DESIGN PRINCIPLES: EXERCISE 03
07/09/2021 - 01/10/2021 (Week 03 - Week 06)
Alicia Teng Yi Ling / 0345159 / Bachelors of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Design Principles
Exercise 03
LECTURES
Week 03
Lecture 04 - Harmony & Unity
Harmony
- Involves the selection of elements that share a common trait
- Becomes monotony without variety (a change or slight difference in elements and objects in composition to avoid a boring one. Can also include varying angles, exposure, composition, etc.)
- The sense that all of the elements of the design fit together. They may fit the same theme, aesthetic style or mood
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Fig 1.1 Harmony |
Unity
- Refers to the repetition of particular elements throughout the design - whether they are colours, shapes or materials - to pull the look together
- Occurs when these elements are composed in such a way that they are balanced and give a sense of oneness, creating a theme
- Although unity and harmony may sound similar, they each play distinct roles in the way we experience design
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Fig 1.2 Unity |
Scale and Proportion
- Are both design elements that have to do with size
- The size of one object in relation to the other objects in design or artwork
- Proportion refers to the size of the parts of an object in relationship to other parts of the same object
- Throughout the centuries, designers havge used scale and proportion to depict or distract from the ideal
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Fig 1.3 Scale and Proportion |
Scale
- Refers to the size and dimension of figures and forms relative to a specific unit of measurement
- Architectural drawings and scale models are examples of the applied use of scale
- Used to specify or illustrate details based on the relative sizes of objects
- Substantial deviation from a normal scale relationship can create dramatic results and visual interest within the design or composition
- Can be determined in two ways:
- Actual measurement
- Visual estimates based on comparison
Proportion
- In art and design is the relationship of two or more elements in composition and how they compare to one another with respect to size, colour, quantity, degree, setting, etc.; i.e. ratio.
- Said to be harmonious when a correct relationship exists between the elements with respect to size or quantity
- The effective use of proportion in design often results in harmony and unity
Lecture 05 - Symbol, Word & Image
Symbol
- A sign, shape or object that is used to represent something else (Cambridge Dictionary, 2020)
- In design, symbols can provide or convey information equilavent to one or more sentences of text, or even a whole story
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Fig 1.4 Symbol |
Figure Representations:
- Graphic Symbols
- Pictorial Symbols: Image-related and simplified pictures
- Abstract Symbols: Can Look like the objects that they represent but have less details
- Arbitrary Symbols: Have no resemblance at all to the objects or the ideas they represent & they must be learnt to be understood
Word & Image
- Imagery is a vital part of design, be it print or digital. Users and viewers are able to relate to a concept or a brand if the right images are used in a work of design. It is therefore important to use suitable and relevant images when designing
- Choosing the right words to pair with the imagery is of high importance as it would deepen the meaning of the design. Suitable typeface and strategic positioning of the type will result in visual hierarchy and balance in a work of design
- Typography is the design and arrangement of text to convey a message or concept
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Fig 1.5 Word and Image I |
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Fig 1.6 Word and Image II |
INSTRUCTION
In your blog,
1. Upload TWO designs - One each for Harmony / Unity / Symbol / Word and Image - in PDF file.
2. Make sure you also have:
a) recap of lectures
b) visual research
c) idea exploration with brief descriptions
d) feedback from lecturer
e) final design outcome (pictures must neatly cropped and must not be shadowy/blur) with brief rationale
f) brief reflection for the week
HARMONY
Visual Research
My idea for 'Harmony' was to create a minimalistic and clean style of artwork that is inspired by pottery, vases, warm tones and nature (plants & leaves). I chose the tones to be of a similar colour value so that it would present more of a feeling of 'harmony'.
The variety in my composition is the different shapes and slightly different tones so it would not look monotonous or boring, but they are still tied together by the same drawing style and overall colour scheme.
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Fig 2.1.1 Inspiration I |
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Fig 2.1.2 Inspiration II |
These two images inspired the minimalist feel I was going for and also the warm colour palette, because they look so clean and easy on the eyes while also looking incredibly aesthetic and harmonized in my opinion.
Progression
Sketches/Attempts - Idea Exploration
These two images below are my progression sketches. I was trying to get a feel of balance and space between the shapes to create harmony but still keep a minimalist feel so these were my attempts. I decided to stick to using both geometric and organic shapes but kept it quite simple for an overall clean look.
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Fig 2.1.3 First Sketch This was my first attempt and I like it because it feels balanced and does have a feeling of harmony. However, it did feel slightly empty so I decided to add a few more smaller shapes to fill space and they also served to show the shapes as vases (by adding handles and a base). |
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Fig 2.1.4 Second Sketch |
For the second attempt, it felt a little unbalanced and disorganized so I didn't want to go with this approach.
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Fig 2.1.5 Orientation Test One |
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Fig 2.1.6 Orientation Test Two |
Part of the feedback for this was to try manipulating the orientation of the image to see if it would create a more visually appealing composition, however I like the original one the best so I'll be following through with that one. The first test feels like it's tilting too much to the left and the second one looks strange maybe because it just looks unbalanced in that orientation.
