Design Principles - Final Project: Visual Analysis

Week Six - Eight (12/2/2022- 25/2/2022)

Lean See Phing |0353393

Design Principle| Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media

Final Project - Visual Analysis

Fig 1.0: Thumbnail

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Visual Analysis

Definition of Visual Analysis

Visual analysis, as the name suggests, is the process of analyzing, explaining, and describing what your eyes or five senses have received, such as visual elements, design principles used, visual structure, which includes the feeling, meaning, ideas, and content that your eyes connect to the brain and impact you, as well as the meaning, intention, and the reason for each element used, based on your words and understanding.

1. Observation

Fig 1.2: "The kitchen at midnight by Devin Elle Kurtz

Devin Elle Kurtz, also known as TamberElla, created the digital artwork "The Kitchen at Midnight". It is a portrait painting depicting two little boys in the kitchen looking out the window at a swarm of red jellyfish swimming in the water. The kitchen's exterior view appears to be complete with water as if it were an ocean. Only two characters are seen here: a boy sitting on the cabinet with his hand in his arm, and another boy standing behind the boy wearing pajamas with some stars design on them. We can plainly see that the primary colours utilised in this artwork are blues, ranging from dark to light blue, with brilliant red, orange, and yellow thrown in for good measure. This might indicate a mixture of cool and warm tones. The use of light and fluorescence blue has successfully created the sense of light shining on two boys' faces by bringing out the light-sensitive.

2. Analysis

Fug 1.3: Contrast of red jellyfishes with its surrounding.

Contrast is used extensively in this piece, and it appears in two sites. To begin, the brilliant red of the jellyfish outside the window contrasts with the varied blue colours, creating a significant difference from the single-hued background, increasing visual attention and presence as well as preventing it from being buried if applying for the repeat colour.

Fig 1.4: Connection between main jellyfish with the boy.

What's tricky is that the long and thin tentacles of the red jellyfish in the middle, which are nematocysts, overlap with the boy's head, which is also in the middle, as if they're connected. If you look at the boy, you'll move your eyes to the jellyfish, and if you look at the jellyfish, you'll also move your eyes to the boy. This clarified not just the contrast, but also the principle of continuity in how individuals smoothly transition their attention from a focus of interest to another focus of interest.

Fig 1.5: Little bright light contrasting themselves from two boys' black hair.

Meanwhile, a little contrast on the top of the boy's hair in the middle and the yellow pattern of the stars on the boy's pyjamas, this is a brilliant use of contrast to ensure the focal point's attention isn't drawn to the strong and vibrant red colour on the outside of the window and ensuring the strong existence of two boys.

Fig 1.6: A sense of framing

Second, there is a sense of framing with the dark edges on the bottom and left, as well as the window frame, contrasting with the light and bright blue of the ocean, to ensure the point isn't caught by other elements that aren't the main point and to emphasize the entire focal point including red jellyfishes, the ocean, and two boys, and successfully in creating lighting. All of these contrasts demonstrated the principle of balance by bringing out warm and cold tones, dark and bright colours, and making the entire composition appealing while without undermining any of the elements' presence.

Red jellyfishes, on the other hand, practise repetition and may be observed doing so. Despite the fact that the jellyfish have different shapes with their bodies and nematocyst movement, they all have the same hue—red and tonal values—and shape, which creates consistency and a feeling of rhythm.

Fig 1.7: The similarity of these elements create a sense of proximity.

Moving on to the gestalt theory, the red jellyfishes, the racks on the top left, the window, the cabinet at the bottom, and the orange lights all show that they are executing the principle of similarity and creating a proximity effect, which is done numerous times in this piece of art. Some of them are the same, while others are not, and all of them are separate, but as long as they share similar observable traits and are somehow related to one another, the audience will perceive them as a complete, group, and whole, forming a single visual unit, such as the jellyfishes turning to move in nearly the same direction.

