Design Principle : Final Project
Final Project
12/Jun/2022
1, Data
ID : 0351579Name : Mabuchi ArataCourse : Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Design PrincipleDate : 2022/6/122, Introduction
From this week, we're going to start final project. The main goal for final project is understanding about design elements and principles we've used so far in our lectures. As you may already noticed, main purpose of design principle is the way to express designer and client's idea effectively. I mainly forcused this point for this final project.In the Final project, we can't just understanding design principles to be used and create one or more artworks then submit in the blog as E- portfolio. In this final project, we're going to go observation and analysis first to understand about design principles we're going to use to create our own artworks.
Design Principle
2, Introduction
From this week, we're going to start final project. The main goal for final project is understanding about design elements and principles we've used so far in our lectures.
As you may already noticed, main purpose of design principle is the way to express designer and client's idea effectively. I mainly forcused this point for this final project.
In the Final project, we can't just understanding design principles to be used and create one or more artworks then submit in the blog as E- portfolio. In this final project, we're going to go observation and analysis first to understand about design principles we're going to use to create our own artworks.
3, Phase 1 & 2
1, Research
First of all, I started from finding any ideas used for design analysis and observation to understand the effective usage. I used pinterest for finding the design I found interesting.
When I just look through the poster design, I found one interesting idea attracts my attention.
This art style used in the poster is called "Art deco" which was founded in 1900s in Paris. The main characteristic about Art deco is about usage of geometric shapes which is like a liner, triangular, zigzagged and so on. These simlified design aimsremaining main characteristics of the object that designers want to express most. They represent the functional object in their design with simplifies geometric shapes to design anti elegance that symbolized wealth and sophistication.
Since I understood about Art deco, I decided to analyse art deco design, so I researched through pinterest to try to find art deco poster makes me interesting to use in final project and I finally found one to be used for my final project.
This is basically Art deco representing black cat and I've found this poster from pinterest and it is originally from Zazzle. It may look too simple poster, but it contains many design principle for effective visual representation.
2, Observation
First of all, Let's identify all visual elements and images used in this poster first before detailed analysis. The poster itself is formed by 4 visual elemets, yellow background, 4 gray straight line, the text written aout "Cat Show" in very informal font, and finally one black cat sitting left side of the poster.
To start with background, the colour of the background is as I mentioned, it is coloured by yellowish colour, to state about the details of colour, the colour itself is filled perfectly from top of the poster to the bottom of the poster. The colour itself is yellow, but to explain it with more detail, it can be said that the colour itself may be seemed as rather than pure yellow, it may look like close to the orange colour, therefore I should say that the colour used in the background is yellow-ish colour but bit close to the orange-like colour. The point I notice from the background if that the yellowish colour in the background was applied equaly in the backgroud, there's no darker or brighter part on the background, we can see whole plane yellow-ish coloured background in the art deco poster.
Secondly, One big black cat image attracts our attention. Beside the yellow-ish colourd background, the image of black cat is the most biggest image in the poster. The shape o cat itself is mainly formed by straight line but some of the part such as head and tails. There are two points I noticed from this image, The first one is that there are two colours are used beside black colour, the colours used in the image are gray and yellow, firstm, the gray colour itself isn't too close to the white colour, its colour is able to explain as black colour mixed with small amout of white colour. To move to the colour of the yellow, the colour itself may be seemed as same or similar to the colour used in the background.
To talk about the gray line, there are four parallel gray line existing lower part of the poster behind of Big Black Cat image, The line itself is thick, and it's thicker than the gap between each lines. Each line has equal distance for each other.
Unfortunatelly, I hqve no idea hoe to measure the thickness of the line. The colour used in the line is gray and its colour is more white than the gray colour used in the black cat, however, the there is still contrast between yellow-ish coloured background and gray straight lines.
Finally, The text used in the poster is informal type. Even though I have no idea the font used in the text, the line used in the text is very thin and each characters are extended vertically. The size of text itself isn't big as the upper half of the black cat.
The colour used in the text is black and the colour itself is same as the the colour used in the black cat.
That's all about my observation from the art deco poster of Black cat, to sum up the ideas used in the poster, it can be said that the poster itself is designed as very simplified, and using small numbers of colours makes the poster image or easy to see at the first time. The image of the cat itself is also simplified as much as possible, but we can still understand the the shape itself as one big black cat.
