ah teaches graphic design (Seeing How We See lecture)

Seeing How We See

Lecture outline

Perception and design principles. Lecture slides will be made available on the day of the lecture (September 23/24).

Critique volunteers

If anyone has P1 deliverables they would be willing to have publicly critiqued, please let Andrew know before the break.

A blurry photo

Seeing How We See

In preparation for lecture...

Please close up any laptops, cellphones, Atari 2600's, Kindles and other 'beep-boop' devices.

Critique

Critique is a communication skill. Effective critique requires reading/listening, responding, and practice.

Bias

"[Our] perspectives are coloured by our habits, beliefs, and attitudes."
Erika Hall

Effective critique is...

Ineffective critique is...

Why critique matters

Effective critique can:

Critique context

Before giving critique, it is always important that you understand what the project is, and where it is at. This helps ensure your feedback will be timely and purposeful.

Today's critique context

Visual brain dump

A form of visual brainstorming:

  1. Set up a purpose for the sketches.
  2. Aim for quick, small drawings.
  3. Set a timer.
  4. Don't erase, draw more.

Today's critique

Our approach

We will be taking the 'I like/I wish' approach for today's critique: Please start each critique with either 'I like' or 'I wish'.

A series of layout sketches
A series of layout sketches

Any questions?

Design Thinking

Last week

  1. Define
  2. Research
  3. Ideate
  4. Choose
  5. Try
  6. Learn (and repeat)

Design Thinking

This week

  1. Define
  2. Research
  3. Ideate
  4. Choose
  5. Try
  6. Learn (and repeat)

Bauhaus

The 1920's to 30's

The Bauhaus Font

ITC Bauhaus Typeface

Form Follows Function

An outline of the Bauhaus' design course

The Bauhaus program

How to choose ideas

Getting good at picking ideas to further refine requires an understanding of the purpose of the design, the principles that define good content structure, and critique.

An illustration demonstrating visual rhythm

Design principles

What are some of the things a point can represent?

What are some of the things a line can represent?

What are some of the things a plane (not the air kind) can represent?

The Visual Form

Consider what does the visual form afford us that other forms — i.e. auditory, tactile — do not?

Good content structure

Good content structure helps direct and guide a viewer through the content actively. We are going to recap a number of design fundamentals that help us build better structures.

Sequence of cognition

A simplified overview for the purposes of our class:

First is shape.

A layout with a series of shapes representing the positioning of content

Second is colour.

We will discuss colour later in the term.

Third is form.

A layout with a series of shapes representing the positioning of content

Gestalt

Next in our order of cognition

A psychological theory that our minds self-organize disparate elements into a unified whole. Can you see the 'shape' in this picture?

A series of dark blotches on a white background that contain the shape of a dog if recognized

Building Relationships

Gestalt theory offers us tools for building meaningful visual relationships. Design borrows from science and art to create form and function.

Figure & Ground

Gestalt theory

An ambiguous figure-ground relationship where you either see one Wolverine or two Batmen facing one another

By Olly Moss

A series of sketched frames with birds in them. The second and third frames contain a dark and light fill to help demonstrate contrast

Proximity

Gestalt theory

Things that are closer are more related.

A sketch with a mouse next to the word 'cat', and a cat next to the word 'dog'

Space

Design theory

Helps to clarify relationships and direct attention.

A sketch of a spread with one page filled with content and the other with only one element in the center of it
A sketch of a series of spreads illustrating symmetrical to more assymetrical balance in layout

Balance helps to direct and focus attention

Similarity

Gestalt theory

Things that are similar are more related.

A sketch illustrating a collection of different elements on two separate pages, some similar, some not

Harmony and unity

Design theory

Things that appear similar will help give us a sense of cohesion to a visual language.

A sketch illustrating a collection of different elements on a spread of pages, most dissimilar

Scale and hierarchy

Design theory

Helps to build an understanding of relationships.

A sketch with the first page illustrating larger text above smaller text, and the second page illustrating smaller text above larger text

Continuance

Gestalt theory

We will build relationships between things that track along an expected line.

A sketch of a spread with the illustrated boxes following an expected pattern
A poster for an exhibition by Kandinsky

Gestalt applied

A sketch with two frames, one illustrating the head and the other the feet of a bird

Framing can direct attention and change the message

A sketch with three frames, the two smaller frames illustrating the head and feet of a bird which are portions of the larger frame, which shows the bird destroying a building and people running away

Framing can direct attention and change the message

A sketch of a layout with a photo of ducks feet at the top of the layout which align with text below the framed photo

Continuance (and other Gestalt principles) can apply to build relationships with framed elements as well

Order of cognition continued

  1. Basics: colour, depth, form
  2. Grouping: Gestalt
  3. Memory: connections
  4. Recognition: connections applied and understood
P1: Process

Tomorrow's labs

In the labs we will expect your project deliverables ready to go for discussion and we will cover more on Figma.

Using the Basics sketch

No lecture next week

Labs on October 1 are for getting further feedback on your P1 deliverables or completing the reading reflection.

Reading reflection #1
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