Visual Techniques

Asymmetry
Irregularity
Understatement
Subtlety
Balance
Flatness

Irregularity
Asymmetry (despite seeming symmetrical, vulvas are all very different and often asymmetrical)
Intricacy
Boldness
Variation
Accuracy
Depth
Sequentiality
Episodicity
Neutrality

These two examples are very different. The top one uses subtlety and understatement to only hint at the underlying "bones" of the text that play with the title of the company rather than if the text was made completely of bones. It uses balance and simplicity to keep the design minimal. This gives off the impression of the company being a bit playful, yet still to be taken seriously. The bottom image is a sculpture showing the variation of vulvas. It uses episodicity and sequentiality to show the diversity of these body parts. Depth and intricacy are used to further show the difference sin shape, size, texture, etc. The neutrality of the color denies the viewer a possibility of identifying certain vulvas with particular racial groups. This allows the viewer to see the diversity of the vulvas, yet in a monochromatic, simplified way.

Contrast

This set of drawers shows a poor use of contrast. First off, the design is impractical and kitchsy to the point of total ugliness. Why this furniture would ever be desired is unknown to me. Here, the contrast lies in the shape, color, and intention of the item. The contrast in shape between the fully functional drawers and the apparently chewed away section of the piece tells a story of a beaver or lumberjack. Although one may find this contrast cute, it makes the dresser appear top-heavy, which it may in fact be in real life. It also is designed far too tall to allow for this chewed away section, to the point that the young girl posing with the piece cannot even reach the top drawer. The white section mocking raw wood is done with faux texture that seems irrelevant and unattractive. The function of this item of furniture is to hold materials, likely clothing. The cut away section removes a key storage area making the item larger than needed and therefore less functional. This poor use of contrast in shape and size create its uncomfortable contrast in function of design. 

This example uses contrast in a very smart way. The first thing the eye notices is the faint contrast in color under the woman's eye in the photo. Although this is faint since it is composed of text, it contrasts anything we would ever see in advertising. Not only is it  flaw, but it is a marker of domestic violence, and the message of the ad. If we add in the next contrast, her non-smiling face, we make the immediate connection between her and domestic violence, despite its subtlety. Her distant stare also contrasts what we normally see in advertising. Although this contrast is a bit less tangible, it is highly effective in capturing the viewers attention and interest. The contrast in color we see in the red numbers at the bottom right corner also subtly yet effectively direct the viewers attention. 

Movement and Motion

This comic is from the website, http://www.ohjoysextoy.com/.  Motion is implied in this image as it leads the eye down the page to tell the full story. Items in the strip are set up to lead the down, using a style English speakers are familiar with from comic strips. Motion is also implied in some of the images in the strip. The image of lube pouring out of a bottle is static, but it implies movement as we know it is a wet substance, and has indicators like splash marks. The silicone lube bottle is "spitting" at the silicone sex toy farther down. The word "spit" indicates its movement, as does the drops of lube suspended in the air. Toward the middle, the character is seen as two conjoined bodies. This is used to imply her moving from left to right. 

This image is from http://sexanddesign.com/. It implies motion in the direction of the limbs shown. They start in the middle and extend and become larger as they go farther out.  This shows direction and a sense of explosion. It also gives the impression of optical flow as it feels like we are moving into the abyss of limbs, even though it is a static image. The limbs also imply motion, as our arms and legs constantly move and are our main types of movement. If you look closer, even some hands and feet have fingers and toes extended implying further motion.

Tone and Color

This image is used in a sex education online comic, Oh Joy Sex Toy. 

How TONE is operating

In this image, varying tones are used to differentiate the body from the pop-out images and text. The lightest tone is the background, allowing darker tones to contrast with it. Different tones are also creating the background shape, heading bubbles, arrows, and text. The arrows and text, for instance, are a consistent dark tone that contrasts with the lighter tone of the body parts. The pop-out graphic of the anus is a middle tone, further differentiating it from the rest of the image. The bright white tone also allows us to see the beginning and end of each organ in the respective bodies.

How TONE is interacting

Tone interacts with shape here. The different tones essentially create the shapes of the image. The large dark-toned image in the back adds to the depth and contrast from the rest of the image as it reinforces the curves of the pop-out anus piece and the butts. The medium tone seen in the pop-out anus and in the bodies contrast from the dark tone in the background shape, to allow our eyes to see the image. This mid-tone becomes what our eyes first see, the focal points. Similarly, the slightly darker tone of the pop-out anus and the pop-out info bubbles further reinforce curves seen in the image, as well as differentiate from the large amount of info on the graphic. These bubbles also become a lead in and out of the image. 

How COLOR is operating

Here, the color is monochromatic with varying shades of pink. This color works great with the anatomical image, implying skin, veins, organs, etc., but in a tasteful way. Similar to tone, the colors here emphasize different parts of the image. The large bright pink bubble in the background draws out eye to the center. The lighter pinks fill in the bodies, with a darker pink showing the anus. I think that the slightly darker tone of the anus pop-out image implies it being farther away, underneath something, or in shadow. This could be the case since we know that the anus is a bit tucked away. 

How COLOR is interacting

Color and direction interact in this image. The bubbles at the top left and bottom right of the image draw out eye in that direction down the piece, their color a bit different from the other pinks. The bright pink circle in the back draws our eye into the center of the image, and the arrows use contrasting color to direct the viewer and draw there attention to the details of the image. 

