RULES AND RESULTS - WORD AND IMAGE 2 2018
PROCESS
RESEARCH
There were three main components to this project: 1. Make a poster based on a passage from Alan Lightman’s “Einstein’s Dreams” 2. Write a set of rules for that poster 3. Have someone execute the rules to produce a result. Before I began to execute these components, I examined readings and projects of artists and philosophers that emphasize the process of their projects over the product. A couple of these readings included the “Conditional Design Manifesto” and Sol Lewit’s “Sentences on Conceptual Art.”
RESEARCH
I researched some of Sol Lewitt’s installations. I observed his method of delivering a set of instructions to produce a piece of art. This creates an interactive experience for the viewer, and even allows them to become the artist or creator themselves.
DISCOVERY
The passage I chose to base my poster off of discussed people’s perceptions of time. It described how the elderly think that time moves too slowly while children think that time moves too slowly. Because I found myself in between these two age groups, I was interested to see how I could convey my thoughts on this topic through my poster as well as explore others’. I decided that I thought that time moves too quickly, so then it was time for me to start to explore how I would convey that idea. I initially executed three different visual methods: one using distorted text, one using circles, and one using distorted lines.
DISCOVERY
I decided that the distorted lines version was the most sucessful in communicating what I was interested in. The blue, more condensed lines were supposed to look like they were moving too quickly (there were more of them because I feel like time moves too quickly) while the pink, less condensed lines were supposed to look like they were moving too slowly. I began to explore more iterations using this method to see what possible alternate outcomes could look like. These explorations would help me write my rules for my poster.
REFINEMENT
The next step of my process was to generate a rule set for my poster. In my rule set, it was crucial for me to consider what would be global variables and what would be local variables. The global variables would be what should remain the same throughout any execution of my poster and the local variables would be what would change depending the person. I decided that I wanted my type setting to remain strictly the same throughout any execution so as not to take away from the results of the global variables. My global variables included the distortion of the lines, the glow or gradient in my poster, the colors used, and the organization of the lines. The idea would be that the poster could ultimately reflect what the producer believes about the passage of time. I started to refine my rules by having my peers and classmates execute them throughout many trials.
REFINEMENT
The execution of these rules, helped me in deciding how specific I wanted to be in my rule set. For instance, I ultimately decided to be rather vague about most aspects of my poster, especially the color. However, I decided to get more specific about how the lines would be distorted (i.e. using the mesh tool). I also learned to clarify my vocabulary especially in terms of the gradient and my directions of its placement. In addition, since I really wanted to make sure the type setting remained exactly the same throughout, I opted to make PNG’s of the type that I would send to the producer along with the rules.
Here is a copy of the content of my final rule set:
Phase 1 – Document Set Up: Make a 16 in x 20 in portrait oriented illustrator document Phase 2 - Background: 1. Use a medium value background of color of choice a. if you think time moves too quickly, make this a cool color b. if you think time moves too slowly, make this a warm color
REFINEMENT
Phase 3 - Background Texture: 1. Draw 19 distorted lines of one color (These will be referred to as “Color A Lines”) and 8 lines of another color (These will be referred to as “Color B Lines”). All of these lines should have a line weight of 7 pt and the two colors should be in a similar color palette and relate to the background color. a. If you think that time moves too quickly, draw vertical lines. If you think that time moves too slowly, draw horizontal lines. If you can’t decide, draw both! All lines should extend through the edges of the document. b. Using the mesh tool (can be found in Object Envelope Distort Make with Mesh), distort accordingly: i. Color A Lines should look like they’re moving too quickly ii. Color B Lines should look like they’re moving too slowly c. Make the Color A Lines more condensed. The lines can also layer on top of one another a little bit. d. Make Color B Lines less condensed and placed towards the left side of the page. These should not layer on top of one another. e. The two sets of lines can intersect with each other a little bit, but should also be clearly distinguishable. Phase 4 - Title and Author 1. Place the PNG file titled “Title and Author” .75 inches away from the left edge of the document and 0.5 inches from the top edge. a. The PNG should be sized proportionally so that it is 19.06 inches tall. Phase 5 - Gradient 1. Using the gradient tool, place a freeform gradient in two new colors that follow the same color palette that you have been using, on top of the lines and title. However, be sure to still make the title and author rather legible. 2. Place the gradient around the edges of the document and as a legibility tool for the body text...this means placing it around the edges so it is beneath the title and making it even more opaque underneath the corner where the body text will be Phase 6 - Body Text 1. Place the PNG titled “Body Text” .75 inches away from the bottom edge of the page and .75 inches away from the right edge of the page. a. The PNG should be sized proportionally so that it is 3.048 inches tall.
