 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
building narrative : I want my exhibiton to include projected distorted visuals and projection maps throughout, including my colour theory manipulation cycle colour palette. These will be distorted and confusing for the viewer, to represent the confusion an dinner conflict of the what the american soldiers would of felt when listening to Hanoi Hannah in the midst of the vietnam war. Then include either a separate room, or within the same gallery space an adobe aero element with clearer, softer more calming illustrations that resemble Hanoi Hannah and the part that the soldiers felt comforted by
- above is an examples ( Mu Choon, Theo Kim, Hana Na ) of a drawing style I initially thought of resembles Interestingly the Vietnamese propaganda drawing style and Dave Bregers GI Joe comics strips to stay relevant to my project themes. But also like childhood cartoons at the time period of the 60s/70s, that brings elements of nostalgia and childhood for most is the most comforting period of time, no outside stressors of grave importance.
the monochromatic colour palette also is the furthest away from the colourful colour key I developed for the manipulation cycle based on colour theory. Therefore creating ultimate contrast and a more relaxing, less confusing visual style to focus on
Dave Breger
Vietnamese propaganda
I created the illustrations using illustrator which Durrand used in her ' under the sea ' adobe aero piece. This was a challenge at first as I had never used illustrator properly before, ive always opted for procreate.
illustrator was a much better than procreate for the quality. As its vectors rather than pixels, the quality is just as good when use zoom in and resize, which is not something you can say for procreate. Also the snapping of the paint brush, allowed for a nester, less shakey line which I really enjoyed using
However I'm not sure if the final illustration resembles Hanoi Hannah as much I would like. As mentioned above, I wanted the element of childhood and comfort to come through, which is hence why I used a GI Joe barbie doll as the reference image. However I think there is other ways I could create possibly a more feminine approach to the illustrations through colour palette. That still has the clean, easy to view elements I require from the drawings
cartoons from the 60s/70s, with abstract sihoulettes - exactly how
the examlple illustrations above look. Shapes like circles in characters provide a softer feel to the character and harsher shapes create a more manly less feminine feel
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
I wanted to experiment with colour palette. As the adobe aero experience is to encompass away from all there confusion of the manipulation and propaganda, the positive attributes Hanoi Hannah brought to the soldiers and why they kept listening
Above is from a artist from behance that I can't source back. However I really thought the colour palette resembled femininity very effectively, and the highlight effects resembles the cartoon elements I was trying to reimagine above. The illustration style as a whole is very simple and easy to read which contrasts the distorted imagery I wish to create for the rest of my exhibition space.
The dots references to pop art that surged in popularity within the 50s-70s. I thought this was an interesting rabbit hole, as propaganda is hugely influenced by the art at the time
just experiementing with how I could use the illustrations outside of the adobe aero experience to the projected moving image walls throughout the exhibiton space - so I distorted them using photoshop. Then I could overlap these into visuals if I made them move using photomosh.
feminine colour palette
I like the effect of the colour palette on representing femininity ( pink ) and the purple which provides a calming effect to the viewer
I also like the soft curves, as it makes it seem easier to the eye. Theres no super harsh shadows which again compliments the calming effect
however I need to think about more cultural significance- what were women like at the time period, any movie or texture references ?
I also feel like I. need to do some more experimentation into other mediums, possibly practical like paint or crayon, or even just editing techniques that bring a softer element to the illustration
The subculture of sukeban (loosely translated as the slang “girlboss”) emerged in the late 1960s and persisted throughout the 70s in Japan. While the term itself mainly refers to the female gang leader of all-girl gangs, it has eventually become attributed to the massive movement itself that brought girls at the forefront at a time when men of the Yakuza were also thriving.
- delinquent girl boss
1970 ( same time as vietnam war )
Vietnamese movie
It was in this post-war era that saw many Japanese people becoming more outspoken and assertive. The emergence of the female “yanki” (a subculture of rebellious youth) reportedly sprung from the refusal of Yakuza groups to accept women as members.
Known to get involved in fights with rival gangs and engage in other petty crimes, members of the subculture group carried razor blades and chains concealed beneath their long skirts. Due to their involvement in shoplifting, theft, and violence, the Japanese public viewed them mostly as a menace to society. ( this is not shown within the movie, as Hollywood and movies generally do they sexualise the characters )
The chosen aesthetic was observed as a form of protest against the sexualized portrayal of teen girls at the time while the weapons are a means of protection and a statement showing that they are not mere objects of men’s desires.
- perfect reference to the Vietnamese war, as the asian sexualisation was really in its birth time
Then came the sex-fuelled exploitation movies, or “pink films,” that banked on the popularity of the growing movement.
“Pinky Violence” series with Delinquent Girl Boss was launched by the production company Toei in the early 70s to cash in on what was seen by the studios as a mere fad. This was later followed by other projects such as “Norifumi Suzuki’s Girl Boss (Sukeban)” films and the “Terrifying Girls’ High School” series
Suddenly, the rebellious movement was being portrayed as the sexual objects they were protesting against. It is unclear whether the popularity of these films somehow affected the real-life sukeban While there are still some sukeban influences seen in Japanese pop culture today such as in manga, anime and television shows, it is hard to say if any of them will fully capture what sukeban actually was and what it stood for back in its heyday.
my initial relation to Hanoi Hannah and how I can present her through this cultural significance is due to the statement after the war that an american soldier stated after listening to Hanoi Hannah every day.
