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Monday, March 29, 2010

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)

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Color Theory


what is CYMK, what is RGB?
This layout is beautiful I think

Friday, March 12, 2010

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).


Wednesday, March 10, 2010

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