Shape and Value

Make an original blog post about the design elements of “Shape” and of “Value”.

Have you considered that Shape is such a fundamental concept, it is really the first design element that newborn humans can see? How does shape influence your thinking? Are there things going on in your subconscience that are directly influenced by the shapes you see?

I really equate Shapes with emotional values and attachments. Kinda like a Rorschach inkblot. Our brain just instantly groups the information it sees into shapes in order to process it faster. If something is on our mind our brains jump more readily to those things as shapes. That also works in reverse or more I think it works the way I explained because the reverse is true. That when we see shapes we instantly pull up a set of information that we have tagged with that shape, such as previous experiences with that shape and experiences always come with emotions and feelings.
This is sort of what I tried to illustrate with the Emotion squares.

(<not sure if any of that is coherent?)

I “tend to impose identification through shape on everything”. Patterns in carpent, stains on the floor, and paint chipping are some of the stranger places. Of course clouds! I love cloud watching. And shadows in my room, which always bothered me as a child. : P
And also with those squares I noticed this, we all instantly wanted to impose faces onto all the squares configurations.

Value is another design element that is just there, that we often do not pay attention to. Editors and publishers actually pay attention to a page’s value created by the selection of typeface used in printing. Creative use of shape & value creates the illusion of volume.

Value is an element that I understand fundamentally and intellectually, but don’t seem to be able to represent artistically very well. I think maybe I need to observe the nature of it more in order to grasp the subtle, gradual changes in value of everyday objects.

Find some examples of shape and value that create an illusion of 3-D space; share & comment.

I think Esher’s Relativity that I posted previously is an exemplar of value creating the illusion of 3-D space and maybe even more dimentions than that!

Eames Elephant

Eyes:

The idea behind these photos is to greyscale them and then in Photoshop hand color a purple eye color.

I’m not sure how much we need to do to a picture in order for it to be considered “designed” for this assignment. I picked these out of several and then modified them a bit to fit the purple.
So there is a slight bit of design involved but I am not sure if it is enough.
I was thinking about adding more over the pictures…maybe it depends which one I pick. A black spiril around the 3 eye?
The pictures I chose are great examples of line and shape. Of leading the eye into the focus.

Maybe for the other side? Not sure how I’m going to integrate the purple…

And one of my original choices, fixed up purple like…

^I’m thinking maybe tie this in with a human baby, on the other side some how. Like one holding a stuffed elephant. Or if I can’t get a pic of that, maybe just the stuffed animal in front of a baby type wall print?

More Wall Decals

And I found some Indian type elephants.

Earthbound doesn’t have a website, wonder if they would let me take pictures in their store?

Ganesha?

This gives me some design ideas. I like the use of line in this tattoo.
For some reason I just got this weird idea to draw an Elephant on the back of my hand in purple ink, like I used to doodle when I was in high school. Do I have purple ink?

I also had an idea of purple body painting on an elephant. I saw some neat Indian designs like that and I could use photoshop to do my own.

^on the Mahogany Elephant Statues, cut out whatever background they have, and set the image over a design in warm colors. Purple, Maroon, Red, and Gold. Very Royal.

Also thinking about how this project will be veiwed. Its going to be images on cards interlocked together. Veiwed from all angles. Thinking about how to play off that or work with it.

Also thinking about some of our class work. Contour drawings, the ely wrinkles would make great contour lines. Negative space, silhouette, for some reason to me that seems kinda ironic.

Oh and then I could couple the silhouette with another of my idea’s that I had forgotten to post earlier…

“This is not a hat”

So far…
Cards: 1 Eye/Wood 2 Womb/Baby? 3Indian/Ink Design 4 NotHat/Silhouette 5 Contour/Pattern

Art Center Hands Activities

Made with Crayola Markers out of bins and plain paper on bright red table shaped like a coma.

Planned on finishing it in photoshop GIMP.

The brightly colored lines…(I forgot where I was going with this, shoulda typed it when I had it)

At the Art Center, We definatly saw how lines induce/represent movement or draw the eye. Since they were all apstract art, there is nothing concrete to recongize so the lines subconscience clues are more noticeable.

Write about the experience of attending the art center opening.

Who was there? What did you see? What did you learn? What elements of design that we’ve been learning about (if any) did the artist use?

