As future designers, you should embrace the habit of research as part of your work process.
Research is to unite theory and practices of design to establish your project rationale.
Research process:
1. Before producing the proposal
Secondary findings data collected through published and existing resources
Wikipedia, websites, YouTube documentaries, design sources, inspiration
Primary findings, sketches of proposed artworks based on your research from secondary findings
sketches, storyboards, wireframe
2. After Producing the proposal
On-site observation
Interview/ Surveys
3. During the creation of your artwork
Utilizing the research found and producing a visual design outcome from either physical or digital material to represent our interpretation of the project
Using cultural aesthetic aspects balanced with our own design knowledge
What is Cultural sensitivity?
The definition of cultural sensitivity is having an understanding of another person's set of beliefs or values that are attributed to the person's ethnic or racial background. In addition, an individual must be agreeable to modify their behavior to accommodate the other person's cultural beliefs.
Cultural sensitivity is important in fostering a cohesive, peaceful society. Examples of cultural sensitivity include;
Asking a person how they would like to be addressed
Respecting cultural health practices
Promoting multi-lingual signage
Topic of research
For the topic of research we have selected 3 different topics;
1. Tabletop RPGs
2. Graffiti culture
3. The Evil eye
Soon after we discussed in a group meeting and worked together to bring ideas and brainstorm what we should do for our project.
The next step was to create the proposal. We came up with 3 different proposals available in the PDFs below.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FR_X-oG6NDLdfel62C7Ed6sNs5W2LdXR/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jZ53EyHEH7RthmK2w8cN2TlLfMoV0Lqq/view?usp=sharing
Evil eye
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CBRKXXog0u2TcsWwo_NfIWbhvfxQgzgR/view?usp=sharing
Presentation
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u4F_0pBzrQa_bSLCQd25XiAS04xcw6d9/view?usp=sharing
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| Idea Board 1 |
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| Idea Board 2 |
TASK 2
After we got our proposals back, following the lecturer’s decision we decided to pursue our first proposal on the project: Table-top role-playing games (D&D). This is where our research came in, where we had to find people to interview and observe a game of Dungeons & Dragons ourselves.
Data collection
At this stage, the data is collected in different ways to support the design and implementation of our project. As a result, we started conducting a data gathering collection process about Tabletop RPG games, specifically Dungeon & Dragons, with relevant information to the theme and our research objectives.
We did this using three methods of research, which are as follows:
Observation study -
We observed a live game and noted the character's personalities and the pieces used in the game. Such as the vastly different types of dice used, how the story unfolds, watching the way players choose their next actions, the laws of the game, and the overall team spirit in the game to reach the common goal. This kind of data gathering is useful as to give a live and real perspective of our research topic that can help analyze the information. So we can say that after this observation study, we had a clearer idea of the roles partaken in the game, helping us collect vivid data for our project.
In the live observation, we also saw the players' feelings and emotions, and how they interacted with each other.
Interviewing players -
In this kind of information gathering, we asked experienced TTRPG players about their experience with Dungeons and Dragons, with questions like:
How did you get into Dnd?
Did you know about Dnd before you started the game?
What's your favorite thing about the game?
How long have you played Dnd for?
Through this type of interview, we learn about the culture of DnD and the extent of its impact on players, their relationships, and their feelings toward the game.
Thus, we recognize D&D’s impact closely from the player's own words.
Obtaining online/physical research material -
At this stage, we conduct comprehensive and detailed research on DnD to collect as much information as possible that can help us design our project and value support. We searched for general knowledge about DnD, some pieces that we used to play, the characters’ classes, and the game culture of old players.
We researched about types of dice being used in the game, each having different number values and having their own uses. Basically, It determines whether the moves cast by the character (player) would be a success and how successful it would be.
Other game pieces such as a Dungeon Master’s screen provide better imaginative scenarios.
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We also collected information from YouTube, and from the following video, we learned how Dungeon & Dragons can impact people’s lifestyles. Some of the information that we got from this video is:
D&D can help encourage people to become actors, writers, and directors. Trained in innovation, imagination, and creative energy.
D&D can persuade people to play with groups of people who come from different cultures or backgrounds. Helping them communicate with each other without any limits through their shared love of the game.
After the lecture, we got some feedback from our supervisor. At first, we were going to just do an Illustration for the campaign, but that alone wasn’t going to make the cut. We then brainstormed on what we needed to change to make our project. The plan was to create a DM screen with a fully illustrated front with everyone’s characters, with the story revolving around the group of characters and the campaign highlighting the dungeon master.
We showed our results to our supervisor Dr.Charles and came back with a huge setback, Dr.Charles thought that a simple game wasn’t going to cut it and requested us to put more “heart” into the story as we needed to completely invigorate ourselves into our characters via our own culture or the cultural research we’ve done. Thus, we had to make a completely new story and a new session.
The new story would take place in a kingdom called The Kingdom of Eclipsa. A corrupted empire that has been taken over by a tyrant, this is when the story starts with our heroes receiving a mysterious letter, telling them to kill the current evil king.
