Design Evaluation

Take a moment to compare these two visual designs.

Now that you've looked at them I'm sure you've noticed a few design aspects that make these similar products different. When I look at these two products I think back to the people in Africa who didn't buy the Gerber baby food because they thought there was literal babies inside of the cans of food because there was  a picture of a baby on the label. If those same people were placed with these two options of which deodorant to buy I wonder if they would choose the product with a palm tree in the picture, or the one with a picture of what looks like a clock in the background. 

The Old Spice product makes me want to impulsively buy it, while I feel like I want to stay as far away as possible from the speed stick. Lots of design has gone into the packaging of these two different items and I feel the Old spice one was successful, but the Speed Stick one was not done as well. 

First, I believe simplicity helps make and break it for these two products. The very first thing I notice is the picture of the palm tree and the tropical beach on the Old Spice deodorant. Guessing from this picture I have an idea of what it might smell like without reading any of the label. On the Speed Stick label there is what seems to be an analog clock with only the minute hand and not the hour hand that is incorporated to show how the deodorant will give you full day protection. It took me a while to figure out that was a clock in the background. It wasn't something I could easily understand right away.

Next, I feel that the simple shape of the Old Spice packaging makes it visually more appealing because of it's design. It has gentle and smooth curves that aren't distracting from what the label is trying to explain. In comparison, the Speed Stick has two big side grips that functionally may give more purpose if your hands happen to be slippery, but I find it just a little distracting. 

Color also has a very big influence in comparing these two products. The Old Spice container is all one solid light color that compliments the color of the sand on the beach. The blue on the Speed Stick is so bold that it seems a little overbearing. In addition, the yellow also sticks out so much that it gets the point across, but it does it in an unattractive way for me. 

Text and font in these two designs also differs greatly. In the Speed Stick bar, all the text seems squished together that it had to take up the entire space on the front of the package. In contrast on the Old Spice deodorant there is plenty of open space between the text that doesn't feel busy, but it gives you that sense of relaxation as if you're hanging out at the beach. 

Continuity does play a part in both designs. We see this in how everything in the Speed Stick label is diagonal, and in the Old spice everything is centered and lays horizontally. However, overall I believe Old Spice did a much better job designing their label on every possible way.

Contrast, Balance, and Harmony

This is a photo at Angels Landing that I took with my iPhone 5s on Labor day.

It was my first time doing this hike. I was awestruck standing in this position to think how high I had already climbed and how much higher I had left to go. I'm not really afraid of heights, but this was the point where I had to choose to go on and conquer the hike, or to let the impressive sheer drops on both sides turn me away. 

The first aspect that I thought about from this image was contrast. I realized how small people were compared to the gigantic land formation. People seem to get smaller in this picture because they appear to be engulfed by the massive rock. As we compare the contrast in the size of people to the rock, we gain an understanding of how huge Angels Landing is. 

Harmony is apparent in this photo through lines. First, the line that people are walking atop the crest of the peak leading towards the top psychologically gives us energy. This diagonal path creates a vector and brings our eyes towards the peak. As I climbed every ascending step took more energy to exhort, but I felt that although my energy was draining, my motivation to get to the top was growing larger as I was awaiting the moment where I could bask in the beauty at the top. Its interesting to see how that principal of vertical lines giving energy worked for me even in a real life situation, not just a visual experience. Second, when I reached the top where it became more horizontal, I was also filled with peace. Horizontal lines in this picture of the hike gave me a sense of rest, because they were a level place where I could take a break and absorb the scenery all around me.

Balance is another acknowledged aspect of visual communication in this photo. The shadow on the cliffside adds depth and helps this photo appear three dimensional. Next, the shape of the rock which seems to look like a giant triangle makes me feel like the name "Angels Landing" is very fitting because it is a peak that extends high up to the heavens where Angels could easily land from their decent above. In addition, the contrasting colors help compliment the beauty of this canyon with the red rock against green trees and plants, and the orange rock against the blue sky.

This Natural land beauty demands my respect because of it's majestic height and beautiful colors. I felt that if I were to not respect this rock that reaches skyward, it would not respect me and I could easily slip and fall to my death. I'm grateful to have this photo to remind me of my new respect and appreciation towards this magnificent creation. 

Visceral Response

My Suzuki Intruder 1400cc is also known as my boy, Blue. This is one of my favorite pictures of my motorcycle. I love how the details on this bike pop and catch my eye. Color contrast in this picture is what makes my bike stand out so much. The color value is very vibrant. The orange and red of Zion's National Park compliment the blue steel. I like how the orange signal lights stand out from the shiny blue on the gas tank and window shield. Even if you were to take the bike out of the picture itself I still think it's a nice picture because of the ground and sky contrasting colors. 

I also love the way the headlight is resting on the yellow line of the road pointed in the direction it wants to go. The bike tires are almost parallel with the lines on the road as well. It makes me think back to the journey I had been on so far on that ride, and how excited I was to jump back on and continue forward. 

The shape and form of how the bike is positioned and where I took the picture from make it seem very three dimensional. My motorcycle almost looks unbalanced as if the front of the motorcycle appears much bigger than the back. The bike still has a great look from any angle though.

In addition, I'm crazy about how the chrome of the transmission casing, the exhaust pipes and even the forks reflect the light bouncing off the bike which gave off a calming blue glow. There are so many aspects of this picture which make me reflect on how riding my motorcycle is one of my favorite things to do. 

Here is another picture from the side just for fun.