Using only an image of a light bulb, the word ‘light bulb’ and a block of colour of your choice create different designs that explore visual dynamics – as the kitten designs shown in the previous project. Think about your compositions, trying each element at a different sizes and cropping your photo. Your block of colour can be any size, so use it fully to create a sense of space in your composition. Think about layering your visual elements to create depth within your designs and think about contrasts. Use thumbnails to work out what sort of designs you might try. You can download and use this lightbulb image (above) from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gluehlampe_01_KMJ.jpg and work on your computer or photocopy the picture of the lightbulb and work on paper. Be playful within the rules set, creating as many different designs as you can. Edit these down to about 20 designs that you feel represent the breadth of different approaches you have explored.
What am I being asked to do?
Create a range of different designs using the following three arrangements: An image of a light bulb, the word light bulb and a block of colour of my choice.
Design as many compositions as I can and then trim it down to 20 pieces.
What are the keywords?
Light Bulb, block of colour, composition, layering, depth, contrasts, playful, different, 20 pieces.
Experimenting ideas
The brief was quite straight forward with this exercise. We were told to create twenty different designs using a light bulb, the word light bulb and a block of colour. I designed quick and simple ideas, I made sure to play around with different sizes and layering because this is what the brief wanted me to explore, these are the designs I came up with.
I was very surprised with how many designs I could produce with such limited features. I also enjoyed playing around with the sizing and the layering of the images. For example in most of my designs the image of the light bulb comes across as the hierarchy, this is because of the size of the image and the way I placed it above all the other layers. Meanwhile in some of my other designs the wording of the light bulb comes across as the hierarchy because I layered everything else behind it – an example of this is my 6th draft.
One other thing that I really enjoyed is the fact that usually when I create a design that I like, I stop experimenting with any new ideas. If it wasn’t for the brief I would have been content with my first draft because I really liked the way the layers created depth within my design. But thanks to the brief I had no option but to design another 19 compositions which allowed me to play around with different formats.
I had a lot of fun with this exercise and I also believe that I will definitely benefit from it.
Tutor Feedback
This is a satisfactory solution and good to see that you have been surprised
how many designs can be made with small adjustments. You have explored
rectangular shapes but triangles circles and other forms could have been
equally explored. This is also true of your layering. That said you have
understood the brief and provided an adequate solution. Try to push your
visual research further.
OCA Graphic Design 
