Month: September 2015

Principles of Design

September 21, 2015 / Zhang Longfei / 0 Comments

Principles of Design

The principles of design describe the ways that artists use the elements of art in a work of art.

Balance

Balance is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space. If the design was a scale, these elements should be balanced to make a design feel stable.

In symmetrical balance, the elements used on one side of the design are similar to those on the other side;

In asymmetrical balance, the sides are different but still look balanced.

In radial balance, the elements are arranged around a central point and may be similar.

Emphasis

Emphasis is the part of the design that catches the viewer’s attention. Usually the artist will make one area stand out by contrasting it with other areas. The area could be different in size, color, texture, shape, etc.

Movement

Movement is the path the viewer’s eye takes through the work of art, often to focal areas. Such movement can be directed along lines, edges, shape, and color within the work of art.

Pattern

Pattern is the repeating of an object or symbol all over the work of art.

Repetition

Repetition works with pattern to make the work of art seem active. The repetition of elements of design creates unity within the work of art.

Proportion

Proportion is the feeling of unity created when all parts (sizes, amounts, or number) relate well with each other. When drawing the human figure, proportion can refer to the size of the head compared to the rest of the body.

Rhythm

Rhythm is created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a feeling of organized movement. Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. To keep rhythm exciting and active, variety is essential.

Variety

Variety is the use of several elements of design to hold the viewer’s attention and to guide the viewer’s eye through and around the work of art.

Unity

Unity is the feeling of harmony between all parts of the work of art, which creates a sense of completeness.

Caption – Anchor & Relay

September 21, 2015 / Zhang Longfei / 0 Comments

Charlie,wearing a crystal earrings, looks down and smiles, NTU, Singapore, 2015, shot by iPhone 6

Charlie is so excited about the dinner with this guy whom she met last night. It is the first date since she broke up with her ex-boy friend last year, which makes her so nervous that she don’t know how to begin the conversation 10mins before heading to the restaurant.

Charlie sits on a bridge and her shoes are about to touch the water, NTU, Singapore, 2015, shot by iPhone 6

Charlie sits on a bridge in NTU after a dinner with her new date. But it seems it didn’t go well just now. She is getting frustrated and disappointed of herself. Not only because is the date, but also is the pressure from her family.

Charlie sits on the top of staircase, NTU, Singapore, 2015, shot by iPhone 6

Finally, Charlie moves over the unsuccessful date that she expected. Now what she can do is to find a job and get back to her normal life.

Project 1b Thinking Sequentially – Text and Image

September 14, 2015 / Zhang Longfei / 0 Comments

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favour fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction

Ice is also great

And would suffice.

In my interpretation, fire represents human desire towards natural resources. Whereas, ice expresses hatred towards human themselves, which leads human destruction even deeper and thoroughly. I used images of China air pollution, as a result of burning too much coal and other mechanical materials. Cold war images, like Cuba Missile Crisis photo, and two presidents from USA and Soviet Union depicts two different ideology, which leads hatred and revenge. Desire and hatred have same effect of terminating human race.

But hatred has more power to destroy the whole world.

In the overall composition, images are split into two to bring up the comparison between desire and hatred. In the first image, the pollution cloud and nuclear bomb merge into one cloud to show the similar effect of desire and hatred. The second image depicts an end of the world scene by imitating multiple exposure effects. The third image portrays the difference between two countries. And fourth image depicts Cuba Missile Crisis which is the most dangerous threat to human in history.

Images source

http://www.fastcoexist.com/3025175/us-products-made-in-china-causes-an-extra-full-day-of-smog-a-year-in-los-angeles#2

National Archives image (208-N-43888)

Photo by Xiao Lu Chu/Getty Images

Benxi heavy steel industries in February 2013/Photo by Andreas Habich

Cold_War_by_L2A

http://photos.sulekha.com/albums/members/bilingual/slideshow/351242.htm

jfk-nikita

https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2015/01/11/trouble-cuba-call-pope/w81Qu2D1hgVspZgraWUYEM/story.html

article-2207946-152F65E1000005DC-436_634x397

President Kennedy meets with U.S. Army officials during the Cuban Missile Crisis/Corbis

CIA reference photograph of Soviet medium-range ballistic missile (SS-4 in U.S. documents, R-12 in Soviet documents) in Red Square, Moscow/From Wikipedia

Final Sequence

Project 1a Curating Self

September 14, 2015 / Zhang Longfei / 0 Comments

Task 1: Me

I believe the best way to understand a person is not only looking through his physical features, but also presenting what does and love. That’s why I’m using indirect method like ID passes, letters from friends, movie tickets and sports gear to portray my existence, personality and interests. It creates a photo staging by lying stuff on the ground.

3 images are laid in one line where “identity”, which has a different backdrop, is in the middle. It enables viewer to observe the center image first.

