Jason - Lun Kit Ng / Graphic Design Year 3 Final Major Project / Formative assessment portfolio
First Term - Evaluation and Proposal for major Project - Original Proposal In this independent practice I have learned that do not fear of failure, do not scare to try new stuffs and open to any options as well. I am very happy that I have more chance to try out more media than I ever have in the past two years. I always think I can only do just one thing in my independent practice and it always doing my headache, as I have to choose carefully what should I do and how I do it. I am really glad that I have finally done the fashion photography project that I was dying to try for 3 years now as I never have chance to do so before. I realised nothing is late to learn or to do as we all need just once chance and I was lucky got the opportunity how to make movie in Dogme 95 project, it was very fun and enjoyable, I do wish I can make more movie in the future and that is something I would love to experiment more, but I do find it is quite difficult to start learning new programme now, first of all, there is not many movie work shop available and I am personally too busy to learn a brand new thing, however, movie making will not be a option of my final major project tool as I am not good at it at all. Working on this project got me think I need to take real action to do things rather than think about it but works. Also it is good to study some artist but do not ever just copy their style; I need to learn from them then turn into my own style and make it unique. I have learned that Context is very important in design industry as they are soul of your artworks, they shouldn’t be create without a meaning, then it will not be alive and it won’t be able to communicate with our audience and readers. However, I think in the end of this project I have found my strongest point of my design skill which is digital design that basic on photography then explore it into different media. I didn’t know what was the different between Fine art and Graphic design and now I knew its all about communication; the context of works and engage with our audiences. I explored in different way media in this project and finally I think I have found the light that is Digital Media Art, which is basic on Photography, then expend into different media that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative or presentation process. Digital art could just be pure computer design but I do not like the idea of pure computer design as I think they lost the personal attitude, so I will mix my fine art skill into it make it into my own version, and hopefully I can make it unique and my own style. I do wish I can do more brand redesign, and poster design in my next project. I wish I can take this chance to developed what I can do in my future career and try to provides the production skills and develops the individual approaches and bodies of work, required for success in this fast moving, competitive Industry.
Second Stage of Final Major Project Proposal From the past few months I have changed my mind a lot of the concept and idea of my Final Major Project, which I was confused myself of thinking too much trying to be creative rather than actually take time to do more visual works. As much as I enjoyed spending time behind the camera to capture the priceless moment, but I do not think I can carry on the process of fashion photography as it took me too long manage a photoshot. First of all, I am running out of time to do my final major project and secondly the concept was basic on my feeling as I find it is very difficult to hold on with it and nothing have been created. I have learned creating art could go with personal feeling and soul but graphic design is mainly need to basic on reality to express the endless creation. I step back and think carefully what I enjoyed the most in past three years was drawing and painting, so I would like to continue with my strong selling point with this for my final major project. I am aiming to create my very own London guidebook, as it could be my last year staying in London, so it will be my contribute of my London life journey and I can honestly express my love and hate of London throw this unit, hope it will allowed me to draw a full stop of my over sea life journey in here. London is an amazing city to live in where is full of energy, unpredicted and endless surprise. The freedom city that full of colour and opportune for people to express their own love and hate; build your own space and have your chance to say out loud. But have say that, there are different issue that I also discovered during my living period in London, such as annoying raining weather and extreme finance level of economy. For my FMP I am happy to share my feeling with people, also show and tell peoples the way of how I view London city. It is very important to consider how people read and view my works as well as I shall see the way of my project develops. I try to keep the format of this project as basic as possible but hopefully will better understanding of this learning method and will re evaluated my work during the process of this journey. I will spend most of the first part of FML to take pictures, planning and painting, as I have more opportune to select better image and design after. Watercolour painting will taken the most part of my basic design then it will develop to different final outcome such as much textile, Photoshop edit image or illustration design as final result. I need to study and understand the use of my tools and material better to help me to create a better result and improve my graphic design ability.
Personal TimeTable
At this stage of study I am forcing on making images and try to take as much image of London as possible. I keep drawing daily does help me to improve my design skill and better control of the image and creation. However I very need to catch up as much as I can as I lost so much time in past months. I also need to think positive and keep myself busy to get motivated and focus on my study.
