Assignment 3 - Dialog of Objects (25/10/2017)
As we are done with our previous assignments, another one came right after. It was really hectic but eventually I manage to work it through (bless). Our third assignment is creating our own comic strip and eventually it was not as smooth as I think it was. Yes, it was not a hard task but what is challenging is that we are forbidden to use certain stuff. It limited a lot of my ideas at first because most of them are related to the restricted items. I had to squeeze my brain juice out to come up with more ideas on it because I was eventually out of fun ideas.
For this assignment, we have a timetable set by Ms D and the requirements we have to prepare for our tutor to see. For our first tutorial, we have to eventually come up with ideas of a few objects we can use and also come up with at least 5 interesting storyline. I seriously thought it would not be hard cause I have watched videos and comic strips related to it. I was so wrong, I barely even get to come up with one storyline and it almost did not make it to the list because it might have contain the restricted items. I did not want to stress myself out so I just focus on the 5 objects a=I can use, just like what Mr Choy asked for. Coming up with objects was not the easiest but also not the hardest, because I have to take in account on whether are there possibility for a comic line to be inspired by the items. In the end, I tried focusing on stuff I actually have and it helped me a lot. I have chose an instant camera, balloon, candle, a dreamcatcher and also paint (more precisely white paint). I sketched it out and did some research on the details about it. As for the storyline part, I only came out with 2 at the moment so I decided to show it to Mr Choy the next week.
During our next tutorial, I showed Mr Choy my ideas and gotten really supportive words from him (Thanks Mr Choy! It really made my day!). I also got to show him the main 2 ideas for my comic line and we both agree on the candle one. The summary of the story goes like this: The story talks about a candle finding it’s purpose in life. As it moved to the new household, it expected to be the light source and make new friends but eventually got bashed by other appliances such as the ceiling lamp and the table lamp. Table lamp even tell it that they do not need it for decoration as they have the chandelier. But after the encouraging words from torchlight, it finally got back it’s confidence. One day during the blackout, candle finally got the chance to shine and bring light to the surrounding. But something it does not know is, it is sacrificing itself just so everyone can finally see the surrounding. Eventually, it burned out and sacrifices itself. I actually really like the storyline, not sure what the lecturers think but I wrote this storyline thinking of the issue in our society. A lot of us are constantly trying to rise but will always get negative feedbacks from people, saying how bad we are. But with a little confidence and sacrifices, we can get to shine. I also wanted to stress about the sacrificing part because I’ve seen a lot of successful people who actually sacrifices some part of themselves to really get to the top, and that is something we shouldn’t take for granted, as if they succeed without paying any price.
Finally having the ideas in my mind, I started to work on my IDJ as most of my materials were at home (was still in the dormitory cause holiday ain’t here yet). I do not know what has gotten to me but I eventually come up with 2 new ideas using the 2 other objects I have not used. I decided to sketch it out on my IDJ cause why not. This time around when doing the IDJ, I didn’t want to restrict myself on the questions like what the template has given to me. I do still use it as a guideline of what my IDJ should have, but I change a bit of the way it asked. Rather than doing the things that inspired me and how I can use it in the assignment, I did it as if it is a research on some example and label out what a comic should look like. For the final idea, I make it into a final storyboard so we can see clearly on what my comic will look like. Last part of the IDJ, I wrote a small brief of the whole comic and what I am trying to interpret to the world. Now all is left is the photos of my objects.
During the one week holiday, I utilize one of my day in taking photos of the objects in different perspective and different places. I have then settle down in the living room as most of the other objects fit in the place too. I jot down a bit of the conversation I hope the objects are talking and have that thing in mind when I’m taking photo of the objects. The whole process was not really tough, but it took me a whole day, until midnight to perfect the pictures, because I have this particular scene where everything is pitch black. Have to also light the candle and off all the possible light source with the fan off too so that the candle would not be blown. When I am done with the shoots, I am already drenched in sweats. This blood, sweat and tears better be worth it (exaggerating at it’s finest). I thought it would be easy to layout everything too on powerpoint cause sadly, I got no Photoshop or anything that seems profesional (even if I had it, I would probably not use it too cause it will be lot more works and Microsoft Powerpoint for life! HAHAA) but yet again I was slapped on the face, it took me a whole day, in front of the computer trying to figure out how to lay it out nicely. It was seriously not that easy because I wanted to cut a certain picture into a certain shape but Powerpoint just do not allow me to. I got fed up at a point I didn’t care about the shape and told myself I’ll just cut it out once I printed them. But still, I managed to make a rough layout on Powerpoint so I can at least see how the comic will look like, and check on whether did I miss out anything.
Once I am done, I printed my comic out and cut them to suit the shape I wanted to before pasting them on the A3 papers. It was so much fun, seeing the comic form together as I pasted them piece by pieces on the papers, it’s like seeing my first born child (LOL). As for the cover I designed, with the candle in the middle and the title “You Will Shine”, I did not want to print it out on A4 papers and paste it on because it would not look nice, so I have it printed at the stationary shop and it cost me RM3 :) (There goes my Grab car ride) I was also not that satisfied with how the cover got printed out, because I expected it to be fitted nicely on an A3 paper but eventually it was shrunk and there was a lot of white spaces as the border :/ I did not bother to care more cause at least I have it printed out right? After that, I clipped them together and took some photos of it before placing it in an A3 size envelope. And with that, I completed my assignment 3 yeahhhhhh.
As usual, attached are the pictures of how the comic look like and the scanned IDJ I made.
Signed, MJ