InfoVis
How I emulated my models:
While still matching the simplistic purple and gold color concept from the Lakers infographic, I modified the actual shades to match the official university color palette posted on the UW Marketing guidelines site. I kept the same shapes of the gavel and traced as accurately as possible. The two variations have different text, because I'm still deciding if it would be redundant to include 'ASUW'.
Displays that exploit the visual potential of appearance
Critique #1
My first critic identified that the graphic was pertaining to student senate and thought there may be an allusion to voting. She preferred the top graphic because the solid purple cirlce seemed to highlight empty space, while the unfilled circle created a layered look with more depth. She suggested that I swap the text orientation of both graphics, because the text along the gavel would better fill the empy circle on the bottom graphic. It was also suggested that I use rounded corners for the gold rectangle, to match the roundness of the rest of the graphic. She mentioned that the angle of the handle threw her off. Lastly, she was confused as to the reason for the size differences in the graphics. She liked the interesting text display on both graphics.
Revisions based on this critique
I gave the gold rectangle rounded edges to keep the theme of roundness throughout the graphic, for both images. Additionally, I experimented with text placement, incorporating feedback from all three critics.
While still matching the simplistic purple and gold color concept from the Lakers infographic, I modified the actual shades to match the official university color palette posted on the UW Marketing guidelines site. I kept the same shapes of the gavel and traced as accurately as possible. The two variations have different text, because I'm still deciding if it would be redundant to include 'ASUW'.
I tried to be as responsive to specific feedback as possible. I resized the bottom graphic and improved the head of the gavel and made the handle perpendicular to the head. In response to feedback on the text, I moved the bottom graphic's text to be along the handle. The biggest challenge I had was trying to make the bottom one worth keeping since it seems that everyone preferred the top graphic. This new revision is better but deviates from the shapes of the original gavel picture.
While still matching the simplistic purple and gold color concept from the Lakers infographic, I modified the actual shades to match the official university color palette posted on the UW Marketing guidelines site. I kept the same shapes of the gavel and traced as accurately as possible. The two variations have different text, because I'm still deciding if it would be redundant to include 'ASUW'.
How I revised my graphic:
I tried to be as responsive to specific feedback as possible. I resized the bottom graphic and improved the head of the gavel and made the handle perpendicular to the head. In response to feedback on the text, I moved the bottom graphic's text to be along the handle. The biggest challenge I had was trying to make the bottom one worth keeping since it seems that everyone preferred the top graphic. This new revision is better but deviates from the shapes and angles of the original gavel picture.
First Iteration
Evolution of ASUW Student Senate Gavel
Second Iteration
Critique #2
My critic knew the image was a gavel and was for the Student Senate. The first comment he had was that the angle of the gavel handle wasn't 90 degrees and the top and bottom of the mallet of the gavel should be symmetrical. He liked the potitioning of the gavels relative to the cirlces, creating a strike-though look. He also immediately recognized and liked the color association to UW. He preferred the top graphic to the bottom, because of the placement of text along the gavel. He felt that the text on the bottom graphic, standing out from the circle, was a little odd.
Revisions based on this critique
I redid the shapes of the mallet to create more symmetry and fix the odd look of the top of the gavel. Additionally, I changed the text on the bottom graphic to better utilize the space in the circle.
Critique #3
My third critic immediately noticed and was confused by the difference in size between the gavels. Other differences he noted were the text placement and the fill of the light purple circles. He said the gavel looked broken, because of the lack of perpendicularity of the handle to the mallet. It was noted that he thought the readability of the text was very clear and easy to read. He said there was a "cool use of UW colors". He ultimately preferred the top graphic because the edge and fill of the cirlce were different. He felt that not having the circle entirely filled in, in comibination with the text alignment, drew interest to the gavel, whereas in the bottom graphic, his eye was first drawn to the circle in the background. He expressed that the gavel was a good choice for the ASUW Student Senate because it alludes to judicial and legislative text. Other differences he noted were in the background circle, text placement, wording, capitalization and direction and path of text. He liked the use of purple for the handle and mallet, rather than brown, but noted that the gold part of the gavel was too boxy and could look better with rounded corners.
Revisions based on this critique
Based on his feedback and others', I resized the graphics to both be the same size. I also, based on all their feedback, modified the gavel to put the handle at a 90 degree angle.
Critique #3
The gavel image is obvious. He likes the use of the circle because it encompasses the body and prevents the image from being too narrow and fills more space. The circle also adds a contrast and creates a body. He likes the use of color in both and feels like they are true to the color model. He also likes the use of uppercase letters because they add emphasis and look sterner which matches the strength of the gavel, showing authority. Upper case is more legible, especially since the text is slanted. He likes the bottom model because the circle is solid, adding the background that’s needed for the text.
Revisions based on this critique
Example: "I completely redid the...icon and adjusted the ...icon by taking out the..."
Critique #2
The revised gavel looks good and the new text placement is also good but he is unsure of the look of text spilling over the edge of the circle. For the top one, it could be modified to look like a power symbol. He says maybe I could use white text on the inside of the bottom graphic for more subtlety. He prefers the bottom graphic because there is something he doesn’t like about the hollow circle. He says the graphic looks like the color model.
Revisions based on this critique
Example: "I completely redid the...icon and adjusted the ...icon by taking out the..."
Critique #1
She got that the bottom graphic is for student senate and that it’s correlated to UW but the greater context may not be understood. She is also not sure from the bottom text that there is only 1 student senate. She likes the circle fully filled in and feels that the top graphic is more like a power symbol. The weight of top font is better in her opinion. The detail of the gavel is good and makes it obvious that it fits with law and the senate. The graphic matches the color model conceptually but the yellow is different. It also matches the shading well.
Revisions based on this critique
Example: "I completely redid the...icon and adjusted the ...icon by taking out the..."