Process and Production ~ Creating a GIF, Using Video Layers on Photoshop and Rotascoping

You may be asked at some point to create an animated GIF, as it is pointless paying an animator to do a small animation like this and all they are is a graphic with a few different states. It’s the same with buttons; you have to create 4 states. We looked at making simple animated GIFs that used a few frames.

To begin with, it's set to create video timeline, using the dropdown arrow, create a frame animation but before clicking the button the document must be prepared for that kind of work, create some layers to turn into an animation. The timeline doesn’t like the background layer, remove the background layer and keep the new one that is transparent. Create some artwork on 10 different layers that will act as several different frames of the GIF. Once convert the layers into frames, select all layers and click create frame animation. Change the settings so that it creates a new frame from each of the layers that you have created. Now change the timing and the way that it plays, they usually loop forever so we have to get this gif to do that first

Select all frames to change the timing, look at each frame and each says 0 sec and a dropdown arrow, click on this on any of the frame it will provide the time options and as all frames are selected then it will change them all, change it to 0.1 sec.

The creation of gifs is a simple process but it allows you to be very creative.

It doesn't have to be output as a GIF it can be made into a video as I have done above with the screenshots I took throughout the process of creating my GIF.

With this we are working with layers but in a different way, it is like a combo of Photoshop and after effects. Using the onion skin setting you are able to see the previous frame and use this as a framework to draw the next skin. Once you have created all of the frames you desire for your video you can then render out the video. In the screenshots above it shows the process I did to create the video below using the timeline in photoshop.

Using a video we then used the video option to go through a video frame by frame and trace the general shape of the person in the video. This allowed us to create a simple version of the movement in the image and observe the video closely.

Contextual Portfolio ~ The Importance of a Multi-Platform Design

In an early lecture we discussed the importance of a multi-platform design so that it can work effectively across a range of different media and materials. The initial picture that captured my attention for this logo was the business cards, the choice of material and texture crates a very professional and attractive appearance and represents the company in a very positive light. I then followed the link provided with the picture and realised that the company had created a series of bags, tins, websites, and many other products featuring their logo and design.

They continue the duo colour theme for the bag design, using the business card style as an influence for this and creating a very attractive appearance. I think the simplicity of one side of the design in contrast to the complexity of the other side creates a really rounded design. In addition to this, the unique use of materials and small details creates a very perfected design and shoes that the company care about their products, providing the customers with a sense of trust.

By creating a more simplified version of their logo they have provided the viewers with something easy and recognisable that they can familiarise with the company. This provides a ground for customers as they will continually return to the recognised company as they feel safe and comfortable with familiar ground.

Contextual Portfolio ~ Floppy Disk Woman

This particular image caught my attention as it could be representation of the materialistic ways of modern society, the use of floppy disks represents the changes and improvements in technology and the advancements that we have made. For this reason it has a somewhat futuristic twist to it.

The style is almost a montage style of floppy disks and this is then almost constructed as a collage to create the woman. the style of woman that they have used can also be considered significance as she has no real female features, the hair is not long and therefor she can not be stereotyped as a woman due to the length of her hair and the bone structure is very neutral. She has an almost robotic appearance which might represent the contrast between modern technology and the floppy disk. 

Although the colours used are somewhat reflective of the colours that the woman would be, it is also slightly abstracted due to the use of blue, further adding to the illusion that the woman might be considered somewhat robotic in appearance. 

The piece has a very postmodern twist to it and may be created ignored to represent the disagreement with the use of new media and materials, hence the use of a floppy disk in the creation of the piece. This would be a contrasting view to if the image had been created in a futuristic style as it would then be an appreciation of the technological advancements. 

Contextual Portfolio ~ A Closer Look at Yummei

During my Earth Artifact research I touched briefly on the artworks of Yuumei, however having had lectures on the ideas of subliminal messages and deeper meaning, I wanted to research a little more into some of the artist’s designs and explore the true context of the work.

Beginning with this particular design, which clearly resembles an hourglass for a motif of time. The motif focuses on our running out of time to make changes and improvements to the world. The top half of the hourglass is created to effect the viewer emotionally, the colours are peaceful and relaxed, accompanied by a mother bear with her cub. This allows the viewer to feel a sense of happiness when they first look at the image as they are initially drawn to the brighter colours of the design and the lighting effects are the top of the hourglass. The arrow shape of the iceberg that the bears are stood on and the gradual darkening of colour then draws the viewer down to the bottom half where the design represents the modern changes and impact of the decisions that we are making. 

Shadowed by a completely modern and industrial cityscape, the now dark and dingy water contains various items of litter and several more materialist items that act as motifs. Some of the items on show include a girl, a couch, various food items, a television and a game controller. All of which would probably suggest the girl was playing on the console whilst lay on the couch snacking. 

I feel that the intentions of this image are to address our increasing obsession with material items and the laziness of modern society and the lack of appreciation we have for the natural world around us that is effectively suffering. The girls drowning represent how it will effect us if we don’t begin to care more about the world around us. Overall the impact that this image has on the viewer is very strong, the emotional contrast that it causes by moving from the bright colours to the dark greens and blacks causes emotional and visual discomfort and then the subject of each half of the design further enhances that.

The next image that I would like to focus on features a woman holding petrol pump to her heart, pumping oil from what would appear to be the sea into her body. Immediately I see the link between our obsession with material goods and our disregard for the nature around us, this is shown through various dead fish scattered among the dirty water she is stood in and also the bird that appears to be being worn as a sort of fashion statement on the woman’s head. 

