Shape Grammar: Process | Gabby Rancitelli

Statement of Intent

For this project, my intent was to organize shapes to convey a specific emotion while incorporating a specific design principle. In both compositions, we were required to use white Bristol paper, black card stock paper, scissors, paper cement, and a compass. In our first composition, our goal was to display a specific design principle with the inclusion of a dominant emotion. However, in our second composition, we were told to use Arp’s Law of Chance process which would construct a composition using an unintentional arrangement of shapes. The purpose of composition two was to have the unintentional arrangement convey the same emotion conveyed in composition one.

Ideation

For Exercise 1, we began the discussion on design principles. In this exercise, we had to construct an example of each design principle using one shape per principle.

For Exercise 2, we worked on creating circles and triangles using our compasses. Using our compass allowed us to construct equilateral triangles and perfect circles.

In these three images, I started to explore the idea of triangle arrangement to display an emotion. Although I did not stick with the triangular shape, this helped me begin to display an emotion through shape arrangement.

In these three images, I have my top three final composition ideas for composition one. The emotion I chose to be represented in these three compositions was content-fulness/composed and the principle I chose was scale.

Iteration and Production

Title: Ascending

Emotion: Composed

Principle: Scale

Description: In my first composition, I arranged squares to show the enlargement from left to right. When you look at the composition, it feels as if you are climbing a staircase to reach your destination. I chose composed as the emotion because of the satisfaction the composition brings to me because all the squares are perfectly aligned from smallest to largest.

Title: Agitated

Emotion: Irritated

Description: In my second composition, it was difficult for me to bring out the feeling of composedness and satisfaction due to the ‘random’ process, which is why I changed my emotion to the opposite of composed, irritated. Since the composition is very balanced besides the one square in the bottom right corner, it causes a feeling of frustration and irritability.

Reflection

My two composition processes were similar because both compositions were very time consuming due to the number of iterations I had to make for both. For my first composition, I had to change my emotion many times to be able to express that emotion through the arrangement of shapes. Once I came up with a solid emotion, the process sped up quite a bit. Although, I did have to be very precise with my shape placements in my first composition to successfully display the emotion, composed. In my second composition, it took me quite some time to try and display the emotion, composed. Having the feeling of composedness relates to the idea of calmness, which is difficult to display through a random composition. Which is why I decided to change my second composition to the opposite of composed, irritated. For my first composition, I had to make over five iterations to find a successful solution, but for my second composition, it took me a lot longer to find a successful solution due to having to change my desired emotion. I had to make close to ten iterations for my second composition to find a successful solution. Personally, I struggled with choosing an emotion/feeling, cutting the squares at a perfect 90 degree angle, and composing a successful second composition. Overall, I enjoyed exploring the impact shape arrangement can have on one’s emotions.