Isabella Estevez
TABLE OF CONTENTS
M.1 - COLOR + YOU
page 3-9
M.2 - COLOR + CULTURE
page 10-15
M.3 - COLOR + THEORY
page 16
M.4 - COLOR + DESIGNERS
page 17-21
M.5 - COLOR + PERCEPTION + BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE
page 22
M.6 - COLOR + FILM
page 23-29
M.7 - COLOR + RHYTHM + BALANCE
page 30
M.8 - COLOR + EMPHASIS + RETAIL
page 31-37
M.9 - COLOR + HOSPITALITY
page 38-42
M.10 - COLOR + WORKPLACE
page 43-48
CONCLUSIONS
page 49
COLOR + YOU MY NAME IS ISABELLA ESTEVEZ
M1 In this assignment, we introduce ourselves and share our hobbies, and family backgrounds, our likes in and out of school.
Why study design?
I am a transfer student from Miami Dade College, with an AA and AS in Interior Design. I am currently in Studio Grad 2, and looking forward to it, since in Miami Dade we touched basis with that typology. My story as to why study design starts in my senior year of High School, after giving up on the idea to a professional career in Dance, my brother at that moment was majoring in Architecture and I was instantly fascinated by what he was doing, exploring his creativeness with models and drawings. I decided to explore further into it, and came across the Interior Design field. I did my research and decided to give it a shot. After several classes... I was in LOVE. I had found what so many people have trouble finding, a career that I would study without being pressured into it, or because it's the family legacy, or because that's what gives you more money. I chose to follow my dreams.
Background Born and raised in Havana, Cuba, with Spaniard background. I speak Spanish and English.
Once upon a time my family from my grandma's side, lived in a big house in Havana, Cuba. Now we are all spread out living in Spain, Chile, Cuba, and here, the United States. My parents got divorced when I was 16, my mom lives in North Carolina and my dad lives here in Miami.
Me, my mom, dad and brother moved to The United States in 2007. Moving to a new country was really tough, not only learning a new language, but also leaving family that I grew up with behind. With time I've gotten used to living away from them, but I still miss them as much as the first day we left. My parents divorce was pretty tough for a 16 year old, you can say I retaliated a bit.
Travel I have not traveled as much as I want, but to the couple of places I have been, I had a blast. In 2014 I had the opportunity to do an internship in Puerto Rico for 3 months. Where I learned their culture, and visited many beautiful places this country has to offer. In 2017 I traveled to the Bahamas in cruise with my best friend to celebrate our birthdays, and even though the weather was horrible and couldn't get to know many places, it was a very fun trip.
Hobbies
Crossfit + Makeup + Reading I do crossfit as a sport, I started doing it about a year and a couple of months ago. I am a big reader, I have my own collection of books, and I am a makeup lover, whenever my friends needs their makeup done, I always do it for them. I haven't yet followed it as a professional hobby.
Color Since I was little, I have always had a preference for purple. As a kid, we don't really learn about the different shades one single color has. Throughout the school years, I was able to specify my fascination with royal purple. When it comes to design and the way I dress, surprisingly, it doesn't take as much part in it. I am flexible in design just because I go with the palette that goes best with the brand I am designing for. My wardrobe barely has any royal purple in it. I should change this.
The color purple has been associated with royalty, power and wealth for centuries. "In fact, Queen Elizabeth I forbid anyone except close members of the royal family to wear it. ... Purple also came to represent spirituality and holiness because the ancient emperors, kings and queens that wore the color were often thought of as gods or descendants of the gods." (R.1)
"Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you" - Michelle Obama Conclusions It was an interesting assignment, to re visit great memories I have made through out my life, and talk about my passion, my hobbies, and career projects. It was great to also get to know the other students in the class
References 1. https://www.facebook.com/pandorasboxincjewelry/photos /a.1419073451725464/1786652964967509/?type=1&theater
COLOR + CULTURE
M2
This assignment is to introduce our culture and a culture I am interested in learning about. My culture and country is CUBA. I grew up in a big house, with 17 members of my family, our traditions consisted of being a family, nothing else mattered as long as we were all together. The country I have chosen to learn about is BRAZIL. It has always caught my attention, their culture, their language, their colors, and their music. I have never visited, but it is in my bucket list of the first country to travel to for fun.