The poster design simplifies the details as much as possible but it still represents the main visual elements of black cat clearly. In other words to describe, it emphasis the image of black cat by simplified the visual elements around the cat as much as possible.
3, Analysis
First of all, main consept of this poster is "simplified", therefore whole poster design uses design principle "symbol" . You may feel wonder because the poster design itself doesn't look like symbols we normally see in our normal life as shown below.
Actually, there are several point you should understand about symol, this is because there are 5 different types of symbols exists as shown below. :
・Non figurative representations
・Visuals
・Pictorial symbols
・Abstract symbols
・Arbitray symbols
The point is that symbols we normally see in our life is called "graphical symbols" and it contains three different symbols as I mentioned above, Pictorial symbols, Abstract symbols and Arbitray symbols. To explain about each different symbols simply, Pictorial symbol is types of symbols designed in Image related and simplified pictures, Abstract symbol reduces its detail to simplify image outlook, and Arbitrary symbols don't represent object at all and it uses least visual elements as possible to express meaning as sign. In this poster design, I guess that the idea of "Abstract symbols" is used.
To go back to the main topic about whole outlook, the total outlook is able to explain as "simplified", when I come up the odea about term of "simplified", I realized that similar idea is used in the design principle "symbol" is used, both this poster and symbol design, especially "Abstract symbols", are using the similar idea about simplify visual element and remaining the main characteristic idea about visual elements.
(Use text above as text for Phase 3)
This poster includes the idea about design principle called "Unity" which is basically the way to make coherence and fluent in the design. In this poster, there are different visual elements are existing such as Big Black cat, sharp and informal styled text, four thick gray lines, and yellow background. Each visual elements afe completely different but combined together and make fluency in the design. The point is that position, size and contrast each other creates a unity in the design that make this poster attractive. (I'll explain about unity more about later.)
Design can't be done by just using visual elements and design principle, but the most important point you must notice for the design is that making main visual element that you want to show most. Identifying an image you want to show most creates your idea that you wants to represent most become more understandable in your design. To go back to about analysis, there is one main visual elements that attracts viewer's attention, That's Big Black Cat existing on the left hand side.
To explain about the main part of the design, The image of the cat itself is the most biggest visual elements in the poster so viewers can naturally move their eyes towards to the big cat imafe, it's already enough explanation for why image of cat emphasises its existence in the poster, but by looking carefully at the image of the cat, it uses many other design principles to create most attractive image of the poster.
The second point I found from this visual element is that the image of the cat in the poster isn't symmetrical, to explain more about this, even though the image of the cat in the poster may be able to be seemed as designed in symmetrically, however, when we look more closer, (even though we remove the part where we can determine clearly that it's not symmetrical at all such as head or tail.) the body may be able to be seemed as symmetrical but the point where the outline for the body bends is actually different. On the right side, the position of the line bending is higher than left side. You also understand the shape of the cat isn't symmetrical by looking tail and head. The design principle used in here is called "symmetrical". To explain about design principle "symmetrical", The idea about "symmetrical" is one of the idea of design principle called "Balance" (simply to explain, it's about "distribution of visual weight", to provide stability to see in the design). In the design principle of "balance", there are two different ideas used, "symmetrical balance" which uses equal visual elements on both side with having an equal distance from the centre axis each other, on the other hand, there is an alternative idea called "asymmetrical balance", which uses different visual elements on both side to make image balanced, the point is that it still make design balanced by making equal visual weight (simply to explain, visual weight is design element that provided by every visual elements to attract viewer's attention. Bigger and brighter image has more visual weight. Just understand about assymetrical balanced by making equal visual weight as "using different visual elements") or making dominant visual element on one side and making less focus point on the opposite side. In the both image of a black cat and whole design itself uses design principle "Balance" effectively. First of all, The image of cat itself uses "asymmetric balance" very effectively. To talk aboutthe image of cat first, As I mentioned above already, the image of Black cat isn't designed as symmetrically as shown below.
The Black cat image makes its own design stable by remaining balance of "visual weight" on both side to create "asymmetrical balance". To explain more about this, both side of the image of the black cat separated by vertical red line is sized in similar scale, as the result, the both side provides same (or similar) visual weight effectively, so the image is stable to see as one image of black cat sitting confortably.
The poster itself also uses asymmetrically balance, when you look at whole poster again, we can understand the image of black cat which must have visual priority in this poster existing on the left hand side of the poster, and other elements such as thicker gray lines or informal text are placing right hand side as shown below.
