Assignment 6 - Infographics

For this assignment, we need to do an infographics or information graphics whereby we choose a system and describe how it works through visual communication. In simpler words we need to use visual graphics to show the stages of development. I personally feel that this assignment is more fun and interesting as it has no restriction to it and we can choose on any topics that we are interested in. I started brainstorming and the idea of doing solar eclipse came to my mind as now it is the hottest news in town about the longest total solar eclipse during the 21st century which is going to take place on 22 July 2009. It will last a maximum of 6 minutes and 39 seconds off the coast of Southeast Asia.

Rough Sketches of a Solar eclipse

The above is my rough sketches of a simpler version of the solar eclipse. A Solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes in between the Sun and the earth so that the Sun is fully or partially covered. As of the above sketches, the first row is where the moon moves to the left slowly covering the sun and the second row whereby the sun is totally covered by the moon and total solar eclipse happens. The third row shows the moon leaving the sun and slowly the whole sun could be seen again.

The below is the final prototype of my infographics – the process of solar eclipse. In my final artwork I added in the timing to show the process of the moon covering and leaving the sun in a more detail manner. Also, during the tutorial the comments given by Jing was that to add in the title of the process so I added in the centre the title of my infographics namely the process of solar eclipse.

Final prototype

There are four main processes in a solar eclipse. Firstly, it is the first contact where the moon shadow first becomes visible on the solar disk. The second process is known as the second contact- starting with the Baily’s beads (cause by light shining through valleys on the moon surface). Almost entire disk is being covered. The third process is known as totality- with the shadow of the moon obscuring the entire disk of the sun and only the corona is visible. The last process is the third contact- when the first bright light becomes visible and the shadow is moving away from the sun. A diamond ring is observed.

Assignment 5 - Notion of Colouful Asia

For Assignment number 5, we are required to create a post card for theme “Our notion of colorful Asia”. The postcard could be with regards to any aspect like the cultural, political or the social aspect. I wanted to use a theme which is something different from the usual theme like food or costume. I started brainstorming about the different possible themes which I can focus on something like a national symbol which is kind of unique and special to one’s country. Then I decided to focus on one country that has an animal as a national animal and that is China. Panda is well known considered as China’s emblem. The below is the design of my postcard that I had chosen after the exploration of colour. I decided to use dark blue as it has the same calming effect as the panda and also blue has modernization effect where China is moving towards.

Design of postcard

Exploration of colours

During tutorial, the comments given by Jing and my peers was that the design was too simple and my panda looks cute, similar to the cartoon movie character of kung-fu panda, HAHAH!!. Also during consultation with Jing, she had asked me to think further about why is the panda standing up right and what's the meaning of the panda being in such a position. Therefore with the comments given i decided to add in a few more pandas in different position to show that the different angles and positions a panda can adopt. This is in relation to China , showing that China is a dynamic country and flexible in its approach in today's global society, in which they shift and revolve to depending to the different situation. This is portrayed by the various positions of the pandas and the swaying bamboo shoots.

Final prototype

Assignment 4 - iN2015

For assignment number 4, we were supposed to create a poster for iN2015. This assignment is open-ended meaning to say that we can tackle any aspect of iN2015 to create the poster. I decided to focus on the vision's of iN2015 to create the poster. This is because i feel that vision is a projected state of objectives that a system or plans intend to achievev but often neglected. Therefore i wanted to created a poster that highlights the vision's of iN2015. The targeted audience that i had chosen is the general public of singapore and this poster to be place in common places like busstops etc.

During tutorials,the comments given by jing is that i could play around with the placement and the position of the diagrams so as to make it more appealing and attractive to the audience. Also, my peers commented that my poster is a bit too wordy and maybe by summarizing the words and making the diagrams a bit bigger would be better. Another mentioned maybe it would be better if i could play around with the front type and instead of using the traditional New Times Roman.

Attempt number 2

Attempt number 3

Final prototype

For my final prototype, i had changed the positioning of the diagrams of my first draft from the conventional left right left to placing the diagrams to the centre and making it bigger which i feel that it will be more attractive for the people. Also,i had summarize the words to make it seems less lengthy and this i feel that it would be more attractive. I had also play around with the fronts of the 3 main headings to make it a more prominent word or attention catching one and i had changed the fronts of the text to a more interesting one. In the final prototype i had also added in the IDA logo at the bottom of the poster.

Assignment 3- U c what I c

Our third assignment was to tell a story using 8 pictures without using any words. the story plot can end with or without a twist. I found the assignment a bit challenging because we need a good plot, good models, good camera angle and many many other combining factor in order to tell a story effective without the aid of words.

