Animated POV: the final flash movie

In today’s age of technology, communication is more than just vocal words.  We are no longer constrained to only gaining and keeping attention merely by our own voice, but we are able to use visuals such as videos and images, as well as other sounds.  This project’s focus was on effectively using these other visual communication methods together to create one dynamic message.  Through all of the hybrid typography and visual communication assignments in relation to the word that was assigned at the beginning of the semester, we were able to get into more depth about our object.  Not only were we able to find a deeper meaning for that word, but also we focused all semester on developing a few different definition directions from our word.  And through this animation we were able to see all of those definitions in action.

I struggled with this assignment in technical aspects.  One of the things that I love about graphic design is that you can portray a message not only through images, but also through words.  What I struggled with this assignment was using moving words and images.  Normally the main roadblocks that I may hit when creating a design is what the image or text is emitting by itself, in different colors, or in relation to the distance between other objects.  With this animation, not only did I have to keep in mind colors, distance, and other objects, but I also needed to look at how fast or slow an object came on the screen and how it specifically interacted with the scene as a whole.

One of the main things that I learned in relation to this project was how to not only incorporate interesting scene transitions, but also use transitions that allowed the message to continue even if the main animation object wasn’t in motion.  I also had to keep in mind for this project, I was basically choosing what I wanted the viewer to see and when.  Where as with other graphic design that I normally do, we often are unable to guide the viewer’s eyes in the exact path that we’re hoping for.  It can be possible to guide the viewer normally through design, but often that is by overloading the viewer with what we want them to look at in a specific order.

In my piece I used motion to show a lawnmower cutting the grass to reveal garden tools.  I mainly used two transitions in my animation; those transitions were swap and zoom.   Zoom was incorporated in my animation to allow the garden tools and dandelion to increase and/or decrease in size.   I used swap when I let the black of the garden tools line up with the black of the dandelion to make the dandelion appear as if emerging from the garden tools.  Sequence was used in my animation in deciding what order all of the objects should be presented in.  I struggled with trying to figure out the best time to show the word “alternative” so that it completed the sentence and did not just reinforce a meaning that was already being portrayed by an image.  Time was very important in my animation.  I attempted to use timing to my advantage through the use of the music within the animation.  My hope was to make transition of the quieter guitar to when the singer started singing to be the turning point or climax in my statement.

(the music didn't quite sync all the way up with the animation when it saved as a .mov file, but it did with the swf)

*The music used in the animation is the song "Thomas" from A Perfect Circle's cd Mer de Noms.

Animated POV Test2

This was take two of creating an animation to portray our chosen point of view from the previous project.  We were to have used all of the transitions: swap, wipe, fade, zoom, and pan.  I let my hands and mind do the creating this time and for the last animation was the one where I knew specifically which transitions I had left to use.  In each test I actually used multiple transitions, which helped to create more unity within the piece.  I know though that each test was not successful, but I had a good improvement from last class and have a stepping stone for the final.

test 4.

test 5.

test 6.

Animated POV Test1

For this homework exercise we were to use at least two transitions and do at least three different iterations.  The transitions that we could use are: fade, zoom, pan, wipe, and swap.  Of my three different tests below, I did not fully complete the thought in any test.  The closest was the first test.

first test.

second test.

third test.

Project 4: Sequence + Motion Prelim Sketches

For our final project in this class I decided to focus on my point of view 2, alternative lawn use.  We were to select at least three assets to use in their project; I chose: lawnmower, garden tools, dandelion, and "alternative" text.  

These are my preliminary sketches for presenting the point of view of alternative lawn use.

These are the chosen assets for this animation.

POV Phase C Final 2 Posters

My design for these two posters relied heavily on the use of the abstract.  I tend to gravitate towards the use of objects in non-conventional as well as conventional ways.  Not only was it visually successful but conceptually because of the use of abstraction.  The two points of view that I chose for this project based on the word that I was given “lawn” were not to views of the lawn that I normally think of.  I wanted to choose two views that effect many people but they may not realize it.

POV1: Family Emotions(associated with the lawn)

For point of view one, family emotions associated with the lawn I achieved this by focusing on the use of mark for family.  I repeated the mark four times in the composition.  Three of the marks had an image that overlaid the mark.  The three images each stood for a different memory that is associated with the family and lawn: grass, tire, and leaves.  Of the four family marks you can only see the entirety of the mark once.  Within that mark is my typographic manipulation and representation of memory.  I filled in the space near the family mark as orange to complement the leaves and bring the connotation of the sun and outdoor associated with lawn memories.

Close up of memory text within the family mark.

Close up of two marks and the major family mark.

POV2: Alternative Lawn Use

With point of view two, alternative lawn use I achieved the visual abstract with the use of bright colors and unnatural depiction of objects.  I really wanted to show more than I had to tell and achieved this by only having the word alternative once on the poster.  Due to the fact that this is the only word on the piece and basically on the layer closest to the viewer; it speaks much louder than on the same layer level as the images.  To further the visual aspects of abstract I combined a vector image with icon garden tools and a hand drawn dandelion.

