Visual Techniques

Le Corbusier chair
-contrast and harmony
-balance and instability
-simplicity and complexity
-understatement and exaggeration
-Subtlety and boldness
-flatness and depth
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CONTRAST

 The first product lacks contrast. Even though the wood and the ceramic are contrasting materials, they whole look seems very plain and lack of drama. The silhouette does not contribute to contrast of the product either. The edges are rounded with fillets, and the cutouts are composed of ambiguous curves, which made this watch lack of contrast and less eye catching. The proportion between the watch body and strap is also not surprising and placed in an expected way.

As for the second product. It is a food grater. Usually, food graters are bulky/cubic shape with sharp corners to express durability and  strength. As for this particular food grater, it is made out of one piece of silicone wrapped around the metal grind, which is a surprising material for a food grater. Also, the fact that the tool is bendable/flexible makes this design unique and the concept of contrast materials (silicone and steel) also compliments the usability. The silhouette created by folding the food grater and the curve of the steel is contrast to the fact that this is something hard and rough and it grits food into pieces. Also, the silicone is soft and harmless while being gripped by one's hand. That is also a contrast to the utility of the food grater.

week 12 Blog-Movement Motion

The first lamp on the top has the element of  "expectation" in implied motion. We are used to living in a world with gravity, and we expect liquids to drip downwards to the ground. That's why the red paint (even though it's not real paint) is dripping towards the ground, and there are some form of liquid on the floor (which in this case of a lamp design it is the support of the lamp shade). The altra shiny surface finish of the red liquid is convincing to the audience that something is spilling. Also, if we look closely at the lamp shade, it resembles an up-side down coffee cup falling from the air. The cup is not supposed to be hanging in mid-air in our world of gravity, we expect it to collaps on the ground in split of a second. The red and white contrast design also highlights the implied motion, the red part grasping attention from our eyes. The red also creates a clear and visible outline of the drip which enhance the viewer's experience. 

The implied motion utilized in this Alien Lamp is the suggestion of directional movement. The curves of the lamp indicates swirling movement of the object. It gives the viewer an illusion that this is some sort of smoke/fume rising towards the sky, or even something swimming in our atmosphere. If we imagine its bottom view, there would be swirls of circles going inwards, which is commonly used in psychedelic art work, giving the viewer illusions of circular movement. In my opinion, when the heavy (head) part is facing down, it gives it less of a movement, it seems like its just hit on the floor, which the implied motion is suddenly stopped when the viewer sees it. However, when the lamp is hanging upwards, it has more implication of movement. Judging from the wavy "tail", the lamp is moving upwards, using our experiential data on the curves (experiential data on curves of smoke, organic objects). Overall, this lamp conveyed its idea successfully in terms of practicality and form/movement.  

http://www.productplus.com/Interiors/Decorate/Remarkably-Artistic-Lighting-Designs_4463.html#.UMKGppPjksq