Concept art


Compositional Rules
27/09/2016


I have annotated on the picture where i believe the dominant form, sub-dominate form and focal point is. The dominant form was the area labelled as that area would be the main point you would notice first on the image, the sub-dominant form would be what you would notice second after that which with lead you towards the main focal point. Sometimes in some images you will get leading lines that will also direct you from the dominant or sub-domination form to the focal point in the image. This is also the same for the four images below. To improve this nect time around I will use photoshop to digitally add shading to the different areas laybelled to show them more clearly.The only problem that occured was trying to source images I fewlt suitable and that was relitively clear for the audience to view. This was resolved by scanning through an internet source and finding suitable images. I am disapointed in the outcome of all the annotations becuause i feel the clarity of them is not up to standard and that is what i would imrpove next time.

The idea of the perspective in this is that you are the person flying towards what is laybelled the focal point where you are inside some battle of some kind from the side and infront of the flying character. The meaning of the perspective is to show the viewer the the horizon is and whether you are looking down, looking up or looking across. In this image it is shown from a side angle going across the image. The colour in this image is cool and dark with is influenced by the different contrasts of blue with a bit of red on the flying person giving a sense of danger. There is a use of highly saturated blue that is the focal point that could maybe represent either a 'light at the end of the tunnel' symbolizing vitory or that a long journey is near its end; or an explosion inside battle that will determin the fate of the overall war. Each interpretation can be made differently depending on the viewer.




Useful tools

The colour wheel.
The purpose of this is to show different colour saturation and also the opposing colour to one colour that would complement each other well when in the same area. 

The golden spiral is too help do an image or painting that leads round and then comes to a focal point. It is used as a guidance when constructing a painting.

Rule of thirds.
This is to seperate a painting down into grids to use as guidance with positioning and placing when painting and drawing.


Observational drawings/ digital city sketch
Different objects was placed together to be used in an observational drawing to make a city scape, using the basic shapes and outlines. Using the basic outlines of the various objects us as a group used to draw and interpret our own imagination to transform them into buildings, bins or anything you would see in a city.



This is the same setup used for the city scape at a different angle to help show the different objects used and how they could be portrayed into buildings and other things from a different perspective.

How the observational drawing and use of objects helped me
The above images help me construct a drawing (seen below) to give me an idea the postioning and various sizing of different shape I could interpret into builing. This above pictures helped give me ideas of what kind of buidlings i could potentially create, one being tall and slender, the other being small and wide. The streering wheel could of been useful for incorperting it into a ferris wheel or a potetial watermill by the river side. The above picture and drawing helped me progress my digital painting by sparking my imagination into what the different shapes could be portrayed as. For example the basic outline of the shell on top of the cpu unit reminded me of the outline of a alien UFO, so that idea got incoperated into my digital painting and final design when painting on photoshop. Another example in a old rusty lantern better seen in the first picture taken of the observational set up using various object, which was used to design a coal funace to crate fuel that is worn and dirty.

This is my current development on what i have sketched. I used the steering wheal and interpreted it into a Ferris wheal. The computer unit behind is going to become a building with a satellite dish on top of it with what maybe will either be a Christmas tree or a type of futuristic beacon tower next to it. I am still in the current process of designing and finishing of what the other building will be and will be finalising more detail into it.
If I was to do this again, I would position myself at a different perspective with more objects visible that i could interpret into my sketch to make it more detailed. The main problem encountered was trying to scale each and every object used as accurastly as possible so nothing was out of proportion. To solve this issues very light sketches was made, adjusted and rubbed out until I drawed up my final form shown above.I am pleased with the overall outcome of my sketch, everything is in proportion to each other and any important details was included in the sketch and also interpreted into potential things that could be seen in the city.The future development of this will be done digitally on photoshop, using the tools available to paint, shade and construct the sketch digitally.
From the previous image this is the strat of doing my city scape digitally on photoshop using one of the compositional rules which is the golden spiral. The golden spiral is used as a guidence to how to constuct your image to go round the page until it reaches the more circulare end in the top right corner of the page where the focal point will be. The materials i used for the golden spiral was an image saved from google (link will be given below) that was put on it own seperate layer in the bottom left of photoshop called golden spiral. Now in order to see both images i had to lower the opcaity of my city sketch drawing down to 85% so i could see the golden spiral layer below it. There is nothing i can identify that i would do differently and no problems was encountered.

