then for the words, I use 'help me' font that I find suitable from dafont.

fig 1.19 Add Colour

I save the file from Adobe Illustrator and proceed to Photoshop. I add horror texture and adjust the opacity to blend in my webcomic page.

fig 1.20 Add Texture

 

fig 1.21 Final Panel

Animation

I was first confussed whether to animate the cover or panel so I asked Mr.Hafiz about it. 

fig 1.22 Whatsapp Record

I was strrugling to save the file. Error occured when I export the Adobe Illustrator file into After effect and my laptop crashed.

fig 1.23 Error

So I decided to re layer it in Photoshop then export to after effect. I separate the layer that I want to animate.

fig 1.24 Animation

I save the Photoshop file and proceed to animate in after effect. I animate all the paw (moving & melting) and the Sergeant Morris in frame 5 using the puppet tool.

fig 1.25 Animation 

fig 1.26 Animated GIF

*Google slide animation below

(COVER)
Sketch

fig 1.27 Sketch #1

This was my initial sketch, however i'm not really satisfied and decided to revise.

fig 1.28 Sketch #2

After searching for more inspiration, I decided to make as if the paw was from the clouds, burning and melting.

Digitise
First, I trace into Adobe Illustrator from the previous sketch. I mainly use brush and shape builder.

fig 1.29 Digital Sketch

fig 1.30 Add Colour

Next I use brush to make 3D effect, this is the part where I struggle because in order to make it look real the colouring is quite hard. I mix colours, change the opacity adn add blur effect. Next, as the text looks monotone, I decide to use warp effect and add 3d tecture. I use 'help me' font that I find suitable from dafont.

fig 1.31 Add Colour

Next I add texture in Photoshop, I use multiply effect and lower down the opacity.

fig 1.32 Add Texture

fig 1.33 Final Cover

Animation

As I was strrugling to export the Adobe Illustrator file into After effect and my laptop crashed, I decided to re layer it in Photoshop then export to after effect. I separate the layer that I want to animate.

fig 1.34 Animation

I proceed to do animation in After Effect. I made the effect using puppet tool, moving the paw and melting effect. Also the effect for the clouds, fire, and ash.

fig 1.35 Animation

fig 1.36 Animated GIF
 

*Google slide animation below

COVER & PANEL ANIMATION
Link to google slide : Click Here

fig 1.37 Google Slide

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REFLECTION

Experience : Going through all assignments from task 1, I could say task 4 is the most challenging as this is the final assignment. I was first quite lost about how to start with this assignment. Secondly, I am not a fan of horror, so it took me quite some times to adapt to the assignment. Lastly, I was also struggling to find the surrealism direction for my webcomic. Nevertheless, I try to understand the story (The Monkey's Paw), find more inspirations of surrealism and analyze the transition by Scott McCloud. I put in a lot effort and time and are satisfied with my result, as someone who has never made a webcomic. 

Observation : I observe that a line of story could be expressed in many ways. However, we need to based everything in a good transition and composition. I found out that everyone has their unique way of portraying storylines into visual. I am able to share thoughts and ideas with my peers and realize that each of us has our own style to express a picture.

Findings : Understand the assignment brief an details is very crucial. Going through step by step, searching for reference, comprehend the story and know what you want to do is important. Mr.Hafiz's feedback and guidance was very helpful for my progression. One thing I learned from doing this task is do not think too fard/hard. A very long dialogue could be represented by minim pictures if properly directed. Lastly, I've gained more insight of executing projects in Adobe Illustrator.