Project Two Documentation
Project two is about Form & Composition , during which we explored different scales of objects in relation to other objects in the space and the space itself, and the distinct meanings conveyed through such compositions.
We were tasked to place black squares (no limit to size, number and orientation and so on) on the white canvas, and through multiple rounds of iterations we came up with forms and compositions that express the theme words. The five themes include: Order, Tension, Congestion, Comfort and Playfulness.
The following illustrates my final compositions of the five words and the process of how I got there.
Phase I: Sketching Thumbnails
In this phase we started to explore a variety of interpretations and compositions of the five themes, and through quick sketching exercise we were able to brainstorm and generate many ideas in a short amount of time.
I received some feedback from the instructors about the scale, placement and density of the squares, and based on the feedback and further understanding about the figure/ground and other principles of Gestalt, I proceeded into the digital iteration phase.
Phase II. Digital Iteration:
We used Adobe Illustrator during this stage of the project. The manipulation of sizes, numbers of squares and the overall composition is fast and easy in the digital platform.
Order:
In this theme I mainly looked into the effect of symmetry and proximity in terms of the positions of the squares, and how can hierarchy be established through the variations of sizings, and ultimately achieve equilibrium in the composition.
Tension:
I explored the relationship between the squares and how static composition can suggest potential movement and tension.
Congestion:
In representing this word, I tried to avoid literal interpretation of multiple objects staggered at the cross road, instead I experimented with the edge condition to convey congestion.
Comfort:
Interpretations for comfort can vary from person to person. My personal preference lies in the more composed side of the spectrum. Therefore my iterations were mainly focusing on symmetry and the sense of balance in terms of value and figure ground.
Playfulness:
In this theme I experimented with figure ground conditions and tried to create the sense of movement and dynamics by varying the sizes and placement of the squares.
During final critics, I received feedbacks and suggestions from colleges and instructors that are really valuable in terms of evaluating the work and learning from the process and work of other people.
Final Works:
Based on the feedback I received for order, I decided on this composition that has with a greater variation in scales and value, and alignment in the center for the sense of balance and continuity.
For tension, I decided on this composition because of the edge condition and the bleed of the square that contrast the scale and suggest the moment which the static condition might tip over in the next minute.
I decided on this composition based on the feedback about scales and positions of the squares. And building from the initial iteration in sketches, I increased the number of squares and played with the rotation of the larger squares to create the intensity in the center area.
Some of the feedback I received about theme comfort include: rather than creating one objects with stacking of squares, focusing in on the relationships between the each individual and the space created in between. Therefore I created this composition, in which the four smaller squares offset slightly from the large square to create hierarchy and a sense of balance through symmetry.
Through iterations in alignment, I chose this composition as final because of the sense of movement it suggested, and its figure/ground conditions.
