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Here is my main A3 sheet for the client check in. I made sure to highlight key findings and points I used when making my story. I realised that after when I printed it how colours look different and duller once printed. It made me reconsider what colours to use and the effect the final result has. I definitely needed to reconsider how to use greens differently to separate the background, football pitch and green ants from each other so they would be unique and vibrant from each other.

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In order to start the project and create a story with visuals, I thought it would be important to research competitors. I wanted to see what the current market of children’s magazines and stories in books were like these days. This was especially important as the creator of Anorak created it as she didn't like the over use of princesses and dinosaurs in magazines. I went to my local supermarket, Sainsbury's as well as TkMax and used my own old collection. I found that magazines in particular were very repetitive with only maybe one being educational and creative. However, the books were a lot more fitting with the majority humanising either animals or objects which I found interesting and something I could incorporate to the theme of ants which I wanted to pick. The colours of books were a lot evident and unique with a wide range or artistic styles.

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These were some key feedback notes I made from my tutorial with my tutor that I incorporated into my work/ findings. One key focus was the colour which I made an effort to use limited colours that were still vibrant. Another was finding ways to link both my stories together so that they both could stand as two stories of their own that were made by me.

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One thing I was unsure on was what style of art I wanted to do. I decided to experiment freely drawing all ants in all kinds of styles to see what I liked before committing to one look. This was a key part to me developing onwards as I wanted to keep my drawings playful and fun so that it would be interesting and digestible for children. I also tried different colours, mediums and perspectives to both capture the complexity of ants and the simplicity of these small inspects from a human and microscopical view.

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One part from the brief given by the creator of Anorak which felt key to include was involving a mixture of a fun and creative narrative with some education. This could include knowledge on ants, relationships, life etc. However, it is key to keep it at a balance and not making it too educational. This is why I found it really important to top up my knowledge on ants and finding 'fun' facts about all the species and roles in ants and what makes them interesting. As there is so much uniqueness to these insects I knew I wanted to include them in a way that was subtle and easily digestible either by looks or through a poem.

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I also had to consider the title and the effect it would have on the story. It needed to be catchy and short but informative so that it gave an insight of what the story would be. For this I researched football related words and phrases and clichés commonly used by pundits and the media as well as ant related words. From this I tried to combine the two through rhyming and word play. I had a few options but ultimately landed on 'Match Day Antics'. This title highlights the importance and wildness of this match with Antics being a play on for saying it is literally Ants within the story.

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A visual of ant paths and movements.

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Once I started to look at children's book especially the ones I used to read, I started to think of other childhood visuals of mine. This included shows I used to love and have a distinctive art style or creativity which I still remember and hold in my memory and reminisce on. Each have a quality which feels very child like and unique.

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The postcard workshop was a fun yet overwhelming workshop. I found it stressful due to the mess created, however I really like collaging and find it really beneficial to generate ideas quickly. It helped create quick stories and illustrations of different ants. This really helped me as I found my self struggling on making ant characters due to it not feeling ant like enough or feeling to structured, especially as most books with ants looked so similar. I haven't found myself going back to these, but they definitely helped me get back into the creative space of designing and making which allowed me to feel more comfort in sketching ideas that may or may not work.

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Catherine Chalmers: "Builders of Greatness"

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Catherine Chalmers: "Builders of Greatness"

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Catherine Chalmers is an American artist born in 1957. Chalmers went to the Royal College of Art University for a painting degree. Her work explores art and nature and the relationship between the two. This piece is called: "Builders of Greatness". Chalmers first noticed ants when she was faced by thousands at her feet cutting through leafs and noticing the perfectly sculpted pathways. She also noticed the light textures and reflections that bounces of their body discovering the intricacy and beauty of ants. Chalmers had previously explored the relationship between humans and cockroaches and knew that ants was the next thing she wanted to explore. She got inspiration from books like "The Leaf-cutter Ants: Civilisations by instinct" to further explore the systems of colonies. Chalmers also explored the thousand of ant species and their queens which her mentions and explores how ants are always sharing data sending signals about food and threats communicating constantly together. Her work shows how they work as a group travelling from food source to go on this journey together carrying food. I initially thought these were real ants, until I later discovered her whole collection where the ants were completely taking over walls. This piece of work perfectly demonstrates how a food source begins the journey of ants come together collecting piece by piece for their queen. Using natural sources like walls feels invasive as they are part of our human worlds, however they are also part of ants world as we share the world together. I was really inspired by her work due to her unique approach to representing ants behaviour on such a large scale. Although the ants are small, the piece invites the viewer in to see the detail and complexity to the ants following them on the journey. I really like the narrative that follows her work giving a new perspective for ants from a blank canvas allowing the focus to be on the ants and their detailed bodies. For this project its important to have a balance of educational information and creativity in the narrative. Chalmers piece reflects this as it has a journey based on the ants experiences which is definitely what I want to include in my story.

