24/11/2023- 29/12/2023 (Week 9-Week 14)
Lizzie Tanaka (0362065)
Digital Photography and Imaging | BDCM | Taylor's University
Final Project: Self-Titled
Week 9
On week 9 we were given a demo on flower face effect to support our skill
needed in project 4. Here is my take on the portrait:
Fig 1.1 Portrait mask (W9 24/11/2023)
Week 10
On week 10, we were taught how to do animation in Photoshop. The first
one is to make it on a video timeline and add keyframes. We also
separated the subject with the background.
Fig 1.2 Demo 01 (W10 1/12/2023)
The second demo is similar to the first one.
Fig 1.3 Demo 02 (W10 1/12/2023)
The third demo is to make a GIF using the frame timeline feature and to
modify the person we use the puppet warp tool.
Fig 1.4 Demo 03 (W10 1/12/2023)
For the fourth demo, we separate into three different layers (the sky,
the grass and the girl) and then we animate it using the video
timeline.
Fig 1.5 Demo 04 (W10 1/12/2023)
Week 11
On week 11, Mr Martin gave us a demo on how to animate a simple
composition with After Effects. Here is my take on the animation:
Fig 1.6 Week 11 animation demo (W11 08/12/2023)
Week 12
On week 12, we were given a demo to work on which was the 2.5D parallax
in Adobe After Effects. Here is my take on the parallax:
Fig 1.7 Parallax animation (W12 15/12/2023)
For the final project, we are tasked to create a poster called
'Self-Titled' in which the poster has to capture who we are as a person
according to how we describe ourselves. In the poster, we also include a
quote of our choice and use our typeface that we have designed in our
Typography module. The final poster should also be animated. We also have to
use our own picture and make the poster according to how we want
it.
A. Process Work
1. Proposal (Slide)
Attached below is my proposal of the final project I suggested which
consisted of my short biography and my idea for my poster as well as
inspiration, art direction and sketches.
Fig 2.1 Final project proposal slide
Sketch
After arranging my proposal, I sketched out my idea. I wanted my poster to
include hand-drawn typography which has a feel of 'imperfect' to it to
further emphasize that growth and going out of my comfort zone wasn't a
perfect and easy journey but the problems I encountered were what made me
grow into a better person. Furthermore, the hand-drawn typography would also
complement my font since I couldn't use all letters in my quote. I also
wanted my final poster to include bright and contrasting colors as well as
textures such as halftones and hand-drawn doodles.
Fig 2.2 Sketch (Week 10 01/12/2023)
I've had my mind set on the first sketch, so I proceeded to digitalizing it. The second sketch was just an alternative of the typography but I didn't end up liking the position of the letters.
3. Digitization Process
a. Adobe Illustrator:
- Typography: I first drew my letters in Adobe Illustrator first using the pencil and
smooth tool. I then imported each individual letters as a smart object to
Adobe Photoshop. More details: IVN Blog
- Textures: I made the textures in Adobe Illustrator as well, this
included the halftone textures which I made in three different dot sizes and
the paper texture using the notepaper style effect. More details: IVN
Blog
b. Adobe Photoshop:
I began the digitization process by editing the raw picture first. The original picture is raw and not edited yet, I didn't like how pale and gray it looked so I used the camera raw filter effect to edit the colors and make the tone warmer. Afterward, I cut out the subject by using the 'select subject' feature and use the 'select & mask' feature to refine the cut out.
Fig 3.1 Camera raw filter (18/12/2023)
- Color editing: In photoshop, I made two layers with grain on green
and red and set the blending mode to soft light because I wanted a
grain/noise texture but I want the colors on the original picture to still
look bright and vibrant. I also added a curve and threshold adjustment
layer.
After I imported the hand-drawn letters to Photoshop, I started arranging
each individual letters. Here is my first draft layout. I began by using
textures I found in google such as grain textures and paper textures as well
as halftone textures. My first draft is using the flowy letters and I
managed to do a lot of the doodles and the halftone effects.
Fig 3.2 First draft (18/12/2023)
Below is my second draft where I've already started doodling. I used a
default photoshop brush called 'Kyle Ultimate Charcoal Pencil' for the doodles since it had rough
edges. To make the halftone effects, I simply made a copy of the letters but
in yellow. The yellow letters are set in multiply blending mode to blend
better and I positioned it not exactly on top of the green letters. For
'risk', I also used a similar method. The red letters are copied and had the
colors changed to a pink and I set the pink layers to screen blending mode.
