Evaluation for 'Illustrating an African Folktale.'

For my second project within this unit, I decided to work on an extension of unit BA7. This was because I really enjoyed the project and had some unresolved imagery that I wanted to return to.

My first step was to look back at my previous final outcomes. These four images were my response to an African Folktale, ‘The Story of a Hunter and his Antelope Wife.’ I started to establish using pattern and line to portray the narrative and this is what I wanted to return to focus on. I initially proposed that I would submit a collection of 4 to 6 illustrations responding to one African Folktale. This changed as the project developed creating different body of work that I feel is stronger and more successful than if I kept to the original brief.

Establishing my love for lino cutting in Project 1, I decided to see how I could push my practice further within this medium to express the narrative. One of the main driving points in the project was when I used the second image from my final outcomes from BA7 and translated this image through printmaking. It showed me how I could work through different materials to describe a story and even though it needed a bit of work, it established my practice to follow on from this point.

I mainly used observational drawings of African sculptures from my visits to the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Sainsbury Centre to create figurative characters, and books also helped to create a good base foundation of imagery to work from. I work strongly with ink and gouache; I used these materials as well as coloured pencil and watercolour to produce imagery that I could then transfer through printmaking. At one point in the project, I found it particularly difficult to pick up the work-flow from the end of the first project and also because I did not really know what I was going to do with the illustrations I was producing. They were not directly related to the African Folktales I had been looking at and I felt a bit lost.

My original brief changed in the sense that my final outcomes were different to what I initially proposed. This was because as the project developed further, there were other ways that worked well. I was worried that by sticking to the proposal I could end up restricting myself and produce illustrations that were not fully resolved again like BA7, which had not moved forwards. Instead, as the project developed I wanted a way that I could both include my figurative illustrations as well as interpreting individual short tales through Pattern. I thought that this would create a strong contrast between them as illustrating particular characters can interpret the narrative literally whereas the patterns are abstract interpretations. I still explored the elements of colour, line and shape that I proposed, but I just fulfilled this through alternate means to just four illustrations responding to one tale. I have become increasingly interested in pattern since the end of BA7, so this determined some of the subject and nature of my illustrations into narrative pattern design.

Following feedback from tutors and peers during the earlier part of the project, they liked my original drawings with ink and felt that the lino prints did not portray the same strength in line work as using a tool keeps a consistency with the thickness of line. I then started to print as I would draw and this worked a lot better. One of the biggest turning points within this project was printing my work at a larger scale – A1. This made me realise how else my imagery could be displayed in different contexts and made me start to think what about wallpapers and surface design. My first printed piece large format portrayed heads of characters blown up from their original scale. I liked the size of the print but the heads at a larger ratio did not work as well as when they were small. From this point, I started to experiment and develop a surface design pattern using a collection of figurative imagery that was in response to many different African folktales as well as observational drawings, working with their original scale or smaller.

Working with text and image determined my other final outcomes for the project. To go alongside the surface design I created, I wanted to produce some illustrations that respond to individual folktales that I had been looking at. Creating washes of colour with gouache for the background then lino printing on top, I produced patterns to interpret the tales. I worked from three tales: The White Man and the Snake, Why has Jackal a Long Black Stripe on his Back? Tortoises Hunting Ostriches. I sourced these three tales online from a book of ‘South-African Folk-Tales by James A Honey’ that was originally published in 1910 and now out of copyright. The three I chose were very short and simple. Illustrating this through pattern I then started to see how I could combine them with the prose. I did not want to create a traditional book spread – image on one page and text one the other – I wanted to create something eye-catching a different! With much exploring, editing and tweaking I ended up with three small fold-out books using the text within the patterns, with strong attention to composition.

I have decided to use all my final outcomes for this project in the degree show. This is because I feel confident that these pieces establish and portray my illustrative voice, and show how my work can be used in different contexts. Either as a small image in a book or over a large space through surface design. I have not always been confident about my work, but this project has really helped me to have more confidence in my work, showing how I pushed forwards from BA7 and consolidating my illustrative voice. Overall, I am pleased with the outcomes of this project. I could have possibly explored the narratives more in depth and looked at other mediums, but I feel the project has developed significantly since BA7, and portray the strengths of my line work, attention to placement and colour.

