Introduction
During this unit I learned how to build a story and characters. I had the opportunity to use applications like Adobe illustrator and Pro Tools. I was able to apply my skills to create parody songs and design my own art and characters. I had a lot of fun learning how to use new applications and am looking forward to using them in the future.
Story
Our main assignment in english was to write our very own flash fiction. For my character I wanted to have someone that had to battle with a inner struggle. The setting of the story is Chicago which was inspired by my brother because he lives there. I produced the audio version of my story in pro tools. There I was able to add extra sound effects and background music to make the listeners experience more enjoyable.
Second Chance
“What can I get for you tonight?” This question was posed hundreds of times a night to the wannabe bougie customers at the niche restaurant, Cafe Italia, where Vegas Brown had the misfortune to be employed as a waiter. The patrons were always trying to sound smart and sophisticated when ordering wines that they pretended to know so much about, when in reality, they had only read about them online an hour prior to their reservation.
Vegas was the type of person people simply didn’t notice. Although he was built like a light post, standing well over 6 feet, he walked with his head bent and shoulders hunched, arms dangling loosely by his side as he furtively watched everyone, invisible to the throngs of people moving along the busy streets.
Shifts were long at Cafe Italia, where Vegas had unintentionally turned his life into a never ending cycle of work that would invariably continue until his body gave up on him. Wake up at nine. Brush teeth. Eat the same meals he had eaten his entire life. He could recite the store names in all of the buildings he biked past, knew the exact location of every pothole, divot, and rough part of the streets that he should avoid.
However, today, as he made his way to another shift at Cafe Italia, something unsettled him. Gloomy skies loomed overhead, cars were seldom seen zipping past him as usual, and the individuals that he passed daily on the sidewalks were nowhere to be seen. In fact, it appeared that he was alone.
The usual frenetic buzz of the city was more of a quiet hum. Arriving at work, he was looking forward to the day beginning to feel a bit more normal as the lunch shift was always particularly busy.
Vegas entered and walked to the back of the restaurant where he buttoned up his starched dress shirt and put on his slick black tie. He looked forward to an occasional adventurous customer as they would provide him with a story or a tale from a trip across the world. His favorites were the ones about hiking up waterfalls, seeking creatures in a dense forest, or even relaxing on white sand beaches with the hot sun kissing their skin.
As Vegas entered the dining area, he spied a customer he had never seen before. He was sitting on the other waiter’s side of the restaurant but Vegas watched as he sat and ordered with little regard for the world around him. He didn’t even try to look nice with his tangled hair, worn boots, and a carefree aura. For the first time ever, he couldn’t focus on his job. An uncomfortable feeling tugged at him and it took him a moment to recognize what it was. His stomach tightened and began to churn uncomfortably.
Work became increasingly difficult and Vegas’s mind drowned in a constant clutter of thoughts, the same thing running through his mind. Why must I be so bothered by this feeling? It got to a point where he had to ask his boss to take an early break. As he stepped outside and leaned against the scratchy wall of uneven bricks he saw a group of teenagers skateboard by. I always wanted to learn to skateboard when I was younger, he reminisced. In a moment of clarity he thought back to all the things he wanted to do when he was younger. Why have I always done what others have wanted and never pursued any of my own passions? . If life is supposed to be fulfilling then why am I not fulfilled.
Pondering this, Vegas turns and re enters the restaurant feeling a strange sense of resolve.
His boss sees him passing through the kitchen and snaps a usual demand to clean the bathrooms.
Without even realizing he was going to say it, Vegas snaps back in the same tone “Why don’t you do it yourself for once?”
With his face banked in fury, Vegas’s employer barks, “Who on earth do you think you are, talking to me like that? You’re fired!”
Instead of panicking, Vegas finds himself quite calm and almost joyful. He plucks his nametag off his shirt, tosses it to the table, and strides out the door without a backward glance.
Biking home,Vegas passes a local skateshop and on impulse, pulls over.
Illustrations
Using Adobe Illustrator I was able to create many different illustrations. For digital media I created album art for my short story as well as work on a group illustration. We also had an opportunity to create a physical item like a patch, clothing item, bag, mug, or stickers using an illustration we created.
