Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Review Week 14

Georgia State University is located in Atlanta, Georgia.  It offers undergrad and graduate degrees for graphic design.  Requirements to get in are 3.2-3.7 GPA, 1030-1200 Verbal + Math SAT score, and a 22-27 ACT score.


Savannah College of Art and Design has two locations: One in Savannah, GA and the other in Atlanta, GA.  Requirements of admission are not much, just having the diploma.  SCAD offers a ton of graphic design courses such as typography, graphic design studio portfolio, vector and faster graphics, poster design and more.


RISD is located in Rhode Island and is the #1 school for fine arts.  Courses are various just like Scad with classes such as visitng designers, web design etc.  Requirements to get in are two drawings, a portfolio, and test scores.


UGA in Athens is also a top school with a strong graphic design program.  Undergrad graphic design programs are offered with strong academic requirements.


Yale in New Haven, CT is another top school with graphic design.  Courses offered include moving image, typography, studio, motion design etc and a portfolio is required.


What is a portfolio?
A portfolio is a collection of your work to show what you have done


What is the importance of a portfolio?
It shows your ability, style, and helps others choose if they want you to work for them.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Podcast #3

Define principles of design?
Concepts used to arrange the structural elements of a composition.


What do the principles of design affect? 
The expressive content, or the message, of the work.


What is the principle of repetition? 
Repeating some aspect or element of the desighn throughout the entire document.


Describe ways that the principle of repetition helps the composition/audience? 
Works with patterns to make a composition seem active. Repeating design elements helps the viewer navigate through the piece.


What are ways that you can incorporate repetition into your designs? 
Bold font, thick line, certain bullet, color, design elements, particular format, and spatial relationship


What should you avoid when working with repetition? 
It is important not to repeat so much that it becomes annoying or overwhelming.


What is the principle of proportion/scale? 
Refer to the relative size and scale of the various elements in a design


What is the most universal standard of measure when judging size? 
The human body


How can the principle of proportion/scale be used as an attention getter?
Unusual or unexpected scale can be used as an attention getter.


What is the principle of balance? 
Distribution of heavey and light elements on the page.


Which kinds of elements/shapes visually weigh heavier/greater? 
Irregular shapes bear greater weight than regular shapes.


What is another name for symmetrical balance? 
Formal balance


Define symmetrical balance? 
Occurs when the weight of a composition is evenly distributed around a central vertical or horizontal axis.


What is another name for asymmetrical balance? 
Informal balance


Define asymmetrical balance? 
Occurs when the weight of a composition is not evenly distibuted around the axis.


What is the principle of emphasis? 
The stressing of a particular are of focus rather than the maze of details of equal importance


What happens to a design that has no focus? 
Nothing stands out. The effective use of emphasis calls attention to important areas.


What is a focal point and how is it created? 
The area where the eye tends to go first, the focal point is created by making one element dominant with all other areas contributing but subordinate.


How many components of a composition can be a focal point? 
No more than one component


What ways can emphasis be created in a design? 
Contrasting the primary elements with 5 subordinate, by sudden change in: Direction, size, shape, texture, color, tone, line.


What is the principle of unity?
The "wholeness" of composition.


What three ways can unity be obtained? 
1.put objects close to one another, the viewers eye is forced to move from one to the next inevitably taking in the entire composition.
2.make things similar using similar textures, colors, or shapes tends to visually connect the parts of a composition.
3.direct vision by a line that travels around the design. this line can be a true line or id can be suggested.


What is the principle of variety? 
Pertains to differences and diversity, its what makes a work of art interesting.


What ways can a designer add variety to a design?


Why is it important to find the right balance between unity and variety? 
An artist can vary textures, color, and shapes, and alter their contrast, tone, and intensity.


What is figure? 
A form, silhouette, or shape is naturally perceived as figure, Its the part of a composition that we pay attention to.


What is another name for figure? 
Positive space


What is ground? 
The surrounding area around figure


What is another name for ground? 
Negative space


When a composition is abstract (has no recognizable subject) what will the figure depend on? What does that mean? 
It will depend on the abstract relationship between visual elements. the serounding area around figure is groung its the negative space of a design.


