Visual Techniques

From the time I was old enough to go wine tasting, I've been fascinated by wine label designs. Several years ago, I was walking through the wine aisles at Draeger's grocery store and came across "The Prisoner". The name of the wine says it all, but I was instantly drawn to the dark and disturbing image. Although I knew nothing about the wine, I took a chance on a $35 bottle just to have the label.

The visual techniques present in this design are singularity, distortion, and boldness. The single subject of the label is a bold image of a prisoner in chains, although slightly distorted since you can't see the face or one of the arms and legs. Despite the disturbing subject matter, the label is intriguing.

Although I am attracted to some of the darker more mysterious wine labels, I have also found many I like with completely different styles. Cupcake Vineyards is another one of my favorites and has a much softer design.

The visual techniques present in the Cupcake label include: contrast, symmetry, intricacy and brightness. The floral design on the borders of the label are symmetrical and slightly intricate with the combination of ribbons and branches. The colors used contrast well with each other and provide somewhat of a popout affect with the cupcake at the top and the Red Velvet name. All of the colors are bright and vibrant as opposed to being dull. There is also a juxtaposition between the text and decorative border as well as with the solid yellow border on the outer edge.





These two wine labels are very different, yet they both have an attractive quality. The cupcake label has a more classical and feminine aesthetic quality while The Prisoner label sparks an interest from a darker side. The bold choice of The Prisoner takes a chance on how the viewer will receive it, but the name of the wine somewhat dictates what the label will look like. The same can be said for a wine from Cupcake Vineyards, although this particular label could have taken another direction based on the wine Red Velvet. The word "cupcake" conjures up playful bright images while the word "prisoner" almost always has a negative connotation. If The Prisoner label was not employing singularity and there were other subjects, the impact would be less dramatic. The distortion is key in making this design successful because it makes the image less personal. We can't tell if this is a man or a woman and can't see the anguish on the person's face. The lack of details make it hard to form any kind of connection with this prisoner. Without contrast in color on the cupcake label the name of the wine and cupcake would no longer have a pop-out effect. The contrast in typography adds a playfulness to the label with the use of text that looks handwritten. The symmetry and somewhat intricate border details of branches and ribbons add a classical touch that balances with the  bright colors and fun vineyard and wine names.

Contrast

The above photo shows a series of billboard advertisements for the Smart Car. But unlike most oversized billboards we see while driving, these billboards are tiny. Contrast in dimension is used in these designs to make a statement about how small the smart car is. Rather than placing a poster in high traffic areas, Smart Car used an advertising medium that we almost always experience in a much larger way, effectively challenging the harmony of what we are seeing. The smart car is probably the smallest vehicle on the road today in the U.S., and I'm guessing these are the smallest billboards out there as well. The juxtaposition of the tiny billboard and the lamp posts, trees or people in the background create intrigue. The intent of this design should be obvious to anyone familiar with the Smart Car. Given the fact that billboards are costly, this advertising alternative might be solving a problem with the company's budgetary concerns as well as showcasing a creative campaign.   

The above book title utilitzes contrast in color, but the design lacks the attractive quality needed to grab browser's attention. Although the color combination is somewhat complementary, it the tone of the green and yellow do not create a "pop out" feature. The inclusion of the line and small rectangle in the center of the page, in the same colors as the title and author, add confusion to the overall design. How does the yellow rectangle relate to the title and the line to the author? Although the book is about ethics, it is related to the field of graphic design and should reflect a clear message that is aesthetically pleasing. We want the yellow and green to have meaning in combination with the objects in the center of the page, but there isn't any obvious meaning. The intent of the design is unclear and our focus is lost in trying to understand. A revised color scheme could definitely improve the cover, but the shapes still contribute to an ambiguous image.

Implied Motion

The above billboard for Mammoth Mountain shows implied motion in several different ways. Prior experience tells us that snowboarders are constantly on the move as they race down the mountains or fly off the jumps. We perceive this event is happening because it reminds us of actually being on the mountain watching the boarders on the halfpipe. We also experience implied movement expectations as everything that goes up must come down. We expect for gravity to set in and the boarder to return to the snow below. The billboard could have just been a photograph of a snowboarder riding the halfpipe, but the separation of the person from the main area of the billboard makes it look like he/she is floating in mid air, just as it would look in real life for a few seconds.

