Skiba BIS 308 Portfolio

Pepsi (Nov 2007): Surfer
The following advertisement is an example of the principle of contrast. To avoid using similar elements for
things that are not the same. Rather, by using diverse styles, typefaces, colors, sizes, shapes, or even spacing
can help infer these differences to readers. Contrast helps grab and focus the reader’s attention and organize
information to make it more clear.
In this 2007 advertisement for Pepsi applies the vivid colors from elements in nature (water, cresting waves,
and sky) to replicate the Pepsi logo. Through the use of these color the ad is able to capture the reader and
focus the attention to primarily the composite elements of the logo. In the foreground, the surfer and caption
(“dare for more”) are dwarfed by these imposing waves to make this image that much more striking. Addition-
ally, the use of white text is able to stand out clearly against the colored background.
Paul Skiba BIS 308 Sum14 1

Verizon (Mar 2014): Coverage Map
The design principle used in this advertisement is repetition. This principle requires that some aspect of the
design is repeated throughout the piece. This can be anything that a reader will visually recognize like colors,
shapes, textures, spatial relationships, fonts, sizes, ect. However, repetition goes beyond just being consistent
in look and feel, but it is a conscious effort to unify all parts of a design.
This particular ad from Verizon applies the principle of repetition to demonstrate the differences in coverage
of their data services. By repeating the shape of the 50 US states creates uniformity that the audience is able
to effectively judge against. The contrast in the colors used for at&t (orange) and T-Mobile (pink) are repeated
from their own marketing campaigns. As the ad explains “seeing is believing.”
r · e · p · e · t · i · t · i · o · n

Nike (June 2010): Write the Future
The principle of design shown in this advertisement is alignment. Alignment creates visual balance, order, and
connections with other elements on the page. Elements are not simply placed at random but so they confer
connections with other elements on a page. This also allows you to arrange elements in a way that matches
how people naturally scan the page (left, right, center, or middle).
This ad from Nike during the 2010 World Cup features a strong left alignment for the text and image through
the middle. The text seems to fill in the space in a non-invasive manner that is easy to read and understand. It
also gives the main portion of the ad (the image) the readers primary focus. The alignment of the image gives
the perspective the reader is on the ground when this iconic moment is captured forever.

McDonald’s (Apr 2009): French Fries
The following design principle of proximity can be described as a visual connection between elements on a
page. Determining how close together or far apart elements are placed ultimately suggests a relationship (or
lack of one) between otherwise disparate parts. Using proximity can create organize your content to further
establish logical groupings and focus.
In this 2009 ad from McDonald’s we see the logical groupings of the wording and images associated with this
product. From each stage we see the sequential order of French Fries from the potato till they are all gone.
Given the closeness we are presented with the idea these fries are 100% natural and the process is simple.
This is a clear ad that uses all the elements quite well to make a sophisticated presentation. Additionally, the
space used by this ad is not only an acceptable, but an effective way to separate elements and make the flow
easier to navigate.

The following advertisement is
an example of the Old Style
typeface. The Old Style type is
very legible with minimal con-
trast between it’s thick and thin
lines at the point the stokes and
serifs meet. It has a diagonal
stress through the thinnest
parts of the O. Many consider
this type face to be the most
appropriate for large portions of
text on a page. It has heavily
been used in print of newspa-
pers, magazines, and books with some of its most popular
types: Times New Roman, Garamond, and Palatino Linotype.
This advertisement uses this typeface in the body of text in the lower left corner. Because of the contrast of
gray/pink on white the text is very legible and easy on the eye. It is a solid design that provides a genuine
look that carries home the message that the product is sexy because of you, not the other way around. While
this typeface is usually suited for larger bodies of text the application even in smaller quantities ads another
dimension of credibility to this campaign.
Old Style
Aerie American Eagle (Spring 2014): REAL YOU

The following image is part of an ad
campaign by American Apparel.
The typeface represented in this
advertisement is the Modern style.
Modern typefaces are stressed ver-
tically with greater contrast be-
tween the thick and thin strokes
where strokes and serifs meet.
Some examples of this typefaces
are Bodoni, Didot, and Onyx.
This example uses the Modern
typeface in the headline of the ad:
Swim. The large typeface and one-
word message make this use really
eye-catching and elegant. Howev-
er, Modern typefaces should be
avoided for large amounts of body
text as the lines on the serifs are
less prominent.
American Apparel: Swim
Modern

