Typography

Typography utilizes a word or series of words to create meaning by the way that they are presented. I have created two examples, one simple and the other more complex. They each serve to show an overall theme of typography. Information about each image is listed below.

This image is simple and obvious. The way that the word "falling" was arranged with the rest of the image creates an essence of the meaning, moving downward due to gravity. The brown box is an extremely simple interpretation of a cliff and the rest of the background represents the sky. The spacing and direction of text creates the meaning for the image. All pieces of the image contribute to the clearly fulfilling the overall goal, to portray the idea of falling. The audience is really anyone who is interested in a visual representation of the word falling. The purpose here is to convey meaning or maybe even teach. This image could be on the wall of a young student's classroom to help him/her learn meanings of words. The effectiveness of this image can be determined by the purpose. It is a well created image, yet is very simple. It broadly characterizes the idea of typography.

This image is much less simple yet still quite obvious. If a person was simply given these words in a long column list they would more than likely still be able to determine what they all related back to. In this form however you may not even have to read the words and your eyes may not even focus on the words and instead focus on the colors and shapes that are created. The image clearly portrays a car. Each word listed within the car can be connected in some way with this idea. Without any of the pieces a large white space would seem evident. Each word was chosen and inserted purposefully. There are words included that relate exactly to what the represent for example, "tire" and "rim." Other are more broad terms that relate to the piece as a whole like, "speed" and "transportation." However each of these words plays an important role in conveying the overall idea of a car. Different audiences may see different things. A car enthusiast may see a specific make or model car but a young child may not know all of the words and rely on the outline to figure out what the images purpose is. Regardless of the perception most any audience is going to recognize the main idea of the image. The alignment and location of components within the image are key here. Without the transformations to words the concept could not have been completed. The colors also play a part in the concept. Each word is written in the color that that aspect of the car would be for example, the tire is written in black and the body of the car blue. This contrast helps make the car design obvious. Overall this image was a success. The image is clear and everything in the image is relevant and necessary.

HARTS Visuals

A major portion of this class is to help our colleagues in an instructional design class by designing visuals that correspond with a project that they are doing with a local thermal shelter, HARTS. The group I am working with is working to help at a Catholic Campus Ministry building. The following visuals were requested by the group and deemed important visuals for the location. Decisions were made intentionally and are explained below each image.

This is a sign that is designed to be 17 inches wide by 11 inches tall. The colors were selected due to the colors of the CCM site. The corner houses a small version of the CCM logo. The lead volunteer, as noted in the first line, will fill in the sign and hang it on the wall during their visit. There needed to be white space in order for it to be clear after the person writes on it. The entire sign is clearly working toward a goal of gaining/providing information. There are no distracting aspects to the sign so the information can be read quickly. The audience is clear as well, in fact it is listed at the top of the sign. It will be placed in the CCM building and be used during the HARTS time using the building. The location of the sign will make it obvious who the audience is. Along these same lines the purpose is evident. The blanks on the page make the purpose front and center. The information that is needed is front and center. The colors are not distracting and the placement around the page all makes sense. The words are grouped together in the column to create an obvious flow. The information is presented in descending order of importance. Overall the image is effective and clear in its goal and design.

This image is a simple floor plan of the site. We utilized a more complex map that was on the HARTS website and edited it to our needs. We created blue space that represents off limits areas. This selection of color is important because the brighter blue makes those areas stand apart from the other areas. Anyone looking at this map can clearly see that the blue areas mean something and the key can be utilized to figure out exactly what they mean. The title creates clarity in what the viewer is looking at as well as the key. The smaller headings within the map give titles to each important room. The audience will be anyone using the manual that these images are located in. With very little background information the use of this map is discovered. The HARTS organization welcomes new people to new locations on a regular basis. This map will serve as a guide to those new guests and volunteers. The design elements were chosen purposefully. The blue was chosen because it stands out and is does not cumbersome to look at. The location of the key makes sense there as many maps locate their keys in a similar location. The headings are placed in the center of the rooms they are describing to prevent confusion. The map also needed to be kept simple so that it can be utilized quickly and without being confusing. The team as well as the site themselves wanted a simple map not something that was multicolored, artsy, and craftily designed. So, as a team we have created something that they will be able to use and follows the guidelines that we were given.

