Concertina Image

The next technique I tried was creating one long image that folded up like a concertina to make the layers of a shorter image. 

Using the sketches of buildings and statues I had done on a trip to Edinburgh, I drew one long image (by sticking together pieces of paper) and then cut out around them. I folded the paper into four pieces - I had planned out where the folds would be whilst drawing to make sure none of the buildings would be folded in half - which made one city skyline made up of lots of layers.

You initially look at the image as one short image with a lot of layers, but as you fold out the book you can see all the individual parts as one long city skyline

This idea was inspired by books I had as a child where the front cover acts as a frame of an image, and each time you turn a page you are taking away one layer of the illustration. It is a technique I can develop and reuse with some of the scenery of my book, and perhaps adapt this into a book format. It certainly is a way to make an image more interesting, and provides the viewer with a way of interacting with the image. 

This experiment was a hand drawn prototype, however using print outs of other illustrations I can try out this technique with other images.

Starting out...

I began experimenting with paper cut outs using images not related to the book, partly because the emphasis would be on the technique, and partly so I could further develop my FMP before adapting the images to add cut outs and pop ups.

I started experimenting with layering up different parts of the same image to create a 3D effect, cutting out the same areas of an image and layering on top of each other using sticky foam pads. I used a photo of a landscape with lots of layers and sections to it - a photo of my garden in fact - and printed it out multiple times. i then cut out around the different layers and sections, sticking them on top of each other to build up the scene. 

This worked, but didn’t have a dramatic 3D effect, so I think i would need to try again using multiple layers for each section of the image to create a bigger gap between each section, and perhaps sticking multiple foam pads on top of each other to create a larger gap in between each layer. This would add a lot more depth to the image and would create a more 3D effect.

To extend this experiment, i decided to do a rough drawing of the image and try layering this too in order to see how this would work as an illustration. I didn't spend long on the sketch as I wanted to concentrate on the cutting and layering technique. 

I found that by simplifying the image for this technique it has more depth, and the separate layers are more obvious, however I still had the same problem as before where the image does not have a dramatic 3D effect. I think using thicker card or paper, and using more of the sticky foam pads would help with this though

Project Outline

This blog will follow my “Research Project” for my third year studying Illustration at University of Gloucestershire.

For this project, I really want to experiment with mixing 2D images with 3D art. This has a huge range of outcomes, such as origami, paper sculptures, cut out paper dolls, sillhouettes etc. I am particularly interested in paper crafts, as this has such a strong link with the illustration I am 

To begin with, my objective for this project was to simply make 3D illustrations using paper cut outs, however I wanted it to link directly with my FMP project on children’s illustration. I have decided to make another version of my children’s book, only using cut outs and pop ups to enhance the images. I want to use lots of different techniques rather than limiting myself to just pop ups or just lift the flap pages, so my aim is to try out a diverse range of techniques. Although I am planning on hand making my book for this project, I will need to research how I would get a book like this mass produced and the cost involved as obviously it is more difficult and more expensive to produce a book with lots of moving parts.

I can also look at other ways of making my FMP 3D and interactive, such as making games and objects to match my book. 

The theme of my FMP children's book is the impossible things children want to be when they grow up, so I can also link that to this projects by looking at things like fancy dress and the games children play. I can incorporate this into my research project by using the characters from my book, and by making card games etc. using the things children want to be 

Some of the questions I will need to ask myself throughout this project are:

• What other techniques and methods can I use to display my work?
• What formats can I use for my work alongside a book?
• What are appropriate and effective paper toys/items that can be given to children with a book?
• How can I make my book interactive?
• How can I make an image 3D?
• How does putting an image or illustration into a different format change how it is used/viewed?