Final Outcomes for Project 2:

I have now finished my second project within BA8! Above you can see the surface design for my wallpaper and the three final outcomes in response to African Folktales. Using mediums to paint and print, I have translated the prose to create different responses of narrative imagery. I am very pleased with how the wallpaper design has printed. I have kept the characters small and at a small scale on mass they are very effective. The colours of my little books stand out really well in front of the design. In the exhibition, I am going to cover my display board with the wallpaper and then place my books on small shelves next to the corresponding character in the tale in the wallpaper. I think this will portray my exploration of this project dynamically, which will stand out to others' work.

Wallpaper in situ.

As a quick experiment, I decided to photoshop my wallpaper into situ just to get a rough idea of what it would like in context. It's useful to see a what the surface design could look like covering a whole room or feature wall, showing how it could be used as a feature wall in a children's room or possibly on a hospital ward or school. It just gives me ideas of how else my work could be shown, whether its on a wall, as a print or a textile design.

Last week till hand-in!

It is the last week till hand-in and everything seems to be coming together now and forming a clear idea of what my work within the exhibition will look like. As well as one my outcomes being a collection of images responding to many tale shown through surface design, to go with this I have chosen three short African Tales to illustrate individually, which will also be in the exhibition.

These three tales I have chosen I am responding to through pattern. This is because compared with the figurative surface design, I think it would be a good contrast to then portray the narrative not so literally. Building up the patterns through layers: gouache on paper, Lino print on top, then scanning it in and working with text on it within InDesign. This helped me build up good strong colours to then be the focus of the piece.

These will be a part of little books that will be placed in front of the wallpaper on small shelves. Being placed to the character it is relevant to.

At this point, I think I'm doing okay. I need to add the final touches to my portfolio, print and evaluate. Hopefully it will all go to plan for Friday!

Development...

Since printing my figurative piece in a large format, it has given me fresh new ideas to think about Final Outcomes for this second project as well as the exhibition. Below shows the piece that I blew up to A1. It was great to see my work at a larger scale, but if the heads were at their original size or smaller I think they would work more successfully. Therefore, I am thinking for one of my final outcomes to produce a figurative surface design pattern responding to a collection of African Tales.

Above you can see an initial design. This includes my character studies over BA7 and mainly BA8. I have made sure to stay to their original dimensions or smaller. What I envisage is that this wallpaper will sit next to outcomes of particular individual tales. I know that this project has developed and moved on from what I originally proposed, but I feel that I could create something exciting for the submission and exhibition through these new ideas!

PLATFORMS: Workshop

Notes from the Workshop meeting last Friday (09/05/14):

• Aim of the Workshops? Purpose. What do you want to communicate? Exposing the illustration process/curriculum., our ways of working.
• Creative theory from 1920s Philosopher.
• The four stages (preparation, incubation, illumination, verification) = problem solving.
• Articulation, communication, ignition, justification.
• Story/narrative to 'problem-solve'? = Brings it all together.
• Brief // Context: illustrator with a writer, text feed, co-authoring - relationship with UEA Collaboration of two skill-sets - feed off each other.
• Incubation Workshop (me, Laura & Sophie) - mask-making - what are masks for? Masks of... Masks about... Masks from...
• As a group we need a shared understanding of the workshops: an existing text to link us all together and stimulate a starting point. Norwich - city of literature.

Next Steps:

• Draft an email to describe the project to get into contact with possible writers - Norwich writers association, UEA. (Karla & Holly)
• Incubation - Keep getting in contact with Schools!

Publication Interview Questions and Answers:

When starting a project or piece of work, what do you turn to for inspiration an/or ideas?

I tend to look back over work and projects I have done in the past, think about what has worked and what I have enjoyed exploring and responding to. After this I then tend to gain primary research from exhibitions, books and professional illustrators’ imagery to feed into my project as a visual basis. This gives me a base foundation to then respond to, especially as I have recently been responding to narratives, I then start to visualise the prose.

Your work features a lot of narrative and story focus; is this the direction you'd like to take your work in the future or do you have another path in mind?

Over my time on Illustration my work has focused down many different pathways, particularly reportage and narrative focus. I really enjoy to tell a story through my imagery giving an exciting visualisation of the prose for my audience viewing the work. In the future I hope to either teach or pursue a career with a creative input, involving delivering workshops and events to the public, carrying on with my illustrative practice in my own time.

