Information Design / Final Project
11.1.2023 - 24.2.2023 (Week 1 - Week 7)
Takuto Hozumi / 0354047 / Bachelor Of Design (Hons) In Creative Media
Information Design
Final Project
INSTRUCTION
Week 1 - Individual Task (13/1/2023)
Share personal burnout experience on Blog
*Limited to 30 minutes of writing time
As for my burnout experience, let me write about when I started working
as a fresh grade after graduation. I was 21 years old at the time and
had to go through several companies because I could not adapt to the
Japanese corporate culture with its strong seniority system mentality.
After that, I found it less stressful to work as an individual and set
up my own business.
Fig.2-1: Example of Colloriage
I was registered as a sole proprietor, but at first, there was no work.
Having no skills or career, I managed to find work through acquaintances
and got a job as a drawing instructor at an event. At the time, coloring
books for adults with intricate patterns called "Colloriage" were
popular in Japan, especially among women in their 40s to 60s, and I was
teaching expressions using watercolor pencils and other techniques.
These events were organized by an exclusive importer of Faber-Castell
pencils, with the goal of selling drawing tools through these
activities. The business was growing steadily, but the Japanese company
was merely a distributor, not a manufacturer of products. Perhaps they
wanted to cut costs. They wanted me to create teaching materials and
even coloring books. At the time, I was also offering graphic design
services for simple logos and business tools. So, I also took on the
task of creating line designs for coloring.
Fig.2-2: Design Draft Sample
This has dramatically increased my work time. Every day I designed until
dawn, and on weekends I would attend events as a lecturer. But at the
time I still found the project rewarding. There are few creative jobs
where the author is in public. I remember I was happy to be able to see
firsthand the site where my creations were being used, despite my
position as a newbie.
Fig.2-3: Tips for Color Scheme (Teaching Materials)
However, I reached a physical limit. A particular sense of crisis came
when I experienced hematuria. I did not pay any attention to my health
and suffered from various physical ailments due to my originally weak
constitution. While this, the project manager of that Japanese company
changed. He was a very arrogant person, overly confident that he worked
for a large company, and frequently made disparaging remarks about me as
a freelancer. In fact, many such people are found in Japanese society
based on my experience my whole life. This was one of the experiences
that led me to leave Japan, but that is out of main point, so I will
leave it out.
Fig.2-4: My Last Design in This Project (Japanese New Year
Pattern)
Later, I got off that project because of certain words of his. The
insulting Japanese at the time is difficult to translate into English. I
had a feeling of parental love for that project, but suddenly, as if a
thread had been severed, it all suddenly became unimportant. I do not
care even if it collapses. I reported about him to the company, just in
case. The company then dropped him as project manager and replaced
another person in charge. His successor asked me to come back, but I had
already lost all interest.
In hindsight, I don't think his words were the only reason. It was only
a trigger, and various stresses such as physical ailments, loss of free
time, and too many tasks beyond my capacity drove me to burnout.
(The end)
Final Project - Burnout
To create animations for the given audio and create videos with
easy-to-understand designs.
Sound Data;
Fig.2-5: Script
Fig.2-6: Split into Scenes
Tables were created for each scene in the spreadsheet.
The group discussed and wrote down ideas for what kind of scenes to
create.
Fig.2-7: Design Direction
Fig.2-8: Illustrated Draft
While deciding on details such as character design and color scheme,
illustrations are drawn for each scene divided in the table above. The
work was divided among group members for each scene.
Fig.2-9: Burnout Animatic Draft
Based on the draft design, an animation draft is created to set the timing
of the animation.
Fig.2-10: Vector Illustration
Digitize the draft in Illustrator.
Using the notes in the spreadsheet as a guide, divide the layer into
separate layers for each part, assuming animation.
Fig.2-11: 1st Draft (Scene 10: How to prevent)
Half of the members create illustrations while other members animate from
the completed parts. This is an example of the earliest completed draft.
Each member worked on the other scenes, and the following video is completed as the final outcome.
Fig.2-12: Burnout Final Outcome (5/3/2023)
Feedback from lecturers
Week 5 - Add captions/titles for the key points in the video.
Week 6 - Storyboard looks ok so far. Provide a test animation for checking.
Week 7 - Test animation style looks alright, please proceed.
REFLECTIONS
Experiences
We were given only the audio data and were tasked with the task of creating a well-designed, easy-to-understand video using our own imagination, including scene layout and character design. In addition to organizing the information, I felt that the course also served as an exercise to familiarize the students with the software, using illustrator and after-effects (and sometimes audio editing software). In fact, through this module, I became more comfortable with video editing software.
Observation
I believe that each person has own specialty design style. Therefore, in order to unify the overall atmosphere as a group work, it is important to faithfully reproduce the style specified in the character design and color scheme. Also, with regard to animation, we learned that the slightest timing discrepancy of one second or less can make the viewer feel uncomfortable.
Findings
I reaffirmed that it is very good creativity and at the same time difficult to create a new video based on the imagination from nothing at all, rather than editing a recorded video. I guess this is because the work is more like a series of choices, than improvements. When we make a decision and move on to the next process, we wonder if it is really the right one, or if we will want to change it after we start making it. So, I may have an excessive fear of doing things twice. Between the value of doing things efficiently in terms of time and the value of making things good even if it takes a lot of effort, I am always thinking about how I should when these issues become a job rather than an assignment. I am grateful for the opportunity to grow technically as well as learn in many different ways.
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