Unit 3 – Area of Study 1:​ Analysis and practice in context

Outcome 1

Create visual communications for specific contexts, purposes and audiences that are informed by their analysis of existing visual communications in the three design fields.​​

Examples of learning activities

• After being introduced to an existing product; for example, an automatic scooter for transport in a city environment; make annotated and dimensioned two- and three-dimensional sketches, photos of the product and complete a written analysis of the existing product. Redesign the product for use in Kakadu National Park.
• Analyse visual communications that are intended to promote and advertise scooters and skateboards. Design and produce a poster to promote the use of an automated scooter for a new environment.
• Analyse small structures like ‘nano’ houses and pavilions and then design an information centre and hire point for personal transport in a National Park. Present your work as a client display board including plans and elevations and a planometric drawing to show the interior features of the centre.
• Design a shop layout. Develop a logo for a shop and apply the logo to signage and in-store collateral. Using two- and three-dimensional drawing methods, draw a product to be sold in the shop. All three tasks respond to the analysis of stimulus material. Suggested shop types include: décor, furniture shop, collectable figurines and memorabilia store.
• Analyse the work of a graphic design firm and design a logo for a music festival.
• Analyse the industrial design work of Cobalt Niche and then design a reusable food container for a music festival event.
• Analyse the architectural work of John Wardle Architects to inform the design of a stage for a music festival.
• Compare different contexts and formats of visual communication evident in the real estate sector. For example, an agent’s brochure with photographs and floor plans and limited text, newspaper advertisements for a new house or housing development with floor plans and a perspective sketch, or posters in window displays and a website for an architectural firm with examples of buildings. Analyse the purpose and audience for each visual communication and the methods and conventions used; consider whether they comply with Australian Standards; discuss the reasons for the different types of drawings used and how they may affect the response of the audience. Put this analysis into practice by designing a small flat pack construction (e.g. dog house). Draw appropriately detailed drawings for the manufacture of parts and draw a site plan and elevations depicting this construction in situ.
• 
  ​​Analyse a selection of exhibition posters as stimulus material and then produce a poster for a fictitious exhibition. Further, adapt this design to two other contexts (such as a billboard and catalogue cover). Address type and layout conventions.​​
• Analyse the layout and typography used in a magazine advertisement for a new product. Describe the hierarchy and the differences in the use of typeface style and size. Make notes from discussions that identify the reasons for these choices in terms of context, purpose and audience. Create a similar advertisement using photographs of a different object. Explore alternative layouts and changed hierarchy, using visualisation drawings before assembling. Use a combination of digital design programs.
• Analyse the layout, image scaling and positioning and typesettting techniques used on the front page of a newspaper. Compare it with the same stories set out on the publisher’s website. Discuss how they have adjusted the visual components for a different context. Consider and compare the purpose and target audience of each format. Determine an issue that is important for their context and set out an article using the same layout structure as found in their analysis of print and web. Annotate the research and development of the article, describing the necessary processes used to reproduce type and layout specifications.
• Examine one of Marc Newson’s product designs including his design drawings. Using his design as a starting point, select a general-purpose product with the brief to reposition the product into a niche market. Prepare both two- and three-dimensional drawings.
• Analyse chairs that manipulate geometric components (e.g. Ribbon Chair module no. 582 [1966] by Pierre Paulin, Italy or 101 Chair [2006] by Helen Kontouris, Australia). Consider the role of design elements and principles, materials and methods and discuss the chairs’ relationships with modern sculpture such as seen in the work ‘Dervish’ (1973–81) Australia. Experiment with cut papers, wires and fabrics to design a ‘landmark’ chair using the same sculptural aesthetic principles. Transfer this work from a small model to a correctly dimensioned third-angle orthogonal drawing shown at an appropriate scale for industrial design. Complete the task by producing a range of two-point perspective sketches from a variety of heights and viewpoints that could be used as concept drawings for a pitch to a manufacturer.
• Analyse the catalogue of a furniture company that includes two- and/or three-dimensional drawings and photography. Use simple diagrams to instruct an audience on how to assemble flat pack furniture or toys. Place them into a layout for an instructional booklet with minimal written information.
• Design a Year 12 common room. Analyse the work of a significant local or international architect to inform the design direction. Document connections between your work and those you have studied. Complete both two- and three-dimensional drawings of your proposed concept.
• Visit a local shopping centre; take some photos and make sketches of kiosks (mobile phone or juice bars) that are found in the centre or walkways. Pace out the rough floor area of the juice bar in its location and then reproduce this area with area area with masking tape on the floor of the visual communication design classroom. Write an analysis of how such a complex operation functions well in a confined space noting how the architect has treated both function and aesthetics. Using the floor plan in the visual communication classroom, mark an area with masking tape on the floor. Write an analysis of how such a complex operation functions well in a confined space noting how the architect has treated both function and aesthetics. Using the floor plan of the classroom, sketches and photographs, use architectural conventions to create dimensioned plans and elevations of a similar structure designed for a different context and purpose. To complete this task, develop the two-dimensional drawings into a scaled planometric projection using digital methods to render the surface materials. (Please note, collecting information in a shopping centre may require permission from the centre management).
• Use the existing floor plan of a house to create a planometric drawing that depicts the potential energy efficiency solutions of the house. Analyse visual communications of an architectural firm or building company and apply similar mechanisms for gaining attention and maintaining engagement of the audience.

 

​​Detailed example

Exhibition promotional material

Students are provided with a selection of exhibition posters to analyse. They reflect on the decisions the designers have made with regard to design elements and design principles, and their use of methods, media and materials to gain attention and maintain engagement of the target audience. Students create a ‘decoding visual communications’ mind map, which allows them to identify and describe key factors evident in the communication. They identify the designers’ technique in creating hierarchy in the visual communications and their use of typography and type and layout conventions. Students critically evaluate how their analysis may inform their own design intentions.

Students are provided with a brief to produce a poster for a fictitious exhibition. This can be a large mainstream exhibition at a major venue (such as ‘Plastic Fantastic’ an exhibition of late 20th century product design at the National Gallery of Victoria) or a more localised content and context. Students take the key components of their final poster design resolution and adapt them for two other contexts (such as a billboard and catalogue cover). Students need to reconsider their use of certain design elements and design principles, and address type and layout conventions to adapt each design appropriate for each context.

Students reflect on connections between their work and that on the work they have analysed.