Visual literacy with layout and design

While thinking about visual literacies over the course of this class, I realized a few things about myself and my overall progress in choosing to go back to school. 

Reading the text, I noticed many similarities with layout and design that I could apply to Photoshop. I currently use Photoshop CS6 (I also have Lightroom 5, but hardly use it) and have been familiar with it since high school. Right away I could relate to the use of grids in a layout, because I use the grid tool frequently when editing my photos. I not only use this tool to visualize my focal point, but to also shed light on negative space and how I want to work with it. 

The text states, '[N]egative space is the best tool in your design toolbox for isolating and highlighting important content. It organizes by separating items. Without it, there can be no sense of clumping. Negative space also provides a visual respite for the viewer to avoid visual overload' (p. 75). While it is true I have a desire for color in my photos now, I strive to keep the visual overload to a minimum. 

With layout and design, I can also reveal some of the many fonts I have downloaded (mostly from dafont.com) over the years and how I use them in my work. 

Since I am working towards achieving greater online success with my photography, I always use a watermark on any social media. I've gone through a few different fonts (that I create as brushes on photoshop), and I rotate those few when the text fits the subject I'm working with.

For example, when shooting wedding or engagement photos I use 'Nella Sue.' 

In contrast, when photographing musicians I tend to be more simplified with the font, like 'Orator std' shown here: 

But I have recently branched out and created a more 'colorful' watermark with this 'blake' font: 

The most important aspect I was able to relate was how my photography has been progressing. I am very thankful to be a part of the music/art collaboration 'Hear Here Presents:,' where I get photograph artists all of types in a very creative setting.

People doing stuff, being awesome and such! Featured band : Quilt

Through photos that I've shot for Hear Here in the last month or so, I've noticed a change in my editing style. I recognize my photography may continue to morph over time, but because of my changed perception I think I've started to think outside my editing 'box.'

You can see by these two examples the amount of saturation and color I've added to my final product, with the second one being the most extreme in change of hues. You can also notice that I try to separate my subject from the background through use of color and shadows, to create contrast from the busy background. I think I'm being challenged artistically, intellectually and emotionally in my life right now (in a positive way might I add), and that's apparent in the way I edit my photos. I always aim to reflect an emotion or feeling with my photographs, so I've made the connection that my style changes with how I'm feeling at that given time - not by trend (though they may overlap at some point!). Featured bands: Grood (above), and BUHU (below). 

Overall, I'm trying to adopt more color in my life. I will continue to use it more by incorporating it in my clothing, at work, with my hobbies, and with those around me! 

Color Survey: Are You Like The Other 200,000?

"This is some potent

design mojo if you think about it."

This assignment was particularly interesting to me, not only because it was fun taking the survey – but seeing results from the other 200,000+ people that participated and how I relate to them. Overall, I was not successful in sharing similar thoughts on color, but I did find some obvious similarities. 

For example, you can see that I compare to what mourning and high-technology symbolize, although I greatly differ in terms of deity and power. The book states that “Although humans do respond physiologically to color, most of the emotional muscle we attach to color is learned.” I thought of this quote a lot as I tried to understand how my thinking and background could be explained for the colors that I chose.

I think that my idea of 'deity' is veered towards greek gods/goddesses and The Roman Empire. I realize there are so many colors that can represent both of those topics, but while learning about greek gods/goddesses my freshman year of high school I pictured purple or gold as the primary colors. 

I also couldn't help but relate purple to the stock photos of greek gods or goddesses when shopping for Halloween costumes – like these!

 

The purple colors here have a lot of saturation and vibrance, I think that if I could feel the material it would be very rich and velvet- like (like royalty). So for me deity = purple!

My reasoning for associating black with power is because of my current job at Northwestern Mutual Life. Every day of the week I see many wealthy men and women in their black suits (don't forget the expensive watch, shoes and bags/briefcases that go along with it), running around to meetings, catching a bite to eat, conversing with fellow co-workers, etc. 

Actual NML workers - I googled it!

