Design Principles / Final Project
Nurul Adlina Rizal / 0345429 / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media
Design Principles
Final Project: Visual Analysis
LECTURES
Week 10:
Visual Analysis
Visual Literacy: set of abilities that enables an individual to
effectively fine, interpret, evaluate, use and create images and visual
media
- learn to interpret, analyze, evaluate and use images effectively and
ethically
Visual Analysis
- method of understanding design that focuses on the visual elements and
principles
- a description and explanation of visual structure for its own sake
- recognize choices the designer made, understand how formal properties of
a design communicate ideas, content or meaning
- a skill helps people read and critically interpret images
- sharpens critical judgement
Phases of Visual Analysis
Phase 1: Observation
- closely looking at and identifying the visual elements of a design,
trying to describe them carefully and accurately in your own words
- do not read beforehand at all
- looking, thinking and finding good language to communicate what you
notice
Phase 2: Analysis
- think about your observations and try to make statements about the work
based on the evidence of your observations
- think about how specific visual elements that you've identified combine
together to create a whole and what effect that whole has on the
viewer
- how an eye is led and why
Phase 3: Interpretation
- observations, description and analysis are fused with facts about the
design work
- even historical context that you find in trustworthy published
sources
- meaning? purpose?
INSTRUCTIONS
Final Project: Visual Analysis
PART 1 : VISUAL ANALYSIS
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| Fig 1.0: The Marsh House in When Marnie was There - Studio Ghibli (1/11/2021) |
Part 1: Observation
This painting is in a landscape format. It uses warm colors such as
shades of green, brown and blue for the sky. It has geometric shapes and
lines as well as organic ones surrounding the center object of the
painting. The sky occupies the least amount of space in the painting
compared to other elements. It uses light and shading to show a three
dimensional space.
Part 2: Analysis
There is clear emphasis and focus on the marsh house in the center
since it is the only object that uses the color brown. Repetition can be
seen from the brush stokes throughout the whole painting and brick
textures on the building. It uses realistic proportions to depict an
accurate portrayal of a house overgrown by plants and surrounded by
trees. There is unity in that sense where is it surrounded and the
elements are relating to each other in the space. Last but not least,
there is contrast between the darkest parts of the painting such as
the shaded building and the brightest part of the painting, the marsh
house's window that reflect light.
Chosen Design
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| Fig. 1.1: Guernica by Pablo Picasso (8/11/2021) |
Part 1: Observation
Guernica by Pablo Picasso is in a landscape format. It is mainly filled with hand drawn human-like and animal-like figures in
different poses. It has many visual elements with organic and geometrical shapes. The
colors are mostly grey, black and white and overall it is a monochromatic
color palette. Despite its colors, the elements are close together creating
little white space in the composition. It has a lot of sharp edges in the
overall composition and detailed line work such as in the middle of the
painting.
Part 2: Analysis
This oil painting has emphasis on the horse and light above as they are
placed at the most center and shining down in a triangle of light. There is
harmony shown of all the elements fitting together and having the same
monochromatic theme. Clear contrast can be seen that separates the
white, grey colored figures against the black background. Gestalt Theory
exists where Principle of Closure is used for the bull and the horse's body.
Other than that, scale and proportion is used on the crying woman and her
child as well as the bull that seems smaller than the rest to show a three
dimensional space where the two are in the midground of the painting. Last
but not least, Guernica has unity since the feeling of panic and chaos is
constant throughout the whole painting by having repetition of lines,
geometrical shapes and exaggerated facial expressions.
Part 3: Interpretation
The inspiration of Guernica was Picasso's reaction against war that was
happening in his home country - Spain. Specifically based on events of April
27, 1937, when Hitler's German air force, in support of Franco, bombed the
village of Guernica, a city that has no strategic military value. There were
defenseless civilians killed trying to flee and fires burned for three days.
This painting is his visual response and memorial to the brutal massacre. In
this painting, there is a lot of symbolism mostly about the massacre of
innocent people and animals caught in a war they have nothing to do with.
One can see that a woman is crying over her lifeless child (left side of the
painting), a soldier sprawled on the floor (center of the painting) and
buildings are on fire (right side of the painting). The space feel
compressed as some of the figures overlap each other in the whole canvas
creating a confusing and chaotic scene that reflects the event that it is
inspired from. It is a timeless painting that displays the horrors and
brutality of wars that continue to be fought regardless of lives
lost.
References:
Lynn Robinson
PART 2 : DESIGN
Visual Research
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| Fig 1.2: Musca, maestro! by Denisse Beltran (8/11/2021) |
From Guernica, I looked at other designs that uses space the same way
Picasso does since it intrigues me and it led me to Musca, maestro!
Denisse writes that this was her study in understanding the compositions
of space within a scene based on reinterpretation of an event.
I wanted to do something related to coronavirus and the situation of the
pandemic. The different scenarios people are living in.
|
| Fig 1.3: Dan Nott for WBUR (8/11/2021) |
It relates to Guernica by Pablo Picasso in a way that it displays a certain
event in history using multiple figures and realistic actual experiences. I
also want to have the same composition of fitting all the scenes / objects /
figures related to the pandemic together in one design so the viewer can
always find some new detail every time they look at it or have many
symbolism they can interpret.
I wanted to use figures that don't have many features but I feel as though I might need to so that I can to show representation of all the people affected by this pandemic.
Idea Exploration
Sketch
> Version 1
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| Fig 1.4: Traditional Sketch (8/11/2021) |
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| Fig 1.5: Digitalized Sketch (8/11/2021) |
I wanted to use figures that don't have many features but I feel as though I might need to so that I can to show representation of all the people affected by this pandemic.
