Induction Project – Flow

Introduction:

In this induction project I intend to make a 2D piece of digital artwork with the theme of flow. The theme is quite open so I am able to interpret it how I want to interpret it to suit the project to what I would like to do. Flow to me can mean many different things, the obvious one is the flow of water, currents and waterfalls etc but i decided instead to focus on flow of time More specifically the flow of events. I am also having a look and explore at different media to see if their are other ways to interpret flow.

 

Research:

In my research i am hoping to find different insparaion for my project so i can a feel for what it might like when it comes to designing. Before I started my research, I decided to make a mind map to find what direction i’m going in and to start thinking about what my piece will be like.

(mind map)

With my mind map I started to like the idea of painting a bird and maybe multiple positions during it’s flight. I  also wanted to explore time and water as other components to my piece.

Zachary Flynt

I have found an artist called zachary flynt and he specialises in water colour paintings. the media choice in particular is why I was interested in his work and who the water colour is quite pale in the majority of the piece then having bold colour to draw you to the focal point.

James Cameron’s Avatar (banshees)

This is some concept art from James Cameron’s avatar, it was for the design of the banshees and for the ceremony taming scene. I wanted to look at alien creatures if i wanted my bird to be real or fictional and i think the pattern and shapes is a cool idea to add to my piece.

PS Delux

PS Delux is a hobby artist on artstation who draws/paints different animals and people. I chose them because I like the line work in all of their pieces and how the extend past as well as how it also marks things like wing span and other planing marks.

 

Design:

While looking at different websites and videos for my research, I have found that I like the idea of painting a bird and I also wanted to use water colours for my piece as it compliments the theme. I decided that it would be a good to base my project on multiple images of a bird, showing a string of events.

(first sketch)

In the begining I wanted to paint a brown falcon so my first sketch is based on it and then i tried different positions in flight. After my initial sketches I decided to paint a raven over the falcon and other birds as I found it could be another way to relate to flow. Ravens are known to savenge battlefields and feed on the dead which to some would consider to be cold. this also relates ice inturn water.

(second sketch)

The second time I was much more successful as the beak is in a better shape and the eye were in a better position. Another thing that was improved was the legs as they were too small and their wasn’t enough feathers on the upper half of the legs. I decided to use this image as a base for my final piece and build on top of this.

 

final piece

 

I started by using my best sketch as my template for my final piece, I traced over the sketch, creating an outline with a white edge and blocking out the basic colours.

Next I added singular shards on the wing to be like feathers and started experimenting with basic detail and colours. I tried to define the edges more by brightening the colour up and using colour to compliment it.

I changed my first attempt at shading and detail by smudging the detail to get the form for the next attempt. I used colour to show the light going though the ice.

I finished it off by by doing the same as before on the tail and legs. This is the finish asset for the project.

 

Evaluation:

Overall I think I have done pretty well as we had 2 weeks to do this. For the research found some interesting artists but I think it would be better if I had more varied sources. For my designs I already had the idea that I was going to paint a bird, it was more to decided what it would look like and colour etc. Next time I will develop my ideas a bit more as I will have more time to flesh out my ideas and improve upon them.