3. Interpretation

"The Kitchen at Midnight" is a digital art piece done by Devin Elle Kurtz. It is part of the underwater house series and tells the narrative of a ten-year-old boy named Noah and his younger brother, Isaiah, who were visiting their father's strange home. This piece was inspired by her youth, during which she spent many hours looking at the jellyfish exhibit in the aquarium, among other things. The ocean is the main thing that inspired her to draw this as well as the whole series.

From my point of view, this artwork appeals to me as it focuses on basic yet magnificent elements rather than generating a plethora of intricate elements that add to the confusion. The ocean and one-of-a-kind red jellyfishes perfectly describe a child's imagination. It seems apparent to convey a sense of how quirky, cute, and mind-blowing a child's imagination can be, while also appearing to be very real and inspiring audiences to imagine their own trouble-free childhood because we all know we have fantasized about things that are impossible to achieve, such as living in the world of dinosaurs.

Simply by using light and shadow, the audience is made to feel at ease, relaxed and peaceful. Particularly the two poses of the little boys, who appear to be peacefully looking at the beautiful and magical scene unfolding in front of them, as if enjoying and appreciating what is going on, make me feel incredible but strangely believe so.

However, it was this unreal scene of ocean and creatures red jellyfishes that sparked a lot of speculation in my mind: "Is one of the boys dreaming about this?" "Or did one of the boys unlogically visit the other boy's dreamland and observe everything?" Or did this really happen in another universe, which science can't explain and which no adult yet kid can see it?"  I suppose that gives me the strongest sensation, and I want to have to ask, "What if this truly happened and I can see it?"

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1. My design's turn

In response to artist Devin Elle Kurtz's design, I decided to make another one that has a similar trait, which is to mainly emphasize the feeling and the vibe of the composition and that people can feel something when they see it.

2. Process

**There are two designs here which I'd separate to Design 1 and Design 2.

#Design 1

(a) Inspiration

The day I was inspired was 16/2, right after the lantern festival, a unique festival of releasing a lantern into the sky after writing our wishes on it. This arose from a Buddha myth, but as time goes, people believe that God or Buddha can see their wishes and assist them in achieving them by releasing a lantern into the sky containing their wishes.

Fig 1.8: Purpose of sending off lantern modernly.

• Purpose of sending lantern in today's world.

However, this isn't the meaning of Lantern Festival at the beginning.

Fig 1.9: Purpose of sending off lanterns traditionally

• Purpose of sending lantern at the beginning

To be more specific, it is a celebration to worship the Buddha for his capacity to let go of those things that couldn't get and release the load. As a result, the objective of people giving lanterns is to urge them to promote self-reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness, as Buddha did, by letting go of those they couldn't acquire.

And, this got me thinking about:

"Are people praying for god's peace? or their wishes, desires, and greed?"

(b) Visual research

As a result, I've chosen to pursue the subject I've mentioned. Aside from the artwork that I prepared for visual analysis, I started looking for designs that fit the feeling.

And, to be honest, I wasn't inspired by any lantern-related artwork, but I was inspired by several other artworks that I believe I may incorporate into my composition.

Fig 2.0: "Green Hell" created by Florian Aupetit

Fig 2.1: Painting night sky

High contrast is prominent in these works, and it elicits a great deal of emotion in me, as if the work is speaking to me. And what's fascinating is that the starry-looking objects in the sky appeal to me, and I think they're beautiful.

At the same time, I noticed artwork that is gazing up from the bottom-up angle, which I believe contains a lot of exploration, so I chose this perspective as well.

(c) Sketch

The feeling that I'd like to bring out:

"Warm vibes with loved lanterns but distorted wishes on the lanterns by people."

As I previously stated, I used a bottom-up viewpoint in my composition and put the scenario in a kampung that matched the mood (as I'll explain in my rationale).

Accompanied by a person who is letting go of the lantern but also appears to be unable to let go of some of her desires and is being dragged along by them.

Fig 2.2: #Design 1 sketch

I honestly couldn't bring out the sense of being drawn by wants until this phase, but I don't want to get trapped here, so I'll leave it as-is for now and determine what to draw as I go.

