06.02.2024 - 21.02.2024 / Week 1 - Week 3
Emily Goh Jin Yee / 0357722 / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative
Media
Design Principles / GCD60804 / Section 01
Task 1: Exploration
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. LECTURES
2. INSTRUCTIONS
3. TASKS
4. FEEDBACK
5. REFLECTION
LECTURES
Elements of Design:
- point
- line
- form
- texture
- space
- colour
Principles of Design:
Gesalt Theory
The Gestalt theory, originating from the German word for "shape" or "form," explores how the human brain organizes visual information into patterns. Its principles, known as Gestalt laws, simplify perception, emphasizing the holistic nature of how the mind perceives shapes as integrated wholes rather than fragmented parts.
Fig 1.1 Gestalt Principles of Design, Week 2 (15/02/2024)
Fig 1.2 Gestalt Principles, Week 2 (15/02/2024)
Fig 1.3 Example of Principle: Figure & Ground, Week 2 (18/02/2024)
Figure: Mad Hatter's hat, cup
Ground: Alice
Contrast
Contrast involves placing strongly dissimilar elements side by
side. It's essential for creating visual interest, emphasizing
points, and conveying content. Without contrast, visual experiences
would lack variety and appear dull and monotonous.
contrast between warm and cold color
Balance
The distribution of visual weight in a work of design for a
harmonious composition. It can be achieved through symmetrical or
asymmetrical arrangements. Symmetrical balance mirrors elements on both sides of a central axis
for stability, while asymmetrical balance achieves equilibrium through
uneven distribution.
Fig 1.5
Balance,
Week 2 (18/02/2024)
The Golden Ratio
The Golden Ratio, also known as phi, is a mathematical concept
derived from the Fibonacci sequence, seen throughout nature. Over
centuries, it's been revered for its perceived representation of
perfect beauty. Used in architecture and art, it guides visual
balance. For designers, integrating it brings harmony and appeal to
their work.
Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds is a composition guideline used in design,
photography, film, and painting to add dynamism. It divides an image
into thirds horizontally and vertically, with the subject placed at
the intersections or along the lines.
Emphasis
Elements such as colour, shapes or value are used to create dominance
and focus in a design work.
emphasizing the main subjects by using orange color against a purple background
Repetition
Repetition in design adds activity and rhythm by repeating elements,
creating patterns. Variety is crucial to maintain excitement and
prevent monotony, while patterns enhance visual interest by enriching
surface details.
the repetition of placing the houses
Movement
Movement in design guides the eye through a composition, creating a sense
of motion within the visual image. It's achieved through shapes, forms,
lines, and curves.
the movement is depicted by the flow of water and the direction of flying birds
Hierarchy
Hierarchy in design arranges content to communicate information
effectively. It establishes a visual order that prioritizes important
information and guides viewers through secondary content.
the use of dark green for the main focus and large letters makes it more noticeable and eye-catching at first glance
Harmony & Unity
Harmony in design means all elements fit together, sharing a theme, style,
or mood, while unity involves repeating certain elements like colors or
shapes for a unified appearance. Both harmony and unity in design ensure
elements work together effectively for cohesion and consistency.
the colour theme provides a storytelling scene
Scale & Proportion
Both elements are related to size. Scale is the size of one object in
relation to the other objects in a design whereas proportion refers to how
elements within a composition relate to each other in terms of size,
color, quantity, and other factors, such as ratio.
the proportion of the human and flower are larger than the mountains
Symbol
A sign, shape or object used to represent something. In design, it can
convey information, texts or even whole story.
Pictorial symbols: image-related and simplified pictures
Abstract symbols: objects presented that have less details
Arbitrary symbols: invented with the meaning constructed, mostly based on
geometric shapes and colors
Fig 1.14
Symbol, Week 2 (18/02/2024)
pictorial symbols
Word & Image
In design, imagery connects users to concepts or brands, while
well-chosen words deepen design meaning. Suitable typeface and
strategic positioning of the type creates visual hierarchy and balance,
and to convey a message or concept.
