Design Principles / Exercises

04.01.2022 - 20.01.2022 (Week 1-3)

Janaan Ahmed (0353333) / B'Des Creative Media

Design Principles

EXERCISES

Content Links

Task 1+2 (class exercises)
Task 3- Main Exercises:

Design 1- Hierarchy
Design 2- Movement

Feedback

Reflections
References

LECTURES

Week 1

Introduction to the Module

The first class began with a friendly ice-breaking session followed by an introduction to the module by Dr. Charles. He briefed us on the module information booklet (MIB) that included a rundown of the weekly plan and expected assessments. He also gave an overview of the general structure and format of our e-portfolio blog (which we were all expected to create).

Topic 1.1: Elements & Principles of Design

Design is the language of visuals. And as Dr. Charles put it, visuals are what the eye sees (not confined to only sight; includes what you can imagine, smell, taste etc). I find it quite fascinating that visuals are boundless.

Being visual creatures throughout history, it is only natural that our eyes are drawn to read/decipher visuals.

In terms of what the eye sees, it comes down to the:

- elements of design (building blocks/ingredients)

- principles of design (visual arrangement/ way of making the design relevant)

- perception of design (thought/ concept) [Gestalt]

Elements of Design:

1. Point

Fig 1.1.1: points in space

smallest and most basic element of design
serves as the focal point in a composition/visual
forms a line or a shape when used as a unit in a group

2. Line

Fig 1.1.2 : types of lines

can be visible or invisible/implied, and indicate direction
used to to create perspective, frame a composition, guide the eye etc
can simulate movement and convey emotion
when grouped/combined they can form shapes + texture + form

3. Shape

Fig. 1.1.3: classes of shape

apparent when a change in value/colour/texture sets an area apart from its surroundings
can be geometric, organic, or abstract
can determine particular moods and send messages

4. Form

Fig. 1.1.4: geometric forms

essentially objects that are 3 dimensional in nature (height +width + depth)
can be geometric, organic or random
depiction in two dimensional media must be implied

5. Texture

Fig. 1.1.5: examples of implied texture

tangible property of a surface (simulated and/or actual)
can be rough or smooth, soft or hard
both a visual and tactile element
can be used to draw attention + convey mood

6. Space

Fig. 1.1.6: positive and negative space

area between/around/within the central objects of your composition
helps create groupings of elements, and emphasis + hierarchy
makes composition more readable
can be used to provide illusion of depth (perspective, dimension, and form) within a composition
includes positive space & negative space/whitespace
positive space: space occupied by object or form
negative space: area unoccupied by any elements

7. Colour

Fig. 1.1.7: properties of colour

Hue: name of a colour in its purest form; where a colour is positioned on the wheel
Value: relative darkness or lightness (a design element in itself)
Saturation: intensity/purity of a colour
tint = pure hue + white
tone = pure hue + grey
shade = pure hue + black

Topic 1.2: Contrast and Gestalt Theory

Fig. 1.2.1: some Gestalt principles

Gestalt Theory

theory of visual perception -how our brain makes sense of our chaotic surroundings

we tend to group elements, recognize patterns, and simplify complex imagery
'the whole is other than the sum of the parts'

Gestalt Principles:

- Proximity

we tend to group objects that are closer together
stronger proximity = stronger gestalt and greater unity
near/close-edged, touch, overlap/layering, combine

- Similarity

regardless of proximity, similar objects tend to be grouped together (by colour, size, shape)
dissimilar objects resist grouping but form group of dissimilar variety

- Closure

the brain fills in the missing parts of a design/image to create a whole
creating conditions for the mind to fill in the gaps makes for a more interesting piece

- Continuity

the human eye is more likely to follow continuous, smooth-flowing lines rather than broken or jagged ones

- Figure-ground

objects are perceived to be either in the foreground or the background
differentiating positive and negative space

* all gestalt principles can be used to both group AND ungroup elements.

Principles of Design:

1. Contrast

the difference between the elements in a design that make them stand out from each other eg: colour, size, shape, concept, etc.
can be used to draw attention/create focus + emphasis to a certain part of the piece

Topic 2: Emphasis and Balance

2. Balance

even distribution of visual weight* in a composition to achieve visual equilibrium

* all visual elements have visual weight

Symmetrical Balance: identical visual balance around both sides of a central vertical/horizontal axis.
equal arrangement around a central point = radial symmetry
approximate symmetry: arrangement of equivalent but non-identical forms around the central axis
Asymmetrical Balance: unequal/dissimilar visual elements around a central axis
a purposely unbalanced design can be used to create tension or generate interest.