Above is another example of a billboard that exhibits implied motion. The illusion of direction of the rear vehicle toward the bent, folded part of the billboard implies movement toward the truck. Prior experience tells us that the little red car has been in an accident due to the damage, which is emphasized by the appearance of damage to the billboard itself. Event perception is strongly utilized as most of us have either been in an accident or have witnessed one, and what we see reminds us of a similar situation. The depth and dimensional qualities added by the squished sign makes is look like the accident actually took place right there on the billboard. The implied movement appears to have caused the damage to both the car and the sign. The fact that the implied movement is headed in the same direction as we read helps to lead us through the information being presented. 

Dimension - Depth - Space - Scale

I found the above advertisement in the Communication Arts 2008 Advertising Annual. For more information: http://www.commarts.com/SearchOn.aspx?page=1&col=683&inum=365&pj=14981&m=27567
The photograph used in this advertisement includes several perceptual cues to inform the viewer about dimension, deptch, space and scale. Overlap is shown with cars or poles being in front of other objects. Linear perspective is illustrated by the two traffic lanes appearing closer to each other as they move toward the horizon line. Objects that are positioned below the horizon line, but are higher in the field of view appear farther away. Familiar size and relative size are also visible cues as the objects appear to be of normal size individually and when compared to the other objects around them. The photograph is a realistic representation of the scene without any conflicting cues.

Although Time Square is brightly lit with billboards and digital screens, the works of art that appear in this photo are not images that are typically displayed. If there were conflicting cues in the photo, our attention would be distracted from the paintings and we'd have a hard time receiving the message. In an "Absolut World", we'd be able to look up at the bright lights in Time Square and see beautiful works of art rather than advertisments.

Tone & Color

International Poster Biennial of Mexico Man & Nature

Tone plays a big part in this poster on the tire. The inside tread marks are actually shapes of animals and nature. If the tonal difference between the black tire and the tread marks weren't as recognizable, the impact wouldn't be the same. If the tire was a lighter color or the tread marks were darker, the context change would make it more difficult for the viewer to see that the shapes represent living things. The poster is a comment on the fact that our need for fuel has negatively impacted the natural world around us. Since black and white have the most dramatic luminance contrast, a light gray on black is almost as extreme. The tone of the tread marks is obviously closely related to the shape elements. The message of this poster would be lost without the symbols of deer, birds, butterflies, leaves and dolphins on the tire.

Although color is only used as a background, it makes a statement. If the designer had used a white background, it would definitely provide contrast with the tire but the relationship to the light gray tread marks would change. The context of light gray against red makes a stronger statement than light gray against white. Red contrasts with both the black tire and light tread marks. The designer could have used blue which would provide enough contrast with the tread but not enough with the tire. Red is also an emotionally charged color. As the poster is communicating the loss of animals, the viewer is likely to associate the red with blood. Red is also associated with the stop sign, possibly communicating that we need to put a stop to our reliance on fuel. The red also serves as the "pop out" element of this poster. The red isn't necessarily directing us to the important element on the page but it is directing us to the poster as a whole.

The color of the background works with the scale that is used on the tire. If the tire was smaller, the same dramatic affect wouldn't be achieved. The designer could've used an actual car with four tires, each having the special tread marks, but the decreased size of the tire wouldn't be as noticeable. The red might still attract attention, but it would take longer for the viewer to realize the importance of the poster.

Based on the opponent channel theory, red and black are two of the colors that are the most distinct and easily identifiable. Using these two colors together creates a bold, eye-catching statement.

Poster Design

The poster I selected was designed by Equus Red Cell for the Centre for Science and Environment to decrease the use of plastic bags in New Delhi. It was featured in the Communication Arts 2011 Design Annual.

Line
I selected line as the first element to focus on as it plays a big role in this poster. Rather than including a photograph or more realistic illustration of the woman and the hands with guns, the artist chose to use line drawings. Including firearms pointed at a seemingly innocent person is a serious graphic image, but the violent aspect is downplayed by creating a stick figure of sorts. By using line drawings for these parts of the poster, the story is somewhat made into a cartoon or comic and translates as a less serious or frightening topic. If the poster was a photograph of a woman actually being held up it would have a much different affect on the viewer and the actual message would probably be overshadowed. The illustration minimizes the lines in order to maximize the point.

Color
As most of the poster is black, white and gray, the red image stands out and becomes a major focal point. Red is a color that has a history of negative emotional associations including anger, blood, Communism and danger. Generally, red is not used to create a calm environment or message. The saturation of the color also plays a part in the visual communication. If the red was less intense, it might cause a different reaction. The designers intended to make a statement with the color of this image and the result is that the red is associated with something negative.