This advertisement uses the Slab
Serif font face. These fonts are
characterized by very thick or bold
serifs which little to no bracketing
or stress. They posses a very old
style feel, from advertisements
and Old-West Wanted posters,
that are slowly making a come-
back. Slab Serif typefaces offer a
huge amount of variety and are
excellent for providing contrast
and drawing attention both to
graphic design and web design work. Some examples of this font are: Playbill,
Rockwell, and Clarendon.
This example from Kraft Foods is a very subdued use of the Slab Serif type. It’s use within the context of this
ad makes a connection with the past being re-made today. Personally, it doesn’t come across as striking a the
all capitalized type it nevertheless befits the message. Using this font style makes sense as you want to drive
nostalgia from yesteryears and associate it with today.
Slab Serif
Kraft (2012): Re-Made

Shown in this advertise-
ment is the Sans Serif
typeface. Sans Serif type-
faces are one of the most
common typefaces used
next to Serif fonts. They
are easily distinguished
from one another because
of the lack of serif and
stress. Several examples of
this typeface are Arial, Helvetica, Calibri, and Verdana.
This example uses the Sans Serif type face throughout the advertisement and is very legible. Using this font
face you will have a professional clean look that is easy to understand and transferable in any size. Serif fonts
are not this flexible especially in smaller sizes. The lack of serifs can make this font difficult to read in large
bodies of text because of less spacing between characters. This ad uses the space provided (about 60%) and
simple line of text that are four characters or less. As a result, this example demonstrates how effective and
memorable a sans serif typeface can be making your point across.
Sans Serif
Microsoft Xbox One (Fall 2013): All in One

The typeface example demonstrates the casual
Script font. These typefaces are designed to mim-
ic handwriting and calligraphy. As a result they are
not applicable for formal bodies, but can express
personality in the people or objects associated
with it. Some examples of this font are: Freestyle
Script, Swing, and Segoe Script.
This typeface is used directly below the bottle and
expresses meaning beyond just the words. In this
advertisement the beer seems to be communi-
cating directly to the reader in an informal man-
ner. This typeface would not be suitable for large
portions of text, but here the use is appropriate. In
fact this content is more effective in this type than
other more formal types like Serif or Sans Serif.
This doesn’t mean these fonts wouldn’t work in
this application, however, the expression would be
significantly different.
Heineken: The New Light
Script

The example from Hewlett-Packard shows
the Decorative typeface. As their name sug-
gests the Decorative typefaces are designed
to add splash to your documents, but
should be used sparingly. In application can
be powerful in limited use, but drive your
users crazy if it is used from more than a
couple lines. Additionally, another concern
to be wary of is that your font is under-
standable. A few fonts of this type are the
Jokerman, Chiller, and Old English Text MT.
This example uses the Decorative typeface
in the top left corner: “The Computer is Per-
sonal Again.” This message is succinct
enough to be used, but much smaller size
than your normal headline. This content
supports the image used indicating your
style of computer can be just as trendy as
something you may wear. I think its usage is
cleaver, but lacks a little more emphasis.
Hewlett-Packard: Hanger
Decorative

Design Project 1—Wordless Icon
Order Congested
Introduction
This design project asked to create a unique icon only using shapes in black and white, without using words.
According to Merriam-Webster, an icon is defined as a graphical or pictorial representation whose form
suggests its meaning. We were asked to visually depict two of the following words: order, slothful, bold,
congested, tension, playful. I selected to create icons based upon the words order and congested.
Features and Challenges
This assignment was not so much challenging in its execution for me as coming up with a conceptual design. I
toyed with several different methods to represent these ideas before coming up with these two designs. Each
design was created using Microsoft Paint and then imported into Microsoft Publisher. The first design depicts
order in the equal orbital rotations of planets and objects all bound by the laws of nature. This design was
composed of circles of increasing sizes with a solitary dot marking a planetary body orbiting a sun. The second
image depicts congestion with eight intersecting streets. Where the first image uses whitespace to indicate
void and distance the absence of whitespace in this design provides the opposite meaning. Here the lack of
whitespace makes the scale seem more compact. To make these shapes uniform one trick that I employed
was by duplicating the same shape and then rotating it to create the desired impact.