This shows my previous drawing now uploaded to photoshop to be digitally painted into buildings or other potential things seen in they city. The first step once the image was uploaded was to put in a horison line. To do this I used a brush and held alt on the keyboard to construct a straight line, then adjusting on my drawing accordingly as seen in the above image. Next we used the polygon tool, since i have two different perspective points in the sketch I will need to use two. To do this I used a polygon tool and adjusted the number settings to 99 and then changed the settings to star. once the star had been expanded on both sides of the page they needed to be alligned with the horizon line, thus to help give accuracy in the perspective of the digital painting process. NOw the image is ready to be digitally sketched and painted over using different layers to construct a digital image.
The problems I encountered doing all the above steps was trying to place the hozison line accuretly  to get the correct perspective in the anolog sketch that was uploaded, the same problem was found when trying to allocate the star. This issue was resolved asking another person for their opinions on where the horizon line should be and the stars that create the focal points until we both agreed where they was placed was suitable for the anolog sketch.Overall I am pleased with the outcome, this was my first attempt using new tools I hadn't prieveously used and any problems encountered was dealt with in a team and swiftly. The future development of this work will be built up in layers of digital painting and shading building up the digital image I am aiming to achieve.
From my previous screanshot you can see the shapes has been drawed and filled with colour and interpreted into buildings with some detail. Using a contrast of darker shades i am trying to create a sublinal effect that has depth and will immerse the viewer. It is done digitally on photoshop with the purpose of trying to give it a 3D perspective.The subject matter is an Alien invasion seen in the city which is going to be the sublime; With dark in depth colour to emerse the viewer and reach to their inner emotions of fear, sadness to spark thier imagination of what it could be like in an extra terrestrial apocolpyse. The aim is to try and represent as realistic as possible, the reason being to make it more life like to entice and immerse the viewer. The tools used was paintbrushes with different opacity during different stages, the erazer to clear anu mistakes. The blur tool to help blend shading together. The artist that influenced my work was Syd Mead. This is because I found his work facinating, the detail and how immersed you can become into his art work. If i was to do things differently next time I would probably strat shading with more darker colours instead of working from light to dark. The main problem encountered was getting a colour level that i was happy for in my buildings and background. This issued was solved by experimenting with colours until i become happy with the overall shading and depth. I am pleased with the outcome, so far its progressing better than i had imagined it to turn out. Developing this piece of work I will add more contrast and shading, including more detail to ditinguish each feature better that tells the viewer more of a story as they become more immsered into the image


From the previous screanshot, you can see the image has been dgitally detailed more on photoshop. The subject of my work is to deipict an extra terrestrial invasion on mankind. One of the things that influened the though of including something extra terrestrial came from a movie called Alien Vs Predetor. That is where the alien ship gets interpreted in. The artist most influential that i have seen is Syd Meads work that has a subliminal feel. This inspired me to try and have the same effect on the viewer as it has impacted on me and others. The tools used to develop this image in photoshop was the airbrush soft brush and the blur tool. I have used dark muted tones through out most of my image to imply that the city during this time in is dark, cold, almost barren and hostile times that lack hope and future which is the effect i am trying to have on the viewer. Then the use of the bright saturated colour is to give a sense of danger, destruction and fear with the use of the orange, yellows and reds in the fire emmiting from the building. Trying to give the viewer a sense of panic. The use of the bright blue saturation coming from a grey UFO is to represent bitter coldness from the extra terrestrial beings that have invaded. The golden spiral has been my main compositional rule creating this image to help me construct round and create a focal point, the rule of thrids was also used a the painting has been broken down into 3x3 blocks that seperate the image into different areas that bring your attention to as you go around.  Is there anything i would of done differently since my last update? I feel there is nothing i would change from when i last updated my painting. I found that i glided with ease encountering no problems at all and feeling realitively pleased with the current outcome. If i have the given time I will continue to develop this pice of work adding more intricute detail.
From the previous screenshot, you can see some coloured lines and boxes drawn onto the digitally created city scape. The subject of this is to show what i believe what is the dominat form in this digital image which has been enclosed in a red coloured outlined box. The sub-dominat form is outlined in a green coloured boxat the side of the dominant form. The leading lines are shown in light blue (some poorly visble) going along what is suuposed to be the edge of the road and pavement, with some leading lines also coming from the buildings, leading towards my focal point. Another what is not such a visible leading line is the smoke emerging from a building with fire inside leading up and around my focal point which has been identified with a yellow semi-circle. The material i used and technique was a simple brush and brightly saturated colours to outline the different forms. To do the outline i used the shift and drag to create straight lines where needed with the brush. I used a graphix pad to enable me to get a more accurate detailing to show my annotations more clearly in the above image. If i was to annotate again i would make the lines thicker and a brighter contrast to the dark background.

