Design Exploration // Project 1

30/8-xx/xx/23 Week 1 - Week 7

Chan Siew Ni #0352518
Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

Design Exploration // Ms Anis

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INSTRUCTION

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PROJECT 1

Tasks: 

1. Choosing a topic between cultural festivals (Chinese New Year or Halloween), sustainable development or futuristic.

2. Choose to produce wallpapers, themes, watches, and open designs.

3. Produce a specific design with the topic chosen.

After some research, I want to choose the cultural festival which is Mooncake Festival. The reason I am choosing is because It is coming soon and also I think that this festival is not only about eating mooncakes, playing with lanterns or watching the moon, but the most important value of this festival is about Reunion. 

Festival of the Mid-Autumn Mooncakes have the shape of a circular moon. Mooncakes are more than simply a delicacy. The practice is firmly ingrained in Chinese cultural traditions, symbolising the Chinese people's spirituality. Mid-Autumn Festival is a time to eat mooncakes and express love and best wishes to our family and friends.

Hence, I researched this direction by combining this festival with the Chinese art style such as the clouds and geometry. 

Figure 1: Brainstorming Idea

Figure 1.1: Work Progress on finding references

Figure 1.2: Work Progress on finding references

I am compiling my progression into slides. (in Submission Section)

Week 3:

For this week, I'm finalising my background in Adobe Illustrator because I felt that It would be neat and tidy compared to the Procreate Version. 

Figure 2: Work Progress on finalising background

Week 4:

For this week, I explore more on the elements that can be added and also textures. Based on the feedback, I also made changes to the stars. 

Figure 2.1: Work Progress on changing the shape of stars

Week 5:

This week, I am finalising the wallpaper and see what can be added. I added a house on the mountain as a reunion is the time that people back to their homes. 

Figure 2.2: Work Progress on drawing house

I also tried animating to see if it works or not. 

Figure 2.3: Work Progress on animating

Week 6

This week, I compiled things and also put my artwork into the templates given. I am submitting for 2 sections which are open design and wallpaper. So, I went to find the open design that suited my artwork. I also went to see the requirements given by Honor and they suggested we make creative mobile phone pouches, mobile phone cases, laptop bags, earphone cases, drinking cups, silk scarves, umbrellas, fridge magnets and so on.

Figure 2.4: Work Progress on making mock-up

Figure 2.5: Work Progress on making mock-up

FINAL SUBMISSION OF PROJECT 1 

Figure 3: Final Wallpaper Design

Figure 3.1: Final Foldable Phone Wallpaper

Figure 3.2: Final Phone Wallpaper

Figure 3.3: Final Open Design 

Figure 3.4: Final Animation

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FEEDBACK

Week 2: Ms. Anis said that my idea was good and I had a good understanding of the festival. However, she suggested that I had to think about how to animate the clock and also the centre of the art should put what. Other than that she asked me to proceed with the ideas and show her the next week.

Week 3: Ms. Anis mentioned that for now my mooncake in the centre looks kinda of traditional style as for the geometry that I drew. She had found some references for me that I can do some research on. She said that I could add more elements that can attract and let the centre circles stand out. 

Week 4: Ms. Anis said it was nice and the idea of lantern linking from inside to outside was good. Then, she asked me to put it into the template and see how to place it. Then, she also said that can add texture and shadow to the mountain as now the mountain looks flat. After that, she also mentioned that my house on the mountain could be refined to style more towards a Chinese house. Then, the background blinking stars can change to a more solid sparkle.

Week 5: Ms. Anis said that overall she likes the contrasting colours of the artwork. The only issue is the lantern now looks a bit cluttered, she said that making a flow should be better.

Figure x: consulting with Ms. Anis

 Week 6: Ms. Anis said that everything is all good and I am ready to submit everything. 

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REFLECTIONS

I had so many feelings about this project, In the beginning, I actually had quite a lack of confidence in what I was trying to do because I couldn't imagine how it looked like in the end. At halfway through the project, I was stuck because I didn't know what to draw and how to match everything together. But I guess that's the whole point of having this project right?? We have to keep on exploring to find out what we really want. If you look at the progression slides, you can actually see that the sketches and final artwork had major changes inside the circle. But I am very enjoying doing this project because I really like what I draw. I think the artwork did express the meaning that I wanted to tell the audience. I am satisfied with my outcome but I think I can add more things like textures or other things to make the artwork look more complete. But for now, I am happy with the outcome.