Research

Artist reference: Chien-Chi Chang

I was inspired by some of the works from a serial called Jet Lag, done by the Magnum photographer Chien-Chi Chang. These photos were taken during his overseas assignments in the hotel. By lying all his passes and other belongings, I can easily understand what he had been busy with and what purpose his trip is. It is the clarity that inspired me to showcase my belongs in Task 1 to represent myself.

http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_10_VForm&ERID=24KL53ZLJS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chien-Chi_Chang

AUSTRIA. Graz. 2014. Press passes.

TAIWAN. Taipei. 2007. Studio of Chien-Chi Chang.

Final chosen images – Task 1: Me

Task 2: Object

Photography is my favorite interest. That’s why camera plays an important role in my life. When I’m photographing, I’ll be more energetic and passionate about everything around me. I used a fast shutter speed to capture the motion. And the most essential part of camera is the lens and the rings on it. By taken a close up of my finger touching it carefully and camera’s perspective of viewing me, the images portray a intimate relationship between me and my camera.

Final chosen images

Task 3: World

Botanic garden is a significant place for me to relax and enjoy the nature. Whenever I feel worn out, I’ll go there to refresh myself. And I also used to hang out and picnic in Botanic Garden with my girlfriend, which are signified by a pair of shadows overlapping to each other. However, some of part of Botanic Garden remains undiscovered. The blur on a child’s face on the third image symbolise the fear and curiosity of nature. Overall, there are alway two people through out the images to depict companionship, which also has been place according to the rule of third.

Research

The technique of shooting the third image was inspired by a unique method. The lens has to be detached from the camera body. You will get the blurring and focusing effect by manually adjusting the lens distance toward the sensor.

http://gizmodo.com/5679403/101-photos-taken-with-the-lens-detached

Final chosen images

FINAL PRESENTATION DISPLAYED

Reflection

Project 1 has been a journey of re discovering myself. It allows me to ponder what makes me me and what is essential to me. By manipulating different photographic methods, like photo staging, cropping and framing, I have learnt each of them has a unique way of telling a story.

Assignment 1 LINE

September 13, 2015 / Zhang Longfei / 0 Comments

“ A LINE IS A DOT THAT WENT FOR A WALK ”

Project brief:

Use concept of line to interpret eighteen topics following the template given on the assignment sheet.

Aim:

The project suggest infinite possibilities in using drawing medium to create abstract marks, that would express each subject, evoke emotions meanings within given parameters of a limited space.

Final Strips

Anxious

Awkward

Ambiguous

Project 1 PROCESS

September 13, 2015 / Zhang Longfei / 5 Comments

PROCESS

The main materials I used are pencil, charcoal, marker. I was exploring and resolving interaction between line, shape, form, space scale, texture, color and value.

Cutting out covers and pasting strips

Final Presentation

NONESENSICAL

Definition: Having no meaning; making no sense.

Concept: Created a texture in chaos in size, position and opacity by using different pens and material like glue stick and correction pen.

ANXIOUS

Definition: Showing worry, nervousness or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.

Concept: Using different thickness of lines crossing each other to make viewers to feel about being trapped and create an atmosphere of claustrophobia.

SENSUAL

Definition: Relating to or involving gratification of the senses, especially sexual gratification; Sexual attractive.

Concept: In order to imitate female S shape body, I was experimenting with cursive and continuos lines in various width by using a calligraphy pen.

EBARRASSED

Definition: Feeling guilty and shame, usually as a result of something wrong you’ve done.

Concept: It is the feeling that when you have done something perfect or in the middle of doing some work, but by accident you ruined it. So I was experimenting doing perfection vs mistake to create an embarrassing atmosphere.

AWKWARD

Definition: Lacking social skills, or uncomfortable with social interaction

Concept: Being different or outstanding make me feel awkward. Creating a ‘special’ one in the composition make viewers to experience awkward moment.

BIZARRE

Definition: Very strange, unusual, especially in a striking or shocking way.

Concept: Creating unconventional and weird graphics to mismatch, and be off balance in terms of compositing and design.

EXHAUSTED

Definition: Drained of energy or effectiveness; Extremely tired.

Concept: Line is a result of moving dots. In other words, Dot is when line got tired and strop somewhere.

FRAGILE

Definition: Lacking of solidity or strength and liable to break; Vulnerably delicate.

Concept: Creating very thin and weak lines with soft pressure on the pen.

SYSTEMATIC

Definition: Characterised by oder and planning.

Concept: Creating pre planned and repeated graphics to show there is a pattern to follow.

LYRICAL

Definition: Having the form and musical quality of a song and especially the character or a songlike outpouring of the poet’s own thoughts and feelings.

Concept: Inspired by the movement of instrument and musical conductor, I was creating a repeated pattern with different scales in order to mimic the music rhythm.

TURBULENT

Definition: Characterised by unrest or disorder or insubordination; (of a liquid) agitated vigorously; in a stated of turbulence.

Concept: Creating swirling lines by using dry Chinese brush, which can create a very rough edge.

PSYCHOTIC

Definition: Characterised of suffering from psychosis.

Concept: Inspired by a thrilling movie <Shining> where the main actor repeated writes one sentence saying : “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy” and goes mad. I was trying draw repeated circles by very thin marker to fill up the space and leave only little breathing space for viewers.