Feedback
- The composition subtly shows an interesting subject matter
- The colour palette is quite interesting
- Has the same tone overall (creates feeling of harmony)
- Likes the gradation of the values as the shapes move down
- The darker shape seems to be an important element
- It works as they are all composed well together
- I can experiment with cropping as there is a lot of negative space
- My response: "Personally, I wanted to leave a lot of white space to 'round out' and balance the elements so it would look more harmonized overall"
- I can be more adventurous and see it from different angles, maybe try rotating it but nevertheless, this is great as well, I can submit this too
- "I did try different orientations as seen above, but I still prefer the original one, thank you Dr. Charles" :>
Final Design Outcome
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Fig 2.1.7 Harmony Final Design Outcome |
Fig 2.1.8 Harmony Final Design Outcome
NAME: "Jardinière"
It means an ornamental pot or stand for the display of growing plants.
This is a decorative abstract and minimalist poster that depicts vases, pottery and plants. It was created to be put in Scandinavian, Bohemian, Farmhouse, and/or Urban Modern aesthetic styled rooms. Typically, it is A3 or A2 sized and placed in kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms or hallways.
Harmony and variety are simultaneously achieved through the different shapes and the similar colour tones.
WORD AND IMAGE
Visual Research
My idea for 'Word and Image' was to create an illustrative or painted novel/book cover. I was inspired by Chinese and Japanese novel covers, such as the ones below, as I always thought they looked so pretty and vibrant and I wanted to create something just like that.
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Fig 2.2.1 Inspiration I |
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Fig 2.2.2 Inspiration II |
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Fig 2.2.3 Inspiration III |
The image above is the way I wanted to display the title which is my word aspect of this exercise. So in a vertical format and a box outline surrounding the words/characters to make it stand out more against the rest of the cover.
Progression
Sketches - Idea Exploration
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Fig 2.2.4 Base colours and simple lines |
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Fig 2.2.5 Shading and tonal values added |
I added shading to the background and highlights to the waves for depth.
Also, Dr. Charles said it kind of looked like a brain, which is super interesting and I'm glad he made that observation because it's always exciting to see what kind of different interpretations people have of my work.
I added the stars and constellation to add dramatic contrast to the dark background and to show the viewer's more clearly that this is space.
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Fig 2.2.6 Stars and constellation added |
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Fig 2.2.7 Final Cover Art |
The Japanese kanji that I chose is "夢を持ってきて" which means "Bring Me a Dream". The concept I was going for was something along the lines of 'bring me something nice from far away', because it's from space.
It was also inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.'s quote: "Only in the darkness can you see the stars". So basically, sometimes only through negative things can you see the light.
Feedback
Feedback
- Fascinating book cover, elements are placed strategically and balanced well
- Interesting that the dark region leads the viewer's eyes to the words
- The constellation has a dominant line that points towards the text (so nicely and well positioned)
- Lack of clarity, it's unclear what the imagery is
- My response: "However, this was my intention to have a more vague art to leave the interpretation of it up to the viewer and like Dr. Charles said, to have an illusory effect"
- Texture and illustration seem to flow nicely, it's a clever move
Final Design Outcome
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Fig 2.2.smth Word and Image Final Design Outcome |
Fig 2.2.Smth Word and Image Final Design Outcome PDF
NAME: "Dreams Come True"
This is a book cover for a fictional novel about a young girl who is very ill. She asks her older brother to bring her a star because she thinks they look like very shiny pearls. Luckily, he manages to bring a string of pearls which she treasures deeply. After a long struggle, she survives and manages to recover. From there, she lives happily and works hard to become a well-renowned astrologer that has multiple achievements and she still has her string of pearls.
REFLECTIONS
To summaries, Design Principles is honestly one of my favourite modules. I feel like it teaches me so many new things in design with the freedom to learn and explore my own art styles. Doing the 'Harmony' exercise taught me how to do things in moderation as I wanted to do a minimalistic style and I'm very happy with how it turned out. Additionally, I definitely enjoyed learning more about 'Word & Image' as I have always liked looking at aesthetic art posters such as Henri Matisse's works, so it was fun making my own style and interpretation of this. All in all, I really liked this exercise, I look forward to learning more about design in the coming projects.
REFERENCES
Fig 1.1: https://blog.sampleboard.com/interior-color-trends-beige-is-back/
Fig 1.2: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/33917803433355420/
Fig 1.3: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/76983474854248605/
Fig 1.4: https://www.designer-daily.com/10-awesome-free-symbol-fonts-46458
Fig 1.5: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/985231157971376/
Fig 1.6: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/469781804868506294/
Fig 2.1.1: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/718605684301156661/
Fig 2.1.2: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/718605684301156665/
Fig 2.2.1: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/854346991802002633/
Fig 2.2.2: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/445223113170624630/
Fig 2.2.3: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_books
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