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Damien Hirst is a British artist born in 1965 best know for his controversial instillations that typically involve dead animals or insects. He is also the richest British living artists. I saw his work at the White Cube art gallery in London a few years ago where he had mandalas made up of butterfly wings to create these intricate circular patterns often colour coordinated. These pieces were inspired by mandalas and cosmic maps creating a psychedelic effect. Although many do not agree with his use of deceased animals and insects and many question where he actually gets the remains ethically, I cant deny the fact the pieces were amazing to view. Each piece was about 5ft tall allowing the viewer to be engulfed by the butterfly’s and colour which meant you could get up real close seeing how nature can be symmetrical and beautiful naturally. I got a lot of inspiration on how to use colour and detail to reflect nature for my ants. His work also put it into perspective the size and proportions of nature, he made the butterfly’s feel bigger than us and more valuable. It made me think how we shouln’t underestimate nature and its power and abilities.

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Rosalind Monks is a British artist who grew up in Switzerland. Monks has a fascination with the natural world and her surroundings creating illustrations with pen and ink. Monk's work really focuses and highlights the details in insects and animals exaggerating curves and texture with intricate details. Her work reminds me a lot of my own where I like to use fine liner and fine stokes to create detailed drawings. This is a style I’m used to and conformable with, however I am not sure how suitable it is for a children’s book. I will explore ants using this technique to see what outcome it could have on a story.

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Here is some brainstorming I did on initial ideas I got from the initial brief we were given by the creator of Anorak. I made sure to involve key points which I need to remember to include/ consider as well as my initial ideas I got that I could explore further later on for the theme ants.

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I began researching the portfolio of Anorak's and looking into different themed magazines. I made sure to look out for a vary of colours, layouts and styles of stories that they have published. This was key in order to gain inspiration and see how Anorak really do allow the designers to be as creative as they want to be.

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One thing which was evidently a key part to Anorak is the use of colour. They often are bright and contrasting to each other which creates exciting and bold imagery which perfectly illustrates the narrative and very fitting for both children and adults. I often found myself exploring the pages and focusing on the colours. I began to research colour theory and how effective and important it is for the narrative especially to children.

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https://www.happydesigner.co.uk/the-psychology-of-colour-in-childrens-books-how-colours-influence-young-minds/#:~:text=Colour%20plays%20a%20vital%20role,young%20readers%20through%20the%20narrative.

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The Psychology of Colour in Children's Books: How Colours Influence Young Minds

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Children's books are more than just stories; they are powerful tools that shape young minds and help them make sense of the world around them. The illustrations and colours used in these books play a crucial role in capturing children's attention, evoking emotions, and conveying messages that can le

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I wanted to explore natural habitats of ants for the visuals but also the different textures that happen in nature which I could potentially use later on.

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I was initially drawn to my second initial idea and wanted to start developing it. I began to add some basic colours just to get a gage on how it would look using organic colours making it feel like nature and their natural environment. However, my main aim was to do different variants to see how I could structure lay them out. This was important to do as I really wanted to see what would be the most effective in telling the story and what flowed better for the reader, especially as I didn't want to include text.

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I really liked the textures found in parks especially during autumn when I find that nature thrives in different ways as the ground is covered in leafs. They provide a shelter for whats underneath similar to how ants have their own world down bellow. I had done this print previously using leafs which I really like as it shows the intricacy of nature using fine lines which are fitting to my style as I typically draw in fine liner.

