Project 1: Silhouettes

 

image courtesy of Creative Juices

 Uh oh, it's a BIG SISTER!!! Concept art by Colin Fix for Bioshock 2

PROJECT 1: SILHOUETTE
Your first project has two parts:
 1. As the folks at Creative Juices did in the image above, draw 5 silhouette studies of characters you did not create. Yes, you may color over an image in Photoshop to make these studies.

2. Create a minimum of 30 original character silhouettes and post them to your blog. You may use any medium or combination of media you wish. You may put several silhouettes on one "page." See the two examples above.

Your silhouettes must be posted to your blog before the beginning of class Monday, January 10.

BLOG
You are required to keep a blog for this course and post all of your lab projects there. If you're new to bloggin', I recommend blogger.com as it's free and easy to use. If you find a service that works better for you, however, by all means, go for it. Yes, you may use a blog you have started before this class, just make sure you label your posts clearly so I don't get cranky. Once you have your blog set up, post your name and your blog's URL as a comment to this post. You must do this now, as in today, January 3. Check the comments section of this post for an example of how to do this.

PHOTO
Take a photo of your self and post it in the "about me" section of your blog by Monday, January 10.

READING
Each week, you'll have a reading or two and will write a reflective essay related to your project. You'll post your writing assignment to your blog along with your studio work. Your written reflection is 25% of your project grade and must be posted before class on Monday, January 10.
Here are your readings for the first week:
Reflective Essay Writing Tips For College Students
Cartoon Silhouettes

Additional resources you may wish to consult:
Art of Bioshock .pdf
conceptart.org
Jen Harlow Silhouettes
Destructoid links to more Bioshock 2 concepts

REFLECTIVE ESSAY:
Reflect on the process of creating your silhouettes. In two or three clear, precise paragraphs, try to answer at least three of the following questions: How much did you know (or think you knew) about working with silhouettes before today? Did you start with a plan and stick to it, or were there some unexpected discoveries along the way? What approaches did you take to creating your silhouettes and why? Which do you think is your best final image? How did you decide a silhouette was 'finished'? Did you return to your work to edit it? Did the essay on silhouettes and the accompanying visual help clarify your approach? Did you work with a character you had designed before? If so, what did the silhouette process reveal? Did your design change as a result? Might silhouette work become a part of your creative process?

GRADING
I'll be using the following rubric to assess the project. 5 categories, maximum of 5 points per category. Click the image for a larger view or click here for the .docx file.