CUBA
A compilation of pictures from Cuba's culture: singing, dancing, cars, and architecture. Vibrant colors throughout the country I am from.
HISTORY Cuban's culture is a complex mixture of different factors and influences. Many of our customs are based on European, African and Amerindian influences. It is a very visited country tourist wise, because of its beautiful beaches and wonderful views. Full of older architecture and classic cars. A country full of color. "Music is an important part of Cuban culture. The music scene in Cuba is influenced by both Spanish and African music. Some of the popular traditional music styles of Cuba include mambo, cha-cha-cha, charanga, danzon, rumba, and a few others." (R.2) Art in Cuba is a diverse mix of elements of African, South American, European, and American origin. COLORS OF THE FLAG "The blue stripes of the Cuban flag refer to the three old divisions of the island, the two white to the strength of the independentist ideal, the red triangle stands for equality, fraternity and freedom as well as for the blood split in the struggle for independence and the lone star symbolizes the absolute freedom among the peoples." (R.1)
BRAZIL A beautiful country full of positive vibes, culture, dancing, and music. I chose this country because their culture has always captivated me.
HISTORY
"Influenced by Portuguese and African people, with its delicious food, diverse population, and world-famous festivals, Brazil is an ideal place to immerse yourself in a new culture." (R.4) "Carnival is the most famous holiday in Brazil and has become an event of huge proportions. For almost a week festivities are intense, day and night, mainly in coastal cities. The typical genres of music of Brazilian carnival are: samba-enredo and marchinha. Football is the most popular sport in Brazil." (R.5) Known to play in the FIFA World Cup, and as well as champions. Home of the Amazon Jungle, and responsible for 20% of the world's oxygen. COLORS OF THE FLAG "The flag is green, symbolic of Brazil's lush fields and forests. Its primary feature is a large yellow diamond, symbolic of Brazil's wealth in gold, and in its center floats a blue celestial globe. It includes 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil. The globe displays a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO translation = (Order and Progress.)" (R.3)
Conclusions It was an interesting assignment, I learned a lot about my own culture as well as Brazil's culture. It reminded me of when I used to live in Cuba, and used to go on little trips with my family to go see Ballet at the National theater. I always admired it because of it's beautiful architecture. Brazil is a very beautiful country, and it's actually one of the first ones in my list to visit.
REFERENCES 1. https://flagfantasy.com/products/copy-of-antigua-barbuda-flag-fan 2. https://www.facebook.com/cubanfood.thecolony/photos/a.18060747 2725704/533512204101894/?type=1&theater 3. https://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/countrys/samerica/ brazil.htm 4. https://www.afsusa.org/programs/brazil-high-school/ 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Brazil
As interior designers, we have to be careful with the light source. Many mistakes are made without playing in different lighting environments. Color can easily change shades because of the lighting conditions. This is known as metamerism, where two colored samples appear to be the same shade in one light source, but then change in another light source.
Isaac Newton was a man of many accomplishments, one of them being the discovery of the refracted colors. He developed the first color wheel, which consisted of the visible colors of the spectrum (primary and secondary).
M.3 COLOR + THEORY Albert H. Munsell developed the most widely used color system, known as the "color tree", which included the three dimensions of color: hue, value, and chroma.
tint: Adding any amount of white to a color. tone: Adding gray to a color. shade: Adding black to a color. The Color Language We are the users of colors, and understanding them insures clarity.
CONCLUSIONS This assignment taught me the general and basic terms when it comes to color and how color can change shades because of the lighting conditions.
M.4 COLOR + DESIGNER Parc de la Villette, Paris For this assignment we had to choose a designer and thoroughly research the project we would choose, then analyze its color influence.
