Cognitive theory tells us that our brains process information in three memory stages: Sensory Memory, Working Memory and Long-Term Memory.
• Sensory Memory is an unconscious action It responds to dynamic graphic form and perceives visual structure and hierarchy via gestalt principles.
• Working Memory is a conscious action. It processes verbal and graphic form from delivered by he Sensory Memory to determine relevance and either responds to, conceptualizes, trashes, retrieves or stores information in Long Term Memory.
• Long Term Memory is an unconscious action. It works with Working Memory to store or recall significant information experienced and/or processed. This meaningful information is encoded and decoded in our Long Term Memory as concepts, models, narratives, and schemas.
Next, we investigated the early beginnings of visual imagining and imaging in prehistoric times, from two points of view, the Shamanistic Trance and the Vision Quest. The Shamanistic Trance is a contextual conjuring of an image within the mind, the Vision Quest is the contextual revelation of an image outside of the mind.
We compared these imaging processes to the design process, by surveying and investigating two significant historical visual communication design methodologies of creating messages. We postulated that both creating a visual message (as a designer), as well as perceiving a visual message (as a viewer) is envisioning, then constructed an equation presupposing the relationship of imaging to message making.
The first approach is semiotic-based and evolved from Sachplaket Posters (Object), to Futurist and Art Deco Advertisements (Process), to Conceptual Images (Benefit). It takes advantage of the synergetic visual coupling of dennotative images and significant words, to create meaningful connotative concepts within a viewer’s mind. This design approach corresponds to the shamanic imaging experience, and relates to the schematic encoding and decoding of conceptual models in our Working and Long-Term Memory. This approach to design is most often concept-driven, where ideas are generated early in the design process and influence message form.
The second approach is structure-based and evolved from Constructivist (visual engineers) design approaches in modernist Russia, De Styl design in Holland, and the New Typography and Typophoto approaches of the Bauhaus in Germany. It takes advantage of the inherent significance embedded in visual form in subjects and objects directly and indirectly meaningful to message content. This design approach corresponds to the vision quest imaging experience, and relates to gestalt perception in our Sensory and processing visual form in Working Memory. This approach to design is often more visual-driven, where concepts appear later in the design process after in-depth investigations of visual structure and form.
Creative Process: An Enlightening Experience Revisited
Your last design project for the semester is a revisiting of P2, the Imaging the Design Process project. The original project (which you should have completed a project brief, research and concept roughs for) was to express and/or communicate the creative problem-solving process as a visual communicator. The final design may take any form as long as it effectively communicates.
The project will remain the same, however we are adding some content to the design. You will need to write a personal Design or Creative Process Statement about what you think about the the relationship of creativity, visual problem-solving and message making.
New Project Schedule
Project Launch Tuesday, October 3rd
Field Trip
- Parrish Canyon Panel Tuesday, October 10th
Project Brief & Concept Rough(s)
- Due on Blog / Work in Class Thursday, October 5th
PROJECT ON HOLD Thursday, October 12th
PROJECT RETURN Tuesday, December 5th
- Discussion / Design Statement
Work in Class
Tight Comp Thursday, December 7th
- Due on Blog / Critique, Work in Class
Final Design Tuesday, December 12th
- Due on Blog / Critique, Work in Class