> Version 2
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| Fig 1.6: Sketch #2 (9/11/2021) |
For this sketch I used different perspectives and added more design to each individual figure to represent the people in this pandemic.
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| Fig 1.7: Sketch #3 (15/11/2021) |
I changed the composition and the position of the 'characters. However, the top feels empty.
> Version 3
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| Fig 1.8: Sketch #4 (15/11/2021) |
This is inspired by the LRT scene during the pandemic where everyone wears masks and practices social distancing. This show a more realistic scene rather than version 1 and 2 where they are collaged and combined together from different events.
Colors/Style References
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| Fig 1.9: Color #1 (15/11/2021) |
This coloring reminds me of sun setting which is very relevant to the
pandemic since our sleep schedules have changed and we begin to wake up
later than normal, getting used to the evening time. Since our days start to
feel the same, at one point, many of us can relate to the act of sleeping
in.
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| Fig 2.0: Color #2 (15/11/2021) |
This is more of a grim color design/style that shows the sad and lonely
feeling of the pandemic.
To keep the pandemic in Malaysia theme, I was inspired by Popo Muruku
Ikan's packaging design. It was deeply nostalgic to look at these snack for
me. It was my childhood snack and something I feel that every Malaysian
knows and feel nostalgic about. Using this design style, I want the event in
my design - the pandemic - to one day be a nostalgic chapter in the lives of
Malaysians in this generation.
|
|
Fig 2.1: Color #3 (15/11/2021) |
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| Fig 2.2: Grab Drivers (23/11/2021) |
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| Fig 2.3: Packaging Illustration by Syahrul Fikri (23/11/2021) |
DRAFT
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| Fig 2.4: Draft #1 (15/11/2021) |
I still decided to stick version 2 because it has a better composition and
is more visually interesting. Since I wanted this to relate to Guernica,
version 2 seems the most fitting.
I used the red color palette and plan to stick to analogous colors such as
Guernica does. It brings more attention to the story and events happening
in the design rather than the colors.
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| Fig 2.5: Draft #2 (23/11/2021) |
In Draft #2 I added more symbolism, such as the like button (thumbs up) that would appear when you rate grab food restaurants/drivers. I added text bubbles to show what people are thinking - children, who used to be full of life and energy, tired sitting in front of the computer screen for class as well as people thinking about the coronavirus shown from the woman taking the vaccination.
Final
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| Fig 2.6: Final Project Final Design JPEG (23/11/2021) |
Fig 2.7: Final Project Final Design PDF (23/11/2021)
RATIONALE
For the Final Project, inspired by Guernica, I create a design piece that documents the 'New Norm' of living in the pandemic as a Malaysian. The simple color palette inspired by the popular Malaysian snack - Popo Murukku Ikan's packaging was used to create more focus on the story and events that take place that I feel many Malaysians can relate to. The characters in the scenes are portrayed as happy and smiling to show that we as a community have come to terms with the change and adapted to a new lifestyle.
First, would be the man getting a delivery from Grub (a reference to Grab) the delivery service that has helped many people during this pandemic whether it be for getting food, groceries or even job opportunities. Secondly, would the be the vaccination process where the two women (the doctor and vaccine patient) are talking about the coronavirus, a popular topic to talk about during this time. I also wanted to represent women in this piece as well as doctors that sacrifice a lot of their time and effort during the pandemic. Next would be the girl using her device to open apps such as MySejatera (MySejahtera), Youtube and Netflix which are the current apps that help Malaysians cope during the pandemic. MySejahtera being the app that assists the managing of COVID-19 outbreaks while Youtube and Netflix help families and individuals fill their time with entertainment indoors. Last but not least, I wanted to represent the students and employees who are studying and working at home that are struggling to keep up or finding it hard to adapt to. While for some it has been a blessing, I do believe that it is important to note that it is not for everyone.
In conclusion, I hope this design is able to make Malaysians feel connected with others in a sense that we all experience the same things during this pandemic and that we should be optimistic for the future.
The design principle in this design are unity, harmony, symbol and gestalt theory - Principle of Closure.
FEEDBACKS
Week 11
General Feedback: Observation phase should not yet talk about what
we understand or the meaning behind the design. Talk about what you see
visually such as the colors, elements and scene.
Week 12
General Feedback: Relate your design to the visual analysis of
the design you choose.
Week 13
General Feedback: -
Week 14
General Feedback: Don't forget to put your rationale and
reflection.
REFLECTIONS
Experience
My experience during the final project was great. Looking at all the
works that I am inspired from and making observations, analysis and
interpretations of it was a good way of learning how to take
references/inspiration from other works. I was excited to be able to
create a design inspired from Guernica since it is one of the greatest
pieces in history. Although not up to par in quality, I hope that my work
was able to portray the same feeling of documenting a part in
history.
Other than that, my experience in classes we're helpful, thanks to Ms
Jinchi's feedback every class. I was able to develop more of my design
sense throughout this
Observation
I had observed that a lot of thought comes in to creating art. When analyzing and interpreting famous works of art such as Guernica, I was touched and awed to see how much thought is put into even one element of the painting. A tiny thing that people may not see, it makes the painting timeless and creates a story. Other than it being interpreted differently by different people, art tells a story that people don't see and opens peoples eyes to it. Art is a wonderful medium and to make it even better one needs - design principles.
Findings
I found that during my final project, I was able to put more meaning into my work and think about how my work could represent a community of people. Moreover, I was able to explore more on different compositions which I had previously struggled at.
I also learned that planning before creating your design can help you greatly. Instead of starting blindly, planning can help make sure you are able to portray your message in the best way possible.
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