FINALY THE FINAL!!!

Gestalt Letter

Assignment: Gestalt

Using your sketches as a starting point (emphasis on STARTING PONT) create 4 black and White (no value) designs illustrating the principles of gestalt...

• Similarity
• Proximity
• Continuation
• Closure

Hmmm... what about Figure/Ground? You need to apply figure ground to each of these so that they have equal visual weight of black and white.

After you have created the designs, make second negative of each (so what is black becomes white and white becomes black). They should be matted side by side touching each other on the long ends, and have about 1 inch between each of the principles.

Size 2" x 4"
Medium: your choice
Matted: one mat board for the assignment, principles should be labeled. (No more handwriting)

Note: Presentations is critical.... no more rough edges, sloppy cutting, glue spots, smudges, etc., etc.,

Film Town Hall Meeting TODAY

Note: NOT required... Only if your interested.

Reminder: Film Office director Nick Maniatis will discuss the state of the New Mexico film industry – including an update about legislation, the outlook going forward, and the opportunities available to New Mexicans.  The meetings are also intended to provide an open forum for each community to share information about their educational programs, film related businesses, and issues of concern. The Town Halls are free and open to all, including students, local filmmakers, businesses, and the general public. The NM Film Office is collaborating with local film liaisons, schools and chambers of commerce in conducting these even

Possible casting audition for extras in movies. 4:30

more info...

Time: 4:30pm

Where: Gallup McKinley County Chamber of Commerce

Part II: Gestalt

In your sketch books make 3 'unique' illustrations that represent each of the following principles...

    a. Continuation

    b. Closure

    c. Figure Ground

(follow instructions below)

GESTALT

Gestalt is a school of Psychology that studies perception, or how we make sense of the world around us. In art and design we are mainly concerned with the visual aspects of perception. The word ‘Gestalt’ is German, and has no direct translation to English. The definition is, ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’. In other words a thing is made up of many parts, each part contributes to the thing, and the thing itself only is what it is because of all of its parts contributing to the whole... 

Yes, I know that may not have cleared things up very well so lets use a more concrete example, like a computer. A computer is made up of many parts, monitor, keyboard, mouse, motherboard, ram, memory, etc. Each of these parts alone are basicly inanimate objects with no real use. However when we combine them we have something functional... a computer. Now, if we take a part away, like a mouse (something we are all familiar with loosing here in the lab). What do we have? We are back to the inanimate object. 

Another example; consider a car’s engine. All (or most) of the parts are contributing to making the car move. If you take out the spark plugs, or carburetor, or fuel injector, what happens? On the other had what happens if we throw in something that doesn't fit like, maybe... stuff a ‘Hello Kitty’ doll head in the piston chamber because we think it’s cute?

We should approach design in a similar way. Each part of our design serves a purpose, that purpose is to communicate an idea. This is a balancing act, if we don’t have enough parts our message does not make sense (sort of like taking away the mouse). If we have to much, like the ‘Hello Kitty’, our message gets lost in the parts and the result is the same... not gong anywhere. So when we design something, we should always look each of the parts and ask some questions...

• Does it help to communicate what I want the viewer to understand? 
• Can it be changed or moved in someway to better communicate it? 
• Does it communicate what I want to say better by leaving it out?

(these are also good questions to ask when looking at work in a critique)

The concept of Gestalt is not always easy to understand, we will be looking at it a lot more in all the design classes. For now this should give you a basic idea about what it is. 

_________________________________________________________

As stated earlier Gestalt is a field of Psychology that studies perception. In order to understand and perceive things we need to break them down into digestible chunks, like the principles of design. The Gestalt Psychologist have come up with many ways of breaking it down to better understand perception. In this class we are going to focus on 5. Yes! Another 5 principles to remember! :P

1. Similarity
2. Proximity
3. Continuation
4. Closure
5. Figure Ground

Assignment: Use your sketch book to Illustrate and describe the first two terms ‘Similarity and Proximity’.  

Similarity: While we may have many objects together in a group, objects that look the same or similar to one another are perceived as one thing.

Proximity: Similar or dissimilar objects that are close to one another are perceived as being one thing.

1. Research each of these terms. You may use any resource you like, internet, books, the library, (there are some books on book shelf in front of room 202)

1. Use simple lines and or shapes to illustrate the two terms.

1. Illustrations and descriptions on separate pieces of paper). 

NOTE: If searching be sure to specify gestalt and art and design. These terms have many other applications within gestalt when relating to other subjects. 

Due next class meeting

Intro to GD Test.

Using Adobe Illustrator the elements of design (except color)...

Line
Shape
Value
Texture

Define the principles of design. Each principle must be defined visually (illustration) and written using your own words.

Balance (yes, both)
Proportion
Rhythm
Emphasis
Unity


email them to me when your finished.

How this works...

This is open note, book, or whatever.
Keep it simple and use your own words and images to describe the terms.
This is an important part of your grade so take your time on each question.
Failure is not an option, you must receive 100% to pass the class, however if you must repeat it your recorded grade will drop 15pt for each repeated test.
All tests are to be in my mail box by 12:00

Link to Lynda.com tutorial site. Log in with your UNM ID.

lynda.unm.edu

This is a good event for Intro to Graphic Design students to go to. You will get to see what other schools are doing, and meet people who could someday be your boss and see what they are looking for and how they think. The Santa Fe University is AMAZING too!

AIGA Student Portfolio Review

at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design

Event April 21, 2012

 Santa Fe University of Art and Design

Portfolio Reviews with the Pros Saturday April 21, 2012 Santa Fe University of Art and Design Room THAW 509 Sponsored by AIGA New Mexico ...

All DDM students are are invited and encouraged to go.

All Portfolio students are REQUIRED TO GO WITH A PORTFOLIO

We will be trying to arranging a tour of the sometime the day of the event and may be arainging tours of studios or press houses the day before if we can do over night. Talk to the GAG officers for details and let them know ASAP if you are interested. If all is approved this will be a free trip paid for by GAG.

for more info talk to me (The Chad) and/or... http://newmexico.aiga.org/

History assignment canceled. Class canceled. No new assignment. See ya next week.

So far, during finals week the lab will be open.

Monday and Tuesday 8:am – 3:pm. 

Still waiting to hear about the rest of the week. If you have work to do don't count on it being open the rest of the week. 

Actually this is for the page layout but you guys might like to take a look too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rQz3tiGL77Q

Check this out.

This is done with Illustrator.
The process is roughly....
1. Draw lines with the pencil and smooth tools
2. Object > path > outline stroke
3. Adjust the vectors to look like pen strokes
and a few shapes and copy and paste thrown in here and there.

Welcome to the NEW DDM Intro to Graphic Design Blog!

Check here often to get assignments and updates as to whats going on.