Illustration and Visual Narrative - Final Project Limited Animation

27.11.2025- 4.1.2026/ Week 10 - Week 14

Aida Tan Jie Fei / 0385645

Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Final Project Limited Animation

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Documentation 

Description of Inspiration

My inspiration came from a short video I happened to see. The video was made for children, a bit like a picture book, with simple drawings, rich colors, and short sentences or words. This gave me the idea to create a similar type of work. After getting the inspiration, I asked ChatGPT for help to provide me with some ideas of what I could draw.

Moodboard

Figure 1.1 Reference

Storyboard

1.Shot opens on a table with an open book, stained by spilled coffee. The text is blurred except for one highlighted sentence: "I don't have to be perfect."

 

2. On the grass, there’s a flowerpot with a sapling. The sapling is planted and watered: “All I have to do is show up.”

 

3.Cut to feet in socks one white with red dots, the other blue with stripes swinging gently: "And enjoy."

 

4.Cut to a LEGO house is being built, with the completed model displayed beside it. Some bricks are the wrong color, and LEGO pieces are scattered on the floor: “The messy.”

 

5.Cut to a cutting board with half-chopped vegetables and scattered spices. Black sesame seeds spell: "Imperfect."

 

6.Cut to a spinning vinyl record: "And beautiful."

 

7.A map with a dotted route and an "X" marked："Journey."

 

8.A paper airplane flies across: "Of my life."

 

9.A book closes, its cover titled: "My Journey by Aida."

Script

"I don't have to be perfect. All I have to do is show up and enjoy the messy, imperfect, and beautiful journey of my life." – Kerry Washington

Detailed Information

The production process started after I got the idea. First, I planned the storyboard and designed each scene. Then, I sketched the illustrations on paper to finalize the composition and details. After that, I transferred the sketches into Adobe Illustrator, where I used the Pen Tool to draw and color each element. After the illustrations were completed in Illustrator, I imported them into Adobe After Effects to animate the scenes and create the short video.

Additional details:

·       Software used: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects

·       Artboard dimensions: 1920 × 1080 px, vertical orientation

·       Video timeline: 15–20 seconds

·       Audio: background music and narration included

 

Rationale

I chose Kerry Washington’s script: “I don't have to be perfect. All I have to do is show up and enjoy the messy, imperfect, and beautiful journey of my life.” I felt that this script is very simple, easy to understand, and easy to create from. At the same time, it isn’t strictly defined, which gave me the freedom to interpret it in my own way. Therefore, I decided to present my work in a simple style, as I am not very skilled at drawing. I drew inspiration from children’s picture books and remembered a teacher once saying, “simple is good,” so I chose a simple approach for my creation. Using bright and vibrant colors during the process also made me feel happy. This script is moving and relaxing, encouraging people to accept imperfection and enjoy the beautiful journey of life.

 

Progress

Sketches

Figure 1.2 Sketches

Digital 

Figure 1.3 Work in Adobe Illustrator 

Figure 1.4 Work in After Effect

Final Output 

 

Figure 1.5 Final Project Video

Technique Applied

 In this task, I used two applications: Adobe Illustrator and Adobe After Effects.I first sketched my ideas on paper, then imported the sketches into Illustrator. I mainly used the Pen Tool, along with Shape Tools and other features, to draw and color my illustrations. After completing the illustrations, I imported them into After Effects and applied some tools to animate my limited animation video.

 

Self-reflection

Looking back on the entire creative process, I found this task to be relatively easy and enjoyable for me, even though it involved animation and voiceover. One reason is that the task provided a script to choose from, which helped me avoid feeling lost about what to create or draw. Having a clear direction from the beginning allowed me to focus more on visual storytelling and animation rather than struggling with ideas.

The task also offered a high level of creative freedom, which made me feel more relaxed and comfortable. I was able to work in a style that suited me and present the content in a simple way that matched my abilities and preferences. This helped me enjoy the process instead of feeling stressed or pressured.

Through this task, I learned how to create a complete short animated video, from illustrating the visuals to animating the scenes and adding voiceover and sound. I also gained a better understanding of how timing, movement, and audio work together to enhance storytelling. Overall, this task helped me build confidence in creating animation-based projects and gave me valuable experience that I can apply to future works.