Passion Behind Communication Matters
Adaar shares how understanding the contribution and significance of various aspects such as subject matter and the passion behind the designing process can help gain clarity from conceptualisation to execution.
CG. What do you feel forms the basis of your motion graphics work?
Adaar. The subject matter at hand and the passion behind communicating the same are what we really focus on – if we connect to it personally, magic happens. So, that's what we consider as the basis of the kind of work we take on and how we execute it.
CG. What is the contribution of colours in motion graphics, and how do you apply them?
Adaar. Colours speak for themselves and always enhances the mood and effect of what is being conveyed. They are very essential to make an impression and convey the feel of what is being communicated, like red for appetite and yellow for joy. It contributes a great deal without saying or doing much – that's the beauty
of it.
CG. What is your process of choosing the right colours and achieving the right tone and contrast in them?
Adaar. Colours enhance life around us by telling us volumes of any mental process. It has its influences on human emotions, more than one can imagine. So, the impact of the subject matter on the target group is the chief driving force behind choosing the right colour. The nature of the colour chosen and how it is applied to a certain piece of work shall determine its effect on the audience's and in turn its response to
the work.
CG. How do you determine aspects such as the apt proportion, balance, symmetry and the likes?
Adaar. Passion for work done and experience allows one to gauge minute details over time. The drive to get things perfect and the effective delegation of work determines the details for us. That's the process and approach we keenly follow.
CG. How do you feel symbolism, concept and the likes contribute to the communication in a motion graphic?
Adaar. The objective behind a symbol is to make a quick memory shot without forsaking the meaning of what it represents. A symbol can influence visual perception by connecting the viewer or client to the core driving ideology of the company at hand. The use of symbolism and its comprehension is very subjective. Different people can perceive it in rather diverse ways. We believe it must convey the direct idea at hand in the simplest way that ensures a quick comprehension.
CG. What is your advice to others practicing your style of design?
Adaar. Observation is the key. It can open up your senses and perception to a whole new and wide range of aspects that you might not have conceived earlier. Likewise, there are so many styles. Refer to them; in fact, refer to as much and as many as you can, as that is what keeps you growing. And, keep updated – with current technologies, contemporary needs and situations, ideas, designers & artists and so on.
CG. What do you feel is the future of motion graphics towards which it is heading?
Adaar. Scope of motion graphics is massive in the field of advertising, gaming and immersive technology, and it is evolving like anything. We are very happy that clients are approaching for innovative and quality motion graphics projects. We see a bright future ahead of us, and are quite excited to see what it holds.
We all have favourite TV shows and we passionately discuss the stories and characters of it. But sometimes, we tend to ignore the channel and its branding. Now with many different channels to choose from, we are experiencing many new branding overhauls to grab the audience's attention. In this issue, we focused on Motion Graphics design and people behind some awesome channel rebrandings. If you are interested in moving design or animated content then this issue is a must-read for you!
AdaarDesignIssue 40Motion Graphics
The Essentials of Bringing Innovation & Originality
For innovation and originality one needs to break-free from the herd mentality. With design and aesthetics as its core, FutureDeluxe, headed by Andrew Jones & James Callahan, is a design and motion studio that is in constant pursuit of aesthetic innovation with every project it undertakes. Here, they give us an insight into some of the crucial aspects that makes them tick in the industry.
CG. With a wide array of projects from varied industries, what is your creative process like?
FD. Today's commercial timelines are tight and short, therefore, exploration of new styles and production outside of projects is paramount; to gain knowledge beforehand to bring in a unique approach towards the project. Our creative process is different with every project that we work on, we strive to experiment and innovate every single time.
CG. How do you keep your team updated with the newest technology/ techniques and how does the research enable innovation in your work for diverse clients?
FD. With a broad spectrum of in-house designers and a bigger community of trusted partners and freelancers, the FutureDeluxe family in itself is the key to our diversity. Our interests within the company remain broad and we are always on the lookout for talented artists to collaborate with. It's that collaboration and mix of styles and techniques which keep it interesting for all of us.
CG. What are the challenges faced when creating a moving, live-action narrative?
FD. The approach is very different. When working with CG and digital technology, gives us an opportunity to approach the project in unconventional ways. It allows us to explore and change direction regularly within the project timeline. We are essentially designing and experimenting all the way through the process which means we often stumble on looks and techniques which are happy accidents. However, working with the latest equipment and technology for experimentation or innovation also means a huge financial outlay on a regular basis!
