Tag: Xiaojie Li

Xiaojie Li

Xiaojie Li
Set: SAFE EFFICIENT
Visual Language (VOICE)
Contrast of Space: 60% white space
Shape of Forms: Square 1×1″ rectangle 1×2”,1×3”,1×4”
Orientation of Forms: 0 degree, 90 degrees
Size of Forms: Different sizes allowed
Placement of Form: two focuses, the very left and next to the right
Space between Forms: basically two choices: 0.25 inches, 0.5inches
Objective Rules (assignment rules)
#1 Object should be placed on the upper part of the image above an invisible line
#2 the core forms in the basic balance one should be in the whole sets.
#3 there should be a balance like a steelyard. Light thing should be far from the center and heavy thing should be close to the center.
Interpretation of Visual Language
I used the process of a steelyard placed rule. Light thing should be far from the center and heavy thing should be close to the center. I established #1 balance rules first. The forms are placed on the upper part of the image with an invisible line. It looks asymmetry but actually feels balanced. All new forms were added only by direction of the objectives (assignment). I placed each new form guided by the objectives as if it is a weight of the steelyard.

Set: WHIMSICAL DELICATE
Visual Language (VOICE)
Contrast of Space: 50% white space
Shape of Forms: core form is two 1*1” squares attached with each other
Orientation of Forms: 45 degrees
Size of Forms: size should be equal
Placement of Form: a core form in the center, design the rest accordingly
Space between Forms: 0.5inches
Objective Rules (assignment rules)
#1 Objects should be placed on the upper part of the image above an invisiable line
#2 The core forms in the basic balance one should be in the whole sets.
#3 There should be a balance like a steelyard. Light thing should be far from the center and heavy thing should be close to the center.
Interpretation of Visual Language
I was inspired by the wave of water. I used the basic form: the combination of two squares, to interpret the waves. Balance was achieved by the horizontal symmetry. Think of a image that the wind blow on the surface of water, you can see many different types of waves. Some are close to each other, which lead to a space to the independent one and let it be emphasized naturally. Also, once adding a piece of square to extend the length, it actually broadens the area as it’s a square.

Set: FIERCE DYNAMIC
Visual Language (VOICE)
Contrast of Space: 75% white space
Shape of Forms: long rectangle
Orientation of Forms: 35 degrees
Size of Forms: 1*1’’, 1*2’’,1*3’’,1*4’’,1*5’’
Placement of Form: placed based on the upper left corner
Space between Forms: basically 0.5inches
Objective Rules (assignment rules)
#1 The core form, a long rectangle from the upper left, should always be put first.
#2 Basically two directions of long bars. They are perpendicular to each other

Interpretation of Visual Language
I was inspired by the concept that the upper left part is the lightest part of a image, which needs to be balanced. Meanwhile, I think the track of a comet will be the best one to interpret the sense of dynamic. This time I design the placement carefully so the core form doesn’t pass the center diagonal, which lead the image easy and comfortable.

Xiaojie Li

Gestalt Principles
1. Rules for the system of the home screen.
The newspaper title is on the very top and covers the whole width, followed by a category bar. The rest of the image is basically divided into 2 columns. The right column will be divided into 2 or 3 or 4 according to the articles.
2. Gestalt principles:
a. Contrast: There is contrast between title and content. Title is big and content is small. When the mouse passes something with a link, the words will turn blue, which is different from normal black color.
b. Emphasis: The titles are emphasized naturally because of the contrasts.
c. Balance: The page is balanced as there are lines to make sure the articles in one sector are both laterally and longitudinally aligned. There is also enough white space. The right column seems to be a white space when you scroll down, which give the page a balance.
d. Harmony: About 30%-50% of the website is images, which attains a harmony of images and words.
e. Rhythm/Movement: Some articles are lower than the articles next to it, which attracts people to scroll down.
3. The overall composition work in harmony. The colors are clean and comfortable. Although there are lots of articles, it doesn’t looks messy as they are separated by lines. Also, the contrast between title and content help me to get the information. It’s both balanced and with certain level of hierarchy.
4. Designs are popular today are with big photos/pictures. It seems that people are more willing to “read” images rather than words today. Not only the title picture, but also pictures for other articles are used to convey the information. In another word, the use of image is generally increased. Also, column design is still popular among digital newspaper design, like it’s in paper ones. The difference is that the number of columns has been decreased to 2-3.

Xiaojie Li

2. System of hierarchy:
a. color: All the words are black except the highlighted ones with color red or blue. The images keep the original colors.
b. typography: The titles of article are “inherit”, the contents of the article are “Georgia”.
c. image: Almost all the images are the ideal rectangles. They are either placed on the top of the article above the title, or on the left part of the article under the title.
d. composition: The whole page, expect of the newspaper title, is basically divide into 2 columns. The right column will be divided into 2 or 3 or 4 according to the articles.
3. My decisions on reading were subjective. As I am more easily to be attracted by images, I will prefer to read the articles with images.

xiaojie li

This assignment challenged to think about the weight of black and white. I feel if there are some intensive black color, it feels really black even it’s just dot. Because the color of blank part of newspaper is close to the grey background, it’s little bit hard to make the middle part the same as grey background and then get whiter. I think that’s one constraint in doing this exercise exactly following the instruction.

