Design Principles / Task 3
4.3.2024 - 22.3.2024 / Week 5 - Week 7
Bong Sue Zhiun / 0366866
Design Principles / Bachelor of Design ( Hons ) in Creative Media
Task 3 : Design
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Instructions
2. Task
3. Feedback
INSTRUCTIONS
TASK
Task 3 : Design
After analysing the design we chose in Task 2, it's time to create our own design inspired by it. We should also apply our knowledge of design principles in our creation. We can use any materials or mediums we like to express our visual message.
The UNSDG goal I've chosen is Goal 5: Gender Equality. With this in mind, I intend to create an illustration that emphasises the metaphor for societal bias against women.
1. My Visual References
"Blade in Crimson" was created by a New York based-artist called Zhijun He. This series depict the difficult experiences of Chinese women in a society where men hold more power, highlighting the devastating reality of gender inequality.
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| Fig.1.1. Blade in Crimson by Zhijun He, Week 5, 6.3.2024 |
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| Fig.1.2. Blade in Crimson by Zhijun He, Week 5, 6.3.2024 |
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| Fig.1.3. Blade in Crimson by Zhijun He, Week 5, 6.3.2024 |
2. My Sketches
In Sketches #1, lots of hands reach out to shake the man's hand, showing he has many opportunities. But for the woman, many hands try to stop her, showing she faces lots of barriers.
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| Fig.2.1. Sketches #1 , Week 6, 11.3.2024 |
In Sketches #2, the man covers the woman's mouth with his hand in a wedding photo. This shows how women often have no say and lack status in decision-making , even in important moments like marriage.
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| Fig.2.2. Sketches #2 , Week 6, 11.3.2024 |
In Sketches #3, the man lowers himself to match the woman's height, emphasising their equality and promoting the idea of treating everyone fairly, regardless of gender.
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| Fig.2.3. Sketches #3 , Week 6, 11.3.2024 |
3. Digitise
After sketching all three ideas, I want to make an illustration that shows the negative side, based on Sketches #1. I started the process of tracing my sketches using Adobe Illustrator.
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| Fig.3.1. Tracing , Week 7, 18.3.2024 |
I took some time to figure out which colours would be the best fit for my illustration. After looking into it, I decided to go with red as the main colour for my illustration because red is eye-catching and bold. Red emphasises the importance of addressing gender inequity and is a symbol of passion and urgency. Red is also a powerful colour for breaking societal norms since it may bring out strong emotions like anger and determination. Overall, red helps make the illustration stand out and prompts viewers to think about the issue of gender inequality.
It's similar to what I saw in my visual references that created by Zhijun He, and I think it will work well for the overall look I'm going for. Additionally, I found a suitable reference on Pinterest that complements the style I'm aiming for in my illustration.
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| Fig.3.2. Harper's Bazaar Korea, Week 7, 18.3.2024 |
I applied the colours I found in the Pinterest reference to my artwork, filling it in with those particular hues.
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| Fig.3.3. Apply colours, Week 7, 18.3.2024 |
After that, I added shading to the man and woman's faces and clothing and removed the outlines to see if there was enough contrast between them.
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| Fig.3.4. Add shading , Week 7, 18.3.2024 |
After receiving feedback from Ms. Yip, I made some adjustments to my artwork based on her suggestions. I adjusted the facial expressions of both the man and woman to better match the situation depicted in the illustration.
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| Fig.3.5. Adjust the facial expressions , Week 7, 18.3.2024 |
I change the colour of the lapel from grey to black.
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| Fig.3.6. Change the colour of lapel , Week 7, 18.3.2024 |
I added the words "annual report" to the file that the woman is holding using the Impact font.
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| Fig.3.7. Add ' annual report ' , Week 7, 18.3.2024 |
Then, I refined the shading on the man's clothing and the hands on both sides of the illustration to enhance their depth and realism.
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| Fig.3.8. Continue to add shading , Week 7, 18.3.2024 |
I changed the colour of the file to black and shaded it with red to match the colours used throughout this illustration. I think that using black and red can make the words "annual report" stand out more effectively.
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| Fig.3.9. ( Left ) Grey File ( Right ) Black File , Week 7, 18.3.2024 |
4. Final Design
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| Fig.4.1. Hands of Inequality by Bong Sue Zhiun ( JPEG ), Week 7, 18.3.2024 |
Hands of Inequality by Bong Sue Zhiun ( PDF )
Rationale :
The illustration, titled "Hands of Inequality," aligns with UNSDG No. 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. It highlights the disparities between men and women, emphasising the need to address gender inequality. The illustration shows the unequal treatment and opportunities between genders by showing a man surrounded by many hands reaching out to shake his hand, indicating abundant opportunities, in contrast to a woman facing barriers and hands trying to hold her back. It challenges existing social standards that hold women to be less capable than men, which limits their ability to succeed in their careers and draws more attention to them. The illustration acts as a powerful call to action, address and eliminate gender biases and barriers in every aspect of society by raising attention to these inequalities.
Furthermore, this illustration shows various design principles. The bright red background contrasts strongly with the use of black and white. Alignment appears in the placement of hands on both sides. Repetition can be seen in the repeating hands. The Gestalt theory of proximity is shown when related elements, such as hands, are positioned close together. Lastly, there's an approximate symmetry that creates a sense of balance.
( 202 words )
FEEDBACK
Week 7
Specific feedback ( Sketches ): Ms. Yip gets what my three ideas mean. Ideas 1 and 2 are negative, while Idea 3 is positive. She asked which perspective I want to show my audience. Also, she wondered if I've decided on making a poster or an illustration as the final outcome.
Specific feedback ( Illustration ): Ms. Yip thinks the man should seem more confident and the woman more disappointed in their facial expressions. She's concerned that the man's suit, especially the grey lapel on the coat, might make people think he's a bridegroom instead of an officer. She also suggested adding "annual report" to the woman's file to make them look like workplace officers. Additionally, she wants me to think about why I'm using the colour red. Overall, she thinks my illustration looks pretty balanced and approximated symmetrical.
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