Project 5

Syntax & Semantics

For this project, we needed to select a product anything from shoes to clothing to ink pens. I went with something I know and love guitar pedals. Next, we had to source images of high quality with no backgrounds. Following this, we needed to observe the products and comment about five specific categories.

Syntax

(visual elements & relationships) is a fancy way of saying natural subject matter. Wait which term is fancier? We needed to describe the look and visual relationships of the product.

Semantics

is the meaning which included denotation (specifics), connotation (associations), and Expression (feelings).

Presence

(contextual) is how something stands out in the context of where it’s seen. In what instance does this project have little presence versus a lot of presence.

After sourcing and researching I set up a 17” X 11” layout in InDesign and went about setting up a grid. Part of the fun with this project was tinkering with laying out four products versus each other and trying to keep some semblance of alignment. The layout continually shifted until I was happy with the white space balance.

We’re now onto project 6 and I’m learning even more about grid systems, spreads, and InDesign. It’s giving me a bit of déjà vu regarding web design. Do you like guitar pedals?