Design Process Module Self- Evaluation

As we have finished the Design Skills Module, we had to complete a Self- Evaluation of the whole Module to discuss how it went and to reflect on the work we have produced (see pictures).

I was considered when answering the answers, giving truthful and honest answers and I put emphasis on what I need to improve on regarding my skills and ability as a designer.

Design Principles: 10 Things...

From the research that was done on our group questions, we had to give a presentation on 5 of the questions that we had answered.

We did the questions:

1. How do Colours make us Feel Different Things/ How do Colours Trigger Certain Emotions?
2. Why do People have Favourite Colours?
3. Why do Natural Colours Fade?
4. Is Black a Colour?
5. Which Colours Look Best Together Above All?

After presenting this, we got this feedback from Fred on the questions we presented:

1. Culture and Natural responses to Colour. Nature vs Nurture argument involving Colour. Cultural Signifiers need to be known for Global work.
2. Favourite Colour- Social aspects: what culture aspect started Blue for Boys and Pink for Girls?
3. Colour exposure to lights and Wavelengths.
4. Only way you can ever produce pure black is from a black hole
5. How do you select Colour in regards to Trends and Attracting the Audience- Wallpaper, Wrapping Paper and Gift Wrap. Forecasting colour and the impact of colour. Predicting and Pre-empting Colour and what people like/ don't like.

A different group was posed questions from our group and did these questions:

1. How does light (natural/artificial) affect the perception of colour?
2. How do you make gold and silver?
3. When Contrast of Estention is balanced, is it high or low contrast?
4. Do tertiary colours have Complimentary colours?
5. When Contrast of Estention is balanced, is it high or low contrast?

After they presented their answers, they got this feedback about the questions from Fred:

1. Artificial v Nature Light- Artificial enhances yellows and red (warm colours) whereas Natural Light enhances blues and greens (cold colours). The light source needs to be kept consistent when determining between colours. Artificial light never changes so it would be consistent whereas using natural light always changes.
2. To make gold and silver, use Pantone swatches. Metallics have colour properties but they can't be printed using CMYK-would need to use spot colour
3. When balancing Complimentary colours, you can balance them via Contrast of Estention (but if you have balance problems, you wouldn't use this anyway) but without, there is no contrast as they balance each other out. However, legibility and readability will always be affected when contrast is in use. 
4. Tertiary colours do have complementary colours- All colours have a Secondary but it would be de-saturated as it continues to loose its colour value. 
5. When using Contrast of Estention, more than 1 contrast is happening at once therefore it can be balanced in amount but all the other contrasts would still be at work.

Study Task:

Identify 10 things people need to know about Graphic Design. They can be anything based around Graphic Design, such as Theories, Philosophy, Culture, Principles and Historical.

1. Contrary to Popular Belief,  Complimentary Colours DON'T Compliment Each Other

Complimentary colours are colours that are opposite to each other on the Colour Wheel. As they are opposite, it combines a warm with a cool colour.  Due to this opposition, when they are put next to each other, they appear more intense and brighter. This create a distracting fight for attention when used with each other which can cause the colours to appear as though they physically vibrate, causing a tension that is uncomfortable for the eye to look at,  They usually cause illegibility within text and should only be used as emphasis on a particular word.

"Mystery Book Series" (2012) by Joseph Young

Young, J. (2012) "Mystery Book Series" [Weblog] 17th April The Behance Network Available from http://www.behance.net/gallery/Mystery-Book-Series-Graphic-Design/3674611 (Accessed 8th February 2013)

The colouration for these book covers illustrates my point perfectly as it gives an example of when colour choice goes wrong. The choices of complementary colours have not only made the book covers appear even more tacky but they highlight the poor design choices made when considering the colour scheme as these colours do not even go together tonally. This makes the work seem rushed and unconsidered and, due to the large size of the book covers, this is inescapable.

2. The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog

The sentence is a Pangram, which means that it is a sentence that includes every letter of the alphabet. it is important in the world of Graphic Design as this is the sentence that is used to display fonts and its variations as a sample.

Pangram Display of Gill Sans

It is used by Typographers to test letterforms of the alphabet that they have produced and therefore give them a insight into any changes that need to be made in regards to the leading, kerning or tracking as well as how well the letters sit together in a context. It can be used as a practise sentence for learning typing as well as a way of testing typewriters and keyboards.

