Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The Basic Elements - Magazine design

Scale
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/08/another_magazine_cover_for_the.html


This magazine cover utilizes one the basic elements of visual communication: Scale. Scale is a general visual measuring tool that allows us to communicate actual scale and relative proportion.  By viewing this magazine cover as a whole, viewers will easily sense that the size of Obama's head is out of proportion in comparison to his body. This creates an emphasis effect and a focal point to the magazine cover. In addition, Scale also plays a leading role in typographic hierarchy. The slogan : "YES WE CAN'T" that is place in the lower center of the magazine cover catches viewers attention because of the use of large font. In short, Scale is one of the common elements that has always been adopted in magazine cover, for it can effectively stimulate our sense of rightness as well as draw our attentions.


Movement


http://bellyspin.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/magazines-movement-magazine-40/

Other than adopting scale as an element of design on the title of this magazine, this magazine cover utilizes another basic elements of visual communication: Movement. Movement is one of the most dominant visual forces in human experience, which has been commonly implemented in different media. Movement tends to imply motion and efficiently lead viewer's eye from one area to another. By briefly viewing this magazine cover, viewer's eye is directed to move from left to right direction because of the direction of the wave flow. The crest of the wave  unconsciously direct viewers' eye movement, which guides them to see the whole picture of the magazine. In summary, movement is one of the elements that interests viewers, which leads viewer's eye move from idea to idea.



Shape
http://www.monster-munch.com/monochrome-and-yellow/ 

The following magazine cover utilizes shape, which is also one the basic elements of visual communication. Two dimensional geometrical shapes, such as circle, square and square are commonly used in graphic media, for they are unambiguous shapes that represent cultural meanings and associations. For instance, circle usually means enclosure. In this above magazine,  there are two notable geometric shapes: a yellow circle and a white rectangle on the background. They combine together and provide a very outstanding focal point to this magazine cover. The yellow circle in the center of the magazine cover works as an enclosure, which "protect" and help emphasizing the contents (text) of the cover. In additions, the white (background ) rectangle makes the whole magazine cover looks static and solid. In conclusion, different shapes express different directions, associations, style or even period of time; therefore, shape is one the the useful basic elements of visual communication.




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