With live action and more narrative based projects, the planning and scripts are written in advance and the production process follows a strict timeline and storyboard, especially with live shoots. You can't experiment on set as much as you do in a studio!
CG. How important are aesthetics in story-telling?
FD. We are a design-led studio and aesthetics plays a major role in visual story-telling. However, we are aware of the wide variety of aesthetics prevalent in the industry which seems disposable in today's age with the limited time span. Therefore, we strive hard to create something challenging, which has never been done or seen before, to make it more memorable.
CG. Apart from motion graphics, which are the other domains that your studio would want to explore?
FD. Emerging technology, films, and digital backgrounds are the key aspects of how we work and the style of work we want to make. Unintentionally, over the last two years, a majority of our commercial work has been CG based. This year we have been working on more data-driven work for a TV Chanel and a digital product brand. We are currently working on large-scale installations for two automotive brands as well.
CG. Experimental design is all about pushing the boundaries of technology. Can you cite one example from your body of work?
FD. We always try to do something new with every project undertaken. We used a great technique in our latest project, OFFF Titles where live-action macro footage was used to drive a particle FX system. This gave us incredible results.
Our procedural approach to all of our design work is the same where we create these techniques which are computational with varied results, while a more traditional and linear approach will give you only one outcome. These unexpected and varied outcomes are interesting and what excites us the most.
CG. Apart from stunning imagery, your designs visually connect with the audience and are successful in exciting the mass. What are the key points for consideration to achieve this?
FD. I think when you achieve to create something that's new and original in today's saturated content channels, it will always connect. Creating a reaction, good or bad is better than no reaction at all. We put our heart and soul into our projects and hope that it connects and resonates with people.
We all have favourite TV shows and we passionately discuss the stories and characters of it. But sometimes, we tend to ignore the channel and its branding. Now with many different channels to choose from, we are experiencing many new branding overhauls to grab the audience's attention. In this issue, we focused on Motion Graphics design and people behind some awesome channel rebrandings.
If you are interested in moving design or animated content then this issue is a must-read for you!
AdidasAndrew-JonesFuture-DeluxeIssue 40Motion GraphicsNike
Overlooked Day-to-day Story to find the Unique Perspective
Concept Artist Renju MV discusses the process of creating an effective narrative by blending the knowledge of traditional mediums into digital tools and the interplay of line work and colours to convey the unique emotions in a day-to-day story.
Mayan Dance
Unexplored Ruins, Buddha
The Right Blend for Desired Results
Describing emotions in a single frame of time with the help of lines, tones and colours can be extremely stimulating and challenging. Although there are varied digital tools which can be utilised to ease the process of design, injecting one's knowledge in the traditional forms such as watercolours, oils, acrylics and pastels can be a boon in the process. Sometimes mixing up both mediums to produce quality work with an effective narrative can be immensely productive as well With his passion for Fine Arts, Illustrator and designer Renju MV has had a great experience in interspersing the traditional mediums with the digital while working for various industries such as game, film and animation.
Spiritual Enlightenment
Unexplored Ruins, Lord Shiva
People see and interpret the same situation differently and every person has their own way of looking at things. There is always a story around every corner and it is imperative to question everything around us and interpret the significance and meaning of what it truly means. Art is a wonderful medium to explore and showcase one's original perspective on the world which might have been overlooked by the mass. Gaining perspective is the only way to break free from herd mentality and stereotypes that are ingrained in society.
Thumbnail sketches for Lord Shiva art work
Observe, Interpret and Deconstruct
The illustrator believes that observation is elementary; interpretation of the observation and then deconstructing the information is vital in the process of design. While trying to stay emotionally connected to the facts, he then uses his limitless imagination to assemble his project's reference. This method provides a base and gives a sense to clarity to begin or develop an idea.
The Role of Pencil
An initial comprehensive of early sketches of an idea is essential. These series of quick drawings help the designer to get a visual continuity and refine the sketches in the progression. Fleshing out pages of thumbnail sketches and slowly locking down the final rough is a gradual process that is extremely crucial to understand the different elements in the narrative and how they must be depicted. This later becomes the template for the final art work.
Caravan Series
Ganesh Chaturthi Series
Every Detail is Important
Capturing the essence of the narrative is of the utmost importance when producing the linework, however, the illustration gains its meaning and soul only after it is coloured. The portrayal of emotion and depth in a story is critical to comprehend the mood and appropriate tones and colours highlight it effectively. The designer chooses the colours very carefully to encapsulate the mood and accentuate certain attributes in the story.
