#lecture exercise

[kaixinsoh]

Ex. G: Pattern

Date: 10 March 2021, Week 8

Brief: Create your own pattern using elements of design. You should range it from the lightest (1) to the darkest (6).

Inspired by the ketupat or rattan weave pattern found in Southeast Asian crafts, I designed a pattern composed of lines and rectangles of differing weights.

[kaixinsoh]

Ex. F: Colour

Date: 1 March 2021, Week 7

Brief: Take a photo with your mobile phone. Create a colour scheme from it. Pick out 5 hues from the image and write a very short write up on the hues, what mood are they conveying, if they are working well.

Commentary:

To me, this picture is a great example of how fast food restaurants like McDonald’s employ colour psychology in their food, packaging and interior design. McDonald’s classic golden arches set against the backdrop of the iconic red packaging container, and also the golden yellow hue of the french fries and the bright cheery yellow walls, makes use of the analogous colours red, orange and yellow. The warm colours and pairing of yellow and red creates what some marketers have termed the Ketchup and Mustard Effect, with the colour red stimulating the appetite and yellow evoking feelings of happiness and satisfaction.

[kaixinsoh]

Ex. E: Typography

Date: 17 February 2021, Week 6

Brief: Comment on the following typeface. What seems to be off about this particular typographic representation? How would you improve this typographic representation (look into the 8 rules as guiding points for discussion)?

Commentary:

1) The characters are outlined in black and filled in white, which makes it difficult and disorienting to read. To improve the readability, I would remove the counter (the white space within the letters) and fill the entire type with one colour (e.g. black).

2) The typeface seems to be a decorative or novelty typeface, which is more suitable for headings. While the Title is acceptable, it is difficult to read the body text. Furthermore, as all the letters are capitalised, it makes it uncomfortable to read, as if the words are shouting at the reader. Therefore, to improve its readability, I would retain the typeface for the Title, but change the body text to a simpler, complementary typeface (such as a serif typeface like Garamond, which is good for body text) and make the body text un-capitalised. To further improve the hierarchy and distinction between the Title and Body, I could use the Golden Ratio to set the font sizes (for example, font size 36 for the Title and font size 22 for the Body).

3) The central alignment of the text also makes it difficult to read, since there is no clear edge for the eye to start from and follow, resulting in the reader having to jump from different points in each line break and making it very jarring. To improve on the readability, I would change the alignment to a left-alignment.

4) Another thing to consider is typeface communication. This typeface seems to be a decorative or novelty typeface with a rather sporty vibe/personality. Therefore, we have to consider what this text is for and where it is situated. If it was for a varsity poster, then it would be suitable. However, if it was for a business proposal document, then it would be more appropriate to use a more formal serif or sans-serif typeface (such as Times New Roman or Arial).

[kaixinsoh]

Ex. D: Composition

Date: 10 February 2021, Week 5

Brief: Use your phone camera, choose a subject and compose it in various shot sizes and camera angles, while demonstrating your understanding of visual composition. Take about 4-6 images. State the purposes of using these techniques and how does it affect your audience who perceive your subject.

Image 1: Long Shot

Purpose: I took a long shot to have a clear view of the entire character’s body, face, clothes etc. Also, I intentionally took it in portrait orientation, with the camera slightly tilted upwards from a low angle, and framed additional white space above the character, so as to make it seem as though the character is tall and heroic

Image 2: Close Up Shot

Purpose: I zoomed in on the facial expression of the character so as to intensify the emotion to the audience 

Image 3: Canted Shot (with blur)

Purpose: I used a canted shot to add a sense of dynamic movement to the shot. I also intentionally moved the camera slightly when taking the picture so that the blur would add a sense of motion and action, as if the character was moving (or as if Thor was using his hammer to make the ground rumble and thunder)

Image 4: Extreme Long Shot (with Rule of Thirds)

Purpose: I took an extreme long shot to emphasise how small the Lego character looks (I also found it interesting that this enables you to see the reflection of the character on the floor surface, which adds to the reflective, pensive quality of the photo). Furthermore, I employed rule of thirds by framing the character in the upper right third of the image to create a sense of asymmetry, disorientation and alienation that reinforces how small and lonely the character looks

[kaixinsoh]

Ex. C: Semiotics

Date: 3 February 2020, Week 4

Brief: Review the print ad on the next slide. Write about the sign - what is the signifier and the signified. Essentially, analyse and describe what this ad is trying to say. Upload your brief yet succinct report on your blog.

