Project 7: COLOR SCHEMES STUDIES

AT 103/ Basic Design I

FALL 2011

Project 7

Masks: COLOR SCHEMES STUDIES

Materials:  Bristol board, cardboard, illustration board, Acrylic Painting, brushes, Color swatches, x-acto knife, scissors, glue

CONCEPT

Oscar Wilde once said: "Give a man a mask and he'll tell you the truth."

Masks conceal, protect and disguise.

They impose a layer in how we observe the world surrounding us, and how others perceive us.

They may give us the courage to speak freely, help us transcend physical limitations.

They add mystery and power to our rituals, amplify or hide our emotions, frighten, entertain, intimidate, and even protect us.

A mask is simultaneously concealing and revealing. The simplest covering can have a profound effect on both the wearer and viewer.

The tradition of masks offers limitless exploration. In a time when the bounds between real and assumed identities are becoming more indistinct, several contemporary artists have turned to the form to investigate issues of identity, power and provocation.

ASSIGNMENT 

1-     Research on traditional masks from different countries and cultures, as well as contemporary artists and designers working with the concept of masks. You can begin visiting:
http://www.masksoftheworld.com/

2-     In your sketchbook, make notes and sketches from the materials that may be of your interest.

3-     Using your color swatches make small color sketches in your sketchbook. While sketching, consider the color schemes you want to focus in relation to your mask concept.

4-     Incorporate elements of design you have been working on in class that are applicable to your concept. These masks should represent a visual synthesis of visual elements reviewed: line, texture, shape, color, value throughout a careful consideration of the interaction between positive and negative space.

5-     From Sketches, you will choose 2 designs and will develop them full size. 

The size of the mask should be scaled in relation to your face/head, but you can design them in even in larger scale if that fits your concept, and even work three-dimensionally.

You will be mixing and creating your own colors using acrylics, but you can also include some interventions of magazines and color swatches collage on them.

You will select 2 different color schemes to work on, based on the concept of your masks.

You may work in the same, or similar design with different color schemes and you will then notice how the same mask design will communicate different concepts, provoking different reactions and feelings depending on the color scheme chosen.

Project 6: COLOR INTERACTION

AT 103

Basic Design I

Fall 2011

Project 6: COLOR INTERACTION

Assignment:  Color Interaction

Materials: Acrylic paint, brushes, color swatches, glue, illustration board, Bristol paper.

In order to examine Color Interaction, we will conduct some of the famous Josef Albers color exercises.

1)    Light/Dark Value Contrast:  This is the ability of a color to look lighter or darker depending on the value of the background it is placed upon.

a.     Paint one dominant background with a dark value (color or gray) and paint the other dominant background with a light value (color or gray). 

b.    Mix a single color from your acrylic paints, or use square color samples and apply the paint into each of the subordinate squares. 

c.     Note how the color you created appears lighter and darker depending on each background/dominant color.

2)    Complementary Reaction: Emphasize a color by placing it in contrast to its complementary color.   

a.     Paint one of the dominant grounds with a gray (any gray) and the other dominant ground with a primary color (RYB).

b.    For the subordinate squares, paint the complementary color of the one you used for the background.

                                               i.     For example: If you use Red in one of the dominant squares, use G or your subordinate color.

                                             ii.     Both of the subordinate colors will use the same color.

c.     Note how the colors appear to differ.

3)    In a creative exercise, demonstrate the Bezold Effect

a.     In the Illustration board provided, divide the space in 3 sections of the same/similar shape and proportion of the page.

b.    As “dominant color” you will use:

1-   Any Hue = SATURATED COLOR

2-     Same Hue + Its complementary= DESATURATED

3-     Any Tint/Tone or Shade that derives from that Hue=DESATURATED

c.     In your composition you can use as many colors and hues as your design require. However, you will repeat the same composition in terms of design of shapes and colors in the three backgrounds

Altering the dominant color only, you will observe how changing the dominant color/ background in the composition, it will alter the way we perceive the subordinates colors, in terms of temperature, emphasis, even meaning.

Project 5: SUBTRACTIVE COLORS: Creative Exploration of the Color Circle

AT 103

Basic Design I

Project 5:  SUBTRACTIVE COLORS

Creative Exploration of the Color Circle 

FALL 2011

Materials: Illustration board, Red, Yellow & Blue Acrylics, brushes

Create a “Subjective” Traditional Color Circle 

in which you will include:

3 primaries (RYB), 

3 Secondary Hues (GOV)

6 Tertiary Hues (YG, YO, RO, BV, RV, BG). 

Unlike the color circle we learned in class this should be a creative exploration.  

