Critique (15 min)

• Color Harmony Palettes: Analogous & Split Complementary
• Color References for Proportional Inventory.

Discussion

Freestudy Introduction / Illustrated Harmonious Moment:

To honor the lives cut short in the recent shooting in Connecticut, I’d like to you recall one moment in your elementary school years that represents a feeling of hope, joy, inspiration.

For the last freestudy of the class we will be creating a proportional inventory (see below) and using this palette to illustrate a moment from your childhood.

Size:

• 9×12″ or larger composition

Medium:

• Inking pens or brush & ink
• Colored pencils, gouache, or acrylic

Graphic Style:

• Use graphic novels for style reference.
• Research authors Chris Ware, Marjane Satrapi (watch Persépolis), Alison Bechdel, Daniel Clowes, Craig Thomson for inspiration.

Layout:

• LESS is MORE. In order to illustrate a moment in time, only represent the most important elements in order to communicate the message.
• Thoughtful, well-considered figure-ground relationship. When capturing a moment, the figure-ground relationship must be strong and stable.
• Clearly orientate the viewer. If your experience is informed by looking up, looking down, etc. make sure the viewer clearly understands that point of view.
• Create at LEAST 10 thumbnails BEFORE starting. Students who turn in work without evidence of research and iterations will receive a failing grade.

Color:

• Your composition should use the exact proportion of hues in your color inventory from your color reference. Create a simple proportional inventory that clearly demonstrates visual hierarchy through color.
• Dominant color, Sub-Dominant color, and the Accent color. At least one of your Sub-Dominant colors should include a tint or shade of the dominant color.

Important things to focus on:

• As with previous free-studies, research, thumbnails, color tests, consideration of overall compositional balance between figure and ground, and unity is important! Because this is your LAST class project, see if you can utilize other aspects of the Basic Tenets of DESIGN that we have covered in this class.
• The Practice:  Concept + Form are ingredients that a designer uses to produce a composition that communicates meaning. The relationship between the Concept (idea) and the Form (process/result) produces the Content (meaning).
  • Concept = WHAT? What do you want to communicate?
  • Form = HOW? How will you do it?
  • Content/Meaning = WHY? Why is it important?

Lab

STEP 1 : Proportional Inventory

• Guidelines:
  • You may use paint, colored pencil or photoshop/illustrator* to create your Proportional Inventory.
    (*do not use preset palettes or automated shortcuts)
  • The finished inventory should include the color reference (or a photograph of it) and a series of proportional color swatches.
  • It should be properly presented, mounted on bristol.
• Find a color reference (your favorite sweater, household object, advertisement, photograph, book cover, etc.) that works with the childhood moment you want to represent. Remember you are representing a moment, specifically a feeling of either joy, hope, or inspiration. Your palette should reflect that. Research the Psychology of colors.
• Create a color inventory palette that proportionally represents your color reference and clearly demonstrates visual hierarchy through color with Dominant color, Sub-Dominant color, and the Accent color. At least one of your Sub-Dominant colors should include a tint or shade of the dominant color. If your recipe is too complicated, economize and simplify the ingredients (or choose a different reference). See worqx.com for more info on dominance.
• Here are few examples of proportional inventories created from color references:
  • Comic
  • Iris
  • Elmo
  • Corn
  • Vase (is this accurate?)
  • Fashion
  • Photograph
  • Photograph
  • Painting
  • Craft/Home Design (not proportional, but a nice collection of inventories)
• Look at these two website and see if you can see the color scheme in terms of proportions and how it’s used to create visual hierarchy on the site:
  • http://www.ungarbage.com
  • http://rebeccaruth.co.uk/

• References:
  • Kuler from Adobe – Plenty of existing color schemes to choose from (but not all of them are successful)
  • Colour Lovers – Another great site for all things color.
  • Color Scheme Designer – an online application to help you choose a color scheme
  • The Color Wizard – an online application to help you choose a color scheme
  • Different Methods for Choosing Color Schemes in Web Design – links to a variety of applications for choosing a color scheme, including those mentioned above.

STEP 2: Illustrated Harmonious Moment RESEARCH

• In your CPB, write the story of one moment in your elementary school years that represents a feeling of hope, joy, inspiration.
• Think about how you can clearly represent this moment with a limited number of elements and through the color palette you have chosen.
• Review the graphic novels and online resources presented in class.
• Make 10 thumbnail sketches to “thinkout” the variety of ways you can express this one moment.
• Remember you only have a few days to complete this work, so economize. LESS is MORE.

Homework

Bring to class:

1. Completed Proportional Inventory
2. Illustrated Harmonious Moment Freestudy, finished or nearly finished.
3. A sturdy portfolio to collect your past work.
4. Your Creative Process Book; review the section in Understanding Your Grade.

All work from Assignment #6 and any other extra-credit or reworked assignments are due at the end of class.