28/09/16 SOLE

Went back through previous posts and edited and finished sections, looked through Pinterest for font families and creative CVs

27/09/16 Shape Theory

The Gestalt Theory

German for shape or form, the Gestalt theory was created by three different German psychologists in the 1920's. It is a psychological concept on how the human brain reacts to visual perception and how we unconsciously group entities together based on their similarities.


Five Principles:

• Proximity- when elements are near one other, our minds see them as together- e.g. on the left is a square made from dots and on the right are three columns of dots. You don't just see a collaboration of dots but groupings of them
  
• Closure- if something is incomplete that we would usually see as a whole our brains will connect or complete the image- this can also be seen as an ontological perception- e.g. the completion of the light bulb in the image below
  
• Similarity- achieved when similar shapes are used to make a larger image- effective for making a more memorable image, and commonly used for a consistent functional design- e.g. the boarder for this logo uses two sizes of triangles circling the image of the bird which is built into three of the triangles at the bottom of the image
  
• Symmetry- images perceived collectively, usually half of one image reflected into one- aesthetically pleasing due to the repetitive nature, good usage for a communication tool- e.g. this image is completely symmetrical at all angles
  
• Continuity- if shapes are aligned in a curved or straight path they are viewed as one line rather than a cluster of objects- e.g. the graphic cluster of dots below
  

Shape Principles

Meanings:

• Circle- eternal, movement, complete, wholeness, friendly, protection
• Triangle- stability, eye-catching, religious, navigation, equality
• Square- equality, common, plain, stable, trusting, safe, immovable
• Arrow- navigation, direct

27/09/16 Typography

Typography

Rivers- gaps in text through word placement

Legibility- every individual character in the font is distinguishable and able to be read at any size

Readability- refers to comprehension, the text should be done so you can read it with ease

This image shows both good and bad examples of legibility and readability.

The good example of legibility shows evenly spaced, sized text in a clear sans serif font. This makes it easy to read as it is able to distinguish every character.

The bad example however is difficult to read as the font

For readability, the good example is a serif font, at a good size which makes it easier to read. It also looks more relaxed.

Font Families:

• Serif- characters end with lines- preferred by older audiences, associated with formal settings
• Sans Serif- characters that don't end with lines- preferred by younger audiences
• Script- cursive fonts
• Decorative- used in advertising and posters



The text on this advert is in a sans serif font. This shows that the poster is targeting a young audience, which may be as they are more likely to buy this product as Apple is one of the most popular brands for mobile phones. Sans serif text is suitable for the advert as the fonts in this family seem more modern, as well as direct. The roundness of the font also matches the sleek and clean look of the phone, and adds a bold and dramatic yet simplistic tone.

The serif font on this poster makes the statement look bold and confident, as well as elegant. This is important as the poster promotes body positivity for larger body types in women, so it shows their determination, pride, acceptance and confidence in themselves. The font is clear and readable as each letter is distinctive, adding emphasis to the poster.

Font families- a group of fonts that compliment and work well with each other

These font families look appealing to me as they are all decorative fonts which I could possibly use in future projects.
They are all mostly legible and readable, and each font has an individual style.
I also like them because they're all sans serif, which appeals to a younger audience and looks simplistic and modern.
They look fun and are aesthetically pleasing to the eye.





Kerning

 

 http://type.method.ac

Colour Match

http://color.method.ac

26/09/16 Colour Theory and Typography

Colour Theory

Colour theory creates a logical structure for colour.

Colour Wheel

The first circular diagram was developed in 1666 by Sir Isaac Newton, followed by numerous variations created from the studies of scientists and artists.

Terms:

• Analogous- colours next to each other on the colour wheel, (e.g. blue, green, lime)- serene and comfortable, found in nature- used by artists to create images harmonious and pleasing to the eye
• Complementary- opposite colours in the colour wheel, (e.g. red and green)- high contrast vibrant look, especially at full saturation- used to create dynamic images
• Split complementary- variation of the complementary colour scheme, (e.g. green, pink, orange)- useful for beginners, same visual contrast as complementary though less tension- commonly used in the fashion industry
• Triad- colours evenly spaced around a colour wheel, (e.g. green, purple, orange)- vivid and vibrant even with pale or unsaturated hues, makes beautiful contrasting shades, without the ombre or monochromatic styling- often used for decoration
• Tetradic- also known as the rectangle colour scheme, uses four colours in two complementary pairs- plenty of chances for colour variation, works best with one dominant colour, pay attention to the warm and cool colour balance- commonly used in designing clothing and furniture
• Monochromatic- all the tints, tones and shades of a single hue- tints achieved by adding white whilst tones and shades made by adding either grey or black, supports communication objectives through the use of connotative colour- used in design, such as for websites

Colour Meanings:

• White- innocence, purity, cleanliness, goodness, perfection- toothpaste: white product will result in white teeth
• Grey- reserved, neutral, serious, balanced, knowledge, wisdom- grey suits: formal appearance
• Purple- royal, mystic, creativity, luxury, wealth- Cadburys, Premier Inn: luxury products, luxury service
• Yellow- hope, cheerful, happiness, optimism, sunny, joy- McDonald's: good food, happy atmosphere
• Green- new, refreshing, renewal, peace, calming, verdant, nature, active, growth, health, envy- first aid:
• Black- sophistication, power, drama, elegance, formality, mystery, death- crows
• Pink- feminine, sweetness, healthy, romantic, innocence- breast cancer research
• Red- love, passion, intensity, energy, excitement, sexy, attention-getting, blood, danger, violence- rose (beautiful yet harmful)
• Blue- relaxation, calm, peaceful, tranquil, trustworthy, loyalty, sadness, patience, instructional, fresh- instructional signs, water labels

Ontology/ ontological point of view- perceived wisdom of what we've taught, e.g. grass is green, the sky is blue

https://brightside.me/article/the-ultimate-color-combinations-cheat-sheet-92405/

Typography

The placement of text.

Key Factors (subject terms):

• Typefaces (font families)
• Point size (font size)
• Line length
• Leading (line spacing)
• Tracking (letter spacing)
• Kerning (1-2 letter spacing)

21/09/16 SOLE

Looked through several Photoshop tutorials, mainly focusing on the basics and the tools available and what they do.
When I get Photoshop, I'll try out some of the techniques shown by the step-by-step tutorials on stock images.

Project Connect Mood Board

20/09/16 Project Connect, Employability Skills

Today we did some work for Project Connect, going out into town to take photos reflecting the five themes (purpose, responsibility, self development, respect and consistency) for a mood board. An example being a photo of me walking up the stairs with the quote for self development, or the rows of honorary war tombstones in the nearby park for consistency.
We also worked on our employability skills by planning out our photos beforehand in groups, improving teamwork skills. Also, the chance to work in a group brought forward more ideas for the themes, and so improving the work I would have done by myself.

Introduction

Hi, my name's Emily and I'm studying a level 3 Interactive Media course at Barnsley College.
I'll be posting my progress throughout the course, including my work and tutorials on programs such as Adobe Photoshop and In-Design as I develop my skills.