The Sublime in concept environments


How could Syd Mead's work be an example of a sublime?
It would be an example of a sublime due to the dark contrast used in his imagery that strain the sense of sight and the sheer scale is beyond that of which the viewer can comprehend. The purpose of this is to immerse the viewer to experience emotions of fear and with the loudness portrayed the viewer becomes overwhelmed. With everything in the image the viewer gets a sense of shock.

What is the purpose of the sublime and its use in concept art?
The purpose of the sublime in concept art is to immerse the viewer into the image with its contrast of light and dark, so the viewer can experience the fear or being overwhelmed they would feel if they was in the actual scenario of the image without causing any physical pain or death.

Image by Syd Mead
How does this image meet the criteria of the sublime?
This image meets the criteria of the sublime by the contrast of dark used in the image, the viewer becomes immersed into the loudness of this image due to the vast proportion of futuristic buildings that brings a sense of being overwhelmed and fear into the viewer. This is because the image shows cramped, dense built up surroundings that seem to go on for what could be eternity as the viewer cannot see where it ends. Therefore creating the sublime effect on the viewer.


Caspar David Friedrich, Monk by the Sea, c. 1808–1810

This image is an example of a sublime due to the dark contrast used in the image. The viewer gets immersed by the emphasis of scale with the person standing by the cliffs edge, bringing a sense of danger that he could fall into the darkness emphasised below, not knowing how deep or if it would be a slight vertical drop or a sheer edge to where the person could fall to their death. Thus making the viewer overwhelmed with a sense of fear and curiosity of how far the drop from the cliff is. Making this image a good example of the sublime.
JMW Turner, Snow Storm: Hannibal and His Army Crossing the Alps, 1812

This image shows a dramatic dark snow storm coming in from the distance, The emphasis on how big the snow storm is is shown with the scale of the people walking across part of the Alps gazing over at the incoming snow storm. This immerses the viewers with the the thoughts of the looming snow cloud over the army. Giving the viewer a sense of fear and panic with the on coming storm. Thus giving it the subliminal effect.

German Expressionism

History and research power point
The power point below shows my research into German expressionism, what it is and how film noir relates to it. It includes various pieces of work from paintings and films. I did some extended research and watched Nosferatu giving my explanation and an interpretation of a clip within the silent film. I have included references of where i got my research and images. Overall this task did not take me very long and i found no difficulty doing it. I feel i have grasped the concept well.













 Chiaroscuro lighting research power-point

With primary and secondondary resources and references

Chiaroscuro is extremes of light and dark seen withing an image.







 

Different Lighting

Focal point lighting
The meaning of this is that it shows the focal point withing the image by lighting the area to draw the attention there..

Professional image

Photo taken by us
To do this we focused the light onto the model to draw attention to only the model and not the surroundings.This can relate to German expressionism by the use of light and dark and the focal point lighting highlights the focal point.
This can be used in German expressionism by highlighting the focal point by using light.



Shadows
The meaning of this is to create suspsence

Proffessional piece

Nosferatu

Photo taken by our team
Pointing a light onto the model we created a shadow. This is used in German expressionism to add more suspense and fear.



Reflective surfaces
The meaning of this is to abstract the scene by using a reflective surface like either glass or mirrors

Proffesional piece

Photo taken by our team
Using the model we placed a reflective surface behind them to create a reflective lighting image. This can add depth and make things look more abstract. German expressionism was very abstract so this is how this lighting fits in with it.



Streams of light
The meaning of this is to intensify the angles and depth and abstracts the space.
Proffesional image
 https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/8c/b7/4c/8cb74cfe854500b24f04e44442dff287.jpg

Photo taken by our team
Germa expressionism is abstract with its sense of direction. With streams of light and dark. To try use the same effect using cloth and landers to astract the light and create some shadows and various depth of light.


Back lighting
The meaning of this is to highlight any details and helps aid shadows.

 Profesional image
Nightmare before christmas
Photo taken by our team

The use of this lighting can add more depth and create emotions towards the viewer. Adding a more spooky look. This can be used in German expressionism to create more depth and detail.


Rim lighting
It's purpose is to give a sinister yet asbcured view.

Professional work

NPHSPhotography

Photo taken by our team
Using the model, the light was shined on from an angle to show basic features and create shadows on the person. This fits into German expressionism poorly as it is meant to give a more faint view of a person to give a more more sinister and terrifying look.

Critical comparison between German expresionism and post German expresionism inspired work.


