Lecture Material

Design Principles GCD60804

Week 5 - 7

See Previous Lecture Notes

- Task 1 Lecture Material

- Task 2 Lecture Material

Instructions

MIB for Bachelors of Design (Honours) in Creative Media | The Design School at Taylor's University 2025

Task 3

Recap :

For this task, we will be creating a design based off of the ideas created back in Task 2, where we are to develop our chosen design idea through the exploration of colouring, composition, and more, to come up with a final design that utilises our knowledge of design principles, as well as a 200 word rationale describing and explaining our design choices.

Artwork chosen in Task 1 -

Fig. 1

Title : L'Etoile (The Star - Dancer On Stage)

Year : c. 1878

Artist : Edgar Degas

Size : 60 x 40 cm

Medium : Pastel on Paper

Online Source : https://www.wga.hu/html_m/d/degas/3/1870s_76.html

Sketch Idea Chosen from Task 2

Fig. 2 Chosen Sketch from Task 2

Key Takeaways :

Focus on the darker concept of the original painting (things hiding in the dark)
Applied the Rule of Thirds
Utilised lighting and shadow to create a foreboding feel
Emphasis on the dancer using a spotlight
Contrast with the dark background and bright spotlight.

Development :

Colour Study :

Fig. 3 Colour Study

- The colours applied are dark and dramatic, to create a brooding effect that sets an enigmatic and apprehensive

feel towards the composition.

- Contrast between the dark background and the glowing dancer.

- Instead of emphasis solely on the ballerina, the colours and shading creates hierarchy where we are first drawn to the

ballerina in white, then notice a darker, looming figure behind her.

Reference Artwork :

Fig. 4 The Nightmare (1781) by Henry Fuseli [Oil on Canvas]

- The Nightmare by Fuseli utilises chiaroscuro (an effect of

contrasted light and shadow - Oxford Dictionary) to create a

dramatic and mysterious theme.

- The subject itself is odd and uncanny, with many interpretations

of the context, which generally adds more unsettling undertones

to the work.

- The subject is covered in a luminous white, surrounded by

darker colours such as red and brown.

Composition Exploration :

Fig. 5 Compositional sketch 1

1. First Exploration

- Composition is angled slightly, shifting away from a front-view portrait and

symmetry.

- Utilises the Gestalt Principle of Similarity and Closure, where the

foreboding eyes are grouped and seen as a pair of eyes, and closure

allows us to reify a face from the ballerina blocking the set of eyes staring

at her.

- Figure / Ground

- Asymmetry - creates dynamism and depth, does not put its focus solely

on the dancer

Fig. 6 Compositional Sketch 2

2. Second Exploration

- Explores on the content, instead of a looming eye is what is supposed

to be her shadow, is the man watching her

- Retains Balance, with equal weight on each side

Fig. 7 Compositional Sketch 3

3. Third Exploration

- After Feedback in week 6, symmetry should be maintained to create more

power in the centre

- Balanced and Symmetrical background

- Focal point on the centre

- Contrasting lighting

Fig. 7 Compositional Sketch 4

4. Fourth Exploration

- Chosen Composition

(Holds the most emphasis and implied meaning of my interpretation,

where the hands enhance the expression of the relationship between the

shadow and the dancer)

- Retains the same composition as previous ones, with symmetry and

balance, as well as emphasis and contrast

- However implements a different element that alters the dynamic between

main subjects

- Hands to show possession and control

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Final Artwork

Process Work : Final Canvas

Process Work : Hands and Ballerina

Process Work : Curtains

Final Work

Gilded Cage, 210 x 297 mm [Digital Artwork, JPEG] | JPEG image file link

Haley Alexandra Gray_Gilded Cage_Task 3, 210 x 297 mm [Digital Artwork, PDF]

Rationale

Gilded Cage is an interpretation that enhances Degas' L'Etoile, in terms of context and composition, in my opinion. Depicting a ballerina on stage with an impending, eerie form looming over her, slowly encapsulating her, this work was influenced by the underlying meanings of Degas' works, that revolve around the dark realities behind ballet performances during the 19th century in France. It conveys the relationship dancers had with their craft, where behind the facade of a perfected and disciplined performance is tired, unfortunate girls tied to their sport to afford to live, through being subjected to sponsors, expressed through the dark, mysterious figure in control of the dancer. Compared to the original work, this design magnifies the intent Degas had, while creating a more compositionally-compelling piece through the use of abstract content and thoughtful use of principles.

