OUIL 603 Summative Statement

Through past and present modules, I have taken on projects from different areas of the design field – from book illustration to branding and advertising – I have given all a try. Though interested in all aspects of design work and grateful whenever new opportunities arise, character and narrative are no doubt at the heart of my practice.

A lot of the work I enjoy doing also have children as the target audience, so it only seemed right that I focus my final project on the creation of children’s publications and related products. For my Final Major Project I decided to create a children’s pop-up book based around the African Savanna and the Maasai people because it is something that I've not done before and would therefore challenge my image making/production skills and allow me to venture outside of my knowledge.

From the very beginning, I have always had a fascination with seeing the world and learning new things from different places and people. The idea of taking myself and young readers to faraway places and learning about different cultures really appeals to me because this is one way that children can see the many ways people around the world - though different in appearance - are alike. From a character designer standpoint I feel it is also important that I am able to portray a wide array of characters.

Through my future work in the publishing industry, and other related work (animation, hopefully), I wish to promote kindness, acceptance, and tolerance, among many other values.

OUIL 603 Project Report

Brief 1 (FMP) - The Savanna

Brief 2 - Layla's Liver Transplant

Brief 3 - Adventure T-shirts

Brief 4 - BAIL'16

Brief 5 - YCN Royal Opera House

Brief 6 - Love Birds

Brief 7 - AyasoBoutique

OUIL 603 Statement of Intent

Mishaps

Finally finished all 8 pages yesterday! I thought I would be done with it friday/saturday but it turned out I was being too ambitious, because it turns out I can't work that fast! Overall I'm really pleased with what I've produced, however there are some slight issues with the product:

On my second run to the print room - to print the other half of my book, the pages seem to be be slightly smaller than the first half I printed even though I've set the document size and everything else identical to the others - so thats a real bummer. Also, I stuck on some of the tabs incorrectly (see second pic) so I had to pull them off carefully, however it still left some glue residue on there. I decided to just cover them up with some excess paper because I can't afford to print again as I've still got plenty of work waiting for me to complete for the submission!

Another problem is that I miss calculated some of the pieces so they ended up slightly bigger than the page and actually poke out when closed (see pic 3) - But now that I have this copy, I would be able to reproduce the book and make adjustments accordingly. Just when I thought I wouldn't run into anymore troubles, I ran into another annoying matter; I used some white tack from the studio to stick the corners of the page down to the table so that it would lay flat as I photographed - it looked good like this (see in embedded issuu below) however this was not a good idea as I couldn't get the tack off the paper after I was done with it! (see pic 4). I ended up having to have my hand in the other photos keep the pages open - which makes it harder to use the camera! so forgive me if the pictures don't look as good.

Progress Update

To do:

• Digitise 2 more pages
• prepare files for printing on Mon drop in
• Photograph pop-ups for boards
• presentation boards for all briefs
• Project Report
• Summative Statement
• PDF Blog

Last Crit Ever!

Exciting but also saddening!

Really happy with the feedback I got - some really good suggestions for submission and also for the future! I think the main thing now is to complete all the pop-ups for my book (hopefully by tomorrow night) and create presentation boards for all of my briefs. I agree with Lauren that I feel I have really found a comfortable/natural way of digitising my work. Also glad that Lauren thinks 'I have demonstrated a greater understanding of making work' with my pop up book and paper cuts which 'shows how different my work can be'! In order to keep pushing my work, she suggested that in the future I should try combining more of handmade textures to my digital work, which is something that I have been wanting to do for the longest time. However due to the tight module time scales, I haven't really been able to! Hopefully, after uni I'll have more time to experiment to my hearts content! Overall, really good feedback and I'm excited to finally finish this module - not long now!

Decision time

Initially I was going to make additional products (a game of some sorts) to go with my book. However, this was before I realised that a pop up book in itself is already so time consuming and challenging to produce! (I really thought it was going to be a walk in the park). Rather than forcing it/doing it half heartedly, I've decided that I will not be making additional products that would need new imagery as I would like to use the time I have left to complete all 8 popups/pages of my book. Right now, I don't feel that making something else that would require more time than I have left is worth it - I don't want to compromise the quality of my work! Quality always trumps quantity! 

Phew, ok. Here's another page I'm currently working on:

Print day!

Development

Finalising Artwork!

