Digital Photography and Imaging - Task 4: Project: Self Titled
18/11/2025 - 14/12/2025/Week 9 - Week 12
Cherilynn Farrencia Faustine/0384745
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND IMAGING/ Creative Media/ Taylor's
University
TASK 4 - Project: Self Titled
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.Lectures & Tutorials
2. Instructions
3. TASK 4 - Project: Self Titled
1. Ideas
2. Sketches and Digitizing
3. Animation Process
4. Final Result
4. Feedback
5. Reflection
LECTURES & TUTORIALS
WEEK 9:
For the first week in task 4, Mr. Fitri briefed us about our final task: to make a self titled composition (in photoshop), and then we are required to animate it on after effects. Then, he introduced us to the basics of after effects. He give a quick overview of how the editing done in adobe after effects. Also when creating the composition in photoshop, we have to make sure the image are all flatten. Then, Mr. Fitri posted a tutorial for us about the animation in after effects.
For this week, Mr. Fitri gave us another tutorial for after effects. He showed us how to import, change the color black and white, edit the opacity, and edit the rotation effect keyframe. Also, we learned how to add texture here (the tutorial uses river as the texture). After that, he briefed us about the documentation PPT for this task. He also showed us the sample of how it should be done.
We are required to make a composition in adobe photoshop with the theme "Self-Titled"-> an exploration project for students to express their own personality into digital art self-expression. After that, we have to use adobe after effects to animate the composition.
1. Ideas
For the idea, I want it to reflect myself effectively. My biggest dream as a kid is to be a ballerina, but growing up, I realized that it is better for me to pursue another path. But although I did not pursue it as a career anymore, ballet still meant a lot in my life. For the composition, I had so much bio-mechanical or nature futuristic 3d design style as my references because I feel like it is the only style that fits my imagination.
Figure 1.1, References
I also use my ballet photoshoot I had in the past for this (since we have to use our own photo).
Figure 1.2, My photo
2. Sketches and Digitizing
I had many thoughts for the composition. There are some ideas that I sketch it out, some appeared spontaneously when digitizing. I tried to explore a different concept and later find out which concept fits me the best. My references are mostly modern surrealism.
A. ATTEMPT#1
Figure 2.1 Attempt#1
For the first idea, I wanted my face to open up with a road coming out of it. Behind it, I added a movie curtain and a ballet dancer in the right corner. This was meant to show my dream of becoming a ballerina coming out of my head. I purposely search for elements that have Alice in the Wonderland vibe because I want this to look abstract and weird (but in a good way, just like Alice in the Wonderland). After that, I digitized the idea and experimented with it more, but this version still felt a bit weird to me because it looked too messy.
Figure 2.2, Attempt#1 Process
B. ATTEMPT#2
Figure 2.3, Attempt#2
For my second idea, I planned to create a sliced head with pointe shoes on top of it to represent my imagination and dreams. For the dancer, I overlaid the costume with clouds to give it a more dreamy feeling. However, I wasn’t fully satisfied with the result, so I continued experimenting and made several other attempts.
Figure 2.4, Attempt#2 Process
C. ATTEMPT#3
Figure 2.5, Attempt#3
For my third idea, I wanted to create a cracked egg with a dancer inside as the main focus. I added a planet ring (similar to Saturn), to represent my dream of becoming a ballerina. The egg planet symbolizes something that feels far away but is still always there. I chose a slightly gloomy mood for this artwork since my previous work had a happier vibe. I want this to be a little bit futuristic-dystopia styles, so I added some metal texture in the composition. The theme of this artwork is my realization that I have to let go of my dream of being a ballerina, even though it still means a lot to me, which makes the feeling bittersweet.
Figure 2.6, Attempt#3 Process
First, I adjust the color of the background to be pink and low saturated (to show the gloomy mood). Then, I started to add the egg in the middle and remove the background. Then, I started to modify the color into a metal-like color (since I want this to look a bit futuristic) using adjustment layer>curves. I added the crack inside the egg and adjust the gradient to match the color. Using shape tool, I create a block inside the crack added my photo. At first, wanted to use the standing pose photo, but then it's too long. Instead of that, I choose the pose where I'm sitting and hugging my leg. Also for the hand hugging the egg, I made it into a metal texture.
D. ATTEMPT#4
Figure 2.7, Attempt#4
For the last attempt, I wanted to explore a more dreamy vibe. I got the idea from a portal-like landscape and decided to use pointe shoes as the portal, with myself floating from it. This symbolizes my imagination and my dream of becoming a ballerina, as the pointe shoes represent my dreams. Through this artwork, I wanted to show how my imagination becomes a sweet escape from reality. It’s my own space where I can step into my dream world and still hold onto my dream even if it mostly exists in my mind now.
First, I remove the tree existed in the background and add a hill that I already modify the color into purplish. Then, I started to arrange the bushes and flowers in the ground, also added my own photo and the pointe shoes. After that, I adjusted the bushes color using adjustment layer and also blurred them a little so that the focus would not go there. I also reused the dancer’s dress overlaid with clouds from my previous attempt (Attempt #2).