Make your individual interpretation of the color wheel/circle. 

Emphasize colors that you are drawn to; create a new shape for your color wheel; make the hues into characters, natural or artificial environments;  objects, allow those characters/events to be a narrative. 

JUST BE CREATIVE while exploring the concept of subtractive colors.

Remember that to understand the relationship between colors in the circle you should keep a circular structure in your design.

MID TERM PROJECT

AT 103

Basic Design I

MID TERM PROJECT

FALL 2011

Assignment:  DESIGN of 1 Charger Bill

Research & Design Process

1)    Concept:

What does currency mean to you? What do we need currency for?

Which visual elements help us to identify currency?

If we are about to design one bill to circulate as currency within UNH, What would you like to communicate through your University Currency?

2)    Research:

The following pages will help you to study different elements in the design of currency.

In the first one, you can look at currency from all over the world, and even different years editions. Take your time to search in several countries and in all continents. Compare visual elements chosen, whose portraits are, or landscape,  regional flora, or fauna of the country is represented in each bill, how the use of line, shapes, texture, values, overlapping, layers, positive and negative space, symmetry and asymmetry, implied space, is used, etc.

Database on World Currency

http://aes.iupui.edu/rwise/notedir/mappage.html

In the second one, you will find very creative and alternative proposal for redesigning the dollar bill.

Dollar Redesign Project

http://richardsmith.posterous.com/

Research on further sources and make notes on your sketchbook. Always remember to make a citation of the source.

3)    Dimensions:  we will be based in the dollar bill size  (2.5 “x 6”) Altering the proportions or dimensions is acceptable if justified by your design’ concept.

4)    Technique: Pencils, markers, ink, acrylic, collage, digital printing…

5)    To consider in your design process:

·       To unify the project, all will begin with the design of a

UNH bill =1 CHARGER.

Due to time limitations, for the exam you will be designing only the front of the bill. However, you are welcome to Design Front and Back of bill. If you do so, it will be considered extra credit.

·       Think about what would like to communicate through your university currency, how would you like to be represented, what would identify UNH? A real or fictional Character? Landmark from campus? Chargers’mascot? landscape? Why?

·       Which format do you think the currency “reads” better? Portrait or landscape? Why?

·       Consider ALL the elements of Design studied so far in the class:               

LINE, SHAPE, TEXTURE & PATTERN, VALUE and how you will be exploring in this design for the best readability of the message you want to bring across in this bill.

·       Research on different possibilities in the use of Positive and Negative Space.

Deadlines 

You have to research and draft ideas and detailed sketches at home to be presented in class. You will complete your project/exam during class.

Section 02: Wednesday Oct 19^th

Sections 03 & 04: Tuesday Oct 18^th

This is a comprehensive exercise that intends to challenge your creative use of the elements of design studied until now.

Evaluation Criteria

Your project will be evaluated based on:

·       Design concept

·       Creativity to translate your concept visually, and in that your use of the elements of design studied: line, shape, texture, value, as well as the positive and negative space.

·       Presentation

Project 4: VALUE & PATTERN

AT 103

Basic Design I

Project 4:  VALUE & PATTERN

Assignment: Composition of Patterns exploring the concept of Value 

Materials: Illustration board, pencil, brushes, acrylic paint

1)      Create 3-5 design/shapes that will be used as the module for your project.  Take some time to think about what your module will be as it will form the basis of what you can form with the pattern.

Think about creating shapes that will interact with itself in a pattern—flat sides, interlocking lines, implied space, contrast between values, etc.

2)      On a piece of Bristol Paper, draw 2”x2” squares and draw your modules into these squares.  The module drawing/design should continue up to all the borders of the squares.(Remember the concept of implied space)

3)      Cut out your Modules. These will act as templates.

4)      On your sketchbook, draw 8x8” grids using 2x2” squares.  You will draw a regular pattern for each module you have cut out. Examine each of the patterns and choose a favorite module. 

You will use this module to create your Final Pattern Project

5)      On provided Illustration board, draw grids that have 2”x2” squares and cover an entire piece of paper with a sequence of your module using: Reflection, Rotation, changes of sizes, etc.