Fig. 1.2.2: Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave - interestingly
incorporates both the Rule of Thirds and Fibonacci sequence

Golden Ratio: a mathematical sequence commonly found throughout nature that when applied in art and design, creates an aesthetically pleasing level of balance
Rule of Thirds: a simple composition guideline that can be used to easily achieve balance in an asymmetrical design

3. Emphasis

by strategically placing the elements of design, we can draw the viewer's attention to highlight particular focal points in the composition
for eg: contrast, colour, lines, shape, rhythm, movement can all play a part
basically used to create dominance and focus

Topic 3: Repetition and Movement

4. Repetition (Rhythm, Pattern)

rhythm is basically the visual tempo created by the repetition (regular/ irregular) of elements
variety adds interest

5. Movement

shows action/guides the viewer's eye across a composition
can be created through repetition + rhythm
actual path: solid or dotted lines
subtle paths: darker to lighter, bigger to smaller, colour to non-colour, repeated shapes

6. Hierarchy

shows order of importance + directs viewers to most important visual elements
establishing hierarchy = determining visual weight
easy/sequential navigation of elements will effectively deliver the intended message of the design to the viewer

7. Alignment

for visual organisation
rectangles= good reference for alignment
edge alignment and centre alignment

Topic 4: Harmony and Unity

8. Harmony

when dissimilar objects share a common trait (eg: colour, shape, texture) they work together/form a connection
think different aesthetic themes for eg.

9. Unity

a sense of 'oneness'
separate parts working towards a common goal (eg: the parts of a car work together to make it move)
can be achieved through convergence, proximity, repetition, similarity

10. Proportion/Scale

scale: relative size of one object compared to another
proportion: different sizes of the individual parts that make up one object

*One of the key things I have internalised is to first know the mood & message you want to communicate. In essence, the purpose and user requirement. And then to choose the relevant elements/principles to guide you. Another thing is to trust the audience in their subjective perceptions.

INSTRUCTIONS

Task 1: Figure-ground exercise (week 1)

To better understand the concept of figure-ground, we were tasked to design our own monogram using any letter of the alphabet in our names.

I went with the letter 'J', the initial of my first name:

Fig. 2.1: Monogram with design thumbnails

I knew right away that I didn't want to use rigid straight lines as I felt that that it was too structured and formal. So, I decided to choose flowy lines as I felt it could better represent my easy-going nature.

Task 2: Music visualisation exercise [week 2]

This was a fun exercise where we had to freely draw/ express whatever came to mind using simple shapes and lines while listening to some music that Dr. Charles played.

These are my designs for the two respective music pieces:

Fig. 2.2: music visualisation 1

My colour choices reflect the trippy and almost psychedelic vibe that I got from the music. Since there was a progressive increase in layering of different sounds, I tried to incorporate that into my design.

Fig. 2.2: music visualisation 2

While still having the trippy quality of the previous song, there was an enchanting siren-like voice that followed through to the very end in the music for this one and is represented by the yellow line. This song also incorporated some nature sounds that I tried to depict as irregular blobs along the yellow 'siren' - kinda like leaves blowing in the wind (very reminiscent of Pocahontas now that I think about it!).

Task 3: Main Exercise [week 1-3]

In this exercise we are required to choose 2 principles of design/Gestalt and create 1 design for each chosen principle (i.e. 1 design per principle).

Design 1 - Hierarchy

VISUAL RESEARCH:

I dug a little deeper into the principle to solidify my understanding of it more.

Essentially, it is about controlling the viewer's eye path through a composition. What makes it interesting is that depending on the path the eye takes, it can subconsciously affect the emotion that is provoked through one's work, not to mention, the mood of a piece.

Keeping that it mind, it only makes sense to pay attention to hierarchy early on in the thumbnail stage of the design. A strong focal point is what initially draws the viewer in, and must be established/mapped out first when creating your design. The rest of the visual elements are crafted around that in descending order of visual weight.

*the eye moves from one focal point to the other

Fig. 3.1: [Art by @yorozu1217 on twitter]

The large size of the cat paired with its black fur provides a clear cut silhouette against the background that makes it dominate the canvas. The high contrast of the yellow eyes against the black fur appears to be the main focal point, and leads the viewer towards the next focal point- the flowers.

Fig. 3.2: Art by @woonyoung on tumblr

The human eye is naturally drawn to faces, and it is no surprise here that it is the main focal point. The contrast of the warm reds of the witch against the overall cool blues pairs well with the lighting on the wolf's face to further create emphasis. Several implied leading lines help move the eye along the composition- up the hat, along the yellow cat(?) etc.

IDEA EXPLORATION:

A few things popped into mind when thinking about hierarchy, but namely socioeconomic inequalities. What better way to highlight this reality than by applying the principle of hierarchy itself to the artwork?

Fig. 3.3: a still from The Platform

In terms of concept, I was inspired by the Spanish social sci-fi/thriller The Platform, which is essentially about a vertical prison system that feeds its inmates by descending a slab of food down its levels.

