Evaluation

The assignment brief was to create a piece of work of your choice. You could have chosen to do photography or some sort of graphic piece/style.

I chose to do a graphic piece of work to show my interest. Also I wanted to do a graphic piece of work because I like to draw. Also doing a graphic piece would show that I can use photoshop to create a comic strip. I have also chosen the graphic path for my final major project because it shows what I can create on  different software's including photoshop and illustrator.

The research that I did was to research different comic strips and graphic novels. This was to get me some ideas on what my project was all about and what I wanted to create in the first place. Also I had to research an artist called Angela Anaconda to get some ideas for my project. I also took my own photos of my bedroom to use for my comic. This was because it looked like the scenes that I wanted to portray through a comic. This was so I could use my own photo of my bedroom to stick into my comic strip.  This was to make my comic strip seem/look more real. Also it looks better with a background in each of the scenes pretty much as it looks like a realism piece of work/artwork.

The research that has inspired my design was my secondary research because it showed how other people made their comic strip using their own drawings and graphics. Also my primary research was inspiring because it showed what other people thought/think of my overall design/idea. The artist that inspired me with my design was Angela Anaconda because it showed how she uses mixed media to create her final piece and her final artwork piece. She also inspired me because it shows how she creates her pieces of work using photos and her own style of artwork.

My primary research was when I created a survey monkey questionnaire to see what other people thought of my final piece ideas. I didn't get that many replies which was annoying. This kind of affected my final piece because I didn't know exactly what other people would have liked me to do by their responses. Also it would have helped if other people gave their overall opinions that I could use for my final piece. Also it would have helped for more people to have answered my questionnaire because it would have meant that I had more of a sense for a target audience. This wasn't as helpful as not many people replied.

My Secondary research was all to do with graphic novels and comic strips. Aswell as looking at books to do with how to draw faces and characters. Also with this research I could get a sense of how other people do their style of work- that I could have used to create my own piece to follow in their success. Also my secondary research was helpful because it showed how different pieces of work make one successful piece which I liked. Also my secondary research shows how the artist sees the piece that they created which also inspired me.

I have made a comic strip using my drawing skills and my graphic skills. I made my final piece by sketching out a rough drawing of my idea. Afterwards I created my character through drawings first before edited and making it better through photoshop. That way I could develop my character more aswell as use the techniques that I have learnt.

I have chosen the colours in my comic strip because I feel as though they are eye catching for the comic. Also I have chosen the colours that I have because I feel like it works with the comic. Also the bright colours gives the comic more emotions then a black and white version. The tears wouldn't work or look right if they weren't blue. Also in my opinion comic strips are better in colour as the emotions can be expressed through different sort of colours bringing out the main character, and its personality. I got my images/photos of my bedroom for my comic strip by taking some at home using my phone. I took quite a few photos as I wanted to choose the best one with having a range of photos. The way that I got my photos onto my comic strip was to shift things around on my comic strip to make the bedroom background fit onto each box that I wanted a background on. I had to shift some of the layers around by putting them on top of each other to make everything on my comic strip clear and for it to make sense.

The software tool that I used to create my final piece was Photoshop. On Photoshop the tools that I used was new layer- to create a new layer, the move tool to move each of my items and my character for each scene of my comic. I also used the box tool to create the scenes for my comic, I used the text tool to use when I wanted to add some text to my comic. This made it more interesting. For each of the box shapes I right clicked and chose and used the warp tool to create the different interesting shapes. I used the fill background tool to use to colour in my character to make it brighter and more cartoon like. I used the pen tool to cut out my character for my comic strip.

I think that I have developed some new skills throughout this project. The skills that I have developed whilst using photoshop was how to use a new layer for each item that I used for photoshop. Eventually being used for my comic strip.  Also I have developed using some of the tools in photoshop such as the pen tool which cuts out an image without cutting the actual image out. I feel as though I have developed with using photoshop because I feel a little bit more confident with using the software.

My time management for my project was good. I feel as though I used it well to create my final piece within the time limit that I had.  I don't think I fully followed my schedule because I didn't do all of the things that I planned to do on my schedule because it was better if I left them out. The thing that I had on my schedule that I didn't do for this project was to research different types of target audience which I never did. This was because I felt as though I didn't need to do this due to lots of other research that was more important. The target audience that my comic strip is aimed for is for children- girls aged 6-10 years. I have chosen this target audience because I have used pink and purple in my comic strip and girls like the colour pink. Also I think this because of the character being a girl.