German expressionism came about in the first world war where importantion and exportation was banned in Germany, thus meaning artist had little resources and funds to create what we now know as German expressionism films and art work. The film producers would make props and paint backgrounds the would dipict darkness, fear, chaos and potentially sadness. German expressionism inspired work was used in Hollywood that was inspired by the idea of the dark monochromatic look that created fear, chaos and darkness that was seen in true German expressionist work post the war. The comparison between German expressionism and German expressionism inspired work is that they are both dramatic, with use of contrast making it dark and rather eary. The both strike emotions into the viewer with the use of shadows and uses of lines.


Mood board


The idea of the mood board is to use as a reference to inspire ideas and spark imagination inside the mind, helping to create ideas and good examples on how to construct my German expressionism inspired piece.


Mind-map



The purpose for my mind-map was to think of ideas in which I could develop my work and what ideas I would want to put into it. From gettings ideas, to researching ideas, to different types of sources and colours with their emotions to researching more German expressionist pieces to develop my work further. Doing this mind map helped me think of different ways and how to approach my work but different steps I could take throughout to develop my piece of work.



German expressionism inspired experimental pieces created by me, Abbeygail Cassell.

 These images below where created on photoshop using the polyginal tool and placing points randomly to make a shape. The using the fill tool to fill the inside of the marching ants with colour. To get rid of the marching ants I clicked Ctrl and J on the keyvboard. To transform and manulate and adjust the shape of the matching and it was Ctrl and T on the keyboard and then a faint outline of a box would come up with points of to change the shape by making it slimmer, longer, wider, shorter or even bend the intitial shape. To move the marching ants if you wanted to replicate the shape but have it somewhere else, using the directional buttons on the keyboard would move them.


In this experemental piece done on photoshop, I was trying to see what shapes i could constuct using the polygonal tool by placing points and using the paint bucket to fill inside the tool, then using Ctrl and J to delete the marching ants.  The cosmopolitan rule I believe this fits into is rule of thirds as it can be broken down into different sections in the image.


In this experemental piece done on photoshop, I was trying to see what shapes i could constuct using the polygonal tool by placing points and using the paint bucket to fill inside the tool, then using Ctrl and J to delete the marching ants. The cosmopolitan rule I believe this fits into is rule of thirds as it can be broken down into different sections in the image.



In this experemental piece done on photoshop, I was trying to see what shapes i could constuct using the polygonal tool by placing points and using the paint bucket to fill inside the tool, then using Ctrl and J to delete the marching ants. The cosmopolitan rule I believe this fits into is rule of thirds as it can be broken down into different sections in the image.




In this experemental piece done on photoshop, I was trying to see what shapes i could constuct using the polygonal tool by placing points and using the paint bucket to fill inside the tool, then using Ctrl and J to delete the marching ants. The cosmopolitan rule I believe this fits into is the golden spiral as it curves round from the upper right of the screan round into what will be the focal point which is highlighted in a seperate image below.






In this experemental piece done on photoshop, I was trying to see what shapes i could constuct using the polygonal tool by placing points and using the paint bucket to fill inside the tool, then using Ctrl and J to delete the marching ants. The cosmopolitan rule I believe this fits into is rule of thirds as it can be broken down into different sections in the image.





The Dominant, sub-dominant, leading lines and the focal point.

To show the diferent forms, leading lines and focal point I used the paint brush tool, using different colours for each as seen below. To do the coloured lines I used the paint brush tool, selected my colour and then if i Wanted straigth horizontal or vertical lines I would hold the shift button will using the pen on the graphix pad and drag across in that direction to create a straight line. To create the verical lines I used just the pen and graphix pad with my hand to draw the line. I then added coloured text that matched each coloured box or line to say what it was. Below I will discuss whether I believe any of my experimental piece may fit into the rule of thirds, golden spiral or if they don't fit either





I believe the above image would fit into the rule of thirds as each part of the image breaks down into segregated areas that would only be seen in the rule of thirds.


 I believe this image would fit the golden spiral as the way the line would curve round from th3 top of the screen round towards the focal point where it would spiral round.



I believe the above image would fit into the rule of thirds as each part of the image breaks down into segregated areas that would only be seen in the rule of thirds.



  
I believe the above image would fit into the rule of thirds as each part of the image breaks down into segregated areas that would only be seen in the rule of thirds.

