WEEK 7 - Visual Perception

Borrowed from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22778294@N00/7173838492/

My eye immediately goes to the strict use of black and white in these two posters that create contrast. Secondly, to the white semicircles. Thirdly, to the negative space and what is in it. The delicate motion in the moon poster allows the eye to begin on either top or bottom and travel back and forth. The sunshine poster reminds me of looking at the sun where you can only have a quick glance in the direction of it then immediately bounce to look away at what is below. The spacial layout of the two posters side by side are contrasting. If looked at as one larger image, it seems as though the word moon represents the moon itself and is rotating around the sun on the other poster. Also, the lines look as if they are connecting the moon and the earth. I cannot really tell what is on the bottom of the sunshine page but it bounces my eyes back to the semicircle.

WEEK 6- Top- down vs. Bottom- up

Top- down : With comics, there are many tools used to show the emotion of the characters. The small lines outside of Calvin's head show that he isn't just yawning, but exclaiming something. The fact that the words aren't in a word bubble show me that he is exclaiming something and the emotion isn't able to be contained. These are visual clues as to the meaning of the picture.

Bottom- up : With comics, especially Calvin and Hobbes, I tend to look at the picture before reading the text. Calvin's balled up fists, his eyes being squeezed shut, and his mouth wide upen are details that I notice before reading the text (concluding the observation).

WEEK 5

Yes.

Poster found here

1. This poster's main focus is in the bottom left corner. This is where the eye most comfortably sits when looking at something (preference for lower left). 
2. The image is balanced on one side against the light text on the right, just underneath, and incorporated into the whole (balance). It is divided into thirds with the strike of orange color in the middle
3. Because the image and text is in the same general area, there is a more immediate and intense interaction. The text and the image and the combination of the two attract each other. (attraction and grouping)
4. This poster reminds me of yin-yang constantly moving in a circle to the white and dark sides of the poster. There is a small amount of white in the dark area just as there is a small amount of dark text in the white area. Also, the black in the lower left and stark white in the upper right form another yin-yang (positive and negative). 
5. The mixture of the text across the bottom of the image, the extension of text into the right side, along with the dip in the orange shape provides stability to the otherwise floating image. (stress)

No.

 Poster found here

1. This poster is divided in half with text on the left and an illustration on the right. The fact that it is in half is visually unappealing. (balance) There is no movement towards the text and the text is too small which is also inaffective. The only movement is up the tree on the right back to the large text at the top then back down the tree.
2. There is a sense of stability with the mountains in the background but again, the poster is divided into halves horizontally as well which isn't appealing to the eye. (stress)
3. The text is in the bottom left but its way too small and frankly I don't want to read it since my eye is still lost between the tree and the heading at the top. It would be more effective if it was larger and if it extended 2/3 into the page (preference for lower left)
4. There is no clever grouping of text and picture. (grouping) The colors don't go together and since they are complimentary, they buzz on the page. 
5. The negative space on the poster doesn't flow. It is scattered through the poster and doesn't lead the eye to the information. (positive and negative)