Lost Path
Concept ArtDigital MediumIllustrationIssue 40Renju MVTraditional Medium
T.P Vineeth
A visionary with over ten years of experience in the visual effects industry ranging from motion pictures, graphic designing, advertisements and broadcasting, T.P Vineeth is the Co-founder & Creative Director of Adaar VFX Pvt. Ltd. With a wide array of experience in direction, he has also directed the signature film for a prestigious International Film Festival in Kerala and is widely known for his versatility.
print-digital
We all have favourite TV shows and we passionately discuss the stories and characters of it. But sometimes, we tend to ignore the channel and its branding. Now with many different channels to choose from, we are experiencing many new branding overhauls to grab the audience's attention. In this issue, we focused on Motion Graphics design and people behind some awesome channel rebrandings. This issue features interviews with some of the well-known studios and teams of Motion Graphics from India and overseas, including FutureDeluxe Studio from London, Dynamite Design, Adaar and RocketScience Lab from India. It also includes digital artist, Renju MV, highlighting his exceptional control over the medium. If you are interested in moving design or animated content then this issue is a must-read for you!
We all started this year anticipating many things, but nobody thought of life coming to a complete halt. The Coronavirus pandemic has forced every human to re-evaluate their attitude towards nature and life. We also have been forced to lock down in our houses. Though we are no more in the lockdown, still many unfortunate ones continue to lose their lives and livelihoods. This isolation has given many of us the time we needed to finish our long pending tasks. Some have turned to art and craft for peace and solace. While most got relaxed and enjoyed their time with family, others used the focussed time to prepare themselves for the life post lockdown. On the other hand, creative freelancers found it helpful for them to focus and produce more as their work setup usually is within their homes. So, to understand how all the creatives have handled the lockdown, we reached many who have been creating and sharing inspirational artworks during this time. So order your copy if you are looking for inspirational COVID lockdown artworks and some advice on how to handle the current slowdown more creatively!
Find T.P Vineeth Here
Designing with Clarity of Purpose
Illustrator and Graphic designer, Pooja Bhapkar, shares her insights on design with clarity, so that the outcome is as desired.
Clarity of the purpose of the design is most important as you have to think from a client's perspective, that may differ from your own. To fulfill this gap you should always create something for you that will be beyond the boundaries and beyond any purpose. My approach to any project is 'How can I make it different than the previous one?' and along the way of learning some new techniques and treatments.
Each illustration is a story and surrounding elements make it complete. I play with geometric shapes, but, to cut the flow, I added some elements which have motion or living objects such as birds, humans or animals and trees etc. which make it more live and interesting.
Likewise, texturing is the best technique to separate the surfaces as well as create dimensions. Aesthetically, lines and dots are two textures which are way different from each other but they also complement each other.
We all have favorite TV shows and we passionately discuss the stories and characters of it. But sometimes, we tend to ignore the channel and its branding. Now with many different channels to choose from, we are experiencing many new branding overhauls to grab the audience's attention. In this issue, we focused on Motion Graphics design and people behind some awesome channel rebrandings.
365 Days of TypographyGraphic DesignIssue 40Poja BhapkarProject Showcase
The Game of Football and Executing Its Energy
Kolkata based Sagnik Sengupta, a designer and music lover, narrates how he executed an exciting yet challenging idea for a Game of Football promo, and the tools it took him to transmit it onto the screen.
References keep you on track
The brief was to show the essence of football and to justify what really makes football fans believe so much in the game. A reference by the promo team showed a man forming while running with the ball. I wanted to take that idea further and add more edge to it. So I decided to experiment with Motion Capture.
Carry your concept all the way
The concept was to show the players in an alternate world, each representing some of the teams taking part in the Champions League, and performing specific moves that bring dynamism and intensity to the game. I chose to lay the focus on the players and their actions, then on the environment. With the entire sequence mapped mentally, I found the specific actions in MoCap and tweaked them. I used an X-Particles, a third party particle simulation plugin, for the ball to have some kind of a particle-trail to it.
A good designer is in sync with one's tools
It was easy to play with MoCap data in Cinema 4D, with its inbuilt Mograph module. The Mass and the 'Force' tab of the dynamic tag really helped. Same goes for the ribbon. A lot of tweaking was involved. The 'Shader Effector' came in really handy in specifying colours to the particles, and giving them the jersey look of each team. For lighting, I used GreyscaleGorilla's Lighting Kit and HRDI Studio Pack to achieve the overall goal!
