The New Basics

The Diagram:

This reading brought up some great points in relation to what we are discovering for ourselves. Lupton talks about the importance of networking and how we associate things together. I thought this was important because when brain storming of ways to visualize our concept we bring out the ways that our icon's can work as a connection between subject matters.

"Information graphics do have a role to play in the realm of expressive and editorial graphs" This is a great way to sum up exactly what the function of a diagram is. From when we are children we may not be able to read but we can understand the visual language. By showing pie charts, bar graphs people have taught us how to read in a visual way. Even when business men are coming up with a proposal for their client, an information graphic can be useful to show a complex concept in a reduced clarified form.

"Networks are everywhere- not just in technology, but throughout nature and society" Through my narrative, a reoccurring theme is to give emphasis on nature, and what raw materials we can learn from.

Overlapping: Especially when discussing the relationships of objects or a process it is good to use overlapping to help the subject matter connect.

A thought I had when thinking about the value of overlapping was the comparison. How can you show comparison in an interesting way. It made me think back to the line project when we studied juxtaposition. For me, I am starting to wonder what kind of juxtaposition can two sides of the comparison have for each other.

She mentions the impact that scale change can have on the composition. Using hierarchy, and text to emphasis certain aspects and using using a smaller scale for the less important elements.

What I got out? In my personal opinion I noticed a lot of her examples were of diagrams with smaller text. Although typography is a valued layer, when making a info graph it is important not to rely on text. In some examples typography is used in an art form, making the piece flow together and giving written dialog to the diagram.

find and share vis com

I just was doing a little research on photosynthesis and I found a great info graphic on the cycle of it. This is helpful because the viewer can see how plants and humans use each other's sources for living. This I would consider to be a linear progress. The viewer is taken the steps through the index's of the process. It is another great example of showing hierarchy, by using the index's and layering of each step, which is most important. It show process between the colors of the arrows, notice how the gradation of one arrow goes into the next step, each step is shown by it's own color. Even with color, the diagram is keeping with a cohesive color combination. It shows that by using color with the arrows, think about what step it is and what color can visually represent that step, while also not being over powering by the step, but leaving the importance up to the imagery. Placement is also being thought of, recognizing what visually makes sense.

extra thought: one thing that I have noticed in information graphics is the importance of labeling. By labeling things it helps to give clarification. However, showing labels and some text is good, but the point of a information graphics is to visually communicate the subject matter. Depending on how abstract the diagram is, the typography will clarify to the viewer different depths of the piece. One thing I need to keep in mind is how to relay less (for example) "typing out what the steps of the leaves" and more on the communication between the iconic's and mapping, time based, and comparison. With this example if you were to exclude the labels the viewer would still be able to understand what it is about, but the text is working as a hint. (if that makes any sense)

Color Theory

what is CYMK, what is RGB?

This layout is beautiful I think

F&S

Nice Mag Layouts

wEather Typography reflection

Using expressive typography was very fun. I enjoyed actually using my hands to make the images. I learned a lot about scale change and how it can develop the sense of depth, mass, and value which I used in all of my designs. I still need to work on the bus's dusk because it is hard to read. I also need to make the logo more visible, and perhaps play with color? In my spreads I had to learn the balance of making imagery and hierarchy with the typography. Not only was the images made from different cut up typefaces but then we overlapped the images with logos and tag-lines. For me it was important to pay attention to the positive and negative space and the relationship that can have in the spread. Also, how the expressive typography can identify the weather condition while being cohesive with the other spreads. In the end I was happy with my spreads, although I wish they had a bit of color or something extra. I really liked bringing the expressive type into motion. I wanted the animation to be believable to the weather condition, and to have interlaced translations between each condition. I still need to work on the animation, but it has a clear concept.

Untitled from Janna Johnsrud on Vimeo.

Vis. Com 2, Final Color Reflection

During the process of finalizing my colored icons I had to think of what connotations my color swatches had and how they would relate to my icon set. I wanted to have colors that were something you would find outside, and also keep in mind something youthful. Since my story has to deal with a child going bug hunting, it was important to really analysis the connotation because it helps the icons become a stronger set. Through this process I learned a lot about color. How the different hues, value change, and saturation can really impact the meaning and depth behind the icon. When we view successful icons, we are able to understand the icon and its stylistic quality. This is also impacted by color, and how the color can only heighten the meaning behind it. By giving color it also makes the icons more interesting to view. I still need to go back and revise the color. One thing I noticed when adding color to my icons was that it was harder to scale them down. The impact of a hue and not depending on black and white made it harder to scale down. I came up with many different swatches and I should stretch all the possibilities that I have with them (and also keeping in mind all the ways that make a successful icon set).

Image making: Final Virtue

When brainstorming about the virtues I knew I wanted to accomplish a tone of comedy. I initially wanted to use people but then decided against it. I thought of the animals because I tend to make funny voices to go along with animals and thought it would be fun. The most challenging part was to really understand the virtues. Their was many times when I had to look up the definition and what the opposite was. I found that researching the sin really did help to strengthen my virtue. Finding the correct animals were difficult as well. Because they are toy miniatures they already have their own gestural poses, and finding animals that have ties to the virtue was difficult. In the end some of my animals were not a direct link to the virtue, but by the way I would arrange them and include index's they would then resemble the virtue. From a week ago I really looked to indexical signs that really made a difference in the images. At first I was depending too much on the text to really speak through, but in the end it became icing on the cake. One of the last minute decisions was to take the photos outside, and I am so glad I did. People most commented on the that it was good to put them outside.

