Journal Twenty

There are so many things about the Smart Water label that I have loved since I first saw it. It is so clean and simple looking, but it looks very slick as well. A potential buyer can see that it is professional-looking, but it has the cutest goldfish accent on the inside of the label so it almost looks like there is a goldfish in the water when looked through on the opposite side. I thought this was a great idea and so clever! Also, just the material the bottle is made of is great because when you drink and squeeze the bottle, it doesn't make the terrible crackling plastic noise. On the label, it has interesting dialogue describing the water and simple things that water can do and it is very interesting and fun to read, but goes along with the design flawlessly. To me, it is the perfect water label because it looks so pure and fresh, and the cute accent always makes me want to buy the water bottle just to admire it. 

Journal Nineteen

I found this Papyrus text on the cover of a magazine for the title "Heritage Management." I have seen this text everywhere for a variety of purposes, but it was surprising to me that when I was actually looking for it, it was much harder to find! I don't think using this text for many purposes is a bad thing, but I definitely think its a safe text that people should want to diverge from because of the commonality of it. If a person's business or ad wanted to stand out, I think it would be a better idea to get a text that completely fits what you are trying to represent, not just using a text that works for anything. As you mentioned, this text is used for things such as beauty salons, restaurants, book covers, and other things that have little relevance to one another. I think it would be a smarter and more creative decision for people to look at other options because we all know there are so many different types of text available for any occasion, or they could be created to be perfect.

Journal Eighteen

Journal Seventeen

There are actually several examples of text in this add. Each handwritten text represents a different person, a drummer, with either their signature or drawn name on the drumstick. I think this works very well because it makes each drumstick style custom to the style of the popular drummer and gives each stick a personal touch of what the buyer would want. I definitely like the signatures on each stick and even the decorative drawings of the bottom left text. Text this way pertains to the culture of musicians because signatures are a big deal, and to have it on your drumstick to represent how you play and the style is a great way to promote the product.

Journal Sixteen

My goal at first was to take a photo of graffiti that I enjoy seeing places, like street art incorporated into graffiti. I then realized that when I was looking for more artistic graffiti that there is so much more that are used as vandalism to write or tag to get a gang or person's name/initials out into public. For example, this one is on a cigarette disposal with some sort of acronym, but there is no artistic value, to me, at all. I disagree with graffiti that is done like this; this I consider a low form of vandalism because it seems to merely be done for the sake of having the acronym be put out there, almost as a sign of territory. I think this was formed by someone who is part of a gang or is a writer that simply tags items to get his name out there. It was probably done at night while they slyly pretended to be just standing by the cigarette disposal, then walked quickly away. I think its sad seeing simple objects look trashy because of this.

Journal Fifteen

Ransom Note:

Journal Fourteen

Journal Thirteen

I use my laptop every single day for millions of reasons, and I think it represents many different inventions that are accessible through a laptop/computer. I used a laptop instead of a desktop because it is portable and lighter, but it still has the abilities to do everything a computer can. It is a source of entertainment, communication, and has applications and programs that can help a person in almost anything.

One reason I chose a helmet as a great invention is because my parents would not let me ride passenger on a motorcycle without it. It also is such a blessing after I have experienced riding with one versus without one, and it is so much better with one. It makes it so bugs don't squish against my face, the wind is not in my eyes, and it makes me feel and is so much safer than going without one.

Phones in general were a great invention, and like the laptop, now they are more accessible to people who need them on the go and easily accessible. I know I rely on my phone to keep me updated with my calendar, contacts, and entertainment when I get bored. Most importantly is the communication aspect because it is a pretty remarkable thing that I can talk to someone in real-time without being face to face.

Last semester, I had to use a printer everyday and I really did end up despising it afterwards, but now I realize how helpful it is. The things you print (documents, pictures, etc.) would be so much harder to produce, and mass produce at that, without a printer and it always does exactly what you want it to if it is working well.

Shoes are great inventions, though I'm sure humans could have developed so they were not needed, because they protect our main source of transportation and make it easier to use our feet more often. Plus, I love shoes and being able to have them in so many different styles is fun.

I find security very important and this is why I think locks were a great invention. It keeps out things you do not want in and keeps things safe that mean the most to a person.

