Conceptual Framework Poster

Our poster demonstrates the eleven competencies of professional educators here at JMU.  Our first challenge involved creating meaningful icons.  We looked for components that best represented each competency.  By using Photoshop, we took simple designs and contrasted them with black and white for emphasis.  Then we decided to place them in cogs that shows the connectedness of each competency and its importance to teaching.  Next came placement.  We liked the random alignment that gives the perception that they are working together. Of course, we chose JMU's colors since the poster will be used on campus for students.  After placement of our cogs, we worked to summarize each concept.  At first, we tried making the key words white and the other text gold; however this was too stark and took away from the white icons. By taking the gold text, and giving it a brighter saturation of yellow, and then enlarging key words, we gave emphasis to the main point of each competency.   

Our toughest challenge was determining an effective chunking method to enable quick memorization.  After much experimentation and debate, we decided to add a grid image background (hard to see on the screen grab) and create two black lines to act as dividers.  We left the competencies in their original numerical order.  Though each competency and icon are not categorized they are divided into three separate groups:  4 on top, 4 in the middle, and 3 below with the idea that if you learn several at one time, then you can add additional groups.  Finally, we stretched our title "Professional Educators Demonstrate," which also preludes each competency, across the top of the poster.  We tried echoing the exact color of the cogs and the bottom frame with the title, but the title was too dark.  Therefore, we re-created our title with a lighter shade of the purple and added a white shadow.  This definitely allowed the title to become more legible.  Overall, the poster process entails a lot of pre-planning and layout work.  

Evaluating Components:  Connotation, Attributes, and Placement

Our strengths of the poster include the cogs, simplistic white on black icons, and our highlighted font, in a larger size. These connect the teaching competency theme. I like how we incorporated two varying sizes, and color-connected font giving emphasis to the highlighted text.   With that said, the fonts are probably too small to be read from a great distance.  Additionally, our colors could have been adjusted.  For instance, a lighter purple would have added more contrast between the cogs and the background. Of course, we chose the JMU purple and gold to represent the school.  Maybe we should have opted for blue cogs and white font to represent the education department's colors which also may have created a better contrast.  Moreover the thickness of our dividing horizontal black lines, intended to separate the cogs, may not effectively demonstrate our concept or generate effective chunking for memorization of skills.    The cogs and smaller text certainly play supporting roles while the icons and highlighted text are central.  Overall, I think a few color and placement adjustments may improve our poster.

Business Card

I created this business card in Adobe Photoshop Elements.  It incorporates three basic shapes:  an elongated leaf (two, linking), a rectangular shape that formats the business logo, and a frame.  By adding various color schemes and styles to the shapes, as well as echo, a harmonizing business card emerges.  Additionally, I aligned the objects off-center, allowing them to flow beyond the margins.  Hopefully, the theme represents the logo.

Modifying Shapes in Adobe Photoshop

Before and After.  Here a  shape suddenly becomes a cluster of flowers by simple placement of specific colors and shapes that give meaning to the visual.  By using the elliptical tool, I created a yellow center, and the paint bucket filled the blue background.  By creating the yellow center, there is the concept/illusion that an additional "circle" layer was added. Additionally, by changing the hues, saturation, and adding a gradient to the centers, it increases interest.  Overlapping various sizes of the same flower shape also create dimension.  Also, by saving them as a "GIF" image, the background remains transparent.

Evaluating Components:  Connotation, Attributes, Placement

All of the flower shapes reflect similar shapes and are connected with color echo.  However, increased interest may have been formed if I lightened or adjusted the hue just slightly in one of the blue flowers. In a GIF image, there is no backdrop. However, the front small flower could have been slightly shifted to the right so that all three flowers did not appear to be aligned in a diagonal.

Before and After:  I added a striped style selection to the music notes shape and then used color echo to create bars.  These two simple techniques adds fun to the shape. It also would make music lessons a lot more colorful and fun!

Evaluating Components:  Connotation, Attributes, Placement

Here the texture in the notes is contrasted with a music score developed using color echo.  I like the effect. Though by adjusting the lightness/darkness of the music bars I may have generated increased contrasts and interest allowing the music notes, or starring components, to contrast even more.  Of course, in this graphic, the notes had to be aligned properly with the bars in order to create a realistic theme.  Additionally, I might have slightly enlarged the music notes to add more emphasis.


Before and After: The scissors have different filters applied that increase their texture.  First, I applied the ocean ripple that gives the rough appearance to the scissors.  Next, by using the lens flare the scissors reflect varying light and dark patterns which gives the illusion of dimension.  Of course, after I uploaded the scissors, I realize they almost look "fuzzy."  I was hoping for a more metallic appearance.  Again, I saved the scissors as a "GIF" to eliminate the background.