Close up of the alternative text on top of the mower

Close up of the bottom of the lawn mower with the garden tools and dandelion coming out.

I struggled along the way with this project, but am fairly confident in the final compositions.  In my eyes, struggling is a good action because it means that you’re trying hard to fit the pieces that you’re given together.  With the case of this project, learning and putting to use the composition principles was where it began.  Memorizing and using the skill are two things, but using the skills to create meaning is the biggest component; this was where I was struggling the most.  During the different phases of the project my assets and compositions were either saying the object, or the point of view, not both.  I definitely feel more confident that now my posters state both the point of view and the object.  Due to this I think that I look more intently at the not directly stated message in pieces of art.

POV Phase C - Poster Iterations

At this point I am pretty much down to my two layouts - one for each point of view.  The main thing that I was struggling with was figuring out how to add "lawn" back into my POV1: family emotions poster.  So, this attempt was to try to replicate the drawn/illustration look of the dandelion from POV2: alternative lawn use poster.

The grass in this piece was based off of a scan of some ink and hand drawn grass combination.  I added some color to them; they were initially in black.  It felt like too forced of a combination.

This set of gras was based off of my hand drawn grass.  I used an outline to go ground the grass in green, but it still doesn't fully work.  I may end up going back to the older version where the grass was in the lower left family mark.  

For the POV2: alternative lawn use I worked on the overall abstract shape of the pieces together.  The main thing that I'm working on now is the size of the collection of gardening tools, dandelion and lawn mower.  The size and location of the word "alternative" is another aspect to this composition that I am still working on.

I created a lot more iterations of this one than of POV2.  I have an overall shot of what the non-chosen iterations look like on my wall, that I chose to print.

My focus on this piece was the use of the "alternative" text on top of the lawn mower.  I made the overall composition of the lawnmower, garden tools and dandelion smaller.  Due to this I feel that the composition breathes easier, but I question if there is too much space now.

I threw "alternative" on an angle and kept it in front of the image composition.  I also kept the size of the object composition smaller.  I feel that the text helps to create a more abstract composition on a green background.

I took the angle of "alternative" and threw it behind the composition.  This definitely brought the object composition to the front and threw the text to the background, which helped to add more layers to the overall composition.

POV Phase C - 4-6 Posters

We're getting down to our final poster renditions of our points of view of our objects.  Based off of some meetings that I held with Professor Gray, as well as individual experimentation I narrowed my poster concepts down to one visual approach to each side.  I ended up looking back at my over head transfer sheets and found some more inspiration to try a different approach to poster point of view two.  

The differences in the poster for the first two has to do with how grass is represented in each.  I had a lot of difficulty trying to secure a solid design with the representation of grass.

The part that works the best in this piece is the use of the lawn as one of the images within the family mark in the lower left hand corner.  But I also feel that the composition is very centrally focused because of that.  The only shapes in this piece is the family mark, which I feel limits the movement in the piece leaving it very static.

I added another family memory associate with the lawn into the lower left family mark, and felt that it added more to the composition.  The grass though feels a bit out of place and too forced.  I was also told that it seemed like just an added element to the composition, so not adding to the message positively.

The differences in the next two images is the directional tilt of the main pieces of the composition.

The part about this composition that I really enjoyed is the use of an almost center alignment.  It holds one main focal point that does bring you up and down the poster, but just in one solid line.  I feel that with this layout there is no connection to the background, as if it is a separate aspect that makes no connection to tie into the rest of the composition.  

I have the main composition collection on the bottom corner in this one, with the hope that the normal gesture of going diagonally is used for emphasis.  I think this layout more successfully uses the whole poster composition.  There is definitely more of a flow in this composition, but there is still a disconnect from the background.

This last image is based off of a transparency overlapping that I did.  

Professor Gray made a comment that it might be good to go back to what I was working with before and see if I see any other possible solutions to the problem that we're solving.  It felt good to kind of start over again and look differently at the assets that I'd created and see in what ways they could relate to one another.

POV Poster Design Preliminary 8

Preliminary thumbnail sketches for the following poster designs.

Alternative Lawn Use | Framing, Continuation, Correspondence 

The dandelion is more appreciated and the details look best when it's not zoomed in.  The use of the abstract icon was appreciated, but the overall composition explains nothing.

Alternative Lawn Use | Proximity, Scale, Framing

This is my composition that was based off of a transparency arrangement.  I took the images in Photoshop and edited them to look similar to the transparency.  The photographs that I took of the image were too dark and could not contrast them enough to use as is, so I was forced to reconstruct them.  Feedback wise, this was my second composition that was well liked and clean.  I just need to illustrate more of an idea with this composition by adding in another asset or two to further establish a message.

Alternative Lawn Use | Layers, Scale, Correspondence

The interaction between the grass, mower and word alternative is the key point in this composition.  The drop itself is not a good and active composition to be working with.  Finish the sentence, it's not saying anything.

Family Emotions | Layers, Framing

This was the favorite of the family emotion point of view.  The grass is not good and should be taken out.  The idea was proposed of adding more white space around the abstract black mark to allow it to breathe.