Xiaojie Li

(A) Fierce and Dynamica
1. Water fall from up to down.
2. As top left corner needs to be balanced, I use scale to add effort to the left-up space, It’s dynamic because it’s like a water falling down from the window.
3. To balance top left space, I use the white square created by the black line to emphasize that space. It’s dynamic as you feel drawn to the inside. The focus is naturally be on the black little square.
4. I get the idea of dynamic from the way people enjoy calligraphy.
5. There are 4 squares in the image, two incomplete ones.
6. It’s like a bunch of flower.
7.It’s like a feather. The emphasize is put on the very left one.
8. Sunshine is a dynamic product. Again, to balance the image, I put the effort on top left corner.
(B) Whimsical and Delicate
1. Inspired by how weight balance the image, I put two items on opposite site. It’s very delicate as you will not call it balance from the vision, but you feel it’s balanced because of the weight.
2. To balance the image, I put the focus on the top left corner. This lines are in different scale. But because the nest line will take off some place of the previous line, it looks in harmony.
3. Also, use three lines to emphasize the left-up corner to balance the image.
4. The hierarchy is put in the enter short line.
5. Using space, my understanding is that the size should be the same. Also, as people’s eye following the up-down order. The focus will naturally be given to the bottom one.
6. I used line, point, and (white) space to create the delicate feeling.
7. Again, line, point, and (white ) space. Here, although the point is not in the center, it gets the attention because it’s on the top left corner.
8. I want to create a delicate image with a sense of motion. That’s why I put some disequilibrium on the left part.
(C) Safe and Efficient
1. little up space, like the title we see in one image, Efficient and balance.
2. Using scale to balance top left corner.
3. Using the same point to balance top left corner.
4. Efficient hierarchy, like the title we use in slides,
5. Hierarchy using space, like the article structure we use.
6. Balance the top left corner with slight difference.
7. Balanced but also emphasize the lone line.
8. A temple is a simple of safe.

Xiaojie Li

(A) Fierce and Dynamica
1. Water fall from up to down.
2. As top left corner needs to be balanced, I use scale to add effort to the left-up space, It’s dynamic because it’s like a water falling down from the window.
3. To balance top left space, I use the white square created by the black line to emphasize that space. It’s dynamic as you feel drawn to the inside. The focus is naturally be on the black little square.
4. I get the idea of dynamic from the way people enjoy calligraphy.
5. There are 4 squares in the image, two incomplete ones.
6. It’s like a bunch of flower.
7.It’s like a feather. The emphasize is put on the very left one.
8. Sunshine is a dynamic product. Again, to balance the image, I put the effort on top left corner.
(B) Whimsical and Delicate
1. Inspired by how weight balance the image, I put two items on opposite site. It’s very delicate as you will not call it balance from the vision, but you feel it’s balanced because of the weight.
2. To balance the image, I put the focus on the top left corner. This lines are in different scale. But because the nest line will take off some place of the previous line, it looks in harmony.
3. Also, use three lines to emphasize the left-up corner to balance the image.
4. The hierarchy is put in the enter short line.
5. Using space, my understanding is that the size should be the same. Also, as people’s eye following the up-down order. The focus will naturally be given to the bottom one.
6. I used line, point, and (white) space to create the delicate feeling.
7. Again, line, point, and (white ) space. Here, although the point is not in the center, it gets the attention because it’s on the top left corner.
8. I want to create a delicate image with a sense of motion. That’s why I put some disequilibrium on the left part.
(C) Safe and Efficient
1. little up space, like the title we see in one image, Efficient and balance.
2. Using scale to balance top left corner.
3. Using the same point to balance top left corner.
4. Efficient hierarchy, like the title we use in slides,
5. Hierarchy using space, like the article structure we use.
6. Balance the top left corner with slight difference.
7. Balanced but also emphasize the lone line.
8. A temple is a simple of safe.

Xiaojie Li

Egg Vase
I was once impressed by a Japanese-style vase. It’s a whole stone with a flower put in the only hole. I think it contains some philosophy, such as the contrast between soft and hard, serious and vibrant. Thus, I was thinking it would be cool if I dig a hole on the egg and change it into a mini vase.
Egg is the food I always eat in daily life. It contains protein. It’s easy to cook. In terms of cooking egg itself, there are more than 5 methods, let alone the meals using egg as an element. However, I never pay attention to the egg shell after I break it. Just throw it away. The egg is fragile as the shape will be broken down if you knock it against hard surface. However, it can be difficult to be destroyed if you pinch it as a whole. I used to dig a hole on the egg shell to just let the egg white come out. It is interesting as the shape of egg will not break because of the hole.
Now, I will not throw the shell away, instead, I will make use of the fantastic unique shape of ellipsoid. Then the pure white/yellow color will be an advance of the vase and add a sense of elegance. Also the white color takes the advance of fitting almost every color; any flower can be put inside. Besides, as we know the story that Da Vinci painting an egg from different perspective, the seemly simple shape can actually create different shapes. It will also be fun to see how egg vases can combine together. Additionally, as I can draw on the shell, the appearance can be changed accordingly and creatively.
In conclusion, I changed the idea that egg is food and to the idea that the egg shell can be a container. Move my focus from the inside to the outside. Forget about how to break the shape but instead thinking of how to manipulate the shape.