Narrative | Detailed narrative #2

Sorry this is late coming. Soundcloud was having difficulties uploading. Finally figured it out ;)

This is my 2nd detailed narrative for Kibera TV. I was using sound to communicate to describe a small portion of Kibera TV, their culture. I chose to use clips from Kibera's local radio station, Pamoja FM. I really enjoyed making this clip. Their music is so lively and interesting. Occasionally I listen to the clips I have of their music, on my itunes. Haha

 Cook NA project4 by lcook

For Folly poster project I chose Karrin Allyson to promote. Research begins.

Karrin Allyson

Karrin (CAR-rin) Allyson is a three time Grammy-nominated American jazz singer and pianist. Allyson was born in Great Bend, KS and was moved to California, then returned to the midwest where she studied classical piano and sang at her local church. She attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha on a classical piano scholarship. Early in her career Allyson was lead singer for a rock band, Tomboy.

She soon developed a love for jazz, and performed in the jazz swing bad, and gigs around Omaha. She was inspired by Joni Mitchell, Norma Granz and Carol King. 

After graduating from UNO with a major in Classical Piano and a minor in French, Allyson moved farther South to Kansas City. This is where she recorded her first self titled album. The album that would catch Concord Record’s attention. Becoming part of the Concord label Allyson would go to release 11 albums. These albums include a mix of jazzy tracks that incorporated genres of bossa nova, blues, soft rock, pop standards, and folk rock. These diverse albums also included her playing the piano. She recorded a number of pieces which she sang in English, French, Portuguese, Italian, and Spanish.

Allyson now resides in New York, staying with the popular jazz scene but enjoys traveling all over the world. 

Descriptive Words:

Sexy

Fearless

Smokey

Dreamy

Diverse

Sensual

Cultured

Tender

Strong

Heart-filled

Grit

T

The beginning of this project was the difficult for me. We created a large analog concept matrix, using the tropes we studied earlier in the class. (e.g. pun, allegory, irony, metonymy) 

This exercise was very helpful. Allowed us to think broadly about our jazz artists, and what they were all about.

After going through two of these large matrixes, I came up with this metonymy (an indexical image of one thing to stand for another thing) Having a microphone turn into a bird. The micro phone stands in for showing that she is a singer/songwriter. The bird represents her as being graceful, elegant, and that her music has a lot of flow. Only made sense to me to have them morphing into one another.

This is my second iteration of the morphing microphone. I was still working on the form of the bird and making the middle step look accurate. I was also still using the vertical approach.

I then decided to use a older looking microphone. Mostly because she had that classic feel to her voice. Very timeless. Many, many vectored iterations.

I finally get to the diagonal orientation. I began to incorporate color and pattern.

I discover these thin strips of colored craft paper. At first I use them as a background.

I begin to look at different bird orientations. Working on the form of my bird.

Many analog iterations created.

Use the colored craft paper in different directions and shapes. And start to use filters and overlays to change the hue and detail.

I have now decided on a color palette. and used the colored craft paper in masks behind my morphing birds. I have now began to make my bird and microphone look correct.

My final poster was reduced to mild colors and masked smoky images behind my morphs. I have included a detailed shot to show the paper texture within the background.

NARRATIVE | Understanding Comics reading

Understanding Comics, pgs 60-73

In the reading it discussed the importance of interaction between the viewer and how the viewer creates closure. Closure is key for the viewer and has great significance when using time and motion. Which is important when creating a narrative. There are many different transitions that create closure to the viewer:

Moment to moment

aspect to aspect

scene to scene

subject to subject

action to action

aspect to aspect

non-sequitor

These transitions are used between scenes of the narratives. These transitions in the narration help the viewer understand the parts that aren't actually shown.

The last one in this set is the one I chose for my full color. I feel they are all too busy. I have a layering problem. Ha.
I really like using the paper photos masked into the design behind the birds.
I had decided to fill the birds with a color, solely because you could hardly see the birds with only the outlines.
I really enjoy the colors, except the first one. I had placed that one up because I was showing another way I thought about rendering the background design. I really don't think it was working. And that yellow is just gross. Ha. You can also see where I tried to fill the birds with a transparent fill. I thought this would help not make them so solid, didn't really work.

TYPE III | Tender Buttons Book

Final photos of my Tender Buttons book.
I rearranged the poem by keeping the poem in a grid pattern and using vellum to break up text. This allows the viewer to change the words and phrases around by lifting and replacing the overlay.
I binded the book by perfect binding. It is a note flip book kind of style. Something to look up close and read.

NARRATIVE | Detailed Narative

Kibera TV; final video from Loren Cook on Vimeo.

NA Project Three Detailed Narrative

For my detailed narrative project I decided to use a stop animation video using visual images to create a narrative about Kibera TV. While building my narrative I had to create good imagery to stand in for the things I couldn't actually say (like if I was using a voice over) I had to think of simple imagery for things like "youth" or "filming", and projection of the Kibera films. All while creating an interesting, understandable, timely animation. I learned that in order to create a successful one channel of communication narrative you need to use interesting angels and imagery, making clear what you are trying to convey.

