A picture is worth a thousand words. This clichéd expression is very fitting when describing the main point in Sturken and Cartwright’s Images, Power, and Politics. This chapter they wrote focuses on the messages a picture can convey without having actually said anything. The whole concept of a picture telling a story is what I am going to be doing my next project on. We are assigned to create and present a wordless slideshow of 20 pictures that conveys a message. This message/story has to relate back to our original topic of study in some way. My original topic was the effects of evolving forms of digital communication and their relation to international communication.
Let’s talk about Colors
So, I decided to change my infographic up a lot. I made a sketch for the evolution of international communication, but I just couldn’t find a way for it to be interesting. It was coming off too bland, so I thought I should add colors to it. This got me thinking about colors in design, so I decided to create my infographic based off of something we learned about in our readings; complements, framing, and colors. What colors mean and how they work in attracting focus. Without further ado, here it is.
Business and Personal Cards 2.0
In class for the past 2 weeks or so, we have been learning so much. We got a crash course in photoshop, kept up with our readings, went font-hunting (I have downloaded 5 a day since I learned about them, it’s a problem), etc. We have been gaining momentum every class and there doesn’t seem to be a moment to relax. I like it.
Visual Literacy
For today’s reading, we read Reading Images by Kress and Leeuwen. This chapter deals with relationships between images on a digital medium. So, how an image affects or relates to another images on the same medium. It deals with where to eye is drawn to initially, which can be due to lighting, placement, size, and focus.
Just Keeping up with Kristin
So for our post today we are supposed to review, analyze, and critique someone’s business card from our class. Kristin and I decided to pair off and critique each others. Here is her blog post with her business card. We are also supposed to use chapters 5-7 of Goodman’s book to know what we are supposed to critique on; so we are supposed to critique on grid systems, identity design, and critique and analysis.
Graphic Design 101
So for the past week we have had to read Goodman’s entire book titled 7 Essentials of Graphic Design. Now, this sounds pretty bad, but this book was very interesting so it wasn’t a hassle to read (It didn’t hurt that it was filled with pictures either).
Each chapter was based off of one of those 7 essentials mentioned in her title. In order they are: research, typography, contrast, layout, grid systems, identity design: logos + logotypes, and critique + analysis. Each of these titles are pretty self-explanatory about what they are going into detail about, so I am going to pick and choose parts from each chapter than piqued my interest.
Problem Solving is Innate
How do I know if I am solving the right problem? That really isn’t something I normally think of. I think of how to solve the problem and then ask if I got the right answer. The question of whether of not I am answering the right problem is what Norman addresses in his 6th chapter.
Me on a 3.5×2 in. Card
So for class we had to design 2 business cards. One was a personal, fun business card; The other is a “future” profession business card. I chose TV aficionado for my fun one (because of all my Friends references) and an attorney business card because I am pre-law. So, here they are.
Simplicity only leads to Complexity
Just yesterday, I was in downtown Greenville for work and I had to go through a revolving door to get into a building. I walked in, started pushing, and somehow got stuck. I had to have someone come in and rescue me. From a door. Am I an idiot? This is what Norman’s first chapter, The Psychopathology of Everything Things, begins to answer.
The new Swine Flu
THE WORLD IS ENDING! HIDE YO KIDS, HIDE YO WIFE, CAUSE EBOLA IS HERE AND IT IS STARTING WORLD WAR Z!
But wait, it has been in West Africa for aboooouuuuuttt 5-6 months, where it is actually having an impact. It has killed about 3600 people there, but GOD FORBID it infects and not even kills 1 person in Houston, Texas.
This is a picture I pulled from this website. It gives some general information about the Ebola virus and it’s history in West Africa.
Patel it Like it is 