Graphic Narrative : Evaluation

To analyse the work that I have done I will complete questions per each section debating the use if text, imagery, colour and will include things such as the Hierachy of information and tools and techniques. To complete this I will finish with the evaluation questions.

Use of colour: Bold or subtle ? Limited colour palette or many colours? why do you think the use of colours is successful( explain why) ? 

The use of colour within my graphic narrative and in this image is basic but bold. All the colours included within the greyscale that has firstly been created by the hand drawn imagery but has later been added to all photography through Photoshop techniques. This colour creates a poignant and interesting atmosphere to the images as it has clear connotations dull ness or death. These connections can that the lyrics maybe be from a father who has lost their son and is looking back on what they should have done creating a senario where the life has been taken from the image so the colour has drained to. The mixture of a bold background as a clear statement of the boldness of the song but has the small emotional touches that can be seen through the subtle features such as the light shading seen mostly within the frame and the photography this two opposites shows the harsh reality along with the loving emotions. This song can also be perceived in another light as as a dad looking into the future and seeing memories that are yet to happen, so people are yet to bring love and life to them which is often represented through colour. The limited colour palette I feel has helped express this as the lyrics can bring meaning so has the colour as its rooted connection to the song creates a realistic story. This I think could have possibly been improved by adding colour either dark colours or by possibly adding bold colour blocks, I have trailed this through experimentation but this seemed to sit within the artwork to have any real connection to the story or song lyrics. Overall, the use of greys and black throughout the narrative has successfully created a story that you can empathise with whether you as the reader see's either of the two optional themes as the colour may yet to be added or has been removed. This has created a piece that can divide views in the way that any story does as each person will add their personal experience to decode the story. 

Use of text : choice of typeface( font), scale, colour? Does this reflect the theme well ( explain why) ? 

in each of my slides I have used various fonts depending on the situation surrounding it, the most effective example example of this is within the second page. This is due to the specific font selected to create the realistic effect that I wanted so that the font will be highlighted but will also sit within the image. I do not know the specific name of the font used but it was altered multiple times to fit and sit onto the trophy this was not only done with the use of shadow and embossment but also by finding the correct angles. The font size is altered to exadurate certain points just like on a real trophy where the title they have one will sit above the rest on the her achy of information  after this will be the year and then with the opening. This has been to done to fit within the lyric where the father wants to win the title "father of the year" as stated on the trophy. This has been done in the way that smallest text is a simple size 14 and then the largest seen as " father" is the largest at over 70. This has created a realistic structure to the piece as to text sits into the scale of the image whilst still remaining at the top of the heir achy of information. The colour of the text was kept to the overall hand drawn effect of the black and white colour scheme. I think this does keep to the overall effect of the image as realistic as possible because they have to sit with the idea that these photos are within this one dimensional world as they hold the emotion. So the font was kept basic but does still draw attention. 

Use of imagery: Does this reflect the theme well? Is the imagery abstract or realistic? Is it hand drawn, computer drawn or photographic? If photography has been used, how has it been manipulated? In your opinion, should more/less imagery have been included ( explain why)? 

The  overall idea for this assignment is to take words and to use them for the story or inspiration to create a picturesque graphic narrative. I think I have achieved this within child as this has been completed to the best of my ability through the use of imagery as little text is needed to create the overall effect to see the fathers devotion to their child and the love is reflected within the theme of the overall narrative as it holds an emotional story. All the used is done within a realistic style this can be seen most in the final slide where the two styles of hand drawn and photographic imagery really comes together to tell a story. It can be seen in all of the images that the hand drawn universe accommodates these stories that are brought together with emotion breathing life within them to create this boys childhood memories. I think this was to create the point that situations are realistic due to the emotions that are tied within them. By using the two themes of art I have reflected this theme as much as possible. The photography that has been used is within this black/white/grey colour scheme as during production this fitted better but it has brought some depth to the images that highlights the details in the photography. This is seen at its most in the last slide where it accommodates most the space as a collage of the photos has been used to create a wallpaper behind the thing that started it all the camera. I think slide puts the whole story together pulling the word drawing and photos together to create the overall narrative. I think that overall the correct amount of imagery has been used to define and mold the graphic narrative as the two styles together crewe a story on their own without the text and I think this is what makes it successful. 

Hierarchy of information ( text and / or imagery) : What do you read first and why is your eye drawn to this? What is the order in which you read all of the information? In your opinion is the hierarchy in the correct order ?

The set up and hierarchy of information is very similar in very of the slides apart from the last that has been altered within most of the slides the first thing seen is the largest item which is the frame containing the photograph that tells each lyric. This is the main attraction is to the image as it is the element in which the story is created as we can see in the image above you can see this boy and how his father works as his shadow naturing and caring for him as he will throughout most of his life. To  reaffirm this will look for further information which can be seen in the feature containing the lyric in this case the bucket. In this case the lyric says straight out that the father wants to be their for his child justifying the sight in the image. These together create a story of a father and his child. The order is clear and works effectively this situation. In my opinion this is the correct hierarchy of information as the story is highlighted first although this is not the best direct route I think it is the most realistic.

Tools and techniques used : What tools/techniques did you use to create this. ( e.g. computer, handmade, pens, pencils, illistrator) 

To complete my graphic narrative I have used various tools including in my first step where pencils where used to hand draw the realistic but one dimensional world in which the story is set. This was completed with research and detail into each feature. The only exeption to this hand drawn imagery was within the last slide where a pen was used to add text this was done to highlight this section as the imagery already held so much grey. I chose pencil because of the one demensional quality it held as it emphsises the contrast between the photography and the surounding world. The photography did not need to be completed by me personally as it was openly available but it was further developed through photoshop. The whole of the imagery including the frames where taken into photoshop where any rough details where taken out including any colouration in the images and by adding a filter to the photography the images highlighted each other in the page. The last tool to be used within the process was to add any highlighted or changed text this was completed through illistrater with the help of the font choices I changed them to fit within their surrounding image. This then completed my imagery to  the standard that I was happy with. 

Conclusion 

The graphic narrative assignment has challenged my graphic knowledge by highlighting area that I could improve in for example my illstrater skills and font choices as this lacked in my final narrative. The assignment has also highlighted the skills and creative elements that I have enjoyed for example photoshop and the task of being creative. Altogether I think I have created a graphic narrative that has completed the given task within the given brief. To create my narrative I used a wide variety of graphics skills including photoshop and illstrater. I think this is what has brought my overall images together. The use of hand drawn illistrations was extracted from my inspiration for example Chris Riddell although his work is different in many ways as the illistration still holds life within in it. I think by creating this one dimensional world with hand drawing and comparing it to the realistic world of  photography it think the life it has added to the imagery is what makes the life and emotion of the story brought by the lyrics the most realistic. I think that my graphic narrative makes sense and work in sequence but I think if I was to complete it again I would make some alterations including the use of text as it could have been highlighted further and may have been clearer overall completing the story. I think that the tools and techniques that I have used are the best that I could have used although they could be improved they do make the image and overall the story. The narrative came together with little faults made so I think overall the production methods I have used where successful. Others that have seen the narrative have reacted well to the narrative although it is agreement that the font choices could have been improved. Overall the narrative has come together to form a story that is told with the emotion needed.