As you can see, the image of black cat as most dominant visual element in the poster, on the other hand, there are less images that attracts viewer's attention (in other words, there are less visual weights on right hand side.) . In this poster design, there are two different usage of asymmetrical balance we cam find.
First of all, I have already mentioned that dominant visual element ,black cat, is locating on left side, and on the opposite side, there are informal designed text and 4 thicker straight gray lines. Both visual elements aren't dominant visual object in the design. It may seem not so special, but it is clearly one of the usage of the asymmetric balance, By providing one leading visual object on the one side of the design and less attractive visual elements can create asymetric balance. To explain more about this, unbalanced placement of dominant visual elements can provide suitable and stable to the image. Unlike symmetrically balanced, it doesn't use same visual element to make the image balanced, as the image for example shown below, it creates balance in the image by using term called "visual weight" which is basically the existence of visual weight for every element in the design.
In the Van Gogh's artwork "Starry night", the imge itself is balanced by two different visual elements, the one is the tree like shaped object excisting on the left side and it create atrong existence because the size of tree itself is bigger than any other visual elements in this artwork, on the other hand, there is prenty big space existing on the left side of the image and there is spinning curved line excisting flowing on the right side, this space may be seemed as nothing, but it contains a very important factor you can't miss. The point is about "space", sometimes the empty space that contains nothing can express visual impression in the design, in the asymmetrically balanced image maintains its balance by using different visual elements. To explain more about assymetric balance, placement is the factor to understand about the core of the unsymmetrical balance. Organising position of the dominant image (visual element that can be explained as "main image") and focal point (visual element that attracts viewer's attention), to make unsymmetrically balanced image, you need to consider about the position of the both dominant and focal image, if you organized the position of the both dominant and focal image well, the contrast between high more visual image attention and less image attention can provide nice stable impression. As you can see the poster above, the left side has dominant image as one big black cat which must be the visual image that attracts viewer's attention most, on the other hand, the right hand side doesn't have any focal visual element so much, there are only thin text and 4 thick gray lines. This unbalanced foal point placement provide nice visual assymetrically balanced impression as the result.
To sum up the ideas about visual principle used in this art deco poster, it uses the design principle of "symbol" to simplify the message that designer want to tell simply, and both "symmetrical" and "assymetrical" balance effectively in the poster to provide "stable" impression.
4, Visual research
First of all, the poster design itself can be determined as the art style is called "art deco". To explain about "Art deco", it is the art movement found in France in 1910.
To explain about "Art deco" more, This is the one of the Modern European art style that emphasis to simplify the visual elements to represent by just using limited visual characters which can be linear and geometric shapes, both should be simplified form such as triangular, circular, zigzagged, chevron-patterned forms and so on, to represent object tha we normally see in our life, such as flowers, animals, vehocles and so on. The main purpose of this art style is representing about wealth and sophististication that people thoughts during 1920s. I can guess that during 1920s's Europe, the new invention such as Radio and new culture, movie creates totally different culture unlike before, in the result, the lifestyle in the city had changed like invention of mobile phone changes our life different before.In the result, the previous lifestyle had became old so the artstyle itself requires to change into something new. It is no wonder that trying to simplify the details of image as much as possible in the art deso design.
(Flying Scotsman, Leo Marfurt, 1928)
I just researched about famous Art deco artist and I've found one Art deco artist that can be used for future project. This artwork must be good example of art deco.
This artwork is made by artost called "Leo Marfurt" who is the Swiss-Belguin artist and this artwork is made in 1928. This poster can be described as "simple", because shape, line and even text in this visual designed poster doesn't have any complexed details.Even thought the poster itself is designed as asymmetric design, it surely provides visual balance by using different point and controling the position to place the dominant image to create visual contrast that one to make asymetrically balance By organizing them all very well, simplified but stable image can be made.
In the art deco design, I also found another art style. That is called "Ukiyoe", Ukiyoe is The Japanese Art style during Edo period which is almost 350~400 years ago.
It usually represents people and environments in which the higher class e,erged themselves became the popular subjects for Ukiyoe works, such as sumo wrestlers, Kabuki actors, geisha, and other characters from the litereture and folklore of the time.