The choices made for this design exemplify the relationship and scenario. The composition utilises positioning of elements to convey relationships and hierarchy; the surrounding elements gravitate around the ballerina, and are in a symmetrical order which give focus to the centrical subjects: The Shadow and Ballerina, which narrate a dynamic between them where the shadow looms over the dancer. The colours reflect hints of chiaroscuro, a lighting effect that creates emotion and contrast, depicted in this piece show the stark differences in presence, demeanour, and meaning between the forms. The hands around the dancer reflects the controlling and patronising relationship the sponsors have with their dancers, while the subdued, yet intimidating shadow reflects the actual sponsor, watching the dancer closely, placed above her to form power and control.

The composition utilises symmetry in the background, creating order and balance in the performance setting, which at the same time enhances the power and authority the figures have in the middle of the composition, to create emphasis on the main focal points in the composition to add meaning and direction to the piece. In a way, radial balance is employed, where the elements revolve around the ballerina, emphasising on the main subject, where everything gravitates towards her. Colour and lighting plays an important role as well, creating drama and contrast, as well as distinguish between the foreground and the background, with the ballerina brightly coloured in comparison to the monotonous, gloomy background and shady figure.

(379 words)

Feedback

Week 5 (3/3/25)

General Feedback : To begin Task 3.

________

Week 6 (10/3/25)

Specific Feedback : Only one change to make to start the final composition, alter first compositional exploration, maintain

the symmetry and balance seen in the sketch chosen in Task 2 to create more power.

General Feedback : Complete the final artwork and complete the TES.

________

Week 7 (17/3/25)

Specific Feedback : Good documentation of process and final artwork, only slight changes to make; position the eye

higher in the composition to create a better spread of the elements, and add slight highlights to

the curtain edges

General Feedback : Complete the final artwork, finish the final compilation according to instructions. Due date is on

Wednesday, 19th March.

Reflection

Experience :

The final task for this semester was a good way to end the course, providing us with a first-hand experience to utilise the design principles learned, in an in-depth and thoughtful way. In my experience, I have never really adapted an established artwork to create something in my style, let alone think about design principles this intently, however I have enjoyed extracting and ideating from Degas's art work, allowing me to express my own interpretation of it and giving me an opportunity to think creatively and extensively on how I would like to represent that through design principles, which I will hopefully continue to practice in the future. Furthermore, digital art was the medium I used for the final works, which is something I would not usually use to create artworks, however the vast choices and opportunities the medium has to offer made me choose to use it, to see how far it could take my vision for the final piece, which I personally think took me way farther than if I chose a traditional medium. Overall, I enjoyed creating this piece and it is another new experience that I feel had given me more exposure and knowledge in terms of the use of design principles, adapting an artwork, and using digital means to draw.

Observation :

In this task as well as the previous tasks, I have observed the setting in which L'Etoile had taken place and what is happening in the scene which seemed to be a ballerina in her act accompanied by a stage and a background of the performance, along with elements and composition used to develop my own interpretation of the artwork. This gave me incentive to start my own explorations to further develop my final work, which consisted of observing different elements and composition explorations, pertaining to creating a dramatic and contrasting dynamic, in order to create my final artwork and put forward my intended effects and meaning. I had observed colour schemes and chiaroscuro to set the dark and dramatic tone, as well as different compositions that contained different elements and concepts to enhance my idea.

Findings :

The study of my explorations as well as the meaning behind Degas's artwork made me think about how to give meaning and value (compositionally and implicitly) to the artwork rather than composing elements for the sake of aesthetics, something I often find myself doing. During this, I have found out more on chiaroscuro, a lighting effect that emphasises on light and shadow; contrast, and the effect it had on The Nightmare by Fuseli to use as a reference and inspiration to my own work. Additionally I have found out more on how to effectively use design principles through my own exploration in order to gain the intended effect. Lastly, despite knowing this before I have still found myself discovering more about the intent and background behind Degas's work on dancers, and the overall ballet scene in France, where young girls were tied to the stage and their sponsors to make a living, and Degas using this as a way to implement the reality behind various scenes in life as his subject for his artwork.