As I've seen this type of commotion for several years, it has imprinted on me that these people are successful and powerful. As much as I enjoy my job, I can't ignore the culture of NML, which is a very corporate environment. I definitely don't fit into this mold, but am keeping an open mind as I obtain a Bachelor's degree and can one day gain a higher position at NML. My hopes for the future are that these business standards change, and that one day I can be successful (just like the people shown above), while still staying true to who I am. This means being able to show off my tattoos and piercings without being seen as "deviant," and being able to wear things that I'm actually comfortable in (not the 'white collar' attire I'm forced to wear now). 

Other things I thought to point out about the survey was my responses to what color I associate with high-quality and expensive. I completely understand why the 200,000+ chose gold, but I couldn't help but pick platinum. Why? Because credit cards, that's why. 

Anyone else find similar differences like this that you had with the survey?

  

Commercial Photography - Burt's Bees

Something that I really enjoy and don't buy enough of is cosmetics. Due to my job and busy-ish lifestyle, there's not many moments you'll find me doing my make-up (unless you drive with me to work – true story). Aside from that I have unnecessarily dry skin (I fear the winter just like they do in Game Of Thrones), and psoriasis to top it off, so I choose my cosmetics carefully – always keeping in mind that it could irritate my skin.

One brand that I find “safe” for me to use is Burt's Bees. I have several products from them – including this tinted lip balm that keeps my lips moisturized, along with facial cleansing towelettes that remove my make-up without irritating my skin! 

So when I saw this ad in the current issue of Cosmo, I wanted to go buy it immediately!

This ad uses multiple layers (if edited in photoshop) due to the water drops and heart circling the lipstick (which drives your eye in towards the product), along with the 14 featured lipstick colors at the bottom of the ad.  

The water makes me think back to Jim's presentation, and how you can purchase fake ice. I wonder if they makers of Burt's Bees bought fake 'water drops' for this ad?? 

There are also multiple photos used for this ad, and the text would define these as detailed shots, which means they,"are typically closer to the subject and more tightly cropped." This makes sense because it appears the lipstick is placed on a close-up of what might be a leaf or grass (to give the message that this lipstick has naturally occurred in nature - like morning dew). 

Either way, I'm drawn to this advertisment. Not only beacause I'm a fan of Burt's Bees, but because it's visually appealing with the look of 'freshness' !!

  

Animoto Video

For my Animoto video, I decided to share a slideshow of something that I do every weekend: make french press coffee. I usually drink coffee at work or school, but on the weekends I can 'slow down' and enjoy the process of making great coffee!

https://animoto.com/play/QWWOAxiQ11UVuDeE11ytGQ

The book states that a when creating a storyboard project, you have to think of that story “shot by shot.” I tried to incorporate the original storyboard idea here, while giving more detail with multiple photos in certain steps (that appear almost like a flip book). I also wanted to viewer to see making french press coffee in a simple, effortless way, like the “Tastemade” and “Tasty” videos never fail to do:

I attempted to make the point-of-view seem like you're there making the coffee, or near me observing the coffee being made – like a cooking show. I wanted the movement to be fluid and quick, and to show my audience my ingredients and tools needed were prepared in front of me. I didn't want to use any transitions (at least no more than the transitions Animoto already provides), so I kept that simple.

I learned about setting up my scene when thinking in a storyboard-type way, while keeping in mind that I'm giving you all insight into my life (sights, sounds and smells), rather than a recipe to make coffee. I had to respect to the point-of-view of the video, where I decided whether or not to give close ups of my product for detail or a full shot to show the progression of the coffee. 

I showed the beginning, middle and end of my video by using the *star symbol* spotlight, which slows down that photo to emphasize importance. 

You can see that the 'beginning' is grabbing several utensils together (french press, coffee, coffee grinder), the middle being the combining of water and coffee (stirred with a wooden chop-stick, yay for improvising!) as it gets ready to steep. Then, the ending is symbolized by the finished product, ready to enjoy!

I love you, coffee.

