What did I learn about the project? I learned that the parts of a letter and of a word are more numerous than what meets the eye. That typography takes as much study to perfect as does photography, drawing or even painting. I have learned to appreciate those who design logos and manipulates the letters to define a word without using anything besides what is provided. All art takes effort and time to create something wonderful, and that includes typography.
Difficulties: Well the main difficulty that I faced was manipulating the cardboard into a viable shape for a letter. Measuring and cutting took too much time and our shapes were not as accurate as we wanted them to be. We had to make a lot of shortcuts to get the letters to be uniform in size. Also the pathfinder in Illustrator never really worked for me, that was a difficulty because I could not figure out what to do without relying on my teachers for help.
Solutions: Well we decided to use a lot of recycled cardboard for our letters that way it wouldn't cost as much. We used the cheap cardboard for the mini models, and then the better cardboard was used for the giant letters. I never really figured out how to use pathfinder correctly so I had to improvise when it came to my compositions. Unfortunately that means the pathfinder exercises are missing in this process book.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Project description
We are exploring language in this project, we were assigned two words one individual word and a word that our group would work on.
The individual word had to be conceptualized and created on illustrator, taking advantage of the pathfinder tools to create compositions that embody the chosen word without actually spelling it out for the viewer.
The group project was to create giant cardboard letters that would spell out the word. Then we would need to put those letters somewhere around campus, and use the location and the letters only to define the word that was chosen without giving any other visual clues.
The aim was to use individual creativity and group effort to define language through the letters only, to learn the fundamental basics of typography and to create a definition for the word using only limited visual help through location and the given materials.
The individual word had to be conceptualized and created on illustrator, taking advantage of the pathfinder tools to create compositions that embody the chosen word without actually spelling it out for the viewer.
The group project was to create giant cardboard letters that would spell out the word. Then we would need to put those letters somewhere around campus, and use the location and the letters only to define the word that was chosen without giving any other visual clues.
The aim was to use individual creativity and group effort to define language through the letters only, to learn the fundamental basics of typography and to create a definition for the word using only limited visual help through location and the given materials.
Parts of a letter
When I first started this project I was aware that we would need to define the word using only the letters that were in the word. we could not use any drawings or any sort of outer imagery to make the word more apparent. I did not know that it would be more challenging than I first thought.
I thought that the challenge came from defining the word itself, but further challenge is imposed upon us when we take typography into consideration. We have to manipulate the letters to define the entire word, because letters in themselves each possess a definition. My word is compress, that word is easy enough. But manipulating each letter to fit that word is where the true difficulty lies.
Having to learn the definitions and the anatomy of each letter is more about memorization and purpose. Its kind of like drawing, each art form has its own terms and uses, but I did not believe that typography could be as hard truthfully.
Now I can appreciate all the hard work that typographists have to put into designing logos and words, it takes a lot of time and consideration into deciding what is both pleasing and what is acceptable in the way the word is used. All art is similar in form and creation more than I thought at the beginning.
I thought that the challenge came from defining the word itself, but further challenge is imposed upon us when we take typography into consideration. We have to manipulate the letters to define the entire word, because letters in themselves each possess a definition. My word is compress, that word is easy enough. But manipulating each letter to fit that word is where the true difficulty lies.
Having to learn the definitions and the anatomy of each letter is more about memorization and purpose. Its kind of like drawing, each art form has its own terms and uses, but I did not believe that typography could be as hard truthfully.
Now I can appreciate all the hard work that typographists have to put into designing logos and words, it takes a lot of time and consideration into deciding what is both pleasing and what is acceptable in the way the word is used. All art is similar in form and creation more than I thought at the beginning.
Written definition of Compress
Official definition: verb; To flatten by pressure, squeeze or press.
Noun; A pad of absorbent material pressed onto part of the body to relieve inflammation or stop bleeding.
Personal definition: To keep flat, to squeeze together, to combine into one within a limited space.
Noun; A pad of absorbent material pressed onto part of the body to relieve inflammation or stop bleeding.
Personal definition: To keep flat, to squeeze together, to combine into one within a limited space.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Definitions of the word Absent
Dictionary definition: Adjective Not present in a place, at an occasion, or as part of something.
2. Someone not paying attention to what is being said or done
Personal definition: Having no presence in a location, missing in action from something, not being a part of an event or memory.