(d) Receiving feedback

To avoid making any more mistakes, I decided to show Dr. Charles first before proceeding, and I explained to him what I want as written above

Dr. Charles feedbacks

• I'd encourage you to focus on the details, not to discount God's peace.
• The point is that we can learn Buddha in letting go those burden.
• Question: Are you and the lantern the focus in this composition? Or let go the lantern? Or the lanterns rising up?

I've been thinking about Dr. Charles' words all night, and I believe he made a new point for me, and the reason I wasn't able to properly create the feeling of "being pulled by the wants" was because I concentrated on the wrong point.

(e) Making process

As a result, I choose to go on to the point made by Dr. Charles. Keeping the same composition, I began sketching the general background colour, as I will done everytime.

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One: Instead of using the usual colour for a night sky, I used a gradient method to colour it green and smooth out the kampung, then coloured it with brown.

***And I honestly get easily to judge my own work in the middle of the progress even it hasn't done, but I think it's kinda weird.

Two: It's alright; we'll make do. Now I'm going to get the biggest lantern that's slipping away from me.

Three: Then colour it...and this is how it looks in the sky once it's finished.

***Until this step, I still convinced myself to be calm, don't panic, everything will be fine, and I want to find a way to fixed the strangeness of the composition.

Four: I then attempted to colour myself.

Five: Weird x10000, but that'll do for now; I'll add some other parts to see if it improves.

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Fig 2.3: Making process of background, lantern, and girl.

Fig 2.4: Making process of lanterns in the sky

Ok ladies and gentlemen, until this, I need to use a meme to describe my feeling.

fig 2.5:DR. STRANGE!!!! :3333

I honestly believe I messed it up, since there is a lot of strangeness here. As a result, I was stranded there once more.

# Design 2

While I'm still stumped, my mind suddenly recalls a composition I prepared for Taylor's application.

(How dare I submit this as the submission TT?)

Fig 2.6: Reference

This perspective inspired me to make a composition with a similar theme. After that, I go on a search for more design ideas.

(a) Visual research

This time, I wanted to do some research other than Pinterest, so I went with Instagram. However, despite my search for some fantastic artists, none of the artworks I've come across match what I'm looking for. But, perhaps the god heard my cries, since I immediately noticed advertising on Instagram, which are often used by sites to promote their pages.

Fig 2.7: Artwork from instagram ad.

This is an incredible composition with an intriguing angle, and I believe I can create something similar but with a little different arrangement.

(b) Sketch

This time, by paying attention to the old house, the sensation may be more satisfied.

First, determine the angle (not professional, I just think this can help me in better drawing building beside)

Fig 2.8: #Design 2 sketch 1

And for the buildings on the left and right sides, I sketched two of the largest buildings, such as a Buddha temple, as well as any that can highlight the sense of the lunar new year, because the lantern festival is also the lunar new year, and it can best bring out the emotion of this tradition. As we go forward, there are also some kampung houses.

Fig 2.9: #Design 2 sketch 2

Then, in the centre of the composition, I placed myself and the action of releasing a lantern.

Fig 3.0: #Design 2 sketch 3

(c) Making process

I separated my making process into a few parts:

i. Lanterns

ii. Fields in the bottom

iii. Left side building

iv. Right side building

v. Me (the girl) and the cliff

*Exposure is added to some pictures to ensure that they are clearly seen.

i. Lanterns

I immediately go on to the lanterns in the sky, using the same background colour as design 1.

There are many different types of lanterns, and I sketched one in my composition referring to this image.

Fig 3.1: Reference picture of lanterns

I started by drawing the outline of a lantern then colouring it in with orange and yellow to match the photo. The perspective is actually from the bottom up. It is the lantern, which is also the centre point of the composition, that will be acting to let go by me.

Fig 3.2: Making process of biggest lantern.

