Project 2 : Form and Composition
The main goal of this project was to create a compositions of only squares to convey the feelings of the following word pairs: rigid + fluid, rhythmic + erratic and clumsy + graceful. In addition, we also had to create a piece that creates a reversible figure and ground. This project had three main components: initial sketches, digital iterations, and the final piece.
Iteration 1: Sketches
Rigid + Fluid

With this word pairing, I tried to capture the feelings of the words by playing with the border of each art board. For the rigid pieces for instance, I wanted to convey a trapped and dense environment. To do this, I compacted the the squares as close to each other inside the frame to remove any sort of movement that might have existed otherwise. For the fluid pieces on the other hand, I added significantly more room to allow for the squares to move and “flow”. Additionally, by removing most of orthogonality, it allowed to create a feeling that the squares were not only freely moving in the space, but that they were floating in space in any angle that they were pushed in.
Clumsy + Graceful

For this word pairing, I tried to personify the squares to convey the feeling of clumsiness and gracefulness. In the clumsy pieces, I attempted to make the squares unoriented and not belonging in their respective spots. For the first and last ones for example, I attempted to make the squares try to fit inside the borders of the canvas, but failing. The feeling of clumsiness is more clearly conveyed when it is being compared to order, which is what I tried to do in the squares in the middle of the second row. As for the graceful, I wanted to make each square feel like they belonged in their respective positions, and that each piece was deliberately placed effortlessly. So with these piece, there is a lot more symmetry and precision involved in the compositions.
Rhythmic + Erratic

For this word pairing, I played with patterns (rhythmic) and the lack of patterns (erratic). For the rhythmic compositions, I focused on making all the squares orthogonal to represent the passage of time (since sound can only exist as a function of time). And for the erratic one, I decided to be deliberately random, which is harder than it sounds. I did this by varying the sizes as well as the angles of the squares.
Figure + Ground

To create a reversible figure ground, I tried to create a balance between the black and the white of each canvas, having neither overwhelm each other to create an ambiguity of focus. I thought the third one on the top row worked especially well, as it created other shapes to focus on, in the midst of its many squares.
Iteration 2: Digital

For the digital compositions, I took the sketches I had and refined them to make them look more aesthetic and to match the words more accurately. I iterated each design, changing the size and angle of each square to physically see which worked better.
I eventually decided on rhythmic + erratic and rigid + graceful for my word pairings, as the designs looked the most fitting.
Rigid + Graceful

These designs are very similar to the sketches that I made. For the rigid iteration, I tried things out with the spacing of each squares to create a feeling of tension and stress. For my final design (the top left most), although the design is quite minimal, I tried pushing the two squares as close as possible to suggest a force pulling the squares closer and closer, crushing the air in between. Initially the spacing on the edges were very similar, but because it kind of looked like an “H” instead of two squares I pushed the two together to make the two squares more prominent. As for the fluid iterations, I tried spacing the squares out differently to create the feeling that the squares were moving and in motion. The final iteration (left most) that I decided on had a sense of depth (as if the squares were floating away) and an interesting movement and perspective, which is why I decided on using it, as the others felt too empty and did not convey the feeling as well.
Rhythmic + Erratic

The designs that I iterated the most on were the rhythmic ones, as rhythm is more commonly perceived as repeating patterns, so I took what I had and overlaid them on top of each other to create more repetition. The fourth one on the second row, for example, was the repetition of the one above it. However, I felt that the design felt a bit empty and too structured. I then took the 3rd one on the second row and repeated that one instead, which created a very bubbly repetitive pattern. I tried to convey the analogy of overlapping, repeating sounds creating a beat. As for the erratic ones, I wanted to viewers to feel as if the squares were crowded and in a hurry to escape from something, which is why I overlapped the squares closer to create a sense of stress.
Final Compositions

During the whole of my project, I focused on coming up with a large breadth of different ideas and picked out of those rather than focusing on iterating the different designs I already had. This was because I wanted to remain simplistic and not overcomplicate the ideas that I might come up with.