Lightbulbs are just fantastic. I love candles and controlled fire, but they are so convenient and definitely revolutionary because they are everywhere and a necessity nowadays in any environment. They light up the dark and are for the most part reliable until they burn out.

I think hygiene is very important and keeping healthy, and I think a toothbrush is something that people use daily to prevent and keep their mouths clean and healthy so they can keep using them to survive. We need good gums and teeth to maintain ourselves, I think, and a toothbrush is a simple invention that helps us do that.

I began wearing glasses in 4th grade and they were embarrassing, but they helped me see so clearly. Now, I think anything that improves vision is a great invention, but contacts help me see and if I could not see, I would not be able to carry out any day-to-day functions as well as I do now. They also are less obtrusive and noticeable than glasses. I really cannot live without my contacts, or at least anything that keeps it so I can make out objects.

It is very important to document events in our lives and a camera, especially a digital camera, has made so much possible. Including video cameras, we are able to literally keep a little bit of time with us wherever we go and take it whenever we want to. It is a way to look back on experiences and a way to save memories that are too precious to even forget the little details.

Journal Twelve

This ad by Adidas does such a great job of advertising all of their products in a humorous way. The cat is tipping a fishbowl which would make the laptop wet, unless someone with Adidas attire is there because they can get there in time to stop the catastrophe. This ad works because it reminds people that throughout their days, so many little things can happen where swiftness is needed. It also humorously tells people that Adidas can aid in being fast. Adidas is advertising themselves as a company to all audiences. It is targeting adults with the importance of stopping an electronic disaster, but it can satisfy all audiences with the humor in "being fast" in this situation to "being fast" as with sports.

Journal Eleven

This ad was put out by Dove Secret and it plays on the myth of the vulgarity that is usually drawn all over bathroom stalls. Many times, this graffiti is used to talk negatively about other people. Dove used this myth to their advantage by using it and turning it around so that the impact is so much greater about saying something nice about someone, such as "Kara B. is a lovely person!!!," versus what is normally put. The denotative value of the ad is that it is obviously graffiti written upon a bathroom stall wall. The connotative value is that it is contrasting to what people are used to seeing on this same template. Overall, with the use of the myth about the upsetting bathroom walls, Dove is trying to say that this doesn't have to be the case and that someone should not follow the norm of negativity, but break through it and actually be nice when someone isn't around.

Journal Ten

I found that music magazines have an abundance of example with color themes! This example is advertising guitars from Dean Guitars. The ad uses color in a variety of ways, including for the background and the center of interest. The complementary colors of orange and blue are split diagonally across the page in a celestial design for the background. This contrast between the bright twisting colors gives the ad a surreal feeling to it, and implies that this product could be “out of this world,” as cheesy as it sounds. The foreground shows the large guitar with a monotone purple design of different values, ranging from black, to the hue of purple, to white. I think the purple could easily imply the importance of this guitar, since purple has traditionally represented royalty, mystery, and even good judgment.  All of these meanings come in handy when a person is selecting a guitar to choose from. Also, Deans Guitar logo, which is in the upper left corner, has a small spot of red illuminating the back of the logo, much like a shooting star and keeping unity with the background pattern. The red could stand for passion, which is what all great musicians have. Overall, the ad uses four simple colors, but it uses them in very symbolic and contrasting ways, but it makes the ad appealing to the viewers. The different colors draw attention to the ad, much like I was attracted to the picture. The colors are also saturated and vibrant which automatically makes a person feel energized. Something I also noticed about the ad is that it uses colors that are typically seen in light shows, such as at a concert. I think these colors would spark the interest of people who like to attend concerts, which would appeal to the culture of young people who like to have fun at shows. The ad was aided by the use of color by attracting an audience and keeping their attention with the different colors used so it would not be boring to the eye.

Journal Nine

Find three existing logos and explain the color significance.

The first one I chose is the Monster Energy Drink logo. The color chosen for the "m" is a highly saturated green, one of the additive primary colors. I think it is arguable whether this logo is monochromatic or analogous. The color could either be a lighter green from having white added to it, or it could be the hue of yellow, which is right beside green on the color wheel. Whatever the case, it gives a 3-D effect to the logo with the different values acting as shading. The bright green color is also vibrant and exciting, which is well-suited for an energy drink.