In my idea, I'd like to construct a composition that is loaded with hundreds of millions of lanterns from the bottom to the top, as if those lanterns are soaring across the sky. Because we can't see the complete lanterns because they fly so far away, I attempted to include some in the sky as well as others that are flying from the bottom, and some that appear like glitters or stars.

Fig 3.3: Making process of small lanterns in the sky

The outcome of lanterns in the sky:

Fig 3.4: Outcome after added lanterns.

ii. Fields in the bottom

The fields below, I imagined, are farmland with numerous landed buildings and occupants. As I already stated, I envision numerous lanterns soaring up from the fields, therefore I'll need to design more at the bottom and gradually less as they fly and scatter in different directions.

So I colour the fields brown to indicate dirt, add many many glitters to represent latterns that inhabitants below are releasing, utilise a mountain as a background, and purposefully add some brilliant light to depict the numerous lanterns below.

Fig 3.5: Making process of fields and lanterns at the bottom.

The outcome after adding the fields:

Fig 3.6: Outcome after added the field.

iii. Left side buildings

The buildings on the left side were temples that would be found in the kampung.

Fig 3.7: making process of temple #1

At the same time, I wanted the temple to be on a higher level, so I designed a higher floor with a fence and some texture to go along with it. And I designed the fences to look a corner with a connection to the other side of the building.

Fig 3.8: making process of fence

Guanyin Temple was the temple on the higher ground. I also included two red lanterns that have a different significance than the ones in the sky since they signify the Lunar New Year festivities.

Fig 3.9: Making process of temple #2

Don't forget to colour the plants at the bottom as well!!!

Fig 4.0: Making process of plants

Moving over to the neighboring kampung home, this is normally where elder generations, such as my grandma, used to live. And I believe this is nostalgic in nature and may best portray the sensation of being alive and simple during the previous lunar new year and lantern festival. Meanwhile, I intentionally tinted the window yellow to imply that home is the warmest place we should be pleased with and treasure before you lose it.

Fig 4.1: Making process of kampung house

This tree and hillside were added to provide visual equilibrium, and a swing was added to highlight the simple people should be like who when we were children.

Fig 4.2: Making process of tree

Fig 4.3: Making process of hillside

iv. Right side buildings

A flat or apartment of residents is located on the right side of the building, with a small grocery store directly underneath the apartment and several red lanterns atop. I didn't draw the grocery store exactly as it is to avoid drawing the focus away from the primary topic. I used warm tones on all of the windows, since warm=warm!

Fig 4.4: Making process of right temple #1

Fig 4.5: Making process of right temple #2

Another kampung home stands behind the flat, emitting cooking smoke from the top and forming two sugar canes to maintain visual balance.

Fig 4.6: making process of kampung house #1

Fig 4.7: making process of kampung house #2

v. Me (the girl) and the cliff

My first plan for drawing myself, that girl, was as follows:

Fig 4.8: Initial sketch of the girl

Which is a girl standing there holding the lantern in both hands and releasing it towards the sky.

But, to be honest, it doesn't seem to be what it claims to be.

"Free and easy, let go of what you can't have."

So I attempted to make the girl's pose more dashing... I guess? With a hand that appears to be waving farewell to the load and a gaze away to the right side, it represents leaving and moving to a new world with fresh opportunities.

Fig 4.9: Making process of the girl.

And for the cliff, I made it look like a dirt mountain with a small step because climbing up such a high mountain logically requires a stair.

Fig 5.0: Making process of the cliff.

First outcome

Fig 5.1: First outcome

(d) Receiving Suggestions

I finished my work after a long week and swiftly sent it to Dr. Charles for feedback and suggestions.

Dr. Charles's suggestions:

• Encourage you to see it and explore from different angles.
• Example: 
• How will the view of you look like if seen from the lantern in the sky?
• What is the image style is more abstract? but retaining the same concept.

Dr. Charles passed the decision to me on whether I wanna make the changes and he asked me' "you tell me did you succeed?"

