OUGD501 - Study Task 6

Name:

Jessica Johnson

Email:

JJ99098@students.leeds-art.ac.uk

SUBJECTS OF CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH ALREADY UNDERTAKEN

Level 4:

‘Advertising doesn’t sell things; All advertising does is change how people think or feel’ (Jeremy Bullmore) Evaluate this statement with reference to selected critical theories.

Level 5:

Compare the evolution of branding in relation to the emergence of the Gestalt Principles in the mid twentieth century; how did they have an impact on design?

AIM AND/OR OBJECTIVE OF YOUR PROPOSED C.O.P.3 PROJECT

Concentrating on one of the dominant principles of Gestalt; explore in depth the use of symmetry within logo design, compare this with the use of asymmetry from a graphic aesthetic.

1.     What research needs to be undertaken into the general and specific contexts of your practice? My general research should cover all the basics of symmetry and asymmetry, from definitions and examples of what they are to who discovered them and applied them to design. In terms of specific research I will look into case studies of symmetry and asymmetry individually and how the human brain perceives and reacts to seeing it in a visual format. I will explore similarities and differences in response to both and find other case studies that will both back this up but also show a contrasting argument. I could consider historical art movements and see how these influenced the use of key principles within design. Has the age of new media affected logo design on the whole, if so why and how? Book: Aesthetics and Subjectivity: From Kant to Nietszche Looks at recent historical research and contemporary arguments in philosophy and theory in the humanities, following the path of German philosophy from Kant, via Ficthe and Holderlin, the early Romantis, Schelling, Hegel, Scleimacher, to Nietzsche. Develops the approaches to subjectivity, aesthetics, music and language in relation to new theoretical developments bridging the divide between the continental and analytical traditions of philosophy.

2.     What approach(es) will you take and what processes, methods, materials and  tools  are to be involved in research into your practice?

I will begin with secondary research in the form of books, journals and published case studies, this will give me a base knowledge of what is on offer and what has already taken place in terms of experiments and results obtained. I will spend some time exploring the results and comparing what I have found on the whole, sourcing books or articles that either back this up or contrast this. My primary research will take place in the form of extensive tests on a range of participants using symmetrical and asymmetrical logos to get an in-depth collection of quantitative data that can be analysed. I will visit exhibitions and find designs that encompass this principle to back up some of my findings and research.

3.     What preparation or investigations do you need to undertake for your creative practice to take place?  Generating a list of ideas will be an important first step to give myself the best opportunity of coming up with the most beneficial investigation I can. I need to research into the comparison of symmetry and asymmetry to see where is appropriate for each method to be used and why. I will come up with ideas about how I can test and trial both aspects to see if I can either backup what I have found in my essay or find a contrasting response.

4.     What research do you need to undertake regarding who your creativity is for? As my question is based around the design of logos using symmetry and asymmetry I feel that my audience would be graphic designers, those who are mainly focused on branding. I will look at symmetry and asymmetry in design on the whole but my more specific research and tests will be concentrated on logos and so therefore the results of my study would be used by the creative student or professional. It could be a guideline to seeing when is appropriate to use what approach, my research will look into times when it is necessary to use one over the other, or if there is a certain style that requires one over the other.

Primary Sources of Information
1.         Description	Interviewing designers who have created logos that are symmetrical/asymmetrical
Location	Within uni/ over Skype/ Via email
2.         Description	Visual comparison test of both styles to see which is the most ‘successful’
Location	Within uni/ in a test environment
3.         Description	Exhibition analysis, design on the whole, symmetry or asymmetry which is the most common?
Location	Various cities.

Secondary Sources of Information
1.	Aesthetics and Subjectivity: From Kant to Nietszche – Andrew Bowie
2.	Elements of Japenese Design – Boys De Mente
3.	The Split and the Structure – Rudolf Arnheim
4.	Design by Nature: Universal Forms and Principles in Design – Maggie Macnab
5.	Marketing Aesthetics: The Strategic Management of Brands, Identity, and Image – Alex Simonson
6.	Journal of the American Statistical Association – Volume 100 p1 – p357

Perceived problems or difficulties: My question may be too specific, this could limit my research options but then at the same time I also have good constraints to work under. I could come across people who have already undertaken this study, I would like to do something original, I could possibly incorporate another of the Gestalt principles and look at combinations within logo design, I am fairly sure this hasn’t been widely researched and could make my CoP3 more interesting.