I believe the above image would fit into the rule of thirds as each part of the image breaks down into segregated areas that would only be seen in the rule of thirds.
My rough sketches



Using two of my above experimentations, i decided these two where the ones to do rough sketches over to construct up an image that I would like to forward and use as the basis of my final piece. These was both constructed on photoshop and the tools I used to construct the sketches was a paint brush, on 100% opacity and sketched what came to mind using as new layer.
This is a rough sketch illustrating a lone silhouette of a person with their hands overe their face. Not just any person but you can see into their mind where a dark scary figure haunts. The star like centre is to represent the way out. The black shaped like stairs are of no use, the lines reresent jail bars. The idea of this image is to bring the viewer a sense of chaos, feeling trapped, especially in ones mind with no sense of direction or visible way out. The intitial idea of this is to try intepretate and show viewers visually what it is like to like with a mental illness for example depresion. showing how dark, isoalting, chaotic yet empty it can be.




This is a rough but very basic sketch that I have intepreted into buildings with obscure windows, it is quite gloomy and nothing is in proportin which is the idea. The uper right going down is meant to replicate planes passing by with lighting like speed. The line going through them is for the viewew to interpretate, is it another plane, is it a missile. Is the town going to be blown up? Using the dark monochormatic colours create a dark atmosphere. Darks times. Making it dark, eary and somewhat scary towards the viewer.

German expressionism final piece production

 

Step one 
Starting the development of my final piece I used my rough skectch that is seen in the above section. My final piece is a 2D German expressionism inspired piece of work that will be constructed on photoshop. The resources I used to start of my construction of my image was my rough sketch with the silouette of a person in it and I used the rule of thirds grid I had imported from google. To start of my piece of work I created 3 layers. One for my background, One for my rule of thirds grid and one in which I will start my sketching on. To put the grid onto the layer, I firstly went onto google and found a rule of thirds grid, clicked on it, then copied it. I went back onto photoshop and went onto my layer caled rule of thirds, clicked on edit on the top left of the screen, scrolled down and click paste. To rescale the size of the grid, I went back onto the edit menu and scrolled down to free-transform and scaled the grid up to each corner of my page, then clicked enter. Using free-transform allows me to enlarge the grid without it becoming blurry. So far I am happy with my progress, I would not do anything differently and I encountered no problems when doing this. I am happy with the outcome as it sets me up nicely to start constructing my final piece as I have my rough sketch for reference as well as the rule of thirds  to help me break down the construction of my image.



 step 2

This is the next step taken doing my final 2D German expressionism inspired piece on Photoshop. To create the shape in the middle of the grid, i started on a fresh layer and then selected the polygonal lasso tool and started dotting points around that area until I completed the star like shape, I then chose my colour and selected the paint buckect to fill it in. Once done, I pressed Ctrl and J to get rid of the marching ants created by the polygonal lasso tool and repeated the process over a few times until I got to the centre. During in this process I had no difficulties or problems that I encountered and I am pleased with the outcome as It has developed what will be my focal point I will continue to develop this piece by creating a new layer and creating abstract and obscure steps using the same tool and method.


Step 3
My next step was to create the background on a new layer, using the idea from my rough sketch, i used the polygonal tool, placing points starting in the centre to create my 4 sided shape, then using the paint bucket tool and selecting a colour I then filled the shape with a dark grey. Then clicking Ctrl and J on the keyboard to delete the marching ants from the polygonal tool. To create each shape to create, I repeated the same steps but this times using the polygonal tool around my 4 sided shape to create different shapes to create the walls, ceilings and floor using the paint bucket to fill the shapes in with colour to make up what will become a room. 


Step 4
Creating a new layer, I started designing the window. To do this I used the polygonal tool, and placed the points to create the shape to fit into the shape of the wall. Using the paint bucket and using and off colour white I filled inside the polygonal shape. Then using Ctrl and J on the keyboard, I deleted the marching ants. To create the bars on the window, I created a new layer called painted window design. Using the paint brush tool on 100% opacity with black for my colour I painted the bars free hand starting of slime at the top and widening out at the bottom. The idea of this is to create a scene like a jail cell.


Step 5
Hiding my other layers. I created a layer called polygonal stairs. The purpose of the stairs is I want them to lead central to my star shape as it is the way out so to speak. But none of the stirs are going to be accesable or lead to the way out. To make the stairs, I used the polygonal tool doing almost a zigzag pattern and repeating that to make the shape. Using the paint bucket tool, I filled in each layer of steps different shades to create a weird abstract shadow effect. To repeat the same shape for one set of stairs, using the arrow keys I moved the polygonal shape after I filled one over a little bit, then using the paint bucket tool again to fill that shape but with a different shade. For each set of steps I did in different areas I repeated the same steps as I wanted to make each set unique. Using compositional rules, I have used the rule of thirds as my guild lines and will throughout as it will help breakdown and position each part of my image as I construct it.