Out of all the mediums you've used so far, which do you prefer to create work with and why?

I have always worked with a lot of colour and wet materials especially gouache and ink, but through this last year, I have developed a passion for lino cutting. This is because I have always preferred to work with a hands-on approach and to then use digital software to only then edit my imagery to finalise my work.

What is the most valuable skill you've learned whilst at NUA?

Some of the most valuable skills I have learnt during my studies at NUA are working with other people in the illustrative practice, learn how to use digital software to aid my work, introducing me to printmaking techniques and also giving me the confidence to pursue my studio work to the best of my abilities.

Reflection

Today Gina Cross came in and talked a little bit about Portfolios, regarding BA8 assessment and onwards after University. I signed up for two tutorials; one with Gina and one with Glyn just to talk over my portfolio so far, and also paired up with another student to discuss each other's projects and start story-boarding the final portfolio.

It was really good process, as although I had been thinking about my portfolio in the back of my mind, I had not properly sat down and arranged pieces and thought about what I really want to include. I will be putting in work from both of my projects and also the UEA Collaboration too. In discussion with Glyn, we decided that my portfolio should show the final outcomes and strong imagery of the projects, not showing a full linear development. This is because it can get quite repetitive and I have folders clearly labelled holding all my loose work in development, so it does not need to be repeated! Less is more. This what I need to keep reminding myself and not think that I need to fill up the portfolio!

My African project is starting to come along now. I think I have some strong character development established in ink and lino. It has come to a bit of a standstill as I have been focusing on other aspects of BA8, but now I just really need to push through. I plan for the end of this week to have planned my final outcomes for the project.

I also got some work printed from both Project 1 and 2 printed at A1 in the large format printing down in digital design which I have never done before. I chose to print on wallpaper as I have focused on surface design and pattern throughout my work, even though I did not end up pushing it forwards as a project as I initially planned, but showing my work in this different context also gives the work a different feel. I think they came out really well! It has made me think back to the Outsiders project... when thinking about the illustrations used for the cover to apply it to surface and poster design to go alongside the book jacket. The piece printed for the African folktales, a selection of figuritive heads - it has made me think about the exhibition. I think printing large contrasting to smaller pieces could work really well. I blowed up a smaller image to do this piece, and I think the size of the original heads work better, and if they weren't printed that size then multiplied on A1 or A0 I think it could create a great impact!

Overall, today was really good to give me sometime and look back over what I have done over BA8, what has been successful and how to show this through the portfolio and exhibition. Now I just need to keep going and get images printed in a higher quality for my portfolio!

Update on Platforms: Workshop

Last friday as the degree show platform group;  Workshop, we all met to discuss how we've all been getting on and discuss the full workshops we'll be delivering during our space in the Illustration studio during the exhibition. I am in the Incubation group with Sophie and Laura, here is our description of the ideas behind the Workshop group...

PLATFORMS SUMMARY

We are running a series of workshops, which highlight the key stages of the creative process, that we as illustrators experience. These stages; Preparation, Incubation, Illumination and Verification, will run over a series of four days, one per day. The Preparation workshop will initially focus on building drawing tools using found objects, which will then be used for mark making. These marks will feed into the next stage of the creative process during the Incubation workshop. This workshop will be based on mask making, using the resources from the previous day, as surface patterns for collage. Following this the masks will be integrated into the next day, Illumination, along with the drawing tools from the Preparation workshop. This workshop will experiment with light and shadow, in relation to shape and pattern. Throughout the three days the process will be documented and used in the final stage, Verification. The audience will have the opportunity to put together their own publication, using the imagery and text provided, in order to create a visual summary. The workshops will be a mix of invited audience and general public, and will be documented throughout on our blog.

We have planned a mask-making workshop for an audience of primary school children, made with patterns from the previous stage through the colours of red and white (linking in with the Shop's Pic 'n' Mix.) Our next step is to get into contact with local schools to see if they would be interested to invite them to our series of workshops on the Thursday 6th July. Then from there we can plan in finer details for it

Move On Up! Event at UEA

Illustration Workshop: Looking into Character Design

Thurs 24th/Fri 25th April - Workshop with Leanda and Sophie.