Started digitising the artwork for my pop-up book today - finally!
I decided to try out a different-ish colouring style for this. I usually go straight to the shapes without outlining them, but I really enjoyed working with line for my ayasoB brief and wanted to use it again for this. I actually really like the outcome - looks more graphicy but I think it makes the artwork bolder and I think would work well for my book and the audience it's for!

Also decided to see how the text would look with it, so I did a little layout mock up and I like itttttt! The added handwritten type makes everything look less static. I've also decided that I'm making my page spreads a couple of centimetres bigger (35cm x 25cm when opened) than my dummy one because I feel that this is a nice size to hold and carry. I'm also going to keep the 'background' for this one fairly simple because this page introduces the character so I want the focus to be on the popup.

Here's another page! Really enjoying this!

Dummy Book Complete!

I'm behind schedule by 3 days - fudge!

BUT I'M GETTING THERE! WAHOOO!

To do list:

• Digitise all artwork
• Prepare files for printing
• Print (10th May 9AM)
• Cut and assemble pop-ups
• Propose/mockup product range
• Create presentation boards
• Project Report

Progress Feedback

Smaller briefs:

• Need to create presentation boards for each completed briefs:
• Keep boards simple and clear - as if presenting to a client.
• Post on blog - last post for each briefs.

FMP:

• Don't need to make actual book - think about pop-ups separately - as individual spreads.
• Focus on product range - crafting and quality rather than a single book.

Simplifying Popup Design

As mentioned in previous post, I'm struggling with some of the pop-ups I initially wanted to create because they are just too complicated for me right now. I took some popup books out from the library and decided to look at simpler mechanisms and use them to inspire the pages I'm struggling with. The compositions in these pages have been simplified a whole lot, making the main images a lot bolder - which is a good thing as it gives the pages a central focus and it's a lot easier for the eye to read - especially for children.

I'm beginning to feel really nervous as time is really catching up with me! I've moved my printing slot to the 10th, so hopefully I'll be more ready by then. I'll be using a similar process as my CoP3 project to create my illustrations for my pop up book - this is because I know the process really well and I can complete 2 pages of illustrations in a day, so hopefully that is enough time to finalise my designs before the 10th.

Dummy Pages

OH MY GOODNESS!!

I'm having a melt down. I haven't been feeling well these past couple of days but I have been trying to keep to my action plan.. but it isn't going as well I'd hoped. I basically now realise that making pop-ups is flippin hard! My room is a tip. There is paper everywhere. Working in 2D is so much easier - respect to those who work in 3D btw, they probably have soooooo much patience, but I guess this is the challenge of the project - I've been watching tutorials and trying to take apart (in my head) the mechanisms of existing pop ups that I've seen, but I think I'm still lacking the knowledge of how pop-ups work to be able to make really complex ones, which is what I wanted to do before I realised its impossible to do in the time I have left. I think I may have to think about my designs again and simplify some of them, because right now I'm only confident doing really simple, v-fold pop-ups.

Peer Feedback

My feedback is all very positive and I feel quite relived that people seem to think I'm on the right track and that I will do just fine. but I think I would've liked to hear some more constructive criticisms, maybe? to help me make my work stronger - though I have also noticed that I can be quite stubborn and sometimes I brush of suggestions - but I think most of the time I have taken other peoples opinions into consideration to make my work that tiny bit stronger.

But since I haven't been given any major thing to think about, I'm going to go ahead and continue with what I've been doing. Can't wait to start mocking up my pop-ups! hope it all goes well and according to plan! *fingers crossed*

Concept Drawings

To help make things a bit easier for me, I've decided to use the pop-ups I've seen and like as inspiration/references for my own pop-ups. These are initial designs - they might change when I actually mock them up. Main paper engineering technique here is the V fold technique, which I think is the easiest out of all the others. When it comes to mocking up the pop-ups, I think I'm going to start with the ones I feel I can do easily and then move on to the more complicated ones once I've got more of an understanding of how things work:

May Timetable!

Here is my timetable for May! Basically no sleep for me until module submission.

I CAN DO THIS! 

Contextual Ref: Matthew Reinhart

This is one of the pop-up books I found in Waterstones, which I really loved! (not because I'm disney biased, obviously) and is SO expensive, but I can understand why - I watched a video where Robert Sabuda (another paper engineer) explained his process + the manufacturing process of his books, which is where I learnt that pop up books are assembled all by hand - no machine is involved when it comes to this bit. 