I am happy with my comic strip because I feel as though I have used the different techniques well that I have been taught. Also the comic strip looks exactly like my rough drawing which is the way that it was supposed to look like. I like the colours that I have used in my comic strip because it makes the whole story more interesting. It gives the audience the feeling of why the comic is in colour instead of a black and white on. I wanted to make the comic colourful otherwise the photo of my bedroom in the background wouldn't be clear enough if it was in black and white. It would make the comic sad and boring due to the colours.

The things that I would change if I did my final piece again is to try and attempt to put a background on my comic to make the page brighter and more interesting. Also a background would fit for my comic because I feel like it looks a little bit bare with just a white background. I would also change the text. This is because it is too small and the colour doesn't work against the background. I would change my text also because you cannot see it with the background and making it bigger would be better so you can see it properly and better.

I did have problems when I was making my comic strip/ my final piece. It was annoying when I had these problems because it stopped me from finishing and finalising my work. The problems that I came across whilst I was making my comic strip was that I had too many layers that weren't named/labelled. Also another thing that I had a problem with my final piece is that I lost my work. This was very annoying. It was because the software kept on freezing up on my work aswell. I also had the problem of making the bedroom background fit each of the three boxes that I wanted to have a background on.

Final piece of work(Try 2)

I have made a comic strip using Photoshop. I had a few struggles with the editing of my comic strip but I overcame the problems that I came across. I like the colours that I have used because I haven't made it boring or too plain. The colours brings out the main character that I have designed which I like. I like the way that I have used my bedroom for 3 of the scenes. It makes the whole comic strip seem as though it is supposed to be coloured. I also like the fact that I have made the title page black and white. This is because I feel like it looks more interesting in colour more then  black and white. The colour brings out the comic strip in a better way then a black and white one would. The tools that I used to create my final piece was the pen tool to cut out my character, the fill colour tool to make the character more interesting and more colourful. I have also used the crop tool to cut out the background to put onto each of my scenes. I have also used the shape tool to create the boxes for my comic strip. To make the tears I have found a picture off the internet and then gone round it with the pen tool. I have also used the fill tool to colour in the tears, to make them look more like tears. This could be displayed in a comic book as I have created a page for one. This could also be displayed on a poster to advertise the comic book. This is because of the way that I have designed and made my comic book.

Photoshop Technique

To put a background onto a photoshop image you:
1- Go onto Layer, click on Newfill Layer
2- Choose one of the gradients to use for your background
It only works when you have a background that needs filling.

To cut an image or background out you need to:
Use the magnetic lasso tool to cut around your image or background.
1- Edit, copy and then edit again until it is correct
2- It cuts the  whole image out at once- use a new layer if needed.

Final Piece of work- ( Try 1)

This is my original final piece of work. I couldn't get the comic strip to be colour so it kind of came out as a black and white piece instead. It was annoying that I couldn't get the graphics in colour because I originally wanted it to be in colour. I like the way that I have done the chair wobbling. This is because the black thick lines look as though the chair is actually wobbling.


I have also taken some photos which I was originally going to add to my comic. I chose not too use the bottom photo  because I don't think it worked right. Also the background didn't copy properly onto the comic/ strip which was annoying. Also I didn't use the bottom photo because in my opinion it doesn't look like a bedroom. The top photo looks better to use in my comic strip. On the bottom photo I have used an ISO of 200. This is because a higher ISO number would have blurred the photo. I didn't use an ISO setting for the top photo because I used my phone. My phone didn't have an ISO setting so I couldn't use it.

Contact Sheet- photos taken

I have made a contact sheet using Photoshop to show the progress of what I would like to use for my comic strip. I have chosen to use photos for my final piece because it shows that I have thought about how I wanted to create my final piece. The look that I wanted to create was to use one of my photos as the background to three of my scenes. Also I wanted to use my own photos of my bedroom for my final piece because it looks more realistic then a graphic one, aswell as it looking more like the scene that I wanted to create in the first place. I have taken the photos of the contact sheet in college to see which one looked more like a bedroom. I have used some test shots to see which one I preferred. None of the above photos looked right for the comic strip- as they didn't look like a bedroom.

The ISO that I have used to take the photos is 200. This is because I felt as though this was the best setting to use for the amount of photos that I have taken. The lighting for the bottom few photos wasn't very good. This was because of the fact that the room looked too yellow to use a lighting setting. I decided not to use a lighting setting due to the room. These photos were all test shots as the room looked too dark. In the end I didn't feel as though the room looked right for my comic strip.  

