Task 3: Design

07/03/2024 - 21/03/2024 / Week 5 - Week 7
Reema Arif Hamza / 0362792
Design Principles / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 3: Design

Content

Lectures

Refer to Task 1

Instructions

Task 3: Design

After analyzing the design of your choice in Task 2, you will now produce a work of design, inspired/influenced by the one you had analyzed, or as a reaction to it. You should also apply your knowledge of design principles in your creation. You may use any medium and/or materials that are suitable to convey your visual message.

Process

On the Fence by Dan Bejar, 2019, 736 x 964, Digital Illustration, 
Source: https://www.bejarprints.com/#/on-the-fence/ 

My artwork is to be inspired by the previously selected artwork. I picked similar flat illustration styles on my mood board that utilize textures and shapes. The colors will be deep, warm, and saturated. I will focus on using simple shapes with dynamic compositions. 

Fig. 1.1 Moodboard, Week 6 (14/03/2024)

Based on UN SDG Goal #7 Clean & Affordable Energy, my ideas are centered around renewable energy sources such as wind turbines, solar power, hydroelectricity, and geothermal energy. The first sketch is the installation of solar panels on the rooftop. The second sketch is a giant fan blowing wind toward the wind turbines. The third sketch is a person lighting the way towards a renewable future. The fourth sketch is a man on a ladder, plugging in a cable to the sun. 

Sketch 1 and 4 were my top choices as they had strong compositions. Mr.Zeon noted that Sketch 4 had a strong and clear message, and said I could proceed with that idea. He did mention to make sure you're not plagiarizing any work from the internet, so I double-checked that this idea was unique. Unfortunately, I was not the first to have the idea of a ladder and sun.  Thus I continued to develop my idea further. 

Fig. 1.2 Preliminary Sketch 1, Week 6 (14/03/2024)

Continuing from Sketch 4, I wanted to further develop the idea of a human trying to harness the sun's energy. The first sketch is a person shooting an electric plug from their bow to the sun. The third sketch is a man lassoing the sun's rays. The fourth sketch was a sun ray turning into a plug. 

The first sketch was the best one and had a strong impact. I checked online and confirmed it was a unique idea, so I proceeded with Sketch 1. 

Fig. 1.3 Preliminary Sketch 2, Week 6 (17/03/2024)

I began by tracing the figure of an archer using a reference photo. After I created a sun, clouds, and an electrical plug. Then I put all the elements together following my sketch.

Fig 2.1, Archer, Week 7 (20/03/2024)

Fig 2.2, Clouds + Sun, Week 7 (20/03/2024)

Fig 2.3, Plug Design, Week 7 (20/03/2024)

Fig 2.4, Putting the elements together, Week 7 (20/03/2024)

I experimented with how to visualize the sun's rays, eventually settling on lines of varying weights pointing outwards. In Fig 2.5 The sun's rays were too loud in the design and took focus away from the sun. Using thin lines instead, I could bring emphasis back to the sun. 

Fig 2.5, Sun Rays, Week 7 (20/03/2024)

Fig 2.6, Adjusting color palette and sun rays, Week 7 (22/03/2024)

I spent lots of time adjusting the archer's figure to look natural. I moved the sun down so there was a clear diagonal line from the bow to the sun. The electric plug and cable were changed to a bright red to add contrast, thus making it a focal point.

Fig 2.7, Adding border, changing plug color, Week 7 (22/03/2024)

Fig 2.8, Adjusting archer's position, Week 7 (22/03/2024)

Fig 2.9, Refinements, Week 7 (22/03/2024)

Final 

Google Drive Link: click here

Fig 2.10,  Final Artwork Task 3, Week 7 (23/03/2024)

Title: Solar Energy Archer

Rationale

This artwork is titled ‘Solar Energy Archer’ a digital illustration depicting how humans look for opportunities to harness solar power as an energy source. My intention is to capture how despite our small existence compared to the sun, we find ourselves aiming towards big goals in renewable energy. At the bottom of the artwork stands an archer pointing an electrical plug towards his target, the sun. The deep blue background creates a stark contrast against the yellow sun and orange electrical plug. The Archer points towards the sun causing the viewer’s gaze to move diagonally toward the sun. Emphasis is placed on the sun, due to contrasting colors and movement. Balance is achieved in the composition, due to the Archer’s visual weight being balanced by the sun’s. I hope my artwork prompts people to view solar and other renewable energy sources as the future. Also, they find ways to incorporate it into their daily lives.

Feedback

Week 6: Sketches 1 and 4 have the strongest composition. Sketch 4 has a strong and clear message, just looking at it I can easily understand it. You may proceed with this but make sure to check it's not plagiarizing anything that currently exists. 

Week 7: Could not attend class. 

Reflection

This task was enjoyable to do even though illustration is not my strong suit. I did feel inspired by Dan Bejar's artwork, and how conceptual it is with strong messages. I thought deeply about how to depict my UN SDG Goal #7 Clean and Affordable Energy as strong and impactful artwork. I'm glad I further developed my idea to land on the solar energy archer, I'm quite proud of it and hope to continue to improve my illustrator skills in the future. 

Further Reading

I read this article about composition in artworks to further understand how to compose my own artwork. It talks about how to use the principles of design such as repetition, movement, proportion, and balance to achieve a good composition.

Fig 3.1, Principles of Composition in Art and Design, Source Link

Comments

Post a Comment