BERNARD TSCHUMI Studied: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. Taught in: Architectural Association in London, Princeton University, and The Cooper Union in New York. Currently a professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architeccture. His belief of thinking outside the box follows his concept of "event" and "movement" when designing. Awarded France's Grand Prix National d'Architecture in 1996 as well as many others. Recent Projects: Acropolis Museum in Athens, The Blue Tower in New York City, among many others. Parc de la Villette, Paris
Acropolis Museum, Athens The Blue Tower, NYC
Parc de la Villette, Paris "Unlike other entries in the competition, Tschumi did not design the park in a traditional mindset where landscape and nature are the predominant forces behind the design. Rather he envisioned Parc de la Villette as a place of culture where natural and artificial are forced together into a state of constant reconfiguration and discovery." (R.4)
PARC DE LA VILLETTE, PARIS "Red is not a color" He used red more to emphasize the main idea or concept of the project, almost as a diagram, to let the user know that that's what structures everything together. The color was irrelevant. "Parc de la Villette is designed with three principles of organization which Tschumi classifies as points, lines, and surfaces. The 135 acre site is organized spatially through a grid of 35 points, or what Tschumi calls follies. The series of follies give a dimensional and organizational quality to the park serving as points of reference. The repetitive nature of each folly, even though each one is unique and different, allow for the visitors to retain a sense of place through the large park." (R.4)
CONCLUSIONS His concept of looking at red not as a color but as a guide to the user, and to understand the structure's diagram better is interesting to me.
REFERENCES 1. http://www.tschumi.com/projects/3/# 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parc_de_la_Villette 3. https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museummonument/71469/Parc-de-La-Villette-Plein-Air 4. https://www.archdaily.com/92321/ad-classicsparc-de-la-villette-bernard-tschumi 5. https://oma.eu/projects/parc-de-la-villette 6. https://lavillette.com/
Using color as a guide for my presentations and not as something decorative is going to be a challenge, but nothing is impossibble!
It is important to find the right color contrast within a space. Top right picture shows single color use overwhelming the space, losing focus on the important details. Top left picture is a good example to show the right color contrast, successfully balanced with pattern, scale and contrast.
M.5 Color + Perception
Contrast of saturation or intensity.
Light/dark Contrast
Contrast of extension.
Complementary Contrast
Simultaneous Contrast
Simultaneous Contrast occurs when there is a shift in color from two adjacent hues that have reduced or increased each other's intensity, resulting in a perceived third color.
Contrast of hue
Cool/warm Contrast
Color Trends 2020
Color Trends affect product development, purchasing habits, and the placement of products in the market place that are in fashion. In today's culture, we purchase what is trending, and that includes the color or pattern that is in fashion. CONCLUSIONS In this assignment we learned what color means in other cultures, how important it is to find contrast within a space, and how color trends makes an impact in our designs.
We associate color based on our culture, we see its meaning differently. Color speaks to us, helping us navigate and understand the visually complex world around us.
For this assignment we had to watch a movie and analyze how color is used in the film. To choose scenes and discuss the palette it uses.
m.6 color + film
Isabella Estevez
movie summary This captivating story is about Theodore (male protagonist) whose job entails in writing love letters for others. While trying to get over his failed marriage with Catherine, Theodore becomes fascinated with a new operating system that has a voice and personality of its own, though friends at first, it later becomes love.
red/pink analysis Theodore wears the red/pink shirt most of the movie, meaning love and acceptance. Since the beginning of the movie, he is trying to accept his current situation and trying to come to terms with everything going on in his life, after meeting Samantha (the operating system) this feeling increases as his relationship with her escalates. Amy most of the time is also wearing red after she splits with her current boyfriend, as she is a very accepting person, specially when it came to dating an OS.
yellow analysis Theodore does not use yellow color shirt as often, when he does, it's when he is feeling confused or uncertain. Towards the end of the movie, Samantha leaves for a short period of time which makes Theodore freak out, when she comes back and tells him she's been updating herself, he is uncertain and confused through out this whole scene, then finds out that Samantha has been in a relationship with other people while they were dating.
white analysis White is seen here and there in various scenes, the one that stuck to me the most was the ending, Theodore is left heartbroken after Samantha left, but he understands the situation, which is why white represents a neutrality/neutral acceptance. He is struggling, but still accepts all the positive things and experience he gained from being in a relationship with Samantha. While Amy is wearing red, she is feeling love and acceptance towards Theodore.
blend of colors analysis Most of his flashbacks with Catherine, Theodore's ex-wife, is a blend of colors, it's almost as if they were never on the same level. Theodore most of the time is always wearing blue shirts on the flashbacks meaning sadness or discomfort, and he later explains to Samantha that he was never himself when he was with Catherine, after splitting up, it was like he found his true self. In another scene he is also wearing blue at work, he sends Samantha the love letters he writes to proof read, while she is reading, he is feeling kind of uncomfortable with the situation since he doesn't believe people when they say he's good at what he does.
analyzing the use of color What caught my attention about the movie, is that scenes would have a very neutral color background, but what would pop is what the main characters would be wearing, like their color shirt, and this would depict their mood or what they are feeling in that scene. Red/pink means love and acceptance. Blue means sadness or discomfort. Yellow means uncertainty and confusion. White means neutrality or neutral acceptance. There were color blends where characters would wear two colors giving a vibe of feelings confronting each other. The use of primary colors was brilliant, every color in the scenes complemented each other, and nothing seemed out of place.
references
https://www.netflix.com/title/70278933
Progression Rhythm The repetition of similar elements with a continuous change.