Keyboard modeled after
HP USB Standard Keyboard
Design Project 2—Keyboard
http://h30094.www3.hp.com/product.asp?sku=3224812
Introduction
This was my first real experience using Microsoft Publisher exclusively to complete a design project. Despite
my relative inexperience with this application I was able to pull from my experience using other Microsoft
Office suite programs, like Word, Microsoft Paint, and Adobe Photoshop. Getting inspiration from the example
provided I was able to quickly produce an exact replica of the keyboard that I use everyday in my office. While
I never had trouble creating the keyboard designing the some complex keys—application and Windows— took
a larger investment in time and precision.
As an exact model of the HP USB Standard Keyboard, this project features all the keys, lights, and even the HP
logo all designed through Publisher. Since I opted to create a full size keyboard right from the start I used the
horizontal opposed to the vertical view to take advantage of all 11 inches and used the Bevel shape to give a
nice 3D overhead look. After completing this design I saved the initial result as a PNG image so that it retained
the higher qualities but also so it would be usable in a portrait orientation. Starting from the top I worked my
way down duplicating the keys to create a template to quickly produce full lines that were evenly spaced(as
groups of four) and consistent with every other key. I did have to re-space elements when I got to the longer
buttons like Enter and Shift as well as the reducing the width of the numeric keypad keys. However, by
selecting multiple objects and the using the snap lines this helped ensure that everything lined up.
The most challenging part of this project was reproducing some of the complex graphics for the HP logo, the
Windows and application keys. The graphical list for the application key was easily constructed using a white
box nested in another box and line shapes, however, the most difficult part was yet to come. When
constructing the cursor I initially attempted to freehand draw it myself before struggling to fill the black
section of the key. Searching for cursor images online yielded some options before I opted the reconstruct it
entirely myself. Using a screen capture of the Home select cursor I modified to black. Porting this image from
Paint back over to Publisher I soon realized that the resolution produced unacceptable soft edges. To amend
this I sharpened the outer edges of the cursor using line shapes to give it a nice smooth finish.

Constructing the Windows and HP logo on the other hand were far more simpler. The HP logo is built with a
circle within a box and the italicized characters. Finding the right font was the most challenging aspect of this
object. To build the Windows key you start by using Punched Tape. After this object is placed and filled black,
dragging the top of the shape will be the starting point for the flag. Using the Curve shape produced the
waved line and a circle filled to a lighter gray to simulate the perspective with a plastic cover. While my
preferred font was Calibri/Arial was used for the lettering of these keys and the character map was
instrumental in finding the right arrows(Wingdings 3) for my navigational and numerical keypads. Despite all
the challenges I faced on this project the project I am most pleased with how this design turned out and how
quickly I was able to produce it.

Design Project 3—Infographics
Source: http://www.forbes.com/pictures/eifl45fmef/1-cristiano-ronaldo-2/
Introduction
This project presents data acquired from Forbes (www.forbes.com) to demonstrate the popularity of players
participating in this years World Cup on various social media platforms. The popularity index does not deal
with how frequently the are talked about, but rather how many people are currently following or like this
athlete. As a passionate football fan this seemed like a fun way to share this information to others.
I did consider using either a stacked bar graph or different colored soccer ball images representing a particular
social network to show the total popularity. Eventually, I settled on the clustered bar graph to save space from
outliers as 80% of the players in this graph are under 30 million total followers. Additionally, I did not include
the data of Instagram followers as the weight from this data consistently ranked below 5% with over half at
or below 1 million followers. Considering the scale of this chart it didn’t make sense to include this data.
However, these values are still reflected by the order of how these players are listed.

Since by request we were restricted to using only 2-D charts one of the challenges I faced was how to add
contrast to further distinguish the bars from each other. Opting to use a border color that was slightly lighter
than the backcolor of the bar not only helped these bars stand apart from each other, but pop out from the
background image. While using a background image of a soccer field and flags for the nationalities of each
player makes the document more complex their placement is meant to infer meaningful associations to the
audience. Using this particular background image not only adds contextual information for those unaware of
the meaning of FIFA in the title, but also helps balance chart from the heavy popularity of two players.
Likewise, the national flags serve as visual bullet points that provide additional visual information. While this
may cause confusion to those unfamiliar with a particular national flag it is intended to function like a stop
sign and thus be discernable regardless of language. However, the weakness of this infographic lies with the
weak left alignment of the players names. While it may have been prudent to use a vertical name format I felt
this would have further congested the description of the bars weakening their spacing and proximity.

