Black Square Problem

By using four black squares of the same dimension, create a graphic image to express the meaning of each of the following six words: order, increase, bold, congested, tension and playful.

Using only 4 squares may seem to be a rather limited palette for expressing such diverse words, but consider how these squares can be expanded into a more comprehensive language by utilizing various design principles.

Analysis

The intention of this problem is to develop a geometric idiom through the discovery of the various two-dimensional design principles needed to extend a limited graphic vocabulary. The necessary principles include: framal reference; touching; overlapping and cropping of forms; illusory space; contrast of elements in terms of size, direction, space, and position; and the dynamics of negative-positive relationships.

The discoveries result from experimentation with the interrelationships of forms, a vital experience for growth of a designer developing a personal, formal style. Combining these principles can further expand a mere graphic vocabulary into a comprehensive, abstract graphic language, maximizing the possibilities for graphic expression.

Objectives

Design skills become more comprehensive by creating several solutions for a single problem.

Through the use of perspective, the four squares can be of differing sizes, furthering the range of possible solutions. Many students use just this approach in their solutions, as can be seen in the following examples.

Order Increase

Bold Congested

Tension Playful

Process

•You will be designing three 6″x6″ artboards in illustrator for each of the following six design concepts:

order, increase, bold, congested, tension, playful

•Look at the previous examples and you will see that you will create 3 different interpretations for each of the 6 concepts.

•You may not use the examples as your concepts.

•You will only be using black boxes (squares) for this assignment. NO white squares allowed. Use the box tool and hold down the shift key for a perfect square. NO rectangles allowed.

•You must only use 4 black squares for each example.

•You will create three 6″x6″ artboards in Illustrator for each concept. This is 3 artboards x 6 subjects for a total of 18 artboards.

•Artboards must be in order of: order, increase, bold, congested, tension and playful

•After you create your artboards in illustrator, upload a pdf file with all 18 artboards to your Dropbox folder.

Due Thursday, March 11th

PDF with a minimum of 12 compositions out of the 18 on DropBox in your your folder:
04BlackSquareProblem_lastname.pdf
Please design two from each of the 6 categories for critique.