3. Form Follows Function

The Modernist era of design produced the theory that the function of a design is of the most importance and should come before the visual aesthetic of the product thereby allowing for the aesthetic to be determined by the products purpose. From this came the ideal that any decoration made the product seen insincere and dysfunctional and additional ornamentation looked over-the-top. Soon, Modernists adopted a style that was clean and simple, with minimal aesthetic adornment and a logical structure to layout presentation and organisation.
 

Miscellaneous Concert and Exhibition Posters (1955-1960) by Josef Muller-Brockman

Meister, J. (2013) "A Firm Turn Towards the Objective: Josef Muller- Brockman (1948-1981)" [Weblog] 12th January ilovetypography Available from http://ilovetypography.com/2013/01/12/a-firm-turn-toward-the-objective-josef-muller-brockmann-1948-1981/ (Accessed 8th February 2013)

This is evidenced with the use of a grid layout, giving a structured and precise geometric setting and the favouring of the square and rectangle shapes. The monochromatic colour scheme and using type that is columnised and san serif adds to the simplistic nature of the form.

4. Tone of Voice

Giving a tone of voice to work creates an communication that gives the object personality that the audience can identify with. It needs to be consistent with the visuals produced and reflect the purpose of the content itself. The tone of voice should be reflected within the design choices made based on typefaces, colour schemes, layout and image style so that it is appropriate, authenticating the work and providing a good user experience.

"Speak Up, Make Your Voice Heard" (2011) by Howard LakeMills, R. (2012) "Finding Your Tone of Voice" [Weblog] 21st August Smashing Magazine Available from http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2012/08/21/finding-tone-voice/ (Accessed 8th February 2013)

It wouldn't be relevant for a professional business corporation to use an informal tone of voice, for example.


5. Print vs Web

There are distinct differences between the two mediums for designers to be aware of. For ease of use, print is normally static media with set standardised sizes whereas web is motion based and dynamic, based on audience interactivity. The main difference however is the physicality of print production whereas for web, it can only be displayed on a computer screen.

"Print vs Web"

Emily (2010) "Print vs Web" [Weblog] 8th February Clickbrand Blog Available from http://www.clickbrand.com/blog/web-design/print-vs-web/ (Accessed 8th February 2013)

For web, image resolution is 72dpi whereas for Print it is 300dpi. In regards to colour, web uses the RGB colour mode whereas CMYK colour mode is used for Print.

6. Pantone Colour Matching

The Pantone Matching System was created by founder Lawrence Herbert in 1963 used to be able to identify specific colour hues which aids communication in the design printing industry by easing the problem of matching colours precisely and accurately by having a single set standardisation system. It started with a single set which has expanded to include both CMYK and RGB modes as well as other sub-sets like metallics and fluorescents. They can be determined by the spot colour as reference and the allocated number given to each colour hue so there is no confusion. (Available from http://kr.pantone.com/popups/aboutus/lhbio.htm (Accessed 9th February 2013)).

"Panto'N'Roll" (2013) Chic & Artistic

Chic & artistic (2013) "Panton'N'Roll" [Internet] Available from http://chic-artistic.com/#pantonroll/ (Accessed 9th February 2013)

These popular-culture inspired slogan posters are fun and modern based on the subject matter. They are relevant as they show the use of the colour in action as well as showing the Pantone colour swatch with the allocated number which demonstrates how they are used in the industry to reference the colour used.

7. Type should be Legible and Readable

For a type to be readable, every letter of the alphabet must be distinctive and be easy to differentiate between every single character. The readability is then aided by the use of paragraphs which have balanced margins and a sufficient line length which is dependant on the font size. The spacing between letterforms come into play in regards to their relationship and the size is generally medium in weight. For legibility, it is usually seen that body copy on coloured backgrounds or using coloured text prevents a text from being legible as it puts a strain on the eye of the reader (Garfield, S. (2011) "Just My Type" 2nd ed., London: Profile Books).

Farley, J. (2010) "Typography: Readability and Legibility (Part 1)"[Internet] Available from http://www.sitepoint.com/typography-readability-and-legibility-part-1/ (Accessed 9th February 2013)

As shown via the example, the choice of font determines the readability and legibility of the body copy thus making it either available and accessible to any audience or completely separating itself from the audience. It can also determine the tone of voice of the text and the characteristics give an impression of the subject matter.

