Ultimart: Jurnal Komunikasi Visual

Identifying Interactive Toys’ Key Characteristics for Intellectual Disabilities Children in Special School

Christina Flora — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 06:26:51 +0000

The rising prevalence of intellectual disabilities in Indonesia, notably in Jakarta, raises pressing concerns. Many affected individuals, particularly children, face social challenges that need to be addressed and implemented in education, thus the role of Special Schools, which unfortunately often rely on teaching methods that are deemed unsuitable for intellectually disabled children. Therefore, it is imperative to design a media that is suitable for teaching social relations in Special Schools. The use of interactive toys in play activities has proven to be beneficial in education, due to their contribution to children's emotional and cognitive development. This research aims to identify toy characteristics that enhance learning for elementary students with intellectual disabilities, providing recommendations for developing interactive educational tools for teachers. The methods used in this research will be observation and literature studies. Findings show that it is important to consider the use of color, materials, as well as several engagement aspects in designing interactive toys for Special Schools' elementary students.

Keywords: interactive; toys; intellectual disabilities; game lenses; special school

Evaluation of Website Prototype Based on Basic UI/UX Principles (Case Study: Eigen Natur Indo)

Ananda Risya Triani, Yanuar Rahman — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 06:28:43 +0000

Abstract: In this digital era, businesses both on a small and large scale are required to be able to keep up with developments and utilize digital technology (digital platform), especially in sales and marketing activities for product or service, for example a website. Just like PT. Eigen Natur Indo, which continues to follow technological developments to be able to increase its sales and marketing activities, namely through marketplaces, social media, and websites. The website is a medium that is currently being developed in prototype, in the future the use of the website as a medium for product transactions for customers (e-commerce) and advertising. However, no evaluation has been carried out, especially to end users. To produce an optimal website, it is necessary to apply the principles of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). So in this research, an evaluation of the Eigen Natur Indo website prototype was carried out based on the basic principles of UI and UX. The research method used is a qualitative method, which is based on data from observation, interview, and analysis, including usability testing activities. The user test involved five end users who were asked to run certain scenarios on the prototype website, and then evaluated and interviewed the users regarding the problems faced on the interface. In general, findings or insights were obtained that can be used as recommendations for website development, namely the need for more effective user flow, certain navigation with shapes and sizes that are more recognizable and consistently placed, the selection of appropriate design elements, and the addition of notification features.

Keywords: prototype; website; user interface; user experience; usability testing.

Rigging System Design in Character “Gery” for 3D Character Animation Course

Eldwin Manuel Sumampouw, Tito Ari Pratama — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 06:44:37 +0000

A well-planned rigging system design will make it easier for an animator to animate a model. A rigging system is designed to create a controller hierarchy and a joint reinforcement hierarchy to move a model. The rigging system must be created to develop user comfort and to design an efficient system to make it easier for animators to animate the model. This study aims to create an original model named Gery along with a rigging system design that is comfortable and efficient, especially in the design of an innovative facial rigging system. In this study, the author will observe the Stewart model as the foundation for designing the body rigging system and the Mery model as the foundation for designing the facial rigging system. The author applies the leading theory of the rigging system workflow created by Cheryl Briggs as a guideline in the production stage of the work. The author also applies the supporting theory of the body rigging design plan created by Eric Allen & Kelly L. Murdock and the application of the FACS theory reference compiled by Brigita C. Beavis as a guideline in the pre-production stage. The results of this identification will form the basis for designing the Gery model rigging system. This system is efficient and comfortable for learning 3D character animation courses.

