Illustration & Visual Narrative - Task 2: Composition

16.10.2024 - 01.11.2024 / Week 4 - Week 6

Chan Zhi-Ren Zenndan / 0369069

Illustration & Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Task 2: Composition

1. LECTURES

Week 4: Mr. Hafiz briefed on Task 2, which is to create an environment for our vormator. Just like Pokemon cards, characters usually have a background/environment of their own; and that is what we are supposed to create for this task. A tutorial on colors and gradients was also conducted, with many technical tools utilised to refine our vormator.

Week 5: Mr. Hafiz instructed students to read a few documents assigned in Google Classroom. One talks about utilising foreground, midground, and background in our composition, and the other teaches about perspective, and how we should apply at least one kind of perspective in our composition

Week 6: Public Holiday

2. INSTRUCTIONS

3. PROCESS

Research

My vormator, Hyde, is designed after a ghost from Pac-Man. This assignment requires students to create an environment for their vormator, without any limitations of the vormator shapes given earlier. I started my research by finding elements that have colors similar to Hyde's (red and black).

Fig 3.1 Blood moon reference (24/10/2024).

I saw that the blood moon could be a strong element I could use to build up a story. Slowly building up the idea, I had to think of the appropriate environment Hyde would reside in. However, I also had to incorporate perspective into the composition. After a few searches, I found that this picture could work well with what I had in mind.

Fig 3.2 Blood moon in the desert (24/10/2024).

Now that I have decided to use the desert as my environment, I plan to use the desert road to take a one-perspective view.

Fig 3.3 One-point perspective of the desert road (24/10/2024).

Digitisation (Progression Check Week)

I began by sketching what I had in mind in Illustrator, then coloring it after.

Fig 3.4 Sketch and draft (25/10/2024).

Then, I decided to write up Hyde's backstory and rationale.

Fig 3.5 Progression check (25/10/2024).

Second Draft

Upon feedback from Mr. Hafiz on 28/10/2024, I was told that the character and background designs are fine, but the composition was not executed well. He suggested that the framing be tighter and that some adjustments in the foreground or background could help with the composition. He also encouraged me to make a reference from the book "Framed Ink" provided in the Google Classroom.

I decided to incorporate the "BIG VS. SMALL" shot composition from the book into my illustration.

Fig 3.6 BIG VS. SMALL Shot composition (28/10/2024).

In the description, it mentions that

"the size of an element will always be in comparison to the ones around it... we need the brutal warrior to appear as terrifying and menacing as possible..."

With this in mind, I needed to make something "terrifying and menacing" about the environment. So, I decided to have the blood moon look bigger, serving as "the big bad," symbolizing power and control over Hyde.

Following the new idea, I had to update my research board and adjust the backstory and rationale for Hyde.

Fig 3.7 Revised research board (31/10/2024).

BACKSTORY

Hyde was once a lost traveler who, on a fateful night, approached the locked door of a rundown gas station café. Unbeknownst to him, the Blood Moon had already cursed the café, marking it as a trap for anyone who dared to enter. As he reached for the handle, the moon rose, casting an eerie glow of red and black that consumed him in its mysterious power. Transformed into a ghostly predator, he became forever bound to the shifting sands of the desert. Lurking in the shadows, he waits with a twisted grin and crooked, tentacle-like teeth, ready to battle any unsuspecting traveler who dares to cross his territory, eager to unleash his ghostly and psychic abilities.

In this empty desert, a single, rundown café marks the start of Hyde’s territory. Travelers know the stories—when you see the café, you’re entering his land. By regular moonlight, Hyde waits in the shadows, ready to unleash his ghostly powers. If someone dares to approach, he can summon the Blood Moon, boosting his strength and using his psychic move, Shadow Grasp, to manipulate the shadows around his opponents, immobilizing them for a turn. To cross deeper into the desert road, travelers must be ready to face Hyde.

RATIONALE

Concept

Hyde is a ghost-type Pokémon that embodies themes of cursed power and shadow manipulation.

Abilities

Blood Moon Summon: Hyde summons the Blood Moon, gaining a temporary increase in attack power for 3 turns.

Shadow Grasp: Hyde ensnares his opponents with their own shadows, immobilizing them for one turn.

Design Elements

Hyde’s ghostly form is designed to unsettle foes when he emerges from the fog. His presence in the desert reflects his backstory, where the cursed Blood Moon trapped and transformed him. The blend of darkness and fog creates an eerie atmosphere, amplifying the tension for any who dare to approach.

The Blood Moon symbolizes authority, transformation, and power, representing the trap that forever changed Hyde from a lost traveler to a ghostly predator. His strong, tentacle-like arms echo his former human strength, now twisted in his ghostly form. When Hyde summons the Blood Moon, its crimson glow intensifies around him, causing parts of his figure to radiate with eerie red light, heightening his intimidating presence.

With adjustments to the backstory, I finalise the digitisation of Hyde's environment.

Fig 3.8 Final digitisation (1/11/2024).

Following Mr. Hafiz's feedback, I tightened the frame by going closer to the mountains, added and adjusted elements that strengthened Hyde's background story, and implemented the BIG VS. SMALL shot composition from Framed Ink on the Blood Moon.

Pokémon Card

After finalising the composition, I created a Pokémon card template using the tools provided in Illustrator. I made sure to use the correct colors, as Pokémon cards have designated colors for their respective types.

Fig 3.9 Final Pokémon Card (1/11/2024).

4. REFLECTION

As someone who does not draw often, I faced challenges with this assignment due to my limited composition skills. I attempted to incorporate concepts I learned over the weeks, such as Chiaroscuro lighting on my vormator, and effective use of foreground, midground, and background, all tied together with a one-point perspective. On a positive note, I successfully utilized newly learned tools in Illustrator, like mesh, outer and inner glow effects, and grainy textures, to elevate my storytelling. I also enjoyed creating and arranging the Pokémon card itself! Upon closer inspection, you’ll see that I aimed to make the card as realistic as possible by applying shadows and highlights.

Overall, I learned how to set the tone of the environment and convey Hyde's backstory coherently. I am satisfied with the result of Hyde's environment and Pokémon format, especially after making adjustments based on Mr. Hafiz's feedback.

5. FURTHER READING

Fig 5.1 Foreground, Midground, Background by Neil Blevins (25/10/2024).

I found this page, which gave me a deeper insight into the foregrounds, midgrounds, and backgrounds.

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Chan Zhi-Ren Zenndan (0369069)