LAUAN601: Practical #3

This week concludes a large section of my practicals, in terms of the finished final illustrations. In general, I found the pieces works quite well, not only on a technical and aesthetic level, but narrative-wise as well, translating the emotions and thoughts I wanted. One thing that was mentioned by my tutors that perhaps some of the narrative points might be a bit vague if you're familiar with the context of the situation so within the submission sheets for the practicals, it might be best for me to includes several introductory lines to each piece. However, overall, I did try to build as much stories into all the finer details as possible

Age: S.A.M model in used in a care centre, helping elders to experience the memories and feelings of their youth. Inspired by my case study of Paro - a therapeutic robot seal being used in care homes across the world for people with dementia, and also increasing application of VR tech in everyday life.

Early sketch 

Love: Inspired by the case study of Hatsune Miku - the digital diva, along with elements of Japanese subculture such as otaku- those who are passionate fans of a certain subject, hikikomori - people who lock themselves in their rooms and disconnect from the world, and the Japanese love of digital. This illustration echos the story of artificial love, similar to that of Spike Jonze's 'Her' (2013) 

The hikikomori environment 

Kondo Akihiko - 35

Passionate fan who got married to his virtual Idol - Hatsune Miku 

Care : Inspired by my own real life experience and observations of my own family and Frank's within Robot and Frank, portraying our reliance on tech even in the most human matters, such as caring for our children, with young parents increasingly exposes their kids to more tech at an early age and the new generation being 'nurtured' by tech ( via phone, ipads, the internet ) 

LAUAN601: Practical #2

Results from the Twitter poll came to match my expectations as 2 and 6 came out as the winner. However, after some experimentation with the body, I found the roundness and 'chubbiness' of 6 really offsets the characteristic and aesthetic of the entire body, and as a Twitter user commented :

''2. The thinner face makes me think of an adult, where as 6 reminds me of a child with it's rounded features. I'd want a servant that seems experienced and capable, not young and ignorant. The simple face seems friendly, I imagine that it could express through emotes''

Therefore I settled with a combination of both designs for the final head. As a result, the design managed retained the expressiveness of 6's digital screen face while balance it out with a more well-proportioned head shape.

As part of the concepts, I also rendered out some extra details on the mechanical skeleton of SAM as, well as visually describe the 'customizable elements' of it, including the 'male' and 'female' body proportion examples, and suggestions on shifting parts.

Finally, to finish of the character design process, I made a more detailed T-pose sheet (with both the female and male body). This can be utilised later on if I ever decided to make a 3D model out of it.

Overall I really like the concept I came up with for SAM, and I think I succeed in my goal in a sense that it came out looking clean, simplistic, approachable and highly adaptable to different looks, elements that I feel would be characteristic of a mass-produced service robot of the future. Narratively however, there's been discussions regarding the question : "What if the customers wants an animal, or a baby robot", which is an idea I've experimented with the Sammy body-type in the concepts above. However, for the particular subjects of the mood paintings I'm doing (love and old age), I think the Samuel and Samantha would be sufficient.

LAUAN601 : Practical #1

With my COP topic changing, my practicals remain relatively the same, and a bit more clearer in concept. What I want to do is 2 sheets of character designs and 3 moods paintings, designed as a concept to narrative that I can take further in extended practices, either through an actual animation or more characters design.

The main reappearing character will be SAM : Socialised Autonomous Model - My owe interpretation of a service robot in the future, with the function of catering to the human needs in the changing modern world. The idea is that each of mood paintings will portray the interaction of SAM with their corresponding 'owner' (who come from different backgrounds, age and gender..) and through it, highlights the talking point within my essay on how new technology became both a blessing and a curse for our modern relationship and interaction. The concept of the owners in my head now includes : an elderly woman in a retirement home, a shut-in young adult, and one-more undecided character.

With that said, the focus of this early few weeks will be on designing SAM.

 

My main theory in coming up with these initial sketch of SAM is that Form should follow functions.

As part of the narrative I have, SAM is intended to be a platform of physical connection between the owner and the Virtual character that is applied on the robot via the means of VR ( more explanation of the concept will be available on each of the moods painting.) So the first key point for SAM is that it has too look and feel like a regular human to an extend, that is to say it has to have a regular humanoid form.

Basing of from that I started looking alot into modern service robot like Asimo and Pepper from Japan. While less 'realistic' than I want, what I learn from them is the essence of 'approachable design'. Its clean (white throughout), simplistic and has a lot of curves (indicating smoothness, softness and non-threatening, much like an animated character). So I want to take that and applied to a more realistic model, which resulted in the slide above.In the same slide, you can see my first concept of the application of the human-image onto SAM as well, in quite a literal sense, however, my concept later separates in the virtual image and the physical robot entirely.