Design a webpage that reflects the spirit of the art show. Select colors & type that tell the story of the event. Post to the web & submit the URL to this assignment.

…

Conga Contour

1. Create two contour drawings of a face using the graphics programs Illustrator and Photoshop. Create one drawing using each program.

The faces should consist of lines only, with no areas of solid color. You may use hatching to represent shading. You can use any format you like, square, portrait, landscape, etc. however the smallest dimension should be no smaller than 450 pixels.

2. Create one contour drawing of any subject using a pen or marker. Scan in your drawing using a scanner. If you wish, you may use the design from the art center as long as it consists of only lines!

Save all three images as a web-ready graphic (png, jpg or gif) and post to the web on a webpage. Supply the URL to your work in this assignment.

Photoshop:

The last one was drawn freehand on a wacom tablet.

I kinda want to do one in GIMP too.
Cuz I love it and want to marry it. Its better than photoshop.

I’m going to have to go in Sunday and work in illustrator. So apparently I misjudged and the school library doesn’t have the software only the lab and it was closed when I could do it. All perfectly duh stuff. So this is what I have got.

The drawing we did in class:

Gots my book!

Read Chapter 2
Answer the seven review questions on pp 42.

1. The three phases of the design process are the information, interaction, and presentation phase.

2. What is the significance of determining target audience? How can the target audience influence the other parts of design?

Different styles and elements of design appeal to different demographics. Knowing the specific audience also determines what information is presented.

3. What are the two tests to determine if a certain piece of content should be included?

Determine the answer to these two questions: Does the specific content help achieve the goal? and Can this information be presented in a way that is easily understood by the intended viewer?

4. “Make It Forgiving” is a concept from the section “Designing Navigation with the Viewer in Mind.”

5. Why are the entrance and exit of a project important? They provide the first and last impression of the product.

6. Define a layout as it applies to a new media project. “The design of the area that will be presented to the viewer.” Basically what the project will look like.

7. A prototype is a working example that allows it to be tested out to work out the kinks. A beta test.

Read Chapter 3. Answer review questions 2, 3, 6, 7 & 8 found on page 64. Post answers to the web and supply me with the URL.

2. What is positive space? Usually the foreground, the space the main image takes up.

3. What is negative space? Usually the background, the space around the main image.

6. Would an object closer to a viewer normally appear lower or higher in an image? I think it depends on the perspective. But usually lower = closer.

7. Would objects in the distance usually appear lighter or darker when compared to objects that are closer to the viewer? Lighter.

8. Would objects that are closer to the viewer appear to have sharper focus that those in the background? Of course, you can usually see objects that are closer to you better. Unless your far-sighted.

I guess I will go back through and do these when I get the book.

Read Chapter 4 and complete any three review questions on page 86 & 87.

1. What is a contour drawing?

A contour drawing uses lines to illustrate changes in a plane/object. Say in a hand, everywhere there is an edge or a dent, where the skin differs in depth or even color such as a mole or wrinkle, a line is drawn.

2. How does variation of line thickness affect a drawing?

Line thickness can add depth or closeness to a drawing.

5. How can pixelation affect a curved line displayed on a monitor?

The individual pixels can cause the line to look jagged, because the pixels are square themselves.

Read chapters 5 & 6. Answer two review questions from Ch 5 & two review questions from Ch 6.
Post the page to the web & provide me with the URL.

Ch5:

1. Shape can be thought of as a combination of what two design elements?

Line and space combine to make shape.

3. Yes

4. How can negative space be used to form a shape that enhances an image?

An image can be enhanced by using a shape to balance the image, draw the eye around, or highlight the main image.
Our eyes tend to impose shape even where it is not, so our eyes may see shapes in negative space.

5. Yes. 6. Yes.

Ch6:

3. A greater range of value, usually increases the detail of a image. With more value it is easier to create the illusion of depth which adds much detail to the image.

6. A upper-left hand light source is generally preferred, and it makes viewers unsettled when coming from elsewhere.
I had noticed before that I tend to always put my light sources in that direction and it had kinda bummed me how unoriginal I always seem to be in that regard. But now I understand that I unconsciously put it there because that is where my brain prefers it. Though in the future I might try to place a light source differently to gain that dramatic or unsettling feeling that happens when light is put to the contrary.