6)      Fill in the Space to create POSITIVE/NEGATIVE space interaction. Think about positive and negative space and how you want to play with these ideas. You will chose a single color and work with black and white acrylic painting for generating different shades and tints of the selected hue. You can also work entirely in black and white for exploring achromatic values.

7)      REMEMBER in this assignment we are exploring the concept of VALUE in addition to line, shape and texture. Your composition MUST be created using at least 6 different values (including Black and White). Remember the more values you use, the more sense of depth/volume you will achieve.

8)      While designing your pattern, consider the different aspects of contrast, volume, space, depth you can explore through different approaches to the use of PATTERN &VALUES.

Project 3: TEXTURE

AT 103 

Basic Design I/ Fall 2011

Project 3: From Physical Texture to Visual Texture

Materials: 

Tracing paper, graphite, pastels, pencil, ink, marker, color pencils, collage.   

Remember to consider the “ground” that you are working on (the paper color/surface) as this will influence what the texture will look like.

1- RUBBING

 On several pieces of paper create a texture through direct transfer rubbing.  That is, tape the piece of paper to a wall, a tree, a gravestone, a piece of wood, a counter top, the floor, a coin,  etc. (something that has a simple and defined actual/tactile texture) and rub it with a crayon or charcoal.  This will transfer the texture from the 3-D surface to your 2-D surface of your paper.

You have just successfully created a simulated/implied texture on your paper.

Once you have done with the rubbing. Make few xerox copies of it using different contrast settings.

2- TRACING & DRAWING

 Now, lay a piece of tracing paper over your rubbing and trace the entire  or texture or fragments that you find interesting onto your tracing paper.  This should be done in pencil.  Do this several times so that you get a feel for drawing the texture and discover the aspects of the texture that you may find useful for the project.

 Finally, try and draw the texture on a new piece of paper. It is not necessarily important to make your drawing “look” real.  I am more interested in seeing you experimenting in order to create a New texture based on your experience from the rubbing and observation of an actual one.

3- TEXTURE STUDIES IN SELF REPRESENTATION

Now that you have a catalogue of textures in hand, you will work now in a new study of  self-representation, in this case exploring the use of textures.

Remember that we are looking here at a personal expression of the Self, rather than a drawing of your face. Think about what kind of textures would represent you better. You may want to create an abstract composition that illustrates the essentials of the texture or you may choose to be more realistic about your own image, or even to create a story/animation character that would represent yourself in a narrative. You may also use texture to design/describe the background/ surroundings that define/ express who you are.

It is important to remember that no matter which approach you take in this self representation, you will always based on the texture research/ visual exploration we were working at in this project

Project 1: SHAPE & SPACE

AT 103

Basic Design I

Fall 2011

Project 2: Shapes & Space

Materials:  
Bristol paper, Black construction paper, black or grey from magazines or newspapers (you can use text as a texture for grays in creating atmospheric perspective, gradations, etc), scissors, x-acto knife, glue.

Shapes and the Illusion of Space

Based on the concept of SHAPES, Positive & Negative, Pictorial & Implied Space,
You will create 3 collage compositions combining open (outlined/negative) shapes and solid (filled/positive) shapes.

A. ABSTRACT COMPOSITIONS

1) Using only circles, create a composition where the circles (or circular forms) interact, overlap and intersect with one another.  In areas where circles come in contact with one another develop a system to fill in those areas so that they become positive spaces. 

2) On a separate piece of paper, repeat the above process using squares or rectangles.

B. SELF- PORTRAIT

 Based on a photograph of yourself, you will develop a high contrast image focusing in the concept of Shape and Space.  Combining circles, ovals, squares, rectangles, triangles, geometric or organic shapes, cut outs or tear off paper, you will create your Self portrait.

While developing your composition, remember we are focusing in the concept of  VISUAL COMMUNICATION. In order to develop a personal understanding of the project as a whole and in particular of how you would develop a creative translation of your own image to present to others:

·       Be aware of how the positive areas (depending how you approach your composition, would be the black or white area) interact with the negative space (white/black paper)

·       Explore the concept of Implied Space in at least one of the 3 compositions.

·       Explore the concept of Figure-Ground reversal in at least one of the 3 compositions.

·       Consider how to approach your composition looks:
Should it look like something recognizable, non-representational or abstract? Would geometric or organic forms would suit better your intended message? Is the composition Static or Dynamic?

Based on these simple guidelines bring your own message across exploring concepts of

·       Shape

·       Positive & Negative Space.

·       Actual and Implied Space

·       Figure-Ground Reversal