Design Principle - Exercise

Week 1 - 05/04/19
Qaezie Ayeman Ramlan (0332981)
Design Principle - Exercise

Lecture

Final Project

Let’s investigate the print culture around us. Wherever we go, we see billboards: on buildings, on roadways, on elevated sidewalks. They are of different sizes, orientations, purposes. They all have been designed.

Visually research billboards then select two or more that advertise the same product. If possible, drive by at various times of the day/night. Can you read them before you are past? How are they different or the same? Document their location, describe the area, the highway, the size/proportion of the billboard. What are they promoting? Do you find them successful? Are they easy to read while driving? Explain any and all of your reactions to the overall impact as well as to the various details. Can you identify the designer/design company? Where are they from? Is the market local or international? What principles of design are being used? List colours used, type of image/s, amount of text, i.e. analyse all of the graphic aspects of at least two billboards for the same product. Are they equally effective? Why/why not. Compare/contrast. And this was extracted from the assignment brief.

Ms.Sherry didn't really explain much and kept it very vague as she wanted us to explore all the possibilities out there. For this project, we were assigned to take photos of billboards around us. Then, we have to analyse it and understand the design principles that the designers used to come up with the billboard design. With this, we have to come up with an artwork by relating it to the billboards and use the same design principles used and apply them to our artwork. We are free to use any medium.

Billboard 1

Billboard 2

Billboard 3

After analysing the billboards i pass by on my daily commute I found that most billboards all have a few things in common. They all emphasise on one thing, which is what they're trying to sell. One after the other, and it gets to to a point where it feels like youre just being shout at from left to rign, up and down.

After weeks of paying attention at billboards I couldn't help but feel how selfish and ironic humans can be. While the ice-bergs are melting, we're all trying to sell things, we're all busy selling and consuming. Every week I would come across at-least one billboard that has been switched and updated, when instead we should all be making an effort for the greater cause, saving earth. People are very much aware of the state we have put ourselves in. I have witnessed many efforts in banning of straws, single use plastic and wasting in general around Selangor, but at the rate we are going in saving this planet verses the amount of damage we have done to it, it's just not enough.

So I took it upon myself to use this project as a chance to add in a little contribution towards spreading the awareness about water pollution. Reason being, in the area we are in, also known as Klang Valley, has 120 km in length river that runs through Selangor and eventually leads to Malacca. So most of our flyovers and highways in klang valley are build along the klang river. If you drive along certain flyovers and highways you realise that behind most billboards are tress and a stream of water. Most might think it's sewage due to the colour and smell of the polluted water, when its actually our Klang River.

I decided to get hand on create a print using a technique called "Collograph". A Collagraph print is one made from a plate collaged with different textures. A base plate of mountcard or the reverse side of old etching plates can be used. The process is a combination of intaglio and relief. Collage your plate with texture by gluing on wallpaper or torn cardboard shapes with PVA wood glue. Instead of cardboard i used items that I would believe to be the reason behind the state Klang River is in . I used a net, cardboard pieces, string, plastic cutouts from bottles and plastic bags.

And this was the result. I tried and tested a few versions until i came to a version that depicts it best. A piece I call "A life of a fish"

First Attempt

Second Attempt

Third Attempt

Fourth Attempt

Fifth Attempt

Some of them came out too thick, and some of them didn't get the texture imprint. I chose very dark colours to represent the murky waters and and the condition the fish is living in, suffocating. Unfortunately i couldnt get any documentation done as this was a lat minute idea, and i had to focus on producing the end product more then documenting the journey. I used oil-paint as my medium and its took ages for it to be dry enough for me to scan them.

Final Attempt and Final Artwork.

Finally i chose this one as my artist proof.

Project 2

For our second last project we were to get the sense of a place through any medium we had wanted. I tried going around the web for some inspiration, but i didn't find it helpful and instead i thought id just hop right into the assignment. Below are a few photos i find to be the signatures of the place. The old marble elevators, the extravagant light fixture, the bar, ticket counter and the spiral staircase.

So i picked this place called The Projector, in Singapore. It's an independent cinema that shows all sorts of art movies and indie films. The place is all sorts of weird and quirky and i really wanted to portray that. Its place that has seen a whole lot of life and character. The old marble elevators, the extravagant light fixture, the bar, ticket counter and the spiral staircase.

