PROJECT 3:

CONCEPTUAL
ILLUSTRATION
Stefanie Lok Yin Leung
17039447D
 PROJECT PROCESS

Stage 1: Selection & Sketches

Stage 2: Layout Development

Stage 3: Comprehensive Layout

Stage 4: Media Test

Stage 5: Final Illustration

Stage 6: Final Application

 Topic Selection & Concept Sketches
To analyse texts and develop rough sketches with the interpreted meanings

Stage 1
 Topic Selection & Concept Sketches

Reflection

After reading the provided texts, I have decided to pick text B

since it can be interpreted in many different ways in a

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metaphorical perspective. There are many visuals that are
associated with change, and thus providing more possibilities to
explore with different visual representation of the theme of the
short story. My key words for the sketches are: “unchanged”, and
“start with yourself”. The visual solutions I used include: cocoons
and butterflies to represent change, unable to touch the earth to
represent the inability to change the world, and dominos to
represent the domino effect.

Key Learning Points:

1. Using forced connection to represent a concept metaphorically
2. Finding visuals that are associated with certain concepts
3. To establish clear key words of the texts before brainstorming
 Layout Development
Develop Layouts and fine tune visual solutions

Stage 2
 Layout Development

Reflection

Based on the advice I received from the professor, I decided to

select the most relevant symbols with the most potentials to

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become a conceptual illustration. In this stage, I have came up with
clearer ideas based on the rough sketches in stage 1. I picked the
dominos and the act of unlocking to represent change. I played
with different symbols such as earth as a representation of the
world, chains to symbolize suppression of the inability to change,
and plants to represent health and spirituality. I also incorporated
the religion aspect of the short story by adding the Christian
symbol such as angel wings and cross signs.

Key Learning Points;

1. Eliminating unnecessary visual elements
Comprehensive Layout
Create two more illustrations

Stage 3
 Comprehensive Layout

Reflection

Stage 3 is to develop two more layouts based on all of the

previous sketches. I decided to continue develop the domino and

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chain ideas. After the critique, I removed some of the irrelevant
visual elements such as the bishop’s younger self as a contrast of
the dying old self, and made adjustment to some of the visual
solutions such as the chained angel wings instead of legs to
emphasize on the religion aspect of the short story. I learned to put
visuals with the consideration of space.

Key Learning Points:

1. Compositing the visual elements within the frame
 Media Test & Exploration
Testing out different mediums and art styles

Stage 4
 Media Test and Exploration

Reflection

I played around with different mediums on the key element of the

drawing— domino. I tried using felt tip pens, fine liners, color

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pencils, markers, oil pastels, calligraphic pens, ballpoint pens,
pencils etc.. In the end, I decided to use gouache as my medium
because of I wanted to create a soft yet bleak tone with a fading
effect that symbolizes the passing time of one’s life.

Key Learning Points:

1. The qualities of different mediums
 Too close to Abrupt Should extend
margin Transition out of frame

Critique

Reflection

There were a lot of useful comments coming out from the critique.
First of all, I had put the visuals too close to the margins which

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resulted in an awkward composition. Secondly, the transition from
visual to text is too abrupt. Thirdly, the domino is placed too close
to the character and it looks unclear to the viewers, and the
dominos can be put out of frame and leave for the viewers’
imagination. Fourthly, the face of a person naturally attracts
attention, in this case, the face of the character takes attention
away from the key visual of the illustration— the dominos. Lastly,
typographic mistakes such as spacing should also be avoided.

Key Learning Points:

1. Avoid putting major visuals close to the margins
Face steals Awkward
attraction positioning Spacing too 2. Positioning and transitioning visuals
close
3. Avoid putting emphasis on the wrong visual element
Final Illustration
One Final Illustration

Stage 5
Final Illustration
Title: Unchanged | Medium: gouache (edited with Photoshop)
 Final Application
Final Layout and Illustration

Stage 6
Artwork Title: Unchanged | Text: Start with Yourself | Medium: Gouache, Photoshop