Final post about the final

Ah, I'm writing from the comfort of my home. I just got back from Japan Monday and have taken the last few days to rest and recoup.

Here are the final images of my project!
















































This scroll is about 25ft long and that was after it was reduced 60%! Wow. It is meant to be viewed listening to the CD with headphones, but for this exhibit we decided to let the CD play as ambient sound. I think the project turned out well. If I had a chance to redo it I think I would have added more specific sounds to the CD, and redraw the first section of illustration. All in all, I told myself that the goal of this class would be to learn how to tell a story. I think I did just that and I am satisfied. :)

Gallery times

Saturday

Lisa 10-1
Danielle 10-1

Harry 1-4
Loomis 1-4
Tiki 3-6

Sunday

Helen 3-6
Greg 3-6
Gian 3-6

The final lap

OMG,

The final week. Our project is due in 6 days and feel like I have some much left too do! I just fininshed chapter 2 illustrations last night. It was a battle too. My computer kept freezing right when I clicked the save button. I had to redraw one section three times. I have to illustrate chapter 3 and mix my sound for chapters 2 and 3. Not too shabby, but I wish I was in better shape. I still have to print. Here is my schedule for the new few days:

-Finish print piece by Tuesday morning. This gives me 3 days to work on sound. This should be enough. I was able to do the sound for the first chapter in a couple hours. I think the trickiest part will be printing. I bought 6 sheets of huge hand made paper from Tokyu hands. I'll have to calculate how to cut it so I can get the most prints out of each piece. My boyfriend and I did the math and we estimate that the final scroll will be around 30ft. The first chapter is 500cm the second is 450cm and for the last I'm shooting for 400cm or less. Plus Dermot suggested that I print it one plain paper too for part of my gallery installation. I also Have to burn the CD design the cover, and I still need a TITLE. This has been the toughest part. I'm trying to come up with a Japanese title. I asked Tiki and Norriko and they both can't think if anything that sounds appropriate.

-Somewhere along the line I need to do some souvenir shopping. I've been emailing home for a list. I think most people can settle with chopsticks and socks. I'll probably get a T-shirt for my boyfriend and my cousin. But I have one friend that I need to hunt for. She's totally Otaku, huge anime manga fan since we were in 3rd grade. when we were 12 we promised that one day we would go to Japan. Well now I'm here and I can't get a hold of her. I've tried email, facebook, and AIM but no response. Helen offer to help me pick out something that she might like.

Urgh. I love Japan but I'm ready to go home. I think I'm just tired. I've been working non-stop since April and I just need a break. I literally passed in my last project the day before I came here. And I've been working on this TUJ program since mid-december, assembling the porfolio, doing paperwork, getting together my finances, and I'm just ready to be done and move on. I wish I had more time in Japan, but I miss some things about the states. Like having a quick convo with the clerk, talking to strangers, and creepy guys hitting on me on the train. I know that sounds strange, but they are all reminders of home.

Well I've been a chatty Kathy today. Back to work. I'm out.

The box!

Ok, so here is the final box. I think I'm going to turn the instructions icons sideways so they can be read from right to left when you slide open the box. I will also print the icons on purple paper instead of yellow.

I'm kinda nervous because I still have so much to do. I have to finish drawing chapters 2 & 3 and I also have to finish my sound. Yikes! Plus print. My goal is to finish the print piece by tuesday.

UPDATER

I was inspired by the guest lecture yesterday to redesign my package. The visiting artist showed her work and also shared some of her packaging designs. There was one box which consisted of an outer slide off shell, an inner box that contained 4 smaller boxes, and inside each one of those boxes was the product. One of the packages was so neat! It was basically a long rectangular box and the top slid outward. The concept of "sliding" is very Japanese. Us westerners think "swing it open!" Like a door or a book I guess. I thought that incorporating a sliding element could make it more Japanese like. And at the time I was also struggling with choosing some type of closure for my box. A slidining feature would eliminate that completely.

Dermit and I discussed my box today and he suggested that I make the outside and the inside of the box very different. Another Japanese ideal is constrast. He said that he was discussing this with a Japanese person. Typically with gifts. The outside will be simple and the inside will be ornate, to add to the element of suprise. I thought this was a great idea. So I began to redesign my box.

The outside is like a medium gray. The inside is a bright green. Inside the CD compartment will be purple. If you lift the scroll compartment there will be illustrated directions on how to view the scroll. These will be in purple to match the CD compartment.






Book making materials.

UPDATE

Wow,

Feels like it's been a while since I've blogged. Here we go!

So I've been working on illustrating my emaki. The story if about a salaryman making the journey from a busy station stop, avoiding obstacles and destractions to get to a quiet peaceful park.

After the critque this past monday I was really frustrated. I had planned a tight time schedule that would allow me finish the print piece the week before it is due so i can work on the audio and the box construction. But after redoing the first part 3 times, I think I'm happy with it. I agree with Ron and Dermit that the artwork is more sucessful now.

I also took time this week to mock up the box and the scroll.