With all the design principles we had learned through out the semester, i tried to play around with repetition, keeping in mind of proportions and composition at the same time the overall balance.

We were free to use any mediums and I decided on using photoshop. The main goal here is to get a very surreal and graphic outcome. Having the big circle lighting to be up and centre was my start of point and i worked outwards from there, i knew that the placement of the lighting drew the eyes attention to the centre which was what i wanted.

For my first attempt with the lighting as my main focal point, i tried to portray the arrival to the place. Having to go up the elevator, then the staircase to access the cinema hall.

First Attempt

Screenshot of process

I then add a few filters on top, to imitate the dark but bright place. Due to the different layers, the filter made the layers more visible and slightly translucent and it gave out this cool effect that i thought reminded me of film negatives.

Second attempt

On my third attempt, with the lighting still being the main focal point, i added the picture of the spiral staircase which clashed really well with the circle shapes. I kept the straight staircase to give the composition a good amount of contrast and a sense of continuity. I then added the same colour burn filter to all the layers.

Screenshot of Process

Final Artwork

Project 1

For our first project we have to create our own self-portrait. Self-portraits are a thing as an artist. Technically it shows how you wanna see yourself of want to be seen as an artist. Almost everyone has a self-portrait Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Picasso, Salvador Dali, even David Hockney.

Self-Portrait of Frida Kahlo

Self-Portrait of Vincent Van Gogh

We're free to use any medium and do it in anyway. Not knowing what to do i started out by drawing my silhouette. I decided to go for a collage approach just for fun. I flipped through a few magazines
and a few things laying around at home.

My Self Portrait.

The foil, wooden sticks and mini fabric pieces were the textured components and the rest are magazine cutouts. The colour blue and yellow are my favourite colours and they are harmonious together so it gave the work cohesiveness. I used wooden stick and arranged it vertically to emphasis on my long neck . I am a collector of all sorts of things, and the yellow fabric bits are of the few random things i keep in my box of things, and i was glad i finally gave it a purpose.

Lecture 7 _ Design Principle: Harmony, Movement, Rhythm.

Week 8

For our last exercise we learned about rhythm, movement and harmony. Rhythm was somewhat talked about when we learned about Pattern. Rhythm is A visual tempo or beat. The principle of design that refers to a regular repetition of elements of art to produce the look and feel of movement.

An art work that could best describe this principle is The Great Wave of Kanagawa by Hokusai or Starry Night by Van Gogh.

The Great Wave of Kanagawa

Starry Night by Van Gogh

Now after the lecture ended we were briefed on what WE had to do, we have to make our own piece that recreates this design principle. And this is mine, I took a literal approach and literally listened to a song, Khuda Bhi Aasman - By Khruangbin. I used acrylic on 300 gsm cold-pressed water colour, and grey tones to keep it harmonies. Danced around and gave it a few strategic spontaneous drips of white acrylic and left it to dry, for some texture.

Final Attempt & Final Work.

Lecture 6 _ Design Principle: Dots, Lines, Scale & Size.

Week 7

This week we studied about the principles of dots, lines, scale and size. Presented by Abby and Kelly.

We learned that Dots, are the most basic and smallest element in graphic design, when placed in centre of a screen it actually gives a sense of calmness, two dots could imply a structure and if overlapped together it creates a shape.

Figure 1.0 A Sunday Afternoon

This is an example of an art-work using only dots.

The second element we learned was about lines. They're the basic element of any art work or else every. Lines can be thick, thin, long or short and these all play a role in your artwork.

Scale and Size is self-explanatory. Scale is the relationship between two object of different Size.

After that we were given our brief and that is to make our own artwork using dots, lines and play around with scale and size.

Figure 1.1 First Sketch

After hearing the brief, I straight away took out my pen and did a spontaneous line drawing.

Exercise 6 _ Design Principle: Dots, Lines, Scale & Size.

Week 7

For the final piece I decided to fill up with block colours.
This was my first attempt, and i wasn't happy with the background. So i gone ahead and went over with a darker colour instead for the background and stand and also made it bigger in scale. Giving it an illusion that it was up closer.

First Attempt.

Final Attempt & Final Work.

Lecture 5 _ Design Principle: Direction, Alignment, Hierarchy & Placement.

