INTRO
With my end of year show display, I resorted to an online-friendly display. This was due to how I wasn’t able to attend the in-person event because of personal circumstances. Initially, I was unsure how I would make this adaptable, so I researched into previous years’ show, as it was done virtually because of the pandemic. This inspired me quite a bit with my own as I was clueless how to start.
THE CHANGE FROM PHYSICAL DISPLAY TO DIGITAL- POSITIVES/NEGATIVES
One thing I liked a lot about doing my space digitally, was the freedom of creativity, as adding gigantic mushrooms, and trees around a physical display would have been impossible for me to do in-person. This was definitely a huge benefit to my heavily fantasy-oriented world becoming more immersive.
Moreover, with the final result, I ended up changing the design plans. The original concept was to have my own table and board, with some hanging ivy, and sculpted mushroom figures to complement the world theme. I changed this last minute, as it felt quite empty and lacklustre to transfer digitally. I did, however, continue with similar themes, enlarging and improving the layout overall, which made a huge visual improvement to the scene. The struggle I had with this task, was having to revise how to use Maya, as I hadn’t used it in over a year. Surprisingly, I was able to catch on pretty quickly, and only had to watch one or two tutorials- don’t ask me to do any topology though…
One concern that I had with the online display was the possible lack of audience interaction. In order to counter this, I decided to use my Instagram handle to promote my space. I did this through researching into other artists’ experiences, reading into how the algorithm works, as well as watching tips on YouTube. Doing the research, rather than taking a lucky guess really improved my knowledge of these platforms and how I can better myself, my brand and my artwork. I will continue to keep in mind the strategies I have learned here, and further put them to use for future posts and projects.
With my display itself, I do feel there could have been improvements made, such as adding more detail and definition. If I were to redo or change my display in any way, I would definitely consider adding in 3D planes with artwork of the creatures in my story. This especially would have been effective with the antagonist of the story, giving the space more depth and context. Perhaps adding it in the background, or even looming over the camera might have been more attention-grabbing. Another thing I might do in my spare time, is adding VR mechanics, as it would allow for the viewer to feel fully immersed in the space. Doing so would improve accessibility, especially with those who cannot join the in-person show.
With the in-person event, I had plans to share business cards, have my physical copies of my poster and design deck, alongside my showreel of my animation. As these plans have changed to suit my personal needs, I have adapted to include these in the online display. With each of these, I have attached annotations and links to the relevant source material. For example, with the design deck, I had planned to get printed as a hardback book. Instead, I have uploaded this material online in an artstation portfolio and the same goes with my poster and CV.
With the digital display, there were a few things I had to take into consideration. A main one was security. As the digital space can be accessed by anyone, I didn’t feel secure keeping in personal details, especially with my CV which had not only my details, but reference contacts and places I have studied. Although I still included the link to a “censored” version of my cv on artstation, I didn’t feel comfortable having it displayed in the space as a graphic, and therefore, reused my poster as its placeholder. This is a major downgrade with the virtual space, as having the in-person show would provide a safer environment, and I would be aware of who my audience is.
CONCLUSION
Despite my personal challenges, I found this module helpful and it allowed me to think more about my future goals and aims. For example, it has given me the knowledge of how to set up an art exhibition, and has improved my skills in layout and design elements. This module has also helped me immensely improve my CV, as before, it did not reflect me as a person. Not only that, but it was hard to read, over-designed and the colour scheme was not professional whatsoever. In comparison to now, my CV is both energetic and professional with a unique, yet, simple and sleek layout. I am confident that it will aid me a lot in the hiring process after university. More skills that I can now add to my experience is poster and business card design. Albeit, I have created posters and business cards in the past, but never have I researched so extensively into what makes their design effective. It has shown me that research and inspirations are key to the design process, and they definitely pay off. Ultimately, I really enjoyed this module, and it has made me feel more confident as an artist.
References mentioned…
Notes from this video:
- Be active: posting stories, posting to feed and uploading reels.
- Engagement is important- following other artists, liking posts, commenting and being social on the platform can boost the algorithm in your favour.
- Art challenges on the platform can attract users to your page.
- Hashtags are essential. They must be relevant with the material and it is recommended to have 20-30 of them per post.
Researching into Instagram’s algorithm:
- Reels are the main source of interactions in 2023, followed by a resurgence of photo-based content
- Post consistently, 1-2 times a day goal in mind. Video leaning content is preferred.
- Short-form videos and images get most interactions on the platform
- Compelling language that spark conversations. Ask audience questions and entice curiosity. The more interesting, the better.
- Keep in mind peak activity levels > post when users use the app the most, especially followers.
- Analytic data can be accessed: profile>professional dashboard>see all>Total followers>Most active times. This will aid towards a schedule for posting.
- Design and post with viewer interest, so keep an eye on art trends and recent inspirations in the community.
Notes taken from: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-algorithm/