“MC Escher that’s my favorite MC”

Ideas for this week’s blog post. Comment on how the design element Space has fit into your thinking before and after we began discussing it this week.

What are some of the challenges with the format of New Media design? (Think websites, computer games, cell phone screens, etc?)

Have you ever considered negative space before? What about illusionary space? Now that you know how the illusion of depth can be created, do you have plans for using illusionary space in the future?

Do you know of any artists who are masters of the use of space? Please share.

Before and After. I don’t think space has always been such a predominant feature/focus in my mind before. I don’t always think about it directly, unless it is an issue, like not having enough of it or too much and need to fill it, those sort of problems bring the issue of space to the forefront of my mind. But otherwise, it is usually a secondary or tertiary thought, behind all the seemingly more pressing matters and ideas.

Now, I hope to keep space at more top level thinking from now on. I tend to make things cluttered, but there is something to be said for wide open spaces.
There is a difference between spacious and boring, that I hadn’t really realized before.

Challenges. Well, anything on the internet can and probably will be viewed in several different screen sizes and resolutions. (actually I think those are the same thing?)
If you want your product to look good throughout, you have to plan for that sort of thing. Making sure that it re-sizes well. That things don’t get scrambled or scrunched together or misplaced.

That’s one thing I really hate, when re-sizing a window and the scroll disappears or parts of the site start jumping around.

Depth. I was actually trying to create the illusion of depth on my emotions squares assignment for Fear. By using the idea that things that are closer apear bigger and distant things apear smaller.
(Though I am not sure if I got it right.)
Using these kinds of illusions is how we make a 2d media look 3d. Giving it that extra depth, perspective.

You also see illusion of space on home decor shows a lot too. Paint rooms certain colors to make it look more open or to make a large room seem more cozy.

I love visiting those wooden puzzle booths at fairs and such. There is a guy who does some really interesting illusion painting/ink drawings, that has been at the river festival the last couple of years. I really want one.

(Where was I going with this?) I guess I am just compiling a list of my experiences with this topic. And that I know of several of the eye’s little quirks and how exploiting them sometimes makes for interesting art or useful tricks. I think because of that, my brain does have a tendency to look at things every which way.

Lego Escher.

Ha ha, this fits into my Eames assignment!

Wish I could think of a good example of space but these were all I could think of by the end of this post.
And this refers to the title.

Negative Space

I figure the title is cool enough without me thinking up something witty. Just imagine there is an echo at the end.

Create a negative space vector drawing from the sketch of the stool made in class on 9-10-07. It should have only solid color shapes against a solid white background. The solid shapes should show the negative space that surrounded the stool.

Make this image no smaller than 350 px on any given dimension.

Format the image for viewing on the web in either a .gif or .png format. Post image to your blog & provide me the URL to the post.

The format for the quote seems to be wonky for some reason?

Hrm, So I saved it with a transperant background…just wanted to see what it would look like…

Design guy#? & class, + Eames image search

Gathering Information: Get more than you need, then cull the herd. Leave scenes on the studio floor.
Don’t be afraid to leave your drafts out.

DON’T PANIC.
Relax.

__________________________

Eames Cards Assn.

Google Image Search:

Purple paired with? Elephants, royalty, pansies, pixies, p-words.

Someone already compiled a collage of purple googled images.

Flowers and Plants/ Nature.

While I did find some really pretty pictures and I could take some photos of the Thistles under the overpass. I think maybe it might be a bit unoriginal. maybe?

Furniture and room space? Again I could use my own collection, plus found and edited images.

Elephants:

With these I had an idea of a mahogany Indian looking elephant like the ones at Earth Bound.

This is actually taken from an amazing Article about an interesting documentary. Ok so the article isn’t really amazing its the topic that is.

This one is for my mom:
Purple Balloon Elas!:

I think the elephants give me the most variety.

Another really neat picture:

Clothing/Body

Hair! I have always wanted purple hair! <I could dye my hair for this project.
But what else goes in that theme? Purple Parts…nail polish, finger or body paint, bruises, eyes…clothing?

I’m not really sure how great a design I can make around clothing…but different parts of the body + clothing might work. I don’t like to use the word ‘parts’ though.

Take a gander…

Visit a newsstand or the periodical section of the library. Make a visual selection of your three top most appealing magazine covers. Get a copy of those three samples. You can scan them using a library scanner, or take a digital photo. Post the three samples to your blog, and analyze each.