This image is a close up map of the kitchen which is located at the CCM HARTS site. The kitchen is an important and somewhat confusing location at this site. Some of the appliances look similar and a map of the kitchen can help solve that issue. The volunteers and guests should not have to spend a lot of time looking for what they need. To create this image the HARTS website map was cropped, edited, and simplified. Arrows and labels were added to create an obvious description of where appliances are located. This image will also be included in the manual for the HARTS volunteers and guests to utilize as needed. The purpose and audience is v\clear due to the nature of the image, a map. The goal here was to create something that would simply show locations. There was no need to any fancy or in depth design. the request was clear and the purpose is simple. The locations of the arrows and the labels are relevant because they need to show the general location of the object. The arrows are short so that they are not distracting and make a clear point. The words are, for the most part, located outside of the actual map. This was done in order keep the image simple and avoids any confusion about locations. Overall this image does the job that it needs to do. As long as the site does not do much rearranging this map will stay effective and relevant.

This image is more than the simple floor plan seen above, however it was created using the same HARTS map and by removing unnecessary pieces and adding in the needs of the CCM site. Dotted lines were added to represent where people should go in case of emergency. The exits are clearly labeled as well as the locations of five different fire extinguishers. The extinguishers are represented by small blue dots. Also in the image is a key and the numbers where important people can be reached in case something happens. There is an emergency as well as a non-emergency number listed. This too will be presented in the manual that is being designed for the site. After looking over the make there is one clear message, fire safety. All pieces of the image relate back to this single goal. The audience is anyone that might be in attendance at the CCM HARTS site. When the people need to know where to go or where to find a fire extinguisher they can easily look at this map and find out what to do. This map is however located in a manual so it might be more useful it is memorized when first looking through the manual as there may not be time to consult the pages in the event of an emergency. The colors in the design were purposeful. In general red has an fast important connotation. The blue is very different from the red and cuts down on any confusion. Without the key a viewer could probably tell exactly what the colors and shapes represent. Once again the design is very simple because of the sites request. It is even more important in this case as the viewer may not have much time to use the resource. It needed to be easily remembered. This map is greatly effective in its purpose and in its design. All necessary aspects are included in a logical location in logical colors.

Color

Today in class we made an attempt at combining two projects. We began with an image that we need to make in order to help our colleagues in the Instructional Design class and implemented colors to create a more effective or more appealing visual. My group is working with the CCM site. One of the more simple images that is needed is a sign with information about the main contact of the CCM house, Father Jim Curran. Each image was created and edited with photoshop. The initial image was a simple black background with all black text. Here are two of the options after color was added.

Primary Colors:

This image uses only the three primary colors, blue, yellow, and red. I had to adjust the brightness of the red so that it would still be readable on the blue background. The blue allowed the sign to be readable as the other two color options were extremely bright and tough on the eyes. This combination and placement of colors was determined after several tries with using different colors in different areas.

Secondary Colors:

This image uses only the three secondary colors, green, violet, and orange. This placement was easier to determine than the first as it seemed more obvious as I worked because I had already had the experience with the first sign. I did not want lots of orange with the green because I felt it would have too much of a Halloween feel. I think that this selection of colors worked out for me in the end.

I personally prefer the first example over the second. I do however enjoy what I learned through the color exercise. I believe that the grouping of colors, whether primary, secondary, or complimentary, is a valuable tool in visual designs. These images may not be exactly what is needed at the site but the lesson and experimentation with colors was still effective.

Having these color palates allows the image to really stick together and work toward a single unique goal. In this case its goal is to provide information to its viewer. The placement also promotes this theme as all the information in the image is centered on the page, except for the not at the bottom which stands out due to the change in color. Some sort of stroke or shadow could have been placed on the words to allow them to pop away from the background a little but overall the pages are definitely still readable and ascetically pleasing.

