Gestalt Principles and Icons

Exercise 1
Gestalt Principles
Gestalt principles include closure, proximity, similarity, and continuity. I chose to create a representation of closure. The concept of closure refers to the fact that we tend to spontaneously attach meaning to visuals. When viewing an image our mind automatically tries to make connections between the different aspects of the composition. Shown below is my composition showing the concept closure.

Closure

To create this image I used Adobe Photoshop. I used the shape tool to draw two rectangles and a heart. I then filled the heart in with white. I placed the two rectangles parallel to each other and then put the heart on top of the two. If you break the image up you see a black rectangular shape with two half circles missing from the bottom and another rectangular shape with an upside down Hershey kiss shape missing from the top. When we view the image as a whole our mind connects the two half circles Hershey kiss to make a heart. We know that if we were to close in on the white space by drawing lines on each side connecting the black missing from each shape it would, indeed for a heart. The main point of this concept is that even though there is not a heart outlined, we still clearly see it because we draw the shape in our minds.

Exercise 2

Icons

Krause says "The ultimate goal of an icon is to convey a message--quickly, clearly and in a manner that is aesthetically appropriate for its purpose and target-audience" (155). The assignment for this concept was to find an image of an object and create an icon out of it. I chose a the wrench featured below.

Original Image

I decided to create my composition using Adobe Photoshop. First, I selected the top portion of the wrench. I then dragged this piece of the wrench into a new canvas. I used the shape tool to draw a black square on the layer under the wrench. While the black square layer was selected, I traced the outline and detail lines on the wrench. After finishing drawing the wrench, I deleted the layer with the actual image on it. I used the paint bucket tool to color in the drawing. Finally I used the crop tool so that there was little black space around the image and then rotated it.

Icon

The final product came out as planned. The icon is simple but to the point. It is easy to tell what  image was used to create the composition. The three different colors go well together causing the icon to be appealing to the eye. Although the icon may not seem "pretty", it is using an image of a tool meaning it is most likely geared towards men. 

Composition: Critical Reflection

Connection

          All elements are that are connected are placed in association with each other visually. I also made sure to use phrases such as “below is my original image”, in order to connect the descriptions with the correct corresponding image. The images are also placed in order of stages. For example, in the Color and Emphasis post, I included the original image and two drafts of my work. I started by posting the original image with a description of the exercise. Then I posted my first draft of work with a description, followed by my second draft of work that included extra elements to make it look more finished with a description. I believe no changes are necessary because all the images posted are clearly connected with their corresponding descriptions. The narratives seem to flow as well. Each description is linking to the next. Words such as “also”, “then”, and  “next”, ensure this flow. Each post is titled, as well as each exercise. This allows the reader to understand where one concept ends and another begins. This creates visual breaks to show division between posts as well. Although each concept is separated from the other, the structure of each post is similar creating a sense of unity throughout the piece.

Alignment

          Although alignment is not consistent throughout the portfolio, each post consists of a pattern allowing it to be aesthetically pleasing. For example, in the Grouping and Theme post, each image is staggered. The first image is on the left with its corresponding description on the right, the second image is on the right with its corresponding description on the left, and so on. I believe strategies such as staggering minimize the amount of blank space in the portfolio, making the flow a lot better. However, there are some open spaces remaining on the portfolio in order to ensure that it does not look too busy.

Priority

          The portfolio itself is very pleasing to the eye. Colors such as light pink, magenta, and gray are used. These colors all go together nicely causing a pleasing visual flow. Different colors are used for each element of the portfolio such as background, body text, post title, and blog title. This shows contrast between each element and keeps them from being clumped together. The title of the portfolio itself is written in very large text, while the title of each post is bolded but not as large, and the body text of each post is written fairly smaller and not in bold. This causes a clear hierarchy between the elements. The light pink of the background allows each image to be seen easily without distraction. The side panels of the portfolio have a soft ethereal design that fades into a solid magenta. This effect allows the viewers focus to remain on each composition rather than being directed off the page. 

Krause Color and Emphasis

Exercise 1

Warm Up

As a warm up exercise in class we were told to take one simple image and make several copies of it. I decided to use Adobe Photoshop for this warm up. I chose the image of the heel because it is simple and easy to lasso using the magnetic lasso tool. I then opened a new document and dragged several copies of the shoe into it.

Original Image

Draft 1

In my first draft I used five copies of the shoe. I placed them in a straight line. I then used the color overlay tool to place a black overlay over four of the shoes. This placed a greater emphasis on the remaining bright pink shoe.

Draft 2

In my second draft I decided to use the image adjustment tool. I used four shoes in a line this time. I selected one shoe and changed the adjustment to black and white. This created an emphasis on the one uncolored shoe. Although the remaining three shoes are bright pink and may usually catch the eye, now that the black and white shoe is the "odd one out" the eye is directed towards it. Finally, I used the rectangle too to add a finishing touch to the image. I made one rectangle a gray color and another a bright pink color.