Again in the background of this image there is an industrial landscape featuring smoke and factories. Unlike the image with the hourglass, this image contains no positive connotations or emotions and is completely negative in all that it contains. The dark colours used draw attention to the negative subject of the image and the subtle use of the colour red on the petrol pump and the woman’s heart would suggest that there is a danger in the connection between the human race and material goods and the overall design effects the result of this if it is taken too far.

I have also featured a few more of Yuumei’s images that appear to have a similar message being portrayed through the designs. Some images are more positive, showing a better alternative or a brighter future. Others of the images simply put it straight to the viewer that the negative impacts that we are having on the earth are very severe and if no changes take place then the horrific images will be likely to come true.

As I said, this was only part of my research on the Earth Artifact brief and I collected a large array of different designs and ideas to sway my influences towards a final piece. Although I have not annotated all of these ideas, I have compiled a board simply to visually inspire me when I visit it. Please follow the link below if you would like to explore this board further.

https://www.pinterest.com/beccaleccaspecc/earth-artefact

Contextual Portfolio ~ Delores

Delores work is sensitive to the context of your time and there is a very innovative approach to it. He talks about the idea of old concepts as being a bit like law, or a court case, if we apply what he is saying about law, he is questioning the idea that when a judge does what he does it look back through a textbook of law cases, finds the one that fits the situation most and then applies it. 

What happens in reality is that the application of the law should have something unfamiliar in the case that he is presented with, and it should be creatively responded to. What Delores wants to say is that the law doesn't operate like that and it's fundamental that there is a massive amount of innovation and the court is a very creative space as the judges have to create new kinds of law to respond to unique situations. 90% of law is jurisprudence where the laws are created in response to a new case. C.S Pierce, abductive reasoning we are confronted with something unusual. You have to generate a hypothesis on what might happen and what would wrong put things. The construction of a hypothesis is created by seeing something irregular and creating something for it. This involves a creative thought process.

 Both are showing us that every aspect of the research process, they all require an enormous amount of creative thinking. They are very tied to the idea of semiotics, the idea of receiving signs from the world that indicate that something is going on and then trying to work through those situations and solve them.  Delores is one of the more contemporary artistic theorists and he does something very interesting in terms of how he theorises art itself, he tried to materialise art, ultimately all aspects of creativity come down to the material transverse of the world he doesn't try and place the operation of creativity at the level of the artist. It's the world, matter itself that is creative and not artists, he has a very scientific picture of what art is as he sees it as the worlds producing new stuff and within a material changing world. He gives the world a creative agenda. This is what creates a new context. It's a very confrontational position within the arts, it invests nothing in the artist and the artist is just a shell and an expression of the creativity in the world. It ties together, matter, sensation and concepts and it's this materialist agenda that plugs it I tot he sciences but gives it an artistic view of scientific investigation.

Process and Production ~ Creating a Typeface

 I found this exercise particularly tricky as it was difficult to initially find the inspiration to create the shapes and forms of the letters as well as allowing the font to have a consistency about it. To begin with I browsed a variety of pictures to gain inspiration on the forms of the letters. I looked at architectural forms, patterns and textures on different surfaces and created a few quick mock ups of the kinds of things I would like to create. 

When experimenting with the fonts I would draw guidelines as shown below, this enabled me to ensure that the letters were consistent tin many of their features: Width, height, where the centre lines were on letters such as 'E' and 'F' as it would look strange and unprofessional if these were not the same distance on each.

I decided that I really liked the fourth font that I created as it had a very gothic look to it which I thought was very unique. I had used the image below as an influence to create this, the details on the iron railings along with the spiralling, this inspired the curly formations of the font.

From the letters that I had experimented with I then created an entire alphabet, continuing to change and adapt the letters to how I felt best fit with how I wanted them to look. Some letters worked better than others, I particularly like the appearance of the letters 'A', 'I' and 'O' in this design.

Due to the amount of swirls and curves in the design I though it would be best to test it before taking it any further and correctly so, as once the font was formatted into any other word than the alphabet, the letters began to interfere with one another. I do really like this font and think that it would work really effectively for a title or something similar where the design focuses on a single word and time is spent arranging and altering the letters to fit together as a design. It is however, not very apt for what I am wanting to create.

I decided to work on the top font, and adapt it to make it more simple than in the initial sketch ups. I based this design on the divider in the image below. I really liked the shape of the stone piece  and thought that it would provide a very strong foundation to provide the majority of forms in my font.

I sketched up each letter accordingly and then worked through it, adapting and changing the letter until I was happy with it, I then created a neat version at the end, adding any notes for myself to see when the letters had been scanned in. Below I have shown some of the letters in which I underwent this process.

Once I had completed the process of finalising each letter to the design I liked, I scanned the images in and separated each of the final letters to create an alphabet as shown below. Again leaving the notes on each of the letters so that I could use these when creating the final result of my font.

As with the other font there are a few letters which I prefer and others that didn't work as effectively as I had hoped. The important thing however is that the design is consistent throughout the whole font and it is evident that they are all part of the same design. 

Once I was happy with the final designs I then rendered the font in illustrator, using the path tool to create a vectorised result for the designs and below I have included the finished alphabet that I have created. As you can see the font is very simplistic, providing a very readable result for the viewer, unlike the previous trial.

I then decided that I would create a test piece where I experimented with creating a variety words to make sure that I was happy with how the letters appeared alongside others.

Below I have included the final result and I am overall really happy with it, the font could well do with a few tweaks, such as the width of certain letters and the formation of some, but  I think that it is a really effective and simplistic font.