Step 6

This is a carry on screen shot from above showing the more development I did and how much more I added. The steps are the same as written before, but repeated twice for the two extra steps of stairs. The reason for this is to give them a different and more unique shape and to also make it more abstract and give it depth. The reason for my colour choice throughout Is grey-scale. This is to give it a more original monochromatic feel that was prominent in original German expression art pieces.


Step 7
(Evaluation)

 
In this screen shot of my work progression to this point, I decided I didn't like the star shape in the middle and felt it did not fit into what I wanted to perceive. I felt it looked quite messy and not properly thought through. I knew what I wanted to depict so my next step was to do some research as I immediatly knew how I wanted to rectify this problem and current displeasure I found looking at my piece so far.


Pausing my work for secondary resources
I decided to replace my star like shape I wanted to place a jail door. Looking through google, I skimmed through various images until I came across this one. I could not access the webpage it was originally one so I screen grabbed it from google to use as a reference to put in place a jail door.


Step 8

 
To create my jail door I made a new layer saying polygonal door, I used the polygonal tool again, dotting the points to how I want the shape to outcome. I do not want to fully replicate the jail door in my above reference but use it as an idea for when i further design it. Once I have created the shape for my jail door, I used the paint bucket tool, selected black for a colour as I want it to be dark, with a monochromatic effect to fit into my piece. Once the colour was filled I clicked Ctrl and J on the keyboard to delete the marching ants. Then using the layers I placed in all my current layers apart from my first star to see how I thought it looked. I already found it much more ascetically pleasing to the eye and felt it looked less messier and went with the theme I had in mind. So overall I am happy with my decision to change this to improve my work.


Step 9


Removing all the layers apart from my background and window. I added a new layer and labelled it painted door design. First of I used a polygonal tool to create the shape of the window, using the paint bucket I filled the shape with a off colour white. To create the bars on both door and window. I used the paintbrush tool to paint in the bars, I didint want them to be perfectly straight, My reason being for this is German expressionism props and backgrounds in the films were done by ammeters who wouldn't of achieved the fine definition of straight lines and the fact that what they created was also very abstract and I wanted to stick with the initial theme. Using two different shades for the door and window the paint brush tool was at 100% opacity and 100% flow when painting them in. Overall I am happy with how the door looks as it now looks more like a jail door and sets the the feeling of imprisonment in a dark gloomy atmosphere with the use of colours. 


Pausing my work for secondary resources
I wanted to find an image to use as a resource. I could not access the full website so |I took a screen shot to show my findings on google. The idea of getting this resource is I want to put a character into my work siting in a similar position. Looking for this resource will help me create the outline and shape for my character, aiding me further in my work. 

 Step 10
Creating a new layer called painted silhouette. This layer was going to be the start of sketching up a person. Using a paint brush at 100% opacity and flow. It was trial and error until I got a slender outline of a figure using the eraser to rub out any lines I had previously drawn up until I achieved something I was happy with.. I didn't want to make the person look to realistic. Some German expressionist art work had people that didn't look life like and so I wanted to imply the same idea into what will be my blacked out person. 


Step 11
The follow on step was to fill in my outline using the paint brush on the same previous colour on 100% opacity and flow settings. I didn't want a perfect fill so I coloured in leaving gaps where I had missed, almost taking a careless approach except this was intentional. Once I had done that, I used the smudge tool and went over it to smudge all the various patches over so the patches wasn't the same depth of colour as the paint. The idea of this is to make the character look somewhat beaten up. The reason for this will be explained later in the upcoming progression of my work. I am happy with the look of my dark charachter, the look I was aiming for has been achieved.


Step 12
My next step was to create some gloomy lighting coming in from the barred window. I create a new layer for this, the purpose of creating so many layers is to prevent any chance of ruining my previous work. The new layer created was called painted lighting. Using a paint brush at 50% opacity and 100% flow I chose a murky white colour for colour choice, To try make it look somewhat dull and gloomy. To paint up my shape I wanted to go partway down my wall and then direct it towards my person to create a leading line towards my focal point. The reason for 50% opacity is because I wanted it to be faint but to also gradually build up the colour by going over it making it brighter by the window and fainter by the person. I am happy with how it looks and this is what I wanted to achieve. To create the shadows of the bars I used the paint brush again but on a grey colour to create the shadows from the bars of the window. 



