An Introduction to Shape for Design and Communication

Design & Communication | ARTS102

An Introduction to Shape

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Understanding visual art, design, communication and its functions through traditional and contemporary delivery.

Design & Communication | ARTS10

Design & Communication: SHAPE THE PRINCIPLE OF SHAPE AND SYMBOL IN VISUAL COMMUNICATION - OVERVIEW

Previously we have covered the concepts of the border, picture plane, focal point and the foreground and background, or gure/ground relationship. We will now elaborate on the concept of Positive and Negative shape as it relates to design, and move forward into varieties of shapes, and the creation and usage of symbolic shape communication.

The resource cited in this unit is “Perception and Imaging” by Richard D. Zakia, Focal Press, 2002, ISBN 0-240-80466Knowing that we will attempt to focus on something in a visual eld, we can de ne a pair of distinguishable traits in an image as FIGURE and as GROUND, or refer to the Figure/Ground relationship. In the image on the right, the square is the gure, and the white is the ground. The image on the left is without gure

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Figure and Ground Relationship “Water Bearers”, Henri Matisse, Cut and painted paper, 195 Citing Zakia, “Several important observations can be made regarding gure-ground relationships 1. Even though the gure and the ground are on the same physical plane, the gure often seems nearer the viewer For more information n this amazing artist Please visit http://www.henri-matisse.net

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2. “Figure and ground cannot be seen simultaneously, but can be seen sequentially.”

(Concentrate and see if you can see a white square with a black hole

3. “Figure usually occupies an area smaller than ground.

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4. “Figure is seen as having contour; ground is not.

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Figure and Ground can be referred to as Positive and Negative space. Positive space is the gure. Negative space is the ground Different visual effects can be generated solely by the placement of the gure within the ground. In this example, the red shape is identical in all of the images, yet each has distinct visual effects caused by the location of the red shape, or gure, organizing the empty white area, or ground, into various shape combinations. This white area is called the negative shape

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Positive and Negative Shape

Often the positive shape will be the focal point of an image, but the negative areas or shapes are equally important in the nal visual effect. Here, while the gure is the subject, the placement of the gure on the ground creates negative shapes that enhance the gesture and movement in the image

Kitagawa Utamaro (1753? - 1806), woodblock prints

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Positive and Negative Shape in Logos

The concept of figure/ground is used extensively in the design of graphic symbols. Notice how the negative shapes, or grounds, are essential to a clear interpretation of the images.

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Positive and Negative Shape in Symbols

The designer can create harmonious visual relations in black and white using Figure/Ground ambiguity. To do so the negative space must be suf ciently enclosed so that it has a potential shape, and neither the gure nor ground should be dominant. The symbol for Taoism, representing Yin/Yang, is perfectly symmetrical, being seen as half gure and half ground. The curved line bisecting the image is a common contour to both, simultaneously separating and uniting the two sides. No one side dominates

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Figure and Ground Ambiguity

An excellent contemporary example of Figure/Ground ambiguity is the work of the Dutch artist M. C. Escher. In this example, the image has contour lines common to both the gure and the ground On the next few pages, we will show contemporary example of designers using positive and negative shape relationships in Logo or symbol design.

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C H AShape PTER 2 Positive and Negative Shape in Logos and Symbols

“Moby Dick Book Cover,” Alexander Johnson

“Titanic,” Ben Farrow

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“Batman vs. Penguin,” Simon Page

C H AShape PTER 2 Positive/Negative shape animals created by designer George Bokhua

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L UShape CTUS Gestalt Theory: the whole is different from the sum of it’s parts

Gestalt psychology provides us with theories of how the viewer groups and organizes visual parts so that they are perceived as a whole. In other words, what you see when you look at an image as a whole is different from what you see looking at each item making up the image separately. We have covered these concepts brie y in the Unity unit, but will now relate them to shape and symbol development The Star of David is seen not as 6 triangles around a hexagon, but as one solid unit. What Gestalt concept makes this happen View this website for more on Gestalt theories http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/ gestalt-theory-10134960

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Positive Shapes and Symbols Combining the elements of gestalt with positive and negative shape relationships can lead to symbolic representations.

Symbols are de ned as invented shapes communicating ideas or meaning beyond their literal form. Meanings are assigned and agreed upon by community, association, resemblance, or convention

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Letters as Symbols

Visual communication is symbolic. Letters are symbols that represent sounds; the lines we use to draw representational images are symbols for perception. Each word is part of a larger symbolic system, a language.

In our own language we usually recognize whole words at a time, without having to analyze them as symbols. Foreign languages, often made up of symbols/letters we don’t recognize, remind us that all letters are just symbols In Russian Cyrillic language and letters, as seen in variations on the right, the symbols become meaningless unless we are able to read in Russian.

HELLO .

