NM2208 was and IS a challenging module for me so far. Technically, I'm not very aesthetically inclined (I've grown to realize, over this semester), and I definitely do not catch on fast on Photoshop and Illustrator techniques. However, through this module, I hope that I have practised and sharpened my sense of aesthetics.
To give a guideline on how to follow through my design processes, for every assignment I have:
1. Pre-final discussion
2. Final Prototype update(s)
3. Post-Lecture Thoughts
(cover extra research and insights on syllabus taught per week)
I've arranged them in chronological order in the archives, so that it is easier to access posts related to each assignment.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR VISITING THIS PLACE :)
Hope you've have many many great days ahead :D
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Post-lecture (8) Thoughts: Typography
What interests me about typography, is how different typeface can be arranged in many different way to exude an active force from the words themselves. Words, are not longer, just words. I found a few photos on typography, which gave me fresh insights on how typography can be used creatively.
Cross-referencing to what we learnt about figure and ground:
Words can be used to form figures as well.
Combination of objects and words to form figures:
Summing up what typography can bring a new meaning and function to words...
Cross-referencing to what we learnt about figure and ground:
Words can be used to form figures as well.
Combination of objects and words to form figures:
Summing up what typography can bring a new meaning and function to words...
Post-lecture (7) Thoughts: Gestalt Principles
I surfed the net and looked for more examples for Gestalt Principles to better understand it as a topic :)
Similarity:
Other than ensuring unity through similar objects, a dissimilar object can be used among the other similar objects to make it become a focal point.
Continuity:
This picture is really interesting! It reminded me once again that drawings reflect our perception of reality and sometimes we may get so caught up in communicating what's on our mind and changing the real form of an object into a drawing. In this process, the connection with the real world must never be broken and such a link can be drawn to give such a creative design as well. I hope I make sense x) In this picture, the drawing "continues" on to the real object itself.
Figure and Ground:
One obvious way to differentiate between figure and ground is the usage of CONTRASTING colours. The colour that stands out more forms the figure and the colour that is "overshadowed" becomes the ground which gives the figure its shape. Such a close relationship and interaction between the two enables the formation of a distinct picture/message/idea.
Above is yet another example whereby the ground enables the shaping of a figure, and the figure is part of what makes up the ground. For the first, the lady can be seen as it is enclosed by the pavement ground. The different in colour is obvious and makes it easy to spot her. For the second, a close-up shot of the old man can be seen as the figure lady is part of his facial features. This is a way which a figure can become part of another figure (lady is part of old man), while another figure can be part of the ground surrounding a figure (old man is around lady). Different people may see either one first, while for some, they may only see one, depending on how they identify with the figure and ground.
Closure:
The picture above depicts the face of a lady making use of a flowering plant. This example makes use of the plant as one side of the lady's face and the picture edge itself to "enclose" the face within. When a viewer tries to interpret a visual image, his or her attention is focused on what's within the "frame of view", in my words. In the "frame of view", they then try to figure out its elements. The picture frame itself helped to demarcate what should be the focus, instead of only showing the size of the picture like other pictures.
Proximity:
Close proximity of separate objects or items enables the viewer to draw a link between/among them and perceive the "grouped" image as a whole. The above picture doesn't have an outline but due to close proximity and its similarity with the object in real life, the viewer can tell that it is a dalmatian doggie. The ability to interpret such an object is dependent on the viewer's background knowledge and prior exposure to the real object as well.
Guess what the above picture is? It is a horse rider on a horse! I really couldn't interpret and make sense out of this picture until I saw the captions of the photo. Closer proximity could have been used to give the picture a more solid and unified shape. On top of that, association of the picture with a horse rider would have been easier if the viewer has experience with or see horse riders often.
:)
Similarity:
Other than ensuring unity through similar objects, a dissimilar object can be used among the other similar objects to make it become a focal point.
Continuity:
This picture is really interesting! It reminded me once again that drawings reflect our perception of reality and sometimes we may get so caught up in communicating what's on our mind and changing the real form of an object into a drawing. In this process, the connection with the real world must never be broken and such a link can be drawn to give such a creative design as well. I hope I make sense x) In this picture, the drawing "continues" on to the real object itself.
Figure and Ground:
One obvious way to differentiate between figure and ground is the usage of CONTRASTING colours. The colour that stands out more forms the figure and the colour that is "overshadowed" becomes the ground which gives the figure its shape. Such a close relationship and interaction between the two enables the formation of a distinct picture/message/idea.
Above is yet another example whereby the ground enables the shaping of a figure, and the figure is part of what makes up the ground. For the first, the lady can be seen as it is enclosed by the pavement ground. The different in colour is obvious and makes it easy to spot her. For the second, a close-up shot of the old man can be seen as the figure lady is part of his facial features. This is a way which a figure can become part of another figure (lady is part of old man), while another figure can be part of the ground surrounding a figure (old man is around lady). Different people may see either one first, while for some, they may only see one, depending on how they identify with the figure and ground.
Closure:
The picture above depicts the face of a lady making use of a flowering plant. This example makes use of the plant as one side of the lady's face and the picture edge itself to "enclose" the face within. When a viewer tries to interpret a visual image, his or her attention is focused on what's within the "frame of view", in my words. In the "frame of view", they then try to figure out its elements. The picture frame itself helped to demarcate what should be the focus, instead of only showing the size of the picture like other pictures.