The point of where I found similarities to the poster I choose is the its format of the poster itself with Ukiyo e. Basically, the main characteristic of Ukiyo e is strong shapes and bold linework, which is also able to find in the Art deco design. Additionaly the object that both Art deco and Ukiyo e designs is also similar, because both designs about things exist in normal life, however, the point I found similarities between Ukiyo e and Poster is "colours", this is because both images use bold colours which emphasis visual elements shown in the design one moment of object figures. To explain more about figures in Ukiyo e, The image tend to show the moment of figures (form) of either object or people dramatically and dynamically. As the result, I found similaries between Ukiyo e and this poster.
To sum up the ideas, the main design itself is able to see as influenced from Art deco poster, especially from Leo Marfurt's poster, however, the details of the poster itself can be seen as influenced from Ukiyo e.
5, Final Production
After summarise the ideas about the Art deco poster I've found as references, I fially moved to the real production. I used he Adobe software "illustrator" to create my own work.
Firstly, I started my production from planning the ideas what I am going to make, the main concept is about "species protection", which tells viewers about it's important to pretect species that might go extinct. I made seceral ideas for my final production to represent my idea as Art deco poster I choose.
I choose the first one as my final work, this is because Okiyo e designs object with least decoration and Art deco emphasis visual image in simple way, I decided to use first plan as my final output.
I use Adobe illustrator to create main image of an elephant that lose its tusk for ivory. The point I used my effort was "how much I could make the image simple?" As I explained before, I tried to make the design for poster much simple, however I need to remain the main feature that represent the main idea of the elephant. I think the representation of an elephant by illustration was successfully completed by removing details of elephant but remaining main feature of elephant itself.
After designing an image of elephant, I started to design whole image of poster, I aimed to design as Art deco so it can be said I already decided to use one plane colour, this is because both Ukiyo e and Art deco poster uses plane colour for its design, so I come out the poster as shown below.The reason for why I choose The Black colour as Background is because I want to tell that endengering species is scary things to happen. To expressing scare feelings, without considering, I already choose Black colour because I feel placing one visual element in the Black coloured background, I also feel scare in the Shadow or Black, therefore I thought the Black colour itself is most suitable to use to express scare impression.
I use the design principle called "unsymmetrically balanced design" to make my poster looks stable, which is basically placing vidual dominant on one side and reduce any visual element in opposite side. I tried to use this method in the poster, however, when I tried to use unsymmetrically balanced design, the poster looks too much unbalanced as show below. I add three white line to look my poster stable. The problem I found is that the poster looks too much similar to the poster choose as references, however, when I tried other colour for lines, The impression becomes much weird, so I choose white because it's most suitable colour.
As you can see, there are some ellipse under the image of an elephant, this is because I tried to represent blood of friends from this poster's elephant that was killed for ivory. I tried to express message without using too much words on the poster.
I changed the small visual element used for right hand side into another elephant and hunting gun to express species endangering more and prevent the poster design too much close to the original poster I refered.
After I complited my work, I showed my work to the Dr Yip Jinchi, she mentioned these four point to improve my work as shown below.
・Change the text from "Protect species" to "Protect them"
・Move coloured elephant to the right hand side
・Increase the number of whie elephant
・Reduce the space between two text line
As the feedback that Dr Yip Jinch told me, I recreated the poster as shown below.
I think the visual balance become much stable compared to the before, and closed text provides much more visual weight and the poster design itself seemed as gained its stability much more. The text itself has also got visual weight so the whole poster became assymetrically balanced now.
To sum up the this final project, I think I am satisfied because I just completed from visual research and references to final outcome with receiing feedback. My final artwork is also achieving at least the requirement of what I expected such as references, consept, production explanation and reason to use each visual elements.
The point I should improve from this work is the quality of artwork itself. When I looked other student's works, each works were designed with many details. Even though the Srt deco is the art design that simplify the visual elements with remaining main characteristics, I felt that I could have much better improvement to apply more details. I think I should have more time to plan details for my work.
6, References
・DECOLISH.COM "Art Deco Posters - Who Were the Important Artists?"
https://www.decolish.com/ArtDecoPosters-2.html
・THE ART STORY "Art Deco"
https://www.theartstory.org/movement/art-deco/
・TATE "ART DECO"
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/art-deco
・Google Art & Culture "The Ukiyo-e Artist You Need To Know"
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-ukiyo-e-artists-you-need-to-know/BQKC6o0k2oBRLA
・99 designs "Ukiyo-e: its artwork and influence on contemporary design"
https://99designs.com/blog/design-history-movements/ukiyo-e/
・THE MET "Art of the Pleasure Quarters and the Ukiyo-e Style"
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/plea/hd_plea.htm
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