WK 5 Blog Exercise: Visual vs Symbolic Language

Google image search of "Economy"

Image from: http://www.ethicalmarkets.com

Visual images and Symbols:
Solar
Solar Cells
Blue Skies
Flowers
Green Fields
Windmills
Greener Pastures
Rally at Washington
The Dome
Power to the People
Jobs
U.S. Moving too Slowly
Time for Change is Now
The World
Hope
Bio-tech
Lab worker with rubber gloves
Test Tubes
Cutting Edge
New Era
Brave Frontier
The Future
Sustainability
Balance


This image is of a flyer that contains five separate still shots of various aspects of the green economy. One picture contains the image of the Capitol with someone holding up a sign with the phrase "Green Jobs". The next picture shows giant solar cells in a field of flowers. A picture can be seen of a scientist with gloves holding a vial with some sort of sample to be tested. Below that is a scene of windmills towering over a flat green plain. In the center of all of these scenes is an image of a tall skyscraper with a sculpture of the earth in front; superimposed on that image is text containing the phrase, "The new green economy". I choose this image because the content is forward thinking. I think this is the direction our economy will have to take in order to achieve a long-term harmonious relationship with our planet.

WK 4: Visual Thinking Research

I went to the website puzzle.com to try out different visual puzzles. I found two puzzles that presented different types of visual problems. I asked my friend Tim if he'd be willing to look at the same puzzles that I tried so we could compare how well we solved each puzzle and to compare the strategies we used to find the solutions.

The first puzzle we tried was called, "Counting the Triangles 2". It's a two dimensional square with lines dividing it into pieces. It was very easy for me to see the different triangles inside of the square.

I sent the link to the web address where the puzzle could be found to Tim. He looked at the puzzle from his laptop computer. After a short amount of time I asked Tim if he was finished. He said he was and I asked how many he found. He said he had found 28 triangles. I then told him I had found 44. We then looked at the answer key to see the solution.

The answer key shows 16 small triangles, 16 medium triangles, 8 large triangles, and 4 extra large triangles - a total of 44. My method for finding the triangles was simple. I used what McKim would describe as pattern seeking in which one aspect called, "finding" locates a desired pattern embedded in distracting surroundings.

Tim described his method of searching for the triangles as similar to how I found mine. The difference was that he overlooked the medium sized triangles during his search.

In the next puzzle called, "Block Twins" in which each lettered box contains a three dimensional shape formed by a group of cubes. The goal is to match this 3-D shape with another that has been rotated in some way. I attempt to find a solution; again I asked Tim to try to do the same.

For my answer, I paired the following: L&J - K&H - C&F - A&I B&G and E&F. Tim's pairs were: E&L - B&G - H&K - C&D - F&J and A&I. After looking at the answer key I realized how badly (only 50%) I performed on this puzzle, Tim however, was pleased to find out he had gotten all six pairs correct.

In this puzzle I tried to see the shapes in my head and envision what that shape would look like rotated and seeing if any of the other shapes matched that vision. Tim said he looked for common patterns within the form and tried to find other shapes that resemble the those same traits. McKim describes the ability for rotating an object in ones mind as orthographic imagination. Orthographic imagination is the ability to imagine how a solid object looks from several directions. This is an alternative operation: either the object is mentally rotated, or the viewpoint is rotated in relation to the object.

Conclusion: It appears as if my mind is better suited to examine 2-D surfaces since I had no problem finding the 44 triangle in the first puzzle. Tim it seems, is better at conceptualizing 3-D objects in his head.

Week 3 Blog Exercise - Feature Hierarchy and Visual Search

http://www.arktura.com/products/coral_coffee_table.html

This table has a simple and modern form. What I like about it is that it has an organic feel reminiscent of a spider's web, flowers, or leaves blowing in the wind. If one examines this from a bottom up view, the contrasting color between the table and the background might be one of the first features a visual query might pick up on. The next feature one might notice, is the patterns light and shade observed from it's shadow. This table design is meant to be as sculptural as it is utilitarian.

The table is an example of something I could see myself designing. I like the idea of blending organic patterns into contemporary forms. As an interdisciplinary industrial arts student I have an interest in both visual and product design. This is the kind of product that appeals to my sense of style.

Week 2 Blog Exercise

Top Down Visualization

As an Industrial Arts Major, I wish to attract attention to whatever I design. When it comes to modern design, the people at Apple are experts at attracting attention toward their stores. This store in Manhattan is all glass and reminds me of the Louvre in Paris.



The entrance is futuristic and epic in scale. If you are going to buy a computer, go with a company that inspires you to dream of a bigger better tomorrow.



Apple has found a way to drive people into active participation around their stores. By getting their customer engaged in a top-down visual experience Apple can give the consumer a real since of empowerment when selecting the right product.

Each new space a person enters at an apple store is a constant priming of action plans. The plan to buy is driven by the visual cues and information within this contemporary space. As a designer I will want to model my ideas in a way that creates this same top-down response from my audience.


Here is a cool time lapse of people coming and going in and around the store:
http://www.apple.com/retail/fifthavenue/gallery/timelapse.html