Digital Photography and Imaging: Final Project

01.06.2023 - 06.07.2023 (Week 9 - Week 14)

Sorcha Griselda / 0353056 

Digital Photography and Imaging / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Final Project - Cinemagraph | Self-titled

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LECTURES

Week 10

In Week 10, the class primary focus was on surrealism and its application in the artworks to convey messages. 

• Realism: Explored the utilization of everyday and common subject matters in art.
• Surrealism: Surrealist artworks often depict dream-like scenes, where ordinary objects are combined  in unexpected and unconventional ways. The aim is to challenge conventional logic and reality and evoking a sense of wonder.
• Techniques and concepts of surrealism in digital art: 
• Blending ordinary objects in peculiar and unconventional ways
• Creating scenes that resemble dreams and incorporating symbolic images
• Embracing primitive designs for a distinctive aesthetic
• Experimenting with unexpected combinations
• Animation in Adobe Photoshop: Involves creating a sequence of images called frames and arranging them to produce the illusion of motion. By utilizing layers and keyframes, artists can control the timing and movement of objects in their animations, resulting in dynamic and visually engaging effects.

Fig 1.1 Week 10 Animation Tutorial Process (08.06.2023)

Fig 1.2 Week 10 Animation Tutorial using Adobe Photoshop (08.06.2023) 

Fig 1.3 Week 10 Animation Tutorial using Puppet Warp (08.06.2023)

Week 11

During this week, Mr. Martin acquitted us with Adobe After Effects, a robust software utilized for video editing, motion graphics and visual effects. It provides us with the capability to generate and control animations, enhancing the overall visual allure of our animation project. I was able to acquired knowledge about the distinct features available in After Effects and gained proficiency in their effective utilization to give substance to our creative concepts.

Fig 1.4 Week 11 Animation using Adobe After Effects (15.06.2023)

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INSTRUCTIONS

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Project 4: SELF-TITLED

Idea Development

(a) Biography

• Intro
• My name is Sorcha, and I'm a first-year design student at Taylor's. This year marks my 19th birthday.
• Paragraph 1
• I have always enjoyed drawing since I was a child, and after high school, I decided to pursue and major in Creative Media because it is something I have always felt was meant to do. I enjoy fashion, graphic design, and makeup. I adore visiting art museums to learn about other people's perspectives on the world.
• Paragraph 2
• In my artwork, I want to create my personal style to have a post-impressionist feel to it. I adore Van Gogh's paintings and was greatly influenced by them. His artwork title "Starry Nights" is something I want to incorporate in my self-portrait since I love the vibe it produces while also helping to reflect myself because I enjoy a tranquil and calming environment. 
• Summary
• Overall, I would describe myself as a creative individual who appreciates serene aesthetics.

(b) Statement

• Intro
• Since we had to utilize a photo of ourselves. It was a little difficult for me because I do not really enjoy shooting images of myself. I attempted many different ideas for covering my face, and thankfully one of the picture seemed to work out. 
• Paragraph 1
• As stated in my biography, I enjoy post-impressionist designs. So I have decided to make a portrait with my body figure in the centre and added other components on the portrait to provide lasting effects. I finished my initial sketch and was so satisfied with it that I spent hours searching for elements and background that would fit. Butterflies, clouds and moon were incorporated. 
• Paragraph 2
• I chose to stick with the mix of first and third ideas on the "Starry Night" look. But for this one, I went with a more serene, blue sky interface. The color palette would be less vibrant than the previous, and I wanted the colors to convey a specific atmosphere, such as a nighttime sky. I also referred to Van Gogh's "Starry Night" because the concept was exactly what I was looking for.
• Summary
• Thus, I decided to follow the first and third ideas and chose to proceed with my design that has a "Starry Night" atmosphere.

