project 2
"Unfamiliar Territory"
DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION 185.63 x 131.23 cm OCTOBER, 2018 "Unfamiliar Territory" is a digital work focused on the themes of wonder and unfamiliarity. The dark shadowy and intrusive ship is placed to juxtapose the sandy, barren environment and build a feeling of both unease and wonder.
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planning and inspiration
"Unfamiliar Territory" is a piece inspired by the barrenness of of the piece "Winter in Aizu (12)" by Kiyoshi Saito and the sense of awe and hopelessness found when technology goes astray in the piece "SS Great Britain, beached ashore, Dundrum Bay Ireland, at high water and in gale" by Joseph Walter. "Unfamiliar Territory" also draws inspiration from the mood and sense of discovery and wonder conveyed within thatgamecompany's video game "Journey". I wanted to create a piece that could show the sense of scale that technology has and the sense of awe something has even if it's a day to day object. The choice set up the scene in a way that introduces mystery was inspired by how "Winter in Aizu (12)" conveys it's scene. The bleakness of the snow and the lack of details raise a lot of questions within the scene and the isolated hooded figure that asks who is it? What are they doing there? Why are they there? These questions and the composition helped influence my piece's composition inspired me to make my piece ask it's own questions.
To influence and push my attempts for a sense of mystery I was influenced by "SS Great Britain, beached ashore, Dundrum Bay Ireland, at high water and in gale" and the imagery of a boat beached upon the sand. The incorporation of a boat felt like an interesting touch that asked a lot of questions as to how it got there and who it once belonged to. For the stylistic choices I chose to combine the more cartoony art style that I adapted while using a digital medium and combining it with more watercolour based shading and detailing.
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SS Great Britain, beached ashore, Dundrum Bay Ireland, at high water and in gale, 1842-1852, Joseph Walter
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Journey, 2012, thatgamecompany
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The choice to keep the light areas of the sand more flat was inspired by the process seen in "Winter in Aizu (12)" on the snow where most of it is very flat as opposed to the small detailed sections where shadows are cast. The watercolour shading done to the figure, the boat and it's crates, and the sky were inspired by how both "Journey" and "SS Great Britain, beached ashore, Dundrum Bay Ireland, at high water and in gale" portray values within their respected mediums.
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process
To begin the process of the piece I started with drawing sketches of the character I wanted to draw. These sketches didn't really illustrate the environment so to begin I focused on the creation of the character both in sketch and digitally. After working on the sketch I transferred the image to my computer and began digital sketches and working on the final line art for the figure. I did all of the digital work in a program called FireAlpaca which I've always used to do digital artwork. After completing the figure I imported the light sketches that I made for the background and the boat which I layered over one another and began outlining in a new document. After completing the line work I worked to outline all of the different parts of the background in different layers, starting with one layer for the sand dunes, one for the crates, and so on and so on for each portion of the piece. After outlining the portions of the piece I made layers underneath the line art to colour in the different portions in different layers. To give the colour layers the water coloured effect I added a clipping layer to them and began to use the water colour brush to add value and depth to the piece. After shading in and colouring the different layers I worked on adding clipping layers to the line art so that I could make the outline colour match closer to the colour I used to fill in the parts of the piece.
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After finishing colouring in the piece I took to a new document to colour the figure which I then imported into the main project document. After I finished working on the piece I went back in to touch up sections and add more colour to most of the piece. Mid way through touch-ups I felt that the piece was very flat and needed more depth, so to add this I added something resembling sand clouds and darkened and shaded the furthest hill. Many of the shaded portions of the sand dunes contrasted harshly with the shading of the actual piece and so during the reworking of the painting I decided to redo the shadows present on all of the sand dunes and make them look as if they belong within the environment.
experimentation
Most of the painting process of the piece was experimental on my part. Prior to the painting of the piece I had researched ways to effectively watercolour within FireAlpaca and learned of the watercolour brush and how to effectively use it to paint in the many different segments of the piece. The blending of the piece along with the additional colouring to the crates such as the rusting of the sides and the rusting/reddening of the boat were also experimental in the creation of my piece. The creation of a coloured detailed background environment was another experimental stage of my piece as I have never really delved deep into environment illustration and have almost always focused on character drawing and design.
reflection
In the end I believe I did well on this project, yes, there was a lot technically that I could have done better but I feel like based on the final outcome I feel as if my piece illustraited my theme and turned out well to the best of my abilities. The use of the watercolour tool has introduced me to many new techniques that I can use within my own pieces. In comparison to my inspiration I believe that my piece had a good outcome, many of the stylistic inspirations and thematic inspirations came across effectively within my piece and were communicated well.
act questions
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
The thematic topics covered in my piece and the similar contents and painting style drew inspiration from my inspirations such as "Journey" and "Winter in Aizu (12)". The composition and use of juxtaposition as a thematic point also draw similarities from my inspiration
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My approach to my inspiration was to evoke a sense of wonder and discovery that were exercised within "Journey".
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I found that the sense of wonder can be in so much more than just the sense of the unknown, but also by diverting expectations and forming a composition that makes the audience ask questions about what they're viewing.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
My theme was discovery and adventure. Specifically the sense of awe and mystery surrounding familiar things in unfamiliar territory.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I approached this piece knowing that I could find my theme in digital medias like video games such as "Journey", however I did not know that paintings illustrating a still of human life could still evoke these same themes, intentional or not within pieces like "SS Great Britain, beached ashore, Dundrum Bay Ireland, at high water and in gale".
The thematic topics covered in my piece and the similar contents and painting style drew inspiration from my inspirations such as "Journey" and "Winter in Aizu (12)". The composition and use of juxtaposition as a thematic point also draw similarities from my inspiration
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My approach to my inspiration was to evoke a sense of wonder and discovery that were exercised within "Journey".
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I found that the sense of wonder can be in so much more than just the sense of the unknown, but also by diverting expectations and forming a composition that makes the audience ask questions about what they're viewing.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
My theme was discovery and adventure. Specifically the sense of awe and mystery surrounding familiar things in unfamiliar territory.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I approached this piece knowing that I could find my theme in digital medias like video games such as "Journey", however I did not know that paintings illustrating a still of human life could still evoke these same themes, intentional or not within pieces like "SS Great Britain, beached ashore, Dundrum Bay Ireland, at high water and in gale".
image sources
“In Past ShowModern Masters at Ronin Gallery.” Kiyoshi Saito | Winter in Aizu (12) (1969) | Available for Sale | Artsy, www.artsy.net/artwork/kiyoshi-saito-winter-in-aizu-12.
“Painting, SS Great Britain, Beached Ashore, Dundrum Bay Ireland, at High Water and in a Gale.” Science Museum Group Collection, collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co41208/painting-ss-great-britain-beached-ashore-dundrum-bay-ireland-at-high-water-and-in-a-gale-oil-painting-steamship.
Dahl, Gustav, and Wikzo. “Journey - Pilgrimsrejse for To.” Game Design, Spiludvikling & Gaming - Blog Om Computerspil, www.wikzo.com/2012/03/journey.html.
“Painting, SS Great Britain, Beached Ashore, Dundrum Bay Ireland, at High Water and in a Gale.” Science Museum Group Collection, collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co41208/painting-ss-great-britain-beached-ashore-dundrum-bay-ireland-at-high-water-and-in-a-gale-oil-painting-steamship.
Dahl, Gustav, and Wikzo. “Journey - Pilgrimsrejse for To.” Game Design, Spiludvikling & Gaming - Blog Om Computerspil, www.wikzo.com/2012/03/journey.html.