Unit 19 - Evaluation

My project began several months ago when I was doing the desktop project, the 4 themes was decided at that point; Fantasy, War, Horror and Sci-Fi. We needed to do 5 icons for this project in total so I linked the 5th icon with work from another project I've been doing along side this one. At the start of this course I playing around with 3D Studio Max, learning the basic techniques to create basic shapes. One week in the 3D sessions we made a car, very basic but still holding the principals of what a car is, this basic car gave me the idea of having my 5th icon to be motor sport related. Originally I wanted it to be related to my favourite team in motor sport being Ferrari but this would of been easy and probably effected my grade as it wasn't an original design. So instead the 5th icon would be related to the model that gave me the Ferrari idea, my basic model I created a while back. The basic car which would ultimately be my 5th icon.

So going back a few steps in the process, to continue from the collage of the 4 themes we had to do research on icons and symbols that are famous or well known like Egyptian Hieroglyphics and road signs for example. We had to analyse these icons and what was the meaning and purpose behind them. Doing so helped us understand how our own icons could have the same effect in it having a purpose and meaning or relevance. After looking at the icons is was important to look at the platform we would be displaying these icons on to. We looked at the history of Apple, the varies products they sell, the differences between the last two iPhone models and for me the differences between the iPhone 4 Vs. the LG Optimus 2X. This give us more information on the brand behind the iPhone and the competition against in the smartphone market.

Another important step in this process was looking at interactive media, this is the industry I'm working for so it was important for me to look at not just games but other elements like Television forums like BBC F1 forum. I also looked at the Coca Cola Company with it's unique graphics used for their logos and still ads. Finally for this first part of the process I had a look at BAF10 and what Sony presented there, they gave people more insight on 3D images and how they worked. Also showing people games using 3D like Gran Turismo 5 and Killzone 3.

Next up was creating the concepts for the 4 icons in their specific themes. Before this I made my proposal of how it will run. Multiple drawings for each specific theme was made in the process with detail of what they are and colour palettes chosen for them. After the concepts were complete discussions happened to decided which ones will be taken to the next level. This included design on Ferrari which was dropped for the 3D model as stated above. Once the 4 individual icons from each theme were chosen the final drawing had to be produced for further production. All 4 designs were done and scanned on to a computer for PhotoShop manipulation. 


PhotoShop work began to develop the icons further, this brought them to life by introducing the colours that was mentioned in the concept sheets. As well as the colours, effect with brush types and use FX tools were used to the icons look 3D. Both these elements help my drawings look better. FX tools used were shadows, glows, gradient & Bevel and emboss. *A log sheet* will follow one from this evaluation to detail all the techniques used on Photoshop.

Fantasy Icon

 War Icon

Horror Icon

Sci-Fi Icon

Motor Sport Icon

Now I'll just do a brief summary of how I think each icon went. 

For fantasy my initial idea was to have a floating island, similar to what you may have seen in James Cameron's Avatar. For several reasons this wasn't possible, first of all my drawings skills ain't all that special so it won't of looked all that and then the time to manipulate it would of taken probably longer. A though it wasn't what I was intending originally I think my fantasy icon worked out quite well. The colours I was going for and the FX have worked out quite nicely.

With war I wanted to have a dirty and gritty icon, plus I wanted a flag to go with that. This icon purpose was to remember the lost in both wars. Overall it worked out alright and doing its job, even though I couldn't have the flag dirty or gritty for reasons based on respect it still holds its message across I think. Again the FX helped make it look even better than what it could have.

Horror was the perfect icon in my opinion, instead of blood or cheap thrills I wanted something simple and not scary at all. I basically penciled an outline of how a Owls head looks like and its eyes. then scanned this in and let the colours and FX do its magic. A simple silhouetted owl with only it eyes and beams of light behind it. Later I added circle to represent the moon for more detail. Worked out exactly how I wanted it to be.

The Sci-Fi icon started out like it is now but without colour and FX. The original bland and basic icon looked nice and fine. On this one and think I went overboard with the colours needed for it. I if was to go back and changed anything in this project I think this would be the main one. The idea and drawing was sound, colour use wasn't.

Obviously the car idea which was the fifth icon spawned from my love of motor sport, I wanted it to be Ferrari related and that wasn't possible for this project so instead I based it off another project I was doing in 3D. As mention above the basic car helped me with this icon greatly but I did leave a little hint of Ferrari in it with the colours behind the car. The colours of Italian national flag.

This is the final image with all my final icons on the iPhone 4.

The above image shows professional examples of iPhone icons, most of these are official iPhone icons with my own made icons on the iPhone as well.

For more details of my progress in my work please look at my blog post titled Unit 19 - LO1-LO3.