Proximity:
Close proximity of separate objects or items enables the viewer to draw a link between/among them and perceive the "grouped" image as a whole. The above picture doesn't have an outline but due to close proximity and its similarity with the object in real life, the viewer can tell that it is a dalmatian doggie. The ability to interpret such an object is dependent on the viewer's background knowledge and prior exposure to the real object as well.
Guess what the above picture is? It is a horse rider on a horse! I really couldn't interpret and make sense out of this picture until I saw the captions of the photo. Closer proximity could have been used to give the picture a more solid and unified shape. On top of that, association of the picture with a horse rider would have been easier if the viewer has experience with or see horse riders often.
:)
Assignment 6: Poster critique and Gestalt Principles
Assignment 6: Critique on a poster based on Gestalt Principles.
Gestalt Principles:
Figure and Ground
Proximity
Similarity
Continuity
Closure
Critique:
Figure and Ground: There is no clear distinction between figure and ground. It is unclear whether the designer wants the skull to be the figure or the emblem and school gate to be the figure.
There are two main colours used for the poster - intense shade of pink and light soil brown colour. Objects of different categories like the skull emblem, feathers and decorative items bordering the emblem are hot pink. Larger, structured objects like the school gate, the banner which states "portfolio day" etc. are a faded light murky brown colour. This complex arrangement of objects distracts the viewer and it is difficult to find a focus.
Proximity: Riding on the complex arrangement and interaction between Figure and Ground, close proximity of the objects on the poster gives rise to confusion. There is no sense of unity, or rather, too much unity literally. For example, ribbons which belong to the bottom part of the emblem overlap with the school gate. Even if the design is nice, details will be missed out if proximity is too close.
Similarity: Designer made use of circles to represent a variety of objects and it makes the viewer confused about what's going on in the picture (as it is instinctive to make sense of something by grouping objects of similar shape/colour together).
Closure: Designer made use of a spiral background to "enclose" the skull emblem. The frame of the skull emblem and the school gate "encloses" the skull as well. However, this causes the skull emblem to lose its form as an emblem. A viewer may take awhile to demarcate visually the outline of the emblem.
Overall, the specific designs of every element on the poster is good but due to conflict with Gestalt Principles, a viewer may take some time before figuring out what's on the poster. In terms of communicating a message, the poster has failed to do so as one will get lost amidst all the details and after viewing, the viewer may ask "so what's this portfolio day?" The message can be communicated only if the students KNOW what's portfolio day and that you should register for it. Details like "3 June" should be made even more obvious instead of trying to integrate it as part of the emblem design.
Class feedback
During tutorial, many people in the class felt that the aim of the poster was to grab people's attention with it's bombastic decoration and get them to take a closer look. Some agreed that it's messy but others felt that the art of this "messiness" brings out the "artsy" feel and is a form of confetti art.
Criticism and analysis of art is subjective based on different principles but arguing from the perspective of Gestalt Principles, the arguments above can be valid.
Gestalt Principles:
Figure and Ground
Proximity
Similarity
Continuity
Closure
Critique:
Figure and Ground: There is no clear distinction between figure and ground. It is unclear whether the designer wants the skull to be the figure or the emblem and school gate to be the figure.
There are two main colours used for the poster - intense shade of pink and light soil brown colour. Objects of different categories like the skull emblem, feathers and decorative items bordering the emblem are hot pink. Larger, structured objects like the school gate, the banner which states "portfolio day" etc. are a faded light murky brown colour. This complex arrangement of objects distracts the viewer and it is difficult to find a focus.
Proximity: Riding on the complex arrangement and interaction between Figure and Ground, close proximity of the objects on the poster gives rise to confusion. There is no sense of unity, or rather, too much unity literally. For example, ribbons which belong to the bottom part of the emblem overlap with the school gate. Even if the design is nice, details will be missed out if proximity is too close.
Similarity: Designer made use of circles to represent a variety of objects and it makes the viewer confused about what's going on in the picture (as it is instinctive to make sense of something by grouping objects of similar shape/colour together).
Closure: Designer made use of a spiral background to "enclose" the skull emblem. The frame of the skull emblem and the school gate "encloses" the skull as well. However, this causes the skull emblem to lose its form as an emblem. A viewer may take awhile to demarcate visually the outline of the emblem.
Overall, the specific designs of every element on the poster is good but due to conflict with Gestalt Principles, a viewer may take some time before figuring out what's on the poster. In terms of communicating a message, the poster has failed to do so as one will get lost amidst all the details and after viewing, the viewer may ask "so what's this portfolio day?" The message can be communicated only if the students KNOW what's portfolio day and that you should register for it. Details like "3 June" should be made even more obvious instead of trying to integrate it as part of the emblem design.
Class feedback
During tutorial, many people in the class felt that the aim of the poster was to grab people's attention with it's bombastic decoration and get them to take a closer look. Some agreed that it's messy but others felt that the art of this "messiness" brings out the "artsy" feel and is a form of confetti art.
Criticism and analysis of art is subjective based on different principles but arguing from the perspective of Gestalt Principles, the arguments above can be valid.
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