A2: Form and Composition

The challenge behind this project was to use black squares to embody 2/3 potential word-pairs (rigid-fluid, clumsy-graceful, and rhythmic-erratic). Squares can be rotated, scaled, and be cut-off by the frame as long as they still appear to be squares. One word pair was required to feature the use of color.

The last composition was required to have an ambiguous figure/ground relationship between the black squares and white space.

Final Word Pairs

Clumsy-Graceful

Rhythmic-Erratic

Figure/ground

Process

My process primarily consisted of sketching with a sharpie and digitally iterating in Adobe Illustrator. If I needed more inspiration for different compositions, I looked up the different word pairs on Merriam Webster.

Sketches

I focused on the word pairs of clumsy-graceful and erratic-rhythmic quite early on. The figure/ground pairs were most difficult to sketch as the fidelity I was working at made it harder to see the white space.

Digital Iterations: Breadth

With digital iterations, I made sure to constantly copy and paste new versions of a single concept I was working on.

Digital Iterations: Depth

These iterations show how I examined the angles, scale, and placement of the squares within my compositions.

Clumsy

Graceful

Rhythmic

Erratic

Figure/Ground

Reflection

I think my greatest accomplishments in this project were my commitments to simplicity and my breadth of exploration.

I think my greatest areas of growth for this project were my use of color and my figure-ground composition. Color became a chore instead of an asset for me in this project; I felt as though color would’ve diminished either of my word pairs. I look forward to learning different ways to effectively apply color throughout compositions. My figure-ground compositions didn’t feel as though I was progressing with my iterations relative to my compositions for word pairs.