L13 – Final Project |

Please note: due dates are different for the Final Project and Final Formal Critique.

Final Project Due

check schedule for due date – No late work accepted.

Review instructions ‘Project Submission’ – use this as a guideline for the Final Project post also.
Make a new post on the blog and click the Category ‘Final Project‘.
Include a detailed description of your process in creating the Final Project (see example below).
Your final project should be in-line with your Final Project Proposal from a couple lessons ago. If it is not, you must describe in detail how it changed and why.

https://art162.community.uaf.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/540/2015/07/Final-Project.pdf

Example Final Project Description (to include with your final project blog post)

by Juenke

For my final project I chose to do what I am least comfortable with: use illustrator to augment some basic sketches into digital illustrations. These illustrations were chosen to represent the accompanied chapter excerpts from a book I had been writing, and present them as a minor collage of concepts. I figured this could maintain my interest for the time investment. The excerpts were chosen from the beginning and the end of my current story line and because they could – as introductory notions – be illustrated.

I found myself challenged on many aspects of this project. First of which was to display enough story to add interest and meaning behind the images, the second was to convey the impact of the text adequately given my low level of digital skill, and third was to produce a cohesive piece from elements so for apart in a narrative. I used scaling in the illustrations both as a hierarchal reference, and as a form of focal emphasis. My goal was to create a world your eyes could wander from point to point smoothly and while inferring the story. The first image contains implied motion as one of its elements, which is grounded to a stationary and smaller observer below. I used a predominance of warm colors in the first, warm and neutral colors in the second, and primarily cool colors in the last. This was done both conceptually to match the story and to imply beginning middle and end. I used a combination of texture and solid linear lines to define shapes, and attempted to vary shades plus and minus 10% values for contrasting, highlighting, and undertones.

I spent nearly as much time on the background elements as on the illustrations themselves. The Viking Tree of Life seemed appropriate both for the subject, and to convey the passage of time. The beginning and end being tied together with the knots of the Great Tree, seemed rather appropriate. I used the iconic image, the central element of the hooded swordsman between the two illustrations, to add a level of tension and to better fill the gap in time.

I feel the project had successes and failures. One observation is I feel the layout and art looks like a child’s story , but the writing may be a bit too complex for the images. I feel I captured the concept well enough to be interesting but I’m not sure how well I solved the coherency problem. It seems to hint at something you need more information for. This was intentional, but in hindsight also diminishes the impact of the piece as an isolated element.

I find it mildly ironic I spent so many, many, many, hours making a digital image that in the end applied textures which make it look hand drawn… Despite this mildly exhaustive process I am happy with the final product as an exercise. I feel my skills still need work, and I would likely upgrade my tools and spend time making custom textures brushes etc. if I were to do this frequently. I feel I have maxed the capacity of my poor laptop and its old track pad.

Final Formal Critique Due — check schedule for due date – No late work accepted.

View all posts in the category ‘Final Project’.
Do a formal critique of one of your classmates’ Final Project submissions. Put your formal critique in the ‘Comments’ section below their post. Remember to follow the formal critique guidelines.