Task 2 (Visual Analysis & Ideation)

Visual Analysis

Hi, it's Jelly again. For the second task of this project, we are required to do a visual analysis on an artwork that we have selected from the previous task. For this project, I have selected one of M. Night Shyamalan's "Knock at the Cabin" posters, specifically Poster #4 that was made by Lindeman and Associates. Apart from having to do the visual analysis, we are also required to sketch 3 designs that would improve or recreate the idea of the initial design and what it wants to achieve by using the design principle knowledge we have acquired throughout the first task of the project. A general idea of how we were able to create the sketches along with its reasoning is also expected, in order for the reader to understand the process of the sketch.

What is Visual Analysis?

As for my understanding, visual analysis is a method of understanding a design by analyzing the elements and principles used in order to understand its structure, and properties that define the main idea that is to be delivered or wanted to be conveyed by its designer. A visual analysis, as what Johnson Museum of Art had offered in their "Visual Analysis 101", consists of three different parts: observation, analysis, and interpretation.

Selected Artwork

Fig. 1.1: Selected artwork;
Knock At The Cabin Poster #4 by Lindeman and Associates

                                     Title: Knock At The Cabin Poster #4
                                     Designer: Lindeman and Associates (LA)
                                     Year: 2023
                                     Size: 1895 x 3000
                                     Medium: -
                                     Source: IMP Awards

Phase 1: Observation

The artwork is in portrait format. As I train my eye across the design, the first thing that caught my eye is the large white hand in the middle of the canvas, reaching toward the smaller white cabin in the middle of a field of red, by which the red covers almost 1/3 of the canvas from the bottom end of the canvas. The giant hand is connected to the upper end of the canvas with a red sleeve, with the director's name plastered across it using a black font. In the lower part of the design, a white cabin is placed in the middle of the field of red. The title of the movie it is representing is colored white, and it is just slightly bigger than the screenwriters' names, which are colored black. The title itself is placed just below the cabin. In between the cabin and the hand, specifically in the spaces between the fingers were 4 humanoid figures, colored the same as the given background, which is black. The texture of the colors are a little bit weathered or rough, with the exception of the black background. The elements are 2-Dimensional, by which they all have negative spaces to keep its simplicity. Overall, the design is unique despite its quite simple elements and very limited color palette.

Main color used:

Fig. 2.1: HEX: #e22c14; #000000; #f1e2cd correspondingly (Source: imagecolorpicker.com)

(222 Words)

Phase 2: Analysis

Through the short analysis I had in the previous task, I have concluded that at least 4 design principles are applied in this artwork, which are typography, emphasis, law of figure/ground, and contrast. 
First is the typography. While it looks simple from afar, you can notice that the title itself is sliced in half, which appears to be a Roman font style.

Fig. 3.1: Typography; Visible slice across the word 'Knock'

In the design, the emphasis is shown through the scale and color contrast between all of the elements of design. We would first notice the giant white hand that will eventually lead us to see the 4 humanoid figures, which is implemented by the law of figure/ground.

Fig. 3.2: #1 Title, #2 Emphasis (Large Hand), #3 Figure/Ground (4 Humanoid figures)
The flow of subject is Large hand, 4 figures, then cabin + title


While the white hand is very contrast to its dark background, the field of red that covers almost 1/3 of  the canvas from the bottom end is also a main point of focus, leading our eyes to see the small creamy white cabin that is quite smaller than the giant hand.

 Fig. 3.3: A general direction of the following color contrasts

I'd also like to add that the design has an asymmetrical balance, given that the giant white hand is dominating over 50% of the canvas (meaning it went through the vertical 1/2 ratio). However, despite taking more space, the value below the asymmetrical line is denser and filled with more elements than the space above. Rule of thirds is also applicable here. If we were to divide the design in equal rectangles, the giant hand and the 4 figures would be placed in between the two central (top and middle) rectangles, as shown in the picture down below (Fig. 3.5). There is also harmony and unity as the elements all joined together using the same color palette and its slightly weathered texture despite how simple the design looks, giving off a minimalistic aesthetic to it.

Fig. 3.4: The line shows that the design is asymmetrical.

Fig. 3.5: The design is divided into 9 equal section, by which the emphasis of the
design is in between the two middle (top & central) section.

(298 Words)

Phase 3: Interpretation

This poster is designed by Lindeman and Associates to promote the movie "Knock at the Cabin", by director M. Night Shyamalan, which premiered on February 3, 2023 (IMDb). The description/overview of the movie, according to IMDb, is "While vacationing, a girl and her parents are taken hostage by armed strangers who demand that the family make a choice to avert the apocalypse". The genre listed on IMDb lists psychological thriller, horror, and mystery. Despite its very brief descriptions, I think the poster represents the movie quite well. I find that the colors and scale contrasts of the elements play a very big part in communicating the movie overview.

