Elements

of

Design

Brian Packard

Table of Contents

-Line

-Shape

-Texture

-Balance

-Contrast

-Unity

-Color

-Value

Line: • Whatistheproductorservicebeingadvertised?

TheproductbeingdisplayedinthisadvertisementisYamalubeMotoroil.

• LINEisbeingusedinthedesignto:

_X_Createamood

_X_Organizeotherelementsonthepage

___Createtexturethroughillustration

• Pleasethoroughlyexplainyouranswertothequestionaboveandanalyze/describehowthisadvertisementorwebsiteusesLINE.

Inthisadvertisementtheauthorusesmanydifferentlines,spiralingoutoftheproductsbottle,toconveyasenseofexcitementandfun.Amongthelinesisalsoafewdifferentlineillustrationsincludingarunningman,stars,cogs,andhearts.Allofthesestrengthentheimplicationsofenjoymentandalsoimplythatthisoilisspecial.

Beyondjustusingthelinestoconveyfeelingtheauthoralsousedthemtodivideupthepageinawaythatmakestheinformationeasiertodigestanddisplayedinacleanermanner.

• PleasedescribetheeffectivenessoftheuseofLINEinthisdesign.

Ifeelliketheideasbehindthelineswerewellthoughtoutandproperlyimplemented.Theyreallydoexpressthefeelingsthattheyweredesignedtodisplay,butmaybealittlebittoowell.BecausetheillustrationsaresocondensedandvariedIfeelthattheadvertisementistoobusy.Itattemptstoexpresstoomanydifferentthingstoindividualdetails.Insteadofusingthelinesasanoverallthemeforthetheadvertisementtheauthormadeanattempttoputtoomanylittlethemesintoad.WhenflippingthroughamagazineIdon’tstopforverylongonadvertisements,sotheydon’thaveverylongtocatchmyeye.AfterlookingcloselyatthisadIdidlikethedetailsandfeltthatitwasdonewell,butifIhadn’tbeenlookingforexamplesoflineIneverwouldhavegiventheadasecondlook.

• Whoistheprimaryaudienceoftheadvertisementorwebsite?

Theprimaryaudienceforthisadismotorcycleownersinterestedingettingmoreperformanceoutoftheirengine.EventhoughthisisaproductmadebyYamahaitisdesignedforuseinallmotorcycleengines,andthatisexplainedinthead.

Shape• Whatisthenameofthecompany,organizationorindividualutilizingthiswebsite? Thewebsitebeingusedforshapeiswww.bawls.com.

• SHAPEisbeingusedinthedesigninthefollowingway(s):

___Photosandillustrationsarecreatingshapethroughtheactualshapeandcon tentoftheart. ___Lineoralineillustrationiscreatingthepredominantshape ___Typeiscreatingthepredominantshape _X_Shadedorcoloredareasarecreatingthepredominantshape _X_Shapeissustainingtheviewer’sinterest. ___Shapeisorganizingthepage ___Shapeishelpingtheviewerunderstandtheconcept _X_Shapeisleadingtheviewer’seyethroughthedesign

• Pleasethoroughlyexplainyouranswertothequestionaboveandanalyze/describeinyourownwordshowthisadvertisementorwebsiteusesSHAPE.

Inthiswebsitethedesignerutilizesthesilhouettesofpeopletoprovideshapeforthesite.Asthesitecyclesthroughitsdifferentcustomertestimonialsanewshapeisbroughtforward.Byusingjustthesilhouettesthedesignerhaskepttheviewermoreinterestedinthesite.Theviewermustlookcloselyattheshapetodeterminewhatitis.

Whilethevieweriswatchingthecyclingshapestheyarealsoreadingmultipletestimoni-alswhichleadtheviewertofurtherunderstandtheproductbeingsold.

• PleasedescribetheeffectivenessoftheuseofSHAPEinthisdesign.

Ibelievethatthedesignerofthissiteusedagreatdesigningtechniqueperfectlywhendesigningthissite.Notonlydoestheviewerpaymoreattentiontotheproductbuttheyarealsoledthroughtheprincipalsofthesiteandcompany.

• Whoistheprimaryaudienceoftheadvertisementorwebsite?

Afterviewingthissiteitisveryclearthatthecompanyismarketingthisproducttoaverywideaudience.Thecyclingshapesdepictfourdifferentindividuals;amother,asoldier,acollegestudent,andabartender.Allofthesepeoplearequotedassayinghowoftentheydrinktheenergydrinkaswellashowmuchtheyenjoyit.Thisclearlyshowsthatthecompanyisattemptingtoreachouttoanyonewhohastheneedformoreenergyintheirday.