Why must a designer consider the composition as a whole?
The image will only be parally designed.


What is the principle of rhythm? 
Continuity, recurrence or organized movement in space and time.


How is rhythm achieved?
Through the orderly repetition of any element, line, shape, value (tone), texture.


What three ways can rhythm occur in a design?
1.when intervals between the elements, and often the elements themselves are similar in size or length.
2.with a more organic, flowing, sence of movement.
3.Asequence of shapes through a progression of steps.


How does rhythm help a composition/design? 
Rhythm can help deliver the message by controlling the viewers eye movement, can also add "life" and interaction to an otherwise inanimate page layout.


What is the principle of contrast? 
Cccurs when two related elements are different.


How can contracan st help a design? 
Contrast can draw the viewers eye into the piece and help guide the veiwer through it.


What is wrong with having too much or too little contrast in a design? 
Too much contrast can be confusing, to much similarity becomes monotonous and boring.


What is the key to working with contrast?
Making sure sure the differences are obvious.


What are some common ways of creating contrast?
Creating differences in: size, value, color, type, texture, shape, alignment, direction, and movement

Review Week 13


Balance- The larger close up chess piece on the left balances the many small further back chess pieces on the right.



Gradation- The colors gradually go from red to green, the gradual change creates interest.



Repetition- The repetition on Marilyn Monroe's face shape creates interest even though there are different color schemes going on.



Contrast- The red rug creates a contrast between the black and white room design.



Harmony- The whole picture uses wavy lines to create a softer look.  The soft look comes from the fact that the lines are all similar type.



Dominance- The warm red lips with the cracked border dominate the cool blue side which emphasizes the lips.



Unity- The plates all have similar colors and the same shape which makes the design look unified and interesting.






How do you add a layer mask to a particular layer?
Click on the button with the gray rectangle and the& white circle


What two colors are used to create the mask?
Black and White


Describe the process of using a layer mask?
The black hides the image and the white shows it.  The mask starts off all white or all black then you paint the other color to show or hide whatever is necessary.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Stephen Kroninger

What kind of art/design does he produce?
He takes images and makes either realistic or surreal collages.




In what publications/media studios has his work been featured?
His pieces have been published in Rolling Stone, New York Times, and he has published a few Children's books such as If I Crossed the Road and Tie Your Socks and Clap Your Feet.





What kind of art/design does he produce?
He takes images and makes either realistic or surreal collages.




In what publications/media studios has his work been featured?
His pieces have been published in Rolling Stone, New York Times, and he has published a few Children's books such as If I Crossed the Road and Tie Your Socks and Clap Your Feet.







Michael Jackson was published in the New York Times.  He uses dominance to make the eyes stand out, balance to move the lips down and have positive space throughout the face, and repetition with the eyes and eyebrows.




Street Sweeperwas published in The New Yorker.  Contrast is used in the light blue shirt and the broom and balance lets the broom go across the page and have the big part away from the small part.

Reiew Week 12

Designers use principles of design to create the most attractive layouts they can in their works.


The principles of design are balance, gradation, repetition, contrast, harmony, dominance, and unity.
Balance has positive space on either sides of the piece.  Repetition has the same idea throughout, but may vary.  Contrast has opposing colors or ideas.  Harmony has similar, related elements.  Dominance has one element that stands out to create interest.  Unity refers to the visual linking of various elements of the work.

Color Schemes

01.jpg
Triadic





02.jpg
Analogous





03.jpg
Monochromatic




05.gif

Split Complimentary






Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Review Week 9

Compare and contrast vector graphics and pixel images.
Vector graphics can be blown up to any size and keep the same quality because they are based on mathematical equations. Pixel images are made of pixels and are distorted if blown up too much.


What resolution is necessary to print raster images?
300dpi


What resolution is necessary to display raster images on the internet?
72dpi

Steve Jobs

Who is Steve Jobs?
CEO of Apple who just passed away


What company was he CEO for many years?
Apple


What did he do for the computer industry?
Created Apple computers and amazing new technology


How did this man impact the graphic design industry?
Created more jobs

Review Week 8

Why must designers pay close attention to how color is utilized within a composition?
Colors help emphasize the design, create different moods and message, and help the viewer recieve the right response.