Radiation Rhythm An arrangement of objects in a radial pattern.
Repetition Rhythm The systematic orderly succession of identical design elements along a defined path in space.
Transition Rhythm Leads the eye gently in a continuous, uninterrupted flow from one area to another.
Alternation Rhythm When two design elements are repeating in sequence
M.7 Color + Rhythm As designers, we seek inspiration from all sources. We tend to look at nature often for it's organic patterns. For example, this lamp is inspired by a school of sardines. Designed by Verner Panton.
CONCLUSIONS In this assignment, we learned how the rhythm of elements can be implemented in a space, and how as we designers get our inspiration from all different sources, including organic patterns.
Designer: Herzog & de Meuron Client: Prada Japan Where: Tokyo What: 7,750 total square feet on three levels
M.8 COLOR + EMPHASIS In this assignment we had to choose a flagship store from a list, and analyze how color creates emphasis in the space.
Complementary Colors Orange & Green
CONTRAST OF HUE "Miu Miu is known for its fashion- forward, sensual and provocative style, which seeks to evoke a sense of freedom and intimacy, along with attention to detail and quality." (R2) The use of these two complementary colors create a provocative and playful atmosphere in the store. The use of the green partitions gives an illusion of outlining the copper/orange back wall, where the merchandise is being displayed.
CONTRAST OF VALUE "A no-nonsense, warm gray industrial floor exhibits a subtle pattern that adds interest without attracting too much attention. The flooring is composed of oak tiles that are infilled with a gray urethane resin containing rubber granulates, and it is oiled and stained black." (R1) The white emphasizes important areas like main displays or resting areas, and the black emphasizes circulation throughout the store. This contrast is intense so the attention is not taken off the important features in the store.
Black and White Contrast
CONTRAST OF A DESIGN FEATURE "Rather than the anticipated seethrough window, viewers encounter self-reflection. The exterior's smooth metal finish enhances the coldness inherent in the building's overall form, but it's the inside of the box where things get interesting." (R1) The contrast of Silver and Copper of the facade is a monumental and inviting design feature. While the silver has sharp edges, the copper has soft edges, inviting the costumers to explore the interior of the store.
CONTRAST OF TEXTURE Throughout the interiors of the store, there is a consistency of pattern and texture of copper, the furniture fabric and finishes, curtains, carpets, and cushioned displays. The green partition walls share the same pattern as the furniture creating a union and elegance to the space. The metals and the fabrics make a unique contrast of softness vs roughness.
FOCAL POINT The minute you go in the store, your eyes are drawn to the stairs. The green partition walls serve as a guide to the eyes, which lead you to the copper wall that contrasts with the stairs. It looks like the stairs is a continuity to the ceiling, which is inviting you to the second floor, and makes you curious of it. The materials on the stairs are carpet and glass. Black and white gives a contrast that draws your eyes to it.
REFERENCES 1. https://www.contractdesign.com/projects/retail/miu-miu/ 2. http://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/sarahhenning/2017/05/09/miu-miu-brandanalysis/
M.9 COLOR + VARIETY
1 HOTEL - SOUTH BEACH In this assignment we had to choose a hospitality project from a list, and analyze color,texture, pattern and line within this space.
PALETTE + VISUAL WEIGHT The 1 Hotel has a very neutral and warm palette, it makes you feel welcomed to the space and relaxed. Visually, it is very soothing. It has access to natural light which is good for the well being of the customers. The visual weight lies on the different textures the surfaces present with. For me, I think the focal point of the space lies in the main circulation, bright orange lights hidden under the steps guide the customer throughout the space without a problem. It is like being a kid all over again, you want to follow where the light takes you.
