Spatial Relationships & the Design Process
Because I spent many years as a theater practitioner, I have learned to assess marketing problems and puzzle out solutions by utilizing paradigms and languages that might not be obvious to all folks working in creative agencies.
One such language was established by Mary Overlie in the late 70’s. The Viewpoints were created to help post-modern choreographers and dancers communicate ideas of time & space. It quickly gained traction when it was adopted by Tina Landau (Steppenwolf Theatre) and Anne Bogart (of the SITI Company) who transformed it into a method of improvisation, then shared it with other companies worldwide. It relies on active listening as a key component. Without observation, we cannot tell our stories adequately. (And the observations don’t stop when the storytelling starts!)
So what does this language created to help express time, space, & improvisational exploration have to do with Branding and Graphic design? Absolutely everything. When taking on a new client, it is imperative to start by observing what already IS.
“Who is this client? And how do they interact with the world around them? What is their history? How seriously or with how much humor do they take themselves? What is their overriding objective? What gets in the way of achieving that? How do they move through the world? How do they want to be seen? How are they currently seen? How do they interact with customers? With employees? What do they want the customer to leave this experience with?”
These answers become a foundation from which to launch the conceptualization phase. This phase involves a study of WHAT IF.
what if…
Once the concept is in place, we move to HOW it will be expressed. Each element of the design will have a relationship to every other element. And that relationship tells a story viscerally. Look around the room for a moment. Find your favorite object… and really look at it. Look at its size, distance to you, distance to the nearest object. Look at its shape. When you look at that object in relation to other objects, what do you feel? Move one of the objects. What shifts? Adjust an angle on another. What shifts? Change the light source. What shifts? There are subtleties about the spatial relationships of these objects being revealed. With each adjustment the story changes.
And so it is with visual design. We take the concept specific to that client, and play with spatial relationships, kinesthetic response, shape, repetition, architecture, and more until we are left with a design that perfectly reflects the client and their vision.
Whether we are composing/developing your brand identity, website, social media, marketing collateral, or any other necessity, know that we will use every tool in our belt to make sure you shine. Especially the theatrical ones.
Fun fact: I have a Spatial Relationship Super Power. I can guess the length of objects, and determine how level something is with shocking accuracy. And not to be rude, but I will straighten the paintings on your wall if they are off kilter.
Learn more: The Viewpoints Book: A Practical Guide to Viewpoints and Composition