Family Emotions | Symmetry, Repetition

The symmetry and repetition is nicely done, but it's not saying anything.  Good use of the leaves, but the grass is too much, both parts of it.  Good choice of colors.

Family Emotions | Symmetry, Repetition, Layers

The repetition was nice, but the composition was not as appealing as the image above this one.

Family Emotions | Repetition

The feedback was that this was a good composition but does not say anything.  There is no direct connection to memories, emotions, family, nothing from that point of view.  Perhaps add a word or words to give meaning, and keep to using texture that is along the love and family view - i.e. no mower texture.

I was experimenting with the use of the dandelion and the text of "alternative."  I ended up with three different variations that I thought had their little parts that worked, so I kept all three in the mix for my first set of poster compositions.

Alternative Lawn Use | Scale, Framing, Layers

Alternative Lawn Use | Scale, Framing, Layers

Alternative Lawn Use | Scale, Framing, Layers

POV Phase B - Final 10 Compositions

Below are my final 10 compositions(5 per point of view) that represent the 12 principles.  Of both phases and mini deadlines, this is by far my favorite compositions thus far.  I'm starting to be more comfortable with the composition principles.  I also think I afforded the most time thus far to these compositions.  Even though when looking at the compositions some appear very simple, there was a lot of thought that went behind each piece.  Under each point of view and composition principle I will briefly explain my concept for each composition.

Alternative Lawn Use | Scale

This composition was based off of one of my 24 compositions due last time.  The main feedback I received was that there was no dominant object, that "alternative" and the lawn mower were covering the same amount of area.  The more important of the two was the word alternative, so I chose to make that larger, which is where scale comes in.  I had problems trying to make "alternative" larger and in one line.  So I split it into two and added a small lawn mower.  I wanted the word to read as if it was grass, without being too distracting or evident.  

Alternative Lawn Use | Proximity

This is based off of one of the transparency/by hand Photoshop overlays.  I really liked the way that the sustain green water droplet with alternative within it overlaid the lawn mower.

Alternative Lawn Use | Scale + Framing

The feedback that I had received on this piece was to make the dandelion larger and the house smaller.  I tend to play the safe card and go with what I think looks realistic.  But in this case I moved past safe and enlarged the dandelion and shrunk the house.  I think the composition is a lot stronger now, I also added a darker green background and a row of grass outline.

Alternative Lawn Use | Layers

For this piece originally I just had the droplet and the word alternative within.  I added the green grass photograph to express that I am talking about alternative lawns.  I added the alternative texture to the background to bring extra emphasis to the alternative part of the lawn.  Layers is seen within this image as the text is on top of the grass which is on top of the droplet, which is on top of an alternative texture.

Alternative Lawn Use | Correspondence

This piece was based off of the fact that I had not used too many abstract shapes.  I tend to stay away from the abstract because I find it more difficult to portray an idea through use of such simple yet widely interpreted abstraction. So, I pushed myself to figure out a composition that I could create with the abstract icon of alternative. Correspondence is seen within this composition in the interaction between the dandelion and the word "alternative" and the abstract shape.

Family Emotions | Layers

I had received positive feedback on the original composition that I had with the word lawn, the abstract icon for family and the use of the "memory" text asset.  What I found to be a bit too distracting in the original was the use of the word lawn to represent the lawn, so I replaced the word with an icon and solid color.

Family Emotions | Symmetry

This is actually the third variation of this composition that I've created.  Each step I have added something new.  But I feel this composition looks and works the best. Not only does it say lawn, but it says love and memory.  Symmetry is seen through the repetition of the word love.

Family Emotions | Continuation

The main difference between this one and the last composition from the 24 compositions is the added distance between the hand prints.  I think the space adds not only a nice visual composition but helps to show how they are hand prints, and not just blobs of grass texture in a weird shape.  Continuation is seen in this piece as the hand starts half off the page, and progresses diagonal and ends half off the page.

Family Emotions | Correspondence

Of the last 24 compositions that I created I received feedback stating that I should crop the compositions down to the "love" text asset to be used twice and the "memory" text asset to be used once.  I had another composition that I had positive feedback on the idea that the words were cut out of the composition.  So, I added both of those compositions to create one better composition.  Correspondence is seen in the use of text on top of the image of a picnic, giving a direct relation to love, memory and a picnic.

Family Emotions | Framing

I realized that I had not yet used the grill and felt that it was one of the stronger assets for the family emotions point of view.  I knew I needed some form of the word lawn to bring that idea to the composition, so I brought in the actual lawn and not just another icon of lawn.  Framing is seen as the drawing of the grill is cut off by the bottom and right side of the composition.

POV Phase B - In Class Transparencies

Part of what was due in class was to choose our top 5 of our composition principles that were due on Friday.  With those 5, we were to print them on transparencies.  In class we were told to layer the transparencies and look for combinations that we might not normally think of.  We were also told to crop and look at various angles of the compositions.  Below are a few of what I created.