8. Fibonacci Sequence

The Fibonacci Sequence is visually represented within design as a spiral that aids the proportion of a layout to produce work that is visually appealing to the eye. This is composed by rationalising the amount of space available on a page and creating a sense of order and understanding amongst the content of the page. This allows for a specified system that can be used for determining not just the page but other layout aspects. This means that it can be applied to every aspect of the design by extending it to the details thereby creating a balanced rhythm and visual harmony.

"Fibonacci Sequence" 

Johnson, R. (2010) "How To Design Using The Fibonacci Sequence" [Weblog] 12th October Design Strategy Available from http://3.7designs.co/blog/2010/10/how-to-design-using-the-fibonacci-sequence/ (Accessed 9th February 2013)

The numbers used within the proportions are the numbers within the mathematical sequence where the previous numbers add together to make the next one. This is what makes the formula work so well in regards to equal proportions as the numbers have equal spacing separating them.

9. RGB vs CMYK

RGB and CMYK, also known as Additive and Subjective Colour, are both part of the realm of colour theory and are produced differently from each other.

"A Diagram on Additive and Subtractive Colours"

M Graphix "Trading Spaces- RGB vs CMYK" [Internet] Available from http://www.m-graphix.com/trading-spaces-rgb-vs-cmyk/ (Accessed 9th February 2013)

RGB is for on-screen colour as it is colour made from light which allows work to be seen clearly by digital means. CMYK is used for colour inks in printers therefore is used for printing work. They should not be used the other way around as it will effect the quality of the colours that are produced in these formats, particularly when it comes to print as they do not share the same gamut so it will not come out the same as on the screen if not converted.

10. The Invention of the Printing Press

Invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 1440's, the purpose of the Print Press was to produce a mechanical, automoton way of reproducing amounts of text by creating re-usable movable type. You could produce a page of text by assembling the text backwards, put it into a chase and printing copious amounts of pages before re-assembling the type to produce the next page. The terms 'Uppercase' and 'Lowercase' come from the position of the movable type draws with the lower levels holding the more commonly used letters and the capitals above.

"Cast Type Engraving" (1568)

Garfield, S. (2011) "Just My Type" 2nd ed., London: Profile Books

From this reference, you can see how the type would be arranged by compositors to put it in the right order and backwards so it would print correctly before being given to the printers who would cast it and print it continuously.

Preparatory Task:

For the next session, we need to have a collection of 5 magazine publications that differ in style and audiences. They need to range in quality of content and print and include some genres that interest you and what you appreciate.

The 5 magazines that I ended up collecting include;

• Very Low Quality Rhubarb Bomb! Magazine (Underground Music Fan-zine)
• Low Quality TV Choice Magazine (I watch a lot of television) 
• Low Quality New! Magazine (Has a strong Female target audience)
• Higher Quality GQ Magazine (Differs in style to others chosen and has a strong Male Target Audience)
• High Quality MOJO Magazine (I like Music Genre Magazines)  

5 Preparatory Magazine Choices

This way, I have a wide ranging choice of magazines with different audiences, interests and genres that can be dissected.

Design Principles: Applied Colour Theory

To start the session off, we had to get into groups of 8 people and present our verbal presentations of the experiment that we had done in partnerships.

My partner and I's experiment presentation for the group

We had to make notes on them and write down any questions that we may have:

Sam & Daisy- High and Low Contrast Colours
                     - Complementary Colours

Jasper- Tone and Saturation
          - Choice of Yellow

Leo- Optical Difference
      - Chromatic Differences
      - Is It High or Low Contrast of Exstention? How do you know?

Amy & Laura- Saturation, Hues and Tone
                      - Can complimentary colours work together?