Over two days, I volunteered to run an Illustration workshop about character design to Year 10s and 11s at the UEA with Leanda and Sophie. Leanda ran this workshop on her own last year so we both helped alongside her original workshop she made. Presenting the students with 3 character descriptions, first step highlighting key words, thumb-nailing ideas in coloured pencil and then developing an image further through collage.

It was a great opportunity for me to experience teaching secondary school years and I have only had experience with primary. The first day was not enjoyable at all. This is because some of the students clearly didn't want to be there and it was hard work to get them to do anything at all. By the end of the first day, I was very put off teaching secondary as I did not enjoy my day and felt that we did not feel that the students were getting anything from our workshops. We also didn't realise that the UEA were offering a 'taster' event of many different subjects, offering economics to medicine. Therefore we thought that possibly we should have made our workshop more informative, as our was rather practical and not delivering/lecturing information about Illustration as a subject that other subjects might have done. However, the second day went a whole lot better! The students really enjoyed the workshop and put in some good effort. My overall experience of the event was that I know that I don't want to go into secondary school children. Even though I enjoyed the second day and it felt rewarding that they learnt something, I enjoy teaching key stage 1 or 2. Being a creative person, younger children learn more through visuals and practically making things therefore being more responsive and enthusiastic to arty workshops, and this is what I like to work from.

New Business Cards!

I just ordered some new design for business cards in preparation for the Exhibition. These were just to get a few ideas of what images work on a card. I used a selection of my illustrations over previous projects to see what they'd come out like. I really like the full bleed images as well a single spot illustration. So its just some food for thought regarding when I need to design some to be next to my work at the Degree Show.

Drawing Drawing Drawing!

Today I have spent just simply drawing. Using different coloured inks drawing from reference of the photographs I took at the Pitt Rivers Museum and visual research from books and the internet. It was really good to spend some focused time on just creating imagery, using the double page spread to think about composition. 

Some of the spreads I thought worked well was when I used two colours and illustrated different objects over the whole spread. This has given me an idea to consider later on in the project when I have more realised illustrations that I could create a whole spread of spot illustrations, which create pattern as well as illustrating a folktale. I think my simple line drawing work better than others where I have filled in whole elements. This is because the line drawing are simple and communicative to the audience.

Planning workshop for Swaffham Primary School

On Thursday 1st May, I am going to be going to Swaffham Focus Primary School, to deliver an art workshop for the all the students. Originally, when thinking about what I could do, I thought I could first stick to what I have done before - talked about colour theory, using paints and illustrating a favourite book cover - but then I thought... could I link this to my current project? And also make it more interactive and fun?

So instead, I have created a workshop for the students to create an image in response to an African tale (like I am doing for Project 2 of BA8). I have chosen and simplified two tales - one for Years 3 & 4 and one for Years 5 & 6. Then in response to the tale, I want them to first think about what they could illustrate. In my work I have been focusing on using, pattern, line and shape, and therefore I want them to do the same. For instance, if they wanted to colour and sky, do this with pattern and place characters over the top in collage? I have created a powerpoint presentation for me to show them visually what I mean, showing them my own work and then also visual reference to help them. 

I have an hour session with the both groups and then one hour in the afternoon. In the afternoon, I want them to finish up any work and then present it to the class... put work up on the wall etc so that everyone can see what they have done. Also, I thought I could bring in some of my own work to show them. Tomorrow I am meeting up with Tom, who contacted me about the workshop, and we can discuss my ideas are suitable for the school.

Volunteering at Norwich Gaming Festival!

I have been volunteering at the Norwich Gaming Festival this week at the Forum and will also be next week too. I decided to get involved following the other week at the Creative Future's event, to once again gain some experience with the running of events. Even though I am not a gamer myself, I sat at the help-desk giving out information and also running the Children's colouring workshop. It has been good fun and here are some photos' of me and Charli at the event!

A Collection of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories

A while ago when I visited the British Library's exhibition - Picture This: Children's Illustrated Classics, I took note of a book that I thought would be helpful for my second project within BA8. I managed to inter-loan this book through NUA Library from Edinburgh University so I could have  proper look at it.

Front Cover

Note Page

Cathie Felstead Illustrations

''

''

Jane Ray Illustrations

Here are just a few pages from two of the illustrators featured in the book. Examples of working with image placement and full bleed imagery. This is relevant to my own practice as I am working from folktales, it is interesting how to see how other illustrators integrate their work within the narrative. I particularly love how above you can see spot illustrations are working with the surrounding text. This is just some food for thought as I begin to develop my work and consider whether I want to add text or not. 