With that said, I still want it to have a defined 'face' - as it is in my opinion a crucial aspect in terms of how human can relate and feel empathy for artificial things, and thereby more willing to purchase it from a business and marketing aspect ( various examples of our need to put a human face on everything in real life.)

Face design will be on Twitter poll to gather opinions on which design seems most approachable.

Several body-types came after the face. More varieties will be explore and then nail down to 1 design, as I want SAM to be in the beginning as gender-neutral as possible, and only alter its form to caters to the human's specification. Although among these 3 designs, I'm liking 'Samantha' the best, so that can be the base for me to move forward from. 

LAUAN601: COP topic changes

After a couple of talks with Mike, I had decided to alter details about my COP question from the Role of Robots and mechanical design as in the original proposal to a more condensed and focus topic:

"Investigation into the challenges facing human interaction in the modern age through the representation of human-artificial relationships through cinema and reality"



I felt that this question , while may not as relevant to my the realm of "design", is much more interesting to me, and due to its focus on a very specific area of research (human-articial relationship via cinema representation) and provides much more opportunities for an in-depth study within the given word limit. And in some way, it still very much relates to my practices as understanding this would provide a base to develop the writing of characters and narrative in any future projects, as well as inform their design choices.

With that said, the main focus would revolves around the analysis of 2 cinema case studies : "Her " and Robot and Frank and the human-artificial relationships within each. This would be followed by a studies into real-life human-robot interaction particularly Japan to further contextualize the ideas discussed within the case studies.

From that the break down the essay is as follows :

Introduction : (200 words)

Chapter I : Context of the current human robot interaction environment ( 1000 words)

Chapter II : Case studies

Her (1000 words)

Robot and Frank (1000 words)

Chapter IV : Japanese robot relationship (1500)

Paro

Hatsune Miku - digital idol

Chapter V : Visualisation of future interaction (Practical focus as well ) (300)

Discussing the evolution of this relationships in regards to new tech like VR , AR and new developments in mechanical bodies

Outro (200)

LAUAN601 Practical consideration

The practical section of my essay will centralised around the 3rd chapter , which is visualising my own depiction of robotic designs in my own environment. This will be complete through a series of digital 2D concept mood drawings , designed not only to showcase the design itself, but also present it within an environment/context that serves to tell a story of each drawing. I feel like this is a good choice, since not that it only relates to the topic im discussing within the essay itself, but falls within the realm of practice that I want to improve as well - that is concept art. And better yet, since it does involve a number of character designs essentially, it can also translate into my extended practices.

With that said, the focus here is "robots" , in any shape and kind. First and foremost , I really want to base it of the current technology trends we're already seeing in the real world, especially the digital such as Boston dynamics, A.I , VR , ... but advance it more into my own vision of what the future could be. Among these ideas, I find the though of androids and robot with a level of human-like rationality and emotion extremely interesting, since, if you think about it, it leads to such a vast amount of potential narratives to discuss, such as, human-machine relationships, machine and machine realtionships, the position of robots then as an equal being in society, humanity and love and etc. This interested is all the more emphasised after I watched Spike Jonzes's "Her" and "I'm here"

  

I'm here

 Her

So the idea I have in my for my world now, is where androids and robots have the same emotional and thinking level as human and both exist peacefully and equally with each other in society ( taking a page of Issac Asimov first rule of robotics - robots don't harm humans, I really want to steer of the pessimistic dystopia-like view that many modern scifi insists on nowadays). this can be portray through various depiction of regular human activities but now performed by androids in their own unique ways wether it is going to a concert , singing, sleeping , falling in love, going on a date. Perhaps this can even includes depictions of human / robot couples falling in love ( with the help of  VR ? ) and go about their daily lives together.

 I really want these robots to look like they are a part of normal everyday life instead of the cliche, walking tin can, but still retains that mechanical uniqueness to everything they do.

So from that , when it comes to the designing the robots and andriods themselves, The majority of them will be anthropomorphic. The base design will follow the role of the robot in society, right I'm thinking of a regular couple male and female robot, an idol robot singer ( taking inspiration from Japan's digital popstar Hatsune Miku) , a paramedic and a construction worker.

I'd still want them to like look mechanical for sure especially in areas where it translates to proper functions, such as extending arms or claw hands and such, but has a level of approachability and endearing to them through either a simplistic and emotive design , or has features that imitates human, such as regular clothing. I'm here and Wall-E are great examples of this , in fact , I'm here has just been such a big influence on the entire idea ! Zenyatta from Overwatch is also another great examples.