Texture
The color is helpful in identifying the red image as something "bad," but it's the texture that completes the message being communicated. At first glance, I didn't realize what this poster was trying to say. After looking closer, I realized that the red image was not just an ill fitting dress but a plastic bag. If the artist had drawn the bag in the same way as the other images, it would not have the same impact and the viewer might not be able to determine what it is. Whether or not the bag is a photo used on the poster or an actual bag attached to the poster, the texture is the final association needed to complete the message. Without being able to touch it, if in fact it is a photo, we still recognize what it is based on our previous tactile experience. Without the texture of the plastic bag, the poster would be flat and most likely wouldn't deliver the message that plastic bags are bad to use and could lead to punishment.

Visual Thinking

The task of the first puzzle was to find two of the colored groups that have the same visible area. The first visual thinking method I used was matching. I attempted to match the shapes in one color to another. As the shapes do not match identically, this method didn't solve the puzzle by itself. I did match pieces that were identical to each other and marked them with an "x". The remaining pieces were not exactly the same, so I had to use visual reasoning to arrive at the correct answer. A whole circle next to a circle overlapped on both sides, is the same as two circles each overlapped once.

My coworker Angie tried to solve the puzzle in a similar way. Rather than focusing on matching the shapes, she attempted to match the identical groups based on the overlapping and underlapping of the shapes. She arrived at the answer of yellow and blue which is incorrect.

The second puzzle included 12 configurations of squares and the test was to find 6 identical pairs. This puzzle required me to rotate the objects and try to visualize what they would look like from different directions. As this was the only method I used, I only got 3 out of the 6 correct.

In addition to the rotation method, my coworker used the matching method to solve the puzzle. When rotating proved to be complicated, she tried matching the configurations based on the location at which each set of three squares joined another. Angie's orthographic imagination proved to be more successful as she got 4 out of 6 correct.

Feature Hierarchy

The above photo shows two book covers for the Asylum Monograph, a book covering the 11-year portfolio of layout and print from the creative team at Asylum in Singapore. Being that both examples use several circles on the cover, the design needed to utilize other feature channels to distinguish what is important or where our attention should be directed. On the right, color is used as a preattentive channel as it immediately stands out among the rest of the circles. However, the cover on the left uses color in all of the circles making it difficult to preattentively detect that feature channel. Instead, we rely on the size of the circles and our attention is directed at the largest circle. In comparing the two covers, we can see that color is a more dominant feature channel than size. My attention is immediately directed to the red circle among several other black circles, but it takes a little longer to find the larger red circle among several other circles filled with color.  Feature channel hierarchies are being used on the left hand cover, even though color isn’t necessarily at the top. Size directs us to the largest circle, but the red is helpful as it is a bright color. Next, shape and color is used to direct us to the other circles which have slightly less important information, but details the designer wanted to highlight. In addition to the shape and color of the circle with the title, the bold font displays the color and size feature channels. If the font was any color other than white or small and not bold, it wouldn’t pop out as much. The two book covers use different feature channels and help prove that color is more powerful than size in the hierarchy.  

Top Down Processing

The image to the left is a concert poster for Death Cab for Cutie that was featured in Communication Arts.

At first glance, attention is drawn to the red skull shape on a black background shape. As we take in the entire red area, our cognition associates the shape with a drop of blood due to the color, shape and skull pattern. After this realization, we begin to search for other patters that would be associated with the blood and are biased in what we see. Originally, our attention wasn't on the black shape, but identifying the blood has directed us to that part of the image. Although it is just a bumpy, hill-like shape, we recognize it as a profile of a face. Could it be something else? Sure, but as soon as we have processed the red shape, our expectations of where the blood originated drives the rest of the process. The designer accomplishes the message of linking the skull, with blood, with death, with the band name.

Success and Failure

I found this flyer for the Enid First Assembly church online and was immediately attracted to it. The perception is that the large text at the top, emphasized by color and abstract design, is the important message. "Not your typical church," along with the design of the flyer as a whole communicates the idea that this is not a traditional church. In a world of growing diversity, this is an important message to a large part of the population who are looking for a more modern and accepting place to worship.

The composition of the flyer is balanced with symmetry as there are  are three separate sections where the top and bottom are the same size and the middle just a bit larger. The natural vertical construct is established with the size and direction of the flyer. The vertical element is also emphasized by the first being at the top of the page. Overall the design is level and sends a friendly message.