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For my first idea I thought I would include something that I enjoy and most kids enjoy together with ants. I love watching football and I know how impactful it can be for building relationships and a community where people feel united. This is a part of football which I enjoy being a part of and love to explore. I thought about illustrating a story of a fun football match that shows all type of ants coming together for one big game. I wanted it to be within nature humanising the ants to play football at the park and make it feel some what realistic. One way which I believe could do this was by adding details such as referee tops, traditional football scarfs, banners etc. I wanted the viewer to explore all of the details on the page and scan the page from each corner so they discover something new wherever they look. I thought this could be enhanced by purposely giving each ant species a role within the match similar to what they have in their society which would have the information and educational side to the story that isn’t too in someones face of information. I wanted green ants as referees to show the correlation of feistiness within both and the queen ant being at the centre of the ants (almost like gladiators performing for her entertainment). I also knew that the text part would further enhance and explain the narrative allowing the roles to be clearer for readers. I wanted it to be a short story or a poem which would be fun and catchy and work cohesively with the illustrations rather than one relying on the other.

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For my second idea I wanted to create a story that was more of a journey showing life from an ants perspective. I also wanted to play about with the layout and structure of story using storyboard squares to help develop later. The story starts by showing kids eating lunch, a common concept, however it shows the journey of the bread crumb falling into the grass and increasing in size in comparison to the ant. It also gives the viewer and insight of what their underground (ant farm) looks like. I made sure to create fun rooms with different patterns and keeping the page full of life and colour while making it somewhat realistic. I also was thinking that it could take over most of the space, which is why the visuals need to be clear so that it can stand as a story on its own. It also could be a reflection of society of hierarchies and capitalism even in the world of ants with workers working for the queen. It also could help people understand how their actions in the everyday can effect others especially the environment and ecosystems.

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The ants have been let loose for a special match day. Let’s hope they play fair because if not the feisty stingy green ant referees will get angry. The crowd of flying ants go crazy buzzing around the blue sky while the players sprint around the pitch. The queen ant watches proudly as her worker ants work hard shooting for top bins. She grins as she waits to see who will be champion and bring in her winning supper!

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I drew an underground ant farm passage to explore how ants live which reminded me of a map of a home with different rooms.

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I really liked this drawing as its simple, but the texture of the gouache pen tool effect gives it another complexity. I was really inspired by Charlie and Lola as it feels like something a kid could draw and that they could see themselves in. It also doesn't feel too ant like but not far enough where it doesn't feel like an insect. The colours feel light and airy with a cute and friendliness feel to it which brings out a light hearted feel to it where I am almost reconnecting to my childhood.

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I knew for the football match it needed to be fun and vibrant with a lot going on similar to an actual football match. I wanted it to feel immersive like the reader was part of the match and could feel the presence of the match day fixture. However, while I was bringing human football attributes, I still wanted it to remain natural to the ants. As a result I decided to set the football match in a park where it becomes a middle ground for both humans and ants as its an equal ground shared and respected by the two. I think it also adds to the fact its a special uncommon football match being celebrated, with big occasions why wouldn't they go out in the real life to play! I still hadn't thought about the context of the poem/ title, however I made sure to consider where and how it would fit in the page alongside the illustrations. I made sure to keep the space clearish for when I did incorporate the text. One thing I really enjoyed about my narrative workshop design was the interactiveness and how this football game feels interactive like chess as if you could move the characters to create your own game. One book I loved as a child was this Dora the Explorer book where you could place these reusable stickers around the book to finish stories. I decided to add a white boarder to the characters to give a sticker illusion where it feels like you could peel them off. It did also help separate them from the background and highlighting them bringing them forward with the highlighted white boarder. I think it worked well amongst the busy background which is a lot more detailed heavy in contrast to the more simplistic sketchy ant characters. I felt that from the examples of Anorak's past work that this concept and design hasn't been done which makes this feel more refreshing and exciting!

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I really wanted to play around with the body of ants and how I could play around with proportions especially as their bodies come in sections and different sizes. I found that over exaggerating parts like the eyes and head gave them a comedic touch that was quite unusual but amusing to see as they have personalities.

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Similarly to the one above I wanted to explore more colours and facial expressions. I also wanted to add more details in general to see the effect it has. On this example there is a bit too much which takes away from the original look, however I really like the glasses as an accessory. Its a small add on that gives them for background for their personality, but also humanises the ant which I found that a lot children’s book did.

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I also began playing around with colours and what colour combinations worked well together and which contrasted well too. It felt like there was endless possibilities to choose from which was a bit overwhelming and like I was going nowhere! I stopped focusing on the actual colours and instead refined the designs. I did this because I actually didn't know where I would be using and putting these ants, therefore I didn't know whether the colours would work against certain backgrounds and colours which needed to work/ contrast so they remained a key focus to the story.