I decided not to put a halftone effect on 'the' since it would decrease the
readability.
For the doodles, I explored and experimented with colors and see which one
works alongside each other. I first focused on doodling on the subject such
as the crown, glasses, lightning, the color bursts, the yellow chair blobs,
etc. And then I tried adding doodles surrounding it such as the flowers and
the leaves to fill up the space. I made a background behind 'take' since it
looked too plain and empty when compared to the bottom area.
Fig 3.3 Second draft (18/12/2023)
For the third draft, I tried another style of typography which I made in
Illustrator (IVN Blog for more details). While the first style was a
more flowy letterform, this style had sharper edges. I also tried to create
contrast in the strokes of my custom typography to imitate my font which had
reverse contrast in it. I also applied the texture and halftone effect with
the same method with the first draft.
Fig 3.4 Third draft (22/12/2023)
For the fourth draft, I tried doing a 3D typography with the demo that Mr
Hafiz taught us in Illustration and Visual Narrative class (IVN Blog for
more details).
With the 3D effect applied, the letters follow the texture that I chose,
which was this mute gray green color. So to bring back the color, I used
gradient map. Picture 02 below is my first attempt on recoloring using the
gradient map. I used the main color which was green and added a darker green
for the shadows. However, it lacked the highlight so on picture 03, I added
a white highlight and also a yellow in it. I put yellow in the gradient map
since the halftone effect wouldn't work on the 3D letters when applied since
it won't look 3D.
Fig 3.5 3D recoloring (25/12/2023)
On the fourth draft, I drew again the flower and applied the feedback I got
from Mr Hafiz that I should make the halftone sizes different on each
layer/element. I made three halftone sizes in Illustrator (IVN Blog for more
details) to use as my main texture. For the main text and subject, I
used a small halftone sized dots while for the doodle elements I used the
medium sized ones. I erased a little bit on the edges just to make it look
less flat. I didn't end up using the big sized halftone textures for any of
the elements.
Fig 3.6 Fourth draft (26/12/2023)
For the fifth draft, I tried to modify the background especially on the top
part and tried to change the position of 'the'. I doodled a yellow dripping
element and added a blue background. I removed the flowers and leaves since
it'll look too messy with the blue elements.
On the 6th draft, I redrew the flower again and removed the blue background.
I wasn't sure of this draft and the whole 3D letter effect and the yellow
drip, so I returned to the original 2D halftone effect and began to animate
it.
Fig 3.8 Sixth draft (30/12/2023)
Fig 3.9 Seventh draft (31/12/2023)
By this point, I've decided to animate it first and gradually add and change
things up. After animating it and getting feedback from Mr Martin on class
(05/01/2024), here is my final poster draft.
Fig 3.10 Final draft (05/01/2024)
c. Adobe After Effects (Animation)
To begin the process, I imported my photoshop document as an editable
composition to Adobe After Effects and start by arranging the textures and
set the blending modes.
Fig 4.1 is how I arranged my textures in After Effects. I first imported the
paper texture since it is the main background. Similar to my photoshop file,
I grouped the threshold and curve adjustment layers, the grains, and the
paper texture into one group. In after effects, I pre-composed these layers
to become a single composition. Another 2 grains I used in the photoshop
file was also pre-composed into one.
Fig 4.1 Textures on After Effects (01/01/2024)
Afterward, I moved on to animate the subject and the text. For the
subject, I simply used the position toggle and positioned the subject
coming in for 2s. For the text, I had to animate one by one. My idea is
for the text to come in and stay 'floating' and moving instead of the
poster being still. This would be the same for the rest of the doodle
elements. Below is my setting for the subject moving in to the
composition.
Fig 4.2 Subject animation (01/01/2024)
Fig 4.3 shows the keyframes I used to animate the text. For the first 2s,
I only used the position toggle for it to come in and then starting from
the 2s period, I used the position and rotation toggles. For both
animations, I limited the movement to +3 or -3 for each keyframe. For
example, for the rotation toggles, I can only add +3 or -3 degrees for
each keyframe. I do this so that no movement isn't too sudden but is
smoother and look more floaty. Fig 4.3 is an example of one of the letters
which applies to the rest of the letters and the elements.
Fig 4.3 Text animation (01/01/2024)
Fig 4.4 Animating the text (01/01/2024)
For the elements, I animated it using the same methods when animating the
text. Position toggle to enter the composition and add a rotation toggle
to create the floating effect. An exception is done on some elements.
