Interactions Between the 3 Levels

http://www.psfk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/eartheye.jpg

REPRESENTATIONAL: What this visual communication design is representing is the eye of a person.

The role that it plays in the whole is that it provides a relevant image for the viewer to work with.

The impact that it has is that the viewer sees and/or recognizes the overall image from his/her environment and/or experience.

It relates to the other two levels by providing the canvas for the other two levels to emerge from.

 

SYMBOLIC: What this visual communication design is symbolizing is the earth.

The role that it plays in the whole is that it's the subject of the overall image.

The impact that it has is that it communicates via shared, coded forms, in this case portraying a globe.

It relates to the other two levels by having the opportunity to elaborating more from the previous level and providing a subject for the next level to work with, the pupil. 

ABSTRACT: This visual communication design is portraying the earth in an abstract way.

The role that it plays in the whole is that it has the kinesthetic quality of a visual event, earth in space, reduced to the basics.

The impact that it has is that it generates a direct and emotional response to the image itself. 

It relates to the other two levels by tying/completing the image together to form a statement.

Application

http://www.zahradka-art.com/images/artwork/duet.jpg

REPRESENTATIONAL: This is an example of a representational painting because it's a still of objects, in this case instruments, that relate to visual perception. This painting is a physical reality that reports direct visual details. Thus, the painting carries a vast amount of detail. Also, this painting is representational because we're able to recognize the instruments from our own environment, experience, or memory. Lastly, this painting has dimension and depth which makes it representational because that's how our every day environment is. Also it has tone change based on light principles, and that's how our environment works on the daily. Therefore I believe this is a good example of a representational painting.

 http://www.artneedlepoint.com/images/04070-abstract_guitar.jpg

ABSTRACTION: This is an example of an abstract painting because it goes from being something representational as the instruments are to a process of distillation. This means that there's a reduction of multiple visual factors that get down to only the essentials. In this case, what's only being represented are the instruments. This forms an emotional characteristic in which not everything in the painting is clear. The composition of the painting is unstable, thus it communicates activeness to the viewer. This painting eventuates visual perceptual experience and emotional impact without being too literal as a representational painting. This, I believe it to be a good example of abstraction. 

 http://www.irvmusic.com/music%20note5.jpg

SYMBOLIC: This image is a good example of symbolism because music notes denote the sound of music by association. Meaning that they convey what music sounds like without actually having to listen to music. However, this symbol can only work in certain societies in which the composing of music by writing it down is appreciated. In other societies, music is passed on by hearing it and not by seeing it. Thus, in that society this symbol would not work. This is why I think this is a good example of a symbol because some symbols are not universal, they are adopted by what works and what not works is different societies.

Visual Techniques

 http://designhistorylab.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/poster2.jpg

VISUAL TECHNIQUES:

(1) Contrast (2) Balance (3) Simplicity (4) Economy (5) Spontaneity 

(6) Activeness (7) Boldness (8) Accent (9) Flatness (10) Sharpness

 http://www.saudimac.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/ipod_nano_4g.jpg

VISUAL TECHNIQUES:

(1) Harmony (2) Balance (3) Regularity (4) Economy (5) Unity

(6) Activeness (7) Boldness (8) Neutrality (9) Depth (10) Sharpness

Even though both campaign ads are from the same company, Apple, they differ in certain aspects when it comes to Visual Techniques. For example, while the first ad thrives in contrast incorporating a black shadow with the white product, in this case an iPod, with a colorful background. The second ad is colorful indeed, but the colors gradually progress as in a rainbow. This gives it a feel of harmony instead of contrast. Both ads are well balanced, the first one having much emphasis on the right which balances out with the left side that doesn't have much going on. The second ad is well balanced as well because the iPods are all in a line, giving it stability. Also, both ads show economy, activeness, boldness and sharpness. However, they differ when it comes to depth and flatness. The first ad is somewhat flat, it doesn't show much depth. Although the shadow figure shows dimension, being all black takes away from it and makes it look almost flat. Also, the white iPod looks very flat. Likewise, the second ad shows depth by having the objects tucked in behind one another instead of all being right next to each other.

 

CONTRAST

 

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlnuNQ5HLzpcbrMCZ6tNl1nw_WbzyXt8Jx_bPu9DH3-79kaCsGs5NLo2f6NvfG4IJ06OIaQfFolbtGtf0IboVIGC39c7pLe06vjSNxRmutKQao0qyFIi7gDP2mbRv4HAaly2zG_F76g/s320/2050373759_6715a692f8.jpg

This is a design that demonstrates an effective use of contrast contributing to a successful design using letters to form a shape, in this case a bottle. Although not all of the words are legible, the use of contrast in size and tone make some words stand out more than others, like love. The word love is bigger and darker than the rest, which makes it more noticeable than any other word. This gives me the impression that the designer of this bottle meant for the word love to be the most predominant in the design, in which he succeed. Also, the contrast in color between the black letters and the white space adds to the overall contrast of the design since black and white is the greatest contrast one can have. Overall, this is a good example of contrast since it has more than one contrast element, size, tone and color bring out the important features of the bottle while the rest blend in to define the bottle.    

