Monday 1 October 2012

Project: thumbnails

Thumbnails that I created during the Photoshop lesson on Friday which I found very exciting to do as it seemed so rushed but you could still see the design even if a few lines were out of place the first image is a concept for the brook, the second is the gate making way to Hill House and the third is a design for the entrance hall.
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4 comments:

  1. Hey George, great to see some more explorations into Photoshop - and an understanding of depth.

    Maybe begin to play with applying some textures - to define surfaces more?

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    1. yes I will definitely have to try that out when I next open photo shop to create more for my world. I want to start using my own images so I think I'm going to be taking my camera out with me a lot more now to take some pictures :)
      Thank you for the comment!

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    2. Yes - I like the top thumbnail - it's evocative, and while it's obvious that these are 'just marks' on a page, the human eye can't help but impose landscape and depth onto them. Often = in terms of concept art - detail is actually suggested, rather than dictated; there is 'less' detail than you think, but we 'see' more than is on the page. You can use this to your advantage.

      More generally - the great thing about 'Hill House' is that it's written as if it's somehow 'alive' - it is 'emotional architecture' - where the very angles of the place reflect and transmit the evil of its past. In this sense, 'Hill House' corresponds with some of the stuff we've talked about in regard to Caligari - i.e. when the distortions in the physical realm (angles of floors, walls, ceilings, surface pattern, furniture) mirror the personality or emotional state of the characters (which in this case, includes the house itself). I suggest you think very boldly - and expressionistically - about depicting this space; there are also a couple of obvious references; there is a classic sixties film adaptation of this novel entitled 'The Haunting', directed by Robert Wise. It's well worth watching! Here's the trailer:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeAzGxWlEcg

      and here is a great scene from the same film when even the design of the wallpaper itself seems to contain some twisted, evil presence:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sog3etUwtSk&feature=related


      The Haunting was also remade - REALLY BADLY!

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wiv2zofXsV0&feature=related

      So - stuff to think about - take a more general look at expressionism, especially the paintings of Egon Schiele and Edvard Munch - notice how they use distortion of the norm to convey agitation and distress. Remember too that the project is entitled 'Cinematic Spaces' - so think about the most dynamic, most bold, most filmic compositions for these moody, fearful environments!

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  2. I really like no2, the gate has a very dark and scary look to it. And the background and foreground contrast each other nicely.

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