Week 6 Lecture- "4 Broad Approaches to Design"

I chose one piece that illustrates the broad approach design concerned with documentation and one that illustrates an expressive approach. I thought that the contrast between these two would be ideal, being that the concern with documentation is concerned generally with the message being sent to the view, not as much on the design element. Where as an expressive approach deals more with the design in hopes of evoking the viewers emotion, and the actual message to the viewer may not be as evident. In the first image I chose, the concept behind the poster is extremely evident. It is a poster promoting an awards benefit, in which the title elicits that to the reader. There isn’t much for the reader to have to interpret with this image. The information is laid out clearly and precisely for the reader to be able to take in. There are no strong design elements with this piece; it is simply just words placed cleanly on the spread. However, on the second poster, unless there was a description of this piece, you would most likely be unsure as to what it is really about. You see nice collage design elements, and it’s pleasing for the viewer to look at, but the content and message behind this piece is not just available for the viewer to read. One must look at this piece and pick up on the emotion that is induced. There is no information just laid out for the viewer to pick up on. Instead there are a series of different design elements, in which the viewer needs to take time to reflect on what it may be about. I think these two show a drastic exemplary relation to the two different broad approach designs that Baines and Haslam explained. They also both incorporate a strong use of visual hierarchy. Poster one utilizes size, color, and spacing to differentiate the different levels throughout the poster. Poster two also demonstrates visual hierarchy in a less obvious sense, yet the most important words are places in the center of the page to show the reader their importance, and they are also the largest words on the page. The less substantial content is placed off center throughout the page and uses a smaller text size.