Design Principles | Final Compilation
Design Principles | Final Compilation
- March 06, 2025
3/2/25 - 28/2/25 (Week 5 - Week 7)
Hu Yao Ping | 0376768
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media | Taylor's
University
Design Principles
Final Compilation
[Table of Contents]
[Instructions]
All Links:
Task 1: Exploration
3/2/25 - 17/2/25 (Week 1 - Week 3)
Credit Line：
• Title: Deep Sea (《深海》) –
Official Movie Poster
•
Artist/Designer: Tian Xiao Peng (田晓鹏)
• Year: 2023
• Size: Standard movie poster size
(27 × 40 inches)
• Medium: Digital
illustration and 3D animation
•
Source: Deep Sea official promotional material
Reason：
I chose this poster from the animated film Deep Sea because of its
stunning visual composition and emotional depth. The artwork seamlessly
blends surrealism with traditional Chinese aesthetics, creating a
dreamlike atmosphere. The use of swirling waves and vibrant colors gives a
sense of movement, immersing the viewer in the fantastical underwater
world depicted in the film.
The image also tells a powerful story—featuring a young girl enveloped in
waves that resemble a blanket, symbolizing both comfort and uncertainty.
This duality resonates with the film’s themes of self-discovery and
emotional healing. The intricate details and expressive brushstrokes evoke
a sense of wonder, making this an outstanding piece of contemporary
animation design.
Design Principles Observed：
1.Contrast – The bright blues of
the ocean contrast sharply with the warm sand tones, making the central
figure stand out.
2.Emphasis – The girl’s sleeping
figure is the focal point, guiding the viewer’s attention.
3. Movement – The swirling
water creates a sense of dynamic motion, drawing the eye across the
composition.
4. Harmony & Unity
– The elements of waves, sea creatures, and typography are seamlessly
integrated, creating a cohesive visual experience.
5. Gestalt Theory (Closure
Principle) – The waves are shaped like a blanket, encouraging the viewer’s
mind to interpret the ocean as both water and bedding, enhancing the
symbolic meaning. This artwork is a prime example of how design principles
can be used to evoke strong emotions and tell a compelling visual story.
Task 2: Visual Analysis &
Ideation
17/2/25 - 3/3/25 (Week 3 - Week 5)
Link: Task 2 Blog
Observation:
The Deep Sea cover adopts a watercolor-inspired style, creating a
dreamlike and emotional atmosphere.
• Main Elements: A girl
(Canopus) lies on the beach with her eyes closed, appearing to
be asleep or dreaming. A blue wave, shaped like a quilt, wraps
around her, conveying warmth and security.
• Background &
Structure: The upper portion represents reality (the beach),
while the lower section symbolizes fantasy (the deep sea). The
water blends shades of blue and purple, interwoven with fish and
jellyfish, enhancing the surreal, immersive effect.
• Typography: The Chinese
title “深海” is written in expressive brushstroke calligraphy,
mimicking the fluidity of water. The English title “DEEP SEA” is
in a modern, sans-serif font, creating a contrast between
traditional and contemporary styles.
• Color & Light: Cool
tones (blue and purple) dominate the image, conveying mystery
and depth, while warm accents (orange and red) add contrast,
symbolizing hope and emotional warmth. Soft lighting enhances
the ocean’s fluidity, reinforcing a sense of movement.
Analysis:
The cover’s composition, colors, and textures effectively reflect the
film’s emotional depth and themes.
• Composition: The
division between the beach (reality) and the ocean (fantasy)
visually represents Canopus’s inner struggles and escapism. The
wave-as-quilt imagery suggests a connection between dreams and
reality.
• Color Contrast: The balance of cool and warm tones creates
visual impact and emotional depth, reflecting the protagonist’s
journey from loneliness to healing.
• Light & Emotion:
The soft, glowing light gives the water an ethereal quality,
aligning with the film’s unique “particle ink” animation style.
The girl’s closed eyes suggest a sense of longing, solitude, and
introspection.
Interpretation:
The cover conveys the film’s themes of self-discovery, emotional
healing, and the blurred line between reality and fantasy.
1.Psychological Journey:
The waves surrounding Canopus symbolize her immersion in the deep
sea, reflecting her emotional struggles and search for
belonging.
