Design Evaluation

I took a stroll back into the '90s with this assignment. Over a year ago, I randomly perused the discarded magazine cart in the library. That's when I found it: A December 1995 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. "How cool!" I thought. Although I haven't read this magazine before, I have a fascination with what happened long before and shortly after my existence (I was a baby in '95), so I took it with me. And I'm glad I did.

As I flipped through the magazine, it didn't take me long to establish the target audience: Women, particularly moms. Each advertisement has something to do with beauty products, food, children's medicine, or cars -- but not just any cars. We're talkin' the bulky family cars of the '90s, folks. And, since this is a magazine for moms, the advertisers made sure to stress the word "family" in each ad.

My first reaction upon seeing these car ads was distaste. Personally, I find most '90s cars unattractive, so I wrinkled my nose at each picture. But, I'm not here to discuss the prettiest car. In terms of design, some of the advertisements looked more appealing to the eye, while the others did not.

Firstly, let's start off with the more appealing ad. Now, I'm not a big fan of Ford, but the advertisers made the picture looks nice. I especially like how big the picture is. This helps the audience get a better feel for the design of the car. The white text at the bottom tells me exactly what the car is, which is appreciated. The side column highlights a few of the car's features in a clear, concise manner. Adding a picture of each feature makes the ad more engaging.

I enjoy how dark/light contrast works in this image. As a result, the car's body looks sleek and shiny. The shadow beneath the car distinguishes it from its surroundings. Sharp contrast exists between the earth and the sky. The car stands out in the middle with its curvy lines and reflective body. I see a small amount of contrast in the headlights and rims as well. This car has that brand-new shine all over!

There's also a few Gestalt things going on in this ad. I automatically grouped the symmetrical ovals in the column together following the Law of Similarity. All four tires touch the ground, so I see a clear figure/ground relationship. The car's position leads into the Law of Continuity in that it stands at a particular angle with the horizon line. That strong line leads me into the frame, through it, then back out.

Along with the clean layout, I think the certain design elements help make this advertisement more successful. It almost, just almost, makes me want to go out and buy a new car.

Oh, my...now, that is one of the ugliest cars I've ever seen. Er, no offense if you or someone you know drive one of these, but you won't catch me behind the wheel of that thing!

As you can probably tell, I don't like this ad. It's not just the car, but the layout is awkward, bulky, and boring. I mean, really, how many people are going to read all of that text? Not I, for one! This whole design just makes me uncomfortable. The disembodied hand jutting into the text doesn't help anything, either. I kind of understand that the advertisers had a space theme in mind, but that's it? That's as "outer-spacey" as they could get?

The lighter color contrast of the car works against the black backdrop. The car doesn't get washed out, and the color isn't so light that it distracts me or ruins the attempted theme. Although an obvious shine shows on the car, the car's position makes it look dull compared to the other one. The text looks fairly symmetrical, but the straight-across block looks rather bland. It does not get me any more excited about this car than I already am.

The only Gestalt principle I see here is the Law of Continuity. Like with the first car, a strong horizontal line guides me through the image.

Thanks to strong design principles, the first advertisement is a cleaner and more effective car advertisement.

Contrast, Balance, Harmony

The Force is strong with this assignment. I didn't have to travel through time and space to find my next image. I simply changed my small Star Wars calendar to September and adored the image that greeted me. Granted, I enjoyed the other monthly images, but September stands out the most in terms of contrast, balance, and harmony.

This image contains a lot of contrast, which is a big reason why I love it so much. The most obvious size contrast exists between Rey and BB-8. She stands quite a bit taller than the roly-poly droid. The staff in her hand shows sharp size and light contrast. It rises above her and darkens against the sun. The jets also show size contrast with their proximity to the earth and the characters. I get the sense that the larger jet is the closest, while the smaller jet is farther away.

The dark/light contrast is my favorite. Shadows are everywhere in this image. Rey is almost a shadow herself. I love the way her silhouette cuts into the sun. This gives her head and shoulders shape and proportion. Spots of light highlight sections of her skin and clothing, which contrasts beautifully against the shadows. This, combined with lines, also gives her clothing some texture and movement. The tan color on the flowing ends of cloth showcase Jakku's desert environment. The contrast also clues me in on Rey's facial expression. She looks determined, and the lighting gives her an air of authority. I just know crap is about to go down.

In terms of balance, this picture is asymmetrical, however, I don't think that's a bad thing. If I split the image vertically, the right side is heavy due to the closer objects, while the left side is more open due to the farther objects. That change in distances provides motion, which, I believe, helps balance the picture out. The sun is a fixed symmetrical point that brings the whole picture together.

Combined, the contrasts and asymmetry make this image harmonious. I enjoy gazing upon the various lights and shadows and distances. This scene thrums with energy, and I feel like I am standing on Jakku with Rey and BB-8 coming toward me. Don't worry, I side with the Jedi!