TASK 2 (Visual Analysis & Ideation)
March 8,2025
08/03/2025 - 24/02/2025(Week 3 - Week 5)
ZHOU BOYING / 0369087
Design Principles / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 2
Visual Analysis & Ideation
LISTS
- Lectures
- Instructions
- Design
- Feedback
- Reflections
Lectures
Topic 3: Repetition and Movement
Notes
Repetition in design enhances rhythm and pattern, making a composition more dynamic and engaging. By repeating elements such as shapes, colors, or textures, designers create a sense of flow and structure. However, variety is crucial to prevent monotony, ensuring the repetition remains visually interesting through slight changes in size, angle, or spacing.
Movement directs the viewer’s eye through a composition, guiding attention from one element to another. This is achieved through lines, curves, shapes, and gradation, creating a sense of motion. Objects that appear tilted, overlapping, or blurred can also suggest movement, making a static image feel more dynamic.
Both repetition and movement contribute to a well-balanced design. Repetition provides consistency and unity, while movement ensures a visual path for the viewer to follow. Together, these principles enhance visual impact, storytelling, and engagement, making a composition more structured and compelling.
Topic 4: Harmony and Unity
Harmony in design is achieved when elements share common traits, such as theme, aesthetic style, or mood, creating a sense of cohesion. However, variety is essential to prevent monotony, introducing slight changes in angles, exposure, or composition to maintain visual interest.
Unity is established through the repetition of specific elements—such as colors, shapes, or materials—ensuring a sense of visual consistency and balance. When elements are composed harmoniously, they create a cohesive theme, making the design more effective and engaging. While harmony and unity are often linked, they serve distinct roles: harmony focuses on compatibility between elements, while unity ensures all components work together as a whole.
Scale and proportion play a crucial role in achieving unity. Scale refers to the size of one object relative to another, while proportion defines the relationships between different parts of an object or composition. A well-balanced use of proportion ensures harmony in design, making elements feel naturally connected. Proper application of these principles enhances visual impact, balance, and coherence, resulting in a stronger and more structured composition.
Instructions
Design
Recap Task 1 Brief
In Task 1, I selected Zeen Chin's digital painting work 'Throb' (2020) as the object of analysis. This work uses shocking visual narration, strong contrast, smooth composition and delicate light and shadow, which attracted me. The artist skillfully combined the traditional Eastern art style with modern digital painting techniques to create a dreamy and mysterious atmosphere.
The design principles I have identified in my work include:
· Contrast
· Focal Point
· Balance
· Movement
· Rhythm
· Hierarchy
· Unity & Variety
Visual Analysis of Zeen Chin’s ‘Throb’ (2020) (300-350 words)
PHASE 1: Observation
Zeen Chin's digital painting "Throb" (2020) is an extremely visually impactful work. In the center of the picture, a young woman with flowing silver hair is suspended in the air. She is dressed in magnificent and elaborate clothes and gently holds a glowing red energy ball in both hands. This sphere is the brightest element in the picture, forming a strong contrast with the darker surrounding background. The character's clothes flutter, creating a smooth sense of dynamism. The ghost - like white arms and faceless spirits surrounding her add a mysterious atmosphere, which is in sharp contrast to the dark background. The picture uses a large number of red, black and pink tones, and takes the radiance of the energy ball as the main light source to create a dramatic light - and - shadow effect, making the picture full of a sense of layering.
PHASE 2: Analysis
This work adopts a circular - flowing composition method, guiding the viewer's line of sight to start from the energy ball in the center, move upward along the flowing clothes of the characters and the ghost - like white arms, and then return to the main character. This composition method strengthens the dynamic sense of the picture, making the overall picture more compact and coherent. Zeen Chin uses the contrast of warm and cool colors. Red symbolizes energy and vitality, while the white ghost - like image has a surreal sense of mystery. The ghost - like white arms and spiritual bodies not only increase the drama as visual elements, but also make the picture more hierarchical. Through color and light - and - dark contrast, the painter successfully creates a dream - like atmosphere.
