‘Colourspace’: Narrativity in colour from facades to graphic space

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master_Lo_Hau_Lok_2023.pdf (63.91 MB)

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School of Arts, Design and Architecture | Master's thesis
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Date

2023

Department

artmed

Major/Subject

Mcode

Degree programme

Taiteen ja median maisteriohjelma

Language

en

Pages

145+29

Series

Abstract

Colour is a fundamental element in visual communication design, it is one of the core elements that shape our visual experience. However, one observed that little attention is given to its importance and usage in the design discourse, and it is an element that is often considered last in the design process. The colour design process is often simplified by the over-reliance on online design resources. Therefore, this thesis aims to explore an approachable perspective in seeing and working with colour for graphic designers and to use colour as an element to reflect on the existing creative process by finding inspiration from the everyday environment. In short, this thesis explores how colour can be a narrative tool in visual communication design by drawing insight from the visual experience of colour in architectural spaces, specifically facades. Through a narrative and spatial angle, this research provides the perspective of seeing colour as an ongoing visual journey, and the colour design process as to craft a visual experience through colours, as if one is leading a visitor by hand into an architectural experience of a house. Through theoretical and visual research, this thesis proposes the approach of ‘colourspace,’ to see colours holistically as a space instead of individual entities, where we imagine our visual process of reading as visually walking in the context of graphic space. The approach of colourspace explores the way of seeing storytelling elements in colour, specifically focusing on sequence, action, and motion. The discussion on the approach of colourspace will be the main body of the written component of this thesis, drawing insight from architectural colour design and visual narrative processes. This thesis also consists of a production component, in which a book is produced with the facade colours of Helsinki as the subject. I applied the lens of ‘colourspace’ in examining the facade colours of four neighbourhoods in Helsinki, Finland, namely: Punavuori, Taka-Töölö, Kannelmäki and Pikku-Huopalahti. I visualised the three aspects of ‘colourspace’ into graphic compositions, by creating colour sequences, colour maps, and colour spectrums. They embody the lens of colourspace that focuses on the narrative element in city facades. In conclusion, this thesis discusses a way of using colour as a visual language in the visual communication design process. The significance of this thesis is to propose an attempt to restore value and consideration in the use of colour through an approachable perspective, by focusing on the spatial and narrative aspects of colour.

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Supervisor

Karhumaa, Arja

Thesis advisor

Helander, Päivi

Keywords

colour, visual narratives, storytelling, facades, graphic space, visual communication design, architectural spaces

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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202401281771

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[master] Taiteiden ja suunnittelun korkeakoulu / ARTS