Design - Mark McGinnis

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the elements. The line, shape, colors, etc. are manifest in paint on canvas, graphite on paper, light on a video screen, clay, stone, or hundreds more materials that the artist can use as a vehicle for the visual elements. The materials the artist uses can be chosen by himself or a client or dictated by the needs of a project. If an artist works a great deal with a chosen material, a kind of bonding can occur between material and artist. A famous example is Michelangelo claiming that his works were already existing inside each block of marble and that it was his job to release them. To a lesser or in some cases maybe a greater, degree this kind of relationship develops with many artists and their materials. The smell of cut wood, the texture of the clay, the touch of the yarn, the favorite brush or tool; all can become part of the addicting nature of making art. To become the true master of a material is to know the material so well that conscious thought is no longer given to it; it is second nature. It is more than mastery; it is the materials becoming part of the artist.

      Our final part of the definition of visual design is that the organization of the elements and materials are supposed to achieve a purpose. At first this might seem a rather confining aspect of the definition. To achieve a purpose sounds very functional and utilitarian, and many times design is just that. Machines, utensils, furnishings, clothing, shelters, vehicles must all conform their designs to their functions to a greater or lesser extent. The range of these functional designs is endless in their possible variations. Think of the various designs of drinking vessels you are aware of; then imagine how many you must be unaware of. The design of a drinking vessel is confined by the need to produce something that will contain a liquid which can be transported to a human mouth, but confining limitations give way to the unending variety of creative design. The achievement of a purpose does not always need to be so explicit or functional at all. Purposes can also be very subjective. An artist’s goal might be to create an illusion or a decoration. It might also be to evoke a feeling or to stimulate thought. The purpose might be to pass the time of the artist or to act as personal therapy. All are legitimate purposes in designing. Some purposes may be accessible to many people; others might be limited to very few. The purpose of a work of art shouldn’t be limited to one interpretation. One of the great attributes of visual art is its open-ended nature; many people can bring their own experiences to a work of art and come away with something new and personal.

      Visual Perception, Literacy, & Sensitivity

      VISUAL PERCEPTION

      The study of visual design requires at least a glimpse into the complex world of visual perception: how we see. The complexity exists because visual perception encompasses psychology, spirituality, biology and physics, and because much is yet to be understood about visual perception.

      It is believed that how we see evolved, along with all our other capacities, through the process of natural selection - our survival characteristics (Myers 1). How we see developed and was modified by natural selection to best enhance our chances to live and procreate. To maximize our chances for survival, visual perception had to convey clear information such as distinguishing a branch from a snake. With this kind of urgent, survival need our brain developed to seek clear meaning from our visual field. The process is immediate and subconscious. It has been called the “perceptual imperative” and is a major survival characteristic. When the brain cannot understand or decipher meaning from a visual experience, the individual may turn off, ignore, disregard or even become hostile. This can help explain much of the general public’s reaction to a great deal of 20th century abstract art. Experiments in sensory deprivation have shown that when we cannot find meaning in our visual environment, mental disorientation and even mental illness can result, and if there is no meaning evident we may invent one (Myers 4).

      Biological evolution is not the only influence on our visual perception; experience and learning also play very large roles. We have not only eyes but also ears, nose, skin and tongue. All bring us a barrage of information every second of our waking hours. The brain must take this information and give it meaning. It does so by continually comparing new information with models or paradigms that we already have experienced and have stored in our memories. How each individual interprets the information of their senses is dependent on many things, but primarily on what is already stored in the mind. Our perceptions can be greatly altered by our “state of mind.” Illness often affects how you see and interpret information, as do other physical and mental states such as exhaustion, depression, or elation (Myers 9).

      Knowledge and experience provide us with information and models needed to form and change perceptions. Information of the senses alone cannot be relied on. If we did rely on the senses alone, the world would still be flat and the earth would be the center of the universe.

      Due to each individual’s unique background and physical qualities no two people receive exactly the same visual information. Our unique visual experiences are due to differences in education, psychological tendencies and our individual imperfections. Our perception is not a constant but a continually evolving process that changes as we change in many ways. What we see around us is not objective reality but a subjective, personalized vision (Myers 10). Our sense of reality is shaped by our thoughts. This is a difficult concept to grasp as we are led to believe that reality is trust upon us by forces outside ourselves. The truth is that we can create a sense of reality by how we think about what we see and experience (Pransky). As an example, suppose we see a garter snake. If we look at the garter snake and think about the beautiful colors and patterns of its skin and about how incredibly rhythmic and controlled its movements are, we create a reality of beauty for that snake. On the other hand, if we look at the same snake and think of negative associations we may have heard concerning snakes we can create a reality of fear.

      The uniqueness of each person’s sense of reality is yet another invitation to the concept of tolerance (previously mentioned in relation to subatomic particles). With our perceptions of reality altered by our own personal experiences and physical makeup, it would be highly irrational to expect everyone to see, think, or behave the way you do. This understanding goes beyond tolerance and accepts the reality of individual differences and acknowledges their right to exist.

      A great deal of what we think we understand is illusion and we readily accept it as reality. Both perceptual (what we see) and psychological (what we think) worlds are real to the individual (Myers 10). In the late 20th century, discerning illusion from reality has become a very difficult task. In the “information age” mass media has become the major source of information for most people, and for most people the television is the favored vehicle, providing both verbal and visual information and illusions. A problem with this system of information and illusions is that the main function of television is not to disseminate information about understanding life but to make money. Illusions are created to achieve marketability and to inspire quick-repeated consumption. The commercial necessities of our television system make it imperative to create desire for the new and dissatisfaction with the old, keeping the fire of consumerism constantly burning. Our perceptions are persistently shaped as we are told what to want and how to live. This shaping is not done by just advertising but by nearly all programming seen on commercial television. The redundant sit-coms and soaps that revolve around the lives of the rich or almost rich serve not only as entertainment but also models of what we should “want” next in our own life-styles. Paid product placement in television programs and films is a growing area of marketing. It is rarely by accident that a recognizable product is seen in a movie or television program. A fee has been paid and many times through a competitive bidding process. A famous example of missed opportunity was when M & Ms turned down buying their product into the film ET. Instead Reeses Pieces paid the fee and their sales went through the ceiling. Our sense of reality, be it international, national, local and even personal, is formed by the illusions needed to sustain our economic structure. Television and film are perfect vehicles for those illusions.

      It is often the business of artists, whether fine or commercial, to create illusions of one kind or another. The study of fundamental design seeks to enlarge the student’s vision and perceptual skills because those skills are at the core of forming new and fresh ideas, which are the essence of all art (Myers 11).

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