& Concept

K il t a yn G r eh i e g n r l a F l 1 0 2 3

Form

& Concept

Form
Contents
Project 1 Development of Form Project 2 Personal Symbols Project 3 Sequence Project 4 Motion and Time Project 5 Communication Colophon

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{Project}

Development of Form

The objective of project #1 was to create letterforms that were representational of gestalt theory. Manipulating a letterform created a whole new letter that was design based. After generating several different varied letterforms. We used the group critique process to determine which letters were the strongest in

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K K K K
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{Project 1 Thumbnails}

terms of the gestalt theory. Once we narrowed down our selections to two forms we changed to foreground and background colors to see if the composition was still strong. The forms will complied into a book which showed to letter in a particular font and the changes that occurred from beginning to end.

Above is a sampling of the thumbnails created using several different typefaces, and by manipulaiton of the letterforms. The goal was to create a good figure/ground relationship and still have the

Y
Letter Y in Marion Regular font

{Project 1 Fonts Selected}

{Project 1 Forms Reversed}

Letter Y in Marion Regular font

Letter Q in Monotype Corsiva font

Letter Q in Monotype Corsiva font

The foreground/background colors of the letters were changed to access the strength of the figure/ ground relationship.

After a group critique of my 36 thumbnails two forms were selected for refinement.

{Project}

Symbol Generation

Our next challenge was to create person symbols that represented us as designers. We had three categories for the symbols: type based, abstract, and pictograph. This process began with a pencil and several pieces of paper that were covered with thumbnails of potential ideas for the symbols. This process helped develop several ideas at a quick pace. Our ideas were then taken to the computer to develop six unique symbols that represented us. Another critique took place and the symbols were refined and narrowed down to the three best symbols in the end.
Thumbnail drawings were a key starting point ideas for symbol generation for project #2.

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{Project 2 Thumbnails}

{Project 2 Narrowed Selection} 1 2

{Project 2 Final 3 Symbols} 1

4 2

Abstract symbol

Type- based symbol

Pictogram symbol

The thumbnails were narrowed down to six ideas. Ideas were taken to the Adobe Illustrator to design. Two sybols for each catagory were created: type based, abstract, and pictogram.

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{Project}

{Project 3 Sequencing}

Our next challenge was to create person symbols that represented us as designers. We had three categories for the symbols: type based, abstract, and pictograph. This process began with a pencil and several pieces of paper that were covered with thumbnails of potential ideas for the symbols. This process helped develop several ideas at a quick pace. Our ideas were then taken to the computer to develop six unique symbols that represented us. Another critique took place and the symbols were refined and narrowed down to the three best symbols in the end.

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{Project 3 Preliminary Photos}

Preliminary Photos for Project 3. A hundred pictures were taken for the project. Above is a sample of the types of images taken for the project.

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{Project 3 Black & White Images }

{Project 3 Black & White Images }

ho & riz o nta l

ve r ti ca l lin es

cu rve

dl ine

int e rs

ec

t io

no f li ne

an

gle d

lin e
The photos taken were included a variety of different types of line. This variety helped the sequence flow from beginning to end

After the best images were selected, they were converted to black and white tiff. format. Once converted they were ready for placement in InDesign.

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{Project 3 Final Sequence}

{Project 3 Final Sequence}

This is the final sequence that was turned in. This was based purely on the idea of line helping the eye travel throgh the series of photos.

Not only did the series of photos follow a linear theme, but they also followed a rustic farm theme throughout which helps to telll a story to the viewer. .

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{Project 3 }

{Project 3 }

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{Project}

{Project 4 Motion}

Project #4 brought the symbols from project #2 back to the table. This project would include the use symbols and Adobe Flash to make the symbols interact and create a storyline. Using Flash the symbols would move and add to the themes that the symbols portrayed. Using several tools within Flash I was able to incorporate all three of my symbols from project #2. The theme of growth as a designer continued from my symbols to this animation. In the animation my initials of KG are in the midst of a storm, the animation ends with rain, causing the initials to grow.

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{Project 4 Motion}

Above are images of different parts of the animation using my personal symbols. The images show a slow progression from beginning to end of the story line.

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{Project 5 Preliminary Studies}

{Project}

The goal of project #5 was to create posters for the Des Moines Art Center. The posters were to be about a fictional exhibition at the art center about the various architects who designed the building. The posters used photos as the basis of content. It was our challenge to use the grid of the photo to design on and create an interesting poster, which matched the architectural style of the building. The posters created were simple with a pop of color. One poster was to contain just the picture and text, the other was to contain picture, text, and an element of illustration.

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Project #5 started with several thumbnails to decide which images would work best for the goal of the assignment. From the thumbnails it was easy to decide which photos would work well as a grid to contain information about the exhibition.

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{Project 5 Final Posters }

The A

{Project 5 Final Selection}

rch ite

ctur e of

desmoinesartcenter.com 515.277.4405
Photo courtesy of: Des Moines Art Center

April 15- June 6, 2014 Anne M. Meredith Gallery

4700 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50312

Pei
April 15- June 6, 2014

ON DIS

PLAY

Anne K. Meredith

desmoinesartcenter.com
4700 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50312 515.277.4405

Photo courtesy of: Des Moines Art Center

Final poster about the blended blueprint of the Des Moines Art Center. This poster was printed in two different panels and was 16x 20 inches.

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Colophon
This book has been designed by Katilyn Gehringer, under the direction of Catherine Dreiss as part of the course Form and Concept at Drake University in December 2013. It was designed using Adobe InDesign CS6 on a Macintosh computer. The type was set in Helvetica which was designed by Max Miedinger in 1957. The principals utilized to design this book are based upon those employed by Josef Mller-Brockmann (Grid Systems in Graphic Design) and Jan Tschichold (The Form of the Book) This book has been produced in an edition of two. Katilyn Gehringer December 13, 2013

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Form and Concept Fall 2013 Katilyn Gehringer