PHASE 3: Interpretation
The symbolic elements in "Palpitation" make the work full of profound meanings. The red orb in the protagonist's hand may represent life energy, soul or inner strength, while the ghostly white hands surrounding her may symbolize external interference, the pull of the soul or the supernatural presence. This composition method is reminiscent of the concepts in traditional mythology or the journey of the soul. The details of the costumes in the picture form a strong contrast with the surreal visual elements, showing the combination of tradition and fantasy. This work is not only a visual enjoyment, but also guides the viewer to think about its underlying symbolic meaning.
Three suggestions for improvement
Improvement Point 1:
When drawing this draft, the main body direction and posture of the figure are both towards the upper right corner, and the background behind as decoration and for guiding the line of sight is also in the same direction. Such unity of lines can make the picture cleaner and neater, and can also guide the viewer's line of sight to make the lines in the picture smoother.
Improvement Point 2:
When drawing this draft, I broke the usual direction and concept of the human body, making the picture more impactful and tense in an inverted way, and followed the rule of three in design, placing the figure's head at the lower part of the picture. The clouds winding as decoration in the background enrich the picture elements and also increase the sense of hierarchy of the picture.
Improvement Point 3:
When drawing this draft, I broke the usual direction and concept of the human body, making the picture more impactful and tense in an inverted way, and followed the rule of three in design, placing the figure's head at the lower part of the picture. The clouds winding as decoration in the background enrich the picture elements and also increase the sense of hierarchy of the picture.
References
1. Chin, Z. (2020). Throb. Digital Painting. Available at: [link]
2. Lupton, E. (2010). Graphic Design: The New Basics. Princeton Architectural [link]
3. Samara, T. (2007). Design Elements: A Graphic Style Manual. Rockport Publishers.[link]
Feedback
Week 4
Specific Feedback:
During Week 4’s class, Mr. Shamsul Hamimi, provided individual feedback on Task 2 for each student. He pointed out that my descriptive analysis was not strong enough and needed more detailed and specific explanations to effectively convey my ideas. He advised me to refer to the course guidelines and refine my analysis accordingly. Additionally, he required us to develop three Sketch Ideas, ensuring that each one is supported by a clear rationale based on design principles.
General Feedback:
Mr. Shamsul Hamimi, emphasized that all students should strive for continuous improvement and take their Task 2 assignments seriously. By doing so, we can enhance our visual analysis skills and develop a deeper understanding of how to apply design principles to improve a composition.
Week 5
Specific Feedback:
This week, Mr. Shamsul Hamimi reviewed our Task 2 and provided critical feedback on our design approach. He pointed out that my sketches contained misunderstandings and emphasized that they should strictly adhere to the guidelines outlined in the module handbook. Due to these discrepancies, he requested that I revise and refine my sketches to ensure they align with the task requirements.
General Feedback:
Mr. Shamsul Hamimi stressed the importance of following the module instructions accurately when developing design concepts. He highlighted that every aspect of the task, from visual analysis to ideation, should reflect a clear understanding of design principles as outlined in the handbook. Additionally, he reminded us to ensure our visual references are properly cited and to maintain originality in our work. Moving forward, I will carefully review the handbook, refine my sketches accordingly, and seek further clarification if needed to meet the expected standards.
Reflections
Experience:
Over the past two weeks, I received valuable feedback from Mr. Shamsul Hamimi on Task 2. In Week 4, he pointed out that my descriptive analysis lacked depth and needed more specific explanations. In Week 5, he highlighted misunderstandings in my sketches and emphasized the importance of strictly following the module handbook.
Observation:
I realized that a clear and structured approach is essential for both visual analysis and ideation. Misinterpretations of the guidelines can lead to significant revisions, making it crucial to carefully review the requirements before starting the task.
Findings:
Through this process, I learned the importance of precision in both written and visual work. Following instructions accurately and applying design principles effectively are key to improving my work. Moving forward, I will ensure a more thorough understanding of the guidelines and seek clarification when needed to enhance my design process.
Hi Boying, upon looking at the idea, I feel that idea #1 has a potential however, in the final execution, do not leave the details behind as that is the strength of the original artwork
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