Character cards
Breakdown of the Illustration Process
In our initial proposal, we included several thumbnails for the cover art during the sketching process. After our project had been changed to a D.M. screen, the original cover art proposal was agreed to be used for the back design of the screen.
During a group discussion, we collectively agreed to use the sketch featuring the dragon in the background. In which Jessica was appointed as the main illustrator for the art and cleaned up the rough linings of the sketch while incorporating 5 placeholders for the characters. Each of the sections illustrated in this art comes from the group’s main illustrator who was the one in charge of the entire illustration.
Rough sketch
The initial rough sketch was produced in a short amount of time, as it had taken a minimal amount of time to create it. Soon after, a more polished version was developed, incorporating elements from our D&D session. Modifications were implemented post-campaign, including the addition of a flying ship.
Cleaned sketch and Lineart
During the sketching process, multiple changes were made along the timeline, including a complete redesign and the addition of a 6th character. Furthermore, the entire setting had to be changed entirely due to our supervisor’s initiatives.
The characters in the art themselves display a diverse range of traits. From dragonborns to elves to humans, the group embodies a variety of races. This diversity is an example that different cultures and races have the ability to coexist and work harmoniously with each other.
The line art proved to be the most straightforward part of the entire illustration process. As it proved to be the key element that the illustration needed by effectively highlighting the features of each character and enhancing the clarity of the art.
Base colours:
The base colors were taken straight from the character sheets, where some character's colors were easier to identify like Phelicia, while other characters such as Asthore, Aphryn, and Sildrate were on the harder side of the spectrum.
Rendering:
The rendering can be separated into two main steps: Light and Shadows. Light involves the use of an airbrush and a color of lighter value. Initially, the plan was to use a lighter shade of blue, however, due to the setting change it was changed on using plain white (#FFFFFF). For the shadows, cell shading on a multiply layer had been used due to the time constraints.
Background and Fixes
For the finishing touches I used a trick that illustrators used to save time. By just using basic shapes to make the buildings. And use gaussian blur. That’s it. I also fixed Zani’s head. I realised that it was too big almost too late after I finished rendering. So I had to go back and fix it.
Dungeon Master Screen Layout Insight
The journey towards creating a Dungeon Master screen tailored towards our project focused on cultural sensitivity was a difficult task as the physical project of the screen is our visual representation of cultural sensitivity and how it bridges the realms of storytelling and D&D.
What is a Dungeon Master Screen?
A Dungeon Master screen is a physical barrier placed between the Dungeon Master (the game moderator/organizer) and the players in a tabletop role-playing game like Dungeons & Dragons. The screen contains useful reference materials and charts to assist the Dungeon Master in running the game smoothly, while also concealing hidden story elements and challenges from the players to maintain an element of mystery and surprise.
The left side of the screen holds the entire story held in the main D&D session
The middle would be dedicated to the map and, the actions players could take in combat as well as the effects/conditions and the pocket holding the character and enemy cards.
The right side of the screen would be dedicated to the character's origins and their link with real cultural groups, and the rules of D&D.
Once the layout and illustration were finalized, Two of the three group members in charge of putting together the final product (Dee and Jessica) headed to campus at 9 am to get the cardboard sheets for the screen. They then proceeded to Sunway Geo to have the layout, cover illustration, and remaining enemy stat cards printed out, while the last member in charge of the physical product creation (Kong) appeared later on to offer help.
Size of the layout and Illustration: A2
Type of paper: Semi-Gloss Paper (200GSM)
Size of the cards: A6 (standard size)
Thickness: 300GSM
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| Cardboard sheet bought from the school store |
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| The printed A2 size cover and layout |
Sooner or later an attempt was made at bending the board as it was a requirement for the finished D.M. Screen to be able to bend and close as D.M. screens have to be small enough to be seen as portable to get to the location of the D&D session. However, that soon escalated horribly as the board snapped into 3 separate pieces as shown in the image below.
As a final attempt, the group resorted to using electrical tape to secure the three boards together. However, despite their efforts, the screen still fell apart in the end. At the suggestion of a third group member, Kong, the group opted for a PVA board instead. This proved to be the solution to creating the D.M. Screen, as the PVA board offered more sturdiness compared to the initially planned material.
As a result, the group managed to bend the board successfully and ended up reinforcing the material with electric tape to ensure that the project wouldn’t snap off and break.
Following this, the group continued to cut out the layout and paste both the front and back of the D.M screen on the respective panels, succeeding in creating a physical product of our project: A D.M. Screen based on cultural sensitivity between our characters.
Moving along they trimmed the excess of the image giving it a nice clean finish.
After the DnD session, I volunteered to design the enemies we encountered in the story. Enemies we encountered area a group of Harpies and The Eclipse King. Dee (my groupmate and the DM for out DnD session) gave me a description of the enemies and I designed them from what ideas I had in mind.
