Design Principles/ Task 2: Visual Analysis & Ideation

 9/02/2026 - 17/03/2026 / Week 3 - Week 5  

Lin Chenyi / 367008

Design Principles / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor’s University 

TASK 2 / Visual Analysis & Ideation

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TASKS

TASK 2 / Visual Analysis & Ideationt

INSTRUCTIONS 

LECTURE

Task 2: Visual Design Analysis

Reflect – Briefly summarize your understanding of the task.

Upload – Re-upload your chosen design and include copyright info.

Analyze – Write a 300–400 word visual analysis. Focus on composition, color, balance, and visual impact.

Cite Sources – Include your references and a reference list at the end.

Sketch Ideas – Using your design principles knowledge, create 3 creative sketches based on your chosen design.

Describe – Write 30–50 words for each idea explaining your concept and reasoning. You can reference visual inspirations (cite sources).

Include Feedback – Add any feedback you received from your instructor in your blog post.

Week 4: 

Figure 2.12 Stellar Trail (also known as The Girl Who Held a Star), digital illustration by Long Sketchdule, 

Thailand, c. 2023–2024.

Visual Analysis of Stellar Trail

Observation

Stellar Trail (also known as The Girl Who Held a Star), a digital illustration by Long Sketchdule, is presented in a vertical A4 format (210 × 297 mm) and created using Procreate. The image portrays a nighttime landscape dominated by a deep blue sky. A luminous stellar trail descends diagonally from the upper left, forming a graceful S-shaped curve. In the lower right corner, a young girl in a reddish-brown dress stands on a hill, reaching toward a glowing star, accompanied by a black cat. The palette is primarily composed of cool blues and warm highlights, with scattered points of light contributing to a quiet, dreamlike atmosphere.

Analysis

The composition clearly demonstrates visual hierarchy. The bright star trails occupy the primary visual center of the image, creating a strong contrast with the dark background and immediately drawing the viewer’s attention. The S-shaped curve guides the viewer’s gaze downward, ultimately landing on the girl, reinforcing the narrative focus.

The work employs asymmetrical balance. Although the figure is positioned at the edge of the frame, the glowing trails above and the dark hills below provide structural stability. The figure-ground relationship is clear: the sparkling stars and the girl form the figure, while the vast blue sky constitutes the background. The repeated use of points of light reflects the Gestalt principle of similarity, allowing dispersed lights to be perceived as a coherent whole. The curved trajectory further demonstrates continuity, enhancing the sense of visual flow. This illustration also conveys a strong sense of motion. The S-shaped star trails guide the viewer’s eye smoothly across the composition, creating a directional flow. This implied motion transforms the static image into a dynamic visual experience.

Interpretation

Symbolically, this illustration conveys themes of hope and aspiration. The girl’s outstretched arm represents an active pursuit of dreams, while the flowing star trails may signify time or destiny. Her back-facing posture invites viewers to project their own interpretations onto the scene. The black cat adds a touch of mystery, and the extensive negative space suggests possibility and the unknown. Although the symbolism is relatively straightforward, the effective use of composition, contrast, and visual organization gives the work cohesion and emotional resonance, making it suitable for fantasy or children’s illustration. （370 Words）

Reference

Dabner, D., Stewart, S., & Vickress, A. (2014). Graphic design school: The principles and practice of graphic design (5th ed.). Thames & Hudson.

Long sketchdule. (n.d.). https://bangkokillustrationfair.com/artist/2022/634

Idea: Sketch 1

The first sketch employed a design concept of harmony and unity. I continued the style of colored pencil doodles and shading lines on the figure to maintain consistency in the overall visual elements, while also conveying the girl's dreamlike state of mind and fantasy. The magic lamp, mist, and stars in the image are connected by soft lines, creating a unified, dreamlike atmosphere. The mist emanating from the lamp extends upwards and lifts the girl, guiding the viewer's eye and making the lamp the visual focal point of the image.

This concept was inspired by the visual effects of the magic lamp releasing its spell in the Disney film *Aladdin*.

Fig. 1 Sketch 1

Idea: Sketch 2

In this sketch, stars and dots repeatedly appear in the sky, creating a unified and dreamlike visual atmosphere. The flowing, curved lines naturally guide the eye, extending from the girl to the flying bird. The girl stands on a cloud, reaching upwards as if interacting with the bird, which becomes the visual focus of the image.

Fig. 2 Sketch 2

Idea: Sketch 3

This sketch employs design principles such as harmony, movement, repetition, and emphasis on contrast. The overall tone is a blue ocean, with the waves, sky, and environment all unified and appearing harmonious. The constantly repeating, curved lines of the waves create a strong sense of dynamism and naturally draw the eye upward to the pearls within the waves. The boy stands on the beach, reaching out, creating a contrast in size and position with the massive waves, thus making the pearls the visual focal point of the image.

Fig. 3 Sketch 3

FEEDBACK

WEEK 4:

The sketch can be referenced from the fluidity shown in the diagram, and can be expanded from small to large. Start with the little girl's hands.

WEEK 5:

Choosing the first sketch will make it look more creative than the others.

REFLECTION 

Experience

Overall, Task 2 was an interesting and meaningful experience. By analyzing the illustration Stellar Trail, I gained a deeper understanding of how design principles such as composition, balance, and contrast contribute to visual storytelling. Creating my own sketches based on the reference artwork allowed me to transform my observations into practical ideas. Although developing three different concepts was sometimes challenging, the process helped me explore various possibilities and think more creatively about how visual elements can convey mood and narrative.

Observation

Throughout the process, I realized how important visual flow and composition are in guiding the viewer’s attention. The original illustration uses an S-shaped star trail to lead the viewer’s eye smoothly across the image, which inspired me to consider how lines and shapes can create movement. While sketching my ideas, I also noticed that small changes in element placement, scale, and direction can significantly affect the overall balance and focus of the design. The instructor’s feedback encouraged me to think about the fluidity of forms and to expand the composition starting from the girl’s hand, which helped me rethink how the visual narrative develops in the image.

Discovery

During this task, I discovered that experimenting with different concepts is an important part of the design process. Each sketch explored different design principles such as harmony, repetition, movement, and emphasis. Through comparison, I realized that Sketch 1 had the strongest visual storytelling and creative potential. This experience also showed me that inspiration from existing artwork can be a valuable starting point, but developing original ideas requires continuous exploration and refinement. Overall, this task helped me better understand how design principles can be applied to create meaningful and engaging illustrations.