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There are steps that have been used for centuries to
make designing more efficient. It is not necessary to use all of these
steps in every design situation but they are included here to give you
a better idea of the entire process.
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Thumbnail sketches (called thumbnails) are one of the most powerful tools available to an artist. This is where the image is invented.
When you have done this for a while you will develop a style that works for you. |
THUMBNAlL SKETCHES The first visual forms of an idea are thumbnail (small) sketches (simple drawings). It is important that they be drawn quickly since you want to record your ideas while they are fresh in your mind. The mightiest cathedral might have started as a small scribble that was only meaningful to it's designer. Each image suggests different versions of the same or a new idea. You need to put them all down on paper as quick as you can in a stream of consciousness style. Ideas are no good to anyone in your head -- they have to be acted upon. Having an image to see lets you evaluate the idea more effectively. This is a very productive system since it allows (encourages) you to try out and evaluate many ideas in a short period of time. It is not necessary to draw all of each of the thumbnails. You might just draw details or a few samples of a repeated pattern to get the idea. The sketches are not meant to be finished miniatures. They need only communicate their meaning to the designer. Draw as many ideas as you can, keeping the assignment in mind. Typically a series of thumbnails will start "fishing" for an idea with a series of mostly unrelated ideas. As you get into the process the sketches tend to center around one or two major ideas and become variations on those ideas. It is best to take the idea too far so that you are satisfied that you have gone far enough. Separate the creative part of drawing from editing. Draw first and ask questions later. Evaluate your sketches relative to your concept. Solve the problem you made for yourself -- or change the concept. Do as much planning as possible using thumbnails where visual decisions can be made quickly. |
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| More about formatting in the Figure/Ground section |
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Roughs are where the image is refined. |
ROUGHS The first full sized sketches of the image are called roughs because they are just that. When enlarging a small sketch into a full size drawing additional design decisions usually need to be made. Designing requires a lot of decision making. When possible roughs should be the same size as the desired product. A large object like a building requires many scale drawings (smaller proportional drawings with dimensions indicated). The first rough is a sketch that enlarges the thumbnail. The image is then refined through a series of steps until all of the design problems are solved. |
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The materials and techniques used determine how the composition is to look and vice versa. |
MEDIA/TECHNIQUES The tools and skills that are available to the artist will determine what the image can look like. Sometimes it is best to just develop the design and figure out later how to make it. This will not work, however, if there are restrictions on materials or methods. Then it is important to plan the image with those requirements in mind. The sun symbol can be collaged out of black paper or drawn with pen and ink. Cutting the paper will result in crisp edges and more solid shapes. Tearing gives a more organic look but is harder to control. Drawing will result in lines that can vary in width and texture. The two techniques can be combined for a wide variety of visual effects. |
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GRlDS |
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The grids must be proportional to one another
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OPAQUE PROJECTORS Opaque projectors can enlarge an image easily. They will project onto any surface and give a lot of control over scale adjustment. The projector gets hot so be careful. A photo copy will work if the thumbnail page is too awkward to put in the projector. Most photo copiers can enlarge and reduce images slightly. Making a copy of a copy (called generations) will eventually enlarge the image enough. |
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| Overlays are another powerful designing tool. Tracing is easier and faster than drawing. |
There are several ways to refine a rough. Erasing and redrawing works with pencil sketches. The drawback of this method is that the original image is lost in the process -- and the new drawing may not be as good. It is better to draw first and then erase the parts that do not work. OVERLAYS |
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A ruler is useful for measuring and drawing straight lines. It
is foolish to try to draw a straight line without a straight edged guide.
These tools will simplify drawing smooth edges and give added control to any artist. They can be used at any time during the design process but are probably too restricting to use for thumbnails. They are most useful for refining the roughs and making the finished product. |
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| With a colored thumbnail it is possible to see all of the colors together and get a good feel for the entire composition. |
COLORS The sun symbol will use only one colors but later projects will use more. When colors are to be used in a composition, they should be planned early in the design process. Thumbnails are a good place to start since decisions and changes can be made quickly. Felt pens and colored pencils are good tools for this purpose. This project uses black, white one color. Keep in mind value relationships. They are easiest to investigate using thumbnails. Coloring a rough is time consuming and not always necessary. Usually small samples of colors or coloring parts of the composition are enough. With collage it is possible to compare small samples of the colored papers by simply overlapping them in the desired sequence and proportion. |
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The designing is almost complete. You should know what the image will look like by now. |
Some where between your thumbnails and roughs all of the color and value
relationships to be used must be explored. If you are using a pen to draw
the sun you must show how that pen's marks will look on one of your roughs. |
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Designing well means planning well. In the real world many designers have someone else craft their designs. You will need to be both designer and craftsperson. |
THE FlNlSHED PRODUCT It is possible to make a simple image like a sun symbol without all of the steps in this project. The results will almost certainly be better, however, by using all of the design process. For complex or important projects this becomes even more necessary. The better the designing (planning) is done, the better the results. It is important that the composition be carefully and skillfully made to take advantage of the design. Careful in the sense that the desired image is the one produced and skillfully crafted to the best of the makers ability. Skill requires patience, concentration and knowledge of the tools and techniques used. Hopefully the painting projects gave you a sense of how important it is to craft your artwork well. This project is the first in a series of handmade compositions. |
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Transferring uses transfer paper (something like carbon paper but
erasable). Transfer paper is a thin (tracing) paper with graphite or chalk
on one side. It is placed transfer side down in a sandwich between
the original (the rough) and the desired location and the image is traced.
