Design Campaign

SuperImage, Ltd.

Our group's design campaign was focused on SuperImage, Ltd., a video production company started and owned by our group member, Kyle, and his little brother. My portion of the project was to design a movie-like poster to advertise for SuperImage, Ltd. With help from my other group members, I was able to use a landscape image provided by Kyle, a logo provided by Hannah, and my recently acquired knowledge and skill in Adobe Photoshop to put together a combination of images, shapes, and texts to communicate the service provided by this company in addition to it's most important information such as founders, location, contact, and website.

The poster, or magazine ad, can be found on our group website for SuperImage, Ltd. under it's labeled tab, Magazine Ad. I have posted the link here.

SuperImage, Ltd. Magazine Ad
https://superimageltd.wixsite.com/mysite/magazine-ad

Frame Composition

This is a photograph that I took on the Oregon coast. It exemplifies a good composition especially relating to the rule of thirds, or the "golden mean". The horizon line of the ocean lies on a third line, and the largest rock on the right lands perfectly on a thirds (tic-tac-toe grid) intersection.

The waves seen follow a suggested diagonal line, which pertains to the diagonal rule and allows for a more dynamic feeling.

Considering vectors, this photograph most closely relates to a motion vector. A lot of the rocks in the photo hug the edge of the frame and many even run off the photo, which according to our studies "amplifies the psychological context", and in addition to the mid-rolling of the waves, creates a sense of motion in the photograph that pulls the viewer's eye around the scene.

Just for fun, here is another example of a compositionally accomplished photo. The horizon line lies on a thirds line, where the edge of the water meets the landscape, and the person meets very closely with a thirds intersection.

The wake-wave represents a very strong diagonal line leading from the edge of the photo to the person riding the wakeboard.

I think all vectors could be applied to this frame, but two main vectors catch my attention in this photograph: a graphic vector illustrated in the bold diagonal line created by the wake leading the eye in the direction towards the person on the wakeboard, and an index vector shown by the direction in which the person's face is pointing, suggesting a path in which perhaps we might want to look and be curious to see.

Design Evaluation

Bath and Body Works

In my eyes, one example of good design is in Bath and Body Works' body wash line. Each different scent is packaged uniquely, and each design is visually attractive, typically targeting a female audience. Each individual scent of body wash is packaged in a bottle uniquely designed to portray the "flavor" within, almost in a way that one might be able to even guess what the soap will smell like without actually having to smell it. But Bath and Body Works haven't just designed the bottles to illustrate a scent - they also put a pigment in the soap itself to further convince customers. For example, what smell would you guess a pink a flowery bottle with pink soap might have? To me, I would automatically imagine something sweet and light. A darker soap might illustrate a richer, deeper smell, maybe even more "mature".

Take a closer look at Bath and Body's scent line Japanese Cherry Blossom. This scent has a very attractive design and color. The flower designs are placed carefully on the bottles to lead the eye around, almost drawing the customer in. The flowers are not centered or whole. The design is run off the bottle, allowing the viewer to complete the design in their own mind, relating to Gestalt's Law of Closure. A big law used in this picture is the Law of Similarity. Each scent line (body wash, lotion, body spray, etc) has a very similar design. Japanese Cherry Blossom's soap versus body spray is by no means identical, but with the use of similar colors and designs and the use of the cherry blossom flower, customers know that these products belong the the same group, and have the same smell.

Back to the body wash/ shower gels, these bottles not only look good in or out of shower as a display or decoration, the design of the bottle functionality itself is convenient, with that handy little pop-open lid. Overall - a definite go-to design.

