One of the suggestions for our blog was to comment on the readings. I’m going to try to do this with the Design Principles reading which is part of this week’s material.
This reading begins by talking about contrast. An example is given of a white square on a black background. Yes, this is an example of contrast, as is the second illustration with colored contrast. And contrast does make things stand out.
The same is true with size. Generally, we notice bigger things before we notice smaller things. But so far, this reading has not really told me anything that I would view as being other than common sense. I was hoping for something a little more complex, perhaps.
I did find this in the next section, which treats communication hierarchy. But I had a bit of trouble relating the written text to illustration 3.13. Is the author saying that we read from left to right, and therefore the R is the most prominent letter? I think also that the brighter colours are meant to attract our attention; it just happens that the letters on the left are also the most bright. Perhaps the idea here is that we don’t have competing design principles: both the size of the letters, their placement left to right, and their bright or muted colors work to have us view the R first and then the V, etc.
The next section treats visual language. I would have preferred a slightly longer treatment of this topic, as it is one that interests me. On the other hand, there are other readings that have been suggested to us, which may provide greater detail. I’m not sure why the author refers to the visual language, rather than just plain ordinary visual language. This is like calling English, the English.
July 14, 2009 at 9:03 pm |
Hi Barry,
Yes, indeed. You are right. No need to call it, ‘the’ Visual Language. Visual Language is all it is.
In any event, you are onto something here when you speak of levels of complexity in contrast.
–The highest contrast (and most basic) that you can achieve is white text on black background. Next to that is yellow text on blue background, for folks who are colour blind.
Contrast can be achieved through scale, as you have noted … two objects of the same basic shape, give the appearance of depth. A small shape is perceived as being in the distance (background), when juxtaposed next to the same large shape, which is in turn, perceived as being in the foreground.
Colour is yet another way to achieve contrast –usually through complimentary colours. Blue/ Yellow … but beware with Red/Green. For someone who is colour blind, red/ green appears like a blank slate of gray!
Hm, I wonder how they perceive many Christmas cards out there?
Nancy