Alignment

This assignment was to recreate the flyer from the text, which dealt a lot with alignment. The orange type at the very top is left aligned, but not justified. The main headline is center aligned, with altered kerning between the letters of the type to stretch them to be aligned on either side. The body text is left aligned, and again, not justified. The drop cap letter at the beginning of the body of text causes a strong left alignment of the first paragraph as well. By having the bright images in a strip against the left of the page, the whole overall design has a strong left alignment, as that is where the eye is drawn first.

I tried to replicate the design from the text as closely as possible, rather than create my own original design, as I really wanted to focus on making the alignment as accurate as possible. By using the same four colors throughout the design, it makes a strong connection between the various elements of the design and leads the eye around them in a very clear way.

Emphasis

Here is the original image:

And here is the emphasized image:

I chose to emphasize one pencil in the middle, and I used color and placement to do so. I flipped the middle pencil 180 degrees to show that it is different from the rest, and I used various hue and saturation adjustments to bump up the color of the main part of the pencil, as well as the metal part that holds the eraser. I also added a drop shadow to make it stand out from the background more. I decreased the fill of all the other pencils to 50% to make them not as prominent in the overall design, but still showing. I aligned them all to each other evenly, filling the entire Photoshop document size.

Harmony project

I decided to teach the science concept of growing a sunflower at an elementary school level through three simple steps depicted solely through visuals that I compiled and photoshopped. I used the gradient of green (selected from the leaves of the sunflower) to give the sense of the passage of time. I used repetition in the placement of the consistent elements in each panel (The sun, watering can, pot, and the same table stretching across all panels). I used the same table across all panels to unite them and show that it was one process throughout the whole poster. The priority of the design is in chronological order to show the passage of time and how the flower progresses from seeds to sprouts to a blooming flower. I think by having the background go from lightest to darkest, the eye naturally follows the poster from left to right, which also is the proper order for the timing of the process too. I aligned the elements of this design realistically with how it would appear in real life, with the sun up in the "sky", the table at the bottom with the pot sitting on it as it would normally, and the watering can above, as it would be to pour water into the pot. I again tried to emphasis harmony through the consistency of the elements and echo through the same use of the elements in each panel but altering them to show the time and the steps of growing a flower.

Guess the Concept- Grouping Challenge Poster

The assignment was to create a poster that conveyed a word about ourselves without ever stating the word. We had to use at least 10 elements of imagery or text. I used Photoshop and InDesign to design this poster. Guess my word!

I used the light pattern of dots in the background to give a sort of frame to the poster and aligned the type with the edges of it and bring the eye inward to the middle of the poster. I used repetition in the circle shape with the same stroke and patterned border to connect the various components of the design. My name is at the top in a bold font, as that is the purpose and subject of the overall design.

I used the overlay of a transparent map image over the two images (that I took on various trips I have gone on to make it even more related to myself personally) to emphasize the "traveler" idea. This also made a stronger connection between all the images that were unique and not necessarily connected in subject. The size of the images shows priority- Paris was the favorite place I have visited so it is the largest image. Costa Rica was the next largest and my next favorite. The images of the maps at the top are smaller because they are full of places I haven't traveled and therefore haven't made memories in to make them very prominent in my life.

I used the two-toned color blocked background (also in the golden section proportions with how much of the page they take up) with neutral tones to keep it subtle and also show that I'm not a very overpowering person, but more simple and reserved. Overall, I didn't want this to be an overwhelming design or anything too dramatic, but more simplistic and understated. I listed the countries I have visited in a sans serif font in a repetitive list with the same style, and then used the same font but in a bigger and then bolder font to show where I will be traveling next, also aligning it with the edge of the dot background.

My word was TRAVELER.

Grouping activity- Conveying 7 concepts

I wanted the color to be the same for all the triangles to keep them unified, and I chose to use the pyramid shape to also try to show that these individual shapes are all coming together to create one shape, still echoing the triangle idea overall as well.

 For celebration, I wanted to echo the idea of bubbles, such as in champagne, or something that would signify a celebration of sorts. I wanted to use a light, airy, fun color, and various sizes to try to show movement as they decrease in size as they go upward, as bubbles do.

For isolation, I grouped 8 of the tear drop shape together inside a larger one, all facing the same upward direction and in a light color, to show that they are united and cheerful and all going the same way together as one group. I made the isolated tear drop shape darker to show the difference in the "mood" of the shapes. By using the color blue, I think it reinforces the idea of sadness and depression that also comes along with isolation. I also made it face downward to try to show that more depressed and isolated feeling as it is not included in the rest of the group.

 For escape, I wanted to show the idea of everyone going one way, and the lone shape escaping and altering its course to go the opposite way and break free from the pack. I chose to use a gradient to try to convey the idea of movement, and I chose black because escaping to me suggests darkness and secrecy and not something that is done in broad daylight or in happy situations.

 For intimidation, I made ten of the same shape in a dark color decreasing in size from top to bottom to try to show that they are pressing down on the single shape at the bottom. The darkness in color is to show that they are bolder and stronger than the other shape. The shape at the bottom is the one being intimidated, and it is light in color to show that it is shrinking away and diminishing itself in fear of the other, bigger shapes that are intimidating it.

 I chose to use a plus sign shape for logic because it is a mathematical symbol and also looks very organized and structured when grouped together. I wanted straight lines and clean, simple colors to show order and control and just a consistent pattern that was very basic but makes sense, to try to show the idea of it being logical and intentional.

I wanted anarchy to just look like total chaos and disorder, and I think this arrow shape demonstrates that well. They are all going in different directions, they're all different sizes, and there is no rhyme or reason to it. They all are the same color, though, to show the idea that they should be united, but that there is nothing causing them to be so, which I think also depicts the idea of anarchy and the absence of leadership and government.