Evaluating Components:  Connotation, Attributes, Placement

Here the green does not necessarily connect to any particular theme.  Maybe a silver or light blue would have promoted a more metallic look. With a single element in a GIF file, it is hard to critique the backdrop or layout since other comparable composition factors are missing.  Likewise, placement cannot be determined until it is placed into another graphic.  It might be interesting to skew or add perspective to the scissors though.  This might enhance the three dimensional effect.

 

This light bulb shape was actually fun to make.  By placing the shape layer over the candy photograph, using the magnetic lasso, and selecting and deleting the inverse, the shape remains with remnants of the candy picture.  Of course, since the shape had various parts, this process had to be repeated several times.  After I finished generating the light bulb, I placed it on a patterned background.  The background included two darker hues of red to echo the red in the lightbulb. 

Evaluating Components:  Connotation, Attributes, Placement

First, I am not sure that the candy design relates to the light bulb shape.  With that being said, without the before shot, it would be hard to tell that the light bulb was created from candy. Maybe candy with yellow variations would have been more interesting.  In addition, I attempted to place my the graphic in the left corner; however I think that its placement in the center would have made more sense in this particular instance.

Gestalt Principles

 According to Gestalt, we interpret visuals based on proximity, similarity, unity, and meaning. Closure is created with hexagons, although by placing them in adjacent rows with points touching, one might perceive that diamonds were placed between the rows.  In fact, had I not accidentally left a slight space between several of the hexagons, it might be hard to detect if I actually linked diamonds or hexagons in the pattern.

Evaluating Components:  Connotation, Attributes, Placement

Here, the black and white were predefined so no color critique is necessary.  Regardless, a few adjustments could improve the visual.  For instance, some of the hexagons have small white spaces between them while others have no visible white space.  Additionally, the placement does not really make a statement.  It would have been more interesting to increase the sizes of the hexagons, have fewer hexagons, and allow them to flow beyond the margins. That way, they could provide a supporting role as a backdrop for a single colorful graphic.



Proximity demonstrates teardrops grouped together, differing only in size, rotation, and placement.  In this picture, I decided to create a black background with white shapes for added emphasis.  The repetition of the shapes provide greater interest than if I had created just one group.

Evaluating Components: Connotation, Attributes, Placement

Out of all my visuals, I like this one the best.  First, the white on black offers  pleasing aesthetics.  I also like the placement of the vertical elements with a smaller font size.  It may be more interesting to rotate the horizontal group,  shift them to just to the right, adjacent but slightly lower than the smallest group. Then significantly increase the size of the left group to create a greater contrast in the layout.  Although we were directed to use only black and white, by adding a bright color to one single drop in each group, the poster could spark even more interest.

 

Similarity defines shapes grouped according to likeness.  This time, I decided to align three dimensional shapes, and I chose to reverse the colors of the cubes from the cylinders.  Again, even though there are equal numbers in each group, and sizes are similar, their alternating placement and pattern provides a simple, but effective visual.

Evaluating Components: Connotation, Attributes, Placement

Here each shape retains a three-dimensional theme.  I like how the two different shapes appear as opposites by simply reversing outlines and fill colors.  However, it almost seems too busy.  By choosing a two-dimensional circle and rectangle, while still incorporating the reversal of black and white, the message would be much clearer and simpler.  Furthermore, the spacing between the shapes does not appear proportional.  For example, the last cylindrical shape on each row appears slightly farther apart than the rest.  By moving them to the left, a more uniform composition could be obtained.

Continuity occurs by creating star shapes and lines to emphasize an ongoing visual.  By varying the size of the shapes and placing the smaller shape higher on the page, and arranging the stars with the largest in the front, the medium in the middle, and the smaller to the back the stars give the concept of hanging from a string with just four lines also ordered and placed accordingly.  Again, by placing white objects on a black background, and repeating the star shapes, a three dimensional object begins to appear.

Evaluating Components:  Connotation, Attributes, Placement

The alignment of the stars in relation to the straight lines give an illusion of ongoing draped ornaments.  All of the elements seem to be working together with visual weights, especially the varying sizes aligned in proper proportions. While the line is the appropriate size, it could have been attached to the top points of the stars, to place greater emphasis on hanging stars rather than just stars strung together.  Of course, the stars are the "stars" while the lines "support."  However, the placement of the lines is key to creating perception and depth.  Should the stars have been rotated in slightly various angles?  I am not sure, but that might have also displayed a more dangling effect.