Step 13
Inside the mind of my character,. Going back to my painted silhouette layer I painted using a murky off white shade to create the thinking space inside my characters mind. Using the paintbrush at 100% opacity and flow. I created the space, then using a darker colour and changing the size of my brush smaller. I painted in a dark almost demonic character that is trapped within this person mind with using dark colours, and using a shade a bit lighter to create the bars inside the mind, Thus showing and creating tournament inside the prison that is inside the characters mind.



Step 14
The final; step. Hiding all my layers apart from the polygonal tool background layer and the silhouette layer. I went back onto my polygonal tool background, selected the smudge tool and started making the edges of the wall jagged and harsh. The idea of this is to implement fear into the viewer. I am happy with the outcome of my now polygonal background layer as it adds the extra depth I wanted to include in my piece.

My Final Piece

Depressions cell - By Abbeygail Cassell

Explanation of my piece -
This being my final piece, I decided to try and closely stick with the characteristics of German expressionism. To do this I made use of putting lines into my work, but making them quite abstract at the same time. Going with a Monochromatic theme and sticking to one colour and using a different contrast within that colour spectrum. The reason for my choice in colour is because it is dark and to me brings a sense of emptyness. The idea of doing this is as my final piece is titled, "Depressions cell". Mental health is still very much in the dark just as the scenerie is, but not also that it is a dark and scary place or feeling to go through during tough times. Another reason for all the dark use of colours is because people are initially afraid of the dark, being somewhere dark, not being able to see. This is to help imply fear but also an insight to what it can be like for someone battling depression. They can feel in the dark, afraid of where to go. The light coming from the window is where the chracter wants to be, but being locked inside a jail cell behind a jail door and barred windows, that happy place seems unacessable with no clear way how to get out. The door is heavy, it is half way up the wall, the stairs are the only way to reach it. But none of the stairs seem to take the character there. The reason for doing this is to give the viewer a sense of chaos, confusion. An insight to what the chracter is feeling. Which is dark, alone, scared, lost and confused. The reason for my choice in doing a theme relating to mental health was because I feel it doesn't get enough media attention and awarness. A lot of people are un-awares of the help and resources that are around and feel they can't express what they feel is wrong because others might percieve them as crazy for a stigma that has been created around mental health, and I felt it was a topic close to me to help bring awarness. Due to this I am proud of my piece, I feel I have achieved the look and feel that I wanted to create as well as sticking as close to as I could to German expressionism piece in the world wore. I would not change this piece in future due to the satisfaction I have towards it.

Dominat, Sub-dominant, Leading lines and Focal point


The dominant form in my art piece is highlighted in Green, this is because it is the biggest object within the image, It immediatly catches my attention. The subdominal form is highlighted in yellow, this is the sub-dominant form as it is the second feature that is notices within my art work. The red is the leading lines as it leads down and round from the sub-dominant form, towards the focal point. The focal point is highlighted in blue, this is because the eyes are drawn here last, it tells the final piece of the story.
How did I highlight these in photoshop? Creating a new layer I used the polygonal tool and went round the entirety of the shape, then selecting a colour and then the paint bucket. Before filling inside the marching ants, I changed the opacity to 30% so the original feature could still be seen underneath. After that, I press Ctrl and J on the keyboard to delete the marching ants. This was repeated for each section highlighted.

Evaluation.

The project was about Concept art and German expressionism to create an enviroment. Showing cosmpositional rules and learning what dominant, sub-dominant forms, leading lines and focal point were and having to identify them. My final piece creation was inspired from German expressionist work. I was influenced by Jakob Steinhardt, The city and Noseferatu. The issue I highlighted was inspired by personal experiances as well as others I have encountered throughout my life relation to depresion and other mental illnesses.

The primary research I used to help add the construction of my work was doing experimental pieces on photoshop as well as taking photos to show different lighting and learning about perspectives, colour saturation as well as personal reasources which are not displayed in this blog that I used to create and display emotions and thoughts within depression.

The secondry resources I gathered was research on film noir and German expressionism which was put together in a power point descibing why it was either German expressionsism or film nior. Also I researched photographs to use as ideas within a mood board but also in constructing my work to give me ideas and how what I wanted to replicate or use to put into my painting on photoshop.
The materials I used was paper and pencil to do an observational drawing on basic forms and perspective using different pressure to add more definition with the pencil after lightly using the pencil using soft gently strokes of the pencil on the paper to create a faint outline.

On photoshop the materials I learned was the paintbrush without changing the paintbrush type but only the opacity and flow, the polygonal tool, the blur and smudge tool. Some techniques I used was how gently or hard I would use the paintbrush tool to paint as to whether I wanted a thinner more faint line for example or more fuller and defined line, vary the strokes through out.

