Abstract objects are essentially ideal shapes that cannot be physically created. The example with drawing a point is perfect to describe what an abstract object really is. Although it may look like you’ve only drawn a point, you really have created a surface, or drawn a minuscule circle. Abstract objects are the optical illusions of design- you may not be able to even see or feel it. Many abstract objects are composed of one another, like a line is composed of points that are adjacent to each other.
Abstract objects in design are reminiscent of a high school geometry class; dealing with volume, surface, points, and dimensions. Almost mathematical, abstract objects are the blueprints behind every design. Without even realizing it we experience these abstract objects in our daily lives- we and everything around us has abstract qualities such as dimension, volume, and surface.
Donis A. Dondis of A Primer of Visual Literacy wraps your head around the idea that concept of abstract breaks through the “conscious to the unconscious, from experience of the substance in the sensory field directly to the nervous system, from the event to perception.” These different examples of abstract objects are present in all design, yet often hidden in the background without us realizing it.
Steven Bradley of Vanseo Design, writes a perfectly written response after reading himself Christian Leborg’s Visual Grammar. He says as a designer, he thinks the phrase “communication design” correctly describes the goal as a designer to communicate something to an audience. Essentially, that is why we call it visual communication: we as designed are tasked with the job of communicating a message to an audience, using images to convey our meaning. He then goes into saying how communication needs a language. When it comes to design, design principles are our letters and words. With that we form visual grammar. Objects- whether abstract or concrete- are the basic elements we have to work with when speaking the language of design.
He describes how abstract objects are idealized shapes that can’t be physically created. In his words, “It can only exist as an abstract concept and not as a physical thing.” The external limit to everything we see is the format. He uses an example of a browser window. This post is seen and defined in relation to the format of your browser window, created these invisible boundaries. The same thought process could be applied to the edges of a poster, or a page in a book. Steven Bradley describes the idea of abstract objects in simple terms, so we can enable ourselves to communicate visually.
Every person has his or her own visual dictionary, whether we realize it or not. This “visual dictionary” can be composed of visual objects that are influenced by the world around us. We are influenced by all that we see and certain things come to symbol other things, which then creates a visual language. One method to learn about this visual language is to study the different abstract objects within the visual language.
For example, look at the relationship between the objects in the different squares. You can study the variations of thickness, the orientation, the size or scale, the lines in the grid; the list goes on and on. These abstract objects are the building blocks for our visual language.
One of the concepts that stuck with me the most in the reading about abstract objects was point. Points are essentially the DNA of design: you cannot see or feel a point, however they are crucial. Points do not exist in the physical world however they are important in design.
These images show different types of graphs, each highlighting the importance of points in design. While you may not be able to see the surface area of each point, you know it’s there and it holds a distinct purpose in the design.
Sources:
http://www.vanseodesign.com/web-design/visual-grammar/
http://roopadesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/visual-grammar-101-102-103.html
http://designbeep.com/2012/08/13/showcase-of-creatively-designed-chart-and-graph-examples/
Delving Into Design 