Anyway, my most favourite thing about Reinhart's book is the incorporation of another pop-up within a pop up, which is something that I'm gonna try and do too with at least one of my pop-ups! I think this book is one that I'm going to be referencing back to a lot because I feel that some of the paper engineering here will work well for my book too (with a little bit of modification, of course).

Fonts

Not quite sure why I've gone into fonts already when I haven't even got the illustrations yet, oops. But I've done it now, so might as well explain my chosen type. I've tried most of the fonts that are readily available on photoshop (because I don't think its necessary to buy something fancy at this stage, though this is something that might be taken more into consideration if it were to be published/mass produced to sell) - I then shortlisted 3 that I felt was most appropriate for a children's book/most legible. Then decided that I will be using Avenir Book x my own hand written type as mentioned here.

Updated Story

The bold parts are the bits I want to handwrite, like how they've done it in The Lion Inside. The highlighted parts are the imagery I'm going to turn into pop-ups *fingers crossed*.

Author/Artist Ref

It's been a while since I've done anything for my FMP (which is so bad, I know I'm sorry) and I feel like I've lost a tiny bit of motivation with it. To try and resurrect my enthusiasm, I decided to look for some inspiration in some of the animal based children's books that I have in my possession. These two are my favourites right at this moment  in terms of their story and illustrations:

After turning to these books, I feel that I need to push the character design more the animals more because I don't feel like my sketches so far show as much of the playful vibe/as stylised as the actual human characters are. I actually want to have a chat with Jim Field because I actually adore this animal illustrations! so much life and character! I need to get my story sorted out real soon too! - I'm not going to be changing my story too much from the original that I've posted a while ago - just gonna keep it simple and only add a few bit and pieces in it (because I believe this is the wisest thing to do for the time I have left).

For the typography, I really love the mixture of readymade and handwritten type like how it is in The Lion Inside. I quite like how the handwritten type is used to emphasise some of the words, looks more fun too.

BAIL'16 Memory Game

31 pieces to match! wahoooo! I decided to keep the box design simple, to let the images do the most of the talking because I spent some time on those and I feel they deserve all the attention. The layout itself was inspired by an existing matching game I talked about in previous post, which I saw whilst I was away in Dubai.

This brief is officially completed! (for now anyway). As previously explained, I will not be submitting the actual physical product for the module deadline because I cannot afford to spend more time paper cutting - I need to start focusing on my final major project asap because I am so terribly behind and I'm scared.

will continue with this project after submission.

Product Packaging

Went to Waterstones on Tuesday to look at some of the packaging they have for their boxed gift/stationary products to give me some idea on the kind of material I should go for if my product were to be mass produced in factories. Also to give me some inspiration on the packaging design. Again, I think I'm going to keep everything simple and basically let the images do the talking. For this brief I will be producing presentation boards to explain the product etc. 

Tutorial

In sum, I'm now feeling a bit more confident about my FMP. The thing with me is that I tend to overcomplicate things and sometimes its just better to keep it simple! Initially I was going to create a 2 in 1 book and play mat, but now I am just creating a pop-up book as the main product. In my previous tutorial with Fred, he said that there is no reason why I can't keep my story simple. If the whole point of the project is to show my character design skill and that I can create amazingly crafted children's pop-book - then I should concentrate on the craft and the image making. So, I am going to use the really simple story I've written before and just go ahead with that! - But see what Teresa thinks of it first.

I'm glad that I didnt just talk about my FMP but also the concern I have with the time to complete my Brief 4 (papercut portraits). In the tutorial I was suggested to mock up the product instead of trying to complete it all (even though Fred said the opposite in my previous tutorial - but I don't feel this is possible really, sorry Fred, I need to go against you this time). The reason for this is to allow more time for me to solve my FMP project as this should be the thing that really wows everyone. Also, with the Brief 4 project I've already shown that I can make images with the papercutting process - it wouldn't be wise to spend the time I have left of this module basically repeating myself and not show the other skills I can do. I will complete the portraits after submission instead (incase I want them to go in the End of Year Show).

