Research
Through my research and note taking, I began to think about how each element and principle can be used in design instead of just being able to list their names. I also never thought about time being considered an element, but I now understand how all design must be able to experienced, which happens over time. Not only was I able to utilize certain principles in my designs, I was also able to use many other ideas from my notes throughout my exercise and final composition. For example, the idea that all design radiates from a center point was used in my final composition because all the shapes came together at one point in the center, but also radiated outwards into an open composition.
Exercise: Making shapes from shapes
To begin this exercise I created the 11×17 template, then, using a compass, cut out three different sizes (1.0, 1.5, 2.0) of triangles, squares, and circles. Then, using the shapes as stencils, I traced their contours and layered different combinations of shapes to create many compositions on the templates. My early iterations were first created, then examined to find a principle that it conveys, and my later iterations were created with the intent of using a specific principle within the composition. Lastly, using the iterations on my templates, I overlaid tracing paper and found new shapes within those compositions to use for the final delivery of the exercise.
PDF of More quick iterations based on specific principles
Final Exercise By Hand Version
Using the new shapes I found from my iterations, as well as a point and line, I created four compositions for the final exercise, two dynamic and two static, as well as two that are convex polygons and two that are curvilinear shapes. Each 8×8 composition was created with the intent of utilizing a specific principle to create a certain type of energy.
Final Exercise Digital Version
I repeated the final 8×8 compositions in Adobe Illustrator.
Remake of Two Compositions By Hand
After critiques, I chose two compositions to edit and recreate in order to truly fit the principle I assigned to it. The new principle I focused on in both the convex polygon and curvilinear compositions is emphasis in which I intended to emphasize the point.
For this revision, I kept the composition as dynamic, but made sure the edges of the shape and line lined up together more precisely and placed the circle on the intersection point. This was done to make sure the composition clearly conveys the principle of emphasis/dominance, in which the point is emphasized. Also, the orientation of the convex polygon conveys the energy of “collapsing”.
For this revision, I kept the composition as dynamic, but instead of a continuous line, I used a dotted line to create a better sense of movement towards the point in order to emphasize the point. Also, this new curvilinear shape is a simplified version of my original one.
Iterations
Building off of the compositions created in my iterations for the exercise, I intentionally used lines and points of the shapes to create new forms and activate a relationship between positive and negative shapes.
Columns from left to right:
- The first column of boxes are layers of contoured shapes, creating compositions.
- The second column of boxes are the new shapes I created from the original composition in their “positive state” (a black background with white shapes).
- The third column of boxes are the same compositions from second column, but repeated in their “negative” state (a white background with black shapes).
Final Compositions
Title: Radiating
Principle: Balance
Combined PDF of Final Compositions
Concept Statement
The title of my final composition is “radiating” and I focused on the principle of balance in order to communicate this descriptive state and energy of “radiating”. I used a center point that all 4 shapes converged at, but also made it an open composition so that when you look at the center, the shapes seem to radiate outward, causing the viewers’ eyes to travel both to the center focal point and outward beyond the composition.
Production/Reflection
Over the course of this assignment, I have learned about many new techniques and concepts. In the “by hand” process I was able to learn how to create geometric shapes using a compass and refine my techniques for cutting and gluing card stock and Bristol paper. For the digital versions of this assignment, I was introduced to Adobe Illustrated and worked through understanding the uses of different tools within the application. Lastly, I was able to use all of these techniques, as well as my clarified understanding of the elements and principles of design, to ultimately create compositions that focus on a specific principle (balance) to generate a certain energy (radiating). In the future there is room for me to improve my craft within the “by hand” process (especially my cutting techniques) and my use of digital tools like Illustrator within the digital process. I will carry all that I have learned from this assignment into my future in design, especially my understandings of the elements and principles and how to utilize them to create energy and meaning within compositions. I will also continue to work on clearly communicating the principle of my intention to an audience because many times, viewers may see something different than the designer if the parts of the design do not distinctly work together to convey the principle.