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Origins of Symbols: Abstract The symbols we use today for writing alphabets evolved from simple cave drawings, which are the rst known form of visual communication. Discoveries of such drawings and symbols have helped us to understand how symbols and styles of visual communication have evolved from ancient times.

In all cave art abstract motifs are found alongside human and animal gures, and are given equal prominence. Abstraction arose from the need to represent, in a sign, an idea with a meaning unknown to outsiders, and it was achieved either simply or symbolically Paleolithic people practiced abstraction in the form of repetitive symbols, which represented primitive logical constants that were widely shared.. These included gures of animals, handprints, series of dots and notches Other representations take various forms: pictograms, gures or barely indicated gures of humans and animals, ideograms, abstract repetitive signs - such as arrows, sticks, tree shapes, discs, crosses and "V" shapes, parallel lines, and series of dots

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Origins of Symbols In the example left, Egyptian hieroglyphic symbols reveal a language of symbols representing elements of life in ancient Egypt. After they learned to use pictograms, ancient peoples developed ways to convey more complicate, abstract thoughts. They gave new meaning to single pictograms and to combination pictograms. Here are the Chinese characters for “sun” and “moon’.

Combined, they mean “bright.

Any object may be called a symbol as long as a group of people agree that it means more than just itself. For example, a red heart may be a symbol for love; a red cross may be a symbol for aid and comfort.

For more in-depth information regarding signs and symbols and how they are interpreted look up Semiotics: the study of signs and symbols and how they are used

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Origins of Symbols In 1974 the U.S. Department of Transportation commissioned the American Institute of Graphic Arts to develop a set of symbols that could communicate essential information across language barriers to international travelers. These symbols are referred to as Universal Symbols Today, these symbols are used world wide to direct travelers to rest rooms, heliports, escalators, etc. These symbols were created using simple positive/negative shape relationships for an image clean in presentation and clear in communication. In these examples, the black shapes are considered the positive shapes, and the white areas are considered the negative shapes.

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Symbols in Advertising, Symbols as Trademarks Companies have used symbolic images called “Trademarks” to identify themselves since the early Renaissance (circa 1400 a.d). This practice grew and ourished with the industrial revolution and matured in the 1950’s with complete corporate visual identi cation systems, referred to in the design/advertising industry as Corporate Identity. A trademark is any unique name or

IBM Logo, Paul Rand Designer

symbol used to identify a product and distinguish it from others. It can be registered and protected by law. It’s primary function is to increase brand recognition and advertise products and services.

Two designers strongly associated with this golden age of corporate identity are Paul Rand and Milton Glaser.

Common to both of their design sensibilities is a sense of visual economy, reducing imagery down to it’s simplest means to convey the message. Many of the symbols/ logos developed rely on simplicity, positive/negative shape relationships, and associative color to represent large corporate entities.

Brooklyn Brewery logo, Milton Glaser Designer

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Symbols in Advertising, Symbols as Trademarks The McDonalds trademark utilizes an enlarged M, often referred to as the Golden Arches, and simple text to create its visual identity. Red and yellow are used to create a sense of warmth and energy. The yellow M can also be read as French fries dripping over the edge of a container. Multiple associations are common in well-designed trademarks Nike created the “swoosh” symbol to represent their company. It is used alone, or with the text “Nike” in association with it. They chose to use the mythological reference to Nike, the ancient Greek personi cation of victory, to create associations with speed, success, and victory.

Notice how Nike’s logo resembles the wing on the sculpture “Nike of Samothrace.

Nike, Coca-Cola, and other corporations and institutions have a master corporate identity plan that coordinates all of their designs. This plan begins with a trademark or logo, applies it to business cards, letterheads, advertisements, product information, and packaging, and continues with a television, radio, and web presence. Through this all the symbolic representations are reinforced, creating strong associations in the viewer’s mind with the corporation represented.

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Symbols in Advertising, Symbols as Trademarks View the Federal Express logo to the top left. Notice the arrow, denoting movement, a good element for a shipping company, somewhat hidden as negative space in the type. Notice the economy of means, symbolic representations, and balanced compositions. These are complex design issues, yet in the end they are simple personi cations of a greater idea through the use of representative symbols that we the viewer can easily associate with. An axiom that illustrates itself here is that the simpler the imagery, the more correct every element must be for successful communication. One line or shape off and the illusion is destroyed The icons you use on your computer and mobile devices are visual symbols, representing software, tools, and other functions. You probably use them every day without thinking of the design elements or the associations of a small visual to the larger content of a software package or tool function

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Types of Shapes: Naturalism Shapes come in many guises. There is naturalism, where the designer/artist creates imagery that successfully imitates the illusion of a three dimensional space and contour as we, the viewer, see it. The painting by John Singer Sargent, far right, has proportions and a sense of depth that matches our visual reality. The graphic of the apple, done in a Sumi ink style, right, retains the contours and colors of “reality”, providing enough cues to let us read this as real

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Types of Shapes: Distortion

Opposing NATURALISM is DISTORTION, where the artist intentionally alters the forms of nature for their own purposes.

