\ Notes on Contrast and Compose; Black & White in Design; McLuhan and Media

Assignment: Contrast and Compose

• Title: Contrast and Compose – Five abstract black-and-white geometric studies
• Goal: Create five simple abstract geometric constructions using black paper and white background to explore composition through strong black/white contrast.
• Flexibility: Shapes can be cut-out, thick or thin lines, and even have a calligraphic or dynamic feel. The emphasis is on pleasing compositions, not strict geometry.
• Materials: Black paper (best value from dollar store), white square background, glue stick for assembly.
• Process overview:
  • Cut out random black shapes; collect a catalog of interesting shapes.
  • Arrange shapes on a white square, moving them until you see something surprising.
  • When a composition gels, paste it down and photograph it.
  • Repeat to generate five strong compositions.
• Rationale: Demonstrates the power of black and white in composition and develops an eye for balance, tension, and negative space.
• Craft note: Ensure flatness of final work; avoid lifting; make the page orderly; use corners to anchor elements; avoid crowding the center.
• Photography guidance: Photograph the finished pieces with the camera square to the picture plane to avoid distortion.
• Quick strategy for success: If it surprises you, you’ve probably created something better than expected.

Visual approach and reception of black-and-white work

• The instructor emphasizes looking at strong black-and-white work to learn composition.
• Examples include both abstract and figurative compositions to show how the approach can translate across styles.
• Visual storytelling within a composition can be built from simple black-and-white elements that anchor and move across the page.
• Notable figures referenced for inspiration (brief context):
  • RB Bearsley: razor-sharp pen lines; quick, precise line work.
  • Edward Mongke (Norway): heavy use of black to convey gravity and seriousness.
  • Fellini (1960s): use of light, shadow, and frame composition; recommendation to study his black-and-white cinematography like Dolce Vita; frame-by-frame craft.
  • Fabian Baron: topography in black and white; innovative magazine typography and page design; bold use of black type and white space; print-focused design era.
  • Leni (controversial filmmaker, 1930s Germany): dive sequence of Olympic divers; noted for poetic, innovative shot angles and use of shadow.
  • Marilyn Monroe diptych by Andy Warhol: use of diptych to juxtapose iconic imagery.
  • Mondrian (Dutch De Stijl): geometric rigidity and simplification; constructivist influence.
  • Eugène Auguste Dominique Ong: strong pencil work; traditional drawing skills.
• Practical takeaways:
  • Black-and-white work, even in modern media, benefits from careful cropping and cropping out distractions.
  • Use corners and edges to anchor composition; avoid centering everything.
  • Leave intentional negative space to shape rhythm and movement.
  • A final piece should be flat and cohesive; visible glue or warping detracts from craft.
  • Consider the balance between busy areas and calmer zones to create visual tension.

Historical context and terms related to the visual study

• Constructivism and Cubism:
  • Constructivism is presented as an offshoot of Cubism emphasizing geometric construction and topography.
  • Mondrian represents Dutch De Stijl—rigid geometric abstraction with high polish.
  • Diptych/Triptych: artworks in two or three sections, respectively.
• French art tradition and its shifts:
  • Col de Bazaar (Col de Bazaars in the notes): a fixed, polished French academic structure for art.
  • Post-1830 shifts occurred as artists outside the fixed framework challenged the formal hierarchy.
• Key movements and representatives:
  • Fauvism: bold, liberated use of color by Matisse/Derain; a kind of “color as language” shift from strict realism.
  • Expressionism: dour, introspective German works (1911–1913) reflecting inner emotion and German soul.
  • Figurative: historically common, though increasingly less used today; used here to discuss artists who still work with recognizable forms.
• Conceptual notes:
  • The value of a piece can come from craft and execution as much as from novelty of idea (e.g., “a quality execution”).
  • The instructor occasionally highlights the role of typography and image interaction on a page (e.g., Fabian Baron’s typography)
• Recurrent reminders:
  • The importance of using corners and anchoring points for composition remains central across movements.
  • The interplay of light, shadow, and stark geometry can evoke depth and narrative even in abstract work.

Marshall McLuhan: core ideas and implications for media

• Core thesis: All media extend human senses and reorganize social life; the effects of a medium are not about the content but about the medium itself.
• The famous phrases:
  • The medium is the message. A corrected, pun-inspired version is: the medium is a massage (original cover typo that McLuhan preferred for its broader effect on consciousness).
• Key historical points:
  • McLuhan’s rise in the 1960s–70s due to insights on television, advertising, and politics.
  • He argued that electronic media would transform society in ways ahead of their time, presaging the digital era.
  • He advised looking to primary sources rather than secondary commentary for accurate understanding.
• Three foundational innovations (as discussed):
  • Phonetic alphabet, which shifted balance toward visual processing;
  • Movable type (16th century), accelerating information spread;
  • Telegraph (1844), enabling long-distance, rapid communication and network acceleration.
  • Note: the instructor also references 1821 (Faraday) as a precursor in the electronics revolution, suggesting a backdated timeline.
• Public document vs. connected information:
  • Public document: a central piece of information that can be joined into broad, interlinked conversations across large groups.
  • The internet redefines the public document by enabling many voices to contribute and interact around a central document.
• Information overload and pattern recognition:
  • In the face of大量 information, people default to pattern recognition rather than deep research.
  • Emphasis on avoiding “middle-path” consensus without critical thinking; encourage independent verification.
• Surveillance and privacy discourse:
  • Internet and mobile ecosystems turn individuals into data points; “Big Mother” and app ecosystems track and profile users.
  • Espionage becomes a pervasive, daily activity; private discourse diminishes as surveillance expands.
  • The speaker highlights the anxiety of being constantly watched and the erosion of private individuality.
• The sensorium and environment:
  • Technology reconfigures what counts as human experience; perception is altered by media environments.
  • The “ground rules” and pervasive structures created by media are often invisible yet powerful.
• Impact on society and politics:
  • The 1967 CBC interview example discusses Fahrenheit 451 and the control of knowledge via media.
  • McLuhan argued that TV and later digital media would influence political engagement and public opinion.
• Language, culture, and propaganda:
  • The “greatest propaganda” can be our mother tongue; language shapes perception even before critical thinking.
  • AI and automated content generation are framed as extensions of existing media power and propaganda systems.
• Photography and visual culture:
  • The logic of photography is not verbal or syntactical; visual media require different interpretive tools than text-based analysis.
• Travel, posting, and authenticity:
  • The modern traveler often documents experiences for an audience, which can dilute genuine encounter.
• Practical implications for students:
  • Seek original (primary) sources when studying media theory.
  • Use McLuhan’s ideas to analyze contemporary digital culture and information ecosystems (e.g., silos vs. public document networks).
  • Be mindful of the shift from hardware to software and the ecological implications of rapid technological change.

