Harris Graphics

Second Year Huddesfield University Student

[harrison4thomas]

Nick - 19th March 2019

For Nick workshop, we were given the task to create an alphabet from bread. Nick suggested we should start with the letter ‘R’, this was because the letter has a lot of characteristics, such as cures, horizontal and curved lines. This would help for when I needed to create another letter from the pieces created.

We then were given the two to work with another person to create a whole alphabet, and to take pictures to then create a animation of the alphabet. To help make the process more simple, we decided to create a huge ball of bread, and then pour water into it. This created a really thick paste, that we then were able to mould into an alphabet.

This was a really fun workshop, cutting into bread and creating alphabets was really unexpected and original. You can really transform anything into a piece of work.

[harrison4thomas]

Jay - 12th March 2019

[harrison4thomas]

Sara - 5th March 2019

To conclude all the After Effects lessons, we had to create a compilation of all out work. We had to prepare for this class by bringing in; a song, our logo, and all the work we had made. I chose a song named, “I’m Sorry”, by Brian Tyler. This song is really dramatic, and has a very loud beat, which would be perfect for transitions during my video.

I began the video with my logo pulsating to the beat of the song, and then transitioned into the football musceum animation. I wanted the football to transition into the planet animation, becuase as the ball is kicked, the camera zooms into it. Then, for the planet animation, the camera zooms out, i thought it would be very fitting to pt these two animations together.

[harrison4thomas]

Nick - 19th Febuary 2019

We were given the task to use the fonts DIN, cooper black and Baskerville to create these abstract pieces of art. We had to take features from the letters, and use them to create random patterns. The letters couldn’t be recognisable. 

 Once we had drawn out the letters, we then used them as a stencil to eventually paint over onto a new fresh piece of A3. The final work looked really interesting, and instantly created unique piece of art.

[harrison4thomas]

Jay - 12th Febuary 2019

Jay wanted to show us how to create a basic 3d model, this is something that would be massively useful for future projects. To begin, we added a basic cube, which would be the torso. We then began to add multiple cubes for the head, arms and legs. We then had to smooth out the hard edges, to make the model look more realistic.

This was a very basic model tutorial, but i can see how it would progress into a more in-depth model. Designing models in C4D is really effective, you can make an idea really come to life. Learning the software will be very time consuming, but it’ll definetely be worth it.

[harrison4thomas]

Sara - 5th Febuary 2019

For this task, we were told to create a 10 second animation, for the Football Museum in Manchester. Each group is given a different time era; past, present, and future; our group were given ‘past’. Each person was given a football quote, my quote was, “Every club that employs a professional footballer is bribing a needed recruit to refrain from enilistment. Every spectator who pays his gate money is contributing so much towards German victory.” A.F. Pollard. 1914.

To begin the animation, I wanted to start with a footballer kicking a ball, then have the camera follow the ball. To create this simple animation, i took screenshots of a footballer running upto a ball, then kicking it. Once i had screenshotted all the frames, i drew over his body in Illustrator, which would leave me with vectors of a man kicking a ball. I then exported the vectors into After Effects, and made it so each vector would appear after 5 frames.

I was really happy with this technique, I never tried this before. The rest of the animation was very basic, and didn’t do anything that i hadn’t already learnt.

[harrison4thomas]

Nick - 29th January 2019

For Nicks workshop, we were given the task to create prints representing protests. We were told to put our hands in a box with random objects/people written on a slice of paper. We were also given a lyric from a song, which would also have to be included in the design. 

The first paper i took, had the word “Policeman” written on it. Then the lyrics i randomly chose, said “Choke me, smoke the air. This lyric references tear gas used during protests, by the authorities. I wanted to draw a classic policeman, typically seen around the 1970′s, because i feel they look more like a “policeman” then todays officers. This is due to the hat the officers used to wear, which is so clearly an officers. Todays uniforms could by a traffic wardens or builder with some extra protection; its not obvious enough. I added some iconography related to the Police, such as handcuffs and a jail bars. Cutting the drawing out was fairly quick and painless, the curved edges proved time consuming though. Once cut out, i had to paint the officer blue, this was because i was thinking of the term, “boys in blue”. 