2.Loneliness vs. Hope:
The interplay of cold and warm colors highlights her transition
from isolation to finding connection.
3.Reality & Fantasy
Merge: The seamless transition between the beach and ocean mirrors
the film’s narrative, emphasizing its dreamlike storytelling and
emotional complexity.
（317 words in total)
Task 3: Development & Design
3/2/25 - 28/2/25 (Week 5 - Week 7)
Link: Task 3 Blog
fig.7.1 final result
fig.7.2 final result PDF
Reason:
This work is based on the theme of "deep sea" to express inner
exploration and emotional sustenance. The duck swimming ring is chosen
as the main subject because it is very small in the work, but this
little duck runs through the entire movie. It is an important carrier
of the girl's psychological changes and one of the core emotional
expressions of the film. The whale and the fish rotate around, forming
a vortex-like visual effect, representing the flow of emotions and the
exploration of the unknown world.
In design, I used composition to guide the line of sight and
adopted a spiral layout to let the viewer's eyes naturally rotate
around the central figure to create an immersive feeling. At the same
time, the whale, as a symbol of the deep sea, enhances the mystery of
the picture. The font style also has a sense of flow, which fits the
overall atmosphere.
In the design process, I chose to use dreamy colors to
strengthen the dreamy and tranquil atmosphere. At the same time, the
back design of the character increases the sense of substitution,
allowing the viewer to project his own emotions. The overall picture
hopes to convey the image of going deep into the inner world and
reconciling with emotions.
The meaning and purpose of the design:
The inspiration for this design comes from "Deep Sea", which
expresses the inner exploration and the flow of emotions through the
whirlpool-like ocean world. The protagonist sits on a floating object
in the shape of a rubber duck, symbolizing innocence and security,
while the deep ocean and the swimming whale represent the unknown and
growth. The whole picture attempts to create a fantasy and profound
atmosphere, allowing the viewer to feel the courage to explore
themselves and face the unknown.
Design principle:
The design adopts a spiral composition, with the central character as
the visual focus, guiding the audience's sight to shrink inward and
enhancing the immersion of the picture. At the same time, the use of
color contrast allows the dark blue ocean to set off the bright
orange-yellow floating objects, making the subject more prominent and
enhancing the visual impact. In addition, the dynamic arrangement of the
whales combined with the principle of perspective not only expands the
sense of space, but also creates a smooth visual effect. The whole
picture strikes a balance between contrast and coordination. The deep
cold-toned ocean contrasts with the warm and bright floating objects,
while achieving visual harmony and unity through soft lines and smooth
composition. These design principles work together to make the picture
more layered and expressive, allowing the audience to more deeply feel
the emotional atmosphere conveyed by the work.
Decisions in the design:
1. Role selection: The image of the protagonist is simplified and
presented from the back, making it easier for the viewer to project
their own emotions.
2. The addition of the rubber duck: The rubber duck is the center
throughout the movie to create a sense of childlike fun and contrast
with the cold tones of the ocean.
3. Font design: The hand-painted title text (deep sea) is integrated
with the background to make the overall visual more harmonious and
emphasize the theme.
Ultimately, this design hopes that the viewer can feel the courage to
explore the unknown, and at the same time find their own warmth and
belonging.
【PDF Compilation】
PDF for Task 1,Task 2,Task 3 and Final
[Reflection]
1.What have I learnt in this module?
During this module, I not only improved my visual design
skills but also learned how to express emotions and narratives through
imagery. By designing this “Deep Sea” themed poster, I explored how to use
composition, color, and symbolism to convey the theme of “inner
exploration.”
•Composition: I adopted a spiral layout, with whales and fish
rotating around the center to create a vortex effect. This not only
guides the viewer’s gaze but also symbolizes the flow of emotions and
the exploration of the unknown.
•Color Usage: I chose a dreamy blue contrasted with warm tones
to create an atmosphere that is both mysterious and comforting,
reinforcing the concept of the “deep sea” as a metaphor for inner
belonging.
