Illustration and Visual Narrative - Project 3

07.06.2023 -  23.06.2023 (Week 10 - Week 13)

Sorcha Griselda / 0353056 

Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Project 3 | Sequential Art - Digital Triptych

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LECTURES

Week 10 | Project 3 Briefing & Chiaroscuro

Light & Shadow

1. Pen > Curvature > Direct Selection Tool > Knife Tool

2. Pen > Curvature > Direct Selection Tool > Pen Tool > Shapebuilder/Pathfinder

Fig 1.1 Experimenting with knife tool and pen tool (07.06.2023)

Fig 1.2 Image Trace > Three colors > Expand > Magic Wand Tool > Erase unnecessary parts (07.06.2023)

Watercolor Texture

1. Object > Rasterize > Change to Greyscale > Change the color for texture

2. Select the shadow > Group the shadow > Object > Compound Path

3. Select the image of watercolor texture and shadow > Right click and make a clipping mask

Fig 1.3 Process of creating shadow (07.06.2023)

Fig 1.4 Process of applying watercolor texture (07.06.2023)

Week 11 | Pattern Tool - Width Tool - Drawing Mode

Pattern Tool

1. Right Click > Transform > Scale > Scales Strokes & Effects

2. Object > Pattern > Make

3. Use 'Direct Selection Tool' to crop out the clip

4. Object > Pattern > Edit Pattern

Fig 1.5 Process of Pattern Tool (14.06.2023)

Width Tool

1. Add volume to pencil stroke and outline

• Width Tool (Shift + W) > Edit pattern to change stroke color
• Use 'Variable Width Profile'

2. Convert it to object

• Object > Expand Appearance

Fig 1.6 Process of using Width Tool (14.06.2023)

Drawing Mode

1. Paintbrush tool: Draw an outline

2. Blob Blush Tool: Draw a fill

3. Create a shadow: Double click on 'Blob Brush Tool' > 'Select Draw Inside'

Fig 1.7 Result of Drawing Mode (14.06.2023)

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INSTRUCTIONS

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PROJECT 3 | DIGITAL TRIPTYCH

Task Description:

Choose a story from the linked website (https://poestories.com/stories.php). Break down the narrative of the chosen story into 3-act structures of Introduction-Climax-Epilogue. Then create 3 panels digital triptych illustrating each of the act.

• Consider the interesting twists in the plots of each act, and include these into the design. 
• Or you can highlight the notable icons or symbolisms that occur in these acts.
• Think of creating a premise preview for the story to make the readers intrigued. 

Requirements:

• Only one story from this website: https://poestories.com/stories.php
• No, you cannot use other story than the ones from the website
• Visuals are displayed in a series of three
• Include short non-spoiler text for each act

3 - Acts Structure

1. Pick one story from https://poestories.com/stories.php.

• My chosen story is "The Oval Portrait" by Edgar Allan Poe (published 1850).

2. Read the story and break down the storytelling basics:

• Central characters
• Unnamed Narrator: The story is told in the first person point of view by an unidentified character who serves a the narrator. The narrator seeks refuge in an old chateau and is drawn to an oval portrait on the wall. While exploring the abandoned estate, the narrator comes uncovers a book that exposes the tragic background behind the painting. The narrative is propelled forward by the narrator's curiosity and growing obsession with the young woman's tale. Throughout the novel, the narrator serves as a channel for the reader's emotions to the events that occurred.
• The Young Woman (The Subject of the Oval Portrait): The fundamental focus of the story is the young woman represented in the oval portrait. Her identity is unknown, but she is described as stunningly attractive and intriguing. The woman is described as having an ethereal charm that catches both the artist and narrator's attention. The young woman becomes a tragic protagonist in the story, sacrificed by her artist husband in his tireless pursuit of capturing her essence on canvas. She embodies the fleeting essence of beauty as well as the dangers of unbridled artistic devotion.
• The Artist (The Wife's Husband): Although he is not directly present in the story, the artist has a big impact on the events. He is shown as a diligent and passionate artist who is obsessed by his work. The artist preoccupation with capturing the perfect painting of his wife causes him to overlook her well-being and resulted to lose her life. His character serves as a cautionary illustration of the dangers of unrestrained artistic obsession, as well as the potential inhumanity when art trumps interpersonal relationships and empathy.
• Setup, Conflict, Resolution
• Setup: A man breaks into an abandoned castle and is drawn to a painting of a lifelike young lady, while the accompanying book narrates the narrative of how the painter's wife posed for the painting while she withered away.
• Conflict: The painter's passion with his art cause him to neglect his wife until she dies by the time he finishes the painting, which he characterizes as "Life itself".
• Resolution: The narrator is tormented by the artwork and its story towards the end, which highlights the danger of obsession and the consequences of neglecting one's duty in pursuit of a passion. This story attempts to reconcile the contradiction between the real and the ideal, showing the friction between artistic creation and the necessities of the real world.

3. Employ the 3-acts structure fill-in-the-blank exercise to write the summary. Limit the word count to maximum 300 words only.

• Act 1 | Setup
• Once upon a time, there was an unknown narrator who seeks refuge during a stormy night in a old, abandoned chateau. The narrator discovers an intriguing oval portrait hanging on one of the mansion's walls as they explore the gloomy chambers. The painting depicts a young woman with otherworldly beauty, and the narrator is drawn to her ethereal charm right away.
• Act 2 | Conflict
• One day, the narrator come across a book nearby that reveals the story of the portrait's subject. According to the tale, the young woman in the painting was the wife of the chateau's previous owner, a passionate artist. Consumed by his artistry, the artist became obsessed with conveying his wife's spirit on canvas. In his unrelenting desire, he neglected her well-being and ultimately sacrificed her life.  
• Act 3 | Resolution
• Until finally, they grow more engaged and haunted by the young woman's awful fate. The narrator realizes the resolve when the borders between art and life become indistinguishable within the chateau. The artwork which serves as a symbol of the young woman's existence, appears to come to life, with her eyes appearing to follow the narrator's every movement. 
• In a final terrifying discovery, the narrator realizes that the young woman's spirit has melded with the artwork, permanently bound within its frame. The painter's pursuit of perfection and artistic expression resulted in the sacrifice of his wife's life and her eternal captivity within the painting.
• The tragic tale and the spooky presence of the oval portrait haunt the narrator at the end of the story. It is a cautionary story about the pitfalls of obsession and the inhumanity that can result when art takes precedence over human connection and compassion. 

4. Roughly sketch out your triptych design based on the written summary.

Fig 2.1 Rough Sketch in Adobe Illustrator (14.06.2023)

Fig 2.2 Process of First Draft (17.06.2023)

Fig 2.2 Final Outline View in Adobe Illustrator | JPEG Format (30.06.2023)

Final Digital Triptych Outcome

Fig 2.3 Final "The Oval Portrait" Digital Triptych | JPEG Format  (30.06.2023)

Fig 2.4 Act 1 | JPEG Format 

Fig 2.5 Act 2 | JPEG Format 

Fig 2.6 Act 3 | JPEG Format 

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FEEDBACK

• Ms. Noranis said that the sketch idea was great overall. She advised me to use 'flashback' color theme for the second artboard as portrays the story of the past memory.

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REFLECTION

This project has been a great experience for me. Prior to this, I had no experience with using Adobe Illustrator, but working on this project helped me to become familiar with it. While I did gain knowledge about the different tools in Adobe Illustrator, I struggled a lot with drawing using the software. I found that several tools were difficult to work with which made it hard for me to execute my original plan for the art style. The struggle I faced with the software took up a significant amount of time and unfortunately made the project to become less enjoyable for me.