The pressure of the pencil or ball-point pen transfers the image. Use drafting
tape to hold everything in place while you work. Check periodically to see
how you are doing |
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Do NOT cut up the final rough -- it should be displayed in the Design Book. |
Templates are objects that are drawn around. They work well if the
shapes are simple. If a shape is repeated use one template (turn it over
to reverse the shape) and trace it several times. |
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Collage is also an easy technique to use to get complex images using colored and textured papers as well as photographs. |
If the sun symbol is to be made all or in part from black, white and
colored paper it will be necessary to transfer the image a piece at a
time to the paper, cut out the shapes and glue them exactly in place. CUTTlNG |
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Change the blade when it starts to tear rather than cut.
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| Accuracy is more important than strength. | Use a metal ruler to make straight cuts. Put the ruler over the part of the paper you want to keep in case the blade wanders. Line the blade up parallel with the ruler and cut. Keep the ruler in place until the cut is completed, using as many strokes as it takes. |
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Glue that shows on the front of the project is a sign of poor craft.
Put glue on over a throw away paper surface -- like a magazine. Turn the page for each object to keep from getting glue on the front of the piece. |
Always put a collage together dry (without glue) to make sure all of the parts are there and the composition is correct. Mark the location of each piece before gluing --- there will not be enough time to try to figure out where it goes before the glue dries. One way is to put small pencil dots under two strategic corners. Another is to put small movable objects in place to mark the piece's location. Work with clean hands and be careful not to glue the book shut. Glue sticks are the easiest and neatest to use but dry very quickly the glue is only active for a few seconds. The sticks with glue that starts colored (purple) give a visual clue as to the glue's condition -- once it turns clear it will not stick. Apply the glue to the back of the piece over a sheet of scrap paper so that no glue gets on the front of the project where it will show. Put a stripe of glue the width of the glue stick around the edge of the piece, working from the inside out for delicate shapes. Do not worry about the center of the shape -- if the edges hold the center will not go anywhere. Apply the glue quickly and position the piece accurately against the guide marks. Flatten the rest of the piece down working out any air bubbles. With glue stick the paper will lay flat but will need to be reglued along
the edges after the page flexes a few times. Plan to touch up the projects
on a regular basis. YES brand glue is the best but it is expensive. It is as thick as glue stick but comes in a jar. Apply a thin coat to the back of the piece with a stiff brush (wash it with soap and water when you are done) and handle like the glue stick example. |
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Indelible ink felt pens should not be used in class because their fumes may be toxic and are annoying to others. |
Transfer lightly with a graphite sheet making any corrections before
inking. Use mechanical aides where appropriate. Felt pens are the easiest to use but can bleed through the paper. Experiment with textures on scrap paper before attempting them on the project. Vary the width of lines to add more visual interest. Stand back occasionally to see the entire composition. It is common when drawing to get so tied up in details that the parts do not work comfortably together. Corrections are best made by changing the drawing to hide the error. When that is not possible try scraping the ink off with the edge of an X-acto knife (experiment on scrap paper first) or try covering the error with white paper. |
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Working with more than one material is called mixed media. |
COMBlNlNG COLLAGE AND DRAWING Drawing works well for details, textures and of course lines; collage is best for solid areas of color or value (black) and smooth edged (cut) or textured edged (torn) shapes. The two techniques can be combined as long as approximately the same black is used for the paper and the ink. If the colors do not match, a photocopy can be made and used (make sure it is a good black one). Glue the paper in place first then blend the drawing into the paper. Be careful since the ink may not work well in areas that have glue on them. Plan ahead to avoid unpleasant surprises. |
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The next part of the design process, content, is not something that is put off until last. It is listed last here but must be used throughout the design process. Go to Part C: Content. |
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