INSTRUCTIONS
<iframe
src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v2fpIPgFX-5wAtM27WEClT2oCEA5XzY4/preview"
width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>
TASKS
TASK 1: EXPLORATION
Recap the design principles listed below:
- Gestalt theory
- Contrast
- Emphasis
- Balance
- Repetition
- Movement
- Harmony & Unity
- Symbol
- Word and Image
-Pick and briefly describe one goal from the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (UNSDG)
-Select an existing art/design work that revolves around that goat of
your choice. Beneath the image, include the credit line of the art/design
work (title of art/design work, artist s/designer's name year, size,
medium, source link).
-Explain, in about 100-150 words, why you chose that design in relation
to the UNSDG goal and list the design principles you observed in that
design.
CHOSEN UNSDG GOAL
I have picked Goal 14: Life Below Water out of the 17 goals. It aims
to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
for sustainable development, to prevent and significantly reduce marine
pollution of all kinds.
CHOSEN ARTWORK
Fig T1.1 Sea The Future, 2019 by Andreas Häggkvist, Week 2 (18/02/2024)
Tittle of art : Sea The Future
Artist : Andreas Häggkvist
Year : 2019
Medium : Digital Media (style: surrealism)
Size : 705 px x 564 px
Andreas Häggkvist, a Swedish artist who creates impactful images in an
effort to raise awareness about global warming and endangered animal
species.
The reason why I have chosen this artwork is because it was eye-catching,
beautiful, yet has a deep meaning behind its presentation, very much related to UNSDG 14. 'Sea the Future'
by Andreas Häggkvist portrays a scene of sea lions resting on an iceberg/rock by the ocean. While
the surface of the sea appears tranquil and serene, the artist incorporates
plastic elements to represent pollution, highlighting a stark contrast that
often goes unnoticed by humans, as it occurs beneath the surface of the
sea. The plastic pollution has been a very serious issue where plastic
waste leads marine wildlife to mistake it for prey, resulting in many
animals dying of starvation as their stomachs become filled with plastic.
This juxtaposition serves as a powerful reminder of the environmental
challenges our oceans face and the urgent need for awareness and
action.
In this artwork, design principles that could be observed were:
Balance- asymmetrical balance, with equal weight distribution but varying masses
Gestalt theory- the principle of Ground & Figure is applied, at first glance, we see the hummock, and after focusing more on the artwork, the bottom reveals plastic, which alters the perception of the iceberg/rock on the surface
Contrast- the surface of the sea and beneath the ocean (using bright and warm
colours; dark and cold colour) (many elements above; empty below)(real life and conceptual)
Unity- the combination of the iceberg/rock and plastic, overall still looks a
whole
Harmony- the colours used were not high in contrast and saturation
FEEDBACK
WEEK 1
Specific Feedback
- browse through pinterest and choose an artwork to complete the task
WEEK 2
General Feedback
- include examples of the design principles by adding images of illustration artworks/photography
- do not use the ones with description of what's a certain principle(find artworks)
Specific Feedback
- great choice of artwork
- observe the chosen artwork, there's one important principle which was not added
- remove design principle of emphasis
- could read more books about surrealism if interested
Experience
Even though I could understand most of the design principles, putting them into practice with the chosen artwork proved challenging. It challenges me to examine the details more closely. The researches for the artist's artwork taught me how to analyze their creations thoroughly. Initially, I chose the artwork purely for its visual appeal, thinking it matched well with the UNSDG of life below water. However, upon closer examination of its design and underlying message, I found it to be more captivating than than I had initially assumed. I also observed that the artist's intention of creating his artwork went beyond mere aesthetics but each artwork conveyed a deep message about the harsh realities of our planet. I believe this highlights the core of art: to convey a meaningful message, whether it's visually appealing, amusing, or even visually unattractive. Finding an image for the UNSDG took a lot of time. I was deciding between climate action and life below water, so I've searched on Pinterest for images related to both goals and picked the most suitable one. During the first feedback session with Dr. Jinchi, she was patient and kind. I mentioned that the artwork I chose seemed a bit like surrealism, and she even talked about the history of surrealism with me, affording me the opportunity to acquire new knowledge. Additionally, I learned that surrealism is a style in art. Later on, I did some further research regarding it (but I did not include it in my blog since there were quite a few websites I had visited), but I really did gain a better understanding and found it interesting.
Comments
Post a Comment