Raising my concerns:

I don't want to beat the impossible and, of course, who doesn't want to improve themselves and their babies TT, but I'm well aware that I won't be able to do so because it took me a week to finish my first outcome, and I have no confidence in my ability to change the entire work while still maintaining high quality work in three days. It'll either become better or worse, and I'm afraid the latter is more likely.

Dr. Charles's reply:

• Keep this if this is the best you can do. And this is a good outcome!
• Important that you believe in what you do.
• If you're not satisfied or satisfied enough with the end, congratulations! Because designers are like that.

(e) Improvement

Although I won't be able to make significant modifications in the three days, I would like to assess my own work, which is the first result. And thank goodness I did, since I just discovered a portion that seemed unusual to me owing to the imbalanced visual equilibrium. As a result, I chose to include a tree.

Fig 5.2: Unbalanced visual equilibrium of first outcome.

Final outcome

Named: Let it go

**You're strongly encouraged to see this with the audio music :)** 

Rationale

"Letting go of what you can't obtain" will be the composition's purpose in this piece. However, there are other lines of thought inside this piece, such as "how can just people let go of their desires?" to which I believe the answer is "when you're pleased with your existing lives." And, without a doubt, you'll only be recognised how joyful you are if you loved and cared. 

 As a consequence, a few yellow lights, as well as cooking smoke, emerged from the home and temple; they all represented warmth and happiness in one's life, and such pleasures existed only in a basic setting. Meanwhile, a large number of lanterns are emerging from the bottom, which may be described as follows: "The more noise there is, the more free and open-minded I will be." So I said my goodbyes, left, and entered a whole new world of possibilities.

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Design principles applied:

Harmony: Using the same colour theme across the piece creates a sense of serenity and harmony.

Unity: Great bond between myself and the largest lantern and create a strong unity between the two of them.

Contrast: The bright yellow lanterns stand out against the dark background and the structures that frame both sides.

Balance: Balance in the use of dark and bright tones, visual equilibrium for the whole composition, and shape balance, which is represented by the huge lantern and the tiny me, which is that girl.

Repetition: Despite the varying sizes and colours of the lanterns, we are well aware that they are all part of a group and are identical.

Movement: The largest lantern and the small lanterns are soaring up into the sky, creating a sensation of movement as the volume changes from greater in the field to less in the sky.

Emphasis: The biggest lantern and I (the girl) are being highlighted and become the focal point, and it is the first thing that will spring to mind when you first look at this composition.

Principle of similarity & proximity: The red lanterns that are placed on the tops of the buildings are separated, yet they can still be viewed as a whole, a group, and belonging, creating a sense of proximity.

Principle of continuity: The girl's hand is pointing towards the large lantern, which is drawing the audience's attention to it. Meanwhile, the audience is drawn to the lanterns in the sky by the same direction as the small lanterns that are flying.

Principle of closure: Even if some of the lanterns in the sky are losing their orange colour owing to a logical distance problem, recognizing them as lanterns still makes sense.

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Feedback

There appears to be a sequence of events here. Origin where you're standing and the frame seem to represent that and then paving with the way to an opening where there is distance and a sky filled with lanterns! The large lantern and you seem to be the focal point and the point of interest signifying strong unity. You also seem like facing a great world of possibilities. 

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Reflection

I'm sorry that I can't do more to better my work, especially because Dr. Charles' proposal pushed me to do a lot more research, but it's strange that I'm sorry for not being more responsible with my job.

During the course of working on this piece, I noticed how immature my drawing skills are, and I feel this is the major cause for not being able to fully express what I genuinely desire. And despite the fact that I spent a week on it, I'm still not happy with the results. This is especially evident when I choose an artstyle that need a solid foundation, such as colour matching, light and shadow, and so on.

Dr. Charles also taught me a lesson, which was to find a more appealing viewpoint to capture the attention of the audience, and I was pleasantly delighted by the recommendation he made, as I can imagine how amazing it is. "You're here not to be flawless, but to make mistakes safely," as Dr. Charles has always emphasised. This time I recognize that I keep building compositions from a safety standpoint, which prevents me from exploring farther.