For this assignment, we were required to create images that exemplified the principles of design. These included balance, contrast, emphasis, rhythm, and unity. All work was constructed in Photoshop using a Dada style of creativity. Professor Morrow gave us photos to work with in Dada style, but we were able to use any we found off the Internet. The final project was digital copies of the 5 principles of design.
I created 5 photos, each one a different principle of design. I designed them all in Photoshop and used the stamp tool, experimented with the layer of images on one another, and the magic wand tool.
I don’t know if I followed a specific process to create these modified photos, but I did begin each one by brainstorming what exactly I wanted to do. I spent a lot of time throwing things on the canvas and moving different objects around, editing their transparency, and layering them over one another. I remember really enjoying this project, mostly because there were not very strict guidelines in what we had to create. I played around in Photoshop and became familiar with several image-editing tools. For each photo, once I had an idea of the general location of all images I wanted, I began altering them to fit within the Dada style.
I had to decide how I could effectively show each principle of design. This was more difficult to do in some cases, so I struggled to find ways to make each photo look different yet still cohesive if put in a sequence. I decided to pick a different color scheme for each photo I created, and work based off of the background color. I also had to decide what photos to use as my base for each creation, either from the file George gave us or online.
Each of my photos embodies a different principle or concept. The tinted yellow background shows asymmetrical balance, as the piece is left heavy. The green apples amidst the black and white background show emphasis. The purple and black photo shows unity, as that entire piece is unified in the repetition of both color and objects. The red tinted photo is rhythm. I tried to create a flow for the viewers eye to follow across the page. The guinea pig in the city is contrast. This piece is different from the others, but I think emphasizes how it exemplifies contrast.
The design enhances the content because it represents the principles in ways they are not normally seen.