The second logo is the Chili's logo. This restaurant can be recognized instantly by the complementary colors green and red, which are also the colors of a traditional pepper or chili. I think this logo used the colors well because the bold, flat, additive primary colors are appealing to everyday people. Whenever someone sees a red chili with a green top, this restaurant is bound to come to mind so it was a great use of ordinary colors.

Lastly, I selected the Ebay logo. This could either be considered double-complementary, though the "a" has more of a yellow hue than an orange, but I think it is more combining both the additive and subtractive primary colors. I think this logo, much like the Google logo, uses different primary colors to show that they are a diverse company, with Ebay being a place anyone can buy or sell just about anything! It is instantly recognizable and the transparent colors overlap each other to give it texture.

Journal Eight

I found this picture in the magazine Photography (September 2008) and Digital Photo, and I could not get the issue because there was a sticker over the date. This Olympus Camera ad takes up two full pages and the denotation is of a very clear picture of a butterfly. We all know how small butterflies are, but this picture magnifies the butterfly into great detail and the focus is centered on it. This initially would attract anyone because of the detail and the bright colors, but it would be focused on more by the target audience: the photographers. Though the butterfly could be a signifier for the myth of beauty and an icon, the photo is also a signifier of great photography. This could follow the myth of beauty, because everyone wants his or her pictures to come out as wonderful and picturesque as possible. This ad almost gives the audience the impression that if they have this camera, their pictures can come out beautiful each time with the great detail and beautiful colors of the butterfly. Along the bottom and right side of the ad are more pictures and information about the camera that took the stunning photo. This appeals to the target audience of photographers because they are very low key with white lettering and smaller photos so they do not take away from the big picture, but add to the message. It is there to aid people who want to know more about this camera, but it does not get in the way of the image. It also has a photographer’s point-of-view about the camera that has only good remarks about this do-all camera. The image can appeal to anyone and grabs the audience’s attention because it has an icon that people see often, but from a different view. You can look at the legs, eyes, and powdery wings right in your hands. Overall, this advertisement was very successful in attaining the audience that it was targeting by having an appealing photograph and supporting details to help aid a person in deciding whether or not to purchase the Olympus camera.

Journal Seven

 

I found the Pro-Mark advertisement in the Modern Drummer (February 2010) and also in the February 2010 issue of Revolver. It was very difficult to find advertisements that were featured in two magazines, and this was one of the ones I found. At first, the denotative picture shows a clam, Buddhist-like man with his legs crossed, dressed in plain black clothes, and without shoes. It looks as if he is meditating, but the connotation reveals so much more. There is a startling yellow color that contrasts vividly with the background, and it is paint dripping down his hands from his drumsticks. The drummer is sitting right in the middle of the symmetrical layout and it brings all focus to him. At first, someone would not really understand the meaning until it is found out that the slogan for the ad is “Feel the color of music.” At that instant, a person can almost feel the cold, wet paint running down their fingers by looking at the magazine. I believe this advertisement is connecting the feeling between a musician and their feel for music by showing the peacefulness on the face of the drummer. The drummer and the colorful drumsticks are signs. The drummer is a sign for the targeted audience: people who play drums and want to feel “one” with their drumsticks. The drumsticks signify the musical instrument while the bright paint dripping off of them would be a symbol for the feel of the drumsticks to the person who is using them. This advertisement would be appealing to the viewers because it has a sense of peace encompassing it. It is playing with the viewer’s emotions by depicting that the musician will feel “one” with their correct drumstick and only feel bliss. This advertisement is very successful because it strikes a musician’s creative interest with the calmly bold advertisement, but it also speaks to the musician because each can relate to the sense of peace a person feels when able to practice art. Overall, the advertisement twisted the ad and the slogan together very well and the simple image got the point across to the target audience.

 

Journal Six

Create a graphic that represents your opinion on a charged topic (birth control).

I ended up using the images to create words, and I am unsure whether that was in the criteria or not, but I really like the image I came up with. There are both birth control pills and condom wrappers, including the illustrated birth control pills used as decorative elements.