For the lyric, I thought very hard about the typography i was going to draw. After cutting the officer out, i realised curved edges take far too much time compared to straight lines. So i created a font based of cubism; far more simple than curved typography. The final effect of the typography looked great, and when i painted over the cut out in red, i realised how fitting it was. The straight lines in the font represent how officers don’t bend the law, and are straight by the book.

[harrison4thomas]

Jay - 22nd January 2019

In todays Cinema 4d workshop, we were learning how to transform an Illustrator vector into a 3d object. This was a very simple technique, simple create the vector, and save it as an illustrator file. Then, using the lathe too, you can transform the 2d vector into a 3d model.

Once we had made the soda can, it was time to do that same technique, except with a beer bottle. To begin, we transformed the vector into a 3d model using the lathe tool. We then began making the bottle look more realistic, we started by making the material for the bottle glass. Then we changed the colour into a dark green, and added reflectance. This created a very life-like bottle, which looked fantastic when rendered. 

Once we had added the lights, background and floor, the scene was almost complete. Now we just had to add a beer label to the bottle, and add the clone tool. This was a simple part of the process. First, create a vector in Illustrator, then save the design as a JPEG. Then, add a new colour to the scene, and change the texture of the colour to the JPEG you have just created. Finally, add the clone tool, so you can multiple copies of the bottle you have just created. 

I wanted to have my own beer label on the bottle, using the steps i just typed up now. To begin, i changed the bottle to brown. I then made a simple label in Illustrator, and added it as a texture. I added a random tool into the scene, so the bottles we randomly scattered around the scene. This was because I had already positioned the bottles in a linear position in the previous scene.

It was really informative making these scenes in Cinema 4d. My confidence with this software has grown with this workshop. When the opportunity arises, i will use C4D in a project. 

[harrison4thomas]

Sara - 15th February 2019

For Sara’s workshop we were given the task to create a scene with 8 or more layers. I decided to create a space scene, with multiple parts of the scene moving or being manipulated in some way. 

To begin, create your scene in Illustrator, and make sure that each object that is separate from other assets are made on a separate layer. This will make it easier for when you import the layers into the After Effects scene. Once all the layers are in AE, make sure you are looking at the scene vertically. This way, you'll be able to move different assets further back than others, which will make the scene look more realistic when a camera passes through it. 

Once i had set up the position of all the assets, i had to set up some rotation key frames, and also a warp key frame for the galaxy in the background. Finally, i added a camera which would transition from an extreme close up, to a long shot. This was to try give a perception of the size of the planet.

[harrison4thomas]

Nick - 6th December 2018

To begin, we were handed a picture of our face, and were told to make a unique portrait by cutting up our face and glueing it down. I decided to make myself look like a Gremlin. 

Once we had our cut up portrait, we were then told to draw the picture. I really enjoyed doing this, i hate doing self portrait drawings. This was completely different though, it was not me, it was a Gremlin. 

Finally, we then had to scan our face and use this as a new image to cut up. We were shown a technique where we drag our face across the scanner and it elongates our face. Once this was all finished, i created this very abstract portrait, which i call, “that’s gotta hurt”. 

[harrison4thomas]

Jay - 27th November 2018

Jay wanted to go over some of the basics of InDesign and Photoshop. We first edited all the images seen above, by adjusting the levels to make the pencil drawings more distinct; and colours pop out more.

We then used this images to create a layout on InDesign, to help us with the upcoming presentation we have to do. It was useful to relearn these basic techniques again, and they will be very helpful for when i create my presentation.

[harrison4thomas]

Sara - 20th November 2018

For Sara’s workshop, we learned a new and very simple animation technique called the boiling effect. To do this technique, you must draw out an object 3 or more times. Try to recreate the previous drawings as well as possible; then you can qucikly slide through the drawings to make it look like it is moving.

