Preparing work for submission week

I have been really busy this week since on Monday is a submission day and I have been working on my Concept Design document and Pre Production portfolio.

Had a meeting on Monday with my mentor and she gave me advice on different ways on how to approach the Concept Design document. I am nearly finished with it and still wonder if what I have written would be satisfactory. Talking about inspiration is always hard for me. I have also followed her advice and took a 'Visual  Culture' book by Richard Howells* from library to help me a little bit in describing some of the art works that I thought were most inspirational for my project so far.

Also this week in between getting things ready for submission I have also managed to complete my last game 'screenshot' that somewhat had been inspired by Jon Klassen art.
(Jon Klassen on Tumblr: http://jonklassen.tumblr.com/ )

The underwater snake has been inspired by a  Lindworm and its head is a direct reference from a pictish stone that is being exhibited at the McManus Art Gallery in Dundee. (See image below)

final layout sketch

final colour version

I am not sure if I am really satisfied with the final result. I think, I should certainly spend more time on the image overall and especially give more attention to the water as well as the stones at the bottom of the sea. It all looks a bit too uniform and boring. Perhaps a slightly different colour scheme would have also worked better. UI is still a very simple one as I did not have time to do any research on this topic yet.

The actual submission deadline is on Monday I will call it finished as I do not have time to do anything else with it.

*    Howells, R. 2003. Visual Culture. Cambridge: Polity
Book is divided in to two parts: Theory and Media.

Theory part mentions a number of theories that can be used to understand and analyse visual text.
Iconology concerns itself with subject-matter or content of visual texts. There are different levels of analysis: like a common sense level but also a symbolic one where symbols are disguised as everyday objects within a visual text. That means that not always 'what-you-see-is-what-you-get'. Some meaning may be hidden from view if the viewer is not familiar with the symbols or their meanings. Also, a visual text has a power of revealing basic attitudes of nation, period, lass, religion etc... all through the work of an artist who communicates it often unconsciously.
Formalism concerns itself with form becoming the meaning of the visual texts therefore it does not concern itself with 'what' is being represented but 'how'. This theory is great for analysis of modern and abstract art with no subject matter. It uses 5 points of analysis (1. the rhythm of the line, 2. mass, 3. space, 4. light and shade, 5. colour) in communication of emotion through visual art.
Traditional art history. Art and artist should be analysed within the context of the history because history and art knowledge influenced art evolution. Also, it influences nowadays the commercial value of an artwork, where value can be created for a piece of art if it's tought that it has been created by someone famous.
Ideology investigates ideological approaches to analysis of visual culture. It suggests that visual texts as cultural texts inevitably betray the values of the cultures in which they were created. Also, some theorist (Berger) claim that art experts deliberately obscure the visual evidence of the past in order to justify the politics of the present.
Semiotic theory can also be useful in analysis of visual culture. It analyses connection between sign, signifier and signified. It suggests that signifier can be interpreted as an empty vessel until it is filled with meaning in order to signify. (e.g. advertisements that don't sell sell the product but a lifestyle)
Hermeneutic analyses interpretative approach which acknowledges that there are differences between literal and intended meaning therefore there can be plenty of ambiguity within visual text. It also suggests that there is a connection between education and culture: culture grows and changes.

Media part of the book is concerned with representation of reality within fine art, photography, film and TV as well as discusses if  'new media' is actually that new or is it only a different systems to deliver what is already there (e.g. still and moving images etc.)

Actually I did found this book useful and now after reading it properly I find myself analysing more not only visual text but everything else for 'hidden' meanings. It certainly made me 'see' more then before.