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Recent fan art for the video game Dishonored, done in Paint Tool SAI.

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Analyzing the design of the Nintendo 3DS, I found that it is simple and serves the functions that it needs to, but is also aesthetically pleasing. The edges are beveled and curved so that there are no particularly sharp corners, which allows the device to be held more comfortably by the user. There doesn't seem to be any unnecessary parts to the design. Every piece, button, and switch is comfortably tucked into the device so that nothing protrudes obtrusively. All the information is presented in a manner as simple as possible so that it is clear what the switches and buttons are used for, without needing to look at a manual. The smooth shape of the object as well as the color are what serve to make it appealing to the eye. While different colors are available for this particular model, there is enough variation that one would be able to purchase the color that they find the most aesthetically pleasing. The design is sustainable as it serves its purpose and will not be worn down through mere usage. However, it is still fragile enough that handling it roughly or dropping it can potentially result in some manner of damage, though this isn’t much of a concern as it would still take a fair amount of force.

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Why Can’t I Sleep? 

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Jon Ronson’s article highlights the repercussions of Justine Sacco’s tweet containing a racist remark and the manner in which she was widely “shamed” in only short amount of time via the internet. The similar stories of other individuals are also shared, showing the power of social media and how important the things we choose to share online are.

The illustrations of Andrew B. Myers are effective in strengthening the message of the article. This is especially apparent where it emphasizes the focus on social media by using the blue bird, as a representation of twitter’s mascot. The images containing subject matter such as a single bird being placed in the center of a target or wearing a dunce hat are successful in portraying the way that Justine Sacco, and others, were singled out and targeted by a very large amount of individuals on the internet. At the same time, while the images do support those aspects, they do detract from the identity of the individuals involved in the story by having them be represented by only the mascot as opposed to having their faces or appearances shown in some way.

Myers’ style is interesting in the way that it combines three-dimensional aspects with flat color. The colors are bright, compelling, and establish the mood and subject matter of each image well, as Myers utilizes high contrast and relies on constrained color palettes. It also allows a large amount of focus to be on the primary subject of each image, the blue bird, which further stands out by being three-dimensional. This powerful style is highly effective in contributing to the message of the article in a strong manner.

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Common MythConceptions: World’s Most Contagious Falsehoods

by David McCandless

Common MythConceptions brings light to widespread falsehoods that are often accepted and even taught as truth. The information is presented successfully due to the short and simple descriptions being accompanied by bolded titles that grab the reader’s attention. They are also supported by the minimalist illustrations in the bubbles, which aid in drawing attention to each individual fact. Additionally it is easy to tell what the subject of each fact is before reading, due to the color guide beneath the title. That way, one might choose to go directly to the facts that are more relevant to their interests first before looking at the others. 

While I was already aware of many of these misconceptions, there were still a fair amount that I did not know were untrue or that I simply had not thought about. However, the shortness of the descriptions do leave me with some questions and make me want to research some of these facts further, as not all of them fully explain the misconceptions and why they are not true. Regardless, the information is still interesting and approachable and thus makes the design successful. 

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I chose this frame as I felt that it was a good example of the minimalist style that I was aiming to portray for my animation, in both line quality and color. I wanted the lines to be fairly thick and simple, so that the focus would be drawn to the shape of the figure's silhouette. I chose to make the background entirely black so that the white figure would stand out against the negative space, but also outlined the figure in white so that their entire form would still be visible. This also shows that there is only a small space surrounding the subject and the dark background. The background also helps in conveying the message of the subject being surrounded and defenseless, which I aimed to illustrate further with the figure's sitting position. The figure is also mostly centered for this reason, as it enforces that they are weighed down by the darkness all around them.

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The results of the photoshop tennis match between courtneykrobertson and I.  

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Portrait of Courtney taken using only natural lighting. I chose a location where the sun would cast dramatic lighting on her face. In post production I adjusted the levels and slightly lowered the saturation of the image. 

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Depth of field is used here to make it clear that the spilled sugar is the focus of the image, while the jar is still just visible enough that the viewer understands what is occurring in the photo. 

Focal length: 76.00 mm

Exposure: 1/12 sec; f/6.3; ISO 400

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Focal Length: 18.00 mm

Exposure: 32.0 sec; f/22; ISO 100; Manual

Group: trinawallace kennedyjosephison 

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Books used: The Photograph as Contemporary Art, Hand Job: A Catalog of Type, and Hand-painted Pop: American Art in Transition, 1955-62 

I was drawn to The Photograph as Contemporary Art first due to the image in the center of the cover. I liked the use of color and incorporated portions of it into my design, as well as the text from the title, which I obscured somewhat as I did not want it to be the main focus. Similarly, I chose the cover of Hand Job: A Catalog of Type for its vibrant colors and playful typography, which I used for the inside of the cube and the fingernails, respectively. I used Hand-painted Pop: American Art in Transition, 1955-62 for the base of the design, because I found it interesting to take the minimalist design of the cover and see in what ways I could alter it by adding and removing portions.