Journal Five

In the September 2008 issue of "The New Yorker," the mobile accessories company Jawbone had this two-page advertisement. In it, they are advertising a bluetooth headset and the text says, "Jawbone," and mirrored onto the next page, "People will talk." It has a doctor, dressed in pale blue, on one page, staring in the direction of the facing page. The woman on the other page has obviously had loads of plastic surgery done with her larger-than-normal lips and breasts. If anyone saw her casually walking in the streets, there would be a commotion and "talk" about her. This advertisement seems to be comparing the reaction to the woman to the reaction someone would have to the bluetooth headset.

The advertisement uses many different design concepts to get the message across as well. As mentioned, the doctor page has a pale palette of different tones of blues while the opposite page has the complementing color of shades of red. The two pages together create a symmetrical advertisement with a balanced mirror effect, and either page contrasts one another with the color choice, textures, and the differences between a man and woman.

I am on the fence with how well the metaphor got the message across. The images and concept drew me in very quickly and were interesting, which is definitely a high goal for any advertisement. Once you examine it closer, it is a wonder whether it is a good thing that the headset should stand out like the woman with the made-up body. It caught the audience's attention and had a catchy and well-used text, but the metaphor could have been more precise, perhaps with a drab person vs. a well-maintained individual.

Journal Four

            “Setting Sights on the Arrow” by Phil Patton was a very interesting and informative read about a symbol that everyone uses so casually, it is forgotten sometimes that it had originated somewhere. The twenty arrows I found, I categorized into five sections, from left to right: instructions, natural, simplified, street, and symbols.

            One of the points they made was that it was first made by the primitives, who used the original hunting weapon from which our simplified arrows of today derived, to possibly point out a good food or hunting source. This could be related to the instructional arrows of today, which show the direction to do a certain action, even though not all are straight lines like original arrows. For example, you swipe a credit card down or you turn the key counterclockwise to open the lock. Surprisingly, as simple as an arrow seems, three out of the four shapes are asymmetrical. They, like all symbols, have a high contrast between the rest of the sign that they appear on. Mostly, the arrows are the focal point of every sign.

            The natural arrows show that it is easy to spot things that resemble the shape, since most arrows are a triangle-tipped line. This comes from the original arrows that were used for hunting with an aerodynamic length and a sharp-tipped point that goes from a point to a large base so that it would easily go in, but not as easily come out. The top arrow is pointing upwards, and is made from the side of a building made of glass. The middle pictures show a simplified version of an arrow with only the triangle tip, but both seem to be pointing into a direction by the repetition and rhythm of the triangles. The bottom arrow, as mentioned in the article, is spray-painted onto a sidewalk. It shows how the arrow is typically depicted; as long as there is a straight line and an angled tip, it will resemble an arrow.

            The article also mentions how the arrow has many different variations, and over time it has simplified down to a triangle. The symmetrical, simple shape is usually small compared to the space and other objects around it. They all have in common that they do not have the straight line extending from the tip, but they vary from there. They can be completely equilateral triangles, like on an iPod, to show which direction to press to rewind; with a slight indent, like on an elevator button, to show that this will make the elevator go up; or made of two lines, like on an “Exit” sign, to indicate direction.

            The most common place to find arrows, I believe, is on the street to indicate direction. They are very self-explanatory, and usually the contrasting black on white or vice versa. The article mentions the squiggly arrows for winding roads or symbols that show what happened during an automobile accident. Half of my pictures are symmetrical, the “One Way” sign and the bottom arrows that show where parking is permitted. A very common occurrence is to see them directly painted on the pavement.

            Lastly, there are symbolic signs. The top arrow shown it showing the direction of north, like on a compass, from which it was derived from, according to the article. The next two are different versions of the “Recycle” sign, also mentioned in the article. Patton says that “the basic message of direction can be built on and played with,” as it was to indicate the continuous cycle of recycling (Patton). As seen, the arrows can be played with so much to get a message across. With these two signs, they are symmetrical, but vary different. For instance, one is an open shape with curved sides, while the bottom sign has sharp points of the triangle and is a solid color. The bottom shape also plays with the elements of rhythm and unity, by having the same shape repeated three times, but varying in size. The symmetrical bottom arrows that point in opposite vertical directions with two people standing within a square indicate an elevator.