•Symbolism: The small yellow duck float appears throughout the
image. Although it is a minor element, it plays a crucial role in
representing the girl’s psychological changes. It symbolizes her emotional
anchor, her search for a sense of security, and her journey of
self-discovery in the “deep sea.” Through this project, I realized that
design is not just about creating beautiful visuals but also about telling
stories and conveying emotions through imagery.
2.What did I enjoy the most?
The most enjoyable part of this project was expressing emotions
visually, particularly finding ways to depict the flow of emotions and
psychological changes through design.
•Conceptualizing and Color Matching: I experimented with
different color combinations to enhance the dreamy quality of the deep
sea and immerse the audience in the scene. In the end, I chose a
gradient blue paired with vibrant warm tones to create a sense of
depth and warmth.
•Spiral Composition: This approach provided a unique visual
experience. By making the whales and fish rotate around the girl, I
was able to naturally guide the audience’s gaze to the center of the
composition, enhancing the feeling of “immersion” and
“exploration.”
•The Symbolism of the Yellow Duck: I found it particularly
interesting that such a small object could carry such deep meaning. It
became the key to representing the girl’s emotional journey and
personal growth in the deep sea. This process deepened my
understanding of how to use visual elements to convey complex
emotions, which was very fulfilling.
3.What did I not enjoy the most?
Although the entire creative process was both challenging and
rewarding, the most difficult part was finding a balance between
abstraction and concreteness.
•Conveying Emotions Effectively: The deep sea is a theme full of
mystery and emotional depth. I wanted my artwork to be artistic yet
relatable. Finding a way to allow the audience to feel the “emotional
flow” without over-explaining was a challenge that required constant
thought.
•Choosing the Right Typography: I went through many trials
before settling on a font that complemented the “fluidity” and “deep
sea” theme.
•Fine-tuning the Details: I often found myself overly focused on
small adjustments, such as the arrangement of whales and fish, the
direction of the vortex, and the lighting effects. I made numerous
modifications to ensure the composition had a strong sense of motion
without feeling chaotic. While this process was demanding, it ultimately
helped me understand how to refine a design to achieve depth and
coherence. Despite these challenges, they pushed me to improve my design
thinking and expression skills.
4.What have I learnt about myself through this module?
This project allowed me to better understand my passion for
emotional design and my strengths in storytelling through visuals.
•Emotional Expression in Design: I realized that I enjoy
designing with “emotion” at the core rather than focusing solely on
aesthetics. With this poster, I aimed to depict the girl’s psychological
changes and create a connection with the audience.
•Balancing Detail and Overall Composition: I tend to focus on
details, sometimes at the expense of the overall flow. This project
taught me to think from a broader perspective before refining smaller
elements, ensuring the composition remains balanced and engaging.
•Defining My Design Style: I discovered that I enjoy using
color, symbolism, and unique compositions to express complex emotions.
This experience reinforced my belief that design is not just a visual
medium but also a powerful tool for emotional storytelling. I hope to
continue exploring this direction in the future.
5.What has changed and what has not in my learning journey?
My design thinking has evolved significantly throughout my
learning journey, but my core interests have remained the same.
•What has changed: I now focus more on narrative and emotional
expression, rather than just creating visually appealing designs. I also
have a deeper understanding of composition, color, and movement, as seen
in my use of spiral composition and dreamy colors in this project.
•What has not changed: My passion for storytelling through
visuals remains strong. This project reaffirmed my desire to create
emotionally resonant designs that go beyond aesthetics to connect with
viewers on a deeper level.
6.What are my aspirations?
In the future, I want to continue exploring how to express emotions through
visual language and experiment with different artistic styles and
techniques.
•Enhancing Narrative Abilities: I hope to work on more film and
animation-related visual design projects, using posters, illustrations,
and motion graphics to create compelling visual stories.
•Exploring More Complex Compositions: The spiral composition in
this project was an exciting discovery, and I want to experiment with more
dynamic designs to enhance immersion in my work.
•Incorporating More Technical Skills: Beyond traditional graphic
design, I aim to learn 3D modeling and motion design to add depth and
interactivity to my projects.
•Creating Emotionally Impactful Designs: Ultimately, I aspire to
craft designs that not only capture attention but also evoke deep
emotional responses, making design a bridge between people and their
emotions.
【Quick Links】
(Thank You)
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