Vis. Com 2, Color Edit

These are some of the newest applied colors I have made. I think that they are most successful when a hue with a brown tint is pair with a more pure hue.

Connotations of my icons:

adventure, childhood, innocence, organic, nature, woods, curiosity

Image making: 7 Virtues- Update

During the next step to making my 7 virtues, I really thought about what it means to do that virtue. Over the weekend I looked at how people can help other people and what action in one shot can capture to show that virtue. The hardest part of this assignment was resolving those issues. Since I have chosen to take images of animal toys, it can be easier to compose the photograph, but planning out exactly how the animals will be shot and how they will displayed was the most time consuming. I have resolved many of the issues, which is really good, I did this without putting text in. I realized that I want the purpose of the text not to "help" the virtue but to give a connotation of childlike. Since virtues are about being pure and helping people I want the text to also give a sense of "corny" humor. It may sound a little out there but I would like it if my book could be read by children. In a way that they could point to the images and understand that there is someone sharing, or giving affection towards another animal. Now some virtues like Chastity, children would not understand, but I feel like other's they would be able to understand.

Here are some of the shots

Chastity- Many people understood this after the fact that the two penguins were sharing a ring, so they ring needs to me more noticeable.

Charity- Showing the impact of someone helping someone else. Tyler helped me brain storm, so that I could find a way of showing the scale of the Giraffe and Hippo, while implying that he is giving the Hippo a leaf.

Patience- I need to show the bone on the dog more.

Humility- One of my favorites. I research what it means to be modest and many people associate it with being a Nun, so I wanted to show a goofy Ostrage acting in modesty.

Diligence- The virtue of hard work. I wanted to also show teamwork and working together as a unit, I know that may not be what other people perceive the virtue as, but I believe the viewer can understand working as well teamwork. I need to get real dirt in the image so the impact of them working together can be communicated.

F&S

This commercial I thought have some great transitions from one concept into another.

click

Type II- be expressive

Out of all the type projects we have done, I know it is horrible to say, but I think this is my favorite. Cutting up the letter's photographing them, putting the images into photoshop, and then illustrator sounds like a long process but well worth it. I still have some major tweaking to accomplish but I feel like my compositions are taking a step in the right direction.

In the end, I want my images to illustrate the weather, while also being cohesive with the other's. I want to accomplish this by using a sense of scale change and different fonts within that typeface to help show the weather condition. I really need to work on the banner. The banner is very important because it gives you the information, but it will also be repeated in each billboard and bus. So it has got to be good!

I do not have my rough, rough, rough flash animation up, but I was really scared to get back into flash. The end result was, it is kind of like riding a bike. My flash skills are most definitely rusty but I just need to practice.

Vis. Com 2- Color Swatches-edit

When applying color to my icons, I wanted to keep in mind what my story means. I tried to stay away from artificial or industrial colors, and look for more organic and playful hues. In class we discussed the connotations that colors can have, and in relation to if those connotations match our narrative. For me, I realized that I have nice deep earth tones but I should be looking for some more lighter tones. Jamie said the most successful icon's were the ones that had a contrast in color.

For my revision's I want to really be more experimental with the color swatches, rather than just filling them in. Like expanding the background so that it looks like a shadow, or highlight. The icons that have outlines are too complex and take away from the curves of the icon. By the end of class I was trying to think how I will be applying three colors to my icons. I started sketching some ideas with different line weights. Another idea is to add a child like scribble into the white spaces without entering the negative space (the basic idea was a coloring book) . I don't know if this would help my narrative.

For the color's, my approach is to use earth tones (getting the bug yucky connotation) and have some more lighter colors (not too saturated, because some pure hues tend to look like they are artificial) but to help strengthen my narrative of a child on a bug hunt.

Yucky, Ew, Gross layouts!- I need to keep in mind of keeping things cohesive and try and be more "fun"/ non-boring with my layouts. Although the swatches are easily to understand, they are just vanilla.

Here are some of my color swatches. It was exciting to see all the different color combinations that came from the photos. One of the more difficult parts was picking the correct color to go along with my narrative. It was also hard for me to be really picky about the swatches, and the gradation between the different colors.

Image making: 7 Virtues

Patience- that is suppose to be a bone or treat

Kindness- Adding a small leaf or fake tree will help to give the impression of helping someone out

Problems I have had with the virtues is deciding what makes each virtue a true virtue. Going back to the dot composition I want to explore what elements are in each virtue. For me, it was easily to overlap some virtues like charity and kindness. I need to work on my animals compositions and depend less on the actual text. I plan to build up my animals and how they are interacting with each other, and not even worry about the text. If I get down exactly what I want for my animals and how they will be viewed then I will worry about the text.

Extra Note- One of the hardest parts of this assignment, and i believe others have had difficulty with it as well, is how to excuse the virtue as other people see it, what index's can I build up with body language or small props between the animals (doing this all without being cliche)

So now it is just go time!