Week 5

Direction:

i) Vertical ii) Horizontal iii) Diagonal are a few directions. For each of these directions they give an outcome of different feelings vertical direction gives a sense of formality and balance, horizontal gives you calm and stability & diagonal, show and evokes movement and actions

Alignment:

Alignment balances out images so it visually is appealing, creating a connection between related elements. Having a good alignment allows the composition to be clear and organised, though a bad alignment is unorganised.

Hierarchy:

It's viewed as to where the human eye looks first in a composition and then second

Types of hierarchy includes: i) Scale ii) Colour iii)

PerspectivePlacement:

Seen as arranged individual or groups of components in a composition

It's seen as the visual order of magnitude and not just to fill the whitespace of a composition

There are navigations seen from a human eye to where we see first to the last and also a contrast seen that catches our eye

Exercise 5 _ Design Principle: Direction, Alignment, Hierarchy & Placement.

Figure 1.1 Final Work.

Lecture 4 _ Design Principle: Pattern, Repetition & Texture.

Week 4

This week was my groups turn to present to the class. Three of us Syaqiel, Syafiq and Me.

While we worked on the slides, we learned that the principle of repetition & pattern are co dependent on each-other. One wouldn't be what they are without the other no repetition = no pattern. And texture is just one way to enhance ones art work, adding texture gives more life, more depth.

Our slides showed works that would represent the principles well.

Exercise 4 _ Design Principle: Pattern, Repetition & Texture.

Figure 1.1 Attempt 1.

Figure 1.2 Attempt 2

Figure 1.3 Attempt 3

Figure 1.4 Final Attempt

Lecture 3 _ Design Principle: Symmetry, Asymmetry, Balance & Emphasis.

Week 3

Unfortunately I had to take a last minute leave. And was not able to attend this lecture. The principles were presented by Arrisa, Farah, Qian Hui, Wei Xuan And Arletta.

But from what i can understand Symmetry is when elements are mirrored over the axis and exactly the same on both sides. Asymmetry on the other hand breaks up symmetrical forms with a random to add intrest. And this is to give certain elements to get more attention.

Then we have Balance, in design or as a principle, Balance is the distribution of the visual of objects, colours, textures and space. This adds on a touch of cohesiveness to your work. Lastly, Emphasis is defined as an area or object within the artwork that draws attention and becomes a focal point. And one can practice this in many ways for instance adjust the sizing, placement of subject & colour.

Figure 1.1 Visual Example of Symmetry.

Figure 1.2 Visual Example of Emphasis.

Figure 1.3 Visual Example of Asymmetrical.

Figure 1.4 Visual Example of Symmetrical.

Exercise 3 _ Symmetry, Asymmetry, Balance & Emphasis

Figure 1.1 Final work.

Lecture 2 _ Design Principle Gestalt.

Week 2

Gestalt is essentially the art of illusion. It is a German word the literally translates as a unified whole. Apart of the rules of Gestalt are similarity, closure, continuity, common region, figure, ground and proximity.

Figure 1.1 Visual Example of Figure and Ground.

Figure 1.2 Visual Example of Similarity.

Similarity occurs when objects look similar to one another, that the are perceived as a group. Closure happens when an object is incomplete or a space in not completely enclosed, Proximity occurs when elements are placed together and perceived as a group & Continuation is the principle through which the eye is naturally drawn along a path or line, to see a single continuous figure.

Exercise 2_Gestalt

Image 1.1 Final Work.

I decided to combine a women's figure & and a dog or a guinea pigs face up-close.

Lecture 1 _ Briefing & Introduction to the module

Week 1

Its the first Design Principle class of this semester. After everyone had settled in Ms.Sherry started off with introducing herself and Ms.anis. Since its the first day we spent the first half of lecture getting to know eachother with an activity MsSherry had in planned. We were then shown the Module Information Booklet and was briefed on the things we need to know on passing the class.

After we got all the basics out of the way, we wasted no time and started with the first design principle, Contrast.

We discussed on the different forms of contrast comes in and how its everywhere. For example it could be through shapes, colours, font, pattern and even size.

Figure 1.1 Example of Contrast.
Extracted from Behance.

When applied properly, the principle contrast can make something standout , more prominent or send something to the back. Adding more dimension and depth to your composition.

Exercise 1_Contrast

Our exercise for week one was to create our own contrasting pieces and come on Week Two ready for critique. Out of only black and white paper.

Image 1.1 First Attempt on Contrast

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