Design Project 4—Word Cloud
Source: Paul Skiba--LinkedIn
via Wordle
In this assignment, I produced a word cloud based upon my personal profile on LinkedIn using the
application on Wordle.net. Unfortunately, I neglected to use some of the design suggestions put forth to
create an image based upon a specific shape. Instead I sought to establish relationships based on the
randomization specifically to get my name, degree(Information Technology), and schools in somewhat of a
close, left-to-right, top-to-bottom, relationship. I further refined my word cloud using the remove tool to
take words who's meaning seemed empty or out-of-place. After settling upon this basic layout for my key
words and words I wanted, I then proceeded with the tedious task of arranging these words to formulate a
shape. This process was done within the Microsoft program Paint using the simple cut and paste tools. I
even made an emphasis to establish deeper connections with words of lower order words like the current
project I am working on for the State of Michigan(business application modernization—BAM). While I wish
that my cloud orientation was more compact the eventual shape it took, a ship, seems fitting. Just this past
week the project I alluded was launched and much like my word cloud was christened with the skills and
experiences I have gained. With my upcoming graduation this fall my limits as boundless as the open sea
and opportunities wherever my dreams can find port.

Design Project 5—Enhanced & Special Effects
In this project I used a program called GIMP(www.gimp.org) to alter an image of myself using different filters to
enhance and create special effects. The first filmstrip showcases the various enhancements I made using both filters
and blending techniques. The second filmstrip demonstrates some of the filters available within GIMP that can produce
very artistic effects. While any picture could work I choose this in particular because of its simplicity that opened the
door to any effects I wanted to use. My vast experience and training with Adobe Photoshop allowed me to produce
complex lighting and masking effects which went beyond the just the application of a filter. Most of the challenges I
encountered were deciding which filters to use and how fine of a change was needed. However, this project offered
new challenges in using various filters that I never have applied when normally enhancing an image.
Enhancements
Image 1 uses the Despeckle filter and the application of a layer mask only for the eyes. How this filter works is that it
smoothens areas in which noise is noticeable while leaving complex areas untouched. This effect is subtle that grain or
other noise is reduced without severely affecting edges. As a result it adds a slight blurring effect that reduces the
complexity of the image that appreciably softened the image.
Image 2 uses Stripe filter to create vertical lines in the background of the image. A duplicated normal layer in blended
using opacity to ensure the effect doesn’t affect the foreground. The end result produces a light bit of contrast to a
bland background.
Image 3 is a complex application of the Xach-Effect filter. This filter adds a subtle translucent 3D effect to the selected
region or in this case several regions. This base image is again duplicated using a soft light blending it with burn and
dodge effects which increases or limits the exposure in these areas. As a result we get a darkening effect that adds
color to a whitening result from this filter.
Image 4 is the application of a simple Softglow filter. This filter helps by making bright areas of the image brighter to
that is also very realistic and a great way to make your photos look even more special. However, in this case given the
brightness of the background it would have been advisable to use additional filters and opacity changes to make this
“glow” more subtle.
Image 5 while not an actual filter applies a simple Desaturation effect. This rather simple effect that shows how
contrast can be added without using color. Additionally, the effect was blended through the multiplication of the layers
that was then optimized by altering the opacity to produce the desired effect. This effect complements the image nicely
to produce a striking, but simple effect.