I feel that my drafts both effectively show how color can be used to create emphasis. In both images one shoe differs from the rest, causing it to stand out from the others. Krause says "If everyone shouts, how will any one voice be heard?" (63). This is an interesting concept to keep in mind. It is important to make your work easy on the eyes by showing exactly what you what emphasized. Color helps you do this.

Exercise 2

Past and Present

For this exercise I chose an image of a street in Hong Kong. The assignment was to select one object in the scene and make it stand out from the rest of the photo. Below is my original image.

Original Image

My Final Product

First, I used the polygonal lasso tool to select the double decker trolley. I then inverted the selection and used the adjustment tool to make the rest of the image black and white.  Now, the double decker trolley is vibrantly in color, while the rest of the image is black and white. This exercise is called past and present because the black and white effect causes the image to look old, while the vibrant colored trolley looks very modern. I chose the trolley because it shows innovation and technology. I believe my image is a good representation of how black and white versus color can show emphasis and connect to larger themes such as changes through the times.

Krause Alignment Exercise

Exercise 1

Alignment

Krause calls alignment a compositions “structural framework” (79). The exercise was to create an advertisement for an imaginary company. I chose to use an image of bright pink high heel shoes. I imported the image into a powerpoint document. I then centered the image at the top of the slide. I chose to use two simple, yet strong, words to describe the shoes. I added a text box and wrote “Fearless” and “Fabulous”. I then changed the fonts to make it look more aesthetically pleasing. I then set it to space out the letters in the word “Fabulous” so that it would be aligned with “Fearless”. I also added the company name, “Allard Heels Inc.” and “Established 2010” at the bottom of the slide. I made sure to keep the font small so that it would not take the focus away from the image or its caption. Finally, I added a gradient to the background to make the advertisement more catchy. I made sure that the darker part was behind the image and caption, again, to keep the focus on that portion of the image. When looking at my final product and comparing it with examples presented by Krause, I wish that I would have done something a little more edgy. I feel my advertisement utilizes the concept of alignment but it is very simple, and safe. 

Krause Grouping and Themes

Exercise 1
Grouping and Theme

In this activity we were told to arrange shapes on seven different power point slides. The point of this exercise was to use concepts of grouping in order to convey different themes. For this activity I used the shape tool to draw the various shapes, the formatting palette to change the colors, and Wordart to write the themes.

One theme is anarchy. Synonyms of anarchy include: lawlessness, chaos, disorganization, and disorder. On my slide I drew ten "talk bubbles". I then placed the shapes randomly around the edge of the slide. The array of mismatch colors and placement shows disorganization and chaos. The fact that the shapes are partly off the edge of the slide implies that they are unrestrained, showing lawlessness and disorder.

The next theme is celebration. Synonyms of celebration include: jubilee, honoring, recognition, and party. On this slide I used stars as the shapes to represent honor and recognition. I colored them bright yellow in order to show jubilee. I arranged the stars in a circle, overlapping each other to symbolize the crowdedness of a party.

Another theme is escape. Synonyms include: departure, bolt, getaway, and leave. I used arrows on this slide and put them all in a path leaving the slide. This image clearly represents all the synonyms listed above. I also used the color red on the slide to represent the red light in "Exit" signs.

The next theme is intimidation. Synonyms of intimidation include: coercion, frightening, and threatening. I used the starburst shape because it seemed to best represent a threatening shape. Nine of them are grouped and have coerced the one white shape into a corner. I also used the color red to symbolize anger.

Isolation is the next theme. Synonyms include: withdrawal, segregation, and solitude. I used nine arrows pointing one direction to simulate a group and one lone arrow pointing in the opposite direction to simulate an isolated being. The isolated arrow shows solitude. The group moving away shows segregation, while the arrow moving away from the group shows withdrawal.

Another theme is logic. Synonyms of logic are: coherence, relationship, and sense. I used addition signs because mathematics is known as a logical or sensible field. I filled five with white and four with green. I separated the two colors into separate lines. I did this to show coherence and relationship between the shapes with the same color.

Unity is the next theme. Synonyms include: alliance, harmony, and peace. I used smiley faces to symbolize harmony. I colored them a calm greyish blue to show peace. I then arranged the smiley faces into a circle to represent alliance.

This concept is helpful in designing business cards, posters, websites, etc. Krause says "Visual grouping aids discovery by helping the viewer make useful connections between elements" (41).  In other words, the arrangement of objects on a page can help establish and/or reinforce the meaning being conveyed. Overall I feel that my slides effectively represent each theme.