Design Principles: Final Compilation

9/2/26 - 25/3/26 / Week 1 - Week 8

Janice Cheah Pei Ern / 0376497

Design Principles / BDCM / Taylor's University

Final Compilation

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LIST / JUMP LINK

Task 1: Exploration

Task 2: Visual Analysis & Ideation

Task 3: Development & Design

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INSTRUCTIONS

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TASK

Final Compilation

Within The Ocean of Dreams_Janice Cheah Pei Ern_Task 3

Rationale

Design Decisions

My design showcases a white silhouette of a girl with wavy hair that flows across the composition against the black background. I mainly used gradients of purple to create a dreamy and imaginative mood, as purple often symbolises creativity and imagination. I also used other colours such as pink, orange, green and blue on the top of the hair to show that her dreams are limitless. I used a white silhouette and simple expression to create a dreamlike state for the character while directing attention to her hair rather than small details. Her flowing hair with stars becomes a space with a sea of stars for the whale to swim in, representing imagination flowing through her mind. I also made the hair strokes look like waves to make the hair more ocean-like.

Meaning/Purpose

In this design, I explored the theme of discovering freedom to pursue your dreams. The white whale swimming through the character's flowing hair to symbolise their inner spirit. The whale is swimming from the darker to the brighter side of the hair to represent freedom from the restrictions that hold it back. Placing the whale in a dreamy setting with the sea of stars and different colours convey the character's imagination is boundless and vast like the universe. To summarise, the design encourages viewers to embrace their imaginations and overcome the obstacles to follow their dreams.

Design Principles

Contrast: Colour contrast is created between the black background and the colourful elements which are purple, green, blue, pink and orange on the hair and character. This strong contrast makes the main elements stand out.

Gestalt Theory (Figure & Ground): The flowing hair of the character forms both a sea and space where the whale is swimming, making the whale the figure and the hair as the ground.

Golden Ratio: The wavy hair aligns with the Golden Ratio's spiral, guiding the viewers' eye smoothly from the bottom of the composition towards the top.

Balance: The composition uses asymmetrical balance as the large flowing hair flows from the bottom to the top, making both of these sides look visually balance.

Movement: The flowing hair and bubbles guide the viewer's eye across the composition, creating a sense of motion. The waves formed by the whale also creates a sense of movement, swimming through the hair.

Emphasis: The whale movement from the dark purple to light purple becomes the focal point of the composition. Its central placement draws the viewer's attention.

Repetition: Stars are repeated across the hair to make the space more dreamy. Waves in the hair are also repeated to make the hair flow like water.

Harmony & Unity: The colourful palette on the hair makes the composition unify together against the plain black background. The repeated elements such as stars, bubbles, waves and soft gradients make the design visually cohesive.

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FINAL REFLECTION

 • What have I learnt in this module? 

During this module, I got to revise what I learnt previously before the module, such as the design principles in detail and how to apply them to my design artwork. This strengthens my understanding of how the principles work together to create an effective and meaningful design.

 • What did I enjoy the most? 

I enjoyed Task 3 as I got to create my own design artwork using the knowledge I gained throughout the module. It was quite rewarding to apply the design principles into producing a design that has meaning and intention.

 • What did I not enjoy the most? 

It is not that I did not enjoy it, but I felt frustrated during the sketching phase in Task 2 because I did not have a clear direction on how I could develop my sketches. However, with some help and guidance from Mr. Max, he helped me to produce my sketches more effectively and efficiently.

 • What have I learnt about myself through this module?

Through this module, I learnt that I first develop ideas and draft versions before strictly following the requirements. This is due to the fact that I was mindlessly drawing out sketches that were just trying to follow the design principles rather than having a meaning or concept. I should explore my ideas more freely at the beginning and later refine them and apply the requirements. 

 • What has changed and what has not in my learning journey? 

What has changed in my learning journey is that I got to type out proper visual analysis and rationales that relate appropriately to the design works. It helped me improve my understanding of and communicating ideas behind the designs. However, since I had learnt design principles before, it did not feel like a large gap to me in my learning journey, but rather I got to strengthen and apply my existing knowledge.

 • What are my aspirations? 

I will definitely carry what I learnt in this module into my upcoming semester and apply it in my future modules, especially as the projects become more challenging.