TABLE OF CONTENTS:
LECTURES
Visual Analysis
It is a method of understanding design that focuses on design elements and design principles. It involves breaking down and understanding the components of visual communications. There are THREE phases in visual design: Observation, Analysis, and Interpretation
INSTRUCTIONS
TASK 2 - Visual Analysis
Selected Artwork:
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| Chosen Artwork: Manga Cover Illustration of Sakamoto Days |
Details:
Title: Sakamoto Days - Volume 3
Artist/Illustrator: Yuto Suzuki
Published: 3rd September 2021
Medium: -
Size: -
Source Link: https://sakamoto-days.fandom.com/wiki/Volume_3
Design Principles that can be seen:
Contrasts - The character standing from the background and the plain.
Movement - The bird (Piisuke) flying towards the character; Character falling.
Emphasis - Sniper Rifle (guiding towards and away from character)
Harmony & Unity - Buildings in the background.
Gestalt Theory
Observation:
The main focus of the cover is the character holding with the rifle. He is wearing a bright colour outfit, holding a sniper rifle, and what seems to be taking aim while falling. He is also drawn with more detail and more saturated compare to the background. Of course, you also have the series title and volume number at the top and bottom. Behind the character are buildings with two other characters, one sitting on the roof and another walking outside the stores. A little in front of the buildings at the right a bird can be seen flying towards the character. Behind everything, rather than a sky there is instead a bright red colour as the plane.
Analysis:
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| Analysis Draft |
When looking at the artwork, there is Contrast between the character, background, and plane, with the different saturations they are coloured in, along with the cold and warm colours used for the plane and the character’s clothes. With the way the character is posed and pointing the rifle toward the audience, it guides the eyes to follow them toward the character's face, then the series title behind him (Emphasis). The focus character is drawn with more detail and is larger than the background, creating a distance between the characters and the background. To the right, behind the focus character, there is Movement of a bird flying towards the character/the audience.
The Harmony can be seen in the background, building with different kinds of store elements aligned to create rows of storefronts continuing at the back, creating more depth to the illustration (Unity). The Gestalt Theory in the artwork includes proximity and continuation of the buildings, continuing to 'exist' outside the artwork and us being able to process that they are buildings like what can be seen in the artwork.
Interpretation:
From what I know about the focus character on the artwork, from reading the manga, is that his name is Heisuke Mashino and he is an assassin that specialises in using a rifle. He is first introduced in Volume 3 of the manga and it shows that he is very skilled and mobile as a sniper assassin. With the way he is positioned, it emphasises his mobility. Another character that is also introduced in this volume that I know of is the yellow bird, Piisuke. It helps Heisuke to improve his visibility on the battlefield by scouting and notifying him. In the artwork, it is probably scouting around or returning to Heisuke after scouting. Since snipers are long-ranged and often scout or observe their target, the choice of having buildings as the background can be interpreted as the common area that Heisuke usually position himself during a combat.
Rough Sketch Ideas
Before continuing to the next task, I noted down some very rough sketches and ideas that allow me to have a better view on how to go on.
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| Sketch 1 |
Poses the idea, the original artwork has the character falling so I want to keep that to the final.
Changing the weapon into a rifle since its an important factor in the artwork.
Idea for sketch later, character gets thrown off a building through the window from a high building while pointing the rifle toward the audience/target. Maybe have some broken glass reflecting the opponent they were fighting.
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| Sketch 2 |
Newer sketch on the idea above, below is how the side view would look like for a better idea.
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| (Side view example) |
Might also make some sketch to explore the side view as well because I might be able to add more base on the original artwork. Will also explore other point of view for the audience/viewer. Also with this I could put more detail/idea to the character's pose.
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| Sketch 4 |
(Need to find a reference for the pose and perspective) Gun will be closer to the audience (a bit to the right for us), the character will look towards the building. I will be bringing what I got here into the next task to enhance it more.
FEEDBACKS
Week 4: When talking about the artwork have each focus area/subject write them together all in one to avoid having to go back and fort to them.
Week 5: Explore more using the already existing design principles and elements present in the artwork.
REFLECTION
Experience
This task allowed me to analyse the artwork more than I would have normally. I noticed more detail that I would have missed. This made me realise how much detail and word the artist had put into their artwork, which is amazing.
Observation
This task is all about observing the artwork. Looking into the all the details, colours, composition used by the artist that can be easily missed. Even with the ones that seem obvious or straightforward turns out to have more stuff going on the more you observed.
Findings
When it come to digital art I've seen, more have clean edge and complicated colours everywhere. But when I look into this artwork more I there are many strokes used to form shadows, and the line work is still clean but still have a sketch feel to it. The way the artist crated this feels very organic, every strokes are created the artist's hands.
QUICK LINKS:
Design Principles [TASK 1] - Exploration
Design Principles [TASK 2] - Visual Analysis