Texture:• Whatistheproductorservicebeingadvertised? TheproductbeingadvertisedinthistwopagemagazineadvertisementisaChevyCamaroConvertible.

• TEXTUREisbeingusedinthedesignto: _X_Createaparticularmoodorfeeling _X_Fillindividualshapesorareas _X_Reinforceorsupporttheconceptofthedesign • Pleasethoroughlyexplainyouranswertothequestionaboveandanalyze/describehowthisadvertisementorwebsiteusesTEXTURE.

UponturningtothistwopageadvertisementIwasimmediatelymetwiththesceneofastylishandsportylookingconvertibleinalargegravellot.Amansitsalonewithade-terminedlookonhisfaceashespinshiscarincircles,flinginggravelbehindhim.Inthelowerlefthandcornerthereisacontrastingwhitefontthatreads;“NOSUNDAYDRIVES”inallcapitalletters.IambroughtbacktomemoriesoftryingtogettoworkonSundaymorningonlytobesloweddownbypeoplecreepingtheirwayalongtheroadonsomekindofSundaytourofthetown.Clearlythiscarismeanttobeallbusiness.

Theroughtextureofthegravelconveysasenseofhowroughandstrongthiscaris.Thevariedshadeofthepasttiretracksdrawmyeyesacrosstheadtothecar,asitsitsmo-tionlesswithatorrentofgravelspewingoutbehindit.Thecarlookstobeinanimmacu-latecondition,seeminglyimpervioustotherocksanddirtthatitpassesthrough.Thisde-signerunderstoodthattheaudienceforthiscarwantedsomethingthatwasbothstrongandstylish,andtheyhaveshownthathere.Thestrikingscenewouldnotbethesameifitwasdepictedintheparkinglotofabusinesspark.Insteadthislayoutmakesthevehicleseemlikeananimal,whichisreinforcedbythestatementofhorsepoweronthebottomoftherighthandpage.

• PleasedescribetheeffectivenessoftheuseofTEXTUREinthisdesign. Thisadvertisementisaperfectexampleastohowtextureshouldbeproperlyutilized.Itdoeseverythingfromcreatingmoodtomovingthereadertowardstheconceptoftheproduct,allwhileprovidingabalancetothead.Ibelievethisisaveryeffectiveuseoftexture.

• Whoistheprimaryaudienceoftheadvertisementorwebsite? Theaudienceforthisadisaworkingclassmanwhowantsanallbusinesscarthathasbothpowerandstyle.Theaudienceisinterestedingettingthefeelingthatacarprovides,notjustitsutilitarianuseofgettingfrompointAtopointB.

Balance:• Whatistheproductorservicebeingadvertised?

Theproductinthisadvertisementissetofheadphonesmadebyincase.

• BALANCEisbeingusedinthedesigninthefollowingway(s): _X_Tocreateamood. _X_Symmetricalbalanceisreinforcingthemessage—suchas;serious, conservative,sophisticated,stable,elegant,etc. ___Asymmetricalbalanceisreinforcingthemessage—suchas;relaxed,informal, freeform,creative,etc. _X_Tocreatevisualtensionbybeingobviouslyunbalanced.

• Pleasethoroughlyexplainyouranswertothequestionaboveandanalyze/describeinyourownwordshowthisadvertisementorwebsiteusesBALANCE.

Balancedonendinfrontofaanallwhitewallisapairofallblackheadphones.Theonlyotherthingonthepage,outsideofthecompanyname,arefourwordscenteredundertheheadphones.Theyread:“Naturalsound.Minimaldesign.”.Thenearlysymmetricalde-signoftheheadphonesleadstothefeelingofawellbalancedproductthatisbothstableandpowerful.Theconservativedesignofthisadreinforceshowunderstatedandso-phisticatedthedesignoftheproductis.Combinealloftheseelementswiththecontrastoftheblackproductonawhitebackgroundandthereaderisalmostoverwhelmedwiththoughtsoforderandbalance.

• PleasedescribetheeffectivenessoftheuseofBALANCEinthisdesign.

Beginningwiththeproductbeing“balanced”onendthisadusesbalanceveryeffectively.Itisthekeytotheoverallfeelingofthisad,andwithoutitthewholegoalwouldbelost.Theproductitselfusesthebalanceofitsowndesignasitsmajorsellingpointsoitsonlynaturalthattheadcampaignwouldmimicit.

• Whoistheprimaryaudienceoftheadvertisementorwebsite?

Theprimaryaudienceforthisadisanyonewhovaluesacleanandminimaldesignwhilenotcompromisingonsoundquality.

Contrast:• Whatisthenameofthecompany,organizationorindividualutilizingthiswebsite? ThecompanysitethatIamusingisUPS.Itislocatedathttp://www.ups.com/.