Keywords: rigging 3D; body rigging; facial rigging

Analysis of Lyrics and Visuals of Good Faith Forever (2023) Live Music Performance

Andrea Rebecca Gunawidjaja, Intan Rizky Mutiaz — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 06:47:53 +0000

As time and technology advances, visualization in music becomes an important role to support the music performance. Good Faith Forever is a live music performance released in 2021, created and performed by Hugo Pierre Leclercq, and is one of the examples of a unique live music performance, by making a narrative with a different perspective from the lyrics itself by blending the music and visuals together, making it an interesting subject to analyze. The objective of this research is to uncover the relationship between the lyrics and visuals of a live music performance of Good Faith Forever in 2023 as a study case. This research uses an interpretative qualitative approach using Roland Barthes’ Semiotics Theory and Geoffrey Leech’s Semantics Theory to analyze the visuals and lyrics. From the 2023 live performance of Good Faith Forever “The Prince” and “Neo Finale”, it is found that the lyrics and the performance tell the same stories but with different focuses, the lyrics itself focuses on the message of story, while the performance focuses on the narrative and characters living in the message of the lyrics. This implies the existence of creative freedom in interpreting the lyrics to form a similar story for the live performance.

Keywords: good faith forever; live music performance; lyrics; music visualization; narratives

Navigating Distance: Signs in Sons, Mother-in-Law, and Daughter-in-Law Relationships in Lahn Mah

Ika Angela — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 06:49:48 +0000

In Chinese-Asian culture, sons are often viewed as symbols of luck and hope, which leads parents to invest heavily in their futures. However, when a son is married, this deep connection can lead to tension, especially between his mother and wife. The son then finds himself in the tricky position of balancing both relationships between the Mother-in-Law (MIL) and the Daughter-in-Law (DIL). Lahn Mah (Pat Boonnitipat, 2024) known in English as How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, captures this dynamic with several scenes exploring the relationships among son, MIL, and DIL. Therefore, this study examines visual signs that convey the distance in the relationships between sons, MIL, and DIL in Lahn Mah. This research employs a descriptive qualitative methodology with Ferdinand de Saussure's semiotic analysis approach. The findings reveal nine key scenes illustrating varying distances between the son, MIL, and DIL. These distances shift as the story unfolds: wide gaps signify conflict, while closeness indicates reconciliation.

Keywords: distance; sons; in-laws; film; semiotic

AI-Enhanced Storytelling: Integrating Visual, Textual, and Auditory Elements Through Multimodality

Evan Raditya Pratomo — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 06:53:30 +0000

This study explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in experience design, focusing on its role in creating a multi-sensory experience that bridges visual, textual, and auditory elements. The research centers on the album “Sky of Summer Nights,” where music generated by Suno AI complements illustrations and lyrics created by the author, Evan Raditya Pratomo. The project features three original illustrations, each corresponding to a song: “The Fairy Tale of Pink Summer,” “A Hug for Pink Moon,” and “Freed His Heart.” This research demonstrates how creative expression can be enhanced through multimodal principles, highlighting the challenges of effectively conveying messages through a combination of mediums. The findings affirm that the integration of AI can preserve the integrity of traditional design practices while offering new possibilities for innovation. By applying multimodal design theory, the study illustrates how AI is not only a tool but a catalyst for new emotional and creative experiences across disciplines. This research emphasizes the collaboration between human creativity and Suno AI, driving forward innovation in the fields of visual communication and experience design.

Keywords: sky of summer nights; multi-sensory; multimodal; creative expression; suno AI

Creating Women Characters in Horror Films using AI: Avoiding Male Gaze Characters Template

Devina Sofiyanti, Irwanto Irwanto — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In screenwriting, one of the most essential elements is character. Characters are usually shaped by three critical factors: physical appearance, psychology, and sociology. In horror films, female characters are often used as protagonists, but in the history of horror films, female characters are trapped by the male gaze. The male gaze functions as a mechanism to dehumanize and commodify women, viewing them solely through the lens of heterosexual male desire. Laura Mulvey, in her seminal 1975 essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," posits that films serve to strengthen patriarchal structures by portraying women as mere objects for both the male protagonist inside the film and the audience consuming the film. The use of AI in screenwriting continues to grow, although it is still a matter of debate. As we know, AI works by gathering and generalizing information from pre-existing data. This becomes a problem when we want to create female characters that are not considered male-gaze. Of course, not all horror films that have been made use the male gaze, but we must understand how horror films develop occasionally. This paper examines the relationship between artificial intelligence and creating female characters in scriptwriting, especially horror films. A conceptual paper is a paper without data, as it is focused on “integration and proposing new relationships among constructs”.This paper also aims to find the next step for us to create women characters with AI.

