Project 1: Self Portrait_Edwin Choo Quan Rong_0348305

27.9.2022 - 14.10.2022 (Week 5 - Week 7)
Edwin Choo Quan Rong 0348305
Design Principles / Bachelor Of Design (Hons) In Creative Media

Project 1: Self Portrait

Lecture Recording 6: Self Portraits

There are a few things that are related to the self, those are thoughts, experiences, interests, how other people or I see myself in terms of traits and personality. 

Self portrait does not necessarily include a face, it can be random colors or shapes, abstraction or surrealism, capturing you at a specific moment in time. 

Definition of self portrait: self representation in the form of a drawing/painting/sculpture/design. A visual depiction of the self. 

Self portrait can represent how the designer sees themselves or would like to be seen by others, their feelings and moods, whatever that you can express about yourself via self-exploration. 

Fig 1.1 - Self Mindmap

Reflection for the week

This self exploration exercise has brought me a deeper understanding of myself, things I knew but did not know how to express it in words, as well as new things that I never thought of.

---

Visual References

Fig 1.2 - https://pin.it/7AhToNP

Fig 1.3 - https://pin.it/4HhGdJt

Fig 1.4 - https://pin.it/66sMjj6

Fig 1.5 - https://pin.it/3pxzemR

Fig 1.6 - https://pin.it/2BeS5YF

Fig 1.7 - https://pin.it/4pKx4TK

Fig 1.8 - https://pin.it/78hYR5K

Fig 1.9 - https://pin.it/2s7sHMn

Fig 2.0 https://pin.it/60xVVlr

---

Sketches

Fig 2.1 - Self Portrait sketch #1

For this sketch, I wanted to show a split between the things I do for entertainment with my struggles of overthinking. I arranged the contents to be in an orb as it acts as my "inner circle", a sanctuary I have from the world outside. 

Fig 2.2 - Self Portrait sketch #2

I wanted to express a version of myself in a vulnerable state, feeling "broken" after the many struggles of the world, yet still staying true to the values that I believe in being represented by a heart.

Reflection for the week

I realized that I could apply design principles to strengthen my self-portrait, so I brought the sketch to experiment digitally.

---

Progress

Fig 2.3 - Face Digital Sketch

I developed the face further, adding broken pieces chipped away from the main face to represent my struggles of self-doubt: "I am unsure of myself being able to keep the pieces together." A split mouth to represent the will of no longer able to speak up for oneself and a broken eye to show that not everything one sees is the safe truth. I aimed for an arrangement where I can apply the Law of Continuation from Gestalt Theory.

---

Fig 2.4 - Heart Digital Sketch

 
A heart to represent the values I have and want to develop.

Fig 2.5 - Heart Digital Sketch (update)

Refining it by adding details.

---

Fig 2.6 - Full body progress

A worn out body is made to keep in theme with the broken face. The heart is placed in the body and is the brightest color to act as the emphasis. It is also the only thing not broken or in disarray. The brain with scribbles of black lines represent my struggles of overthinking.

---

Fig 2.7 - Details for eye

Tears can represent two things: tears from tiredness (one of my struggles) and tears from the stress of overthinking (another struggle). 

---

Fig 2.8 - Body details update

I changed the color of some broken pieces to gray to represent "decay" as it has broke apart each other. I wanted to contrast between the light tone of the skin and the grey tone of the "dead" broken pieces.

---

Fig 2.9 - Brain update

I applied a gradient to the brain to show dark and light colors. The dark part represents the shutting down of the brain, the inability to think rationally. The light part of the brain represents the place that still has some thinking, and that place is connected to the heart. This is to represent the way I think, usually with my heart instead of my brain.

---

Fig 3.0 - Final Outcome