Caricature is a classic example of taking prominent physical features and exaggerating them for humor or for graphic effect. Here are examples from illustrators Al Hirschfeld and Philip Burke

“Whoopie,” Al Hirschfeld, ink on paper

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“Hillary Clinton,” Philip Burke, Oil on Board

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Types of Shapes: Abstraction

An offshoot of DISTORTION is ABSTRACTION. With Abstraction the natural shapes are reduced to their most basic character. These illustrations by Noma Bar take hair and facial forms and interprets them as basic geometric shapes. Notice the use of negative space in the images. The nuclear logo and a Vulcan hand sign are used as facial features. We still read them as faces, but they are largely simple hard-edges shapes

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Types of Shapes: Non-Objective

NON-OBJECTIVE shapes are shapes that refer to nothing but themselves. They have no subject matter other than pure form. It is pure visual design. This painting by Helen Frankenthaler is a good example of a non-objective shape composition

Helen Frankenthaler, Western Dreams, 1957, oil on canvas, 70 x 86 inches

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Types of Shapes: Rectilinear and Curvilinear RECTILINEAR describes shapes or compositions that have hard edges, right angles, and rectangular forms CURVILINEAR forms are more owing, using predominantly rounded shapes or lines to create the image. While the character of rectilinear images are often hard, curvilinear images are generally referred to as soft The poster by the designer Theo van Doesburg, far left, is Rectilinear; the photo by Edward Weston, immediate left, is EW/CW SHELLS, Edward Weston, Photograph

Theo van Doesburg, Poster Design for the 'Little Review', 1925.

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Terms and De nitions Abstraction - Natural shapes that are reduced to their most basic character Curvilinear - Shapes based on the sinuous organic shapes found in nature Distortion - An intentional alteration of the forms of nature, often manipulating conventional proportions.

Figure - A positive shape, often a recognizable form Ground - The unoccupied space in a composition, often termed as negative space Naturalism - Imagery that successfully imitates the illusion of a three dimensional space and contour as we, the viewer, see it in nature Negative Shape - The empty area left after positive elements have been created by the designer Nonobjective - Shapes that refer to nothing but themselves. They have no subject matter other than pure form Positive Shape - A gure or eld against a ground; the implied solid mass in the composition Rectilinear - Shapes or compositions that have hard edges, right angles, and rectangular forms Shape - A two dimensional area distinct from background and other shapes, bounded by outline, value change, textural differences or color to create a visually

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Objectives • Use SHAPE to create positive/negative space in a compositio • Use SHAPE to create gure/ground relationships in a compositio • To continue to re ne design skills & the previous elements learne

Helpful Tip Please refer to your software instructions or use the Adobe help website for those using digital methods. Try using google for questions or refer to online YouTube tutorials. Use Pinterest to benchmark ideas, artists and compositions based in shape Build on your knowledge from the last assignment to develop shape using other concepts like emphasis and balance.

ASSIGNMENT PART 2 Please respond thoughtfully to the following questions regarding your artwork.

Please write your answers in the “add comments” section of the drop box when uploading your image. Engage me as your instructor and audience by responding to the questions below as a self evaluation

ASSIGNMENT PART 1: Using the element of SHAPE, you will create images visually communicating positive and negative shapes using sea life animals. You may use any of the following: WHALE, SHARK, JELLYFISH, SEA HORSE, OCTOPUS, MANTA RAY. Try using clip art for digital versions, or pen, markers or black construction paper for analog. Feel free to draw your own.

Focus on shape and contour of the sea life while retaining a sense of gure/ ground ambiguity or interplay (amount of white space versus content). Keep your imagery simple, but elegant. Use the edges of the picture plane whenever possible to help de ne your shapes. Use repetition of form and repeating shape - play with positive and negative spaces. Recall that negative spaces are as important to the balance of the image as the positive space

1. Which sea life animals were easy to work with? Which ones harder 2. Tell me about your gure/ground space relationships? Why are they successful? If they aren’t... Why not 3. What do you like about the nished design 4. What can you do better next time This assignment is worth 20 points.

Here is the rubric for the assignment • following directions; including formatting (25%) • inclusion of self evaluation (25%) • understanding of lesson concepts (20%) • creativity; clear, effective use of visual communication (25% Please let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy

• Use black on white - or - white on black ONLY. No gray.

• Use repeating images for rhythm and movement • Use overlapping for interplay of shape • Use EMPHASIS in your design by contrasting size or isolation of shape/s • The images may be recognizable(naturalism), or abstract (nonobjective Feel free to be as creative as you wish; use other tools or analog options as you are comfortable within the limitations of the assignment. Upload you nal image as a jpeg, png or pdf to the dropbox provided for Lesson 5, Shape

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Assignment: Shape