Key quotes, terms, and classroom takeaways

• Pull quotes in workbooks:
  • A technique for highlighting important statements or facts to guide reader focus.
  • Examples include pull quotes that foreground a claim and visually guide the reader into the body text.
• Terminology and concepts to note:
  • Public document: a central document around which broad discussion occurs.
  • Connected information vs. individual information: networks enable collective knowledge but also subject individuals to collective dynamics.
  • Information overload, pattern recognition, and critical thinking in the digital age.
  • The idea that media environments shape perception more than the raw content does.
• Class structure and assignments:
  • Watch and analyze the McLuhan CBC interview (1967) as foundational context for the course.
  • Emphasis on primary sources over secondary commentary for accurate understanding.
  • Students are urged to apply McLuhan’s ideas to their own media consumption and information practices.

Practical tips for the assignment and study strategy

• Five-image workflow:
  • Cut and collect black shapes, assemble on white background, photograph the arrangement, and adjust until it feels surprising and compelling.
  • Paste final version, photograph, and tabulate five strong compositions.
• Craft and presentation:
  • Keep compositions flat and well-crafted; avoid visible glue and misalignment.
  • Use the corners and edges to anchor elements; avoid overcrowding the center.
• Documentation and photography:
  • Ensure camera is square to the picture plane to prevent distortion.
  • Cropping and editing may be used to exclude extraneous elements around the edge of the page.
• Incorporating pull quotes and layout ideas:
  • Consider using pull quotes in a workbook to highlight key ideas and facts.
  • Try “pull across” techniques to emphasize important points in a page layout.
• Next steps and resources:
  • Next Friday: discussion of Marshall McLuhan’s ideas in more depth; a short video discussion will be assigned.
  • Be prepared to engage with primary McLuhan sources and related readings like The Medium is the Message, The Global Village, Gutenberg Galaxy, and The Mechanical Bride.
  • If search results are noisy, consider alternative tools such as perplexity; the instructor suggests exploring other search engines for balance.
  • Reach out to the instructor via email for support with drawing assignments or course materials.

Real-world relevance and ethical/philosophical reflections

• Media saturation and human perception:
  • We are immersed in electronic media; our sensory balance is continually rebalanced by new technologies.
• Privacy, surveillance, and agency:
  • Modern apps and data collection practices erode private individuality and raise questions about consent, autonomy, and governance.
• Knowledge production and power:
  • Language, typography, and visual design influence how knowledge is constructed and consumed; control over the medium can influence perception more than control over content.
• Responsibility in research and media literacy:
  • The lecturer emphasizes avoiding lazy conclusions, encouraging original research, and prioritizing primary sources to build well-grounded understanding.

Final reminders

• The McLuhan material and the Fahrenheit 451 reference: study the intersection of media technology and social control.
• The course invites you to critique and analyze media ecosystems rather than passively consume them.
• Your ongoing tasks: complete five black-and-white compositions, study McLuhan’s ideas through primary sources, and stay engaged with the broader discussion about media’s role in society.
• Instructor’s practical note: keep drawings organized, meet deadlines, and use available resources (including alternate search tools) to support your learning.

Quick glossary (from today’s content)

• Contrast and Compose: the exercise of creating visually engaging black-and-white compositions.
• Diptych/Triptych: artworks in two or three panels.
• Constructivism: a movement focusing on geometric construction and topography, proceeding from Cubist ideas.
• Fauvism: bold color use and expressive painting.
• Expressionism: art emphasizing subjective emotional experience.
• Col de Bazaar: a reference to a fixed French academic art structure and its evolution.
• Public document: central, widely accessible pieces that foster broad dialogue.
• Connected information: information distributed through networks with many participants.
• Middle path: a tendency to seek compromise without rigorous critical analysis.
• McLuhan: media theorist who described how media extend human senses and reshape society.
• The medium is the message: the form of a medium affects society as much as the content it transmits.
• The medium is a massage: McLuhan’s playful reframing of the famous phrase.
• Fahrenheit 451: Ray Bradbury novel about book censorship and the control of knowledge; discussed in the CBC interview context.
• Perplexity: an alternative search tool suggested as a potential better option in some contexts.