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The poem is short and sweet mentioning all the important roles and species of the ants. I made it short and somewhat obvious so that kids would understand the correlation, but also ultimately focus on the visual creating a story of their own of how the match day will go.

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I also tried different background colours to see what would help bring out the story. I really liked the neutral lighter but brighter colours like the yellow, but not one stood out enough. Sometimes less is more and I felt that focusing on the story frames was a lot more important which means leaving them to stand as they are could be more effective.

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This is a photo of my friends clipper lighter which happened to have an ant. I found it really fun and playful design that was simple yet effective. I also found the contrasting colours worked really well with the checkered background which make it quite amusing for a lighter.

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This was my narrative strip that I made during the narrative workshop. I made a strip that had a separate piece attached with the ant that you could move down as if your part of the journey letting the ant get his food and go home into the tunnels to feed his queen. I really liked making it and finding ways to do a non linear way of creating a narrative. I also really liked the interactive side to it making it playful as well as finding ways to see how ants move.

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The queen ant was someone who I wanted to look important, but likeable as if the ants are excited to play for her entertainment and want to impress their queen. I made sure to establish her status through the crown and her size being larger. This shows that she's well fed and looked after which is the key purpose of a worker ants life.

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I made flying ants as the crowd as I could randomly place them in the background which works due to them being quite big and sporadic when flying (almost irritatingly everywhere). I wanted some to hold up banners that I could later write little messages on in support of the match.

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I knew from the start that I wanted green ants to be the referees and linesman. I think both have similar personalities and characteristics with them being feisty, sassy and usually irritating to get along with and be around. I decided to add a ref top to further emphasis this so it is even clearer what role they play for the reader. I also like how it humanises them where the correlation becomes evident. This definitely made me want to explore this further and how I could personalise the ants with details like these.

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As I had got the base drawings and colours I began looking for background colours and see the effect it has on the page. Again I found it wasn't necessary and didn't add anything more to the story by adding colour.

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I kept the white background for the mean time while I continued to explore different layouts and seeing whether the more boxes helped to give more context to the story.

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Feedback from client and class peers.

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From the feedback my main concern was the use of the brown background. The brown although reflecting underground could take away from the illustrations. I also needed to find a way to connect the two stories as I initially thought we only had to present one double spread but for submission we needed two. Therefore, I needed to start thinking of ways to connect the two so they still feel like they were done by me. I though of ways I could link the stories too and play with perspective on both.

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These were the main feedback points I kept receiving from people that I needed to explore and develop on. It was a really good middle point as it allowed me to analyse within time what worked well and what needed more testing. I think colour and background were the main parts I needed to develop. I also agreed with comments as it felt like there was too much going in on the background and it could be simplified to bring more attention on the game which would also leave more space for text. I also think the excess in the background meant there was more colours and shades especially greens which took away from the characters. I knew I needed to simplify the larger areas so the details would be more apparent.

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Client feedback

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In my other story it shows the perspective moving from the human to the ants changing size. I really liked this as it felt immersive where you as a viewer can place yourself in. I wanted to try and see how effective this could be in the football story. The story already felt like you as a reader were watching down on the game, so I wanted to further enhance this to show the true size of ants and the game. I added feet which were cut off by the top of the page to make it feel like a giant for the ants but normal as a viewer almost like the BFG film. I really like this effect as it give it another element and shows how harmonious humans and nature can be/ interact together.

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I began testing different backgrounds which were either simpler or involved different colours to green to break the pitch away from the background. I also thought of new ways I could represent football in it. This example is a training ground with barrier wall. I like the way the focus is closed on in the pitch, however the orange feels too overpowering, but yet the idea and design feels simplistic and boring. It almost dulled down the idea and fun of it.

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I tried using fences to break the background and using it to represent someones garden to make it feel like the ants football match could be in your garden. Similarly to the one before it didn't add anything to the story or characters and flattens them.

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https://www.bubbleactive.com/blog-news/football-cliches

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Bubble Active | Part of Funktion Leisure Ltd.

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Bubble Active | Part of Funktion Leisure Ltd.

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The Best Football Clichés | Funny Sayings | Bubble Active

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From a “win is a win” to “take it one game at a time”, this guide gives you an extensive list of popular football clichés, sayings and classics. Browse here…

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I reverted back to the park idea, but having less in the background, but still incorporating things to show perspective and size. I used greenery to frame the page while including a park play area further back. Again, it didn't add anything and almost draws your eyes away from the game and to the centre of the play area.