CoE Competencies

Last week we were given the assignment, via the College of Education, to create posters that represented the eleven competencies that are necessary for all education majors to understand for the national accreditation that is up coming. The poster that my group of three designed follows:

We designed the eleven icons found on this poster to represent the competencies stated above each one. We utilized Photoshop t design the icons and the poster as a whole. I personally created the icons for disposition, pedagogy, diversity, and content knowledge. My partners created the rest and we put together the poster as a group. We deliberately grouped the icons into the three main groups with two outlying icons which were not placed into a specific group. The upper left grouping represents both the ways teachers and students should go about their work. The upper right group of icons shows necessary part of a teacher's daily routine. The middle group contains things that a teacher must keep in mind as he or she teaches.

We picked JMU colors and created good spacing to make grouping obvious and keep the clutter down. We made the text large and legible so that is could be read on the 11 x 17 paper it will be printed on. Each aspect of the poster has some sort of intentional design. The circles work better as icons, the images represent the word correctly, and the grouping, colors, and spacing all contribute to an effective, polished, poster. My group as a whole believes that it represents the competencies and the JMU CoE in its entirety.

Shape

The instruction for dealing with shapes this week was to be able to take shapes and change them in different ways. We edited four different shapes using Photoshop. I utilized two canvases a "before" and an "after." The shapes correspond with the shape in the same position in the next image.

Before:

In this image I created a basic check mark which I will change the color. A ellipse where I will add style. A rectangle that will have texture. Finally, I will take a shape and draw out a portion of the beach image. These images are plain and do not give much connotation. The goal is to add life to the images with purpose. The placement is not important as it was simply done this way to show before and after.

After:

The check mark was changed from black to red. This could be used for many purposes. A black check is plain and a colorful check may stand out more and catch the eye of a viewer. The ellipse received a stained glass effect. This also makes the image more interesting to look at. The colors could also be varied for different purposes.  The rectangle has a texture now that allows the shape to still be recognized but it looks as if it might feel sandy or bumpy. Finally a curvy star was taken out of the middle of the beach scene. I personally like that selection of the image and the shape was picked to represent a starfish.

Each of the shapes was created as simply as possible and received editing features to make them more interesting and give them purpose. These changes can be combined to create an image that the designer could use for any intended purpose. Colors, lines, shapes, textures, and styles can all affect the viewers opinion and experience with an image.

Gestalt Imagry

We looked at four concepts of Gestalt images today in class, closure, proximity, similarity, and continuity. I have designed four images one to reflect each of the concepts. I based them off images that Dr. Estes showed that demonstrated the ideas.

 

This image utilizes the four black shapes to create the illusion of a square. The viewer is able to see the square due to the closeness of the shapes. The viewer's mind is able to provide closure to the middle disconnected shape.

These images are made up of all the same size and color shape. The proximity to one another creates the idea that there are three distinct components to the image. The shapes range from being spaced apart to actually touching at the center, yet each of the three components are obviously made of the same set of triangles.

Similarity has to do with pattern and repetition. There are both within this image and both are rather obvious. There is repetition as you move from top to bottom and the pattern consists of a circle then arrow and finally a second circle. There is a clear connection between the columns and rows in this image. 

 

The idea of continuity has to with the mind of the viewer allowing for shapes to continue when in reality they are not existing. For example this image allows the viewer to believe that the arrows sprouting from the bottom continue on behind the blank space in the middle of the image.

All of the images follow the traditional format of a Gestalt image by being black images on a white background. Each image has a purpose and fulfills that purpose through its design. These images are simple which is confirmed through the use of simple shapes and the centered aspect of each image. The four concepts are relevant and the designs are intentional.

Special Topics (Cognition)

All of the images we used and created all contributed to main goal of the assignment. We worked to portray "cognition" through images and examples that exemplified our theme. The background image of a brain reflects this theme as cognition has to do with brain processes. 

For each slide, we first showed the image large and full screen so viewers can take it in without limiting the image, and then the second slide repeats the image in a smaller size to reinforce that that is the image being discussed, and the right half of the slide provides the analysis and understanding of the importance of the image. This layout contributes to the theme by creating and ease of viewing for the learner.

 The placement of the image is large and centered on the slide where it first is presented, and smaller and centered on the left portion of the slide on the second slide where it is presented. The text is left aligned and presented in bullet points to make it easy to read and understand.