This is something very much close to my vision . A regular robotic Joe


Overwatch

robot Idol 

LAUAN601 : Proposal (for submission)

Explorations of Sci-fi mechanical and robotics design

and how the aesthetic has evolved.

For my COP3 dissertation, I really want explore, in-depth, my core area of interest within the field of concept design and illustration, that is sci-fi mechanical and robotic designs (these includes vehicles, startships, machines, robots etc) . Having grown up watching series like Power rangers and Gundam, these subjects have always been absolutely fascinating to me. But as I grew older and begin to watch news sci-fi series like Star Wars, Evangalion and Ghost in the Shell and playing video games series Metal gear solid and Horizon Zero Dawn, it became an area of design that I want to see myself practicing and mastering in the future. This topic for dissertation then will not only be interesting to discuss but will have major benefits not only for my theoretical knowledge but my practical skill as well, as it is basically great excuse to draw some pretty cool robots.

Breaking it down, I would like first to take a quick look back at the history of sci-fi general, particularly on how much the narrative of sci-fi itself has changed from its conception with the flow of technology, and in doing so, alter the aesthetic of sci-fi design as a whole. To be even more specific, I would definitely want to focus more on the aesthetic development of mechanical design, from the tripods of H.G Wells’s War of the Worlds to the space ship of Starwars to the gritty streets of Blade Runner.

 From this then, I can take out a few specific case studies to dive into further for the main ‘body’ of my essay, that in some way represent the diversity and the different eras of sci-fi mechanical design and seeing the philosophy behind each of them. This would include :

+ The works of futurist artist Syd Mead, whose works exudes a sense of simplicity and practical functionality that came from his experience as an industrial designer with brands like Ford and Honda coupled with the bright, clean and optimistic aesthetic of 70s Sci-fi.  (this can represent the Hard sci-fi narrative and aesthetic)

+ The designs of Star wars, which now can be considered synonymous with the whole genre itself, weather it is the iconic star fighters and destroyers, or the very distinctive droid designs. I particularly love the work of Doug Chiang and what he did with the droid army in the prequel trilogy (this can represent Soft sci-fi )

+ Cyberpunk : In my opinion, the prevailing sci-fi motif currently with titles like Ghost in the shell and Blade Runner. It would also serve as evidence to the points mentioned above, regarding how much the narrative and the aesthetic of sci-fi has change compared to the other 2 case studies. (representing the New Wave narrative)

+ Mechas : Going back to roots and take a look at the hyper fantasized, over the top superbots of Japan, from Gundam, to Metal  gear. I particularly fell in love with the bionic-influenced designs of Yoji Shinkawa – concept artists for the Metal gear series and Zone of the Enders. (representing a contrast between East and West).

From each of this case studies, I want to produce several mechanical/robotic design of myself, using each of their philosophy, and style, just see how close I can make a design that fits well within each of universe. This will test both my artistic ability and my understanding of each of the case study subjects

From all of that, I would finally arrive at my own perception regarding on how the sci-fi aesthetic will evolved in the future, in particular, how VR may introduce new mechanical design potential or how the available military technology shape the battlefield decades from now. This can also come in the form of several concept designs which can be utilized later on in extended practices.

Sources fro research :

Research sources :

Books:

- Chiang D (2008)  Mechanika : Creating the Art of science fiction with Doug Chiang ,  F&W Publications Inc.

- Le Blanc M. , Odell C. (2014) Akira , Palgrave Macmillian

- Hanson M. (2005) Building Sci-fi Moviescapes : The Science behind the fiction, Gulf Professional publishing.

- Holland S. (2009) Sci-fi art : A graphic history, Harper Collins

- Unno H. (2018) The art of fantasty, Sci-fi and Steampunk, Pie International company Limited

- Cohen D, Taylor R. (2017) The art of Ghost in the Shell , Titan Books

- Roberts A (2016) The History of Science Fiction , Springer.

- Bolton C., Ronay C I Jr, Tatsumi T. (2007) Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams : Japanese Science fiction from origins to anime, University of Minnesota press

- Szostak (2017) The Art of Star Wars : The Last Jedi, Harry N. Abrams

- Davies P (2017) The Art of Horizon Zero Dawn, Titan books.