Fig. 3.4: initial rough sketch (11.01.2022)

My sketch is very rough and incomplete to a degree since I just wanted to put down my idea and get a feel of the composition. The details aren't fleshed out, but I mapped out the main focal point- the cupcake(?). Dr. Charles quite liked the concept and advised to go forward with it.

Fig. 3.5: rough experimental colour sketch (15.01.2022)

I got a bit stuck on how to proceed, so experimented with contrasting colours + strategic lighting to complement the concept, however the time constraints had me worried I couldn't finish in time. Dr. Charles mentioned that I could use black and white rendering for this artwork.

Fig. 3.6: New Sketch with minor adjustments
to original concept (18.01.2022)

I simplified my design replacing the 'human pile' with skulls. It would've taken too much time to draw each individual person. With the skulls, I copy-pasted some areas and modified some things like the angle to add variety. However, I felt like something was still lacking.

Fig. 3.7: two versions of new sketch (19.01,2022)

Made some adjustments to the character's pose and added a rope ladder. The leading lines of the ladder seemed to balance the composition more and emphasised the main focal point better- the character. Just to experiment, I made two versions.

Fig. 3.8: final sketch before line-art (19.01.2022)

Having liked version 1 more, I made some minor adjustments again, mainly to the character's expression so they seem more despondent. Dr. Charles thought the sketch was quite good in itself however motioned for me to finish the inking I had started. I carried on with the line-art to further polish it.

Fig. 3.9: Final Outcome (20.01.2022)

I may have gone a bit overboard by adding the background lines, but I do think it works to draw attention to the character more and creates the ambience I was aiming for.

Fig. 3.10: Final Outcome in PDF (20.01.2022)

Design 2 - Movement

VISUAL RESEARCH:

When I think about movement, I can't help but bring comics and manga to mind. It is important for the reader to be able to keep up with the pace of the story. And so a comic/manga artist has to be mindful in linearly guiding them throughout the narrative.

Because of this, I feel a good comic/manga artist is masterfully able to capture movement and create extremely dynamic panels with good flow between them.

I looked mainly into how they use speed/blur lines, and focus lines to create a sense of motion.

Fig. 4.1: Examples of speed lines

Fig. 4.2: Panel from One Punch Man (Yusuke Murata)

For my concept, I was inspired by images of frogs catching their prey:

Fig. 4.3: reference 1

There is a good sense of movement that follows from the frog, along its tongue, to the dragonfly.

Fig. 4.4: reference 2

I quite liked the perspective of the second image, and decided to use that element in my work too.

IDEA EXPLORATION:

I decided on a sci-fi chase-scene of sorts with my main focal point being the giant frog. One-point perspective has been used to make the illustration more dynamic.

Fig. 4.5: initial thumbnail sketch (11.01.2022)

Fig. 4.6: applied perspective grid to refine perspective

In terms of how I could proceed, Dr. Charles encouraged to render the image without necessarily using colour. And with that, I went on to first make some minor perspective adjustments.

Fig. 4.7: line-art process (16.01.2022)

Once I got to the line-art and refining stage, I was beginning to regret my choice to use perspective as I had trouble getting things to align even with the perspective grid on. However, I pushed on!

Fig. 4.8: closeup of frog; 1st attempt at focus lines (16.01.2022)

In all honesty, I had a lot of trouble trying to find a balance between making the lines impactful but not too cluttered that it becomes hard to read. I spent a lot of time trying to get things to look right switching between different parts of the illustration whenever I got bored with one area. The refining-bit is challenging because a lot more precision is needed than the looser thumbnail stage.

Fig. 4.9: after several attempts at creating cleaner focus lines (17.01.2022)

Since I kept getting stuck, I studied my reference manga panel a bit closer. Then I went on to redraw my focus lines around the frog. Now that I was much happier with the results, I proceeded to add some more values and texture. To finish off, I added a slight blur filter.

Fig. 4.10: Final outcome (19.01.2022)

Fig. 4.11: Final outcome in PDF (19.01.2022)

Feedback

Week 1:

TASK 1: Dr. Charles said it was a nice monogram overall. However, he mentioned that it wasn't clear whether the border exactly helped or not. And as the design extends beyond the boundary, it was not clear whether there was additional line work. Having a boundary might have helped to bring out the shape a bit more, and I quite agree. His advice was to consider rethinking my approach.

Week 2:

TASK 2:

- Visualisation 1:

"The combination of images and shapes creates a strong emphasis on unity, and a sense of harmony is present. The background plays an important role in pieces like this as it gives shape to what is in the centre."

- Visualisation 2:

"Has a good sense of rhythmic placement of elements, as well as good harmony."

