reflection on color

Through this course , not only did we focused on form but at first there was no color the focus was main on the form and shape. Through this second part, I have a different perception of color and to have a closer look at things such the hue, value and chroma. It was interesting learning different theorist and their perception of different color concepts and their views: for instance Itten's version of cold and warm and Alber's. Munsell's concept of color is the only theorist that I found the hardest and his arrangements because I think that I haven't still have the perception in viewing the difference in chroma but I think that I understand the difference between luminosity, lightness and darkness and the intensity and purity of the color.

I was really excited about looking the world differently, I noticed that my dad's ties and seeing the way that color interact with each other. The book that we created I used my dad ties to create different arrangements, the cover of the image is depicted below. I'm very happy with the turn out of the final book.

Another aspect of color is when we created the class calendar, I worked on the month of may and I had to show Itten's Contrast on the (Contrast of Extension Proportional). It was hard , and I decided to use the color green and purple as my colors to show color. The cover for the calendar,I decided to a transparent effect and registration bars on the the right side of the image which the class felt that it worked with the overall feel of the calendar.

Month of May

Itten's Contrast of Extension (proportional)

Cover for Calendar

Cover for the Environmental Harmonies

bitmap font

using an object or our choosing the objective was to create an analog font prototype using a grid as the base. The object that I decided to use was a teddy bear, they used to be keychains and I used this form to create an italic font face. I used a grid and tape the backside of the bears to have the same direction and position. Also photographing at the same angle using the tripod in the same lighting settings.

this was the final 4 words created :

final reflection

Reflecting over this semester as a whole, and looking through my process binders throughout the course there were several different objectives that correlate and contrast. In the first project the Dot Book , the importance of process and its role of developing and seeing the changes until the final artifact is created is important in the developing. Iterations and creating as many thumbnails and sketches as possible to approach basic ideas or concepts in a different and interesting way. In project one layout and spatial relationships among the element was another objective. The importance of simultaneity was explained in our first project and they way image, text and color can occur at the same time and its layering. The importance of how we "see" and image and how we read "text".

In project 2 Generative Line Investigation, objectives in project 2 constituted activating space through rhythm, texture planes and figure/ ground relationships and using the digital tools to manipulate and approach refinement in digital craft. During this project just like at the beginning of the first project , group projects and therefore relying and understanding how to work and communicate ideas in a group. Juxtaposition was another principle that I learned during the second project, finding similarities between elements. The importance of digital translation was emphasized to understand the importance of high level sensitivity to line quality and craft.

In this last project 3, just as like in the other two projects emphasized in visual language and being able to communicate through iconic shapes. The creation of this shapes to begin with were created first abstractly using untraditional objects. The importance of text and image, the different roles that text could have in wether to emphasized meaning or contrast it. Iterations where important in all three projects and having different versions of the same idea allows for the selection and avoiding the expected , it allows to bring something different. In my line book (project 2), I didn't edit my pages to the selective few that suited my concept. In this last project I simplify my marks and I only used those marks that were the only ones suitable for my concept of the Sumi-e. The process is very important in all three projects and definitely something that I will bring in the spring semester. I learned to paid attention to digital craft and my craft and this are principles that I will definitely continue to improve even in my spring semester. The principle of finding correspondence and editing, I used for my taxonomy I found marks that related in structure and their relationships to each other. I also relied in a group in deciding my layout for my dividers, which among my class as in the other projects they are my audience and wether my way of communicating was coming across. I don't think that I have master anything yet because I feel that there is always room for improvement, I hope that for the next semester my skills improve and my visual language improves.

One of my process iteration that I presented for my Dot Book was for the word "influence":

After this last project, I realized the importance that in regards to what you are trying to communicate it has to come across and visually understandable. This iteration was not on my final artifact, yet I realized that even though I was using abstraction to communicate the word influence. The proximity of the circles reflect moving away instead of coming towards it. My digital craft in the middle trying to create the compound shape is not refine. I was really looking at the spatial relationship, and figure/ background and is relationship with the element. As well is too much , in the final project it taught me to break even the most complicated concepts into their core geometric individuality. I should have done the same when I was creating this iteration.

project evolution

TAKE THE ROUND FLAT MOON

SNAP THIS TWIG
FOR HANDLE...
WHAT A PRETTY FAN!

This project main objective was to understand the relationship between meaning and form, understanding the process and the aesthetic of mark making and creating shapes. Creating abstract shapes and turning them to symbols, a more universal language. Time and motion and their role in connecting time and space. I have 3 shapes for each of the line of the haiku above. These shapes were used for a final animation using Flash to animate this static shapes and the use of text to emphasize their meaning.

Tool Documentation

Linear Progressions

Line 1: Take the round flat moon

Line 2: Snap this twig for handle...

Line 3: What a pretty fan!

Final Storyboard

Music in animation: Ultimate Relaxation Music -Unwinding Part 1 by Robert Norton

Video: Paul Rand

Paul Rand ( August 15, 1914- November 26, 1996) was a well known graphic designer, he is known for his corporate logos such as the IBM, UPS and ABC. He attended Pratt Institute and Parsons School of Design. He designed many posters and cooperate identities as already mentioned. His early work in page design was the beginning of his reputation. Some of the transitions that I could identify are:

panning

zoom

wipe

my reactions to Paul Rand statements about design are: in the beginning he describes the way that design means differently for each person, I agree with that and the importance in the visual world to be aware that we all have different view points. He talks about the importance of form and content, both of them create something interesting. I think that there area a combination of elements and formal properties in order to make a piece of art work work, but if you have too much content then it take away from the form and if you have too much and not so much content the interest s gone. I think in design is the balance of both.

final taxonomy

My catalog of marks is finalized and the final artifact is 6"x 11" , and titled "The Trajectory of Marks". It has been altered since my last proposals, in regards to my binding style, the final book was bounded using the Japanese stab binding technique using just three holes to keep the simplicity described in the philosophy of the Sumi-e. The final layout of my book turned out to be a titled page, an introduction paragraph (describing the Sumi-e and the concept behind my project) and my connotative words is just down to pure geometric shapes. The final layout for my divider pages was discussed in the final critique, this layout decision was selected and picked among my peers and this layout was the one I decided to use, which has the geometric shape, the chinese characters and then the word.

My denotative words they described the trace left behind of an element:

For Example: Denotative: Circle

Connotative

It describes the stages of the moon as it travels or it's moon trail:

From left to right : moon, waning, half-moon, new

In regards to my proposed binding the craft quality was not yet to the refinement that I wanted to be. I was trying to create a different way in creating an accordion book, as described in my second proposal and using the mesh used for book binding as way to adhere the pages, as described below.

I decided to used a textured watercolor paper which had big issues printing but this was the best that I could possibly have it printing, with me keeping the textured quality of the paper.

In this project I learned to implement editing and carefully selecting the marks that would facilitate in communicating the concept of the Sumi-e and the progression of a more structural mark to a less structural mark. This book embodies my interpretation of the process of mark making and juxtaposition to an ancient wash painting technique.