Then we had to come up with a list of 10 questions as individuals on Colour Theory that we wanted to answer:

1. Is White and Black classed as colours?
2. Should colours be viewed in a natural light or a synthetic light when being defined?
3. Is there a time or situation where complimentary colours can go together?
4. Can colour printing and what's on screen collaborate together?
5. What is the distinct difference between determining a Hue and a Tone?
6. How does being colour blind affect the way we see colour?
7. Could the colour theory wheel be extended over tertiary's to become infinite?
8. Which high contrast colour pairing would not effect the readability and legibility of words?
9. How do you determine which Pantone book to use in a situation, e.g.. Gloss or Matt or Tint, ect.
10. Does having a different tone of a colour effect the way people perceive the colour? e.g., instead of being jealous with dark green, light green would be seen as calming

From these, we then joined as a group and discussed the questions that we had made, creating a new group of questions that reflecting the main issues/questions we had with colour as a group:

1. When Contrast of Estention is balanced, is it high or low contrast?
2. Does Contrast of Estention apply to non-Complimentary colours?
3. Do tertiary colours have Complimentary colours?
4. How does light (natural/artificial) affect the perception of colour?
5. How does the Chromatic value of stock effect the printing colours?
6. Does tone affect the temperature of the colour?
7. Is it possible for a colour to be warm if it is desaturated?
8. Can complimentary colours be used together if they are balanced?
9. How would simultaneous contrasts be used (in a context)? 
10. How do you make gold and silver?

From this, we had to get the 5 printed graphic objects we had brought in and organise them into the amount of inks that had been used, putting them into piles on the amounts:

Piles with 1 Ink closest and 5+ Inks the furthest pile away

Then we had to try to separate the printed graphics into the type of mixing the Inks had been printed/ made by.

Optical Mixing- When 2 separate colours which are next to each other merge to appear as a different colour

Physical Mixing- The physical action of mixing the inks together to get the shade you want

We were able to find this out by looking at each of the printed graphics through a Linen Tester, which magnifies the print that your looking at so you can see the dots

- Lots of dots or completely flat- different print methods
- 4 Colour Process Guide- Do the dots create patterns? - layered ink can be seen as they slightly off-center overlap
- Formula Guide- Physically mixed colours and inks- pure flat colour

We did the same with some printed sheets which showed the different plate layers of ink that would go into creating a full colour print.

Separate Plate and 4 Colour Plate Prints

- Cost production and set up of a machine and plate (not for the inks or stocks)
- 4 colour is mixed and allows for flexibility
- Each individual colour plate is different
- Level of understanding with Printers
- Colour modes affecting the amount of plates that are used
- Complicating the results- randomly choosing colours doesn't keep it simple or cheap

Block colour is showing no dots as they are closer together whereas light colours clearly show the dots and are not as close together

- Tints- shift in dots becomes subtle- colour becomes desaturated
                                                        - optical mixing of the dots to create the tint of the colour- Dot Pitch

Study Task:

From the questions we had come up with as a group, we had to swap questions with a different group. As a collective, we have to answer the other groups questions. From this, we each selected one question to try to research into and answer.

Questions from the other group that we have to answer

My question is: Which Colours look best together above all?

Honestly, this question is quite subjective as it will depend on the person as to whether a particular colour combination will go together.

The first thing I thought of was the monochromatic black and white combination but that only leads to the argument of whether black and white are classed as colours in their own right.

"Color Harmonies"

Tiger Color (2012) "Color Harmonies" [Internet] Available from http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-harmonies.htm (Accessed 27th January 2013)

These colours wheels show the different colour scheme variations that can be used when arranging particular colour schemes to use:

Complimentary: Complimentary colours don't go together in regards to the full saturation but using saturated, muted shades, like pastel colours, can make there connection more subtle.

Triad: Triad variations use 3 colours linked by being in the shape of a triangle. What makes this work is the ideal that the colours are evenly balanced by letting one colour dominate and have the other 2 colours for decoration and emphasis

Analogous: Using 3 colours which are next to each other on the colour wheel thereby meaning that they have the same tonal values and hues. 

Split Complementary: Instead of having 2 direct complementary colours, it uses some of the adjacent colours in order to create more of a subtle contrast without the visual ostentatiousness of using just the complementaries. 

Rectangle: Uses 2 complimentary pairings which usually involves warm colours and cold colours in order to play them against each other 

Square: Similar to the Rectangle yet just provides another variation

The trouble with this question is that it will based on the situation you are in and the context for the necessary colour in order to determine what colours would be best. A palette of colours which are pale, pastel shades would look good in someone's house but might not suite a web designers interface. Same goes for fashion and advertising.