For this project we were tasked with making something in Adobe Illustrator and then incorporate it on to something else. We had the opportunity to make clothing art, stickers, water bottles, and many other things. I chose to make a patch of a red VW buggy. I decided to make it because growing up my dad had a bright red buggy. For me the car represents a very memorable part of my childhood and I am really happy with how it turned out.
Music
Our task for the parody song was to write our own parody lyrics to a song and then use Pro Tools to remove vocals from a song recording. The entire process was pretty timely but I learned valuable skills. We based our song off of Rich flex by Drake and 21 Savage and our goal was to make the lyrics funny and weird.
[Chorus] Owen,Jensen
Mr Flo, I need help with somethin’
My photoshop be buggin’
And Mr flo, I need help with somethin’
My pro tools audio isn’t workin’
Then Mr Flo, I need help with somethin’
Can you get my headphones to plug-in
Do your thing Flo, Do your thing
Do your thing Mr Flo, Do your thing
[Verse 1]Jensen
Making Layers after layers, We in Photoshop
Never forget to save, so you stay on top
Typing emails after emails, I write that stuff a lot
Reading my flash fiction, nothing beats the plot
Sharing annotations with someone whos trusted
If you get cheatin’ you will be busted
We ain’t even got a bell, don’t stress it
Parking in the residential, I finesse it
I’m a savage
My photoshopping be magic
Yo photoshopping be tragic
Grinding homework cause my work ethic aint natty
Getting stuff done, I’m still chatty
Owen,call me up, wait don’t call me
Busy at home, Drinking Tea
All of my fellow AM freestylers better hop on this beat
I’m a freestyler, I got–
[Verse 2] Owen
All you fools, All of you fools need to remember who y’all talkin’ to
It’s Mr. Flooo
I got teachers waitn on so they can grade
So you better goo
You need to find you someone else to bug
When your grades start get low, you need to find you someone
Ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy
I’m on that working mindset ayy, late nightset
Ayy, working mindset, ayy, late night grindset, ayy
Sticks and stones, Flo on Flo
gotta do homework,
Internet fails, gotta to send emails
I needa upload so don’t feel alone, ayy
I’m Young Owen, doing freestyle
I used to be free but now I got the style,
These people waitin’ on me like im dictionary
I’m steady pushin’ P but instead I’m helping ms. P
I told my friends freestyle be crazy and it’s so amazing yuh
I used to get C&Ds, but when lil greco help me i be getting As&bs
We revvin’ in BPL so i’m never late
I layer up all my files in photoshop then it’s BRB
You people love askin’ if I submitted, when you know I did
When you know I did
Design
This unit in my Design class I worked with Adobe Illustrator to turn my Flash fiction character into a creature. For the creature itself we had to include body parts from a mammal, bug, sea creature, bird, and reptile that matched with our characters desired traits. For the background of our creature we had to use linear perspective. The last thing we did for our visual narrative unit was to photograph someone who we felt represented our character.
My story takes place in the city of Chicago so I wanted to include some key buildings from the Chicago skyline. The two buildings in the back are the Willis tower and the John Hancock center. The color scheme is meant to counteract the color scheme of my creature.
In my story “Second chance” it follows a young man named Vegas Brown who has lost his whole idea of what he wants to do with his life. It takes place in the city of Chicago and the setting in my work is from the part in the story where he gains the courage and drive to quit his job that has put restraints on his life. He runs out into the street taking in the freedom and journey he has in store whilst leaving his boring unenthusiastic life as a waiter behind.
The entire process of creating the creature and background took many days in and out of class to create. In order to construct the creature and all of its different parts I used Adobe Illustrator. I traced over reference images using the pen tool to create the outline of the different body parts and then went over and applied color and gradients. I chose each separate animal by relating characteristics of my character and its animal counterpart. All the animals I referenced were a Cheetah, Pigeon, Shark, Roly Poly, and Turtle. For example, I chose to incorporate Pigeon’s feet because they are impulsive animals and my story’s character makes very impulsive decisions that alter his life’s course. For the creature and my background we had to stick to specific color schemes that would contrast each other. While my hybrid creature consists of mainly bright colors the background is full of darker blues and yellows. I created the background using one point perspective in Illustrator. I did not have many difficulties throughout this process but, getting the hang of it proved to be a minor speed bump. I am pleased with how my work turned out and the only thing I would have changed would probably have been adding more buildings and skyscrapers to give it a more metropolitan feel.
