#8 Blue Velvet - 'Texture' Experiments

I presented the completed illustration in my previous post to be included potentially in a Blue Velvet poster redesign. I say 'potentially' because I'm not sure whether I could use the illustration differently, maybe in something including more content than a simple poster.

The illustration above is the work and its creation process featured in the previous post. I felt something was missing from this image and that the illustration looked a little bit 'sweaty' as the character appears flushed. I think this is due to the gradient I have created. The following illustration was an attempt to edit the gradient. In the original design, I used a freeform gradient to give me control over where the points were placed; however, in this one, I decided to simplify the gradient to a linear one placed horizontally within the shape. Without going to one colour, making the illustration completely flat, the linear gradient simplifies the colour removing the previous illustration's odd effect. The export of the image, however, has come out very dark so would need to rectify this.

I also thought it might be good to try the illustration in a flat colour. I actually quite like this one due to its simplicity. I particularly like how the binocular lenses have come out. However, I struggled with the nose colour as it is much darker than the rest of the face. Although, without this contrast, the nose disappears.

I also thought I could try this style with shadows but wanted to keep them as simple as possible.

After this, I returned to the original design with the freeform gradient, and I experimented with effects to add textures. The first uses a palette knife which seems to create a nice effect; however, it is barely noticeable.

The second effect uses a grain effect which I have used in almost all of the shapes. I chose not to use it on the silhouettes, grass and fence in the lenses to leave this as the focus. I like this effect as it reminds me of 'grainy' film; if you zoom in, you can see the different coloured specs which created this cool texture.

I considered working in a comic book style eventually as it is a print medium designed for visual storytelling in the same way a film or animation can. After looking at the original illustration, a peer of mine mentioned that I could experiment with pop art. From this, I chose to look at the work of Roy Lichtenstein. After looking at some of his works, such as the 'Sleeping Girl'. I chose to adopt the dots' styling for skin tone and the bold lines on the shapes. Lichtenstein's work sits nicely between the illustrative comic medium, I initially proposed, and the medium of pop art suggest by my peer.

(Left) Sleeping Girl. Roy Lichtenstein. (1964).

Note. From Sleeping Girl. (1964).

(Right) Collage for reflections on hair. Roy Lichtenstein. (1989).

Note. From Collage for reflections on hair. (1989).

Lichtenstein used one colour on the skin; however, I chose to continue with the gradient. I used an effect called colour halftone to create skin. I chose to leave the ears as they are because they got lost on the edges.

I created 4 versions using the halftone colour. I tried the halftone effect on the lips on and off to make sure they weren't getting lost like the ears were. I have also tried both options on the sky in the lenses and a flat sky version.

Unfortunately the effect looked a bit odd after export (which can be spotted in the square pattern that seems to be forming on the face). I will have to address my export options to see if there is something that needs to be changed. I prefer the 2 non-gradient lighter options for the sky in the lenses; however, I am not sure which illustration I prefer overall, but I prefer these illustrations to the other ones.

Bibliography

Collage for reflections on hair. (1989). In Wiki Art Visual Art Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 2021, March 17 from https://www.wikiart.org/en/roy-lichtenstein/collage-for-reflections-on-hair-1989

Lynch, D. (Director), & Caruso, F. (Producer). (1986). Blue Velvet [Film]. De Laurentiis Entertainment Group.

Sleeping Girl. (1964). In Wiki Art Visual Art Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 2021, March 17 from https://www.wikiart.org/en/roy-lichtenstein/sleeping-girl-1964

Wilson, E G. (2007). The Strange World of David Lynch. The Continuum International Publishing Group.