VISUAL CONTRAST

I particularly enjoyed today's lecture and tutorial, by where the focus was upon visual contrast. A topic I have had no such experience on.

 

During this hour, I learnt about the importance of visual contrast in communicating and promoting. Contrast has a visual power to seduce, visual communication to inform and visual interest to sustain the consumer.

 

This can be carried out in many ways through an image, for example:

 

1. Colour V Monochrome

2. Lean V Complex

3. Movement V Static

4. Crisp V Blurred

5. Whole V Partial

 

Tim (our head lecturer) also emphasised that in order to achieve a contrast you do not need to bear many resources. In fact it is rather more desirable to squeeze out visual contrast from limited resources. For example, a colour palette of limited colours for a brand can be used in many ways in order to sustain, create and revive the brand's image, and make the brand recognisable for a consumer. For example, the iconic blue and pink colours of Jack Wills.

 

We also briefly learnt about conceptual contrast. Examples of this type of contrast include:

 

1. Lux V Grunge

2. Aggressive V Passive

3. Abstract V Accessible

4. Pessimism V Optimism

5. High Culture V Low Culture

 

Following this lecture I decided to write a blog post, not only because it particularly interested me but also because I wanted to share a few examples of visual and conceptual contrast I have found in a few magazines following the lecture this afternoon.

 

i-D Magazine (Issue No.340) -

 

| DIOR AD |

 

Visual Contrast - Colour V Mono, Crisp V Blurred (Crisp/clear black and white image, whilst other image is slightly distorted through the use of shade), Single Image V Layered Image

Conceptual Contrast -  Focused/Serious V Passive

 

| MARSHALL AD |

 

Visual Contrast - Male V Female

Conceptual Contrast - Urban V Rural (debatable?)
 



| EDITORIAL FEATURING NICK JONAS |

 

Visual Contrast - Vertical V Horizontal, Single V Multiple

 



Vogue (November 2015) -

| EDITORIAL FEATURING KARLIE KLOSS |

Visual Contrast - Colour V Monochrome, Movement V Static, Whole V Partial
Conceptual Contrast - Serious V Playful



 

| GUCCI AD |

 

Visual Contrast - Vertical V Horizontal

Conceptual Contrast - Contemporary V Historic 

Wonderland Magazine (September/October 2015) -



| EDITORIAL |

 

Visual Contrast - Movement V Static, Lean V Complex (Background), Natural V Modified (Background)

Conceptual Contrast - Urban V Rural

| EDITORIAL |

Visual Contrast - Movement V Static, Vertical V Horizontal, Warm V Cold, Single V Double (Models)

 

| EDITORIAL |

Visual Contrast - Movement V Static, Reserved V Exposed

Conceptual Contrast - Serious V Playful

 

 

| EDITORIAL FEATURING FKA TWIGS |

 

Visual Contrast - Whole V Partial

Conceptual Contrast - Male V Female

 

I found the FKA twigs editorial particularly interesting, not only because of this image displaying the obvious gender clash, but also because this editorial was printed in not only a different paper (providing a change of texture for the consumer, to perhaps engage them?) but also included a handout/poster.

 

I hope you have enjoyed reading about another part of my first year studying Fashion Communication and Promotion. To me today's lecture really opened my eyes to a contrast so obvious, and I never would have noticed this in the past.

 

More posts coming soon!

 

- A