Seen as there is no determined colours that look best which can be agreed up, I can only give my own opinion and, in my opinion, I find that colours made up in the Analogous Colour schemes work the best together as they have a natural connection based on the similarities they share.

Study Task:

From the 10 individual questions that we came up with, we now have to try and find the answers to our questions.

1. Is White and Black classed as colours

White is considered the addition of Colour as it is the inclusion of all colours whereas Black is considered the absence of Colour. They are classed as neutrals.

Red, Blue and Yellow when mixed together produce a version of the colour Black as do many colours when they have been mixed together as they get darker. The only time when there is a definite Black is in a Black Hole as any other black that is created is just a version of the Black and not as Black as it can go.

2. Should colours be viewed in a natural light or a synthetic light when being defined?

This problem is called Metamerism as colours shift when put in a different lighting state.

"Perception Variables" by Adobe Technical Guides

Adobe Technical Guides "Perception Variables" [Internet] Available from http://dba.med.sc.edu/price/irf/Adobe_tg/color/variables.html (Accessed 7th February 2013)

As shown in the diagram, the same colour can look different in different lighting states. Natural light is very inconsistent as it is constantly changing and isn't the same whereas artificial light never changes and is very consistent therefore colours should be viewed using the same synthetic, artificial light.

3. Is there a time or situation where complimentary colours can go together?

Cousins, C. (2012) "Principles of Colour and the Colour Wheel" [Weblog] 28th February Codrops Available from tympanus.net/codrops/2012/02/28/principles-of-color-and-the-color-wheel/ (Accessed 8th February 2013)

Complimentary colours don't work as they clash together due to the created highly dramatic visual. They usually look good if they are just for small pops of colour to emphasise an item of importance.

It is advisable that you avoid large amounts of complimentary colours as a basis for the work you are producing or use them for text as they are illegible and affect readability.

"Muted Complements and Near Complementary" (2012) by Gil Dekel
Dekel, G. (2012) "The Colour Wheel" [Weblog] 10th April Poetic Mind Available from http://www.poeticmind.co.uk/research/the-colour-wheel/ (Accessed 8th February 2013)

A way of being able to work around this is by using near-complimentary colours or muted complimentary which use muted versions of the complimentary colours or indirect complimentary so that the clash between the colours is much more subtle

4. Can colour printing and what's on screen collaborate together?

By using the different colour modes of RGB and CMYK, you can print out exactly what you have on screen but it can effect the way the image comes out in print. However, there isn't a way that has been invented where you can go straight from screen to print without having to check or change which of these you are working from.

RGB is used for on screen work as the colours work from light whereas CMYK is used for inks as it is made from pigments.

"Why Printing is CMYK" by Graeme Cookson 

Cookson, G. "Why Printing is CMYK" [Internet] Available from http://shutha.org/node/815 (Accessed 8th February 2013)

The photographic examples highlight the differences between the colour values of the printing process and screen. RGB uses light so it is much brighter, particularly on screen. CMYK on the other hand uses inks which can only be mixed so much as they are not pure and have a smaller contrasting range than whats on screen so therefore the imagery does become duller and murkier, with some colours affected more than others.

If this is the case then you may need to adjust the colouration or change the colours you working with. It helps if you have used a Pantone specific colour so you can instantly change it to what it was without trying to find it again.

5. What is the distinct difference between determining a Hue and a Tone?

Diagram of Differences between Colour Types
Froshay, W. (2012) "Colour Definitions Simplified" [Weblog] 27th December Blog Post Blogger Available from http://froshay.blogspot.co.uk (Acesseed 6th February 2013)

A hue is the colour in its purest form, with no change to the appearance or physicality of the colour, e.g.. it hasn't been de-saturated. It s the basic name of the colour.

A tone is when a colour has been mixed to produce a lighter or darker shade of the hue, usually having been mixed with a black or white. In other words, its the gradients of the hue.