Issue 40Motion GraphicsSagnik Sengupta
Unexpected Visual Experience of Film Creation
Rocket Science owned by Rajesh Thomas and Vidya Thomas takes us through the creative process involved in its diverse film-making, and introduces us to the changing trends and their impacts in today's times.
CG. What determines the kind of projects you'll take?
RS. We take up projects that carry a challenge or scope to come up with something new. It gets a bit boring to repeat stuff that we have already explored before.
CG. What is the most important thing you'll try to achieve across the films you make?
RS. An unexpected visual or experience that hooks you to a film is what we try to achieve across the films we do. We try out various renditions of telling a story. We explore various techniques that can bring about a story in an all-new perspective. Be it live action, animation or mixed media, there is always a new way to use it – that is what takes the film to another level and makes it interesting to watch.
CG. For commercial animations, how do you meet or manifest the client's expectations, or how do you instead convince them of what you've created?
RS. It's got a little easier these days to convince the clients to take up a non-traditional route to achieve something unique as they are going through tough competition, and all of them want to stand out and look different in the crowd. We go about a very detailed treatment presentation that elaborates almost every aspect of the outcome so that the client is in a loop with the end results that may come with it. There are still some surprises in store for the client as stop-motion and mixed media cannot be elaborated to its exact outcome. However, it has mostly been pleasant surprises.
AJIO.COM Film
CG. How do you guys decide the direction of the film, in terms of colours, script, screenplay and other such fundamentals?
RS. We really work hard and put a lot of our energies in how to make the film stand out in the treatment stage. There is this gut feeling that lets us narrow down on the route we would like to take. Once we are happy with a certain route, we elaborate on the execution in detail. The route, in most cases, sets itself to the colour code and mood for the film. Almost nothing is left to chance, as far as pre-production is concerned. Though most of our works are experimental in nature, we go in for very detailed pre-production to anticipate all the challenges that may arise during the shoot and post, and try and solve it beforehand.
Taste INDIA on a plate" TVC for Kohinoor
CG. What kinds of results and processes feel most satisfying in the overall practice of creating an animation film?
RS. Every stage of animation is a really interesting process. We have the character in mind, which then slowly begins to take shape and come alive. Once everything is put together, and that idea in mind starts playing out in reality, it is a surreal experience.
CG. What are your views about the current animation scenario, and in which direction do you feel it is heading?
RS. We are still loaded with a chunk of overly emotional stories playing-out in safe live-action formats, but there is a change taking place, slowly but surely. Clients and agencies are on a lookout for directors and production houses that can take their story to the next level of execution. Animation and mix media alongside emerging technologies will play a huge role in the upcoming years.
CG. How important you see short-films has become for everyone in the times of Youtube and Facebook? And where do you see the trend taking us?
RS. The current trend on social media is completely content-driven. Though no one comments on the execution, but behind-the-scenes videos have as many, or sometimes more, views than the commercial itself. People want to know where the thought process began, and the technology used to make the film. This means that they are opening up to experimentations, and are enjoying films – that is radical in approach. It is an encouraging trend and great times for filmmakers.
FeaturedIssue 40Motion GraphicsRajesh ThomasRocket ScienceVidya Thomas
Surabhi Joshi
After completing her graduation as a product and UI designer from Srishti School of Art in Bangalore, Surabhi Joshi is currently a product designer at Hands On Studios, Pune where the aim is to spread awareness of age old traditional techniques by combining Indian tradition with innovation. She has a special love towards illustrations and the various ways of visual storytelling.
Mamata Temkar
After completing her graduation from Sir J. J. Institute of Applied Arts in Mumbai, illustrator Mamata Temkar worked with an International skin care brand for two years before pursuing her independent career as an Illustrator. Her dream is to launch her own brand and open a store in the near future.
Lovely Kukreja
Lovely Kukreja is an illustrator and digital artist from Delhi who is best known for his Indian god and goddesses series depicted in a cute, child-like form. Currently, he designs personalized avatars for stickers and gifs at Bobble AI.
Tutorial: How to Illustrate 'Goddess Durga' with Basic Guidelines!
Evolution of Spiritual and Cute Illustrations by Lovely Kukreja
Find Lovely Kukreja Here