Design Project 5—Enhanced & Special Effects cont.
Artistic
Image 6 uses the Oilify filter which has a very low, but propionate mask size that mimics an oil painting. A low value is
used here to created a pleasing result since the facial features are fairly complex. While larger sizes could be used it
would create an adolescent style I sought to avoid.
Image 7 uses a HSV Noise filter which creates noise across the entire layer using the Hue, Saturation, Value (luminosity)
model. In this example I used increases to the Hue and Saturation to add minute contrast differences that creates a
stucco artwork look.
Image 8 uses the Van Gogh LIC filter which creates a very Impressionist result. While prior to this project I have never
used this filter before from searches online it seems to be a very misunderstood filter. The “LIC” stands for Line Integral
Convolution which is basically a mathematical method that applies a gradient blur map to create a textured look down
the center. My specifications effected the brightness of the channel applying a gradient(boxed) effect and adding white
noise or textures. Additionally, I decreased the minimum ranges controlling texture to create higher levels of contrast.
Image 9 is the application of a simple Clothify filter which adds cloth-like texture. However, this image goes beyond the
basic effect and uses a screen and opacity blending that I feel mimics painters canvas. In using an artistic motif this
effect seemed add a different dimension to the preceding art filters.
Image 10 is perhaps the most complex special effect using the Mosaic filter. This is actually the combination of two
vastly different mosaic filters that are blended together using layer masks. The lighter portion uses the background and
a fade effect that adds lighter contrast to the skin tones. The darker portion remains unaltered but due to the opacity
change provides a less distinct separation in the tiles for the blended portion. The end result is a unique, artistic, with
these changes has look and feel like a stained glass window.

Design Project 5 B—Special Effects
Original image: Sunset at Charles Bridge, Prague Modified image: Night at Charles Bridge, Prague
In this assignment, I used Photoshop CS6 to turn day literally into night. This was accomplished using
adjustment layers, color ranges, masks, and blending options that helped make this possible. While GIMP
offers many similar features my familiarity and raw power of Photoshop helped me produce this project in
little turnaround. The power of these tools helped me produce a realistic nighttime image. The biggest
challenge of this project was the time to get the lighting just right. For instance the lamp posts are lit to
produce a light that blends rather than overpowers the rest of the image. The lamp post in the foreground
took slightly more effort to remove the imperfections and make the effect look real. The sun was easier to
mask as I simply converted it to a gray scale to give more of an appearance of the moon. The following
image below is a simple gradient conversion using the blend drag-and-drop tool and a white or full opacity
layer mask within the GIMP application. The effect this produces is a convergence of day and night that
shows proper balance especially in the sky.
My audience for this project is really broad, but mainly professional. The purpose of these photos are to
demonstrate the power available and how images can be altered to fit different situations. However, this
has an element of entertainment as the quality is something I would even consider hanging on my wall.

Design Project 6—Animoto
Source: Paul Skiba--YouTube
For this assignment, I produced a photo presentation to detail my recent trip this past weekend to watch
this titanic football match. I have had decent experience authoring video where as the designer you have
much more control over how and when things appear. As this was my first experience using Animoto there
was an entirely new learning curve to understand.
This application have a great deal of power and a means to deliver it in a simple process. However, despite
my attempts to incorporate video of this event in the form of clips and animated picture of a series of
photos was not possible. Additionally due to the length of my video outpacing the audio I was left with the
an unsatisfactory fading out of my audio selection. Under normal circumstances I would extend the audio
length using a program like Audacity to avoid copyright I found an alternative solution. By matching a
transitional phase near the start of the clip I was able to make the fade out seem far less intrusive while
keeping pace with the beat.
My core audience with this presentation is my friends and family. This production while limited is an
effective medium for detailing my experiences and thrills of the past weekend. In the future I hope to be
able to share more of experiences with others in this format.

Design Project 7—Movie Maker
Source: Paul Skiba--YouTube
© BBC America
For this assignment, I produced a video using Microsoft Movie Maker that was based off of one of my
favorite television series, “Orphan Black.” Applying footage from the show and various ads promoting the
show I attempted to reconstruct a similar fast-paced style promotional advertisement from content from
the first season. The content for this project was easily obtained from my televised recordings from the
show. Rather, the major challenge was separating the raw audio from the show from it’s own dramatic
music. To due this I created an initial video with muted clips laid against an audio track. The next stage was
adding the cuts of audio content to the muted version. While it became a bit tedious to match audio with a
corresponding clip this way, doing so enabled me to better control the volume of the clips.
My target audience is the general public to create exposure for this show with the express purpose to stoke
potential interest in new viewers. This adaption invokes a similar format that enticed me to take the initial
plunge when the show when it premiered in 2013. By adding additional content and delivery I sought to
evoke a deeper character development and generate an aura of suspense. Similarly, by using YouTube as a
format of distribution is also designed to attract the interest of fellow fans of the show. A simple YouTube
search reveals how other fans of the show have used clips from the show to create similar works.

Skiba BIS 308 Portfolio

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