Introduction
For my explorations project, I decided to explore and expand on ASMR while still using my freestyle skills. The goal for my project was to create a small interactive book about ASMR that would inform the readers about what ASMR is and how they can become and ASMRtist. With the book being my main project, I also wanted help my partner create our very own ASMR video, using what we know based on our own research.
Production
Infographic
The first portion of my explorations project was my infographic. In order to kick start this, I had to brainstorm what type of information I wanted to display and then gather information through research. After this, I began to design my Infographic in Adobe InDesign. I first chose a color scheme, font, and then designed my graphic design elements. I knew that I wanted my infographic to be more simple and very easy to look at, while still keeping the audience engaged. I chose pastel colors because they tend to be more calming, while still adding alto of color. I began by answering the question of “what is ASMR?” and then giving my on personal definition. I then displayed to visuals of different pieces of data. the first is a visual representation of the most common ASMR triggers, and the second is a visual representation of the there most common uses of ASMR. I found this data through research that I did in English. Below is my complete infographic
Book
After my infographic was finished, it was time to start my book. This book was my main final product for my explorations project which and was primarily done in my Design elective class. I decided I wanted to do a book, because designing my documentary book was my favorite project from junior year and I knew I wanted to do it again. Though this time, I wanted it to be a little different. I decided, since met opic was a little more abstract, I would try to create a different type of book. Instead of a multi-chapter documentary book, I wanted the book to be a smaller, more interactive and relaxed book, that the reader would thoroughly enjoy. Another difference that I really wanted was that I wanted to create all fo the visuals on my own and include absolutely no photographs in my book. After I chose my color scheme, the designing began. I made a plan about what order I wanted to put my information and how many reads I wanted for each point. After, the plan was complete, I chose a font and began placing my text. One of the main differences in this process versus my documentary is the order in which things were done. For my explorations book, I found it was much easier to, kind of, write the book as I designed it.
To actually create my book I sued Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign. I use Adobe Illustrator to create all of my graphic design elements that I later put into my book. For this project, I experimented with the brush tool, which I had never gotten the opportunity o do before. Almost every one of my element I drew by hand using the brush tool and the ones that were not I used the pen tool to create my shapes. The other reason I wanted to do this was to try and keep a kind of unifying look to my book since there are a lot of graphic design element throughout the whole thing. After my graphic design elements were done, I put the book together and designed my spreads using Adobe InDesign, just as I did for my documentary book. Below is a production shot and a link to my complete Explorations book (click picture to open link).
Reflection
Overall, my junior Explorations project has really help me grow as a artist and a freestyle student in general. This project not only helped me improve on things like time management and working with others, but also gave me a n opportunity to improve my skills in application such as Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign. As stated earlier, I tried to approach my book in a different way by working with different tools and design tactics that I haven’t before. Due to how much freedom we were given, I really had to figure out and experiment with these new things on my own time and with very little help. Overall I really enjoyed this porject and I think that I learned a lot about myself as a designer and a person.