New website and new business cards on the way!

I've made a new website and have my own domain name now! Since volunteering at the forum I have also ran out business cards so I have some new designs on the way too :) Check out my website on the link below:

www.annabelosborn.co.uk

Evaluation for 'The Outsiders' Book Jacket.

I decided that my first project would be in response to the Penguin Design’s brief for the puffin book jacket of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. This is because it was very tight brief that gives you first-hand experience of a live book cover brief. I also enjoy working with text and imagery so thought this would be a great project to do.

The main starting points in response to the narrative were picking up some of the important symbols within the prose. These were eyes, cars and the gun. Also the themes of isolation and the divide between the upper and lower middle social classes was what I wanted to evoke within my imagery. As there is also death and violence within the prose, I starting to experiment with thumbprints as well. Initially I started drawing cars; experimenting with silhouettes and line, drawing eyes from primary photographic reference and then working with thumb prints. A turning point within this project was when I experimented with printing techniques – mono printing and lino printing. This was definitely the biggest development in the project as I carried on with the linocuts into my final design. When discovering that I wanted to use the prints of the cars for my cover, the colour palette was the next stage. Colours mentioned in the prose were Blue and Rusty Red, and this was in reference to the colours of the cars as well as the colour of blood. ­­­­

Placing my book cover designs wrapped around a dummy book and placing it within bookshops amongst published books, helped me determine what colours worked well and what elements of my designs were successful and unsuccessful. Working with a blue stood out more amongst other books than the red I found. This is because many other covers seemed to work with a red palette and I wanted to produce a cover that really stood out from others. Especially as I was working with the concept of the ‘outsiders’ who are isolated from society, I thought blue could evoke the feelings of solitude and being pushed coldly aside. I first decide to work with the Sans Serif: Avenir Book as I liked working with a contemporary typeface contrasting against the older narrative, bringing a new feel to the book rather than a traditional “penguin” design look.

My two initial designs used two different colour palettes. The front cover worked strongly, but my first idea for the back cover using a strip of the front cover pattern with the blurb placed in between it did not work as well. Feedback on this said that it did not work as the imagery firstly was not adding anything more to the cover, so does it really need to be there? And it did not mirror my compositional ideas of the front cover. The front cover is quite fluid and plays attention to the placement of text within the image, whereas the back cover compared to this, is quite static and separate. Another suggestion was whether more detail could be added to the car silhouette featuring the title? I responded to this feedback by adding more finer detail to the car on Photoshop, and I also printed an extension of the design of the cars to be placed on the whole of the back cover. Immediately I could see that this did work better. The next step was to consider the placement of the blurb to reflect the ideas of the composition in the front cover.

With a lot of playing about in the InDesign with the kerning and tracking of type, I integrated the text into the image by using a print edited in Photoshop to make space for the blurb. I approached the composition as well as the design of the spine. Looking in bookstores, I noticed many teenage books included a ‘logo’ within the spine so they could be distinguished and also stand out within the bookshelf. Therefore I wanted to do this too and added the ‘outsiders’ car isolated within the spine as well. The two ideas of placement were at the top of the spine or centralised. Also I couldn’t decide between the two colour options. The first with the dark blue some thought was more aesthetically pleasing than the red, but personally I preferred the red as I thought it was more eye-catching and also worked well with my concept. The red, blue and white/cream represents the American narrative as well as the red relating to the colour of the rusty red blood spilled within the story. Also, the logo works better central as when just looking at the spine, this placement stands out more. It means it is not placed next to the puffin logo as well when you look at the jacket as a spread. So I initially submitted the second version to Penguin.

Last minute, I had some feedback from Eleanor Crow and her opinion was very important as she works within the book publishing industry and actually commissions illustrators to produce book covers. She suggested that the typeface might work better with a slab serif font. This is because the font I was using – Avenir Book, its line thickness did not relate to the line work within the image as well as it looked too contemporary. Slab serif typefaces were often used in the 1950s into the 1960s and as this is near the era of the publication and time set of the narrative, it would make more sense to use this. So the night before submission I researched into different slab serifs and ended using Josefin Slab for the final cover.

