FINAL PROJECT –VISUAL ANALYSIS

11/06/2023 - 07-07-2023 (Week 10 - Week 14)

Osezua Ehizogie Ejodame / 0351565
Design Principles/Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours)/Creative Media Design (Minor)/ School of Computer Science
FINAL PROJECT –VISUAL ANALYSIS

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INSTRUCTIONS 

1. a recap of Final Project brief
2. written visual analysis
3. your design process:
3.1 visual references (designs that have inspired your own)
3.2 idea exploration and description
3.3 final outcome JPEG (A4 size) with a title and a rationale 
3.4 feedback from the lecturer 
3.5 reflection on Final Project.

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1. A recap of Final Project brief

Visual Analysis involves understanding the visual elements of an artwork, such as color, line, texture, and scale. Its purpose is to recognize and comprehend the artist's visual choices. It helps develop critical interpretation skills and active thinking by examining the content and meaning of a design. It consists of processing such as:

1. Observation: Observing and describing visual elements 

2. Analysis:  Reflecting on how visual elements interact with one another

3. Interpretation: Determining the meaning of the design

2. Written visual analysis

My chosen UNSDG Goal is Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities, and my chosen design to analyze is a movie poster from the film Green Book (2018), which touched on topics of racial inequality in America during the 1960s through the experiences of the main characters, Tony, an Italian American, and Don, an African American. 

Fig: Green Book (2018) - Posters — The Movie Database (TMDB) (themoviedb.org)

Phase 1 Observation:

The poster is in portrait format, with the main colors being light blues from the sky, the car, and the driver's shirt. The landscape has a slightly blurred effect. The two main characters are clearly visible inside the car, which is the focus of the artwork. The person in the back is looking at the viewer, while the person in the driver's seat is looking back. At the bottom of the poster, the title of the film "GREEN BOOK" is displayed and in the top half of the composition their smaller pieces of text.

Phase 2 Analysis:

The placement of the type throughout the design is generally well balanced not taking away too much attention from the main visuals. 

There is a repetition in the use of the blue color. There is a contrast between the blue car and the shirt color of the character in the back of the car.

The blue colors of the car and the sky are also well balanced as there's an equal amount of blue in the top half of the composition and the bottom half of the composition, these blue colors are separated by a white color in the middle. The overall use of colors in the design give a sense of unity.

Phase 3 Interpretation:

The car plays an important role in the film because the characters spend a lot of time on the road. The character in the front seat is named Tony and the character in the backseat is named Don. Tony drives Don to many destinations.

How this relates to goal 10 is the general plot of the movie and the racial discrimination the main characters face in that time period with Don being African American and Tony being Italian American. Not only that but the relationship the two main characters have as employer and employee grows into a deeper friendship as they face different challenges in the film.  Despite that discrimination Don still had a talent for playing piano that could not be denied and Tony, despite his somewhat questionable actions was a really nice guy.

3. Design Process

3.1 visual references 

Fig. Ref: Green Book - Official Trailer | IMDb

Fig. Ref: Importance to Support Equality and Diversity in the Work Place (canadianequality.ca)

Fig. Ref: Green Book Movie Controversy | POPSUGAR Entertainment

Fig. Ref: Racial Equality Illustration Stock Illustration - Download Image Now - Racism, African Ethnicity, Concepts - iStock (istockphoto.com)

Fig. Ref: (48) Pinterest

3.2 idea exploration and description

Fig. Idea Sketch #1 and #2

Fig. Idea Sketch #3

Title Idea: Unequally the same, Equally Unequal.

Design Principles to be used: Balance, Movement, Contrast.

No human life is worth less than another, but we are in fact not the same in many ways. 

The inspiration behind this idea stemmed from some of the designs I saw when looking up equality, both racial and gender equality. Most of them depicted different people of different races or genders on opposite ends of a weighing scale which sent the message of how our world is full of inequalities and how it shouldn't be the case.

In my design, I depict two individuals of different ethnicities walking away from a weighing scale. They are portrayed moving along a path, symbolizing progress and forward motion. The underlying message I aim to convey is not to disregard or overlook the existing inequalities in our society today. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of not letting these inequalities completely shape our worldview and dictate how we lead our lives.

The two people are seen walking away from the scale. They probably both stepped on it but whatever the result was they still walk together and are smiling. 

Fig. First Digitization Attempt

The first attempt shows two people walking away from a podium on a hill.

Fig. Second Digitization Attempt

The second attempt shows three hills now instead of two. The podium is on the highest hill and the path they took from it is shown as they continue to walk together.

Fig. Third Digitization Attempt

For the third attempt, a third character of another ethnicity is added. There are clouds in a sky and one cloud slightly obscures the podium on the highest hill.

3.3 final outcome

Fig. Final Artwork for Visual Analysis and Design

TITLE: Equally Unequal.

Rationale: 

This illustration is based on the inequality that exists among ethnicities in the world. It is inspired by the movie poster from the film Green Book (2018).

As for my illustration it does not directly reflect racial inequality in a direct way but the message being sent through the visual elements such as the podium having only number 1's and the character's all wearing first place gold medals shows that we all fundamentally as human beings, one person's life isn't more important than another person's life.

I tried to implement balance as both the characters and the podium are positioned in the middle of the artwork.

3.4 feedback

Week 12:

The sketches could represent equality in different ways than just the weighing scales, equality can also be represented using cultural symbols, and the use of colors as well as what the character's wear.

Week 13:

The two characters can be increased in size more and their chosen colors should have a better contrast to the background.

3.5 reflection on Final Project.

Overall, this project was a fun and interesting learning experience. I enjoyed analyzing the poster I chose in my own time, really seeing how and why the visual elements were chosen in that way and not just seeing it as a "pretty poster". 

This does not mean I'll begin to overanalyze every piece of artwork I look at now but through this final project I will be able to spot certain elements in design more easily.

Through this analysis I then tried to apply what I observed into my own artwork to the best of my ability. Through each attempt I tried to take into account some design principles, specifically balance and unity.