Contextual Ref: Under the Ocean

I remember seeing these pop-up books at Colours May Vary last year and thought they were absolutely gorgeous! The craftsmanship and illustration is beautiful - an excellent addition to any children's home library or adult collection too. What I thought made them quite special was the unusual format of these books - very tall and narrow. but because of the height, it allows the popup to come out really far towards the viewer, which gives a lot of depth to the scenes it portrays. The pop-ups themselves are very simple in technical terms but incredibly effective. The depth combined with the miniature scale of the scenes gives a really convincing impression of space. 

Under the Ocean and In the Forest by Anouck Boisrobert and Louis Rigaud 

Card Matching Game

Whilst I was in Dubai, I went to a shop called Gallery One, quite similar to Paperchase actually but they had more art prints and I think more of their products are Arabian inspired (so it was the perfect souvenir shop for visitors from outside of the middle east/arabic speaking countries!). I came across a matching game product that is more or less what I want to produce (as well as the 'yearbook') for my Paper Portrait brief. On their website, this comes under their gifts and stationary category, so I guess shops like Gallery One and Paperchase are where I could sell my own product. Their cards are printed on gray board - I wonder where I can go to produce mine... or maybe I can print on mount board in uni and cut accordingly, would probably be cheaper. yes. 

Laser Cut Induction

Back from Dubai this morning and made it just in time for laser cutting induction! I feel like superwoman, seriously no rest for this gal (though I must say I'm a bit knackered...zzzz). Bit late in the year/course to have this induction, but it's better late than never! Not sure if I'll end up laser cutting for any of my remaining briefs, but we shall see.. it might come in handy for cutting up the pieces for my pop up book?

My work in use!

I finally got to see the finished things in real life! I really like how the walls have turned out actually - it always feels so good seeing your work being used! I was afraid it might look messy, but once you're there it really doesn't feel like it. the only mistake they've done is getting the left and right panels the other way round so the comics got cut off when they should've continued all the way around! - wish I was there when the guys installed them. too late now, s'okay. 

During the three days of the con, I was told that people kept asking about who did the graphics for the walls which is really exciting because it means people actually like it! I really want to do more illustrative work for the fashion industry when I have the chance because it's TONS OF FUN!

Contextual Ref: Ingela P Arrhenius

After the progress surgery with Fred, I've been thinking of ways I can make a game out of my paper cut characters. At first, I wanted to make a completely new game, inspired by things that happen in the illustration studio - e.g. finding out who stole the wacom pens (I had something like cluedo in mind), situations that are completely unique to our studio - but this would require sooooooo much more time to plan AND execute, which I don't have because I still my Final Major Project to do (which I haven't done much of since the tutorial w Fred, which absolutely worries me!).

Then I came across Ingela's memory card game set. I LOOOOOOOVE illustrations that are inspired by mid-century design! So when I saw this, I was instantly intrigued! Even though it isn't a completely new type of product, it is absolutely lovely. I love the shapes, the colours, I would buy it because of the 50s/60s design feel of it. Now I want to make a card matching game too! This wouldn't really require me to make new imagery - just another format to present what I have already - which is what Fred wanted me to do.

The square format also fits perfectly with the paper cut characters I've produced already! 

IT'S MEANT TO BE.

Shell Scheme Graphics

The client decided that they wanted the colours to alternate between pink and black. They also wanted their logo placed after every 3 comics. Below is the final (10 X 2.5 m) version that they have agreed to go with (without the grey borders):

I'm a bit worried it might look a bit messy to be quite honest, and I have said this to them but they seem to like it A LOT, so what can I do eh? haha. Also, it might end up looking different once it's actually on the wall and interacting with the environment. I'm excited to see how it'll look!

Another brief completed! wahoooooo!

AB Comic 3!

Last one! wahoo!

Wall dimensions:

Side (Left) : 2.5m (h) x 3m (w)

Back wall : 2.5m (h) x 4m (w)

Side (Right) : 2.5m (h) x 3m (w)

waiting for approval..

Booklet Ad

So they've decided they wanted grey with pink elements, and they seem to like this new version (below) however, I'm not sure if I like it myself. I think it works, but as separate images - if they were to be displayed on their own and not in a sequential way like this. Firstly, the shade of pink is not something I would personally use, but it's the pink in their logo so it would make sense to use it. Second, it just looks a little messy to me, but I guess it's what the client wants.. Below is the ad they will be having in the MEFCC booklet. I think I might tell them that for the large wall version, they should just stick with monochromatic colours otherwise it will look a mess in my opinion eeeeek!