Week 14-The Three Levels of Visual Information

This picture shows a representation of a guitar. The guitar is very detailed and stays true to the actual design of a real Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar. The elements in the image are very direct in communicating what type of guitar it is. As Dondis puts it the image stays true to the eye by keeping in all the details. The job of a representational image is the report what is real and this image does that with detail. It stays true to the form and does not lack detail, which are key in the representational level.

This neon guitar lamp is an abstract image of a guitar. One can recognize this as a guitar but it lacks detail. It takes on the form of a guitar however it is not an actual guitar. This is more of an abstraction of something representational because it has the form but it is just basically simple lines that created the shape of a guitar. Abstract is visual information that is simplified. This is a guitar that is simplified. The guitar is not any specific kind of guitar, therefore that is what makes it so abstract because it is very general and nonspecific.
We all know this symbol to be a musical note. It doesn't make any sound but it plays the function of letting us know that it means music. The image carries meaning yet it does not represent anything in the real world. However, this what most people associate with music. It comes in many forms. Symbols can be complex but in most cases symbols must be simple for understanding. For this symbol, it is simple because it does not need to be complex to communicate music.

Week 13-Visual Techniques

Figure 1. Intricacy, Boldness, Accent, Symmetry, Asymmetry, Variation, Randomness.

Figure 2. Transparency, Boldness, Accent, Spontaneity, Activeness, Flatness, Randomness, Economy.

In the first example, Figure 1, the image is very intricate. The lines are curvy and decedent. The character at the top really stands out which is the technique of boldness.The red color gives off an accent as it stands out from the black that is being used throughout the image. It's being perceived as something beautiful. Whereas in Figure 2, there is more of simplicity taking place. While it looks like there is a lot going on there is actually very minimal use of elements. The boldness technique is at the bottom and the image looks like there is a lot going on but the elements are very simple, which is the use of economy. Both the images have to visual technique of randomness and activeness with the placing of characters and designs. Each image uses the techniques very well to create an attractive composition.

WEEK 11 Contrast

This visual communication image displays the example of contrast in color. The way contrast is working in this picture is that the blue letters spell out the word "Lost" and the black letters still allow us to read the word "Found". There contrast in color is key for us to be able to read the designers goal in this graphic, which is for us to read "Lost and Found". It is a visual play on words that lets the viewer read "Lost and found" in a creative way. The blue stands out and separates itself from the black letters and the white background. Overall, the color creates a "pop out" effect that makes the distinction.

In the graphic design above displays an example of poor contrast in color. The composition uses mostly cool colors. The type is where this image lacks contrast. The color of the type is so similar to the background that it does not stand out. The designer could use more warm colors so that the colors compliment each other. Perhaps yellow so it can stand out on the purple.

Implied Motion in 2D Graphics

This graphic image implies motion with diagonal lines making stress. The lines go in partnership with direction. The colored lines appear to being going in the same direction. There is also a blur in this image that implies that there is fast motion taking place. The image has energy of movement.



In this graphic design poster contains the element of implied motion. The box on the top of the other boxes appears to be falling. This is implied motion of expectation; we expect that the box will fall even though the box is not moving at all. The person is also holding the boxes at a diagonal create stress which is also involved with implied motion.

Dimension/Depth

Here is a graphic design example that contains elements of dimension and depth. There is good example of linear perspective in this image. in the center the road or train tracks lead into a vanishing point. This creates depth and dimension like it is a representation of what we see. There is also the element of overlapping to create dimension. The structures overlap and have relative size and relative height. The lines in this image create a texture gradient as well as the buildings or structures have some texture gradient as well.

Tone and Color-Typography

Tone is operating at the lower section of this typography poster. There are different tones of blue to represent a wavy body of water. The blue goes from dark to light. The lighter blue makes the image look like light is reflecting off the water.
The tone is interacting with the basic element dot. The type in this image play a role as a dot to make up a whole image.
Hue is active in this image. The red, yellow, orange that make up the sunlight. Hue is the color it self and in this image the colors are going in order of the color wheel: red, orange, yellow. Color is in interaction with the basic element line. Each hue is moving in a line to create the image of sunrays moving outward. Dondis describes line as giving a direction and that is what is taking place in this image.

Typography Design

The basic element of visual communication used in this image is direction. There is use of the diagonal line, which gives meaning to the image. It creates action in the overall image and that is one of the characteristics that is used to describe direction that is moving diagonally. Direction is often associated with movement, which is another element of visual communication and is used here in the image. This image has action and movement that gives off an exciting effect. It makes the subject interesting and intriguing. I want to know what this book is about because of the direction of the lines.












This image has the basic element of tone. The words over lap to create the feeling of tone. In the center the words are concentrated together, which makes the area appear dark. Moving outside the area, the words become less concentrated and make the area lighter. Hence the appearance of tone. There is a juxtaposition of light and dark clearly displayed in this image. The use of this element gives a nice effect for the image because it creates a point of message "Don't mistake legibility for communication". We can't read the words that are creating the tone effect, so it compliments the message.




In this image there is use of the basic element called shape. The obvious shape used here is the square. The image overall is simple, straight, and somewhat dull. That is what the Dondis describes the square to be: "dullness, honesty, straightness, and workmanlike meaning" (44). The element of shape in this image corresponds with the text "Making and Breaking the Grid". The squares build to made a grid pattern, which also brings in the element of line.

Week 6 exercise-Syntactical Guidlines

Good Design

This is a picture of where the syntactical guidelines work for the targeted user. The wheels are symmetrical, which create balance for the user. The bicycle is functional and desirable to use. Even though there is balance, it is not boring to look at this bicycle with its variation of shapes involved. Such as, the lines that run diagonal, the chain wheel and the wheels and tires. The attraction and grouping is created with grouping a relationship between the two wheels. The wheels are the dominate element of this bicycle, the positive, and the frame of the bike is the passive negative element of the design.

Bad Design

Here is an example of where the syntactical guidelines were put to bad use. This bike could be functional, however it is not for the typical road biker. The chain wheel is extremely big. It creates a sense of imbalance because on the left there is two circle shapes and on the right there is only one. All the stress is put on the big chain wheel. This bicycle wouldn't be very fun to ride up a hill.

Week 5 Blog-Visual Language

The facial expression in this photo expresses the emotions of losing something very important. My mouth is open and my eyebrows are slanted up to show my feelings of agony of losing whatever I was holding onto. The sand slipping through my fingers is a good representation of how it feels to loose something very important.

In profile photographs on facebook, people like to express emotion through facial expressions.

Week 3 Blog-Feature channels and Visual Search

This image is a good example the use of feature channels and visual search. It uses the feature channels of shape and color. First our eyes are drawn to the red rectangle draws our attention to "Typo". Next we're drawn to the yellow colored word "ENGLISH". This relates to my area of study because I am in visual communication and I am interested in the typography aspect of design.










Image: The New typography by Jan Tschichold.
Web site: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/images/books/the-new-typography00.gif

Exercise - Top-Down Visual Processing

Top-Down Visual Processing and My Existing Area of Study

(Image from The Hiser Group (2006). Web site: http://www.hiser.com.au/getting_started/visual_design_-__introduction.html)

It is a diagram of my area of current area of study, visual communication design. It shows elements that are used in design. This image is a good example of a top-down image because it is an image of a diagram. Diagrams capture attention as mentioned in the reading, Colin Ware’s Visual Thinking for Design. The viewer of this is forced to move their eyes around to understand the meaning of the image. The viewer goes from one section of the diagram to another to read the information given. As it says in the reading there is a process of linking and re-linking of the words in the bubbles and the words outside the bubbles.