As the world economy shakes, the fundamentals of businesses are being tested. Here I review the use of design fundamentals, as they are core to the business of graphic design. And they influence and impact my critiques of your artwork, my own artwork, and artwork hung in gallery/museum shows.
STRATEGIC STRUCTURAL AND SYMBOLIC USE
OF GRAPHIC DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS
IN TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY AMERICA
by Julie Ashcraft
-ALIGNMENT OF TEXT-
LEFT, TOP, BOTTOM
headlines, pull quotes, body copy
RIGHT
small bits of text, odd page numbers
CENTER
formal invitations, dinner menus, lists of patrons
VISUAL/OPTICAL
compensation for varying shapes of letters and graphics
BREAKING
emphasis
-BALANCE IN COMPOSITION-
SYMMETRY
predictability, reassurance, inflexibility, stasis, psychopathology
ASYMMETRY
spontaneity, challenge, adaptability, dynamism, athleticism
-COLOR/GREYSCALE-
RED
life/death, emergency, consuming desire
ORANGE
transition, warning, energy
YELLOW
warmth, alertness, memory
GREEN
growth/decay, wealth, leisure
BLUE
intellect, planning, mood
PURPLE
creativity, spirituality, dominion
BLACK
secrecy, potentiality, power
WHITE
transparency, evidentiality, naivete
-CONTRAST-
Drama and interest stimulation
examples: black v. white, small v. big, loud v. quiet, soft v. hard
-ELEMENTS OF DESIGN-
LINE:
ORGANIC
fluidity
MECHANICAL
angularity
SHAPE:
SQUARE
Material
containment/protection/preservation
or restraint/restriction/destruction
CIRCLE
Social
inclusivity or exclusivity
TRIANGLE
Political
revolution or dominance
PENTAGON
Military
defense or offense
HEXAGON
Organizational
production or collapse
OCTAGON
Informational
assistance or control
-EMPTY AREAS-
Provide breathing room
Destabilize cohesiveness of layout when not skillfully used
example: trapped empty space–unintentional “rivers” within body copy
-LIGHT SOURCES-
Help delineate mass and volume, thereby implying depth–3rd dimension
-MASS and VOLUME-
Imply depth–3rd dimension
-MOTION BLUR-
Implies passage of time–4th dimension
-PERSPECTIVE and SIZE RELATIONSHIPS-
Imply depth–3rd dimension
-PROXIMITY-
Creates a visual bond/unity
-RHYTHM/CONSISTENCY/REPITITION/PATTERN-
May comfort viewer
May establish a starting point which will facilitate
exploration of individual nuggets of visual information
May bore–or even annoy viewers, when not used skillfully
-TEXTURE-
Representative texture focuses on reproducing texture of actual objects.
Abstract visual texture is encountered when moving eye around the page.
-UNITY-
May be achieved by proximity or by a third element connecting distant parts.
copyright (c) 2008 Julie Ashcraft
All rights reserved
contact Julie at:
[email protected]