Week 4 of Design Studio: Concepts and Narratives is complete. In week 4 we focussed on found objects, photography, design principles and design elements.

For this week’s activity we used 11 found objects to photograph individually and to arrange in various layouts. We looked at the important design principles such as; balance, proximity, alignment, repetition, contrast and space. We also examined design elements such as; line, shape, direction, size, texture and colour. Through the activity of arranging the objects in layouts I became familiar with and experimented in using certain objects to create different effects. For instance, a similar colour and shape for repetition, the proximity of objects together to create sections of tension and dynamic movement.

Learning these has been a major part of my journey into design and I know that they are going to be a vital part of my future. It is interesting that when I had previously organised items together (in photography or in digital design) that I had only considered a certain element of structure and balance and not realised that you are able to create so many different effects just by the ability to arrange objects in a certain form. It’s exciting to think of how I can and will use this in the future.

Here are a few examples of my found object layouts.