Semiotic analysis:

The sign of a visual image of a Heinz ketchup bottle that resembles a tomato sliced into various pieces, with green leaves and stem on top instead of a cap, seems to signify that Heinz ketchup is fresh and made of real, natural tomatoes; implying that consuming its ketchup is just like eating an actual sliced tomato. Another sign is the copy, which reads “No one grows Ketchup like Heinz.”, which could signify that Heinz ketchup is healthy, made of all-natural ingredients (the word “grown” rather than “made” or “manufactured” creates the impression that the ketchup is natural, unprocessed). The bright red background could also be a sign, as the colour reminds one of a ripe, juicy red tomato and reinforces the idea of the delicious flavour of the tomato ketchup. According to scientific research, red also stimulates the appetite (Singh, 2006) and may thus increase the hunger, craving and desire to purchase the ketchup of consumers who see the ad.

[kaixinsoh]

Ex. B: Criticism

Date: 19 January 2020, Week 2

Brief: Apply constructive criticism model in evaluating a design OR artwork. You may choose any art/design on the internet or use the image in the next slide. Upload your brief yet succinct report on your blog.

Art/design work: 

Election campaign poster by Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), 2020

The first thing I noticed about the election campaign poster by the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) is the bright red colour, which immediately draws attention to the poster. The red colour, paired with white, may also be symbolic of Singapore’s national colours, evoking nationalistic sentiments.

The central focus of the poster is on three figures: an old man with balding white hair collecting dirty plates and cutlery and bent over over a green pail, an old lady with a mop of grey hair stooped hunchback as she pushes a trolley laden with cardboard, and a man lying on the ground with newspaper as his bed and blanket. The images call to mind common sights seen by Singaporeans (such as aunties collecting cardboard, old uncles clearing plates and cutlery at the hawker centre in order to earn a living), which are relatable and resonant to viewers. All three figures have their faces turned downwards, conveying a sense of in despondency, resignation or fatigue. Their unseen faces may also reflect the plight of the faceless "invisible poor" of Singapore; ignored, overlooked and disregarded. The illustrations paint a caricature of the pitiful plight of the poor and the elderly in Singapore. They also give a hand-drawn effect that imparts a human touch, a stark contrast from the usual sleek posters of other political parties, which are professional but impersonal. Also, unlike the conventional posters of other political parties which depict the politicians themselves, SDA’s poster depicts images of the common people, emphasising that their main focus is the issues of the everyday people.

The main copy of the poster is written in bold capital letters: “TOUCH YOUR HEART, ASK YOURSELF, WHY?”, which places emphasis and literally makes a bold statement. The use of the words “you” and “yourself” addresses and speaks to the viewer directly, making them feel involved and responsible. The images and words effectively employs pathos and evokes emotions. The text, coupled with the images, poignantly drives home the message of SDA’s slogan of having “A heart for the people”.

In conclusion, I think that the SDA’s poster makes effective use of various elements of art and principles of design to create an election campaign poster. Other than the pure aesthetic and functional purposes of communicating to the public about SDA’s political campaign, more importantly, it makes viewers feel something and shines light on important social issues such as poverty, ageing population and the plight of the invisible poor in Singapore. It’s not just a political poster, but also a form of social commentary and criticism. 

[kaixinsoh]

Ex. A: Creativity

Date: 13 January 2020, Week 1

Brief: Sketch/design a machine/device that you think will enhance your creativity.

Thought process: Creativity to me is… thinking out of the box.

So I thought to myself, “How can I make myself think out of a box, using a box?” Boxes are receptacles that can contain many things. They can be gift boxes, enclosing a present. They can be mystery boxes, withholding a surprise. They can be anything and everything that you want it to be.

So I thought of designing a box that would seem ordinary on the outside, but once opened up, would unfold into a 3-dimensional space that would transport me to a new world. A place where I could sit, think, meditate. A place where I could be creative. A meadow, with verdant grass and cerulean skies. A forest, with a stream of cool water. A field filled with flowers and butterflies and birdsong.

Final design:

[visualcommsrai]

Lecture Exercise A

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