- "Im surprised she never ended up going to Hollywood "
- as she was such a charismatic entertainer, the american soldiers become fixated and obsessed. Therefore I wanted to research into popular Vietnamese movies in the time period
Secondly, the colour palette of the movie posters and outfits within the screenplay relate to my Hanoi Hannah colour palette based on colour theory of pink and purple.
- interestingly the movie followed this same aesthetic theme to represent feminity as being dubbed as 'pink films' or 'pinky violence'
Lastly, the whole movie is titled " girl boss ' Hanoi Hannah in my eyes was the ultimate Girl Boss within the Vietnamese war, and even in modern film such as Da 5 bloods she is represented as cool, sophisticated and bad-ass
I want this adobe aero room to represent the violence and destruction she caused in the minds of the american soldiers - similar to the violence heavy movie above - however I also want to showcase how she was just simply doing her job, and saving her people,.
need to stay sensitive
as my installation idea is starting to take the route of brining awareness of manipulation and PTSD through loosing the soldiers identities and self worth, I need to be careful with this room that I am not insensitive
Therefore I will use imagery of the woman characters, and colour palette and Vietnamese writing to keep to the Vietnamese culture do give the element of sexualisation that came to Hanoi Hannahs favour when manipulating the soldiers
- if it were a male radio broadcaster it wouldn't of worked as well
- So therefore I will still stay on the concept of the cartoon elements possibly, with the more feminine shapes and imagery that is calming to a male within this stressful time, but include elements of this pop culture movie
- in conclusion need to showcase the sexual element of Hanoi Hannah, but also bring in th woman calming presence that the soldiers became attached to. The combination of these two made her propaganda technique very interesting and effective
Shapes are used in design to communicate themes and ideas about the subject or define the general nature of something. Shapes have prescribed meanings that evoke certain emotions and feelings in us whether we’re aware of it or not.
silhouette has been used by iconic figures, and how you can use it to ensure your drawings stand out with more impact!
Organic shapes represent things found in nature. They tend to be free-flowing with a variety of shapes from symmetrical to non symmetrical. You can expect Butterflies, bugs and plant life to shapes like clouds and waves that are randomly formed and free. A daisy has positive connotations attached to it. Without even studying the shapes, you get a certain feeling about each one.
lotus imagery
bringing in lotus imagery, that is traditional to Vietnamese culture and materials ( traditions such as lotus silk ) - that is a very comforting , soft, luxurious material - linking to my comforting element I want to bring to the room and illustrations
Combines the organic, natural siholoutte from shape theory that I could bring into the adobe aero experience
the organic nature silhouettes surrounding the woman is very powerful
where I sourced the imagery
from and learnt about lotus silk
within Vietnamese tradition
shapes 3 main
categories :
Organic shapes represent things found in nature. They tend to be free-flowing with a variety of shapes from symmetrical to non symmetrical. You can expect Butterflies, bugs and plant life to shapes like clouds and waves that are randomly formed and free.
Geometric shapes are the basic shape that you learn from an early age such as squares, rectangles, circles, triangles and crosses etc. They often have symmetry and a structured look and feel with sharp edges and angles
Abstract shapes are simplified forms distinct from being Organic or Geometric. They’re often a fusion of the two, and they’re abstract in nature because we have intervened. Through design they have had a process of thought behind them.
will do the outside of my exhibition with abstract shapes, as there is no rules to this moving image and want it to be as confusing as possible
Circles can represent
Associated words: Soft, Unity, Cute, Power, Innocence
Circles suggests the infinite, unity, and harmony with a sense of movement that contains energy and power. They are less common so work well to attract attention and set things apart. They represent community, integrity, and perfection, planets, wheels, balls, fruits and offer a feeling of well-roundedness and completeness.
Squares can represent
Associated words: Strong, stable, balanced
Squares and rectangles creates a sense of equality and conformity. The familiar shape can be seen as strong, stable, trusting, orderly, rest, equality and peace. The number four (four corners) is associated with very material things of this world.
Triangles can represent
Associated words: Movement, power, harmony
Triangles suggest movement, direction and steadiness depending on which way they point, up or down. They can be stable or unstable. Triangles have energy and power and suggest conflict or strength. Other associations can be progression, purpose, hierarchy, law, religion, tension etc.
My character adobe aero design contrasting the rest of the installation design
film Madagascar. This scene demonstrates a peaceful setting, fusing soft curved lines with some stable horizontal elements.
We can begin to see the transition into a more sinister environment. Even the shapes begin to transition with more verticals and subtle points at the end of the shapes. so that you know further down the path will lead to Foosa’s Territory!
Until finally, the darker place which is described by tall jagged rocks that come to a point as the main shape setup for this image. These rocky mountains suggest a sense of danger and unease, which is completely different to the shape of the mountain seen in the previous image.
therefore the Hanoi Hannah illustrations, I want to have more curved edges, which my illustration above did include. To give feeling of soft, calm, power. 'To attract attention and set things apart.
l also want to create a organic natural environment with the lotus flowers within the water to provide a sense of calm and positive feelings
- also take into consideration contrast of the exhibition outside environment - lotus flower and other natural leaf/ flower/ grass like siholouttes have soft edges which are inviting and stable
compared to my projection mapped moving image outside the adobe aero experience, I will take aspects of Foosa's territory and bring in sharper edges, overlapping visuals, distortions. To trigger a feeling of fear and cofnusion