Nature's Factory: Physics

Gravity

An alignment is created in the gravity composition between three different objects.  All three objects are related to falling and, therefore, gravity.  The alignment was established to create a movement in each set of dots.  Each compound shape formed by the falling dots starts small at the top and increases in size until they rest on the image of Earth.  The compound shape undergoes repetition to establish a better sense of falling.  Three objects says this more clearly than one would.  A symmetry was composed to make a simpler and more static image.  The only movement I wanted to portray was one that went straight to the Earth image.  Furthermore, the line of v’s pointing straight down and lying in the center along with the image of the shooting star really bring the eye down to Earth

Magnetism

Asymmetry was used to add weight to one side.  I wanted one side to have all the attractive force of a magnet.  The correspondence of the arrows between the small dots suggests like qualities in these forms, like the metals attracted to a magnet would have.  The repetition of the dots adds to the overall attractive force of the larger image of the magnetic poles.  Furthermore, a proximity was established between the arrow dots and only one end of the magnetic pole image to express the central idea behind magnetism.   Objects are magnetized by possessing opposite charges.  Naturally, these same dots couldn’t be in close proximity to the other pole 

Buoyancy

Framing was used specifically with the text on this page layout.  The word Buoyancy is cut off at the top of the page to make it appear like the missing part is floating above the page and the part the viewer sees is submerged onto the page.  Symmetry was established with the image of the buoy to avoid suggesting any other movement than an upward one.  Two compound shapes come from the bottom of the page and swirl and push the buoy upward while the rest of the blue circles behind these shapes undergo a repetition to express the density of water.  The negative space of these shapes also suggest a body of water with there wave like tips that point up and down.  Finally, the layering of the swirls pushing upward and the rest of the body of water allow a clear upward movement to be seen.  The compound shape pops out and pushes up 

Waves

The framing of this layout congests the image and make the viewer feel really close to what’s going on in the composition.  Most waves aren’t visible and require close examination to understand.  This composition suggests this same idea of a close examination with its tight frame.  Asymmetry is used to establish an origin and a better movement for the waves as they start on the left and flow to the right (and right to left for the text).  The scale difference between each wave suggests a dimensionality so that these waves can really flow in all directions.  A continuation off the page allows the viewer to imagine that these waves extend past the book and flow on indefinitely.  A compound shape was created to symbolize the shapes of waves and the repetition of this shape expresses the constant up and down flow of all waves.

Elasticity

An alignment and symmetry was established in the compound shape for this layout so that the shape didn’t have a concentration of weight or a movement to either side.  This shape stays dead center and is pulled up and down and stretched into a thin line.  Framing is used to suggest a close study of elasticity.  It invites one to question the molecular concept of an elastic object as do the dots making the compound shape.  

Tension

The alignment in the set of rope images is essential because any rope undergoing tension will be pulled straight between the two opposing forces.  Tension suggests a tightness that won’t really move.  

Friction

Framing was used in this layout as in the Waves and Elasticity layouts.  The two dominating gray circles are cropped and given a compressed feel to invite one to think on the molecular level.  The viewer is then showed a stark contrast with the white circle and the yellow image inside.  This layered compound shape is layered on top of where the two gray circles meet so that the contact between them appears to be magnified.  This magnified area suggests a scraping and friction between the two circles that can actually be seen.  Asymmetry is used to show a better movement between the two large circles.  The weight on each side but not equal is size or position and suggest a shift occurring.  A negative space was used between half circle of yellow to create the jagged forms that bump into and resist each other.  

Acceleration

The compound shapes were aligned to show them as a compound shape and one group.  Each shape is composed of circles that get larger from the left of the page to right.  Asymmetry was used to show an increase in motion on the right side of the page.  The scale of the dots in each compound shape suggest a movement from the left to the right to further enforce an acceleration from the left side to the right.  

Rotation

The globes are aligned and in close proximity to establish a sequence of events.  A scaling was used on the little blue dots so that they could act as points on the globe.  The dot and comes back again and falls into the same place as the blue dot in the bottom left globe.  The path of the globes continues off the page to suggest a continued and never ending rotation. Repetition was used to show a sequence of images.

 

A formal approach to these dot compositions allowed each student to express the words for their theme in a more interesting way.  We were given limits on how to express these ideas, and through this deprivation we were able to come up with appealing forms made from many dots.  Approaching them formally allowed us to look past the shapes as just dots or circles.  We had to rack our brains for thumbnails and ideas and through this process each student should have learned how to communicate better in an abstract, visual, and sometimes conceptual way.  

Most images I used suggested science in one way or another.  Many textures were used to create gradations and probably make up the most kinds of images I used.  These textures generally created a great movement on the pages they were used on.  Since I was dealing with Physics, this movement was vital.  Most of Physics is based on movement so these images were ideal.  The background also helped the compositions move.  The background for the entire book is one continuous grid that twists and turns and matches up on the edge of each page.  The grid flows from one page to another to further symbolize this needed movement that exists in physics.  Most of the images, including the warped grids, suggest science.  They, along with the compositions tend to appear similar to diagrams and  charts.  The color also speaks science.  Blue is a color usually related to wisdom and intelligence and is also frequently used to symbolize science classes.  Gray is a dull and boring color and when gradated into the blue hue on the front cover causes the blue to become a dull and boring color.

My main concept for the appearance of the book was to make look and feel like a physics textbook.  I used a gloss paper and a sturdy boardfor the cover which almost every physics textbook (any textbook really) I’ve come across uses.  The cover is simple and somewhat dull, which some people correlate to science in general.  All the pages maintain a good smoothness and the grids further enforce this idea of physics.

If there was anything I would have done differently it would have been to have been constantly finding images and cutting them throughout the whole course of the project.  Doing them all at once is pretty repetitive and discouraging.  Also, had I known the background grids would have taken so long to make and print, I may have avoided using them all together.  Also the back and front cover pages were printed using ink on gloss so the ink smeared very badly in both cases.  I would just simply use a laser printer next time.