I thought this effect caused the drawings to look like they have not loaded properly, and it is buffering. So i decided to use a screen from a videogame i am very fond of, then place the logo over the top. With some added soundeffects, the logo looks like it loads onto the screen, jitters around a little for added effect, then shts down.

This is just one of the many possibilites that i thought of. I will definetely be using this technique again for a future project. It can be used to create a story board for a more in-depth animation.

[harrison4thomas]

Nick - 13th November 2018

For this workshop Nick wanted us to create a zine (short magazine), based off of a personal object we had brought from home. We were to then create a personlised artistic story using our chosen object, with techniques such as; drawing, scanning and typography. The object I chose was a small red truck I had aquired only recently, to create a chair from toy cars.

As soon as we began this workshop, I learned a new way of creating an 8 page booklet, with a few sinple cuts and fold; this would then become the zine. For our front cover, we were told to make a character for our object; so i named my 4x4 truck, Forbe Ford.

The best technique i learned during this workshop, was related to the scanning machine. When you place an object onto the scanning machine, and then you begin the scan; a bright light pans underneath the object to complete the scan. If you begin to follow the light with the object that you have chosen, it will create a smudged effect, which can elongate the object to create a fascinating style.

[harrison4thomas]

Jay - 6th November 2018

C4D Cloth Experiment

This experiment was really useful, it taught me how to create effects within Cinema 4D that look realsitc to the Earths conditions. In other softwares that create animations, such as After Effects, it is really difficult to create a realsitc looking effect.

On Cinema 4D, to create a moving object that had a natural flow to it. To do this, we first added a basic cube into the sapce. We then a cloth tag to the cube, which allowed us to click on any part of the cube and add a pin. The pin would hold that from falling, but the rest of the cube would drop. We clicked to of the top corners from one side of the cubes face. Then, we added a wind turbine, which caused the the blowing effect to cause the effect of clothes on a washing line.

[harrison4thomas]

Sara - 23rd October 2018

For Sara’s second workshop, we were asked to bring in original footage that could be easily looped. I recorded myself walking through my bedroom door, in then made a confused expression, then left the room. This was a simple loop idea, as the door would constaly open and shut, and lead on to the beggining of the video very simply. My idea was to use the door as a portal, so i would walk into another world, relaise it wasn’t my home, then walk out.

Rotoscoping is a very long and delicate task. You must use the pen tool in After Effects, to draw over the part of the video you only want to reveal. As the UK use a frame rate of 25, for every second i would have to draw over the moving parts again; 25 times. Although this is a very time consuming process, it definitely gives a high reward.

[harrison4thomas]

Nick - 16th October 2018

We were given 3 alphabets, which were the type faces; Baskerville Bold, Cooper Standard and Futura Bold. We were given a quote related to our star sign, and had to choose a maximum of 5 words from that paragraph.

For the first poster, I wanted to try and recreate the font as similar as possible. With the only main difference being that the capital letter was traveling diagonally through the page.

For the second, I chose the “let it go” and drew half of the letters breaking away. I then drew hands grasping out for the other half it let go of. Although I was told it was close to an illustration, which is not what we were asked to do, I still fell this works well.

For the final poster, I chose to the dates that fit under my star sign, Sagittarius. I wanted to try my own rendition of what numbers could look like with the Futura Bold font; as numbers wee not featured on the given alphabet. Again, I am happy with how this turned out.

[harrison4thomas]

Jay - 9th October 2018

This workshop was set to show us the basics of Cinema 4D. We would be creating basic shapes on Illustrator, then exporting them onto C4d to make them 3d; (Orange, Green and Blue objects) this method was called ‘Extrude’. We also learned how to add basic text onto the design.

We then began animating the objects, this was done by first adding a camera to the design. We then rotated the camera around the objects; this was done by using a technique similar to After Effects with key frames.

I am very intrigued by Cinema 4d, a high level of skil is needed to produce just a simple design. I will spend more time focusing on the programme, and eventually produce something interesting and impressive.