GRAPHIC DESIGN 3D WORKILLUSTRATION
ABOUT ME




KISSY FIT
BRAND VISUALIZER

RISOGRAPH ANIMATION

Art & Video Direction,  Branding, 3D and 2D Motion Graphics, Video Editing, Fashion & Styling
After Effects,  Adobe Suite, Houdini, Maya, Substance Painter, Renderman, Spectrolite

 A mixed-media visualizer for the upcycled brand “Kissy Fit,” inspired by punky, y2k aesthetics and comprised of 779 risograph-printed frames.  Mixing 2D and 3D motion graphics with a video shoot that I directed, this visualizer shows off the recycled designs that I created to kick off this brand. 

I printed each frame using a Risograph printer,  layering pink, red, and black ink and scanned the frames back into After Effects. I repeated the printing process 1,365 times on 455 contact sheets for the entire video.


BEFORE RISOGRAPH PRINTING
AFTER RISOGRAPH PRINTING

STORYBOARD/ANIMATIC


Motivation and Research:

Motivation: This visualizer blends risograph printing with digital animation techniques to explore the tension between mass-produced aesthetics and handcrafted individuality as it relates to art and fashion. The piece draws on the visual language of zine culture, DIY fashion, Y2K trends, and analog printmaking, using risograph scans, limited color palettes, and layered imperfections to reinforce its upcycled ethos. At its core, the video examines whether digital media can simulate tactile, physical processes, asking: Can digital aesthetics retain the intimacy and spirit of print?

I also wanted to work towards my personal goals learning to sew and improving my art direction skills by directing the video footage, fashion, and art components. Risograph printing is also something I am fascinated with, so I wanted to test the limits of how risograph might represent live-action, 3D, and 2D elements. 

Research: The project is informed by research into risograph printing’s history as a democratic, low-cost medium for artists and activists, as well as its recent resurgence in visual design. It is also informed by research about the effectiveness of motion in an endless-scroll social media setting, and the uses of unique motion graphics for fashion advertising.




STYLE FRAMES OF THE KISSY FIT LOGO
Logo made in Adobe Illustrator
Style frames made in Photoshop, with Adobe Dimension for 3D Stills and Houdini/Renderman  for Balloon Simulation



CANDY HEART SIMULATION
After modeling and surfacing the conversation hearts with a custom “Kissy Fit” embossing,
 I created a rain simulation in Houdini to fill a transparent box with a variety of colored hearts. 



3D BALLOON SIMULATION
Using the Kissy Fit Logo, I extruded it and created a cloth simulation in Houdini to form foil balloons. 
I animated the balloons in Maya and rendered them in Renderman.


RISOGRAPH PRINTING
Risograph printing, developed in the 1980s for fast, low-cost duplication, has become a favorite among designers for its vibrant colors, tactile texture, and beautifully imperfect results. Each color is printed one layer at a time, creating rich overlaps and slight misalignments that give every print a unique character. This animation consists of 779 unique frames, layered with 3 colors, and scanned in. I printed each frame on a contact sheet of 12 frames and compiled the scanned-in prints for my final video using inDesign and After Effects.



MOTION GRAPHICS & MIXED MEDIA
This music video brings together 2D illustrations, 3D simulations, and photoshop collages to create a mixed media look. Since Kisy Fit is an upcycled brand, I wanted every frame to feel handcrafted and punk with a 2000’s twist. Motion graphics were crafted in Photoshop and Illustrator to mimic a layered, mixed media look with paper textures and hand-writing. 



FASHION DESIGN
Based off of an upcycled, fashion concept sketch, I taught myself to sew during the duration of this project for the styling of this video. I thrifted the materials, printed, and sewed these outfits that I felt embodied the flirty, DIY spirit of Kissy Fit.
 


Takeaways:

I am very happy with the final product of the risograph animation, and I feel that I executed my original ideas in an energetic, eye-catching way. I am excited at the uses for this visualizer, whether it’s in the back of Kissy Fit’s booth at an art market or on our instagram. I learned a lot about Risograph printing, and the process was tedious and time-consuming. Manual errors could take very long to fix and, while it‘s not suited for every animation, I think its imperfections and texture added a lot of high-frequency movement and life to the animation. In hindsight, I would test more of my frames upfron and adjust frames so that they all have adequate areas of contrast and positive/negative space. 

I will be using this technique on a punk rock music video very soon, so keep an eye out for that and Kissy Fit’s official drop!
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