Color can function as a symbol, alongside its function as a design element. It often represents something that we have contextualized through our own experiences. Meaning, colors could carry a lot of symbolism that might contradict one another, depending on your perspective. In this design, the main colors are red, white (creamy), and black.

Firstly, let's start from the emphasis of the design. The giant hand is colored white, with its cuff/sleeve colored red. White, in my perspective, means purity or innocence, meanwhile I associate the color red with something dangerous, given its movie genre. There are also the color black used as the back ground and the 4 figures, which applies the law of figure/ground. My interpretation of this is that there are 4 people who meant good but are forced to do harm (with context in the overview that 4 armed strangers demanded the main protagonists of the movie to make a decision in order to avoid a world apocalypse).

The next part would be focusing on where the hand is trying to reach upon, which is the white cabin in the field of red. Again, white represents innocence while red represents danger. Given that the cabin is so much smaller than both of the giant hand and the red field, it shows me how much of a threat these elements are for the small cabin, illuminating the genre thriller and horror. Meanwhile, the black represents the 'void', mystery or hopelessness. This would mean that there are mystery surrounding the four figures and the world. It could also mean that the four figures feel hopeless upon their mission to do harm, even if they meant to prevent an upcoming threat, which is the apocalypse.

Lastly, the final thing that stuck to my mind is the reason why the title, specifically on the word 'Knock', is sliced in half. For me, I think the slice and separation of the word could mean that the arrival of the four figures in the cabin broke the Family's normalcy and their innocent view on the world. It represents the fracture it caused towards the Family's livelihood, probably making it irreparable in fact, thus bringing a new change to the family.
(478 Words)

Ideation (Sketches)

In order to proceed to the last task of this project, I had to make/draw at least 3 sketches. These are some sketches that was inspired by the idea of the Knock at the Cabin Poster #4:

Sketch 1

Fig. 4.1.1: First manual sketch

For [Fig. 4.1.1], I tried to draw a huge axe that dripped blood onto the cabin, which led to a pool of blood (it doesn't really show here as I didn't draw it quite well). There's also a small figure on the edge of the pool, and I was trying to capture the figure struggling to crawl away from the pool of blood. The main principles here were emphasis (the giant axe), contrast, asymmetrical balance, movement (the pool of blood).
(82 Words) 

Sketch 2

Fig. 4.2.1: Second manual sketch, left unfinished

[Fig. 4.2.1] is an unfinished sketch. I was still trying to figure out how to create a design that doesn't fully copy from the original, and I was just stuck. Initially, I planned to have 4 sets of footsteps going inside the cabin that would be bloodied to show some brutality. But didn't quite worked out in my head right after, since I haven't had the thought of what else to insert. Principles I wanted to apply here were focused more on movement (footsteps), repetition, and emphasis (cabin).
(90 Words)

Sketch 3

                                         
                                           Fig. 4.3.1: Third hand sketch                                                                   Fig. 4.3.2: Digital sketch

For this sketch, I wanted to try drawing the girl, which is one of the protagonist of the movie. I initially had the face drawn first, just as in [Fig. 4.3.1], and left it at that for days. I had a vision of wanting the girl to appear frightened but my mind wasn't clear on how to approach that vision. I tried to draw it digitally, which would be [Fig. 4.3.2], to be able to play more onto it. I planned to draw a figure, with it's throat being slit shown on the reflection of her eyes, but as you can see, I wasn't able to show it here on the cleaner sketch. I wanted to make her cry blood as well... which, honestly, it would be slightly disturbing to look at. I wanted her tears of blood to flow and fall on top of the cabin that she is hugging, which was not shown clearly too. A small broken daisy was drawn to symbolize a fracture of her innocence. It is quite unclear what I was mainly focused on here. The emphasis would be the girl, contrast and movement on her tears of blood, and typography that I haven't fully figure out on how to do yet.
(212 Words)

Sketch 4

Fig. 4.4.1: An image of a silhouette and it's shadow (Source: Pinterest)

                                 
                                     Fig. 4.4.2: Fourth rough initial sketch                                                   Fig. 4.4.3: Digitalized sketch w/ colors

I took inspiration from [Fig. 4.4.1], taking the idea behind a silhouette and tried to apply it to my sketch. In [Fig. 4.4.2], I drew a girl standing alone, and her silhouette would be the cabin, with 4 figures as its pillars, and a slanted title below it. Looking at it however made me feel quite dissatisfied, as it is quite weird in my eyes for the girl's silhouette to be a huge cabin, starting from it's triangular roof. So, I tried to tweak it in order for it to less unusual in the eyes, and make it slightly more pleasing in the eyes. In [Fig. 4.4.3], I was finally able to get the result that I'm more satisfied with, and it was evident how much it changed from the initial sketch. I drew a cabin behind the girl figure and another figure that would be her guardian. On the ground, I added a shadow of the cabin with 4 pillars, where 4 antagonistic figures would be replacing it. The title of the poster would show quite slanted, like the shape of the roof, and slightly creaky in design. The principles I've applied would be the emphasis on the four figures, the contrast between the protagonists and antagonists, typography on the title, and asymmetrical balance.