Sexuality and Design

This website allows a user to move dots and lines to create the perfectly shaped sex toy for their bodies. These dots act as anchor points, and the lines help to form the shape. The connection of these dots and lines allow the eye to imagine what the form would look like. The end result has no dots or lines, but creates a shape/form as curves created from the dots and lines

This art piece uses wire to create line. This line draws the eye to various places to create an image. This image is three-dimensional, resting on a block of wood. Our eye is used to seeing an image like this drawn two-dimensionally with a pen on paper. This illusion using line allows us to see the image of a stretching figure as a sculpture. Line is very literally used in the end result as well as the creation stages.

 

These tiny hotels use scale and shape to create small, modular living spaces. The design uses fundamental shapes like squares to create rectangles and right angles. These form symmetrical, functional, compartments. They allow for storage, a sleeping space, and even a pull down table. A further use is in the double-layered space with stairs. By using grids and lines, the designer creates uniform spaces that can be scaled down greatly. There have been jokes about these new spaces being used for "quickies" instead of using motel rooms, to cut down on cleanup and waste.

http://sexanddesign.com/2011/01/06/design-your-own-good-time/
http://sexanddesign.com/2011/10/05/wire-sculptures-by-gavin-worth/

http://sexanddesign.com/2010/10/07/lets-get-busy-here-teeny-tiny-hotels/

Visual Thinking and Puzzles

The interesting part of these two puzzles is how both players did not even notice the number pattern. We both looked at the images as shapes, thinking that the lines were used somehow to solve the puzzle. We both noticed mirroring, too, but didn't notice that the images being mirrored were numbers. Our brains separated symbols we knew from these unknown symbols, instead of using knowledge we already had to solve the puzzle. Neither of us could solve this puzzle.

We both had very different strategies with this puzzle. I (the top one) tried to visualize each "E". That didn't work because it was nearly impossible to imagine the ones that were being intercepted by smaller "E"'s. My partner (the lower one) tried solving the puzzle with math. She noticed a grid, which we associate with math, and figured a simple equation would solve the puzzle. Again, we were both wrong. 

http://www.dxmstories.org/ Check out the website to better understand the statement below

This website uses creative scrolling to move shards of glass around the page explaining the negative effects of abusing a drug, DXM. As one scrolls, images of smaller glass shards, "Drug Facts" labels, and a spacey image float in the background. The larger shards of glass contain information, images of symptoms, and users' stories and images. Despite the details in the background, our eye first focuses on the larger shards of glass, since our top-town way of seeing focuses on the most important task at hand first, in this case reading the website content. Next our eye notices that other things are moving with the larger shards (the previously mentioned smaller shards etc.) creating a feeling that one is floating in space. Finally we notice the nuances of the website's scrolling and overall design.

Three Levels of Visual Design in One Image

The Goal for Each Level

- Identify what role it plays in the whole design

- Describe what kind of impact it has for the user/viewer

- Describe HOW it relates to the other two levels

Representational

-A representation of a tower in the center serves at the focal point of the photo. Although we may not be able to read what this poster is saying, we can guess it has to do with the building at the center of the design.

-This tower evokes an image of power or superiority. It appears to be governmental or perhaps belonging to royalty.

-The abstraction of the black barrier and white shades in the sky that appear to be light direct your attention to the tower, and make it seem to be off limits, under patrol, or exclusive. The round, red shapes at the bottom seem to be abstractions of lanterns lining the street, and remind the viewer how far below the tower our view is. The Japanese symbols add context to the message the viewer receives; we now know that this takes place or is referring to Japan.

Abstract

-The abstract black shapes at the bottom have contrasting white coming from the jagged edges. This acts as a barrier between the viewer and the aforementioned tower, which seems to be in a pool of light.

- The white against the black wall abstraction reminds the viewer of the darkness below the outside of the ominous tower. The jagged edges of this barrier also evoke a feeling of danger, as if one might get injured if they tried to get over the wall.

- The representation of the tower is set behind the black abstractions, making the viewer unable to reach it. The Japanese symbols shine in the sky from the white shades in the sky that appear to be searchlights. These symbols seem as important, exclusive, and distanced as the tower.

Symbolic

- The Japanese symbols are telling us something about the image we see. They help indicate not only the location or audience of this poster, but also indicate territories in this image.

- The top symbols in the sky are like the tower, bright, tall, and large. The red symbols at the bottom contrast with the dark abstraction closer to our view. They are smaller and duller than the symbols in the sky. Depending on the cultural context, this contract of light and dark could indicate good and evil, rich and poor, or old and new.

-These symbols reinforce the separation between the bright tower area and the dark lower area. They also bring the eye in a different direction than the dark abstraction line or tower line.

Abstractions, Representations, and Symbols

This sex toy is an interesting take on an abstraction. The Lelo brand is inspired by the human body. This particular toy is curved and sized to not only fit nicely in the hand, but to mirror the external part of the vulva as well. The rounded edges remind us of the curve of the thigh or the "mound of Venus", while the fold in the middle remind us not only of the center of the vulva, but the other creases we see in, say, the arm or leg. By distilling the elements of the human body such as color or context for the above mentioned features, this toy is a wonderful abstraction of the human body.

The carpeting pictured here is a representation of a rock bed at the bottom of a river. The small, imperfect, rounded shapes make it clear to us that the designer is referencing pebbles or stones. Even further, the heather grey color not only reflects the color we see many stones in nature, but the little bits of lighter fabric seen if one looks closely resemble the variations of minerals we often see in stones. Becuase this materials was made to act as carpeting, we also see the stones where we would find them naturally, at the bottom of our feet.

This symbol, to an American, may look like a group of gifts. Others may see something completely different. The square shapes denoting boxes and lines with curves at the end symbolizing bows are very simplified versions of said objects. If it wasn't for our cultural knowledge of wrapping gifts in such a way, one may not understand what this image is symbolizing. Because this way of wrapping presents is not consistent throughout the world, these symbols are meaningless to some, but very clear to others.