Overall the presentation utilized a good color scheme and layout for each of the slides. Each of the essential elements stands out effectively because of the placement and effective lines of sight. All information is presented with a consistent layout and a well designed background. Placement and various attributes contribute strongly to the overarching theme and pull all of the presentation together.

Alignment

Our assignment was based on alignment. Our alignment image was to reflect the use of alignment out of our textbook. Our image was to utilize the same types of alignment and create a comparable image to the image found at the bottom of page 85 in the text.

I chose a plumbing theme rather than the furniture business in order to make the image more my own. The same layout is found in this image as in the textbook image. The words, images, and colors however are different. The text at the top in light blue is aligned to the left as are the two columns at the bottom. The main middle section is centered. The small "MILLER & CLEAR" in the bottom right corner is centered below the second column. Overall there was not much creativity involved with this image however it was effective in portraying the ideas of alignment and how they can affect an image.

Emphasis

Part of class emphasized, emphasis. The goal of emphasis is not simply to make a component of an image stand out but give purpose to the differences within the image. I found an image at stockvault.net and then edited it to show emphasis.

Before:

After:

 

The image has a clear emphasis on the red shirt. In Photoshop I selected everything except for the shirt and adjusted the saturation. I created a strong difference between the shirt and the rest of the image to show that the shirt was most important but the rest of the image was still relevant. I added a caption, "BE BOLD" in order provide the image with additional purpose. This image could be used as an advertisement for the shirts manufacturer. The theme is that if you wear these shirts you will stand out and be noticed. I think that this image effectively utilizes the composition element of emphasis to portray a useful meaning.

Learning Through Visuals and Harmony

In class we talked about harmony within our visual images. We discovered through our reading that harmony can take on several forms including, repetition and visual echo. The assignment for class was to effectively portray a lesson of some sort through the use of these features. I chose money as my topic. The entire content of the image relates to this theme. As you can see in the following image money equivalencies are not difficult to portray visually and may even be the best way to teach about money early on in elementary school.

After looking at the image the repetition of coins is obvious. From one line to the next coins are reused to take the next step in reaching a full dollar. The arrows and lines within the image are also repeated in a consistent manner to ensure the thought of equivalencies. There is visual echo through the colors that I choose. I used the dropper tool to select colors from within the dollar bill for the background, lines, and arrows. I selected a color from the penny for the border so that the pennies would not seem out of place and removed from the piece as a whole. I believe this to be an effective lesson for students and an effective use of harmony within an image to create a common theme.

Me Poster Via grouping

In class we were asked to create an image using shapes, colors, grouping, and spacing that came together to describe one attribute about ourselves. The following image depicts a word that I believe describes me:

Can you guess the word?

The word is "ENTHUSIASTIC." The text is spaced apart to create a feeling of excitement. The text itself are exclamations that an enthusiastic person might be heard saying. The exclamation point top and bottom border help control the picture but still add to the excitement. The person's silhouette and bright colored confetti grouped in the middle and top of the image drive the point home that something is happening that might be exciting and that the person is enthusiastic about it. What do you think?

Grouping for Meaning

Today's assignment involved grouping similar shapes to evoke a feeling or emotion. With only shapes positioned in purposeful ways, ideas can be presented, which is the goal of the project.  Each of the following images has a theme listed at the top followed by ten of the same basic shape. Within each image the shapes may have been rotated, re-sized, re-colored or a combination of the three. Below each image you will find a brief description of the thought that went into each image.

Unity can be described a oneness and togetherness. A circle is a good fit for this because it has no beginning and no end, it is simply one being. A circle can also be representative of a ring which could represent the unity of two people. The unity of the world is through the Olympics, which has a symbol made of rings. Placing all ten X's in a circle shows that they belong together; they are the same color and size. They are unified.

When I first think of celebrations I first think of fireworks. They are many colors like confetti and they are different sizes, but they are concentrated in one area of the sky. The cluster of explosion shapes in this image are set to represent fireworks. The colors reflect happiness and the many shapes create a more loose free form feeling rather than a rigid pattern.