2. Someone not paying attention to what is being said or done
Personal definition: Having no presence in a location, missing in action from something, not being a part of an event or memory.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Understanding Comics
As a character designer I was already aware ahead of time of some of the concepts that the Understanding comics book was trying to address. I already knew that in order for a character to be successful the audience needs to be able to identify with the character in some way, by putting themselves in the characters shoes it lets them imagine that they are the character.
Immersion and relation are the perfect ways to make a character successful, if there is nothing for the viewer to relate to then they are more likely to ignore the character and what the character is trying to display or say. Humans are indeed selfish creatures, we fight over land and try to communicate our ideals just so we can make our egos seem bigger than they are. That is why human characters or characters with human emotions are much more successful.
We project ourselves into these blank slates so that we can live our fantasies through them. I wholeheartedly agree with the book, successful design plays off of this as well. A product that the consumer is able to see themselves using is more likely to sell than a product that is foreign to the consumer. We are more likely to go with what we are comfortable with and what we can see ourselves using than something that could be of unknown origins.
That is another issue when it comes to character design, because we fear the unknown characters that do not play to a trope or a stereotype makes it harder for the person to relate to. That is why I try to avoid the tropes, I know humans are selfish, I believe if I can create something that goes AGAINST what others want it will make it a much more refreshing experience for those who are willing to experiment. I am about experimentation, about making the regular public mad. I am not here to serve your desires, I am here to provide something for everyone not just you.
Immersion and relation are the perfect ways to make a character successful, if there is nothing for the viewer to relate to then they are more likely to ignore the character and what the character is trying to display or say. Humans are indeed selfish creatures, we fight over land and try to communicate our ideals just so we can make our egos seem bigger than they are. That is why human characters or characters with human emotions are much more successful.
We project ourselves into these blank slates so that we can live our fantasies through them. I wholeheartedly agree with the book, successful design plays off of this as well. A product that the consumer is able to see themselves using is more likely to sell than a product that is foreign to the consumer. We are more likely to go with what we are comfortable with and what we can see ourselves using than something that could be of unknown origins.
That is another issue when it comes to character design, because we fear the unknown characters that do not play to a trope or a stereotype makes it harder for the person to relate to. That is why I try to avoid the tropes, I know humans are selfish, I believe if I can create something that goes AGAINST what others want it will make it a much more refreshing experience for those who are willing to experiment. I am about experimentation, about making the regular public mad. I am not here to serve your desires, I am here to provide something for everyone not just you.
Writers Toolbox
The main aim of the writers toolbox is to show that brainstorming and writing down ideas with words and images at the same time can stimulate the brain. It claims to help organize a designers thoughts and to make the creative process easier if it is written down in a concept map that can be connected to more than one possibility.
From a personal perspective the concept map idea wasn't adopted by me until right when this group project started. We were required to choose an object and to write down ideas that could be implemented into making it better without the use of pictures. It took a lot of negotiation and thoughtfulness but we were able to pull it off by the use of verbs and actions that describe the object.
For me when I create characters I do not focus on writing down the characters name and writing a concept map. Though I do have a similar method when it comes to the creative process. I tend to implement writing by thinking of a characters personality and their likes and dislikes and sometimes even their personal history. These character bios that I write are documents that I can refer to when I design the concept art.
The writers toolbox basically says that writing is a massive helper when it comes to creating something either visually or just with words. Writing helps you brainstorm and it helps you develop the concept further than with just images alone. Though I work most with drawings, writing does massively improve the characters I create and the drawings I make that much is for certain.
From a personal perspective the concept map idea wasn't adopted by me until right when this group project started. We were required to choose an object and to write down ideas that could be implemented into making it better without the use of pictures. It took a lot of negotiation and thoughtfulness but we were able to pull it off by the use of verbs and actions that describe the object.
For me when I create characters I do not focus on writing down the characters name and writing a concept map. Though I do have a similar method when it comes to the creative process. I tend to implement writing by thinking of a characters personality and their likes and dislikes and sometimes even their personal history. These character bios that I write are documents that I can refer to when I design the concept art.
The writers toolbox basically says that writing is a massive helper when it comes to creating something either visually or just with words. Writing helps you brainstorm and it helps you develop the concept further than with just images alone. Though I work most with drawings, writing does massively improve the characters I create and the drawings I make that much is for certain.
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