Assignment 1 _ Layout.

This work that I did for assignment 1. Designer whom I chose is Bradbury Thompson. He is one of the most famous American designers in the 20th century. Brardbury was well-known as typograhy and magazines design.

The reason why I chose him for my assignment because I like somethings are basic and simple. I like basic shapes and primary colors in my design. Bradbury Thompson was a designer always use primary colors (especially CMYK) and simplified fonts (such as Times New Roman and Arial fonts).

I designed magazine layout based on his style. I just use primary colors, simplified fonts (Arial & Times New Roman)

Page 1 & 2

Page 3 & 4

Page 5 & 6

P/s: my magazine is called "PiTi". I think that someone has already known the reason why I chose this name. It's very meaningful with me. ^.^

Carhartt...

These are posters which I created for Carhartt. I used basic shaped in order to express idea for 'Carhartt'. These posters also give the history of 'Carhartt'. I didn't put the text in the original way. I tried to separate the history to many small parts and put them in many different place in the posters. It helps to attract the viewers rather than the old way.

This poster that I created for the first time ...

This is the poster I repaired after the teacher 's comment...

... and this is what I continued my ideas with some changes...

... finally, my other idea. In this poster, I used black is the main color. In addition, I used the lines to create 'Carhartt' instead ofthe basic shapes.

Gestalt...

Last saturday, I learned a new design concept that is 'Gestalt'.

What is 'Gestalt'? These are some descriptions about 'Gestalt' which I learned in class ...
- " ... a general description for the concepts that make unity and variety possible in design ... "
- " Gestalt theory is involved with visual perception and the psychology of art among other things. "
- "... is concerned with the relationship between the parts and the whole of a composition"

There are 5 Gestalt concepts:
•Closure : the mind supplies the missing pieces in a composition
•Continuance : the eye continues in the direction it is going
•Similarity : what an items looks like and how that effects gestalt
•Proximity : where items are in relationship to each other and how that effects gestalt
•Alignment : lining up objects to organize and form groups

This entry is the first design that I created based on 'Gestalt' concept. Further more, I don't mention all 5 Gestalt concepts, I just focused on 3 of them. They are 'Closure', 'Continuance' and 'Proximity'.

- Closure: let look at the gender symbols in the layout. They are missed some details. They are uncompleted symbols, but when people look at them, their brains automatically fill the missing details of the symbols.

- Proximity: I expressed the 'Proximity' concept through the word 'SEX'. All characters are 'touched' together. 'Touch' is one of 4 specific types of proximity relationships.

- Continuance: I didn't use the lines to express the 'Continuance' concept. Let look at my gender symbols. The arrow of the male gender symbol creates a straight direction in order to navigate the viewers' eyes to the word 'SEX'.

Sun & Moon exercise

This week, I must created the Sun & moon symbol. Firstly, I must have some ideas of tradition by searching online. Secondly, build the concept of Sun & Moon symbol in my mind. Finally, drafting and working with it.

In my case, after researching, I think about the concept of "Sun & Moon". What qualities of meaning do the sun and the moon have?

Hmmm...... Let me think ... When I think about Sun & Moon, I always feel that they conflict together. Many antonym pairs were appeared, such as: hot - cold ; bright - dark ; fire - water ; infinite - finite; ....

However, beside the conflict, I feel the balance between Sun & Moon. Both Sun & Moon complete the shortcoming of opponent.

Based on the opposite & balance of Sun & Moon, they make me think about male and female. They are completely different but they complete each other.

In China, there is a symbol which doesn't express only the opposite but also the balance. That is 'Yin and Yang'.

Belong to these things, I created the "Sun & Moon" symbol. My "Sun & Moon" is the combination between Yin & Yang, blue & red, finite & infinte.
- Yin & Yang represent female & male;
- Blue & red represent water & fire;
- Finite & infinite represent moon & sun;

Use your 'own language' to express youself...

The last entry, I used pictures and symbols to translate the definition of "Graphic design". It is called "Rebus". This is one of many definition of "Rebus" which I found online.

Rebus is a representation of words in the form of pictures or symbols, often presented as a puzzle.

'Rebus' is not only used as a puzzle but also is used when people send mail or e-mail together in informal cases.
When you go online, type "Rebus" , you can find many pictures, letters or puzzles which were created by using 'Rebus'.
In my opinion, trying to solve some "Rebus" puzzles is much relax and funny.
They're some "Rebus" samples that I found online. (Click on the picture in order to link to its website)

http://www.findavoice.org.uk/symbolpages/rebus01.htm

http://www.smart-kit.com/s1044/old-saying-hidden-in-a-word-picture-puzzle-rebus/#comments

http://www.genealogypays.com/rebus.php

What is 'Graphic design'?

Two last semesters, I've learned how to design some nice things but I've considered seriously "What is Graphic design?".
According to Hollis, P. : “Graphic design is the business of making or choosing marks and arranging them on a surface to convey an idea."
The difinition of 'Graphic design' gives mehe first thinking about graphic design. Belong to this difinition, I tried to translate it to 'another language' (it's not normal language). I used some pictures, icons and symbols to translate the difinition of "Graphic design".

I know that I can't translate meaning as same as the author's definition. So, how many percentages are the same as the original definition?