Research
Research into Time Out London. I am looking into different types of guide book covers and designs from Time Out London Guide.
General
Country Side Culture History
Food and Drinks
Transport and Sport
Age and Gender
Tourist and Local
Research into Time Out London. I am looking into details of their target audances and types.
Map
Art
Location
Animal Research into All Guide Book of London I am looking into more types of London guide book that Time Out London do not detail guide into it.
General Guide Book VS Time Out London Guide
Research into Cover Design of Guide Books. Time Out London Guidebook cover is much more modern then other guidebook cover design. I like it is pop art, colourful and original rather than use pure tradition photography or iconic images.
Organization BUILDING
FOOD AND DRINKS
TRANSPORTS
MAPS
GAY AND LESBIAN
LONDON THEATRE
CULTURE
SHOPPING
Research into Organisation. I organized different types and sections of London culture into eight groups. As it help me to understand my working direction better.
I first began with painting building from one of my last group that I selected. I took some pictures of National Gallery and St. Paul Cathedral in London. I want to get an idea of how can create an image that are unique; original also can show off my painting skill but can recognisable rather than use pure images. I started of quick sketch with pencil then painted with watercolour on top, and scan into computer to do final Photoshop edit. I tried to keep the content, without breaking the body of work of original images. I choice National Gallery and St. Paul Cathedral is simple basic on they are iconic and traditional building of London. Also they are full of history background and one of the popular visit place for tourist.
All of my design are start with pencil sketch, and then add on watercolour, if need be then I would scan them into computer to edit the level of colour and contrast. However I do love making and breaking images to create a new piece of artworks to make it more interesting and unique.
I experience different type images making and breaking with National Gallery image, by reducing the image over and over again help me to understanding the shape of the building better also the use of colours.
I was over laying the image of St. Paul Cathedral with different type of fabric, paper also sewing on top of the painting to get layers of texture. However I did created a mess in some result, which I was not aiming for. I will choice material much carefully next time for my textile study as I have learned from this mistake.
Although I am experienced at watercolour painting but still I need lot of practicing and studying as well to improve and develop my painting skills. I was practicing watercolour-painting technique with dry and wet watercolour paper and variety of paint blushes this time. I found out to create blur image would be better to paint it on wet paper with dam blush, there would be no gaps between colours and merge the light perfectly, which I will use this technique later on in my study process.
WATERCOLOUR PAINTING PROCESS
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I downloaded this burning bus image from Internet of London Riot in summer 2011. It such a powerful image which catch my eyes immediately when I saw it. I think it is very good opportunity to display the story in my London guide book, but I am so not sure if I should select this image as one of my final artwork as it bring too much negative energy to reader. Mike also reminded me that tourist might not want to know such things like riot of London and there are very rare company would publish those images into guidebook. However, I will keep on painting any object for the time being and keep on research the right content for my guidebook. I painted this burning bus images with watercolour as I show in my process, also I edited the colour and contrast again with Adobe Photoshop as I wanted background very black as night, and much shaper yellow and red to create the heat of the fire, as it edited I think it makes the whole image instantly alive and appear the hot on the painting.
WaterColour Practice
I kept breaking and adding on images within a image which create very funny effect. Out brain can automatically relate those broken images together, try to make it common sense again and relate it to reality object, as designer that I need to know how human can see things and brain works. I was very enjoying to create this image although I have never done it before but I will definitely spend more time to study image making and making more images like this in my later on study process.
London eye is the world known iconic signature of England. I really thought it just an eye when I first heart of it. However, I use this chance to create my ignorant but indecent imagination of London eye, which I thought how it should look like.
Cover is the soul of the book, also should is the concept and selling point of the book, as it decided why reader should pick it up and buy it in a few second of attention. It is the identity of the book and how you will do your branding. My cover concept is basic on original, and easy to understanding my selling point. It must show to reader the picture of London immediately without any confusion. Simple and clearly display the title and the function of the book and shown the unique style of this book. I have created a cover with few images of mine own photographs as I perfect to use my original images rather than someone else’s artwork. I make it very clear it is a London guidebook as it says on the top left and display the England in background with London tube and Train images. However, this is only my first cover design for this book, I would love to spend more time and put in much more details into the design to create a instant attention, better design.