Making the abstract concrete
In the previous project, we learnt how to use visual elements of static communication design to give form to our conceptual models. In this project, we’re taking that a step forward — in terms of form as well as content.
Since we are making a video, there are other communication design elements and principles that come into play — the use of motion, time, sound and transition. We will be using these tools to visualize abstract concepts, and difficult concepts easier to understand and more accessible.
Week 5
The topic
Over the summer, I read Phantoms in the brain by VS Ramachandran. It’s a fascinating book that presents experiments in the field of neuroscience. I decided to focus on synesthesia because it is definitely an abstract concept, it’s hard to visualize not just what it is but also how synesthetes experience the world.
In this TED talk, Ramachandran talks about several concepts, one of which is synesthesia
The script — version 1
Synesthesia is an anomalous blending of the senses in which the stimulation of one modality simultaneously produces sensation in a different modality. This means that a stimlus received by one sense automatically evokes a perception in an unstimulated sense. The most common forms of synesthesia involve written words, letters, digits, and/or auditory stimuli. Family studies indicate that it has a genetic basis. Synesthesia occurs due to neural hyper connectivity, a kind of neural cross connectivity among sensory areas in the cortex, perhaps due to faulty axonal pruning, or differences in axon guidance. Evidence supporting hyper-connectivity hypotheses comes from a diffusion tensor imaging study that showed grapheme-color synesthetes — in which a particular letter or number evokes a certain color — had increased structural connectivity.
The script — version 2
Some more research led me to the understanding that there is no one clear cause of synesthesia like I was indicating earlier. I’ve revised the script to include other hypotheses.
Synesthesia is an anomalous blending of the senses in which the stimulation of one modality simultaneously produces sensation in a different modality. This means that a stimulus received by one sense automatically evokes a perception in an unstimulated sense. The most common forms of synesthesia involve written words, letters, digits, and/or auditory stimuli. One hypothesis is that synesthesia occurs due to neural hyper connectivity, a kind of neural cross connectivity among sensory areas in the cortex, perhaps due to faulty axonal pruning, or differences in axon guidance. A diffusion tensor imaging study conducted on grapheme-colour synesthetes, who experience specific colours in response to specific letters or number, showed that they had increased structural connectivity near the fusiform gyrus — the area of the brain that has various neural pathways related to recognition. Being a synesthete is not distracting, confusing or unpleasant. In fact, they pity non-synesthetes for having what the synesthetes consider one-dimensional sensory experiences.
Week 6
Structures
Don Moyer’s Napkin Sketch Workbook was a great refresher on how to establish various kinds of relationships using visual cues. I think it’s important for us to carefully consider what tools we’re using to communicate systems and connections in visual design especially when time and motion are also included.
The script — version 2
Synesthesia is an anomalous blending of the senses in which the stimulation of one modality simultaneously produces sensation in a different modality. This means that a stimulus received by one sense automatically evokes a perception in an unstimulated sense. (comparision+just show it +cityscape audio)
The most common forms of synesthesia involve written words, letters, digits, and/or auditory stimuli. (gradient using abstract actors for different types of synaesthesia?) One hypothesis is that synesthesia occurs due to neural hyper connectivity, a kind of neural cross connectivity among sensory areas in the cortex, perhaps due to faulty axonal pruning, or differences in axon guidance. (diagram)
A diffusion tensor imaging study conducted on grapheme-colour synesthetes (abstract actors), who experience specific colours in response to specific letters or number (refer to earlier gradient), showed that they had increased structural connectivity near the fusiform gyrus — the area of the brain that has various neural pathways related to recognition. (diagram) Being a synesthete is not distracting, confusing or unpleasant. In fact, they pity non-synesthetes for having what the synesthetes consider one-dimensional sensory experiences. (comparision+just show it+different music from first time)
Sketching out the actors
The actors in my story are — the senses, the idea of structural connectivity, different kinds of synesthetes, the brain [(brain → cortex → sensory areas → neurons → axons) and brain → fusiform gyrus
I’m not sure what direction I should take with representing the senses — it needs to be something visceral that you can ‘feel’ through a video.
Also, my audience is adults and older teens, and I think personifying the senses (below), may end up trivializing and over simplifying the concept.
Week 7
Storyboard
Based on the feedback I got earlier on the sequence, I decided to cut up the panels so that I can move them around to create an order that makes sense. I’ve taken each sentence and structure in the script above and worked out what the key frames should have. I’ve focussed on transitions from one idea to another so that it’s not jarring. The concept is complex enough without the additional visual shifts.
References
Since there are parts of the script that are very sensorial and visceral (but easier to imagine), and others that are more scientific (harder to understand), I intend to use a combination of styles.
Visual styles
I considered making the entire animation in a smooth, water color-like way. Well, at least I tried.
Week 8
Digital storyboard
Moving on from the watercolor style, I started creating layers on Illustrator. The part of the script that deals with the brain is the most technical and difficult to visualize so I started from there.
I changed the form of the brain so it looks more like a maze that loses walls and lets the areas bleed into each other. The concern was that since it’s a theory and the parts aren’t as well defined and don’t necessarily connect like that, it’s a little misleading.
So I developed another kind of visual that leaves a little more space for ambiguity.
This still looked a little too well-defined. The blocks of color seem less impenetrable but still block-like. Stacie recommended adding more gray to the neuron forms and reducing the intensity of the color by not multiplying the color.
Week 9
Fine tuning the script
I’ve tweaked my script 4 times now to accommodate the animation. My initial storyboard was also way more complex than it needed to be and the latest version of the script really boils down the concept according to 3 key points. I’ve also tried to connect the parts not just through transitions but through the visuals in the different parts of the video too. I do want to make the different parts distinct visually but still thematically link them together so that it makes sense as a story.
- The definition of synesthesia
- What synesthesia feels like
- Comparision of normal people’s experience and neurological circuitry to that of synesthetes to show possible causes of synesthesia
- Synesthesia as a possibly pleasant experience
I emailed the paper to synesthesia researcher and he suggested a couple of minor changes that I’ve incorporated.
Script — version 4
Synesthesia is an anomalous blending of the senses in which the stimulation of one modality automatically evokes perception in one or more unstimulated senses. Imagine seeing smells or hearing tastes
For most of us, each sense — sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch — is controlled by a specific area of the brain. Some scientists think that synesthetes have a kind of cross connectivity among these sensory areas. This could be caused due to faults in the sensory receptors — faulty axonal guidance or axonal pruning.
Another possibility is that synaesthesia is related to the limbic system. The limbic system controls basic emotions and drives.
But a study showed that synesthetes had increased structural connectivity near the fusiform gyrus. This is the area of the brain that has various neural pathways related to recognition.
Being a synesthete is not typically more distracting, confusing or unpleasant than experiencing senses discretely. In fact, synesthetes often pity non-synesthetes for having what the synesthetes consider one-dimensional sensory experiences.
The final video
In this video I used a combination of live footage and animation and various communication design elements and principles — the use of motion, time, sound and transition- to visualize an abstract concept. The video makes the difficult concept of synesthesia and its causes easier to understand and more accessible.