Irish Spring

One great example of terrible design is shown in Irish Spring's body washes. This is a product that I would never, ever buy. It looks cheap enough to make my skin fall off if I were to use it. The design is very boring. The shade of green is incredibly unattractive when thinking of washing your body with it. My first thought when I look at it is of the Hulk...which although is an awesome superhero and a fantastic movie...the Hulk does not bring "clean" and "smells good" to mind. Irish Spring also makes me think of bathroom cleaner! It screams "harsh chemicals". Like that stuff you would put in your toilet. I haven't even bothered smelling their soap products because the design is so unattractive to me. The color isn't the only bad thing about this design. The text font and direction is also bad. There is not enough variation to produce any interest from viewers. Each different scent of body wash is identical in design and color. It's all Hulk green. Then it looks like they taped this random little box that is describing what scent is inside, but it does not work well with the rest of the bottle design, like wearing mis-matched clothes. "Ice Blast's" box does not match or compliment Irish Spring's bottle. 

I think if Irish Spring were to use more variation in their design (and a lot less green), their product would be a lot more popular. I might consider "Icy Blast" if the whole bottle illustrated a minty feeling. On the right is another bottle by Irish Spring, "Signature for Men". I think this design is slightly better than their other more original bottles. The color is more cool and relaxing, and the sticker on the front is way more appealing. Even the lid looks better. If it weren't for that ugly "Irish Spring" stamp at the top, this product would have an acceptable design. 

Contrast, Balance, Harmony

These are a couple of my own paintings I decided to share. Both of them are focused on contrast. In the first piece, it shows contrast between complementary colors (orange being opposite on the color wheel from blue). It also illustrates different values and shades of the blue shapes, offering another type of contrast, much like what the second piece shows - a contrast of values. Both pieces also offer a sense of asymmetrical balance. The orange figure in the first piece lies on the golden third, and the values and sizes of the geometric shapes in the background are evenly distributed in each piece to pull the piece together, hence bringing harmony to the overall work.

Aside from the physical characteristics that illustrate contrast, balance, harmony, viewers may also receive some sort of psychological reaction to these pieces. For me personally, I see the orange figure in the first piece and I see a lonely girl who, despite all the blue around her, stands out with her bright color and turns away from the rest of the world, shielding herself with her umbrella. It feels like a bitter sweet picture. One may see rain in the background. Maybe another person sees a sad city. Maybe the background isn't sad at all to someone else. But for sure, the figure gives me a sense of individuality and independence.

In the bottom piece, I receive a depressing sad feeling from it. The figure appears to be male. Some people may see two figures, but I see one figure with the gray figure standing closer to the center representing the taller, darker figure's shadow, which could even represent his past. The background gives me a city scape feeling to it, so maybe the figure is a working man who is dissatisfied with where he is, and constantly dwells on his past, whether his past is good or bad. Another question one could as is, which way is he leaning? Is he leaning away from his past or towards it?

Both pieces definitely give one something to think about. I think the pieces are open to many different interpretations, but they definitely do provide, physically, an interesting contrast and balance.

Visceral Response

For my visceral response, I decided to use one of my own paintings that I am fairly pleased with and find exciting to look at.

    I've held on to this piece because I am proud of it and the way it has remained interesting to my own eye. It is asymmetrical. The lines used in the piece creates a lot of movement that pulls the eyes around the piece, which for me, continually bounces back to the center of interest, which is the seahorse.

    The piece demonstrates a strong color contrast between the blue ocean-like background and the orange seahorse. The blue against the orange does not necessarily illustrate different values, and the lines never change, but because of the complementary colors, the shape of the seahorse is defined.

    This piece resonates to me as beautiful through it's excitement and color. I think it is representative of how something can be the similar and different at once, blend in and stand out, as this sea horse blends in with the same lines, values, and patterns as the rest of the piece, but it is unique in it's difference and brightness of color. I think this can be compared to people in society as they exist in the same space and flow as those around them, yet they are still different as they stand out with their own individuality. It's like being "in" the world but not "of" the world.

Hello!

Hi, my name is Audrie. I am a painting and drawing major. I specialize in portrait drawing and I love what I do! I am excited to learn more about visual communication. I think it will help me a ton in finding better ways to communicate to an audience through my own art and designs!

A few things about myself outside of art...I have two cats, Dustie and Simba, and a wolf hybrid pup, Kodi, and that makes up my very own family so far! I also love tennis, camping, fishing, and movies!