• CONTRASTisbeingusedinthedesigninthefollowingway(s):

_X_Strengthenanidea;supportthemessage. ___Tocreateacontradiction(BIGwritteninverysmalltype). _X_Contrastingcolors ___Contrastingvalues ___Contrastingshapes ___Contrastingtexture _X_Contrastingtypography

• Pleasethoroughlyexplainyouranswertothequestionaboveandanalyze/describeinyourownwordshowthisadvertisementorwebsiteusesCONTRAST.

NavigatingtothissitegreetedmewithaplainwhitepagebrokenonlybytheUPSlogoandachangingletteringthatsays“We<3Logistics”.Underneaththisisastripofbrownthatcrossesthewholepageandprovidesalocationforaboxusedtoselectlanguage.ThefirstthingthatInoticedwastheprominentlydisplayedUPSlogoskirtedbytheirnewcompanystatement.Thestatementchangeslanguageswhileretainingaheartdrawnoutofanarrow.TheoldideaofUPSbeingbrownisalsoreinforcedthroughthecontrastofalargestripeoftheUPSsignaturebrownthatbridgesthewholepage.

• PleasedescribetheeffectivenessoftheuseofCONTRASTinthisdesign.

Contrastwastheprimaryelementthatthedesignerusedinthisdesign.TheywantedtomaketheuserfeelthatUPSisawellputtogetherorganizationthatcaterstomanydif-ferentnationalities.Ibelievethattheydidthisverywellthroughmanydifferenttypesofcontrast.Themostobvioususeisusingthedifferentcolorstoguidethereaderstowheretheprimaryconceptsofthewebsiteslie.Oneoftheseconceptsisreinforcedthrutheuseofthecontrastinglanguages.Thedesigneringeniouslyreplacesthepreviouswordingwithanewlanguage,forcingthereadertoseethecontrastingcharacters.Thiscouldhavebeendonebydisplayingallofthelanguagesatonceinagiantwalloftext.InsteadthisconceptbetterenforcestheanglethatUPSwantstoshow.

• Whoistheprimaryaudienceoftheadvertisementorwebsite?

Theprimaryaudienceofthisadwashardtodiscernatfirst.Withsomanydifferentna-tionalitiesshownaswellasthebroadcustomerbaseofUPSitwasnotaneasytask.Afterlookingatthesitecloseritbecameapparentthatthisisaimedatanyonewouldneedslogistics.Theyareleavingtheircustomerbaseasbroadaspossibletobringinasmuchbusinessastheycan.

Unity:• Whatistheproductorservicebeingadvertised?

InthisadvertisementGeneralElectricisadvertisingitsnewweeklywellnessblog.

• UNITYisbeingusedinthedesignto:

_X_Provideconsistency _X_Unifythedesignwithconsistentelements(grouped/repeatingelements) _X_Leadtheviewer’seyethroughthedesign

• Pleasethoroughlyexplainyouranswertothequestionaboveandanalyze/describehowthisadvertisementorwebsiteusesUNITY.

InthisexampleadvertisementGEutilizesunitytomakethereaderfeelliketheyarereadinganarticleinthemagazine.Thefirstpageofthisadbeginswithaprominenttitleoverlayedonthepictureofatranslucenthumanbody.Beneaththistitleliesasmallex-planationofGEwhichleadstheusertobelievetherewillbemoreinformationtofollow.Whenthereaderturnsthepagetheyaregreetedwithaverysimilarlythemedpage.Theimageofthehumanbodyisrepeatedalongwiththeprevioustitle,butbeneathitthereisawealthofinformation.Thisisalsotiedinbythesamefontasonthepreviouspageaswellassimilarlines.Allofthisguidesthereaderthrutheinformationpresented.

• PleasedescribetheeffectivenessoftheuseofUNITYinthisdesign.

Unityisverywellusedbythedesignerofthisad.Theytiedinjustabouteveryaspectofthefirstpagetothatofthesecond.Whenthereaderflipsthrutheadtheyaremetwiththefeelingthatthisadisverywellorganized,andassuchtheyareledtobelievethatGEisawellputtogethercompany.Thefactthatthisadvertisementisdisplayedinamaga-zineheavilyinfluencesthedesign.Manyreaderswillflipthroughamagazineandskipovereveryadthattheyseewithoutgivingthemasecondthought.Thedesignerofthisadknewthisanddecidedtotakeadifferentapproachfromtheusual,theydecidedtomakeitlooklikeanarticle.Manyarticlesutilizethesameelementsasanyadwill,especiallyunity.ThisdesignerusedthattomakethereaderspaymoreattentiontohisadandIbelievethatitwasveryeffective,soeffectiveinfactthatIhadtolookforthetelltaletitleupinthecornerthatdesignateditasanadvertisement.

