Digit.Photo & Imag. | Project 4: Self-Titled "Twenty Something" (30%)

||  04/06/24 – 02/08/24 (Week 9-15) 
||  Liau Kah Man, 0339084
||  Digital & Photography Imaging 
||  Assignment 4: Final Project

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1. INSTRUCTIONS

Final Project: Cinemagraph - Self-Titled

An exploration project for the students to express their own individuality and reflect their personality into digital art self-expression. The main idea is to build up self-confidence and discover their interest.

The term "cinemagraph" was coined in 2011, when photographer Jamie Beck and digital artist Kevin Burg used the technique to animate some of their photography and wanted a name other than "animated photo." Photographers were already exploring that way of showing photos with animation, but it was their body of work that attracted attention and got people doing their own cinemagraphs. Suddenly it was trendy to have animated GIFs again, although those modern examples were not based on clipart from the early days of the Web, but really photographs with an area showing minor and repeated movement. 

Requirements 

• Cinemagraph’s of Surrealistic imagery using mostly your own photographs edited and manipulated in Photoshop then animated. 
• The images must have a visual or a conceptual theme. 
• Example: https://creators.vice.com/en_us/article/vvy993/flaming-spiral-gifs-willmake-you-want-to-light-shit-on-fire, http://www.digitalmeetsculture.net/article/silvio-severino-digitalsurrealist-from-brazil/, http://www.tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/2015/12/GeorgeRedhawk.html

Submission 

• Fully digital.
• Images must be done in a series published in the PDF which will also include its archived process.

Learning Goals 

• Generate and communicate design concepts and solutions through manual and digital skills effectively and skilfully. (LO1)
• Use creative thinking skills and methodologies to explore, generate and test a wide range of conceptual ideas. (LO2)
• Use information and communication technology to source navigate, select, retrieve and manage information. (LO3)

Marking Criteria:

• Idea Development (5%) 
• Design Direction (5%) 
• Execution and Production (10%) 
• Animation and Finishing (10%)

Timeframe:

• Week 8 – Week 12 (Deadline on Week 13)

Find out other info about this module below.

2. PROCESS

Final Project: X

1.1  PRACTICAL: 

 Slides 1.1.1  Lecture of Digital Photography and Imaging (DPI), Week 6 (04/06/2024).

• Place your green-screened video. 
• At right side of your software layout, find "Effects & Presets" > Keying > Click and drag " Keylight (1.2)" to your videoclip's row. 
• At right side of your software layout, find "Effect Control" > Eyedrop your greenscreen at "Screen Color" > 
• To check if the removal of greenscreen is done properly, View > Screen Matte. If it's not, increase Screen Gain
• To crop the size of video, use Source Crops

For visualized demo: https://youtu.be/f4cCPkCjKwY?si=jXP_1lrtKEuMK7TW

1.2  TUTORIAL: PHOTOSHOP BASICS
.

1. 

Figure 1.2.1  Screenshot of online tutorial, Week 6 (04/06/2024).

X x.

• Step 1. X. 
• Step 2. X
• Soft Light vs Overlay. keeps the previous layer data

Tips:

• 🔥
  
• 🔥 = New function/info/tips learnt!

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2. PROCESS

2.1  RESEARCH

1.Write a biography about yourself

INTRO	Carmen is a passionate explorer with a diverse set of interests, including art, science, marketing, and data. She embraces the complexities of young adulthood with a positive outlook, believing that each experience contributes to her journey of growth and understanding. In her early 20s, Carmen is in a phase of self-discovery, exploring her identity, career aspirations, and the meaning of success.
PARAGRAPH 1	Amidst this journey, Carmen acknowledges that uncertainty is a natural part of life and chooses to face it with a positive mindset. Balancing her varied interests, Carmen is exploring different paths, sure that she will eventually find her unique place in the world.
PARAGRAPH 2	She understands that not having all the answers is part of the process and trusts that, over time, clarity will come.
SUMMARY	In summary, Carmen's early 20s are marked by a blend of exploration, everything being in a bit of a mess, and optimism. She approaches life with a sense of adventure, trusting that everything will eventually work out. Her belief in the potential for growth and understanding, coupled with her openness to new experiences, shapes her journey. Carmen's commitment to staying positive and resilient ensures that she continues to navigate this transformative period with confidence and grace.

 

2. Write a statement about your work

INTRO	"Twenty Something" captures the essence of navigating early adulthood, marked by exploration, uncertainty, and personal growth, grappling with questions of identity, career, and purpose — yet the advices heard are always to be optimistic, but everything is in a struggle and mess.
PARAGRAPH 1	Through a combination of pop-up messages that provoke anxiety and a fiery depiction of challenging circumstances, the artwork conveys the intense emotional landscape of this period. The use of lab glassware, including volumetric flasks, symbolizes the fragility and breakdown of various aspects of life, from academic pressures to personal identity.
PARAGRAPH 2	Despite the chaos and the feeling of things falling apart, the artwork also communicates a sense of resilience and acceptance. It illustrates the artist’s journey through self-discovery, balancing passions and practicalities while embracing the unknown with optimism.
SUMMARY	Twenty Something" highlights her willingness and optimistic to embrace the unknown, experiment with different interests, and remain open to the possibilities that lie ahead. It also portrays the messy yet hopeful reality of this transformative phase, offering a visual representation of the complexities and growth experienced as one navigates the transition into full adulthood.

3. Moodboard

2.2  IDEATION & EXECUTI

Design Direction

Sketches

Digital poster based on sketch

Figure 2.2.2  Reference, Week 9 (27/06/2024). Source: Artdesigna.com.

Figure 2.2.2  Assets of colorful smoke depicting explosion, Week 12. Source: Editorial View on YouTube.

2.2  IDEATION & EXECUTION

Figure 2.2.2  Cropping out my main subject, Week 12. 

Figure 2.2.2  Background color experimenting, though still doesn't feel right, Week 12.

Figure 2.2.2  Simple cut, merge and overlaying to have an overlapping music, Week 12.

2.3  FINAL OUTCOME

Figure  Twenty Something

https://youtube.com/shorts/QL-0-40oBms
Figure 2.3.1  Twenty-Something's "It's Fine", Week 14 (26/07/2024).

Through a combination of pop-up messages that provoke anxiety and a fiery depiction of challenging circumstances, the artwork conveys the intense emotional landscape of this period. 

It also highlights how familial pressure can instill fear and discourage exploring unconventional paths, effectively "brainwashing" individuals into sticking with safer, traditional routes. This adds a powerful critique of the external pressures faced during early adulthood.

The use of glass breaks symbolizes the fragility and breakdown of various aspects of life, from academic pressures to personal identity. 

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