(c) Mood Board

Fig 2.1 Mood Board #1 from Pinterest

Fig 2.2 Mood Board #2 from Pinterest

Fig 2.3 Mood Board #3 from Pinterest

Design Direction

During Week 12, Mr. Martin organized a photo session which provided the students to be able to learn on how to take pictures using high-quality camera and producing a well-executed photo shoot. Unfortunately, I was unable to be present for the session as I was unwell during that time. Nonetheless, I did capture a self-portrait by myself.

Fig 3.1 My Self-Portrait (24.06.2023)

I have created a captivating concept that revolves around immersing myself within a tranquil and dream-like environment. In this design project, I aim to depict myself reaching towards the moon in Vincent van Gogh's masterpiece, "Starry Night", symbolizing my pursuit of a dream.

Fig 3.2 Idea Sketch (25.06.2023)

Production Process

Before going to the Photoshop editing process, I carefully research the most suitable background image for my artwork. Given the theme of a "dreamscape world", I decided to go with galaxy background that would harmonize with my creative vision.

Fig 4.1 Searching for different backgrounds (25.06.2023)

However, the chosen background seemed to be a bit plain for my preference. To elevate the visual allure of my design, I made the decision to incorporate other elements, such as clouds, butterflies, the moon and stars derived from Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night". These details added life and depth into the artwork as a whole, ultimately transforming it into a mesmerizing and dynamic representation of the serene world that I wanted to portray.

Fig 4.2 Photoshop Process (25.06.2023)

Fig 4.3 Masking Process (25.06.2023)

Final Photoshop Design Outcome

Fig 4.4 Self-Titled Final Design | JPEG Format (25.06.2023) 

Animation Process

Initially, I was not familiar with using Adobe After Effects as I have never used it before. This led me to take the initiative to research on tutorials using this software. These tutorials allowed me to gain knowledge and skills on using the features to add enhancement on my animated artwork. As I gained  more confidence on my Adobe After Effect knowledge, I continued with animating my Self-Titled design. I incorporate keyframes and motion path which created a captivating and seamless animation, resulted the elements to be more enhanced.

Fig 5.1 Adobe After Effect Process (06.07.2023)

Furthermore, I also incorporated the puppet warp on the butterflies by setting anchor points and modifying the mesh. This allowed me to amplify the atmosphere of my design by giving the appearance that my hand and the overall setting were actively engaging with the design's attributes. Thus, when I was finally satisfied with my animated design, I exported it in a 'Quicktime' format and uploaded it on my. YouTube. This will allows me to display my artwork to the viewers and receive feedbacks.

Final Animation Project Outcome

Fig 5.2 Final Animation of 'Self-Titled' Design (10.07.2023)

Title: Whispers of Serenity

Artist Statement: In my exploration of digital photography animation, I invite viewers into a world of tranquility and dreams with my project, "Whispers of Serenity". Through this artistic endeavor, I seek to evoke a sense of calmness and offer a respite from the chaos of everyday life. The animation technique I employ allows me to breathe life into my captured photographs, transforming them into a fluid and dynamic visual experience. By animating these still images, I aim to transcend the boundaries of traditional photography and delve into the realm of dreams and the subconscious. Additionally, by incorporating soothing lo-fi music, the message of the animated visuals would be enhanced, and viewers would be able to revel in and experience such sensations.

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FEEDBACK

• Mr. Martin suggested me to have the starry night idea as the influence of the animation.

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REFLECTION

This project was a creative and self-expressive journey that had a transforming impact. My objective was to craft a design that truly reflected my individuality, drawing inspiration from post-impressionist masterpiece, "Starry Night". With careful deliberation, I carefully considered my options and chose the best sources and backgrounds to enhance my poster. Employing Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, I created and added components to provide depth and intrigue to the composition. The implementation of Adobe After Effects in animating the deign added an enhancement to the project. Despite facing challenges, such as capturing my own likeness through self-portraits, I persisted and came up with a finished project that I am satisfied with. This project taught me the importance of visual storytelling, adaptability and self-motivation. In conclusion, it was a valuable experience that fostered personal growth and significantly bolstered my confidence as an artist.