Visual Techniques

Simplicity

Symmetry 

Contrast

Balance

Singularity

Complexity

Transparency

Depth

Contrast

The Duet 2 by apogee, uses slight contrast between black and silver, on the recording device.  With just one circular knob, and two buttons on either side, this device shows simplicity.  Which i believe gives the viewer/user a feeling of comfort because they are not overwhelmed.  Symmetry exists within this product as you can see there are two buttons located equal distance apart from from the center.  Located above the circular knob, are 4 led bars that measure sound, choosing this place gives a nice sense of balance to the product.  This table however, is very complex.  Using helix structures made from wood, complexity and depth is conveyed to the viewer.  Also using glass as the table surface, and the helix structure the viewer gets a sense of transparency, because we are able to see through the table its self.  

Contrast

The LaunchPad designed by Novation, is a midi controller that integrates contrast successfully into the design.  Used for controlling music production software powered by a laptop, the square buttons use three contrasting colors to differentiate what is being played, green, what is cued, yellow, and what is not playing, red.  The reason contrast is so important to the success of this design is that the artist now has control over the music production software without confusion because of the simple contrast between the three colors.

The Maschine designed by Native Instruments, is also a midi controller used to design music software.  However the lack of contrast between colors contributes to the failure of the design.  The Maschine uses two different shades of orange for the square pads, to indicate what is being played, and what is cued.  There is also blue buttons but again there are only two different shades.  If an artist is performing live which what this controller is designed to be used for, with all the lights on stage, this poor color contrast could cause the artist confusion.  Because of this i would contribute the poor color contrast to the failure of this design.

Implied Motion

Implied motion can be used to emphasize a product speed.  In the case of this laptop computer designed by Asus, the products similar look to one of lamborghini’s high performance sports car implies the product is fast.  Lamborghini's typically use rigid horizontal and faceted designs on their cars,  Asus successfully incorporated these elements within their laptop.  Because of these similarities the design invokes the feelings of motion and speed to the, while the laptop is not actually moving. Also using the design of an elite sports car such as the Lamborghini, the laptop creates of feeling of high performance, and elegance to the consumer.

This spiral shell sink was designed to be visually pleasing using the gestalt principle of continuity, which states, a line or set of lines is expected to continue on its existing course.  In this case the spiral shape of the sink causes the viewer’s eye to naturally follow the curved line, invoking a spiral motion.  It is because of the viewers naturally tendency to follow the spiral line that the design successfully implies the feeling of motion within the consumer.

Dimension/Depth/Space/Scale

This couch specifically designed for the apartment of French designer , Jean Paul Gaultier.  The apartment uses lined patterns to achieve the feeling of infinite depth within the apartment.  The viewer can use familiar size to guess on the actual size of the couch, by observing the window, coffee, table and lamp in the background.  The parallel lines on the floor and couch start wide when close up but seem to blend together as they get farther away this technique can be known as texture gradient.

The Basic Elements

Line

In industrial design the line serves as a crucial element in the design process.  Using the line is almost impossible in this field, the line is used in throughout the design process as seen by this 3-D computer rendering of a tea kettle.  However the line is also used in other areas of industrial design such as the original freehand sketches of designers.  This rendering of a tea kettle uses the line to demonstrate the shape of the product, and the overall look.

Shape

This desk lamp enclosure incorporates the basic element of shape in its design.  The three most basic shapes are the circle, square, and equilateral triangle.  As can been seen in the photo the lamp enclosure primarily uses the equilateral triangle, which can cause a viewer to experience tension, conflict, and action.  

Direction

Building off the basic element of the shape, the 3 basic shapes express 3 basic directions.  Equilateral triangle corresponds with the diagonal, the square with the horizontal and vertical, and the circle which expresses the curve.  The curve can cause the viewer to experience a sense of warmth repetition, and containment.  This couch uses the curve which is a great design because a couch is a place to relax, and the curve invokes comfort and warmth.

Visual Perception 2

Ableton is a music production software, with an easy to use interface.  The first thing that pops out at the user are the color coded rectangle in the middle of the interface.  These boxes are different samples one musician can use to play a part of a song, or play multiple samples to create a song live. The overall box these features are contained in is the main feature of the interface controlling sound levels and what is being played.  The layout of the interface is very easy to use and find items.  Each  part is is separated into 3 large boxes.  On the left is the devices and electronic instruments column which uses symbols, indents, and line breaks to navigate through the content in the hierarchy.  The bottom box is used for the user to add effects to the sounds or song they are currently playing.  

Visual Perception 1, Top Down Visual Processing

This is a great example of both product design and top-down visual processing.  Top-down visual processing invokes goal directed eye movements, to achieve either an action goal or cognitive goal.  The viewer would look at this product first with short fixations and realize that this is a system of shelves or a bookcase.  However, with longer fixations the viewer would find the words spelled out within the bookcase reading “READ YOUR BOOK CASE”.  This then causes the viewer to reach a cognitive goal about the product.  The scan paths for the viewer of this bookcase would be first the bookcase, then realizing the words made by the shelves. 

Visual vs Symbolic Language

• Desperate
• Hard Worker
• Recession
• Optimistic
• Struggle
• Unemployed
• Relentlessness

Symbols

• Hopeful
• Intelligent
• Powerless
• Exhausted 

This photograph above shows a man holding a sign, with his educational accomplishments, stating he completed his PhD, and other notable accomplishments.  I believe this photograph can show the viewer, how bad the state of the economy is at this point in time.  Displaying that even with great amounts of higher education, and many accomplishment, the economy is not producing jobs for individuals.  However i also see hope and a certain relentlessness of this man's desire to work.  Because if this man is standing on the street holding a cardboard sign as a resume, i believe we can assume he has been actively looking for a new job but has had no luck.  This is a sign of desperation from a man who simply just wants to work.

Meaning 2

Representational

The designer of this chair created a chair that represents an octopus.  From looking at the chair the viewer can see the back of the chair is the top of the octopuses head.  While the rest of the octopus body is used as the back legs of the chair.  

Abstract

Although the body of the octopus is not abstracted in the sense it is simplified.  Instead the octopus’s body is abstracted into a chair which leaves the octopus very realistic looking.  Leaving the viewer wondering if it really is a chair.  This was done by cutting the octopuses body in half and abstracting the back half of the animal into a suitable chair for a person.

Symbolic

While many people not might know this.  I grew up fishing on the open ocean, and an octopus is considered to be one of the great mysteries of the sea.  They symbolize great intelligence, illusion, and magic.  

Meaning 1

Representational

This chair is a highly recognizable form of a Scorpion.  Although the chair looks to be comfortable, one might be cautious or even afraid to take a seat in it, due to our predisposed knowledge of Scorpions, being dangerous animals.  This chair might give the viewer a sense of adventure because we don’t typically associate comfort with poisonous animals.

Abstract

This photo is an example of abstraction, because of the kinesthetic quality of the visual even reduced to a basic level.  The hand holding the chopsticks is a silhouette which I believe gives more emotion than a detailed hand.  It makes the view think a little deeper into the photo.  I think this photo tells the viewer to take a step back from the life in the big city and realize there is a lot more to this world than where you live.  The chopsticks I think express this very well showing that the city is small in comparison to our potential.

Symbolic

This sign is a good example of symbolism because it incorporates the use of icons.  Icons use representational information to communicate meaning. For example this sign depicts the correct way to use the toilet.  Although sometime icons require cultural knowledge I believe this sign communicates how to use the toilet very well.