Isolation is not usually a happy or fun feeling. It is the feeling of being alone or excluded. In this image there is a group of shapes in a stiff obvious pattern. They fit together well and do not show any room for additions. Then down in the corner one additional shape, of a different color, sits with a small shadow to emphasize its loneliness.

When I think of escaping I usually think of breaking free of jail. The ordered line of boxes represents a wall or barrier. The three blocks that are smaller and appear to be falling are in place to make it seem as if the wall is breaking and allowing for escape. The small blocks are also escaping from the conformity of the other linear blocks. In several ways this image can make the viewer think about escape.

This image is one of the more obvious visuals. The nine larger arrows create a half circle and are all working together to put some sort of pressure on the single smaller arrow in the center. The viewer can relate to being on one or maybe both sides of this intimidation imagery.

Logic is a type of thinking. Thinking can help solve problems, many times logically. In this case it shows that it is logical when two is added to three the result is five. It actually took logical thinking to come up with the design. I had to determine how I could create a simple math problem out of only ten items. The grouping of the content creates the thought of logic through the solving of a problem.

Anarchy can be described as no order and lawless. There are few governing rules to this image. The lightning bolts are faced in several different directions and are scattered about the frame. This image has no pattern and no one piece that stands out. This grouping gives the feeling of disorganization.

Photoshop Poster of Me

Our assignment today was to take a close look at combining our recent learned information about the Photoshop tools and the three C's of design (components, composition, and concept).We also took a look at the golden ratio.

The line at the top is a steep contrast to the rest of the image. The top row is separated from the rest of the image using the golden ratio; as is the middle section. There are very few distinct line within the image to show that may parts of my life overlap and affect the other aspects of my being. The lines are drawn clearly throughout the inside images but none of them are shape creating the imagery. The components are many images that are a part of me. The composition shows that each of the items are related. The concept is that this is my life now but things can change.

This image utilizes these ideas as well as tells a story of me and my life. It represents the beginning of a timeline. My birth year id the focus of the top line and is some of the only text in the image. Below, follow a row of things that are dear to me in my life, a cross representing my faith and an image of my parents representing family. The rest of the image is dedicated to interests and accomplishments that I have in my life. The very bottom ends abruptly, with no change from the rest of the image, signifying that my life is not complete and there is much to come below where I am now. This poster could be continued in the future to track involvement in new activities as well as be edited with details of my childhood. This is only a snapshot of what the poser could hold and what my life does hold.

CARP

Through PowerPoint I have taken unorganized and unproductive visual designs and created something that is organized and is supported by the CARP acronym. The words associated with CARP are "contrast," "alignment," "repetition," and "proximity."

Before:

This image shows the original image I was given. It is busy, disorganized, and seems haphazard. While looking at this design the eye is jumping around and not truly focusing on any one area. It sends a messy message and possibly confuses the viewer.

After:

This image I have created from the same shapes by simply resizing, adjusting colors, and changing their locations. I chose three colors that were all visually appealing together but were different enough that they created a bit of contrast to show several parts of the same design. The alignment and proximity create the idea that they all together form one image, as does the repetition in color, size, and shape. The final product is a well organized structured design with clear boundaries and allows the eyes to focus on the design without constantly moving.

                                                                                                          Before:

The design of this poster is clearly inadequate. Other than the information being missing there are no lines for the eyes to follow. There are also two literal lines that run through the middle of the poster which seem to cross off some information. Other than the image there is only one color, font, and text size which does not allow for anything to stand out or to attract a viewer to the design.

                                                                                                          After:

This image has been created from the exact same information provided but information has been added. The text has been modified in color, size, and location. The image has been edited as well with a drop shadow and slight size adjustment. A strong contrast in the title allows the viewer to be drawn in and become curious. The alignment of the text guides the eyes from top to bottom along the right side of the poster. There is repetition of font and color to show relationships throughout the poster. The proximity of each piece of information on the poster allows for a simple, well-organized, poster with out clutter. All information is now visible and clear.

As you can see through these two pairs of images, taking the ideas from the acronym CARP can make a world of difference and make viewers see similar designs in much easier and useful ways. If time is taken to design complete images they can be effective and convey purposeful messages.