Analysis

I went for a German expressionist art style and an artist I quite like was Jose Madrids picture. I decided upon this because I already in my mind knew an issue i wanted to highlight when creating my final piece. When I looked over previous secondry resources of the sublime and German expressionisn. The both where dark and could both be quite powerful and in depth with emoition. German expressionism inspired me more due to the fact it was monochromatic, which means one colour through out but at different contrast and as I already knew the issue I as highlighting I felt German expressionism influeneced my work more as it hard more dark and sinister meaning and mental health and the person going through it feels they are in a dark place that can be quite sinister on their overall wellbeing.

Materials I used was paint to create a simple moodboard using google images then coping and pasting them, these help create feelings, atmosphere, ideas to constuct envirmonets and ideas as to what I may include when painting my work on photoshop. The materials I used on photoshop, I imported in the rule of thirds and displayed it on its own layer and I created a new layer on photoshop to paint over, using the rule of thirds to help me pinpoint where abouts I was going to place different aspects in my painting.
They was effective for my task as they helped guide me through ideas and to paint up my final piece. I found them very useful.

The tools and techniques used where apporpiate and they was appropaite because they allowed me to create the atmosphere to create jaged edges along the walls of my final piece and the slight beaten look opun my characters silhouette that I was looking for as well as creative ideas that was put into my painting when on photoshop.

Some of the problems I encounted was I was not sure how to create the jagged edge I wanted around the walls of my final piece, so I experimented with the blur tool to see if maybe I could cloud it and make it more sinister looking but found that didn't work for me. My soloution was finding the smudge tool which did what I wanted and achieved the look I was aiming for when painting. During a brief experiment I discovered my soloutin by making the choice to look through the other tool options with the blur tool.


 I reseached different secondary images to create a moodboard that I could use to give ideas and how I could try show different emotions based on what I felt looking at the different images from my mood board. Also gaining extra secondary resources when painting my final piece to use as constructive ideas to help influence the design of certain features within the photoshop painting like the jail door and the person which is why they where useful creating my photoshop painting.

The primary resources collected was photographs and creating a mindmap to help list ideas and give me tasks that I would consider doing as well as considering the colour and saturation as well as identifying colours and emotions within the mind map that I used to help my decide on colour if I was going to put brightly saturated colours and how they would be intepretated and also to think of ideas of issues within the world which is what helped me decide on choosing the issue of mental health which became useful to narrow down my ideas to create my final photoshop painting.

How would I evolve my work

What I don't like about my final piece is that I feel it looks a little plain, I feel this is because a lot of the shades are very simular even though there are some highly contrasted shades as well as more darker shade. If i was to develop furthur I would probably adjust the shading around what the skewed walls and floor and I would do this by using the paint bucket tool and experimenting for about 5 minuetes with different contrasts until I achieved something that doesn't look so plain.

What I do like about ,my work is how I created the character and how it shows the mental illness trapped inside their head. I like this because it shows that mentall illness is invisible to the eye and people generally dissmiss it is there as they can not see it. If I could develop it furthur I would add more detail to the character that represents the mental illness inside the persons mind to try show more emotion of what it can feel like. I would do this by zooming in on the focused area and add ina cowering person who is scared of the mental ilness and doesn't know how to escape or become free from it's grasp and suffering.

What I would do next time to make the development better would be to spend a little more time adding more definition to my rough sketches and experimented more to give me more ideas on how I would show the issue I was trying to highlight upon so I could develop it in more detail when creating my final piece.

Next time I would spend more time defining my final piece as I felt I may of rushed it a little as I wanted to ensure it was completed in time for my deadline.

I feel I have researched enough for creative visual ideas but one thing I felt I could of done was speak to my friends and family about how they would describe there mental illnes and how they would try to describe it in a visual aspect, for example would they be caged? or would they be at the bottom of the ocean drowning?

I feel I have managed my time well as I have not gone over the deadline for completion and I always communicated any ideas I had with friends or my tutor to expand on them ideas as a way of expanding and opening my mind and opening different perspectics that I would see upon varies parts of my work. An example of this was the rats in Nosferatu and I discussed this with my tutor who supported my idea and felt it would be good to share my intepretation in which I put in my German expressionsim powerpoint which is displayed on my blog.

I did multiple expreriments, using lighting and different angles with the camera to create different perspectives and types of lighting and well as doing the experimental pieces using the polygonal tool before creating my final piece.


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