Color Theory, Design Principles, Body Image, and Dress Semiotics

Color

Visual response to wavelengths of sunlight defined by hue, intensity, and value.

Tint

A color mixed with white to increase lightness.

Tone

A color mixed with grey to create softness.

Shade

A color mixed with black to make it darker.

Color Value

The lightness or darkness of a color.

Intensity

The strength or weakness of a color.

Chroma

The degree of saturation of a color.

Primary Colors

Red, yellow, and blue.

Secondary Colors

Green, orange, and violet.

Tertiary Colors

Six colors created by mixing secondary and primary colors.

Complementary Colors

Colors located directly across from each other on the color wheel.

Analogous Colors

Three colors in a row on the color wheel.

Monochromatic

Using the same color mixed with tints, shades, and tones.

Synesthesia

Phenomenon where stimulating one sensory pathway automatically triggers another.

Visual Texture

The illusion of physical texture created through color and lighting.

Tactile Texture

Literal texture that can be physically felt with the hand.

Pattern

Requires repetition and recognizable motifs.

Motif

A recurring element, idea, image, or design throughout a work.

Formal Balance

Identical objects arranged equally on both sides of a central line.

Informal Balance

Objects of different sizes and shapes creating visual interest asynchronously.

Radial Balance

All elements radiate outward from a central point.

Proportion

The relationship of one part of an object to another or to the whole.

Scale

Compares an item or space to something of known size.

Golden Rectangle

A rectangle whose proportion of width to length is 2:3.

Body Image

The mental construct and feelings people have about their bodies.

Body Cathexis

The degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction toward physical body parts.

Body Modification

Altering appearance through tattoos, piercings, tanning, or hair changes.

Ethnocentrism

Judging people from other cultures by one's own cultural standards.

Sex

The biological category into which an individual is born.

Gender

The social construction of one's male or female identity.

Agonic Power

Active and distinct power rooted in doing, earning, or work.

Hedonic Power

Indirect and passive power rooted in being, appearance, and charm.

Androgyny

A combination of masculine and feminine characteristics.

Unisex

Lacking a specific gender designation for masculinity or femininity.

Theory of Shifting Erogenous Zones

Styles change to expose body parts until overexposure causes boredom.

Four Basic Needs Theories of Dress

Modesty, immodesty, adornment, and protection.

Semiotics in Dress

Aspects of dress that carry coded social or cultural meanings.

Hue

has to do with a colors saturation.

Saturation

is the brightness or darkness

color family,

warm, cool, neutral

color scheme

an arrangement or combination of colors that create a unified aesthetic (can create a mood or influence emotion)

split-complementary,

color scheme creates a Y. They are split opposites.

color symbolism,

cultural perception of color, (black -U.S. Death, White - eastern funeral color)

texture,

creates interest, different types - smooth, rough, wet, shiny

repetition,

repeating something

balance,

one of the principals of design, equal distribution of weight (actual, visual) from a central point or area.

rhythm,

moves our eyes easily about a composition from one area to another, creating a flowing quality, one of the principles of design

repetition (simple, alternation),

established by repeating color, pattern, textures, line, light, or form.

radiation,

one focal point from which lines and or color extends

gradation,

succession of the size of an object from large to smaller or of a color from dark to light.

emphasis,

the focal point that creates the center of attention. Point to which our eye turns to immediately

golden section,

ratio of the smaller portion to the larger is the same as that of the larger portion to the whole

golden mean

division of a line somewhere between ½ and 1/3 its length is the most desirable

cultural ideal,

a person who personifies the ideal for her time

body dissatisfaction,

a person's negative thoughts about his, her own body, including judgments about size and shape, and muscle tone generally involves a discrepancy between one zone body type and ideal body type.

primary sex characteristics,

essential for reproduction

secondary sex characteristics,

not essential to reproduction but defying and distinct the different characteristics

restricted dress code,

agonic role allows men to focus on work rather than appearance, neutral, subdued, simple study,

elaborate code,

dress hedonic, roll, unlimited options, colorless, fabrics, emphasis, beauty, physical being

third gender,

people who sex assigned at birth, does not align with their gender identity

intersexed,

both male and female reproduction organs

transgendered,

dress/presents as the opposite gender

drag,

cross-dressing artificial over exaggeration of the opposite sex

cross-dressing, the same as drag

transsexual,

gender, reassignment surgery

What are the three types of color families?What is the purpose of color schemes?