Appreciating Art

As I walked through the Sacagawea Art Collection, this colorful piece by Mai Wyn Schantz- Oil on Aluminum, stood out to me the most. I connected particularly with Mai's artwork because I work early enough to be able to see the sun rise, something I never take for granted. So now that I think about it, sunrises are one of my favorite things (along with the sun setting, of course).

I immediately notice the focal point as the sun about to rise, as if Mai wanted to give the viewer a sense of anticipation for the day to begin. The contrast to this is the remains of the night, light to dark blues and purples, floating slowly up the aluminum sheet. It is then that I see the color ending by a horizontal border of aluminum – showing the grayscale that's underneath the oil. I can now note the space the piece lies in, and the lines that are present. The text explains, “Lines may be straight, angular or curvy. They may be thick or thin, continuous or interrupted. The edges of a page or screen represent lines” (p.46). Despite the line where the water meets the sky, most lines in this painting make out the shapes of the clouds, and the reflection and ripple of the water.

Why do you think Mai decided to use her medium (aluminum) as a horizontal border? Do you think this intentional border helps gain texture and negative space or limits the colorful focal point with dull tones?

Next, I recognize the horizontal line perspective, where the sky meets the water. This gives me a feeling of distance with the horizon. The yellow in the center also creates an atmospheric perspective that allows the blue tones to circulate the image and move the eye into the center of warmer colors. Also note the fading into lighter blue on the water from the reflection of the sun's rays. The layout appears visually unbalanced to me, and going back to the atmospheric perspective, Chapter 5 of the text mentions, “ Colors in the foreground have darker richer values than colors in the distance, which tend to fade and wash out” (p.54). In this case, the rising sun is creating a fade within the water that reflects the lighter areas of the sky.

I found this piece to be aesthetically pleasing, and was able to connect it further with a photo I took last year:

I couldn't help but relate Mai's paintings to the warm colors presented in my photograph, with their being a horizontal line perspective with the water and sky. I also found an appreciation for cool and warm saturated colors, which adds asymmetrical balance.

It's said that “good design controls the eye's flow through composition” (p.53). I think that has been greatly achieved here!

CODES TO KNOW!
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To Look Or To See

Something that I look at everyday is this poster from Victory Gardens that I got from my boyfriend's twin brother, who is an employee there. Although I've viewed this poster a million times, now that I'm really seeing it, several things stand out. Firstly, the “Fruity Nutty Five Contest” is quite humorous to me, and it has captured my attention. The saturation of color on the fruit leads my eye there after, noticing the hand grasping it with purpose. As my eyes scan more of the photo, I see the phrase “pick your future!” that I can relate to types of propaganda I see in ads and on commercials (though it doesn't have a negative connotation like some propaganda may possess). So far, I can gauge this poster as a “good graphic design,” because it captured my attention, controlled my eye movement across the poster, conveyed information and evoked emotion (White Space Is Not Your Enemy, p. 6). I feel connected to the message of this photo, not only because I know someone working there, but because I have an understanding of how Victory Gardens wants to improve the community.

Victory Gardens is just one of the many establishments in Milwaukee that is trying to connect neighborhoods together through growing your own food and making that food together. This is in the hopes that more people will get into gardening and therefore become more self-sufficient. By planting fruit and nut trees in a “deserving” neighborhood, Victory Gardens can establish healthy food options for that area, and begin to educate those that are interested in growing their own food. This will greatly improve quality of life and can save money. The “Grass-Roots Movement” Victory Gardens has been pushing for can continue to reach out in the community!

Brian Kennedy mentioned visual literacy is about connecting cognition and memory. He states that, “Visual literacy is the ability to construct meaning from images. It is not a skill, it uses skills as a toolbox. It's a form of critical thinking that enhances your intellectual capacity.” (Ted Talk). The Victory Gardens Initiative Poster has allowed me to look, see, describe, analyze, interpret, and finally, construct meaning. If we all can construct meaning from the visual aspects we see everyday, I think it will positively enhance our learning experience.