The story that i am going to tell using the 8 pictures are as of below, So let's see if you can see what i see... haha

Picture 01

Picture 02
Picture 03

Picture 04

Picture 05

Picture 06

Picture 07

Picture 08

So do U c what I C? haha the story goes like this:

The first picture of the exam paper shows that the time now is during exam period. The next few shots shows that i am studying for the exam and i fall sleep while i am studying. Then i started dreaming that i was in the exam hall and doing the exam. I felt very stress because i do not know how to do the exam and gotten an F. Finally, i woke up feeling relief realising that it was a dream all along.

Class exercise C

This assignment requires us to pick 2 words from the whole list of words and using the basic elements of lines, dot and shapes to create an abstract or semi abstract images conveying the meaning of the words.

The first word that i had chosen was agitation. The sketch is as of below.

The shapes of flames around the head is to show the anger of the person. Also, the grinning of the teeth plus the way the eyes is drawn shows anger in it.

The next word that i had chosen was speed. The sketch is as of below. i had chosen the forward inclining of the body shows that the person is running very fast representing speed. The lines which are drawn plus the shape of cloud like smoke produce shows that the person is running at a high speed.

Assignment 2- less is more

For the second assignment, we are supposed to find something around the school and then abstract it. It need not be a sign, but it should be something we could put around the school. After much thought, I decided to create a pictogram for a water dispenser as firstly I liked to drink water and often I need to refill water in school. Also, more importantly, during my first year in Nus I had difficulty finding a water dispenser in the library. So I thought by creating one will solve the problem of difficulties in finding a water dispenser for freshies when they are in year 1.

During tutorial, I presented my work and the feedback given by my peers and Jing was that the abstraction is not clear enough as the lines are not thick enough. Therefore, I went back to work on the pictogram and the level of abstraction to make it more define and clear. The below is the pictogram of the water dispenser and its five level of abstraction.



Below is the final prototype that I had chosen.

I had also chosen the place to place my final prototype which is outside the Nus library’s lounge. By placing the prototype there the people entering the library could easily see that the water dispenser is inside so that people entering the library will have no difficulties finding one when in need.

Assignment 1A-Me, Myself and I

During our first tutorial, I presented my four preliminary sketches and my 2 rough to the class not much comments were given except some ideas to improve on my 2 roughs and some comments made on the preliminary sketches.

The four preliminary sketches that I had made are below.

I explained about my third preliminary sketches that I love freedom so I draw a bird to show that and also form young I loved rockets and I enjoyed playing basketball a lot that’s where my inspiration of the third sketch came from. Jing commented that my bird she understand the usual connotation of a bird with freedom but my bird doesn’t look like it represent freedom but rather it looks like it’s very constricted. Actually I also feel the same way but my intention was to sketch the bird to make it look like a ‘Y’ therefore causing it to look a bit constricted.

Out of the four sketches, my fourth was the least obvious and I saw many puzzled face when I presented it to the class. I drew a cocktail glass with a small umbrella and a cherry. The shape of the cocktail glass was supposed to represent my initial ‘Y’ and the shape of the umbrella was supposed to represent and ‘A’ while the shape of the cherry was supposed to represent an ‘O’.

Out of the four sketches I choose the first sketches and further develop into the two other roughs as shown below. The comments given from my tutorial peers was that I can incorporate the pool table into the whole design of the initial rather than just using it for the ‘O’. I kind of like the suggestion given as on the whole it will look more incorporated and also it will look livelier. Jing commented something about colours and the way things are displayed. Just by mere displaying the pool balls and cue sticks into my initials doesn’t show that I like to play pool. Instead using brighter colours and also less rigid way of displaying the cue balls will be a better presentation of my liking towards pool.

I had taken the advice from my peers and incorporated the pool table into my design and also i had display the cue balls in a less rigid mannerand in a more relax and fun loving way. Also, i had chosen brighter colours for the cue balls to potray my love for pool. Lastly i used a triangle to represent the 'O' instead of a cue ball to show a more variety instead of keep using the cue balls.

Final Prototype
I had chosen the equipment of pool to represent my name because i personally feel that in life there is full of influences and temptation. Sometimes the person holding the cue stick might be someone of a good influence like parents and some good friends who push u towards the good hole or it might be the reverse whereby it's someone who is of bad influence holding the cue stick pushing u into the bad hole. Life is full of unexpected good and bad influence and temptation so we muz beware of what is actually happening. The triangle rack is a stage of equilibrium whereby the ball will be rack up in a orderly way and fashion which is just like life is full of up and downs and will reach a stage of equilibrium when rack up and change to up and downs when hit.