Black and White Compositions – Self-Critique
Your Name:
The following compositional techniques/design principles are important to this exercise:
Synectic triggers
Gestalt Principles
Composition
Subtract.
Groupings – proximity,
Rule of thirds
Repeat.
similarity, continuity,
Combine.
closure
Weight
Add.
Transfer.
Goodness of Figures
Symmetry/Asymmetry
Animate.
Superimpose.
Figure/Ground
Balance
Change Scale.
relationships
Substitute.
Flat Space
Fragment.
Isolate.
Positive/Negative Space
Distort.
Disguise.
Culture for Composition 1:
Culture for Composition 2:
Which Composition works better? Why?
List ALL compositional techniques/design principles used in Composition 1.
List ALL compositional techniques /design principles used in Composition 2.
Based on this self-critique, scan in your compositions and use them as a jumping-off point for
six Photoshop exercises. Use any principles of design that you haven’t already used, re-use
any principles that you find to be useful, and begin to experiment with your final idea.
Do two exercises using symbols from Culture 1, two exercises using symbols from Culture 2,
and two exercises that begin to hybridize the two cultures’ symbols together to communicate
how they assimilated.
NOTE HERE WHICH PRINCIPLES AND ELEMENTS OF DESIGN YOU ARE GOING TO USE FOR
EACH EXERCISE:
1. Culture 1A –
2. Culture 1B –
3. Culture 2A –
4. Culture 2B –
5. Hybrid 1 –
6. Hybrid 2 -