TASK 3:

- Design 1: Hierarchy:

"Hierarchy is evident, there is strong grouping and unity with strong emphasis on the girl. It's clear that you have used a style you know best (illustration). A great scene with good framing, looks like a section out of a graphic novel."

My course mates had interesting interpretations and quite liked the style.

- Design 2: Movement:

Dr. Charles mentioned that for comic-like scenes, a total black and white rendering would work quite well. Lines are important with styles like this, so he asked to make sure it's consistent to the one-point perspective used. He also quite liked the foreshortening and mentioned that the dynamic view seemed to work.

Reflections

Week 1:

Dr. Charles creates a very safe and positive learning environment that I really appreciate. I found it very reassuring that he said that being a designer means being brave enough to make mistakes. Perfectionism is something I personally struggle with, so I felt very encouraged to be more accepting of any mistakes I will inevitably make along the way; to learn from them instead of beating myself over it.

As for the monogram exercise, though I understood figure-ground theory, I was unsure how I could go about actually applying it in a creative way. Coming up with good design ideas that also reflected my personality got a bit difficult. Time was definitely my enemy here. It was however very enlightening to see everyone else's work, and how they each approached their design. I felt very excited to get to know everyone in due time.

Week 2:

As with the first week, Dr. Charles emphasised the importance of attempt and effort above all else. We had a lot of discussions this week as a lot of us shared our work and received feedback. I felt a bit nervous that everyone had made so much progress on their exercises whereas I hadn't started my work yet. I was definitely falling behind, and struggled to manage my time. It was motivating seeing how hard-working everyone was, so I used the pressure I felt and put in the effort to organise myself + catch up. I may have overexerted myself in the process and been neglectful of my physical health. This however was a reminder to myself to manage my time better in the future so I didn't burn out as easily.

The music visualisation exercise we did in class was such an out-of-the-box idea that I really enjoyed. It is very engaging to listen to different perspectives and I feel inspired to create. Dr. Charles' occasional philosophical musings are also very entertaining and enlightening. I am super grateful for the change of pace and experience, especially having struggled with my mental health for years.

While working on the exercise, I came across a lot of difficulties in completing the movement one in particular. While I liked the idea, it was too technically challenging for me to execute considering the deadline. I'm still learning to use perspective. I miscalculated how long it would take, and in the future I will try to be more realistic in my approach.

Week 3:

While I was working and doing research for the blog, I realised just how important and tactical design principles can be. I definitely underestimated their use, and though I was somewhat aware of them and the elements of design, I never thought to consciously apply any of that. I used to think that they were some set-rules that restricted creative flow, but now I know that they can be powerful tools that actually work hand-in-hand to highlight + complement the idea you want to get across. I feel I can now appreciate works of art and design with a new set of eyes. Overall I also really enjoyed the creative freedom we had in our exercise.

References

Fig 1.1.1 https://lets-xplore.com/what-are-the-best-7-elements-of-design/

Fig 1.1.2 https://quizlet.com/225023793/elements-and-principles-of-design-flash-cards/

Fig 1.1.3 http://vanseodesign.com/web-design/form-surface-volume/

Fig 1.1.4 https://www.jeetuinteriors.com/single-post/elements-of-design

Fig 1.1.5 https://patternanddesign.com/using-line-to-create-texture/

Fig 1.1.6 https://254-online.com/space-as-a-visual-element-of-graphic-design/

Fig 1.1.7 https://anuschkarees.com/blog/2014/06/03/how-to-pair-colours-a-short-intro-to-colour-theory

Fig 1.2.1 https://medium.com/ringcentral-ux/gestalt-principles-learn-how-to-influence-perception-83112932d0bc

Fig 1.2.2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa

Fig 3.1 https://mobile.twitter.com/yorozu1217/status/1447578110543548420

Fig 3.2 https://woonyoung.tumblr.com/post/169071697977/farmer-witch-and-wolves-under-the-moonlight#notes

Fig 3.3 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8228288/mediaindex?page=2&ref_=ttmi_mi_sm

Fig 4.1 https://twitter.com/mangakato/status/832341498817503232

Fig 4.2 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/859624647634508905/

Fig 4.3 https://www.istockphoto.com/search/2/image?phrase=frog+tongue

Fig 4.4 https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/the-frog-tongues-sticky-secrets-revealed

https://vanseodesign.com/web-design/points-dots-lines/

https://www.onlinedesignteacher.com/2015/11/design-elements_91.html

https://medialoot.com/blog/the-elements-and-principles-of-design/

https://www.wyzant.com/blog/the-7-essential-elements-of-design-explained/

http://teresabernardart.com/principles-of-good-design-movement/

https://www.seniorcare2share.com/what-does-hierarchy-in-composition-mean-in-art/

https://www.muddycolors.com/2020/11/visual-hierarchy/

Janaan Ahmed (0353333)

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