To make it look real, I added the refection in the river and adjust the color more. I use brush tools and modify the blending modes to set the right shading and glow, especially the glow that came out from the pointe shoe.
Figure 2.8, Attempt#4 Process
Figure 2.9, Attempt#4 Process
After finishing, Mr. Fitri gave me feedback that it is better if I increase the dancer's size to make the focus more on the dancer. I took the advice and also decrease the pointe shoes size.
For the best, I choose the ATTEMPT#4 because it reflects my dream better, and also I prefer brighter concept than the gloomy one.
3. Animation Process
As for the animation, I planned to keep it simple. No intro and closing, just looping. The first thing I animate is the river. I did it by adding solid layer> applied fractal noise> adjusted the setting>added an expression> added a displacement map effect> mask the river area.
Figure 3.1, Animation Process (solid layer)
Figure 3.2, Animation Process (fractal noise)
After that, I started to animate the bushes to move a little by using the puppet tool (like the tutorial one). I use this method also on the flowers, and the shoes' ribbons. For the bubbles, I use the effect "turbulent displace".
Figure 3.3, Animation Process (puppet tool)(1)
Figure 3.4, Animation Process (puppet tool) (2)
I wanted the tip of my hair to move a bit wavy. I mask the hair tip area using pen tool>duplicate it>change it into subtract. Then, I selected the hair tip masked layer and applied the "wave warp" effect.
Figure 3.5, Animation Process (Hair)
For the final touch, I want the dancer to look like she's floating, so I pre-compose the 2 previously masked layer (the dancer's hair and the dancer body) and added a wiggle position effect. I also link the glow layer to the dancer layer (so that the glow follows the dancer's movement). Since this is a looping animation, I did a lot of copy-paste for the keyframes.
Reveria is a dreamy surrealism artwork inspired by my imagination and my childhood dream of becoming a ballerina. Ever since I was little, I’ve loved escaping into my own world, a place where I feel free, safe, and limitless. This artwork is about stepping into that space, where reality fades and imagination takes over. I chose the title Reveria because it represents a personal dreamlike realm, a world created by the mind where anything is possible, and I feel free.
The elements in the artwork help tell this story:
•Pointe shoes as a portal: They represent my childhood dream of being a ballerina and act as a portal from reality into my imaginary world.
•Floating dancer (myself): Represents that I drifted into that world, feeling free.
•Clouds, bubbles, and glowing light: Give the piece a magical, dreamy, and surreal vibe, showing the beauty of imagination.
•Hills, flowers, and bushes: Build a calm, dreamlike environment, giving the world a peaceful and personal feeling.
Reveria is my personal escape, a world where imagination rules and dreams remain alive, just like my motto, “I create the world I wish to breathe in.”
Through this artwork, I want to remind people that everyone has their own “portal” to peace, and that creativity and imagination are always a part of our life.
SELF REFLECTION:
In this animation, I’m floating through my own imagined landscape. I made it loop so it feels endless, like the calm and freedom of imagination can go on forever. Floating is my way of letting go, letting the mind wander, exploring the world I created, and feeling light without worrying about what’s next. The clouds, glowing lights, and bubbles are there to make it feel magical and soft, like a place where I can just breathe and think. The reflection in the river adds a little depth, like a reminder that even in dreams, I’m reflecting on myself and my own thoughts. Even though the animation repeats, that’s kind of the point, it’s like saying peace, creativity, and imagination are not one-time moments. You can come back to them, again and again. Floating through this world became a way for me to slow down, enjoy the moment, and remind myself that I have the power to create a space where I feel free, calm, and limitless.
FEEDBACK
WEEK 10:
I updated my digitized version of attempt#1 and attempt#3 to mr. Fitri. He said to make the attempt#1 clearer (since there is a lot of elements) and try to highlight the dancer so that it focuses there.
WEEK 11:
I showed the computation of attempt#3 and attempt#4, and mr. Fitri said the composition is actually better in attempt#3, but for the color, it's better on attempt#4. His advice for attempt#4 is to make the dancer bigger so the focus is clear.
REFLECTION
Experience: This task was frustrating at first because brainstorming the concept was challenging for me. It was hard to think outside the box, especially since I chose a surrealism concept that required more creative thinking. However, once I understood the workflow, the process became enjoyable, especially animating in After Effects. I learned a lot from Mr. Fitri’s tutorial and also explored adobe after effects by myself. I experimented with many effects and searched for additional After Effects tutorials on YouTube to improve my skills faster. Overall, I really enjoyed working on this task.
Observations: I noticed that brainstorming creative ideas is quite difficult for me, especially at the beginning. I realized that sketching first helps a lot, and it makes the work easier than directly digitizing the ideas.
Findings:From this task, I learned that I need to improve my creativity and planning skills. Watching tutorials and learning by myself works well for me. The skills I gained from this task can be used in future animation and motion design projects.
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