6. How does being colour blind affect the way we see colour?

Someone who is colour blind has difficulty seeing the primary colours of Red, Blue and Green (RGB variation) and has an inability to distinguish between colours. These diagrams present a simulation of how colour presents itself to those lacking in the retinal photoreceptors of particular colours:

Normal 

Deuteranope (Absence of Green )

Protanope (Absence of Red)

Tritanope (Absence of Blue)
ColorMatters "What is Color Blindness?" [Internet] Available from http://www.colormatters.com/color-and-vision/what-is-color-blindness (Accessed 6th February 2013)

This means that those who has a form of colour blindness cannot see the elements of that particular colour within the colour they are looking at, thereby distorting the shade of the colour to the effected person.

7. Could the colour theory wheel be extended over tertiary's to become infinite?

Yes, Every colour has a secondary colour therefore this means that the colour wheel continues to expand every time a new colour is added.

"Analogous Design Palettes from Different Sections of the Hue Circle"

MacEvoy, B. (2007) "Handprint: Color Harmony & Color Design" [Internet] Available from http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/tech13.html (Accessed 7th February 2013)

As shown in the diagram, the more colours that are mixed between the primary's and secondary's means that the colour wheel continues to get larger thereby surpassing the idea of tertiary's and moving onto larger and larger groups of colours.

8. Which high contrast colour pairing would not effect the readability and legibility of words?

The purpose of a high contrast colour pairing is to emphasize a point so it is mainly for something small and therefore not really designed for body copy.

"Experiment Findings/ Results" (1996) by Dr. Lauren Scharff

Scharff, L. (1996) "Color Test" [Internet Available from http://www.laurenscharff.com/research/survreslts.html (Accessed 8th February 2013)

A study was carried out by a Dr. Lauren Scharff of the Austin State University, Texas where she carried out a survey, determined to measure the readability and legibility of different background/text combinations. As shown by the results, black and white were the most popular and successful but in regards to finding a high contrast pairing that was most successful, it seems to be that any bright coloured text with a white background seems to be the easiest to read. Despite this, this doesn't mean that the colour choice wouldn't, in some way, effect the words readability or legibility.

9. How do you determine which Pantone book to use in a situation, e.g.. Solid, Process, Coated, Uncoated, Matt or Tint, ect.

Coated, Uncoated and Matt is reference to the paper stock you are using and how the ink will appear when printed on the stock. The swatch book for these are printed in the stock you would use so that you can see how that colour would look.

"Pantone Swatches- Coated vs Uncoated" by Pantone 

Universal Printing "Choosing Inks For Colour Printing- Coated vs Uncoated" [Internet] Available from http://info.universalprinting.com/blog/bid/51807/Choosing-Inks-for-Color-Printing-Coated-vs-Uncoated (Accessed 7th February 2013)

Coated is glossy for shiny stock paper. A way to look at it is that the paper has been treated before hand so it is made less absorbent of the ink. This is indicated by the C next to the Pantone number. The ink appears more vibrant as it doesn't absorb.

Uncoated is for paper which hasn't been treated and is more absorbent of the ink. This is indicated by the U next to the Pantone number.

Darker shades of Uncoated and Coated don't appear close in shade whereas lighter shades appear very closely in shade.

Solid is reference to the spot colours used by Pantone whereas Process is reference to the colours that are mixed with CMYK.

Pantone "Graphics- PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM" [Internet] Available from http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/Pantone.aspx?pg=19970&ca=1 (Accessed 7th February 2013)

Tint is reference to a colour being less than 100% of the hue thereby meaning that it has been de-saturated.

10. Does having a different tone of a colour effect the way people perceive the colour? e.g., instead of being jealous with dark green, light green would be seen as calming

This seems to be the case. Just in the way that colour hues have different emotions, the same could be said for the different tones of a colour as well as colour connotations becoming attached.

Within the article, "Colour and Emotion: What does Each Hue Mean?" by Carrie Cousins, she provides examples of varying shades of colours and emotions that they provide as well as an analysis.

Cousins, C. (2012) "Colour and Emotion: What does Each Hue Mean?"[Weblog] 3rd April Codrops Available from http://tympanus.net/codrops/2012/04/03/color-and-emotion-what-does-each-hue-mean/ (Accesssed 7th February 2013)

For example, the main hue of Green is seen as a colour of nature, energy, spiritual balance and harmony

Light Green encourages harmony and cheerfulness which aids a peaceful and calming quality.

Dark Green exhibits the qualities of ambition, concentration and prosperity yet it can also involve jealousy.