Keywords: AI; scriptwriting; character; male gaze; horror

Exploring Educational Media on Indonesian Studies for Third-Culture Kids’ Identity Development

Vania Hefira — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 06:57:39 +0000

Indonesian Generation Z faces challenge in strengthening their national identity because of globalization. This is an urgency as Indonesia is progressing towards “Golden Indonesia 2045” where the goal is to have an advanced cultural richness over shared identity. One segmentation of Generation Z that encounters a challenge in self-identity perception is Third-Culture Kids (TCK). Their disconnection from the national identity during identity development can trigger identity crisis. One way to nurture their national identity is through teaching them Indonesian studies, consists of Indonesia’s cultural heritage, history, tradition, core values, and language. However, many TCKs struggle as they have short attention spans and language barriers towards most conventional educational media delivered in Indonesian language. This paper aims to fill in the gap of the limited research on this topic. The method is through qualitative method by reviewing previous studies on educational media related to Indonesian studies. This goal is to provide recommendations for further education development, in providing educational media for TCKs. The results underline the importance of interactivity aspects and the use of bilingual language, which has significantly helped BIPA students. The results suggest implication to design an interactive educational media that supports TCKs’ learning characteristics with local community involvement. The school managerial implication is to provide educators with inclusive education trainings and support families with transition programs during school induction.

Keywords: third-culture kids; Indonesian studies; educational media; interactivity, golden Indonesia 2045

Genshin Impact's Role in Preserving Chinese Cultural Heritage

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 06:59:55 +0000

Genshin Impact, a popular video game, has attracted attention for its success in integrating elements of Chinese Cultural Heritage into its world design. This study aims to to describe the integration of Chinese cultural heritage (CCH) in the world design of Genshin Impact, while assessing its success in encouraging players' interest in visiting China. This study used a qualitative methods approach through literature studies, surveys, and in-depth observations . The results analysis showed that Genshin Impact successfully integrated various aspects of Chinese Cultural Heritage, such as traditional architecture and natural beauty into the stunning world design; most players felt the beauty of Chinese culture in the game and expressed interest in visiting the locations that served as inspiration in the game. The findings of this study suggest that Genshin Impact has great potential as a cultural promotion tool. By presenting Chinese Cultural Heritage in an engaging and interactive format, the game succeeded in arousing players' curiosity and encouraging them to learn more about Chinese culture. In addition, Genshin Impact can also contribute to increased tourist interest in China.

Keywords: game; cultural heritage; culture; tourism

Visual Iconicity of the Main Characters in the Watchmen Movie

Febrianto Saptodewo, Muhammad Iqbal Qeis, Santi Sidhartani, Puji Anto — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 02:22:32 +0000

Film has become a powerful medium for introducing complex and deep characters to its audience. This research adopts an approach in the field of visual communication design to explore how the main characters in the film "Watchmen" can be deepened through various visual and narrative elements. Focusing on six main characters: Dr. Manhattan, Ozymandias, Rorschach, Silk Spectre, Nite Owl, and The Comedian, this study analyzes how the visual analysis can help strengthen the characters' identities and development in creating a cohesive visual narrative by using the visual iconicity approach. Through this approach, the research not only aims to understand the characters in the context of the film but also to explore how visual communication design can depict the psychological and emotional dimensions of characters more deeply. The results of this research are expected to provide new insights into understanding the influence of visual communication design on character narrative in the context of modern cinema.

Keywords: character design; visual analysis; visual iconicity; watchmen