Aesthetics & Emotion in Design by Kerryn Smith
A Commonplace Book Contextual Studies (117210)
Abstract As an aspect of design, aesthetics can be considered one of the most essential factors in the act of communication. As a relatively old concept the theory surrounding aesthetics and its function within design has touched on many aspects of design practice, from product to furniture design, utilizing tactile and visual means to structure experiences. This literature review looks at how aesthetics are applied within design practice to construct meaning and to elicit an emotional response. By understanding how aesthetics can be applied to a design, both in the physical and conceptual sense, we can begin to appreciate how these can affect our processing of a design. Aesthetics continue to be an important element in any design process and when considered carefully they can be used to influence the interaction and relationship a design will have with its particular audience.
Aesthetics & Emotion in Design
Kerryn Smith, 2015
Aesthetics in Design Design is a means with which humans are given the ability to envision and realize new possibilities of experience. It can be considered a simple problem solving activity, yet David Pye (1978), the author of ‘The Nature & Aesthetics of Design’, see’s it as something that can be used to achieve happiness and encourage positive emotional response. Mads Folkmann (2013) also considers design as a central part of our modern world, as we perceive life through tactile and visual means that affect and structure our experiences. It is also mentioned by Folkmann, as a part of this, that, “… aesthetics as an aspect of design touches on one of the most vital matters of how design functions as a means of communication.” (Folkmann, 2013, p. 27) The concept of aesthetics within design is not a new subject of discussion, dating back to the Greek notion of Aistheta, which means that which can be sensed. (Folkmann, 2013) However, it wasn’t until 1735 that the
Aesthetics & Emotion in Design
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discipline of Aesthetics’ in the modern sense received its name from German philosopher Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten. Aesthetics in this day and age is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as the ‘philosophy of the beauty or of art; a set of principles of good taste and appreciation of beauty’ (Sykes, 1982, p. 15) As a discipline in the modern sense it is primarily involved around the creation, interpretation, and appreciation of works of art. (“A.G. Baumgarten, The Man Who ‘Invented’ Aesthetics,” 2015)
informed through their personal experiences or cultural differences. There is no guide to design appreciation, as each person perceives aesthetics and beauty in a different way. Aesthetic appreciation is something that we must learn for ourselves. (Pye, 1978)
Theorizing aesthetics in design involves understanding its distinctive appeal to the senses or the sensual experience it can provide. This however, does not mean that aesthetics are solely about the outward appearance, although they work to emphasize the purpose of design objects as visually engaging artifacts. (Folkmann, 2009) Pye considered the questions of aesthetics, in what makes the appearance of something an example of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ design. In essence his answer was that nothing could be conclusively decided as being either due to peoples conflicting responses,
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The ‘Aesthetic Experience’ Moore describes aesthetic experience as “an intense feeling stirred by the perception of beauty, quality and perfect form…” (Moore, 2010, p. 42) She believes that our responses to aesthetics are linked to our personal experiences and knowledge, which mark our interaction with the physical world around us. Aesthetics in this case can be culturally and socially framed and may have political and social connotations so it makes sense that our reactions will be filtered through prior knowledge, experience and critical reflection. Moore sums this up simply by saying “…aesthetic experience is dependent on and limited by what we know.” (Moore, 2010, p. 69) In her opinion it is not possible to set aside what we know for the sake of aesthetic satisfaction, so in truth everyone’s aesthetic experience will be different. John Dewey (1859-1952) an American philosopher, who has contributed greatly towards the theory and understanding of aesthetics, believes that each experience will have its own aesthetic quality. In fact in his
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words the term ‘aesthetic’ refers to, “experience as appreciative, perceiving, and enjoying.” (Dewey, 1934, p. 207) Goodgame, who has written on the subject of Dewey’s work finds that most of the literature attentive to Dewey and his work focuses around his thoughts on human experience and the connection aesthetics have to this. (Goodgame, 2007) By understanding a particular design’s appeal to the senses and through assessing aesthetic qualities in design it is possible to emphasize the function of a design object into something more appealing, using aesthetic communication to change the experience of a design into something more engaging. (Folkmann, 2009) As an example given by Folkmann, of design that creates an aesthetic relationship between a subject and an object, is the interior design of Verner Panton (1926–1998). Panton’s interior design (figure 1) works create ambient spaces through the use of colour, texture, and layers of materials and surfaces. His designs urge a form of aesthetic perception in which the subject is made aware of their surroundings and made to appreciate them. Aesthetics & Emotion in Design
Figure 1a
Figure 1b Kerryn Smith, 2015
Design Perception As humans we process design on many different levels and as these processes interact they give us the experience of design. Design thinker Don Norman (2003) presented three such levels of processing design during a Ted Talk, referring to them as the Visceral, Behavioural and Reflective levels. Norman’s idea was expanded by Milton and Rodgers (2011) in their article on emotional design practice and what follows is their translation of what each level represents. Visceral design (figure 2), as the first level of processing refers primarily to the initial impact a product and its appearance has. It is all about the aesthetic appearance. An example given of this type of design is Ross Lovegrove’s water bottle for Ty Nant where the product captures the aesthetic of flowing water, persuading consumers to believe its taste, smell, and appearance is worthy of their desire. Figure 2
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Behavioural design (figure 3) is instead about a product’s look and feel. It refers to the total experience of using a product; the physical feel and pleasure people can derive from it and the functional effectiveness and usability. In Norman’s (2003) words, “…behavioural design is all about feeling in control, which includes usability, understanding” An example of this type of design is the feeling you get when using Global Knives. They are nicely balanced, sharp and give you the ultimate feeling of control when you cut. Reflective design as the final level of
processing is concerned with how a person is feeling after using a product and the image it will portray to others in a social or cultural context. Some designers can intuitively bring visceral, behavioural, and reflective design processes together to form a harmonious whole, producing products that succeed in connecting emotionally with the consumer. However Milton & Rodgers (2011), have presented methods meant to help designers create more pleasurable and satisfying products and experiences. One of two such methods suggested is thinking of the product as a person, giving them a personality and developing insight into the emotional demands it might have. The second method is to think of design as magic, ignoring technical constraints to enable the design to develop organically.
