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Online Discussion #3: Ways of Seeing_Design in everyday objects and routines

https://www.ted.com/talks/rob_forbes_on_ways_of_seeing (Links to an external site.)

This discussion is part of our lesson in learning how to see and how to recognize design in daily

objects and images. Some of you are art, photography, or design majors, so this might be a very

easy assignment. For those who are not, do not panic. As long as you participate and try, you will

not go wrong. You will probably need a couple of days before you can post anything.

This is the process:

1. Please watch this video. Be patient. It may be boring at first but watch carefully. 2. Pay attention to the images you see every day. It can be something in your kitchen, on the

way to work, in your closet, in the grocery store, etc.

3. Think about the video you saw, now take a picture (your cell phone is fine) of an image you see every day that you think can be a “design” – based on your understanding of the

video you saw. I know, you may not know much about design or photography yet since

class just started and you probably have never had an art/photo class before.

4. Post (embed) your photo on this discussion page. If you don’t know how to embed an image, go to the resource module and read the guide.

5. Briefly discuss how the video you saw influenced your choice of image. Try to connect your photograph to design and photography. Go back to the video if needed. The easiest

way is to write a bit about what you learned from the video. Then describe how the things

you learned effected your choice of subject (that you photographed). In your description

of your photograph, think in terms of visual elements (see list below). Try using the

vocabulary from the visual element list (14pts).

• Visual Elements in art/photography:

o Line: What kind of lines are in the photograph? Curvy, straight, thin, thick? One

single line? Multiple lines? Are the lines creating some kind of directions or

movements? Is a natural line formed by the object itself (like an electrical line) or

is it a group of objects that formed a line (like a bunch of cones lined up to form a

line)?

o Shape: Are the shapes geometric or organic? One shape or many? Do they form a

pattern?

o Space: Does the photograph seem to show depth? Shallow? What made this (like

large cones in front and gets smaller as they move into the back – this creates

depth)? Is there a spatial illusion? What about the negative/background space?

o Texture: Does the image/object feel rough? Smooth? Does it look wet? Shiny? If

you could touch the surface what do you think it would feel like?

o Value: How dark is the darkest value? The lightest? Is there a long range of

grays? Does the foreground or main object have the lightest or darkest value?

6. After you post yours, choose 2 classmates’ posting and comment on their post. Be kind and constructive in your comments (6pts).