LINES, POINTS & PLANES
The variety of architectural details have a positive effect on lines, points and planes in this space. Vertical lines of the columns symbolize the height, along with the architectural features in the back wall in the picture on the right, which visually, these vertical lines lead your eyes to the ceiling and the pattern continues with the wooden panels. Every line, point and plane harmonizes with each other, making it visually a pleasant site.
DESIGN INTENTION & TEXTURES The shapes integrated in the design are all very organic, and it goes with the concept of being in close location to the beach, so I think the design intention is very clear, along with the use of natural materials and textured surfaces. The textures through out the building were very eye pleasing, the use of natural materials made me think that the designer did take in consideration the well being of the people staying at the hotel, as well as for the employees. The variety in the use of textures, materials, and color, you would think that it would've been overwhelming because it's all so different, but on the contrary, I thought it was a very soothing environment, and the wood made me feel cozy in a very big space, which I think it is hard to accomplish.
SUMMARY In summary, this building was very well designed in my opinion, I usually like more color contrast in a space, but analyzing the design intention made me realize that not every space need an 'in your face' kind of color contrast, even if it's minimal, like the bright orange light throughout the main circulation under the steps, that is eye catching enough to not take away from the design intention. The space as a whole made me feel cozy, relaxed and happy. The use of a neutral palette was an excellent idea. It is all cohesive and smooth, the organic shapes gave the spaces form, adding a positive weight to the human eye. The patterns are repetitive, enough to make you feel familiar and not lost and overwhelmed.
REFERENCES
Color + Design by Ron Reed, 2nd edition.
M.10 COLOR + VARIETY WORKPLACE
PANDORA MEDIA In this assignment we had to choose a workplace from a list, and analyze color within this space.
PALETTE + EFFECT "The Pandora Media new headquarters occupy 40,000 square feet spanning the 19th and 20th floors of a decades-old Park Avenue building."(R.2) It presents us with a bright colored palette with primary colors from the color wheel. Psychologically it gives clients and employees a good way-finding around the space. The pop of color in the space does not make me feel uncomfortable, it's actually eye pleasing by combining colors with the right partner, but I wouldn't want to be in a bright yellowed room all day, so I believe the designers did this on purpose, these rooms are not to be occupied the 8 hours of a working day, but only to collaborate or take phone calls, or whatever the employees needs to do for a short amount of time.
WAYFINDING One of the most successful parts of this project is way-finding, I think I Each section of the spaces are almost named in colors. As seen in the don't have to be in the space to know my way around. The focal point for floor plans, there is the green, red, yellow, and red sections of workplaces. me would be the patterned walls with the faces of various artists, and just This makes it easy for people to find their way around the space. so happens to be located on the main circulation.
LINES, POINTS & PLANES The staircase provides physical connection between the two floors. The strings of light bulbs situated vertically, leads your eye up meaning growth, as well as the vertical lines of wood panels of the artist's faces. One of the design planes that stood out to me the most, is the blue wall patterned with discs. It really gives a very nice impression when you come in to the place.
TEXTURE + SHAPES The shapes integrated in this design project really went well with the design intention. Every single element look harmonic and flows together, the whole design speaks as a whole. Texture wise, there is not much besides the wall of the artists and the disc wall, everything else looks pretty solid, wherever color occupies the space, although the little circles give some kind of privacy to the space, and perhaps visually tricks you into being a textured surface, but it's not really. In summary, this workplace was very well designed in my opinion, I really liked the contrast of color and texture, and how it was used as way finding.
CONCLUSIONS
I really liked doing this assignment, specially this very well designed space. It was very easy to analyze, and gave me inspiration for my current project with how wayfinding is used with colors, texture and graphics.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.archdaily.com/530917/pandora-media-inc-new-york-office-aba-studio 2. https://www.thrillist.com/home/pandora-media-s-new-york-headquarters-designed-by-aba-studio
CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, this was a very fun class. I learned many things, including how to use the grid in a presentation, how to analyze the use of color in various settings, and how designers use it to enhance wayfinding, or to ignite a feeling from people, how it is used in our culture, and on films. Not just to analyze, but to also learn about the basic terms of color, like hue, tones, tints, shades and value, as well as complimentary, secondary and tertiary colors in the color wheel. How color can change shades because of the lighting conditions. This class overall was very interesting, and I can't wait to apply this new knowledge on my future projects, in and out of school.