Dimension/Depth/Space

Here is a three dimensional display created at the Institute for Creative Technologies, USC. The display uses a high speed camera and a revolving mirror to create a projection of any object giving it the appearance of three dimensions. The objects, a running person in this picture, are presented at about a quarter of their true scale and can be viewed with correct perspective from 360 degrees. The images are believable in tone, but lack color, giving them a monochromatic green or blue look. The images move at a tell tale 20 frames per second and the miniatures are confined to the respective space within the revolving mirrors. Nevertheless, this impressive piece of technology is sure to drive a leg within many disciplines of design.


ICT Graphics Lab

Tone and Color: Interaction Design

This is an experimental sound installation currently being exhibited at the Gray Area Foundation for the Arts. I'd say this is an example of an interactive design that uses sound stimulation and visual stimulation to engage the participant. Since the experience is an aural one, I think it makes good, simple, use of tone, color and shape in its composition.

In this example tone is used to define the area in which the user must stand to hear the projected sounds. It is created by a light source shone through a transparent, half-dome shaped object producing circular rings of various tone on the floor.

The interaction of tone with the basic element shape is apparent here. The projection of circular shapes on the floor defines the many areas within the room where one can hear the various sounds projected from overhead. The varying tones also seem representational of an aural experience, since sound and light are both waveforms and the radiating shapes of various sizes could be seen as a visualization of sound bouncing off the floor.

While tone serves a general locative purpose, color and shape are the primary communicators of where a participant should stand to best hear the sound installations. Large red dots are placed directly under the domes overhead, which aside from projecting light, are projecting sound compositions. Dots are a basic element which can communicate location and denote content.

Coupled with tone, color and shape are used to communicate to a participant that these areas are of interest. This is primarily important, since, in this example, one might walk into a silent room and wonder what the star track chamber is all about.

SoundSpots
By: Rob van Rijsijk and Jeroen Stijbos

Basic Elements in Interactive and Product Design Unearthed

Being an interdisciplinary major with interests in interactive design and product I've chosen examples across these areas to illustrate three examples of the basic elements discussed by Dondis.


This is a multi-touch interactive display made for OTICON by WHITEvoid interactive art and design. There are many basic elements active in this display. The most apparent are the bubbles which contain icons, representing various things, which can be dragged into the yellow containers to produce written information about a subject. The bubbles, which are 2D circles made to appear 3 dimensional with the use of tone, are essentially dots when perceived from far away. Here the dots create space and dimension within the display using size, shape and tone. This makes them effective as pointers within this informational system, as well as leading the eye and maintaining interest in the display.


Here we have a lamp which sits on the floor made by designer Albertine van Iterson. What I find particularly active in this floor lamps design are its lines. Its lines, angled at about 30 degrees from the floor and arranged in a cone shape, give it a dynamic appearance, as if light was shooting out of it. It reminds me of an old gramophone cone, which was used to amplify sound before speakers were invented. Ironically, the lamp doesn't seem to produce much light, but I thought it was an excellent example of what lines can communicate, even if they can't deliver.


Lastly I chose a classic flashlight. Not sure of who made this, they were pretty common and are an iconic shape for the object. What I find particularly active about this design is its shape, specifically, how it may communicate something about its use. Essentially, with this flashlight, we have a succession of four circles connected by lines (thinking in AutoCad terms); two larger circles make up the lens housing and two smaller circles make up the handle. Of course it may be hard to visualize the circles from this picture, however the highlighted and darkened tones on the handle implies the cylindrical shape. The circle is suppose to be associated with warmth, endlessness and protection. I find it interesting, the idea, that an object, whose primarily made up of circles, may in some way communicate protection. Especially in this case, where the object may allow you vision through a dark room, the night, or especially, through a pitch black room filled with cacti and modern furniture.

A6_Visual Syntax

As an interdisciplinary major I'm interested in application development as well as the devises for which the software is intended. Here is a example of a web page designed for people to download software applications for their iPhones. The visual syntax of the composition is clear in communicating this. The page is divided evenly along the vertical "felt axis" with two columns of information on the left and one perceived column on the right containing an image. The header divides the page unevenly along the horizontal axis, making use of font size, color and placement of the text, in the upper left, for stress and sharpening, while the larger area below makes up the specifics of the the "what" within the page. A large image of the device for intended use and application are prominently displayed making good use of size and asymmetrical placement within the horizontal and vertical "felt axises" to stress and sharpen the purpose of the page and content. Text speaking of the application and device makes use of similar size in column width and proximity to the image. Other specific information is grouped by size, color and proximity in a smaller column size. A button, of similar shape to the product, and with an icon of the device, is differentiated by its size and color, proving a link, as well as information as to where the application can be downloaded. Overall a good use of syntactical guidelines.