            Overall, I found this assignment very interesting. It made me look at the way arrows are presented. For an everyday use, it is kept simple, smooth, and solid, while a more elaborate arrow has a different shape or style because of the purpose, such as catching attention in a busy sign. I like the way arrows are developing into simpler shapes, but I think that they are at the brink of the simple shape that they can be. It was interesting to have the development of the symbol have attention drawn to it through the article. It is something that isn’t thought about much, but once it is, it has an interesting history and without arrows, our world would literally be chaos, in some respect. We are guided along roads to tell us which way to turn, how to achieve a certain action, and which direction to go to get to a certain place.

Journal Three

Possibly the best symbols are the ones that are now subconsciously recognized by the entire public. Most of use glance around and know what the signs mean and where they will be. I was able to walk down from the fifth floor of my dorm, and down San Francisco Street to the end of North campus to attain all 15 symbols.

            The bottom three symbols were found on a dumpster right outside of my dorm. It had three symbols that I find easily recognizable. The infamous yellow sign with the exclamation mark for “Caution” is very self-explanatory. It is a simple, symmetrical sign, which uses a yellow hue that is highly saturated to be bright and bold so it catches a person’s attention. The bottom symbols display the universal “Do Not” symbol, the bold red circle with the diagonal slash across it. It surrounds the shapes of the simplified human, one falling off and another about to be squished by a dumpster.

            The third row from the top and the yellow “Pedestrian Crossing” sign all have a human form on them. Each body is made up of simple shapes, such as circles and rectangles. Mostly, the signs seem symmetrical, but upon closer examination, it is realized they are not. For example, the “Pedestrian Crossing” sign has a sense of depth to it with the relationship between the obvious male walker and the woman, who is farther away by her feet being above the man’s, and her head below his head. Lastly, the fountain sign and the “In Case of Fire” sign are asymmetrical.

            The seven signs left are all easily recognized street symbols, most signs, but are nationally recognized when the shape is made out. All of these signs are very symmetrical and use the bold red hue to put emphasis on the meaning of the signs. All of these signs put emphasis on the words of the signs, which, I believe, have turned into part of the symbol itself. The text also plays a role because they are all in capitals, which we have learned is associated with shouting, to catch a person’s attention.

            All signs have unity and are similar with the design elements. For instance, all pedestrians are a flat color and highly contrast the background space. Another similarity are the colors, which are all bold, bright, and contrast each other to bring attentions to each character on the sign. All of the signs are very modern because of the crisp lines and easily interpreted symbols. Lastly, only san-serif fonts are used. The point I found after examining all of the signs is that everything should be as simplified and clean as possible, in order to get the point across. It has to appeal to all audiences and draw attention to important areas. 

Journal Two

What if signs were changed to an international pictorial language that not only identified the door, room, fire extinguisher, etc., but added art to the space? Create new signs for:

Men's Room

For the men's room, I wanted to incorporate stereotypical things about restrooms and men that would automatically link the two together. I have to signs above, with an "M" made from rolls of toilet paper to come down to a tie. The second is the symbol that could be used worldwide, which is just a simplified version of the morph. The colors I chose were dark, rich colors which is the opposite of the pastels that are usually thought of for women. They are both evenly weighted on both sides, or symmetrical, and they are not the stick figure signs of today. There is shading and highlighting on both which adds the illusion of texture to the sign. 

Women's Room

The women's room has the same concept of the men's room, so that the two signs would flow together since they both represent a restroom. There is still the switch from toilet paper, but it is not a pink ribbon, which is one of the most feminine things that comes to my mind. The color of the pink is more of a pastel, which reminded me more of a powder room, and that sounds much more appealing than a restroom. Again, there is the same second symbol that mirrors the men's room, but it has the ribbon attached. The women's restroom is more asymmetrical than the other sign because I did not think the concept of toilet paper made itself appear with the small sliver that would have been showing. I elaborated a little on it, but I think it adds a nice touch to get away from the normal symmetrical signs. Again, they are shaded and give a little texture to the signs.