Looking at the cover with this typeface I think it really does work better, as you can see the relationship of the letter thickness to the imagery as well as it works better with my concept.

Reflecting back on the project, I am really pleased and confident with my outcome. This is a big step for me, as I do not normally like my own work and feels shy showing my work in group critiques. But I feel I have definitely developed my illustrative practice and voice within this project. Initially at the start of the project after the research report hand in I found it very hard to get started, but learning new methods of working with printing techniques and pushing my Photoshop and InDesign skills really helped me to move forwards. I enjoyed working with text as well as imagery and approaching this to integrate fluidly within my cover was challenging but fun. One of the issues I came across was as a designer and illustrator, we look at the book jacket as a whole spread. When it is actually in situ, it is viewed as a separate front cover/spine/back cover. I feel like I have a learnt a lot from this project and I will push and develop these skills into my next project. One of the weaknesses in this project was that I did not explore more of my starting thumbnail ideas for the cover. If I developed a few more ideas earlier I could have had some more designs to choose from. But the cars worked strongly with my ideas and concept, and this is why I pursued it extensively. This was one of my strengths as the cover went through a great editing process.

Initially I proposed that I would undertake 3 projects. The Penguin Design competition, the Cath Kidston brief and an extension of BA7. This has now changed as I spent longer than I thought I would on this project. This is because I started to really enjoy working on the book cover design and I wanted to keep working on it until the official deadline (2^nd April,) to really explore and finely edit my work to its full potential. This means I will now move on to my last project (the extension of BA7,) and I will push my strengths of working with pattern, line and simplicity explored in this first project further onto the next.

Final Submission

Volunteering at Creative Futures Event!

On wednesday I was involved helping in running an event at the Forum by Creatives Futures. This was an event particularly for 16-19 year olds, delivering workshops for them about getting into creative industries. As I'm interesting in working and delivering workshops to the public as well as events management, I wanted to gain experience in this area.

I had a great day working with four other girls from UEA and also the team of people running the event. I made some great contacts who I will get in contact with in the future to see for any possible opportunities for volunteering or even internships for after I graduate.

FINAL BOOK COVER DESIGNS

Here are my final 3 designs to take to my crit next week. Each one a slight variation. The first one uses the red and blue colour palette, has no logo on the spine and shows one idea of the placement of the text on the back cover, with also a variation on title placement too within the car. The second two show the same alternative text placement, but uses different colours and also different placements of the logo on the spine. My favourite design is the second, I feel that the red and blue cover reflects my concept ideas for it best. Also the text placement fits nicely through round the imagery. Regarding the placement of the logo, many of my peers have preferred it placed centrally as its more eye-catching and interesting that would stand out within a book shelf. Therefore I think my first choice design to submit is the second design followed by the third as the blue also aesthetically works well. i will talk to my tutor next week and see what he thinks and how to move forward.

Book Cover placed in book store:

Since my last trip into Waterstones to see what my book cover looked like amongst, I decided to do this again as this proved to be a very useful way of seeing what works and what doesn't.

The first cover I photographed incorporated the blue cover, with the red featuring the 'outsiders' car and using this as a logo on the centre of the spine. 

Book Cover amongst table of Penguin Books.

Side View

Spine within bookshelf

The second cover I photographed was the all blue cover. Using the dark blue 'outsiders' car as a logo at the top of the spine. You can also see here the new design for the back cover.

Front Cover among other Penguin Covers

Spine within bookshelf.

Back Cover

As I'm at the final stage of my ideas now, I'm looking into creating 3 finals to then decide from. Since my last blog post, I have pushed my back cover design forwards a lot. Moving away from the repeat design in two blocks and to the a full spread of lino car pattern. This is because a successful book jacket should have a front and back cover that flows, whereas the initial idea for the back cover was quite rigid and the placement of the text did not reflect the integrated positioning of type within the imagery of the front cover. I re-worked the back cover to try create the same fluidity by placing the text around the cars. I need to make some minor adjustments but overall its now coming together. I just need to decide what colour palette to use and the placement of the logo on the spine or whether I even need it? Regarding colour palette, I used the rusty red colour because it firstly reflects the red of the American flag, relative as its an american author and fiction, and also the colour of rust = death is talked about within the narrative. Using the alternative of the dark blue also is there to represent the divide between the two gangs. From this point on I will carry my ideas through to a final 3 to then decide from!