Visual Techniques

DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik) Stamps

http://www.presentandcorrect.com/blog/ddr-stamps

I believe this stamp exhibits:

• Balance
• Contrast of Color
• Activeness
• Boldness
• Flatness
• Repetition
• Juxtaposition

Ocean Garbage Infographic

http://www.mastersdegree.net/ocean-garbage/

I believe this infographic uses basically the same techniques as the stamp

• Balance
• Symmetry
• Activeness
• Boldness
• Flatness
• Repetition
• Juxtaposition

Comparison Of the Two

Essentially the two designs are using the same techniques for different reasons. For example, the stamp is trying to convey the idea of Germany’s space program in a very small space that restricts the number of elements available to the designer. This means the designer must use strong visual techniques like balance and activeness to deliver his message. The infographic is using the same techniques for similar reasons. Despite the fact that this is a fairly large graphic, it is split into smaller segments, each of which, has a portion of the whole message to deliver to the end user. The designer manages send that message through using bold images placed next to relevant data and to unify the entire structure balances the whole piece left to right. Additionally, these pieces are very flat probably because adding a sense of depth would simply confuse the message or elements.

Contrast

Example of Good Contrast:

I love this print and think it’s a fantastic example of contrast, contrast of color, and contrast over time. This image itself is of Africa with Nelson Mandela’s portrait overlapping the right half and is a combination of color and black and white. The image is divided into two halves, left and right.

The Black and White left side represents the division of the people of South Africa. The right side of the image is extremely colorful. Therefore there is contrast of color in this change from monochromatic to color. This represents the monochromatic beginnings of South Africa, when the White minority was in power.

The colors used on the right side are the colors used are the colors of Africa and imply the unity of the country, and by implication, of the people, which as we know, is what Nelson Mandela strove to achieve. He recognized that the country could not move on as a united people if they were to hold a grudge and place blame on the whites.

Finally, there is contrast in time. When you read the image from left to right you are reading it in a linear progression, which is analogous to travelling in time, travelling from beginnings of South Africa to end which is the present. This progression through time is representative of the old, divided South Africa, and the new unified South Africa.


Example of Bad Contrast:

I hate this print for one simple reason; I cannot easily tell what is going on. I find few things as irksome as someone using color combinations known to be hard for colorblind people to see. My vision is deuteranomalous and I have a hard time seeing some reds but most especially find it difficult to distinguish some greens when juxtaposed with yellow-green. Therefore, I would say this design fails as a poster, because it introduces interference or noise, into the line of communication, from the creator, or the encoder which results in poor decoding on my part. Interestingly, I can see what’s going on with this poster more easily if it is made into a thumbnail.