Figure 3
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Constructing Meaning through Aesthetics A number of questions can be asked in regards to design’s relation to content and meaning. Discussing aesthetics is a way of focusing on the meanings imbued within design, and on the construction of these meanings. Two different processes in constructing meaning in design are mentioned by Folkmann (2013), the first of which being Aesthetic coding that deals with the matter of how a design object relates to the construction of meaning. The second process is that of Symbolic coding, which considers how meaning can be made open through an object to relate to the possible. Folkmann states, “…that aesthetics in design is a matter of how design relates to meaning… we must also ask how (the design) performs or reflects this meaning in its physical form…” (Folkmann, 2009, pp. 49) Campbell chairs are an example of design in which the form does not also realistically follow the functional requirements. It is not a chair to use for seating, rather the design takes the principle of Figure 4a Aesthetics & Emotion in Design
Figure 4b Kerryn Smith, 2015
circularity and gives in a form and places it in actual space. It is the construction of concept. Folkmann (2009) also introduces briefly the concept of added quality through the use of aesthetics in design, considering the idea that aesthetic objects contain something ‘more’. This is a concept that is challenged by Csikszentmihalyi (1991) in his article ‘Design and Order in Everyday Life’. The author conducted an experiment where he visited people in their homes and asked them to pick an object that they had a connection to or thought was special in some way. Through this study it became apparent that the objects chosen seemed to lacked obvious aesthetic value, and it was concluded that for an artifact or design to be effective in conveying meaning the owner had to be personally involved in it. “People appreciate the experience of an object not really the aesthetics – people will more likely have a connection with memories associated with the objects but note the actual object.” (Csikszentmihalyi, 1991)
the idea that people are emotionally connected to a design object through aesthetics, instead insisting that they are connected to something through the meanings it conveys. The ‘immaterial’ qualities of something (such as memories, experiences or thoughts associated with the object) were usually what made something more special. However on that note the author did agree with the fact that the visual qualities of an object would effect our reaction to it. (Csikszentmihalyi, 1991)
This negates aesthetic theories surrounding
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The Emotional Experience of Design Emotions are crucial to how people understand their environments and engage with the material things around them. Aesthetically pleasing products often appear to be more effective due to their sensual appeal and people begin to form an emotional bond with products, brands or styles that they feel an aesthetic affinity to. (Milton & Rodgers, 2011) This stance is something agreed upon throughout aesthetic theory, including Norman, who describes emotions as “inseparable from and a necessary part of cognition. Everything we do, everything we think is tinged with emotion, much of it subconscious.” (Norman, 2004, p. 7) However, he didn’t used to think them as important when it came to design practice, preferring to address the function and form of a design object in a logical, dispassionate way. The lack acknowledgement to this subject matter got the response from other designers that “If (they) were to follow Norman’s prescription, (their) designs would all be usable – but…ugly”(Norman, 2004, p.
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8) Norman is now a strong voice in the field of Emotional design, publishing the book ‘Emotion design: why we love(or hate) everyday things’ writing on how aesthetics can benefit and manipulate the emotional qualities of a design. “…Utility and usability are important, but without fun and pleasure, joy and excitement…anxiety and anger, fear and rage, out lives would be incomplete.” (Norman, 2004, p. 8) Folkmann is another supporter in this field of design, quoting Sabine Döring in saying how “the aesthetic is connected to the emotional, as “to experience something aesthetically is to give it emotional value” (Folkmann, 2013, p. 67) An example of how the emotional experience of a design can affect the way we feel and think, is seen in the advertising and production of apple products. In particular the iPod (figure 6), an MP3 player that is easy to use and aesthetically appealing. In short, “it is cool, it feels good” and ‘Feeling good’ is an emotion that can have a huge impact on consumers; it can make users feel passionate. (Khalid & Helander, 2006) From the same standpoint
Figure 5 Folkmann presented Boradkar’s uncovering the design enigma, which is peoples desire for Apple products. It is the packaging and presentation (figure 6, 7) in the end that make them appear magical in function, generating brand and fetish value through the simple manipulation of aesthetics. Folkmann also quoted Boradkar in saying, “Designers tinker with the surface characteristics of form, contour, materials, colour and texture to create the aesthetic experiences that users seek and desire.” (Folkmann, 2013, p. 37)
Figure 6a Aesthetics & Emotion in Design
Figure 6b Kerryn Smith, 2015
According to Milton and Rodgers (2011) “Consumers no longer simply expect the products they buy to be functional and usable, but now actively seek products that elicit emotional feelings…achieved through the way a product looks, the feel of its materials, the tactile…or more abstract feelings, such as reflected status and brand values.” (Milton & Rodgers, 2011)
necessity for designers to consider emotions in design. They argue that a product should be designed to support a customers needs through providing an interaction, in both a physical and aesthetic sense. It is concluded by them that customers makes decisions based on their feelings, values and reflections. As such, designers should consider the important of emotional design in their work.