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/4532/1saksvalentine.jpg

This is a design that demonstrates a lack of poor use of contrast contributing to a failed design using letters to form a shape, in this case a heart. Since there's not much contrast in the design, the wording is not legible. The viewer can tell that there's wording involved within the design, however, the wording itself is really hard to make out since it's intertwined with the rest of the design. If there's wording involved within a design, it is meant to be seen, otherwise, the design speaks for itself. What this design lacks is contrast in tone as well as size. If the wording was a bit darker and bigger/smaller than the rest of the design, it would stand out more but it will still keep the essence it now possesses. However, if the designer wanted to make the wording even more evident and overall make the design stand out more, contrast in color would need to be added. Compare to the design above, which uses the same concept of words making forms, this design fails in the legibility of the wording by not using different elements of contrast to its advantage.

MOVEMENT/MOTION

http://www.turboweb.co.nz/images/125/large/GraphicDesign.jpg

Implied motion is suggested but not actually shown. I believe this graphic depicts implied motion because looking at it literally, it shows a bunch of rectangles in different sizes full of color. However, the way these rectangles are placed in the picture plane, and the way the colors are assembled, it gives off the appearance of motion. The motion is inwards, it sucks you in. It feels like all these colorful rectangles are moving to the center of the picture plane really rapidly. Also, depth contributes to the feel of motion because it gives room for these colorful rectangles to collide inward. There's also a diagonal stress with the direction the colorful rectangles are moving to. Also, it conveys the energy of movement especially in the center where it's mostly busy and thus blurry giving off the impression of a lot of energy concentrating at the particular area. All in all this graphic has a lot of implied movement.

  https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUQh-obmffo1mqD4w7MrgF93kcLDunatkrHQvkdtq9aFR-lEJMwc5hxIG3_EJEieEOi1tEfCHI9-BtExbQIAnXo9OELqnemKY0p_8P-gGHIVTUSe3oCkEaohB_rn9Ruf0eWhAOZM5Gt4/s1600/nike-meteors.jpg

Implied motion means motion that is suggested but not actually shown. I think this graphic ad shows implied motion although looking at it literally, the shoe is frozen in the middle of this picture plane. However, our eyes tend to look for motion when there's none. By using this fact to its advantage, this ad is effective in portraying implied motion by using a diagonal orientation which makes this shoe seem to be falling in a diagonal matter. Direction is also heavily enhanced in this graphic ad, the shoe seems to be falling from the top left hand corner to the bottom of the right hand corner. The shoe is called Meteors so it makes sense for this graphic ad to imply motion, as a meteor would. The fact that the shoes leaves a glittering trail as it's falling also adds to the movement. As well as the fact that the tip of the shoe is on fire, which implies that the shoe must be going at a very rapid speed, like a meteor. All in all this is also a good example of implied motion and very effective for an ad too.   

Dimension/Depth/Space

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSEFnPylZe5YaWIMdJgpoyIF-txZK978QWLOnaPy6VPIABy2zEMcsZNBzMJFJLSV0BGtEe_PvPUdJ72duv8prraVbwuVZgzoQtHQKvsAjy9WPbmhMdNvfLaJ5AtODy2e5JDbIZtVSDPs/s320/op_art.jpg

I chose this graphic art image because I found it very intriguing. Although this is a flat, 2D image, depth and dimension can be seen because of the particular scaling and size of each of the squares. Also, the textured gradient surface helps add to the illusion of space. As the squares start equally getting smaller and smaller from both sides, it gives off the appearance that they're getting farther and farther away from the observer. The smaller the squares get, the distance between the viewer and the image increases, depicting depth. I thought this aspect was very interesting since the image in not 3D but yet it has that appearance because of the successful way scaling was used to form a dimension that's not really there. I feel like I can walk into this image and keep on going because of the use of relative size. The squares on the left hand side, mostly, are equal in size but as you start to progress throughout the image moving to the left, the squares start to transform more to slender and slender rectangles giving the image a depth cue that they are getting farther away, which in our eyes justifies such transformation. All in all I think this image achieves depth and dimension through the simplest forms, scaling and size, which proves that by using these in the right way even a 2D image has the potential to be portrayed as something more than what it really is.  

Tone and Color

 

I chose this graphic arts image because I thought it was a good example of tone and color working together, as well with other visual design elements, to create an overall design that is simple but yet  interesting. The way tone operates in this example is by not having all the yellow dots on the same tone of yellow. Although this is a monochromatic design, the different tones of yellow make this design more intricate, more complex, rather than if it was just in one single tone of yellow. Also, the more darker tones seem to pop out at you, giving the design somewhat of a depth even though it's a flat design. Tone interacts with shape in this design as well. The circular shape is consistent throughout the entire design, making it repetitive. Almost like a pattern. Color operates in this example by having a yellow monochromatic theme. Since yellow is the only color that's being used, it makes the design very cohesive. Color interacts with direction as well, the diagonal is predominant within this design because the way the circles are placed one after the other as well as one on top of the other is not exactly side to side nor up and down. The circles are placed in a way that they're off to an angle making diagonal lines in between each. All in all this is a great example, in my opinion, of a successful design using tone, color, shape and direction.