At first glance, this flyer for a graphic design program at a community center is intriguing. When I looked closer I found some design flaws that stopped me from receiving the intended message. The overall composition of the body text is confusing. There is some stress throughout the information due to the strange alignment of bulleted items and the flip-flopping of color between text and bullets. Although there seems to be a positive/negative play with the color choice, turquoise being the important details of the event, the placement confuses the viewer. Not only is the alignment distracting with the bullets but the information above is aligned with anything else. The main image as well as the title text is centered and appears balanced, but the rest of the page would benefit from some leveling.

Being that this flyer is all about graphic design, it lacks the aesthetics that would attract someone who is actually interested in design.

Visual vs. Symbolic Language

Mom and daughter
Sadness
Garage sale
Moving day
Children's furniture and toys
Scattered belongings
Alone
American Flag
Small older house
Mature landscape
One vehicle













The short description of the photograph is two people standing on the grass in the front yard of a small house surrounded by contents that presumably were once in the home or going into it. In the foreground of the photograph a woman is hugging a young girl. Although you can not see the woman's face, her head is turned down against the child's head who is also looking down and not smiling. It looks as though this is a mother trying to console her daughter. Right in front of them is an open cardboard box. It is what is in the background that really tells the story of the photo. It appears that most of the front yard is filled with belongings that should be inside the house including a dresser, stuffed animals, a bike helmet, a box of hangers, lamps, full plastic bags, a bookshelf, and other unrecognizable items stacked up on top of one another. Beyond the piles and stacks of belongings is one vehicle parked in the driveway. Only part of the house is visible, but it looks to be a one-story, older home painted red with white trim. Still hanging on one of the posts near the front door is an American flag. Surrounding the house and yard are tall mature green trees. Based on the assumption that this is a mother hugging her upset daughter and the amount and type of items sitting in the front yard, the photo seems to show two people who are moving out and one if not both are not happy about it. Further speculation would make me guess that this is a single mother since there is only one vehicle in the driveway and no one else in the photo.

Meaning 2: Interactions Between Three Levels

I found this poster in an issue of Communication Arts. It is a promotional piece for the (RED) Nights concert series that raises funds to stop HIV and AIDS in Africa.

In the poster, there are several representational images of speakers, amplifiers, and chords. Immediately these images let the viewer know that this poster is music related. Not only do these speakers and amps communicate the idea of music, but they have been placed strategically on the page to be recognizable as the shape or symbol associated with Africa. The representation of music and the symbol it creates is enough for the viewer to make an assumption about what the poster is promoting without having to rely on the text.

However, the small red box with text is just as important. The (RED) project has become a recognized symbol made up of symbols. (RED) was formed in 2006 with the sole purpose of raising funds for HIV and AIDS programs in Africa and has partnered with top companies such as Gap, Nike and Apple to help build the association of the symbol with the project's intent. When a viewer sees the (RED) symbol, he/she knows that the product or event is helping to fight HIV and AIDS.

The abstract elements of the poster are very few but make a big difference. The gray background and black images that create the shape of Africa make the (RED) Nights stand out, which is important due to the size of Africa in comparison. Although the red box is the only color and might attract the eye first, the structure of the page has created an equal ground for all elements. The speakers are just as strong as the shape of Africa and both are just as strong as the (RED) Nights. All three levels are working together to communicate the idea clearly.

Meaning 1

Representation

This is a photo of a paperweight that was designed to look like a crumpled piece of sheet music. Without being able to touch it and feel that it is stiff and heavy, it is clearly recognizable as music. The symbols provide the details of the music. If I were to look through a book of music, this is what I'd see  on the flat, non-crumpled page. If I crumpled a piece of paper it would look very similar to this object. Someone who can read music might even be able to recognize this as a particular song. It is not unlikely that you would see exactly this on the floor of a songwriter's room.

Abstraction

This photo shows a picture of a wooden bird. Although there isn't a bird in nature with as few details as this, it is still recognizable. The head, body and beak provide enough information to determine what it is. The other details such as feathers, feat, realistic eyes and wings are not included. The basic shape of a bird is highlighted while the finer details are reduced to create an abstract figure.

Symbol

When you give someone the "evil eye", it usually means that you are glaring at them with negative intentions of some kind. The history of the evil eye and the powers it can have on people has been around for years and in different cultures. The blue eye that is frequently found in jewelry has become a symbol of protection against the curse of the evil eye. Although it resembles an actual eyeball, the meaning of the symbol has little to do with the representational eye. The fact that we can see with our eyes is much different than the idea that we could cause harm by staring intently at someone.

Stefanie Wastell