It is considered by Helander & Khalid (2006) that emotions are elicited by products and consumer goods, which emphasizes the necessity for designers to consider emotions in design. They argue that a product should be designed to support a customers needs through providing an interaction, in both a physical and aesthetic sense. It is concluded by them that customers make decisions based on their feelings, values and reflections. As such, designers should consider the important of emotional design in their work. It is considered by Helander & Khalid (2006) that emotions are elicited by products and consumer good, which emphasizes the
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Conclusion From all the research that has been done on the topic of aesthetics within design, it is possible to gain a solid understanding of the way in which aesthetics work to generate meaningful and emotional experiences. Through this understanding we can fully appreciate how the emotional experience of a design can affect the way we feel and think. Without this consideration design will lack any sense of fun and pleasure. It is clear that as an aspect of design, aesthetics has an important part to play in the role of communication. Designers should consider the relationship of aesthetics within design, using the information and skills available to them to provide designs that are not only functional, but can be used to provide a sense of satisfaction.
Aesthetics & Emotion in Design
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Visual Index All image sources can be found at: www.pinterest.com/kasgirl26/contextual-studies-visual-index/
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Reference List A.G. Baumgarten, The Man Who “Invented” Aesthetics. (2015, May 26). Retrieved from http://artlark.org/2015/05/26/ag-baumgarten-the-man-who-inventedaesthetics/ Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1991). Design and Order in Everyday Life. Design Issues, 26–34. http://doi.org/10.2307/1511451
Goodgame, A. (2007). The art of politics: John Dewey’s theory of aesthetics, democracy, and revolution. Retrieved August 24, 2015, from http://search.proquest.com. ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/docview/304828936?pqorigsite=summon Khalid, H. M., & Helander, M. G. (2006). Customer emotional needs in product design. Concurrent Engineering, 14(3), 197–206. http://doi. org/10.1177/1063293X06068387
Dewey, J. (1934). Art as Experience; The Live Creature. Retrieved from http:// thenewschoolhistory.org/wp-content/ uploads/2013/09/Dewey-ArtasExperience. pdf
Milton, A., & Rodgers, P. (2011). Emotional design. Retrieved from http://search. credoreference.com.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/ content/entry/lkingpd/emotional_design
Folkmann, M. N. (2009). Evaluating aesthetics in design: A Phenomenological Approach. Design Issues, 26, 40–53.
Moore, K. (2010). Overlooking the visual : demystifying the art of design. New York, USA: Routledge.
Folkmann, M. N. (2013). Aesthetics of imagination in design. London, England: MIT.
Norman, D. A. (2003). 3 ways good design makes you happy. Retrieved from https:// www.ted.com/talks/don_norman_on_ design_and_emotion?language=en
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Norman, D. A. (2004). Emotion design: why we love(or hate) everyday things. Basic Books. Retrieved from http://elibrary.kiu. ac.ug:8080/xmlui/handle/1/1614 Pye, D. (1978). The nature and aesthetics of design. London, England: Herbert Press. Sykes, J. B. (Ed.). (1982). The Concise Oxford Dictionary (Seventh). Oxford University press.
Image List Figure 1a/1b: Visiona II [image] (1970). Retrieved August 24, 2015, from http://www. blenheimgang.com/verner-panton/ Figure 2: Ty Nant Water Bottle [image] (2000 - 2002). Retrieved August 24, 2015, from http://www.rosslovegrove.com/index.php/ custom_type/ty-nant/ Figure 3: Global Knives [image] (n.d). Retrieved August 24, 2015, from http://www. casa.com/p/productname-237345?cookies_ set=1 Figure 4a/ab: Very Round [image] (2006). Retrieved August 24, 2015, from http://www. louisecampbell.com/#veryround Figure 5: Ipod Shuffle [image] (2015). Retrieved August 24, 2015, from http://www. apple.com/ipod/ Figure 6a/6b: Macbook [image] (2015). Retrieved August 24, 2015, from http://www. apple.com/macbook/
Aesthetics & Emotion in Design
Kerryn Smith, 2015