Design process class help

[Circuitbreaker8]

Probably not the best place to ask, but I am having some trouble in my design process class. My assignment is to find visual clues that can represent my words, except they cannot be conceptual examples, and they can't be 2D graphics. My teacher keeps saying I think too conceptual...any guidance? My word is "Global Connection" and i tried using bridge architecture to take inspiration from but my reasoning was that it connects two parts of the world together- so was it my reasoning that is coneceptual or the actual idea of using a bridge for inspiration?

 

[matteos]

Probably not the best place to ask, but I am having some trouble in my design process class. My assignment is to find visual clues that can represent my words, except they cannot be conceptual examples, and they can't be 2D graphics. My teacher keeps saying I think too conceptual...any guidance? My word is "Global Connection" and i tried using bridge architecture to take inspiration from but my reasoning was that it connects two parts of the world together- so was it my reasoning that is coneceptual or the actual idea of using a bridge for inspiration?

So you are asked to represent words visually, these words are actually a concept. i.e the idea of "Global Connection" and then you are told that you cannot use 2d graphics or conceptual imagery.

How are you supposed to represent a concept with imagery that isn't conceptual? Or is the focus on what you are doing too conceptual?

What exactly is your teacher looking for? Your imagery must be 3d? some sort of interperative dance?!? What?

You should ask your teacher to break it down as to where you are going wrong or what they are looking for if you don't understand, I doubt anybody can tell you what they are looking for from your description which is baffling to me.

If you google image "global connection" you get things like this'

Perhaps something like that is what they want?

 

[madFive]

I have to admit I find your instructor's choice of vocabulary a bit confusing, but it does sound like a fun challenge. Can you define more of the parameters of the assignment and elaborate more on the terms the teacher is using here?

The term "conceptual" could mean just about anything - a concept is just an idea, so asking you for ideas that aren't conceptual seems contradictory. I'm guessing they are trying to stretch you more toward abstract designs instead of strictly realistic representations of real-world objects. IE more Subjective, less Objective - basically communicate your ideas with more visual abstraction and lean less on recognizable objects.

What is the format of the finished product in this assignment? Is it 3D, 2D, or strictly a written assignment? You need to start by doing a lot more brainstorming - come up with another few dozen things that are used to connect, and a few representations for the term "global" wouldn't hurt though I know that will be a little more difficult. I know the image of a globe has been done to death in tons of company logos these days, and I remember several of my professors in school saying to avoid using a globe in our graphics for the sake of originality, so I'm a little surprised your teacher chose to use that term in the assignment. Good luck getting around that.

Once you have plenty of terms to go on, start drawing! (assuming the finished product here is some kind of 3D or 2D art project) I'm confused by the teacher restricting 2D graphics, but you have to start somewhere. Draw out a couple dozen different designs showing things being connected. I think what they're trying to say is keep it abstract, so I wouldn't recommend drawing an actual bridge or an actual globe - try to communicate the idea of connection through elements of design like line and form without making them look too much like the actual objects. Just keep drawing 'till you have something that looks original and doesn't draw too much from any of the given objects you're drawing "inspiration" from.

Hope this helps a little. Reply back with more parameters and definitions to clarify what you're supposed to be doing.

 

[Circuitbreaker8]

I guess the teacher is looking for shapes and forms, rather than ideas behind the pictures. So we find combine two words and find an image that relates to those words. When a person looks at the pictures, he/she should automatically be able to relate the words to your picture before even seeing which words you are trying to convey. This is for product design @ RISD, our end result is going to be a 3D model.

So, as an example, lets take this particular picture
http://www.answersingenesis.org/assets/images/articles/am/v2/n3/sea-turtle-2.jpg

And you would have to identify the first words that come to your mind....words that would describe THAT particular image so well that the viewer would be able to connect your words and that image with zero confusion/hesitation.