• Whoistheprimaryaudienceoftheadvertisementorwebsite?

Theprimaryaudienceforthisadisanybodyinterestedinhealthyliving.Mostofthein-formationpresentedleadsmetobelievethatthetargetedaudiencemaybemiddleagedpeoplewhoreadhealthblogsonline.ThisisalsoreinforcedbytheproductsthatGEhastoofferbeingprimarilygearedtowardsthatdemographic.

Color:• Whatistheproductorservicebeingadvertised?

Ben&Jerry’sIcecreamathttp://www.benjerry.com/

• COLORisbeingusedinthedesigninthefollowingway(s):

_X_Createsamoodorfeeling ___Createsvisualtensionandmovement _X_Providesunityandbalance ___Providesstructureandformsagridinadesign _X_Providesasenseoforder ___Createsharmony

• Pleasethoroughlyexplainyouranswertothequestionaboveandanalyze/describeinyourownwordshowthisadvertisementorwebsiteusesCOLOR.

Ben&Jerry’swebsiteisaperfectexampleofhowcolorcanbeusedtoinfluenceaview-er’sfeelingstowardsaproductorcompany.Theuseofvaryingshadesofthesamecolorinthedesignaswellasthecartoonyshapesmakestheviewerfeelthatthisisafuncom-panygearedtowardsmakingthemenjoytheexperienceoftheirproduct.

Thesecolorsarefurtherusedwhenswitchingpagesonthewebsite.Whilethecolorsmaynotbethesametheydoutilizethesameshadesandshapestounifythedesign.Eachpagegetsauniquecolorthatpushestheviewertocontinuetoexplorethesite.Thisisalsohelpfulinkeepingthesitefunandenjoyable.Whilethesiteisdesignedwithacar-toonyfeelitstillhasasenseoforderandorganization.

• PleasedescribetheeffectivenessoftheuseofCOLORinthisdesign.

IbelievethatcolorisnotonlyusedasadesignelementonthissitebutisalsousedtodefineBen&Jerry’sasabrand.InaworldofblandneaticecreampackagingBen&Jer-ry’scomesforthwithanewandfundesignthatstandsoutontheshelf.Thisismirroredbytheirwebsitewhichusesitbothtodefinethebrandaswellasprovideorganizationfortheinformationthattheyneedtoprovide.

• Whoistheprimaryaudienceoftheadvertisementorwebsite?

Thiswebsiteisaimedtowardsaverywideaudienceacrossagegroupsandsocialclasses.Ben&Jerry’sdesignedtheirsitetobebothfriendlyforchildrenaswellasinformativetoadults.

Value:• Whatisthenameofthecompany,organizationorindividualutilizingthiswebsite? YankeeCandlehttp://www.yankeecandle.com/

• VALUEisbeingusedinthedesigninthefollowingway(s):

_X_Createsamoodorfeeling _X_Creates contrast ___Createsmovementanddirection

• Pleasethoroughlyexplainyouranswertothequestionaboveandanalyze/describeinyourownwordshowthisadvertisementorwebsiteusesVALUE.

YankeeCandleisacompanywhoisdefinedbythey’reproductsscent,butyoucannotsmellthey’reproductsthroughawebsite,soinsteadtheyareleftwithonlysightasasense.Inordertoconveythesenseofvalueandqualitythattheyneedtoreallymakethey’reproductshinetheyusecolorsandtonesthroughoutthey’resite.ThefirstthingthatInoticedwasthebackgroundonthesite.Itusesshadesanddesignstogivetheviewerasensethatthisproductisaqualityitem.Thecontrastingcolorsusedonthemul-tiplepagesofthesitepointtheusertoYankeeCandle’smultipledifferentproducts.

• PleasedescribetheeffectivenessoftheuseofVALUEinthisdesign.

WithYankeeCandlebeingsoreliantuponthescentofitsproductstheymustusesightveryeffectivelytoconveythevalueoftheirproduct.Ibelievetheydidthisverywellthrutheuseofbothcolorsandshapes.Thewaythatthewarmcolorswereusedbothinthecandlesthemselvesaswellasthroughoutthesiteasawholereallyledtoaveryprofoundfeelingofvalue.

• Whoistheprimaryaudienceoftheadvertisementorwebsite?

Theprimaryaudienceforthiswebsiteisanyonelookingtomaketheirhomefeelwarmerandmore“homey”.Thesiteisnotgearedtowardsanyparticularsexoragegroup,butinsteaditisaimedtowardsawideaudienceinterestedinmakingtheirhomesandcarssmellgood.