(221 Words)

Sketch 5

                                                             Fig. 4.5.1: Fifth rough sketch                                                     Fig. 4.5.2: Digitalized sketch of 5th sketch

In [Fig. 4.5.1], I wanted to focus on the four figures/four threats. I drew a small hill with a cabin in the middle, with four figures looming over it. I wanted to convey a feeling that the cabin is being watched, essentially caged by it. These four threats would then also be identified with certain weaponry on their back to accentuate threat. Small details were also drawn, such as the trees since buildings that are mostly connected to forest are cabins. Main principle used in this design [Fig. 4.5.2]: Emphasis on the four figures looming over the cabin; Contrast on the cabin and the four figures, against the background and other elements; Typography along the trail that leads to the cabin; and Repetition of surrounding the cabin.

(132 Words)

Sketch 6

                                   
                                                  Fig. 4.6.1: Sixth rough sketch                                                                    Fig. 4.6.2: Digitalized sketch of 6th sketch

In [Fig. 4.6.1], I took inspiration from the original work (the giant hand part). In a way, it is quite similar with the original design, in exception of the portrayal of it. Whilst in the original, the hand was reaching out towards the house, in [Fig. 4.6.2], the hand had caught onto the house and is in control with it. As you can see, the cabin is on the bloody palm, with minor cuts on the 4 fingers. Overall, I don't think the message is quite well translated here, unlike in the original design. Main principles in this design are: Emphasis on the hand; Contrast on the blood, hand, and background; Movement on the footsteps and blood; Asymmetrical balance, as the elements weighed more on the main hand area, rather than the forearm and sleeve.
(139 Words)

Sketch 7

Fig. 4.7.1: A pose of a girl hugging a moon (Source: Pinterest)


Fig. 4.7.2: Seventh manual sketch

For [Fig. 4.7.2], I took inspiration from Sketch 3/[Fig. 4.3.2] (girl as subject), and Sketch 4/[Fig. 4.4.3] (figured pillars). The main focus of the design would be the girl (pose referenced from [Fig. 4.7.1]), which will lead to the cabin she is hugging that are pillared by four figures that are supposedly threats to her. In this design, I wanted to show the feeling of being cornered, afraid, yet still wanting to protect something that mattered to her most, which is the cabin. The balance seems quite off putting, and I could do it much better for a better design, but for now, it would look like this until further development. Main principles that I want to show are emphasis on the girl, contrasts between the figured pillars and her tears with the other elements, asymmetrical balance, and movement of her tears.
(148 Words)

Inspiration of the cabin:

Fig. 4.8.1: Cozy Cub Cabin by Riley Ridge Cabins, in Logan, Ohio

Digitalized sketches speed paint (10 sec):
Sketch 3 (link) 
Sketch 4 (link)
Sketch 5 (Chosen sketch - will be uploaded in Task 3)
Sketch 6 (link)

Feedback

  • Week 5
  1. The interpretation of the design is well thought.
  2. The analysis is understandable and quite detailed.
  3. The documentation helps indicating each principle being used.
  4. For the reference, use APA style.
  5. The sketches are good, but need to be finished before further development. A 50 word rationale is needed alongside each sketches.
  • Week 6
  1. Quite an experimental take on the sketches. Taking other direction or other perspectives of the movie is out of the box.
  2. Sketch 3 looks comforting in the eyes due to it's structure and space. However, it lacks the main idea of the original design.
  3. Sketch 4 lacks the feeling and essence of a threat.
  4. Sketch 7 looks quite suffocating. I have to think more on the space of the design as it is also an element of the design.
  5. Sketch 5 is chosen for the final project, mostly due to its intimidating and threatening subject/s of the design. I have to improve more and research on facial features that could bring more threatening presence towards the subject.

References

  1. Lecturer's Notes from Design Principles Module [GCD60804]
  2. Online Library at Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University. Visual Art 101. Retrieved from Source: https://museum.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Johnson-Museum-Visual-Analysis-101.pdf
  3. Internet Movie Database. (n.d). Knock at the Cabin (2023). Retrieved March 5, 2026, from Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15679400/

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