Fig 4.5 Animating most of the elements (01/01/2024)
- Flower element: Used a scale toggle to enter the composition
alongside the position toggle since I wanted it to appear increasing in
size.
- Bursting colors element: Used opacity toggle to enter the
composition. While the other elements have already fully appeared on the
composition, I used the position and scale toggle (around 3s mark). The
opacity started from 0% and when it hits the 4s mark, the opacity is 100%.
From around the 5s mark, I began the appearing of the doodle mainly using
the scale toggle to increase the size slowly. By the 6s mark, I began
using the position toggle to move it slightly and create a floating
effect. For both of the bursting colors doodle, I used the same method and
made each move in 1s instead of 2s like the texts.
Fig 4.6 Animating the bursting colors doodle (01/01/2024)
- Hair doodle: Used the opacity toggle beginning from 0% to 100%
in 5s timeframe. The position toggle was then used to create the
floating effect by modifying the movement a little. Also using 1s
keyframes instead of 2s each.
Fig 4.7 Animating the hair doodle (02/01/2024)
Up until this point, I didn't really like the whole 2D halftone thing
since it ended up looking way too plain and flat in the animation. I
finally decided to use my 3D letters. To make the process quick, I
simply replaced the footage of each letter so that I did not have to
re-do each animation.
On the photoshop file, I made each letter into a smart object that I can
modify as a .psb file when double clicked. I saved these files as .psd
instead of .psb so I can import it to replace the 2D letters in Adobe
After Effects.
Fig 4.8 Photoshop process to replace footage (04/01/2024)
After each letter has been saved into a Photoshop document, I replaced
each footage/letter in After Effects with the new 3D photoshop document.
Thus, I didn't have to restart all the animating process.
Fig 4.9 Replace footage feature (04/01/2024)
I asked for feedback from Mr Martin during class on 5 January 2024. He
told me that the background was lacking and it looked flat and empty. He
advised me to add something in the background, it doesn't have to be
distracting, anything simple that could elevate the poster more. I
decided to go with these ellipses overlapped with each other with a
radial gradient effect on it.
Fig 4.10 Final draft poster (05/01/2024)
To animate the background, I started with 0% opacity from the 0s mark
until the 2s mark. From the 2s mark to the 4s mark, I increased the
opacity and the scale so that it grows gradually until the 6s mark. From
the 6s mark, I played with the position toggle to also add the floating
effect even just a little bit.
Fig 4.11 Animating the background (05/01/2024)
For the finishing touches of the animation, I added motion blur to all
the layers and added the 'easy ease' keyframe assistant so that the
movement is smoother.
Select all the keyframes and right click and choose keyframe assistant
> easy ease.
Fig 4.12 Easy ease keyframe assistant (05/01/2024)
Fig 4.13 Motion blur applied (05/01/2024)
Finally, I added a background sound/music. I wanted an energetic, upbeat
song to further support my message of taking the risk. I found my music
in Youtube and downloaded it as an MP3. The video was too long so I cut
the audio to the parts that I want to include.
Fig 4.14 Sound (05/01/2024)
B. Final Result
Fig 5.1 Final Poster JPEG (05/01/2024)
Fig 5.2 Final Poster PDF (05/01/2024)
Fig 5.3 Final Animation (05/01/2024)
(Put quality to 720p)
Week 10
Proposal is already good, can start the process of making
the poster
Week 13:
Reference/inspiration for art direction is unclear, the posters I chose should be the final result that I'm inspired from. Moodboard should consist of professional artworks that showcase my art direction. Other than that, my current poster looks good.
Week 15:
Background is too flat, plain, empty. Try adding something small but
impactful, doesn't have to be something big and distracting. Try
gradients or a shape behind.
REFLECTIONS:
Experience: During the whole process, I genuinely had fun exploring my ideas and the possibilities are almost endless. I enjoyed every step of this project because I get to create something based on my own style and creativity. Though it seemed too hard at first on the animation, it was interesting to work on the animation process by myself where I get to explore the functions of After Effects.
Observations: I observed that each software has its own specialty in creating certain graphic assets and knowing each software's specialty will make the process easier and will be useful in this project since we know which software we can easily create a graphic in and will save time.
Findings: I find that even though it sounded difficult to use all three softwares, it ended up being a helpful feature since some softwares are made better for creating a certain graphic element. It was more efficient than forcing to use one software on all the process and graphic elements.