Research
For my next visualizations project, I was given an assignment called “Infinite Story”. It consisted of exploring storytelling through 2D and 3D connections and interactive features. The main goal is to take a series of events and create a set of 4 compositions that turns into an infinite story. Using visuals and texts crafted digitally or with analog techniques to contextualize the story and turn it into a cyclical story so that the end transitions perfectly back into the beginning. This story will have to be shortened into just 4 scenes that make use of the physical actions and qualities of the flipper to harmonize the story with the cycle and different movements that the flipper entails. The objectives are to cleanly craft one of the flippers, apply visualizations to a narrative that demonstrates time and the relationship between the 2D images, 3D forms, and dynamic actions. As well as, editing information to maintain intention over the passing of time that practices intentional and functional crafting in both analog and digital methods.
So, considering that the craft for the flipper is one of the key parts of this project, I started by making multiple flippers and watching videos to get a feel for it. After making a couple I started to put simple sketches on the flipper to try and understand how the physical aspects of the flipper could enhance the scenes. I used the story of Little Red Riding Hood in the sketches and it definitely was so beneficial to helping me learn how these two elements tied together.
Exercise 1:
After experimenting with the flipper, it was time to think about a story or anything that I felt could be put into a cycle that incorporated a sense of movement that could be used within the flipper. Being someone that has a long history of playing sports and going to games is the first thing that came to mind considering how much movement there is. But I have played and seen so many games, I needed to think of one that was special, that holds meaning, and has distinguishing events that would in turn lead to a confident narrative. Someone who was born and raised a Cleveland Cavaliers fan, I decided what better game to do than game 7 of the 2016 NBA finals where LeBron won us our first championship. A game is normally a huge compilation of numerous plays spanning over a set amount of time, but right off the top of my head, I knew there would be multiple images I could pull out and start to eliminate to eventually find my final four scenes.
Exercise 2:
After brainstorming for what would hopefully be my final composition, I had an in-person class where I worked in groups to again help discover more ways to make connections between images and the movement of the flipper. We were given the prompt of “let’s not talk about what happened last Saturday night”. My group decided to illustrate a group of friends getting abducted by aliens and then eventually sent back down to where it all started which can be seen below. We were able to take the vertical movement of the flipper to demonstrate how the aliens abducted them up into their ship. This was just as beneficial as the first example in gaining more knowledge on how this flipper can be utilized. It was also helpful to see all my other classmates’ examples because we all ended up using different types of movement which just added to the already great amount I learned from that class. So, I ended up leaving that class with a better understanding of what images I want to extract and how I can display them in the form of a cyclical narrative. So, as the next step in my process, I began finding images from the game abstracting them in my own way to see which ones I should keep helping create the cyclical feeling within this narrative. After consideration, I decided I needed to communicate the two events that can be seen as the climax where LeBron James has the game-saving block which in turn leads into Kyrie Irving hits the shot that eventually won the game. I still needed two other scenes that would communicate the cycle of a basketball game. Every basketball game starts with a jump ball and this particular game happened to end with the ball being thrown into the air. I realized I could use the physical features of the flipper to demonstrate that idea of them throwing the ball up to symbolize the ends of the game that also turns right back into the game starting again which is the jump ball.
Iterations
I now have gathered my four images and could begin the iteration phase. I experimented with multiple angles and different imagery for each scene to try and piece together which combination of the four would best communicate the goal established at the beginning of the project. Going through the iteration phase helped me realize the ball in each scene will be the main image that communicates the movement that works hand in hand with the flipper. The conflict between the two teams would help build up the narrative while the ball helped to move the narrative along in what would eventually become a cycle. Because I wanted to stress this movement, I decided that coloring the ball would be a great way to emphasize its impact and the importance it holds within the narrative.
Here are some of the images I would like to credit as inspiration I used going through the iteration process.
Concept Statement
The chosen narrative over the course of time has been reimagined multiple times that have eventually led to a final composition. There are four abstracted scenes from game seven of the 2016 NBA Finals. The ball is the main image that conveys movement and passage of time throughout the physical aspects of the flipper. In the first image, you can see the ball at the top half of the composition. A sense of conflict can already be sensed by the two outstretched hands for the ball. When the flipper is opened like a book the bell splits in half and the conflict arises. The next image seen is a layup being blocked and although there is no one who shot it in the frame, it is supposed to come off as a defensive play because the rim has been removed from the scene so that the idea of scoring wouldn’t be assumed here. Next, the flipper opens up like a letter and the ball leads from going off the backboard to what is a depiction of a ball being shot and then a zoomed image of the ball headed into the basket. The flipper then again opens like a book and the conflict is seemingly resolved as the ball is getting tossed up in the air and the Cavaliers celebrate. Then to keep this entire story like a cycle when you open up the flipper like a letter the ball being thrown in celebration. Now it turns into the jump ball for the next game because basketball is a sport that is always about the next play, never holding onto the past. So, I tried to use the images and physical movements of the flipper to encase that feeling throughout this cyclical narrative.
Production
So, finishing these iterations and narrowing it down to my final four images I was ready to finally construct my final and end product. The chosen narrative over the course of time has been reimagined multiple times that have eventually led to a final composition. There are four abstracted scenes from game seven of the 2016 NBA Finals. The ball is the main image that conveys movement and passage of time throughout the physical aspects of the flipper. In the first image, you can see the ball at the top half of the composition. A sense of conflict can already be sensed by the two outstretched hands for the ball. When the flipper is opened like a book the ball splits in half and the conflict arises. The next image seen is a layup being blocked and although there is no one who shot it in the frame, it is supposed to come off as a defensive play because the rim has been removed from the scene so that the idea of scoring wouldn’t be assumed here. Next, the flipper opens up like a letter and the ball leads from going off the backboard to what is a depiction of a ball being shot and then a zoomed image of the ball headed into the basket. The flipper then again opens like a book and the conflict is seemingly resolved as the ball is getting tossed up in the air and the Cavaliers celebrate. Then to keep this entire story like a cycle when you open up the flipper like a letter the ball being thrown in celebration. Now it turns into the jump ball for the next game because basketball is a sport that is always about the next play, never holding onto the past. So, I tried to use the images and physical movements of the flipper to encase that feeling throughout this cyclical narrative.
Portfolio Project
View final project at Infinite Story Project