Fire Extinguisher

The fire extinguisher was one of the harder symbols to remake because it is very self explanatory to what it is. I have the classic red fire extinguisher, but with more detail than a two-colored sign. On the label, there is the universal sign of "no" surrounding a blazing fire. From the opening of the extinguisher is the white foam that extinguishes the fire. There is slight shading to make the object look three-dimensional. The sign is asymmetrical, and the extinguisher is slightly angled as a person would hold it if there was a fire. 

Janitor's Closet

In a janitor's closet, there are three things I thought would always be in it. There is the mop, a spray bottle, and the infamous yellow gloves. I think the image is weighted almost evenly on both sides because both images have more of a diagonal motion set up to where they are almost crossing in the middle, with the spray bottle being the center. The colors are basic, but they represent classic janitor supplies: the blue water, red spray bottle, and again, the yellow gloves. The primary colors worked best for this image so it was not too elaborate, but it still had colors to make it appealing. The red "J" in the middle could be swapped out for any symbol for any language, or eliminated all together.

Executive Washroom

The executive washroom seems like one of those over-exaggerated high statuses, like the jock lunch table or the parent's dresser drawer. I felt the need to over-exaggerate the executive washroom to really get the point across because to be at that status, a person had to have worked very hard to finally get that spot in the office . . . And to get to use that washroom. The symbol on the right is my universal symbol. It is a symmetrical blue, sleek sink filled with gold and jewels in the basin and diamond knobs. Of course, it is all in good humor, but the rich colors get the point across that this is no ordinary bathroom. The symbol on the left was an idea that I really liked and could not resist making it into a symbol for an American bathroom. It has an "E" for "executives" and it has a diamond crown on the edge. Of course, the toilet paper is made of money and the shaded "E" has a small sparkle at the top right to show that this is elegant.

Parking Garage

The parking garage was another difficult symbol to create, because I was torn between the idea of the outside of a large structure or the car actually parked. It was difficult because to combine the two most important elements of a parking garage, it would be too cluttered for the look and designs I was going for with the detail, shading, and colors. In the end, the smaller symbol got the point across of a car going through an entrance where there are other cars (colors) parked in. The larger image was what I thought was the most important aspect of the sign because a person needs to know it is a place where parking is available. I have a red car with slight detail and shading to make it look very nice, as in a person would want to park their car in a place where that car was. It is in the parking lines that have a slight perspective to it, and a large "P" would indicate the parking in the English language. Like with the janitor sign, it can be replaced with any symbol. 

Exit

It is a difficult task to redo a sign that is probably the most recognized in the world. There are only so many things a person can do to get the message of "leaving" across to another. The word "EXIT" shows that this, of course, is the exit, and the green is a positive color that represents "go" as well. The right part of the sign has a doorway with a green arrow leaving through it. The word and the sign can be paired together to get the meaning across the best, or the doorway alone can be used as it can be recognized worldwide. I thought this should be the most simple sign, but I did add a little shading for depth and appeal.

With my signs, I drew them all, but if it were my choice, I would have them be digitally redone so the colors are smooth, and can be glossy and as three-dimensional as they could be.

Journal One

How would you define who you are in one symbol or icon? 

If I were to choose one image that would describe how I think about myself, it would be a piece of jewelry. I don't mean it in a vapid way; I do not think I am a precious treasure that is gorgeous. A jewelry piece would best describe me because to me, a special piece of jewelry has meaning to it. For me, this necklace was given to me by a person I have been in a relationship with for almost three years. The idea of jewelry is thoughtful and quietly lovely. It does not have to have anything added to it to make it look nice, it is the idea that it is worn alone, delicately around the neck. This would describe me because I am a very thoughtful, sensitive person and I know I have a lot of worth to me, as would a jewelry given as a gift. I am an introverted person and I have no problems being alone, but it's nice to have companions, just like a necklace could have other accessories to complete a look. Also, though I don't like to admit it, I am a sensitive person and I care about being treated kindly more than a lot of people. Lastly, I chose the background of rocks because even with all of my characteristics, I love being outdoors and I am firmly grounded to who I am.

How do you think someone else would define you?

The first impression, that I have been told by most people, is that I am shy and pretty. This image has a pretty flower, nothing extravagant, but it is surrounded by a lock. To me, I probably seem like the flower who does not want to come out of lock, or my shell. Of course, with the right person, or key, the shell comes off easily and I can be more relaxed and optimistic.