Primary, secondary, and tertiary. They serve key functions in art and design, help create visual harmony and appeal, focus and contrast, create unique color pallet.

How can two people looking at the same object see different colors?

Variation in light sources, (store light vs. Daylight), variation in objects, variation in observer, eg. Mood, health, emotion, environment.

How does an individual see color?

When light bounces off an object, enters the eye, and is translated into electrical signals by specialized cells in the retina and processed by the brain.

Can color affect taste and smell?

Yes, synesthesia how our senses work together, sensory input and cross over between sensory pathways. Explains nostalgia and smells

Be able to identify at least two examples of color symbolism in relation to culture or company branding.

Black is a funeral color for U.S. culture whereas white is the funeral color for western culture its white. U.S. Brides wear white, eastern cultures wear red. Purple is royalty in U.S. Thailand purple is a funeral color. Color symbolism is cultural perception of color

What is the difference between visual texture and tactile texture? What is texture used for in design?

Visual texture is an illusion, using color and lighting. Tactile texture is texture. You can feel with your hand and exist in a literal sense. Is used to create interest

The more regular the pattern repetition...___

_ the stronger the pattern.

Is texture always pattern? Is pattern always texture?

no , yes

In general, are patterns more noticeable than textures? What impact does this have on grabbing a viewer's attention?

Yes. They are stronger visual elements which grabs the viewers attention

Give two examples of the associative or symbolic meanings of texture.

Slippery as a snake rough,

Of the three types of balance, which one is easiest to achieve? Why is informal balance sometimes perceived as more visually interesting than formal balance?

Formal balance. Because there is more variation and interest than formal.

What is the difference between proportion and scale?

Proportion deals with the relationship between one object to another. Scale compares an item or space to something of known size.

What type of information does the body communicate?

Emotional, social attitudes, moods, narratives and cultural views.

Where did cultural ideals come from? Collective views, opinions, and history.

Collective views, opinions, and history.

When did they develop? Who do these ideals benefit? Who do they hurt?

Fashion silhouettes change slowly 10 years. Changing hair complicit, weight loss. those who align with them or those who hold power. Outliers, people who don't conform to these ideals.

Does having a perfect body guarantee a positive body image?

no, because positive body image is a mental state.

Be able to identify at least two examples of body alteration (body modification).

Cosmetic surgery, tanning, and bleaching.

What impact does the media have on cultural ideals? Does the fashion industry help or hinder this?

Unrealistic ideals perpetuated by the media. hinders because it puts pressure on unrealistic standards

What is the difference between sex and gender? How is gender a social construct?

Sex is a biological category you are born with, gender is the appropriate behavior and appearances for male/females. Rules, expectations, and physical biological traits.

Agonic power is traditionally male while hedonic power is female, but how is this an artificial dichotomy?

The division between agonic power (active, direct, and rooted in doing or earning) and hedonic power (passive, indirect, and rooted in appearance or charm) is considered an artificial dichotomy because it cleanly separates and locks complex human behaviors into rigid gender binaries that overlap, depend on each other, and shift over time.

How is a restricted or elaborate dress code tied to the type of role (agonic, hedonic) an individual has in society?

Restricted dress code is tied to agonic power and focus of work rather than appearance. Elaborate code is unlimited options, color fabrics, extras, emphasis on beauty and physical being.

What happens when an individual fails to reach the minimum dress expectations for men/women?

They are stigmatized, and criticized

What is the difference between androgyny and unisex?

Androgyny is blending of male and female graders. Unisex is worn by both male and females scrubs, trench coats.

Is the concept of modesty the same regardless of culture?Can what is considered modest change over time?

No it differs greatly based on culture. Yes, it changes overtime like how it was inappropriate to show your ankles.

How does the theory of shifting erogenous zones explain changes in modesty?

Exposing new body areas to be observed.

What are the four basic needs theories? Of the four, which theory is widely believed to be the reason why individuals first adopted dress?

Modesty, immodesty, adornment, protection. Protection protect the body from the elements and weather.

How does society measure poverty? (Is clothing a basic need?)

Clothing is a basic need. If you don't have clothes, then you are impoverished.

How are semiotics utilized to identify sexual orientation or sexual identity?

Aspects of dress can have coded meaning like a green flower in a lapel for gaming in in the 60s