Media Testing Week
At this stage in the project, I decided to dedicate this week to experimenting with different mediums to gain a better understanding of how I want to produce the noodle box designs. Earlier this week, I carved a lino print based on some of the character designs I’d drawn. Usually, when I make a lino print I carve the images outlines leaving the background coloured however I used the reverse of that process to have the singular characters without backgrounds so they could be used as stamps, which I placed on each side of the noodle box. This is definitely still an idea I’m playing around with as I like the simplicity of the black and red characters against the white box, it’s reminiscent of traditional Chinese designs I’ve looked at. A possible problem would be how to extend the theme for a set of three boxes; whether I’d have one character per box with each relating to a flavour of what’s inside or look at creating a background through the boxes for the characters to interact with, for example, strands of noodles that they could be hanging off or climbing on to. These decisions will hopefully be determined in the next week and I’ll decide on the route I want to take.
Additionally to lino print, I used inks, pencils and brush pens to illustrate mountain ranges and landscapes, aided by the research of Japanese artist Utagawa Hirshire. His paintings represent the love and connection to Japan he has; being a citizen himself the audience is invited to see his hometown through the eyes of the artist, making them feel connected to the landscape. Along with more extensive research in my sketchbook, I've produced studies influenced by his triadic colour scheme of red, blue and green and the simplistic approach to shape. Compositionally, Hiroshige's woodblock prints are very powerful, such as his famous print 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa' with its unique perspective from the sea, looking on to Mount Fuji in the background. I experimented with black ink to form the mountain range structure, with the black representing the shadows. This effect is used in branding today with people choosing a more contemporary approach that's reminiscent of avant-garde design. This approach is one I want to look at as its different to the detailed approach to final pieces I've taken previously.
This week, I took part in a digital workshop where I learnt how to use the software 4D Cinema. This was quite challenging as I'm used to working traditionally in 2D but with instruction, I was able to learn the basics and produce a 3D noodle box with a design on the front panel. With this new skill, I will be able to test designs quickly to see if they are worth exploring and fit seamlessly onto the boxes. A few of the experimental constructions are shown below, I tried to make a castle by designing one turret then selected the whole object and pasted three more to form a structural base, then added the sides.
With such a short timescale and limitless project brief, I've struggled to go into as much detail in the development and experimental stages compared to previous projects which have allowed me to explore more avenues. I feel confident that I will, through further development and colour testing, figure out how I want to progress with the box designs. This week I've produced a lot of studies focusing on Japanese mountain ranges which have worked quite well in terms of simplicity with the mountains and small buildings- I struggle knowing when to stop as I'm used to adding lots of intricate detail to the composition. From talking to my tutors, I've realised that although I could use the illustrative noodle characters which would appeal to a younger audience, pushing myself to develop a better understanding of landscapes will be very effective for this project and beyond.
Additionally to lino print, I used inks, pencils and brush pens to illustrate mountain ranges and landscapes, aided by the research of Japanese artist Utagawa Hirshire. His paintings represent the love and connection to Japan he has; being a citizen himself the audience is invited to see his hometown through the eyes of the artist, making them feel connected to the landscape. Along with more extensive research in my sketchbook, I've produced studies influenced by his triadic colour scheme of red, blue and green and the simplistic approach to shape. Compositionally, Hiroshige's woodblock prints are very powerful, such as his famous print 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa' with its unique perspective from the sea, looking on to Mount Fuji in the background. I experimented with black ink to form the mountain range structure, with the black representing the shadows. This effect is used in branding today with people choosing a more contemporary approach that's reminiscent of avant-garde design. This approach is one I want to look at as its different to the detailed approach to final pieces I've taken previously.
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| 3D papercut landscape |
This week, I took part in a digital workshop where I learnt how to use the software 4D Cinema. This was quite challenging as I'm used to working traditionally in 2D but with instruction, I was able to learn the basics and produce a 3D noodle box with a design on the front panel. With this new skill, I will be able to test designs quickly to see if they are worth exploring and fit seamlessly onto the boxes. A few of the experimental constructions are shown below, I tried to make a castle by designing one turret then selected the whole object and pasted three more to form a structural base, then added the sides.
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| 4D Cinema Designs |
With such a short timescale and limitless project brief, I've struggled to go into as much detail in the development and experimental stages compared to previous projects which have allowed me to explore more avenues. I feel confident that I will, through further development and colour testing, figure out how I want to progress with the box designs. This week I've produced a lot of studies focusing on Japanese mountain ranges which have worked quite well in terms of simplicity with the mountains and small buildings- I struggle knowing when to stop as I'm used to adding lots of intricate detail to the composition. From talking to my tutors, I've realised that although I could use the illustrative noodle characters which would appeal to a younger audience, pushing myself to develop a better understanding of landscapes will be very effective for this project and beyond.
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