Final Expression Poster

Design is an onion, was inspired by a quote from the movie ‘Shrek’. It gave me the idea of onions have layers, so does the design software. Being an animation student, I immediately thought of onion skin, a tool that animators use to put a frame in the correct position. I also think onions taste pretty good when cooked and desgin, once the project is finished it usually looks pretty good.

My original design idea was to have an onion and peel back the layers in a way that show the process of doing so - having the full onion and the peeled onion with the just a colour linework in the middle, giving movement to the design. This was inspired by one of Luba Lukoba’s works. But that all changed after getting feedback on the idea, I altered the design to have more of the process that is involved in design.

Design can be frustrating and can make you want to cry as you work with layers upon layers of effects and elements and then having to change it all because it’s not working, but the end result usually looks pretty great and communicates what you want to say through the design.
The same goes for onions. You cut an onion and it makes you cry, but once cooked it tastes good.
This is the idea that is in this poster.

I used analogous colours that are similar to onion colours to represent the idea, with a touch of a blue tint for the drops that are dripping from the onion roots. And black as a shadow for the typography to be more readable against the background and the image of the onion.
The font I chose is “Just tell me what”. I chose this font because it is a soft rounded font that fits well with the design of the onion.
The gestalt principles I applied in the design are similarity, proximity and closure.
I placed the onion in a just of centre postion and placed the typography close together and next to the onion to give balance to the work.

Self Expression Poster Process

Draft #1

 I couldn't decide on which colours to use.

Draft #2

I chose the yellow one, because it represents the onion's colour more than the others.

Mind Map, Mood Board, Concept

Self-Expression Poster Mind Map

Self-Expression Poster Mood Board

Self-Expression Poster Concept

Milton Glaser

This design bring to attention the oil pollution that people have contaminated the oceans 

around the world with.

Glaser uses figure and ground in this design. 

It emphasised the oily water is caused by people.

Glaser uses tertiary colours with a dull intensity within the human shape. 

and a complimentary colour in the background to draw the eye to the human shape.
The design fits into the 'golden section'.

Glaser uses the wild hair as an expression of imagination, ideas, thought that is endless.

Again, Glaser uses figure and ground to bring the attention of the viewer to the contrasting colours of the hair.

This design uses a well known character (Akira) and uses the figure and ground give shape to the character. The designer uses primary colours colours that represent the character in the animations. 

Each piece of hair is like a cable, which represents parts of the story of Akira.

Applying Gestalt Principles

Recognising Gestalt Principles in MC Escher's And Luba Lukova's works

MC Escher

http://www.mcescher.com/gallery/switzerland-belgium/metamorphosis-i/

• Similarity. The character on the right is placed at different angles and different shades to move from the character into cubes, which turn into buildings.
• Continuation. With the flow if the buildings the eye is drawn from the from the either side of the image. From the character on the right to the detailed buildings on the left, and vice versa.
• Proximity. The cubes and the character is placed closed together to create a group/pattern

http://www.artnet.com/artists/m-c-escher/

•  Similarity. The spider and frog looking things are similar to each other.
• Proximity. The spider and frog things are placed close together. 
• Closure.  As the white frog things get less details as the go from black background to being fully white.  The spider things do the same thing but doing from the white background the being fully black.

http://www.mcescher.com/gallery/switzerland-belgium/metamorphosis-i/

• Reification. The image has a 3 dimensional aspect which makes the eye/mind see something that isn't actually there.
• Continuation. The spirals in the image draw the eye to follow the spiral

Luba Lukova

http://criterioncompletion.com/luba-lukova-2/

• Similarity. There are four similar outlines of the girl.

http://qns.com/story/2014/05/15/looking-into-the-artwork-of-lic-artist-luba-lukova/

• Figure and Ground. The reflections in the saxophone are not only reflections but people. 
• Similarity. The buttons on the saxophone are similar to each other.

http://www.graphicart-news.com/the-distinctive-artist-luba-lukova-in-graphicart-news/#.WZUAmDOB1Bw

• Figure and Ground.  The people in the image form the letters L.O.V.E. As well as showing what "love" looks like.  The 'V' also makes a heart. 
• Similarity. The people in the image are all very similar to each other

Colour Theory Pt 2