- Zamprioli L (2012) Abakan 2288 – Kallamity’s World of Mecha Design

Websites :

Forbes – For interviews

Artstation – Art display websites

CG world – Magazine

Sci-fi-o-rama – Sci fi art website

Sydmead.com – futuristic visual artist

LAUAN601 : Summer Proposal

Potential Area of interest:

“Exploring Science-fiction world building through Mechanical and Robotic design. “

For my COP3 dissertation, I really want explore, in-depth, my core area of interest within the field of concept design and illustration, that is sci-fi mechanical and robotic designs. Having grown up watching series like Power rangers and Gundam, these subjects have always been absolutely fascinating to me. But as I grew older and begin to watch news sci-fi series like Star Wars, Evangalion and Ghost in the Shell and playing video games series Metal gear solid and Horizon Zero Dawn, it became an area of design that I want to see myself practicing and mastering in the future. Therefore, this topic for dissertation then will not only be interesting to discuss but will have major benefits not only for my theoretical knowledge but my practical skill as well.. With that said, even though I absolutely adore the highly-stylize and biological look of Japanese mecha design, I also wants to explore works from great western series as well, which I find sometimes have a better world building consideration behind it. The way I would approach this task then, is first to build a base of understanding in the forms of a brief research into the history of the sci-fi genre and the narratives it discuss, as narrative will then drive the design element. Then I’ll begin to look in the works of different notable artists and series (around 3-4 ) , analyzing the critical decisions that was made behind the design and its role within each narrative. Finally , I would attempt to connect the similarities and differences of each designs to one another, and then compare to the field of contemporary robotic design in real life, as to see how much our perception of “futuristic” has evolved overtime and how future events and invention will change it even more. For my practical then , it will be serves alongside my theoretical work as supporting image, including my own take in designs for each of the universe discuss and that of my own, as a mean for me to learn and develop my design skill as well as technical drawing abilities

Research sources :

Books:

- Chiang D (2008)  Mechanika : Creating the Art of science fiction with Doug Chiang ,  F&W Publications Inc.

- Le Blanc M. , Odell C. (2014) Akira , Palgrave Macmillian

- Hanson M. (2005) Building Sci-fi Moviescapes : The Science behind the fiction, Gulf Professional publishing.

- Holland S. (2009) Sci-fi art : A graphic history, Harper Collins

- Unno H. (2018) The art of fantasty, Sci-fi and Steampunk, Pie International company Limited

- Cohen D, Taylor R. (2017) The art of Ghost in the Shell , Titan Books

- Roberts A (2016) The History of Science Fiction , Springer.

- Bolton C., Ronay C I Jr, Tatsumi T. (2007) Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams : Japanese Science fiction from origins to anime, University of Minnesota press

- Szostak (2017) The Art of Star Wars : The Last Jedi, Harry N. Abrams

- Davies P (2017) The Art of Horizon Zero Dawn, Titan books.

- Zamprioli L (2012) Abakan 2288 – Kallamity’s World of Mecha Design

Websites :

Forbes – For interviews

Artstation – Art display websites

CG world – Magazine

Sci-fi-o-rama – Sci fi art website

Sydmead.com – futuristic visual artist

Artist :

Doug Chiang – Starwars     

                          
Ralp McQuarrie – Starwars

John Berkey

Yoji Shinkawa – Metal Gear

Kuino Okawara – Gundam

Brian Sum

Makoto Kobayashi – Dragon’s heaven

Masamune Shirow/Masanori Ota – Ghost in the shell

Lloyd Allen -

Syd Mead –

Joe Johnston –

Quotes: 

“ If there are cars and airplanes, looking at them I try and think what kind of unique aspect can I bring to that. As I am designing a mecha, making them look more like living things, something inorganic given an organic aspect, then that would be unique”.

Makoto Kobayashi – Dragon’s heaven

“I think a lot of my ideas just float up from my subconscious mind like a bubble from the bottom of the lake. George wanted Tatooine to be a desert planet, with twin suns and all these factors, so I was think, ‘Desert…extreme heat….no plants…just rocks and dust,’ and all the business of Tatooine just came up in my mind”

Ralph McQuarrie – Star Wars

“If we look at movies of the past , the future appeared further away. In the 21^st century, the future accelerates toward us at a dizzying pace”

“The world created by science fiction cinema –whether full blown fantasy or fiction a few degrees separated from the facts of the real world – have always been more about the present than the future they purport to predict.

Matt Handson- Building Sci-fi Moviescape

“As technology advances, the reality we can show is getting more precise. When illustrating the question I always ask in my mind is ‘What is reality?’ That is the foundation of any piece of art I create.”

Yoji Shinkawa – Metal Gear

"Today's audiences are too visually savvy. This makes my job very challenging. Designing the spaceships for Star Wars Episode I and II for instance, was very demanding even though the end results may make it seem easy. Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most difficult to find. The X wings by Joe Johnston is a perfect example. Its seems so simple and obvious in hindsight but it was incredibly bold in execution and strong in design. Since then, the X-wing influences have become ubiquitous in science fiction spaceship."

Doug Chiang - Star Wars