Illustration and Visual Narrative / Project 3: Digital Triptych

27/11/2023 - 08/12/2023 / Week 10 - Week 11

Lim En Yu / 0354452

Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor’s University 

Project 3: Digital Triptych

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Lectures

2. Instructions

3. Project 3: Digital Triptych

4. Feedback

5. Reflection

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LECTURES

Lecture Slides about Transition Exercises:

Fig 1.1 Lecture Slides about Transition Exercises

Mr Hafiz has briefed us about our upcoming assignment which is digital triptych. This assignment aims to utilize Scott McCloud's transition theory in the creation of a digital triptych. The triptych will consist of three panels, each depicting a distinct stage: one before, one during, and one after a significant event. Each panel will exemplify a specific transition type as outlined in McCloud's theory.

We have to choose one transition type and apply it to express out our three panels. 

Scott McCloud's transitions: 

• moment-to-moment
• action-to-action
• subject-to-subject
• scene-to-scene
• aspect-to-aspect
• non sequitur

Fig 1.2 Scott McCloud's transitions

• Moment-to-moment transitions show basic movements occurring.
• Action-to-action transitions show a single subject progressing through a specific movement.
• Subject-to-subject transitions stays within a specific scene or idea and call for more reader involvement.
• Scene-to-scene transitions take place across significant distances within time and space.
• Aspect-to-aspect is unique in that it shows different aspects occurring simultaneously within the same scene.
• Non-sequitur provides no logical connection between panels.

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INSTRUCTIONS

Fig 2.1 Module Information

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Project 3 : Digital Triptych

Research

Before I started with my idea, I have explored and found some inspirations about digital triptych on Internet. Here are two images of gital triptych that I found interesting:

Fig 3.1 Example 1 of Digital Triptych, Week 10 (2/12/23)

Fig 3.2 Example 2 of Digital Triptych, Week 10 (2/12/23)

Triptych art is made up of three different panels/paintings/photographs that are intended to be displayed together. The three panels become one unified piece of work to the viewer.

Fig 3.3 Reference for Bloody Mary, Week 10 (2/12/23)

On the other hand, I have also found reference for building the Bloody Mary character. The photo above is a famous photo that represent the image of Bloody Mary.

Sketchings

I decided to apply scene to scene transition type which is transition across significant of times and/or space. For panel 1, it is abour at old century, Bloody Mary was burned the villagers at the stake using a bonfire, as she had murdered numerous young women to maintain her youthful appearance through their blood.

Fig 3.4 Sketch for panel 1, Week 11 (5/12/23)

For panel 3, several years later, the young girl remained imprisoned within the mirror indefinitely. The curse placed by Bloody Mary prevented anyone from seeing her or rescuing her from the mirror.

Fig 3.5 Sketch for panel 3, Week 11 (5/12/23)

After that, I have also drawn out a sketch for Bloody Mary for me to refer when I was illustrating the character in Adobe Illustrator.

Fig 3.6 Sketch for Bloody Mary character in panel 1, Week 11 (5/12/23)

Digitisation

I have started the digitsation process after I done my sketch. First, I started by outlining Bloody Mary using pen tool.

Fig 3.7 Digitise Bloody Mary, Week 11 (5/12/23)

Next, I coloured it using live paint selection tool and gradient tool as well. The colour palette I refer to the Bloody Mary portrait which I have tried my best to represent the image of Bloody Mary.

Fig 3.8 Colour Bloody Mary, Week 11 (5/12/23)

Besides that, I have modified the design of mirror after I have shown it to Mr Hafiz. Mr Hafiz suggest that I should change it into more art deco style instead of too complicated. He thinks that the second design of the mirror would be better. Other than that, I have also added a background with radial gradient as I wanted to create an effect that the fire was glowing up in the dark.

Fig 3.9 Original design of mirror, Week 11 (5/12/23)

Fig 3.10 Redesigning mirror and added background, Week 11 (5/12/23)

As I want to make a fire that looks natural, I decided to create a brush to draw fire according to the tutorial on the Internet. Here are the steps that I creating the brush.

Fig 3.11 First step of creating fire brush, Week 11 (5/12/23)

Fig 3.12 Second step of creating fire brush, Week 11 (5/12/23)

Fig 3.13 Third step of creating fire brush, Week 11 (5/12/23)

Here is the outcome after I have added the fire using the brush. I have used different colour which is red, orange and yellow to create a gradient.

Fig 3.14 Added fire, Week 11 (5/12/23)

Final Outcome of Panel 1

Fig 3.15 Final Outcome for panel 1, Week 11 (5/12/23)

On the other hand, I have started on panel 3 by illustrating the little girl which is the main character and also adding the details at the same time.

Fig 3.16 Creating the details for panel 3, Week 11 (7/12/23)

Here are the steps of me illustrating the candle and also the hair. I have added gradient to every element so that it looked more detailed.

Fig 3.17 Illustrating candle, Week 11 (7/12/23)

Fig 3.18 Illustrating hair, Week 11 (7/12/23)

Futhermore, as I wanted to make an effect that the corner of the image are looking darker so I have added brown colour at each corner and blur them to create the effect. Glitch effect are also added by duplicating the layer, change the colour and lower down the opacity.

Fig 3.19 Creating shadow, Week 11 (7/12/23)

Fig 3.20 Blur the shadow, Week 11 (7/12/23)

Final Outcome for Panel 3

Fig 3.21 Final Outcome for panel 3, Week 11 (7/12/23)

Panel 2

Fig 3.22 Panel 2 from decisive moment, Week 11 (7/12/23)

Digital Triptych Explanation:

Fig 3.23 Digital Triptych Explanation, Week 11 (7/12/23)

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FEEDBACK

When I have shown Mr Hafiz my first attempt of panel 1, he adviced me to change it into a more art deco style which is a simpler style. He think that my sketch for panel 1 is better than my outcome. Other than that, after I have shown my outcome for panel 3 to Mr Hafiz on Microsoft teams, he suggested that I can make the girl a bit faded to show that it is ghost like while I have also asked him whether I could change it into glitch effect.

Fig 4.1 Feedback from Mr Hafiz

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REFLECTION

For me, actually this project was quite fun as I feel like I can become an author that create an interesting story by using just 3 panels. I need time to think and plan about the storyline while refering to the transition type at the same time.

After learning about Scott McCloud's transitions only I know there are so many transition types and have different function and can express different meaning .While I was a comic reader, I did not even noticed about the difference of transition while now I became the creator, it was totally different feeling.

Overall I learnt a lot of things from this project and I know where I can still improve. I should improve on the art deco style and consider about every single details of each panel.