What did you learn? I learned about multiple Gestalt principles and how to apply them to designs. I also learned how using these principals in designs can force the eye to move in a specific pattern. This greatly enhanced my knowledge of Figma and taught me that complex designs can come out of simple shapes.
What was easy? Manipulating the size and position of the shapes was easy since Figma is not a very complex program. I was easily able to move the shapes anywhere I wanted inside the frames. Also, the use of black and white instead of other colors made the process easier since arranging them into patterns that tell a story was the main focus.
What was challenging? Deciding on which nursery rhyme to use was difficult since it took me a while to come up with design ideas in my head that could go along with each Gestalt principle. Also, although some of my frames look simple, it was difficult to ensure each frame dealt with a specific principle. Frames 3 and 4 were probably the most difficult since it took me a while to fully understand how to use negative space to my advantage. Frame 4 I ended up redoing completely which took a while. Also, it was difficult at times to figure out which frame went with each principal since some of them are similar.
How could I improve the assignment for the next class? While I am happy with my designs, some of them are more complex than others. Perhaps I could have done a better job at making sure each frame is more closely equal in terms of how much detail it contains. However, the Jack Horner rhyme is simple and it is easier to communicate stories in certain frames than others. I probably could have experimented with scale a bit more and done a better job at improving issues relating to symmetry since that was a issue I dealt with.
How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios? I will definitely continue to use Figma as it is much easier to use than Photoshop or Illustrator. I will use it for future projects for sure. Also I can now use my knowledge of Gestalt principles to manipulate the eye to follow a specific direction. This project proved to me that it is possible to create art that is complex despite shapes being so simple, so that will play a role in my ability to create designs.
How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you? Before I began designing in Figma, I watched many nursery rhyme videos so I can get a visual look at what each line looks like and use it to inspire my designs. I also found some old Gestalt Nursery Rhyme examples that better enhanced my understanding of the project. The slides on Gestalt principles that served as the introduction to Project 1 introduced me to Gestalt principles and I looked back on those slides many times to ensure I understood each principle.
