Visual Order: Book

A vocabulary to rationalise visual design decisions. 

QUICK OVERVIEW  
Visual order is a method to build a vocabulary in the context of arranging elements in a two-dimensional space. It introduces visual order through participative tasks and then emphasizes the difference between hierarchy and order. The idea is to gain a deeper understanding of creating conscious and purposeful arrangements.
AUDIENCE
Communication design instructors / students / professionals  

Course Video

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What is Visual Order?

The book attempts to explain principles that govern the creation of Visual Order. Visual Order here is addressed in the context of relationships between elements that coexist in a two-dimensional space. The objective is to internalize an experience by creating Visual Order; a planned arrangement that allows perception of the desired meaning.
Visual Order Workshop Task: Create visual order: 1,2
Student work from Vishwaniketan Institute of Design // Credits: VINAY / SURBHI / MEDINI

Why this book?

Tool versus the Task - Analog versus Digital.
Assignments in the foundation years of design institutes are commonly criticized for lacking a methodical scientific approach and leaning towards subjective exercises in art. This issue continues to be debated and leads to the dominance of one kind of approach over the other. Most of the time, the discourse is predominantly about which approach is more effective for modern Graphic Design education, rather than suggesting empirical methods to create newer paradigms of design education.

In the pursuit to balance both modes of thinking, (vertical + lateral*), this book proposes a method towards criteria based education in Graphic Design. It means the design of a teaching method which is goal-oriented (to foster vertical thinking), as well as, open-ended; free for exploration (encourage lateral thinking). 
This book insists that visual decisions rendered by a graphic designer while arranging elements within a two-dimensional space are not guided by intuition and imagination. In fact, these decisions are objective and rational, they are and should be governed by the need of the intended message.

Aim of the book:

The aim of the book is not to reiterate the fact that elements and principles of design are the basis of all arrangements in a visual space. There are a lot of books that demonstrate and define these principles quite elaborately. The attempt is to create a new method that encourages and engages an exploration of visual design principles through performance and participation; to explore arrangements in collaboration with other students rather than in isolation. Isolation here refers to the act of the student working on a desk or computer, spending time and effort to struggle with the tool (software) instead of focusing on the task.

This book encourages students to make conscious visual design decisions while creating arrangements; with the aim of instilling objectivity and sharpening anticipation during the process of creation. Finally, anticipation is validated by testing it with the audience or viewers.  

Objective of the book:

The objective of the book is to introduce a method to encourage collaborative environments for learning, where physical participation, dialogue and involvement with a purpose (the task) are of prime concern. This experiment is an attempt to balance the future of design education, namely traditional and modern ideas, through recognizing and associating rational thinking with exploration and creativity.

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UPDATED: 13 APRIL. 2020
AUTHOR
Mandar Rane
Prof. Mandar Rane
Communication Design
Faculty IDC, IIT Bombay
book details
TITLE: VISUAL ORDER 

PLACE OF PUBLICATION:
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

COPYRIGHT: 2018
Attribution-Non-commercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA

AUTHOR / PUBLISHER:
Prof. Mandar Rane
B/55, Anil CHS, Gavand Path,
Naupada, Thane (W) 400602
Maharashtra, India

EMAIL:
mrane@iitb.ac.in
ranemandaridc@gmail.com

PRINTER:
TRIKKON 231/ A, 1/1, Rangari Building,
N.M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel
Mumbai 400 013
trikkonbooks@gmail.com

FIRST EDITION
Printed in India

ISBN: 978-93-5196-615-9

PAGES: 228