Assignment 2.


For this assignment, we're supposed to perform at least five levels of abstractions on an object, and to derive at the "ultimate simplicity, the reduction of visual detail to the irreducible minimum. A symbol, in order to be effective, must not only be seen and recognized but also remembered and even reproduced."


The object I chose is the camera.
I admit my inconscientiousness when I fail to trace every single detail out using the pen tool. But I really don't see the point of doing it. It's tedious, and I'll abstract those details out anyway. So, here's my abstractions.


Level I: the original image.



Level II: Losing colours.



Level III: Losing words + some details.



Level IV: Losing more details.



Level V: the symbol.



Level VI: Losing its specificity.




Okay, so that's all for assignment two, a relatively simple assignment as compared to the others. Also, the object I've chosen, the camera, is a simple object to abstract. So, yupps. =)


Take a deep breath, and brace myself for the next assignment.

Assignment 1: Part III--The Final Product.


As of the last post, I have chosen four thumbnails to develop further. In this final post, I will further develop two of the designs, and attempt to bring it to life by adding colours.



From the Music. category, I've chosen to combine some of the elements in both thumbnails, and apply some suggestions give by the class.


This is an improved hand-drawn draft.

ONE. I've included the inverted treble cleft, and the dot for the "i" from the first thumbnail, and incorporated them into the concept of the second thumbnail.
TWO. I've adopted the suggestions of using the black keys of the piano for the "E".



And now, the next step is to add colours.
I had quite a hard time thinking about the colour scheme. It should be bright and cheery, so as to show that i LOVE music. Yet I've always been conceptualising it as a black and white image.


And then one idea came to me, which is to use bright neon-like colours and spotlights to give a "funky jazz bar" or "pop concert" kind of feeling.

So, here is my final product.

The font I chose gives a strong-headed feeling, with a punkish touch.




Next being the Migraine. category.

Here is an improved final draft.

ONE. I've applied the suggestion to include lightnings, to create a greater sense of pain.
TWO. Also, to make that pain more ingrained, I've added some cracks. Ouch.



Colours!!

Colours for this is comparatively easier to come up with.
ONE. Black for a sense of darkness, and is provides contrast for the brain.
TWO. Yellow for lightnings, and red to represent tension and pain.
THREE. The font that I chose is of a slight zigzag, giving a further sense of unstability. It looks handwritten for sincerity and truthfulness.




Having done this final part of the assignment, I realise the importance of colours, and how colours really bring plain sketches to life. Every colour bring along with it its own connotations, and we need to learn how to make use of these colours.


As usual, pls do leave comments. =D

Assignment 1: Part II--Developing drafts



As in the last post, I came up with eight thumbnails to work with and I've chosen four of which I will develop further.

Here are the four drafts I've developed.



Music.

draft 1:

This was developed from the first thumbnail of music.
One. The thumbnail was too rigid and stiff so I made the musical notes more abstract and flexible.
Two. Also, the treble cleft is inverted, and part of it is made into dotted lines so as to show the "S" more distinctively.
Three. I added a dot on top of the "i", to make it look more like an "i" rather than being part for the "E". In musical terms it represents a sustained note.


Critique: The lines are too thin, hence it doesn't give a defining 3-D look.


draft 2:

This was from the second thumbnail.
Experimented with developing a symbol when I used a saxophone to represent "J".

Referenced from:


Critique: In general, this class preferred this to the first draft. Perhaps because it is more "3-D"...? Also they liked the saxophone. The class was really helpful in helping me think of ideas on how I can represent "E" and "S". One idea that I'll be adopting is using the piano keys to represent "E".



Migraine.

draft 3:

Not much changes to this, save the "I" being replaced by a medicine bottle.

Critique: A cabinet of medicine doesn't really bring out the idea of "migraine". It could be preferring to sickness in general, or simply medicine.


draft 4:

No changes done to this.

Critique: The class was divided as to which draft they prefer. Esther suggested I could add lightnings to create a deeper sense of pain.



Yupps, so that's all for my drafts for now.
Do leave comments, if any. They are greatly appreciated! =)

Assignment 1: Part I--Thumbnails


Me Myself and I
(The title of this assignment is, by strange coincidence, the same as my username.)

In this assignment, we're to come up with two words that best describe us, through fitting them into the sentence "My name is Jessie and I love/hate ________."


For this, I thought of "music", "dance" and "migraine".
Well, of course i don't love migraines.


Here are the eight thumbnails developed.



Music.



Referenced from:


As you can see, this is a rather stiff adaptation of musical notes. And the letters of my name cannot be easily noticed.



Lacking in ideas. But I like the concept of using music bars to form "E".



Dance.



Ballet shoes with ribbons. Rather plain-looking to me.




Inspired by:


Human figures in different dance positions. I like this idea, but it's tough to develop it on paper.



Migraine.



A medicine cabinet, because when migraine strikes, the only way out is to pop pills. Because of that I always make sure I have ample pills at all times. I like this design because it focuses on details. But my name is just spelt out as it is, and not incorporated into the design. Also, there isn't a clear indication of migraine.



This is supposed to be pills arranged in such a way so as to spell out my name. I don't like this, really. It looks like jelly beans or sausages for that matter, and again, it doesn't indicate migraine.



This is made up of different kinds of pills and tablets, and the side view of a person pressing his temples, indicating headache/migraine. It's developed further from the previous thumbnail.




Referenced from:


Lastly, the brain. There are motion lines to indicate tension and throbbing of the brain. I like this design because it is a jump out of the usual pills and medicine idea.



So these are my eight thumbnails at their "purest" undeveloped state.
The next post will show developments on four of these thumbnails, and what the class has to say about them. Stay tuned!




Oh yes! Pleas DO leave comments on how I can improve my designs and if you have any tips for me. Any and every one will be greatly appreciated. =D

the first post.


i don't know what i should include in this first post.
i suppose i could make do with other people's words then.




An artist creates things to evoke emotion.
Being a designer goes a step further than that,

not only trying to evoke emotion

but trying to make a reaction.

--Mike Davidson--





Stay tuned.