Why is the color wheel an important tool for graphic designers?
They help with color schemes, which colors go well together, and gives the designer a list of possible colors they may use.






Find an example of neutral colors utilized within a design (hint: google poster design). Near the sample, discuss why you feel the designer included neutral colors within the composition.
The black in this background helps emphasize the colors and gives the eye a break.










Briefly describe how we "see" the color of an object?
We see the colors reflected from the visible spectrum.  The objects absorb those colors.

Podcast #2

The right use of color can do what? maximize productivity, minimize visual fatigue, and relax the whole body.


Within the electromagnetic spectrum, which waves allow us to see color? visible light


Describe white light? equal parts of all color in the visible spectrum.


How do we see color if objects "have no color of their own"? objects appear to be in color when the absorb or reflect colors in the visible spectrum. reflected color is the color we see.


What is a glass prism? a transparent, triangular object that breaks white light into all the visible colors in the spectrum. all colors can be see when refracted through a glass prism.


What seven colors result when white light is refracted through a prism? red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet


Describe hue? hue is the color itself. each different hue is a different reflected wavelength of light.


When does white light occur? when all the wavelengths are reflected back to your eye.


When does black light occur? when no light is reflected back to your eye.


How color is perceived depends on what? the type of light that it is seen with, incandescent, fluorescent, or natural light. colors can change according to their surroundings.


What is a color wheel? shows different results of mixing colors


What are primary colors? Name them? red, yellow, blue. no colors can be mixed to make these colors. they are our 3 basic colors


What are secondary colors? Name them? orange, green, violet. 2 primary colors are mixed to make these.


What are tertiary colors? Name them? primary and secondary colors mixed together. red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green, blue-biolet, and red-violet. primary color is named first


What are neutral colors? How can they be created? colors that dont show up on the color wheel. almost gray. very low saturations. blacks, grays, whites, and brown. complimentary color pair mixed.


How can a neutral color help a design? help put the focus on other colors or tone down colors that are emphasized on their own.


What are complementary colors? Name them? colors that are positioned opposite of each other. red and green, orange and blue, yellow and violet.


What is color value? the lightness or darkness of a color


What is a shade? adding black to a hue produces a low-value color


What is a tint? adding white to a hue produces a high-value color


What is saturation/intensity? the brightness of a color. full intensity when not mixed with black and white. you can change the intensity of a color by adding gray.


What happens when you mix complementary colors together? you produce a dull tone, when you put them side by side it increases the intensity


Describe color harmony? pleasing to the eye, engages the view, and a balance or order to the visual


What is a color scheme? harmonious color combinations. colors that are used to create style and appeal. based on the color wheel and the arrangement of color.


Describe a monochromatic color scheme? uses variations of tints or shades of one color. clean and elegant. go well together for a soothing affect. very easy on the eyes


Describe an analogous color scheme? 3 colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. one color is dominant and the other two enrich the scheme. often found in nature and pleasing to the eye. bright and cheery effect. can accommodate changing moods.


Describe a complementary color scheme? two colors that are opposite of each other the color wheel. draws a lot of attention, high contrast composition. seen in nature.


Describe a split-complementary color scheme? uses a color and its 2 colors adjacent to its complimentary color. will draw attention, but without the tension of a complimentary color scheme.


Describe a triadic color scheme? 3 colors equally spaced around the color wheel. strong visual balance


What colors are considered to be warm colors? yellows, oranges, and reds


Describe a warm color scheme? bold and energetic. appear closer, so do not overwhelm. needs to pop out, consider using warm colors in the design.


What colors are considered to be cool colors? greens, blues, and violets.


Describe a cool color scheme? an impression of calm, rarely overpowers the main concept, appear farther away. give an allusion of depth


Why is important to consider which colors are being used within a design? impacts all of our visual communications. the right tone and message. the right response. creates an emotional reaction.