Task 2 / Visual Analysis

20.02.2024-05.03.2024 / Week 3 – Week 5

ID name YANG HANWEN

ID number 0364085

Program name bachelor of design (honors) in creative media

Task 2 / Visual Analysis

Recap Task 2 Brief

Task 2 requires us to parse the image selected in Task 1. Visual analysis is a method of understanding design that focuses on visual elements and principles. The strictest definition is the description and explanation of the visual structure itself. However, the purpose of visual interpretation is also to identify the choices the designer made when creating the design, and to better understand how the formal properties of the design convey ideas, content, or meaning. Visual analysis can include three stages: observation, analysis, and interpretation.

Phase 1 - Observation:

• Involves using your own words to detect and accurately describe the visual characteristics of a design.

• Avoid reading about the design in advance.

• During the observation phase, focus on observing, thinking about, and sharing your findings.

Stage 2 - Analysis:

• Involves thinking about your findings and drawing conclusions based on the facts.

• To consider how the identified visual elements contribute to the overall design principles and impact on the viewer.

• How do you use your eyes to move through the work and why? Apply the design concepts you learned.

Stage 3 - Interpretation:

• Integrate your observations, descriptions, and analysis of the work with factual and historical context provided by trusted sources.

VISUAL ANALYSIS

Conduct a 300 to 350 word visual analysis of the selected design (see Visual Analysis Handout and Guide)

Title：open sea
Designer: MelaniPyke

Size: 564x869 pixels

Source: https://pin.it/34QXB3sj5

Medium: Original art oil/acrylic painting

Observation: The design depicts two hands holding up a drop of water in the sea. In the center of the picture is a pair of huge hands, with slightly curved fingers and palms upward, gently holding a drop of crystal water. This drop of water seems to be closely connected to the sea. Below you can see the drop of water dripping from the fingertips and falling into the blue water. The background is a vast expanse of ocean and sky. The waves ripple gently on the sea surface, and the color of the water gradually changes from light blue near the shore to dark blue, simulating the depth and distance of the water. The clouds in the sky are sparse and appear pale white and light blue, contrasting with the sea. 

Analysis: The whole design uses soft tones, mainly a combination of blue and white, giving people a sense of tranquility and purity. The composition of the picture is simple, focusing on the water droplets in the hand and the related ocean elements. Through this delicate technique of expression, the painter successfully conveyed a surreal yet poetic beauty, reflecting the theme of the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.

Interpretation: This piece was featured at the Water for Life International Art Exhibition, Cancun, Mexico, November 2019, later was accepted into the City of St. Catharines annual juried exhibition 2020, and the original is now part of the city's permanent collection.

The ocean contains immeasurable biodiversity and provides food, employment, minerals and energy for life on Earth. There is still much we don’t know about our oceans, but there are many reasons why we need to manage them sustainably – as set out in the Sustainable Development Goal 14 target on life below water.

This design uses water and hands as symbols to represent the hope of humanity. Anyone can make a positive impact on the world through a simple act of sharing. Even though the ocean of need seems endless, with faith and love, one can still make a difference.

REFERENCE LIST & BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. United Nations "About the 2022 UN ocean Conference"  About |UN Ocean Conference United Nations