SUMMARY: My third project is titled "New Faces in Strange Places," which utilizes Adobe Illustrator to create a story based on a provided subject and setting. From the given elements, I randomly select and brainstorm ideas to construct a compelling narrative, which I then bring to life using Illustrator. This project serves as an opportunity for me to familiarize myself with Adobe Illustrator, become proficient in utilizing its tools, and apply the skills I have learned in class assignments. Throughout this undertaking, I have learned to replace my initial choices with more valuable perspectives, trust my creative ideas, and develop them to achieve desired results. Ultimately, this project has allowed me to experience the entire process of running my own project, starting from idea development with a professor and culminating in the meticulous attention to detail required to complete it.
GOALS: As I embark on this project, my primary objective is to cultivate and enhance my brainstorming skills while paying meticulous attention to every project detail. Additionally, I have a strong inclination to express my uniqueness by exploring multiple versions of the main story. I am also eager to delve into various techniques and methodologies associated with creative design projects. Moreover, becoming proficient in Illustrator is a significant goal for me, and this project presents an excellent opportunity to utilize AI and develop my skills in AI tools. Through this endeavor, my aim is to expand my knowledge and gain valuable insights into the intricate aspects of managing and executing such projects.
NARRATIVE & SKETCH:
+ Subject: A wizard.
+ Setting: In the meadow of flower.
*Narrative: The young wizard has been chosen to govern an enchanted land that resembles a meadow of flowers adorned with exquisite and rare blooms. However, her responsibilities extend far beyond this role. Her primary quest is to locate a solitary, pale pink lotus flower that resides in a serene river within this mystical realm and awaken its dormant beauty. This task holds great importance in preserving the stunning flower field. The singular lotus blossom must unfurl its petals after a slumber of more than a millennium, infusing the surroundings with abundant vitality and reviving other precious flora. It carries within it the life force of the entire flower domain, nurturing it over an extended span. When the opportune moment arrives, the young wizard will bestow her enchantment upon it, causing it to burst forth in resplendent bloom.
I have three version of this story, but all my versions have the same purpose: "the connection between the young wizard and giant pink lotus which is known the heart of this field, bless this enchanted land to become more lush."
Finally, I choose the version "Magical dance" as my final sketch.
*My three version of sketches and my final sketch.
*My final sketch within color.
*Explain: The little wizard is connecting with the heart of enchanted land "Giant Pink Lotus" by the magical dance, blessing this wonderful land more lush.
WORK IN PROCESS:
Step 1: "Make the sky".
*add layer, named "Sky".
- Use Rectangle tool to make sky space.
- Select subject -> Use Gradient tool (Freeform Gradient) to making a blend color with 4 different pastel color.
- Effect -> Texture -> change the texture from original to "Rough pastel".
Step 2: "Make moon and star".
*add layer, named "Star and moon".
-Use star tool to make different sizes of star and drag it into the top of artboard.
-Use Gradient tool (Radial gradient) to make ombre effect in some big star.
-Use Ellipse tool to make a perfect circle (Moon).
-Use Freeform Gradient -> Slelect three color to make ombre effect.
-Select Effect -> Texture -> Change to "Grain effect".
Step 2: "Make the field"
*add layer, named "Field"
-Use Ellipse tool: make 4 different circle (all the same) and drag it like the first image, use two colors gradient (one dark, one light)
-Select all subject -> Object -> Blend -> Blend Obtions -> Specified steps: 5 -> Make. (Image 2)
-Select subject -> Disort & Transform -> Roughen ( Size: 17%; Detail: 66 in; Point: Smooth) (image 3)
-Select subject -> paste two more and drag it like final image. (image 4)
-Then make two more grass and drag it like big image. (image 5)
Step 3: "make flowers"
*Still in filed layer, add artboard.
+Make tulip flower.
-Use Ellipse tool -> convert selected anchor point to smooth (at the top of subject) -> copy and paste two more -> fix the size and fix the color like the first picture.
-Drag three subject in to one group (second picture)
-Select subject -> Blend tool -> click to blend.
-Select blend subject -> Object -> Blend -> Blend Options -> Specified Step: 600 -> Make. (Image 3&4)
-Copy and paste subject, move it to make Tulip. (Image 5)
-Use Pen tool (No fill, Stroke: 6/7/8) to make flower trunk. (Final image)
Then make more Tulip with different color.
*Still in new artboard.
+Make Lily flower.
-Use star tool and make two different subject (small subject: 12 sides; big subject: 9 sides), no fill and opposite stroke color. (Image1)
-Use Direct selection tool to adjust sharp corners. (Image1)
-Select two subject -> Object -> Blend -> Blend obtions -> Specified steps: 600 -> Make
(Image 2&3)
-Select subject -> Direct Selection -> Convert selected anchor point to smooth: Add curl to the Lily. (Image 4)
-Use Pen tool to make the trunk (Image 5)
Then make more Lily with different color.
*Then move these flower to the field, use Arrange-> Bring to front/ Send to back to have the best position and the best look.
Step 4: "make Giant Lotus"
*add 2 more layer in main artboard, named "Lotus" and "Lotus sketch"
-Place lotus sketch in layer "lotus sketch' and move this under "Lotus" layer.
-Use pen tool (no fill with black stroke) to make a Stroke Lotus in Lotus layer.
-Use gradient tool to make ombre color for every lotus petal and fill color to the pistil.
*After finish the lotus, hide or delete "lotus stroke" layer.
Step 5: "make Wizard subject"
*Add two more layer, named "Wizard" and "Wizard sketch"
-Place wizard sketch in layer "wizard sketch' and move this under "Wizard" layer.
-Use pen tool (no fill with black stroke) to make a Stroke Wizard in Wizard layer.
-Use gradient tool (Freeform gradient) to make ombre color for wizard clothes and fill color for another details.
*After finish the wizard subject, hide or delete "wizard stroke" layer.
(Note: I took wizard sketch on the internet)
Final Step: Move both Wizard subject and lotus subject to the center of artboard like the image. And I finished my job!
FINAL WORK
KNOWLEDGE GAINED: This project required me to create everything from zero to the final result. I had to deeply focus to every smallest details to make perfect look for the general look, I realized this activity is meticulous and energy-consuming, but at the same time it is interesting and stimulating. Furthermore, patience is also an important skill when I constantly encounter difficulties or wrong ways of creating things. The difficulty of this project is something that I has never been within my ability, but the key to the problem lies in how to use Ai tools for each purpose, flexibly switch tools and constantly replace new options if the previous one does not meet the project's intended look.
