DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY & IMAGING - WEEK 9

 2025-2025(week - week)

FANN WONG JING EN｜0382237

Design Principles | Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media

Digital Photography and Imaging GCD61204

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TABLE OF CONTENT

MIB      Lecture Note      Practical   

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MODULE INFORMATION BRIEF (MIB)

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LECTURE NOTE

Realism vs Surrealism

• Realism: Expressing real, life-like themes, the works are usually direct and easy to understand.

• Surrealism: Treating dreams as reality, making the impossible "credible", so that the audience begins to question whether the world in front of them is real when watching.

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The relationship between Dadaism and Surrealism

Although the styles are different, Dadaism "anti-traditional" spirit influenced the birth of Surrealism. Dadaism is chaotic and absurd, while Surrealism is more inclined to explore dreams and psychological levels.

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Surrealism expression in the digital age

Modern digital surreal works pay more attention to the integration and symbolism of the picture. Through Photoshop, collage, and mixing real materials, you can easily create a "non-existent world".

Key points of creation:

1. Composition precedes technique: Draw your own ideas first, don’t rush to process the layers.

2. Image precedes reality: The image does not have to be “right”, as long as it can trigger feelings and thoughts.

3. Fusion vs. contradiction: The contrast is strong but the picture cannot be messy, and it must be logically “illogical”.

4. Real texture + non-realistic combination: Making the “fake” look like the “real” is the key.

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PRACTICAL

Continuing Project 2B (Finalising)

Add light symbols

In order to make the picture more rhythmic and mysterious, I added a lot of starlight graphics (yellow luminous elements) as symbolic elements, which not only enhanced the visual flow, but also made the picture more surreal.

Add dynamic images (flying birds)

I began to try to add flying birds to turn the picture from static narrative to dynamic imagery. These birds extend from the book, guiding the viewer's eyes from the ground to the sky, and also symbolize the ascension of thoughts and freedom.

Character placement and integration

Finally, I integrated the characters into the picture, arranging the position between the book and the stars. By adjusting the transparency, edge softening and layer brightness, the characters and the overall scene are naturally integrated, making the whole picture more warm and emotional.