Axioms of Web Design

 

Axioms of Web Design

http://www.dudeiwantthat.com/

Web site that sells all of the junk we don't need but instantly want. Buy a bigger house just to hold it all. Very intuitive, links to the sites that actually sell these things.

• Business/Communication Objectives
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• Strong Grid
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• The Lower Right
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• Continuity
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• Intuitiveness
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• Affordance
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• Greatest Contrast
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• Good Looking means Easy
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• Converts to Aspect Ratios

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Font and LogoType: Saul Bass, Graphic Designer & Brand Identity Genius

Saul Bass (May 8, 1920 – April 25, 1996) was an American graphic designer and Academy Award winning filmmaker, best known for his design of motion picture title sequences, film posters, and corporate logos. He was not only one of the great graphic designers of the mid-20th century but the undisputed master of film title design thanks to his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger and Martin Scorsese.

Design Presentation

 Movie posters_ Film category: Dystopian Future. (summer release)
 Target audiences: young males who enjoy violence in film and alternate futures.




The Well Done
Movie: The Purge (part 3)

The reason why this advertisement works is because of its cast of characters and the overall impression that they invoke, coupled with the text which links to historical images that the characters represent.

The font is representative of democratic election paraphernalia such as buttons and posters supporting political candidates.

The characters are historical models famous for the patriotism they represent. America the great is the motto, the plot of this movie series is an ironic twist of celebrating terrorist actions one day a year in order to purge violence from the citizenry. Extreme violence for its own sake and as a system of control instead of a tool of revolution.

The laws of closure and similarity are in effect here, as the individuality of these characters is superseded by their group theme.

It all works because of the overall theme of ironic misappropriation of the iconography of the American democracy to celebrate a totalitarian ruled land. There is no democracy here.

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The Missed Mark
Movie: Elysium

This poster has a lot of good things going for it. The imagery is provocative, with the closeup of a man's back coupled with an alarming amount of technology spanning his spine and shoulders. While the posture of the man/machine is slightly asymmetrical, the framing of the imagery and text elements is center justified.

The font used for the word Elysium is a custom geometric looking one which presents a futuristic tone, with an outer glow which creates a readable contrast with the darker elements of the image.

The Law of Pragnanz is in play here, as our view of reality is reduced to a small viewpoint directly behind an unnamed figure. This perspective gives limited information and serves to fetishize the technology on display. We don't know what it is, but its positioning suggests a skeletal form.

Where this poster misses the mark is in a failure to narrate or introduce any hint of the characters/locations or plot points of the film. The poster relies on brand recognition of the actors' names and a reference to another movie over descriptive imagery. Great imagery that lacks a true purpose.

Contrast, Balance, Harmony

From   http://www.deviantart.com/

I was quite taken by this photograph when I found it. The contrast of color values is quite striking. The implied warmth of the yellow flowers creates an area of comfort an peace to me. The dividing line created by the mountains leads my eyes upward to the stark white of the snow. Upward from there to the cool blue sky and the feeling is complete. Peaceful, serene and very inviting in its harmonious sensory experience. I feel like I can run into the frame, reach out my hands and Sound of Music spin around with a smile on my face.

The layout of this piece is perfect; the horizontal lines created naturally by the Horizon is framed by nature itself. The texture of the flowers is very inviting, organic and fibrous. The crisp clean air quality is emphasized by the distance from the camera to the furthest objects in frame. The perceived temperature is an early spring briskness, due to the snow on the mountains.

There are no highlights or shadows but rather a stark blending that happens where the natural elements meet. Each flower is an individual but together they create a field that shouts with color. Nature is an excellent painter.

Visceral Response

Underneath London lies a vast network of sewers, drains and lost rivers that have long been channeled underground.
A constantly active system that everyone in the capital uses yet hardly anyone gives a thought to, it lies waiting for those who seek its secrets.
London, 2013.

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I am fascinated by the old world architecture that lies beneath the streets of the biggest cities. These underground rivers and roads rarely see light, and when they do they dazzle.

The craftsmanship that allows these shapes to exist and maintain their forms is astounding, especially considering their age. The lines and curves, arcs, arches, spirals, et cetera all stem from the simple rectangles of the bricks.

When light is introduced to these underworlds, the interplay between light and shadow creates such amazing effects. I'm certain that the feeling of being there is truly creepy and claustrophobia inducing, yet the photos and videos I have seen make me wish to explore.

In this particular photo, I am inundated with feelings. I feel a mix between dread from the mysterious man silhouetted by the light of the tunnel, and a desire to be the man brave enough to be down there. The contrast of the man's dark shape and the glare of his flashlight are very interesting fixtures in this image. The lines of the tunnels point the eye towards him and beyond, making the tunnel seem to go on indefinitely.