Why are you drawn to this magazine? What are your thoughts on the use of the cover space? The typography? The photographs? The color used? The subject matter? The overall design?

Do you think this cover enhances the likelihood of an impulse sale at the newsstand? Do you think it is appealing beyond the expected reader demographic? Explain.

I visited our library. Strolling past and seeing what catches your eye there is a little different than a sales stand. The way they are on display, you only see the bottom half and then have to either pick them up or duck and tilt your head  to see everything.
I’m not really sure what this has to do with anything…But I guess it shows how versatile magazines have to be, because they sometimes are displayed behind others on a stand or scattered on a coffee table at the dentist.

I.D. Magazine caught my eye first, which is appropriate since it was a design mag.

I think it was the busy images, the black and white contrast, and the bright neon green that makes this mag pop. It’s all very interesting and you could spend a while looking over all the little doodles. I really like the way some of them continue onto the white shirts of the people posed there and the bald guy’s Afro on the wall behind him. Yet even with all that busy the cover is not cluttered.

Though I don’t know if I like the blocky white. And the font at the top seems very overlookable, which may have been the intention to make the image and the rest to be dominant, which it defiantly is.
Instead it would have been neat if they could have incorporated the smaller stories in with the image somehow. Though they keep with the same colors, which connects it a bit.

I love the use of color on this one! The font color matches the colors in the background image, yet is also contrasted in the placement. White over dark and dark over light. The image makes a very dramatic statement. It’s a very pretty image, though it doesn’t do too much in bringing in someone who is not concerned with the issue or that already reads the magazine.

Whereas the next one I found would,

Shocking imagery grabs the eye with this one. Normally I would frown on that sort of thing with fashion and other female oriented magazines. While I admit it is still kinda cheap, the context is different so I am going to give a thumbs up for design, even though tact is lacking. But that’s just what is right about it! Since the article is about taboos, they put one on the cover, a provocatively dressed woman.

The black and purple over the white looks professional. I have noticed with these three magazines and several others on display, that a color scheme of two or three colors looks the best and catches the eye better than a busy, cluttered, mish-mosh cover.

The title is obscured, leaving the dominate woman covered by the large, contrasting, purple ‘Twisted?’. This pulls the eye top to bottom.

The smaller stories are all lined up to the left, organized. While the definition to the cover story is off-centered, which adds to the twisted theme. The large 7 also serves to frame the definition. These smaller sections circle her thighs which focus’ our eyes there. Her long legs just bring your eyes back up and causes your eyes to have moved all around the cover.

With the Smithsonian, your eyes kind of circle the image. And my eyes really weren’t sure what to do with themselves.

And of course this style also appeals to the fashion/female magazine subscribers or random men who might not usually read a more scientifically based magazine.

I absolutely hate this one! While it was waiting to queue I had to hide it under the others. The image is grotesque, the colors are off putting. Remember how I mentioned color schemes that were busy, cluttered, and mish-mosh? And the right hand margin? Could you alienate and section off your cover more uglier? There is no personality in the title font. Which might be fine since there is too much bad personality in the rest of the cover. And does anybody read that tiny text at the top, ever?

Looking at this magazine is unsettling. It just makes me want to throw it away instead of reading it. And I have read this series before and I know they need all the help they can get to entice a reader to open it. It has absolutely no appeal outside its target audience, if even inside.

Other 2 questions…

This is the rest of the assignment for CH 1 reading.

I didn’t think I could fit them into the last post.

2 What is interactivity?

So in class he asked us to introduce ourselves and talk about the stuff I put in the previous post.
But all we heard him say was talk about the second one so we came up with this. (We realized what he wanted later.)

What were doing right now. (In group)

Adding something, opinion, change, movement to what is already there, already determined. Sharing.

Communication.

Interactivity is what makes the internet so addictive. Same with video games. It adds a sense of control, but more importantly belonging, acceptance, or being apart of something.

6 What are pixels?

Picture Element = Pic El = pixel

The smallest unit of an image, on a computer screen. One solid square of color, that is small enough when many are put together, the eye blends them into different colors and shapes. Shapes meaning that we see curves that really aren’t round but several squares arranged in a diagonal line or such position to get the desired effect when viewed from a bit of distance, because our eyes don’t focus on such small details but take in the whole picture.