Ad Layout

I was in charge of the advertisement aspect of the campaign for our identity, Chakra Yoga Studio. My idea for the add was to go out to a local area in St. George and capture an image that could be used as the main focus and highlight of my add. My finished product ended up being taken at the sand dunes of Snow Canyon state park, using my little sister as a model. Since I went to shoot before the logo design was complete, I had her pose in several different popular yoga poses and in various locations throughout the park so that I had enough to work with. Although I favored other photos more, I ended up deciding to use the photo that best matched our campaign logo. The photo itself contains many different visual components. The horizontal lines in the image create a fundamental sense of rest and repose while creating visual space and designation of the different landscapes: sand, canyons, and sky. While the canyons on each side of the image are similar in their form and create a balance, there is a distinct contrast created by the shadow on the canyon on the right, and lack of shadow on the left. As you can see from the other unedited photos, the initial color of images were warm toned and did not match the color scheme used throughout rest of our campaign. I used a photo filter called "Fade" to change the color of the image to cool tones, to emphasize the grey and blue gradient sky, and to create similarity with my add and the rest of the campaign. I wanted to have as much negative space as possible in my add, as opposed to an add full of different distracting components. I accomplished this by keeping my model in the bottom third center of the image and keeping the text limited and to the edges of the photo, occupying a small amount of positive space in relation to the large amount of negative space occupied by the vast sky. There is also contrast within the different textures present in my image most prominently in the soft texture of the sand and sky, and the rough texture of the canyons. I used our design logo to incorporate even more Gestalt principles into my ad. I used proximity and the law of pragnanz to make the figure of our logo become identifiably one with the model and the distinct yoga pose. Lastly, I tried to emphasize the law of continuity with the use of similar text fonts and colors throughout my add and connecting the words "spiritual power...energy flow" with the overall theme, layout, and components of my add and campaign. 

Compose Your Frame

Mayan Ruins

I have chose this photo taken with my canon camera timer setting on a pyramid hedge in Cancun, Mexico to demonstrate the three principles of still composition. The rule of thirds is observed through my position on the rock pyramid in the bottom third, the lush tropical forest in the second third, and the bright sky in the last third. I, myself, pose as a vector in the image with by body language and graze indicating a direction of focus outward to horizon. My body position aligning with the diagonal vertical line of the pyramid which then transitions to a very faintly seen diagonal line in the tree's. This creates a contrast between the very horizontally straight vertical line of the sky above.

Design Evaluation Presentation

Being the third largest industry in the world, cosmetics are marketed in a number of ways that are constantly changing to best gain the attention of consumers.

Launched by none other than Kylie Jenner herself in November of 2015, Kylie Cosmetics markets it's products to a targeted audience and does a very effective job in doing so. Prior to launching her cosmetics line, Kylie underwent a very noticeable and well talked-about lip enhancing cosmetic surgery at the tender age of 18. However, before coming clean about her procedure she claimed to have undergone no such surgery and instead insisted to fans that it was the work of her favorite lip gloss and lip-liners that she used to over-line her lips with to get a fuller look. After seeing that all of her go-to lip glosses and liners were suddenly sold out and out of sock everywhere she decided to take matters into her own hands and officially launched her very own Lip Kit by Kylie which completely sold out on its only merchant KylieCosmetics.com within the first 30 seconds at a price of $30 USD. From the shipping box to the lipstick itself, all of the cosmetic lines packaging has Kylie's name in big bold letters and the iconic symbol of her lips dripping with different shades from her lipstick line. If the sharp and distinguished packaging didn't already have teenage girls and makeup gurus buying, the hand written thank you note inside each order gave others a reason to get one for themselves.

On the other hand, take an extremely well-known and established designer line of cosmetics like that of Chanel. Although Chanel got started in the fashion industry by founder Coco Chanel over 100 years ago, it seems that its marketing designs are out-dated as well. This being the most comparable of Chanel lip products to the Lip Kit by Kylie, I find it to lack the necessary visual components needed to compete in today's cosmetic industry. While both companies use the contrast of black and white, Kylie Cosmetics incorporates a figure-ground relationship to compare the shade of the lip product against a bare lip, and against a white background. The shipping package and individual lip glosses also display continuity with the black and white drops aligning the top. With Chanel Le Rouge retailing at $37 USD it simply seems more practical to save the $8 and get a hand decorated box dropped off at your doorstep with products containing packaging too visually pleasing to throw away after opening.

Contrast, Balance, Harmony

I found it to be slightly more challenging to find and decide on a photo for this assignment due to the fact that it had to contain all three visual components of contrast, balance, and harmony. The most obvious of the three, from my perspective at least, is the contrast of the three different colored flowers held against one another. Additionally, the contrast of the two different street patterns lying beneath. I find the next most distinguished component to be balance with the combined curved shape formed by the flowers being balanced both visually and physically by the curved hand holding them. This makes the hand and flowers more of a combined object rather than two completely separate things. Lastly, I find there to be harmony in the colors and contrasts of this photo. Although all the three flowers are distinctly different colors, the similar colored inner parts of the flowers bring harmony to the image. The placement of the thumb and flowers directly down the middle of the two contrasting sidewalks also brings harmony through connecting that contrast of background. 

Visceral Response

This piece of art demonstrates beauty through several distinct contrasts. First, her hair and complexion stands out against the white background making her look like she is about to pop out of the photo. Her facial features such as her eyes, eyebrows, nose, and lips are all distinctly darker or lighter than her complexion, making her face very defined. Lastly, the most beauty comes from the contrast of the soft shaped, white flowers in her dark hair paired along with a dark, strong, and intriguing facial expression. 

About The Author

Hello, my name is Brycelynn Greene and I am currently a 19 year old junior here at Dixie State majoring in Journalism Media studies! I just recently transferred and moved here from UNLV in Las Vegas but am originally from Tacoma, WA. Last semester I changed majors from Pre-med majoring in Psychology and have never looked back. It set me back in credits but I am so glad that I had the guidance and self determination to do so. One of my goals is to be able to travel and I hope to do that in a career path of working as a journalist or reporter that allows me to cover current social and cultural topics.