When constructing my story I tried to build on top of the images in a way, using on imagery and transtioning it into another. On example of how I did this was starting the beginning with simple human figures, scaling down to emphasis "youths" while then showing the youth filiming. These images work together to create a narrative. I also brought the youth aspect of KiberaTV with the "do it yourself" feel. Child-like.

Above are a few ideas for my Karrin Allyson poster for the Folly Theater. I need to post up my first sktches.
But these are the digital beginnings, many more to follow.
Have trouble with my typography, but  hope to get some feedback this morning at crit.

NARRATIVE | Kibera Poster

This screen shot is super small. I promise to get the full photo shots up soon.

After completing the 15 sec summery of my topic, KiberaTV. It's time for a 24x36 poster. This poster addresses the audience and states how and why KiberaTV was started. My poster includes images as visual language, incorporated with the text. I tried to use colors that would go ago with Africa.

NARRATIVE | 15 sec summery of KiberaTV

Kibera TV from Loren Cook on Vimeo.

Kibera TV

VIS LANG | F + S

Slightly cheesy. But I think it's a clever visual pun. This would be considered a pun because the word "can" is replaced with a visual picture of a soup can. This clever tee is promoting the Obama campaign "Yes We Can!"

Also pretty cheesy. This is an advertisement for a light beer. And it is also a visual pun. Because instead of showing a glass of light beer, they use a half of a light bulb. Same word (light) different meaning/object.

VIS LANG | Karrin Allyson Brainstormin' for matrix

Doing my best to think of some clever imagery.  I had started by breaking down Karrin Allyson and what she is all about and words that I think relate with her.  This is fun, but harder than it looks. My matrix is coming along. Slowly but surely.

TYPE III | Five explorations

Starting off type three with a bang! One of my biggest focuses this year needs to be typography. Last year it was seen to be my weakest subject. So fingers crossed I get the hang of this!
First assignment in type three was to use this paragraph:

born in amsterdam—a city that’s steeped in history, yet prides itself on being quite progressive.
a place where open mindedness always trumps convention. a city that doesn’t
know the meaning of status quo. a unique spirit indeed.

And do five compositions of experimental type, and this is what I came up with:

VIS LANG | Karrin Allyson

Karrin Allyson

Karrin (CAR-rin) Allyson is a three time Grammy-nominated American jazz singer and pianist. Allyson was born in Great Bend, KS and was moved to California, then returned to the midwest where she studied classical piano and sang at her local church. She attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha on a classical piano scholarship. Early in her career Allyson was lead singer for a rock band, Tomboy.

She soon developed a love for jazz, and performed in the jazz swing bad, and gigs around Omaha. She was inspired by Joni Mitchell, Norma Granz and Carol King.
After graduating from UNO with a major in Classical Piano and a minor in French, Allyson moved farther South to Kansas City. This is where she recorded her first self titled album. The album that would catch Concord Record’s attention. Becoming part of the Concord label Allyson would go to release 11 albums. These albums include a mix of jazzy tracks that incorporated genres of bossa nova, blues, soft rock, pop standards, and folk rock. These diverse albums also included her playing the piano. She recorded a number of pieces which she sang in English, French, Portuguese, Italian, and Spanish.
Allyson now resides in New York, staying with the popular jazz scene but enjoys traveling all over the world.
Descriptive Words:
Sexy
Fearless
Smokey
Dreamy
Diverse
Sensual
Curltured
Tender
Strong
Heart-filled
Grit

NARRATIVE | Semester Topic

For my semester topic I have chosen to do the Kibera TV.

Originally I was leaning towards non profit and I am totally interested in other cultures. I believe this will be a good fit. 

I think this will be a great experience and I thoroughly enjoy the idea of bettering our youth's education. 

Through Hot Sun Foundation, Kibera TV was created. This community channel is filmed by Kibera's youth from the Kibera Film School. I will be working with these students in creating an interface or branding for Kibera TV. The Hot Sun Foundation strives to expose the youth in Kibera to new ideas and possibilities by triaining and learning the world of film.

Final Refection

Reflecting on this past year has allowed me to make note of my accomplishments and failures. And that with the good and bad, there has always been discoveries and improvements from these realizations.

For my sophomore review I would like to state and show my process as a design. I would like to kind of show a before and after feeling. Possibly use linear processes or first iterations of project and relate them back to my finished pieces. Use these previous problems to show how I created a complete piece.

I think this will be a good direction for my review, solely because I have grown, realized and excelled throughout this year. All these changes were a process I went through.


I would like to include at least two project from each class this year.

VIS COM | Stamp collection

Museum Exhibit

These are going to be on a board scale between health care and cosmetic surgery, and surgery in general:

01. Face Lift
02. Tummy Tuck
03. Plastic
04. Making the Cut
05. Reconstructed Skin
06. Lifted
07. Transformation Operation
08. Skin Deep
09. Reformation of Health
10. Surgical Suture

I will continue to brainstorm. Not sure which of these I am leaning towards.
I was trying to stay away from the political parts though. I'd just prefer to stay clear from that route.

IMAGE MAKING | Book Cover Iterations

I did away with my amputee and replaced, creating the brain surgery book cover instead.
I think it flowed better in the long run. I have used Baskerville for my titles, which is used in my typography magazine layout.