 

Extra Research- Angela Anaconda

 

 

I like this image because it shows how mixed media has been used to create a simple image. I like the fact that it looks like a normal image with some added parts. This has inspired me with my  work because it I would like to put a photo of a background onto a storyboard to save me from making the background in the time limit needed.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=tear+drop&safe=strict&biw=1680&bih=955&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjn7ODslOHMAhUNOsAKHTuODXAQ_AUIBigB#safe=strict&tbm=isch&q=angela+anaconda+artwork&imgrc=YMJbr9mb-yMY1M%3A

 

I like this image because of the way that it is action mixed with cartoon. It is kind of freaky though because of the way that it has cartoons in it. It looks as though the image is all photo like. I also like the fact that it has action showing what the whole point of a mixed media is supposed to look like. I also like the way that the clothing and the action has been replaced to the scene. It is cool abit like South Park.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=tear+drop&safe=strict&biw=1680&bih=955&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjn7ODslOHMAhUNOsAKHTuODXAQ_AUIBigB#safe=strict&tbm=isch&q=angela+anaconda+artwork&imgrc=TmBaMfxZW9qy0M%3A

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=tear+drop&safe=strict&biw=1680&bih=955&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjn7ODslOHMAhUNOsAKHTuODXAQ_AUIBigB#safe=strict&tbm=isch&q=angela+anaconda+artwork&imgrc=pWfNmSzi4DClLM%3A

I like this image because it kind of reminds me dancing on the chair/stall. I like the fact that real people's faces have been sued with the cartoon body parts. It shows that the artist sees the action through her eyes. I like the funny bit with the dancing on the bench because it looks as though the girl is actually about to fall off the chair.

Artist Research

Angela Anaconda- character research

Angela Anaconda is a imaginative artist who uses collage and photos to bring her work to live. She makes it her own which shows how creative she can be. She doesn't just use random people or backgrounds, she expresses her feelings which an artist should do. She believes that overall she is French, but she is actually Canadian. She is compassionate with her heartless but meaningful work. She has attended to use dream photos to create an imaginative and originally piece/design. She comes form the town of Tap water Springs along with her parents. fashions. She uses imaginative designs to make her work look like a bizarre collage. A bit like how South Park is made. She also uses random materials throughout her work to show how much of her own work she has fully developed.  (Own work with facts)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Anaconda

Artist of Angela Anaconda- Sue Rose
She was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She started to paint at a young age. When she was younger she knew that she was going to become an artist. She studied at Michigan State University. The subject that she studied at her university was a Master of Arts degree. Whilst she was at University she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting. She soon retired after 30 years of teaching visual arts to K-12 students in her area of Grand Rapids. She has travelled throughout America. Whilst she was travelling throughout America she formed a deep affection  for the Teton Range. She did this whilst she was visiting her family in 1963. She nearly returned to her family nearly every Summer for the next 50 years to do her compassion of sketching and painting. She is currently splitting her time between Teton Valley and Michigan. She can be found by doing what she enjoys. This consists of sharing her enthusiasm for the arts. She also enjoys being outdoors aswell as producing outdoor pieces of artwork.  http://susanmrosefineart.com/about

Artist of Angela Anaconda- Joanna Ferrone

She was born in New York, Miami. She is one half of the creators of the characters Fido Dido and Angela Anaconda. After 30 years since Fido Dido was creating Joanna continues to provide him with new experiences. Her family soon moved to Long Island, a quieter place whilst Joanna was in New York, Miami. She spent most of her adulthood enjoying the vicissitudes of pavement. She was aspired to become a writer but she graduated at college at that time. Sue and Joanna both met each other when they were in their early twenties. Joanna still lives in Miami today. She likes living in Miami because she doesn't have to carry a thirty five pound dog through snow. The art culture in Miami is that it is fledging- developing through its own work. The architecture of the art industry in Miami is great says Joanna. The Miami scene of the Wynwood is even but nothing compared to the Soho scene. She believes that it will get there. Joanna is still happy with hers and Sue's creation to Fido Dido. She is very proud of her creation. She can still look at him the same within 30 years.
http://blog.etudes-studio.com/joanna-Ferrone

 

 

Sketches, storyboards, characters, work

Here is my ideas and characters for my final work. As well as the odd characters and names for my character.

I only have a few images here because I didn't very much,many. This is the best pieces of work that I could do. I forgot to make a box for the middle scene of when my character falls off the chair so I had to redo it on another piece of paper. I like the fact that I have used some tears to show the exaggeration and the chair tipping backwards. I had to practice doing this first.