Once my rules were established, I began to explore visual representations of my rules poster....
REFINEMENT
As I refined my rules poster, I considered the organization and hierarchy of my rules. In addition, I also considered how to relate my rules to my poster in a manner that tied them together, but also didn’t give too much away at risk of influencing the producer’s results. I went through many iterations before achieving my final product.
CRITICISM
As mentioned before, the criticism I received from my peers, instructors, and those executing my rules were absolutely crucial to the success of the results. Since this project was all about the process, proper communication was key. Some of my peers and instructors’ feedback included to reconsider the organization of the lines in my poster. How could that organization reflect what the producer believes about time? Another point of criticism included to be very clear in the application of the gradient in my poster. The gradient was not only for aesthetic purposes, but it also acted as a legibility tool for my body text. I learned to be clear in my directions, while also learning what is important to a visually effective piece. I also learned that sometimes the content we create is not always about the aesthetics, but can be more about the story behind it. To the right is a picture of all three of my posters displayed together (from top to bottom): My initial poster, my rules poster, and an execution of my final rule set by someone else.
CRITICISM
THE RULES
Phase 1: Document Set up Make a 16 in x 20 in portrait oriented document in Illusrator
Phase 2: Background Use a medium value background of color of choice If you think time moves too quickly, make this a cool color If you think time moves too slowly, make this a warm color
Phase 3: Background texture Draw 19 distorted lines of one color (These will be referred to as “Color A Lines”) and 8 lines of another color (These will be referred to as “Color B Lines”). All of these lines should have a line weight of 7 pt and the two colors should be in a similar color palette and relate to the background color. If you think that time moves too quickly, draw vertical lines. If you think that time moves too slowly, draw horizontal lines. If you can’t decide, draw both! All lines should extend through the edges of the document.
Using the mesh tool (can be found in Object — Envelope Distort — Make with Mesh), distort accordingly: Color A Lines should look like they’re moving too quickly Color B Lines should look like they’re moving too slowly Make the Color A Lines more condensed. The lines can also layer on top of one another a little bit. Make Color B Lines less condensed and placed towards the left side of the page. These should not layer on top of one another. The two sets of lines can intersect with each other a little bit, but should also be clearly distinguishable.
Phase 4: title and author Place the emailed PNG file titled “Title and Author” .75 inches away from the left edge of the document and 0.5 inches from the top edge. The PNG should be sized proportionally so that it is 19.06 inches tall.
Phase 5: THE GRADIENT Using the gradient tool, place a freeform gradient in two new colors that follow the same color palette that you have been using, on top of the lines and title. However, be sure to still make the title and author rather legible. Place the gradient around the edges of the document and as a legibility tool for the body text...this means placing it around the edges so it is beneath the title and making it even more opaque underneath the corner where the body text will be.
PhASE 6: BODY TEXT Place the emailed PNG file titled “Body Text” .75 inches away from the bottom edge of the page and .75 inches away from the right edge of the page. The PNG should be sized proportionally so that it is 3.048 inches tall.
CRITICISM
This Process Book was designed by Ariela Basson for Word and Image 2 at the Sam Fox School of Visual Arts and Design, Fall 2018