interior design

I was babysitting and I noticed that the balance that goes into interior design, in this case, the shelving as well as the placement of the objects on the shelves.

The entire wall is a design.  The shelves are symmetrical and the fireplace is centered.  The "H" on the mantle piece is the center piece and the main focus of the wall.  The objects are not 100% symmetrical, but they are semi symmetrical having similar objects (baskets, candles, pictures) about the same size in relatively the same place on either side of the wall.  A larger number of shelves on the left set of shelves wall balances the T.V. on the other set of shelves on the right.

I found that balancing and symmetry can be found just about anywhere, whether it be for practical reasons or for visual pleasure.  In this case,  since the objects on the shelve serve little purpose other than presentation, It serves more of decorative purpose than useful.  As a whole, it also helps create the mood of the room, which I would say homey, warm, and traditional. 

sunmaid

This anti Sun Maid Raisins poster was interesting to me because of the way the designer took an all ready widely known image and made it work to for his/her purpose: de-promoting the product the original design was made for: Sun Maid Raisins.

The position of the sun maid and the font is in the exact same place.  Even the style of the font is the same.  In fact, at first glance, the viewer may barely notice the sun maid is actually a skeleton.  It pops out just enough for the viewer to go take a closer look at the poster.  Then they read the font, Sun Mad Raisins instead of Sun Maid Raisins.  Now the the viewer is even more intrigued about the purpose of this poster and reads the subtitle and so on and so forth.  Then the viewer understands that the poster is essentially trying to say that Sun Maid Raisins are selling poor quality raisins.  

Overall, I feel it is a very disturbing image with a blunt message attached to it.  I find it clever and very successful though as far as the design idea though.

wingin

I found this flyer of the restaurant "Wingin Out."  I thought that the sketch of just the "Wingin" part to better see the font type.  

I like the almost bubbly letters of the letters as well as the cursive and italics.  What makes it stand out is the indication of the wing on the "W."

I think this is overall a simpler style, but nonetheless it gets the point across well for what it is advertising.

pretty nails

Since taking my first graphic design classes, I have payed more attention to the design of things, especially ones that are particularly simple, and at first glance, can seem pretty straight forward visually and not much thought had been put into the piece at all.  I have learned already that the slightest change in font and even spacing will always impact the composition of something, no matter how subtle.

This sign for the store called "Pretty Nails" I spotted at the Lincoln Square Mall is a good example of what I am talking about.  The two color schemed sign makes your attention instantly go to the font rather than the colors, since both words are the same basic color.  The word "pretty" has font that seems more humanistic and feminine to perhaps appeal more to females.  While "nails'' nice has a bold, basic font which complements the "pretty" and instantly lets the viewer know what the store is about.  This simple yet thoughtful design of a store sign is quite successful in my opinion, and it is also a style I am beginning to like.

graphic design definitions

Here are some of my favorite definitions of graphic design that were posted in GDS 102.  Just thought I would share.

"...visual message where art, communication and style merge into one to solve a visual problem."

"...the way is the way we give order to information, form to ideas, and expression and feeling to artifacts that document human experience"

"The spirit of the times" (Zeitgiest)