Elements of Art Used to Design a Donor Wall

All visual art starts with seven key elements. An artist takes these items and manipulates them to tell a story.

• Line
• Shape
• Form
• Value
• Space
• Color
• Texture

The Not So Simple Line

When Ideation was asked to design a donor wall for the Detroit Institute of Art,  the resulting piece was one that told the story of the ‘Grand Bargain.’

It began with a concept developed by DIA designers, Everett Keyser and Serene Arena. The concentric circles in the concept circles represented the ripple effect of the Grand Bargain that will be felt in the community for years to come. Ideation’s role was to help bring this concept to life-solving questions related to colors, materials, finishes, dimension, fabrication techniques, sizing and ultimately, the installation.  – Michael Garavaglia, Ideation Project Leader

There is a theory that the types of lines used in creating art inspire different emotional states. For instance, horizontal lines convey restfulness; vertical lines convey spirituality, and curved lines convey movement and humanity.

The curved lines, or circles, used by the graphic designers played a big role in telling the story while also conveying movement and providing a contrast with the mostly linear shapes in the same environment. This contrast and movement interrupts patrons in the common courtyard, drawing them in for a closer look.

Three-Dimensional Form Adds Depth to the Donor Wall

‘Form’ is an element of art that includes height, width, and depth. Cubes, pyramids, and cylinders are basic examples of the use of form in art.

We added layers of dimension and depth to the display, including 3/8″ thick curved plaques for the donor names.  The donor names appeared to float right off the wall by using hidden stud-mount attachments with a stand-off. The bottom layer of textured “ring panels” had pre-aligned placement holes to serve as a precise placement pattern when installing the top layer of donor panels.  – Michael Garavaglia, Ideation Project Leader

The three-dimensional effect of the floating names drew attention to the importance of the donors. Without their contributions, the Detroit Institute of Art might have forfeited its valuable art to fund the City’s bankruptcy.

Adding to the Story with Texture

Texture is an artistic element used to add depth and dimension.  The texture can be physical – discernible by touch, or visual – the illusion of having physical texture.  Texture combined with the other elements can convey emotion and messages.  Soft, smooth and rough when combined can be used to create contrast or emphasis.

The donor wall at the Detroit Institute of Art used a variety of textures – some visual and some physical.  The concentric rings mounted flush to the wall with a 1/4″ thickness were painted a soft, matte white finish to match the color of the wall while the raised characters in these rings were given a brushed aluminum finish.  The low contrast of the rings against the wall subtly symbolized how each donor rose from within the institution.  The donor names that were floated from the concentric rings were aluminum with a non-directional random orbital finish.  This finish uniformly reflected light from all viewing angles while providing a contrast against the soft white background, bringing emphasis to the individual donor names.

If a piece is an artistic work and not just a ‘sign,’ then paying attention to every single detail is important. As one person at Ideation said, “Sweating the details is one of our core values, and this project gave us plenty of details to sweat.”

Move Your Clients With Art

The value of signs and donor walls extends well beyond their functional need of telling a viewer which way to go or in the case of a donor wall, recognizing a donor.  It’s in their ability to move people, to make them exclaim “wow!” to make them pause and pay attention, to make one feel they’re in the right place, to tell a story that influences beyond the moment one stood before it.

According to Ideation President, Daren Bossenberger, “artistic donor walls use design not just to recognize donors, but to draw people in to experience a story, a story in which the donors were the main characters.  The design should help tell the story.”

There is no reason your indoor and outdoor signs can’t be both functional and artistic. If you need to design a donor wall or you are looking for a Detroit graphic design and sign company, then call Ideation Orange. Our goal is to help you move your customers, both physically and emotionally.

The post Using Artistic Elements to Design a Donor Wall appeared first on Ideation.

Photo © 2017 Gene Meadows.

According to Ideation project leader, Michael Garavaglia “While recognizing these generous donors was of utmost importance, we all wanted to produce a work of art that would draw viewers in to understand and appreciate the story – how donors came to the rescue of art under a very creative arrangement.”

It began with a concept developed by DIA designers, Everett Keyser and Serene Arena. The concentric circles in the concept circles represented the ripple effect of the Grand Bargain that will be felt in the community for years to come. Ideation’s role was to help bring this concept to life-solving questions related to colors, materials, finishes, dimension, fabrication techniques, sizing and ultimately, the installation.

Donor name tiles floating above their respective rings formed by their own name in a raised overlapping pattern.

As the DIA was scheduling a special event to unveil the installation and recognize the key donors, Ideation’s creation of a master plan to timely usher the team through the steps of concept refinement, prototyping, engineering, production, and installation in 4 months was critical for an on-time completion.

Prototyping of key elements was a high-value step to make everyone involved comfortable with the fit, finish and overall effect. Donor names appeared to float right off the wall by using hidden stud-mount attachments with a stand-off. The bottom layer of textured “ring panels” had pre-aligned placement holes to serve as a precise placement pattern when installing the top layer of donor panels.

Photo © 2017 Gene Meadows.

“Sweating the details is one of our core values and this project gave us plenty of details to sweat,” said Garavaglia.  “A non-directional random orbital finish was chosen for the aluminum surfaces to produce uniform color and tone from all viewing angles. Solid aluminum dimensional panels were cut into rings and routed to varying depths with both recessed and raised graphic elements. The dark bronze used for the donor names is a nice contrast against the aluminum and added warmth. It also subtly tied in with the bronze colors used in the existing donor recognition systems throughout the museum. Having the rings span two walls across a 90-degree angle required a high level of precision in the design and fabrication to achieve a perfect fit.”

Installation occurred over a 3 day period.  Precise patterns were created and used to drill hundreds of holes necessary for attachment points.

Garavaglia and his team made several visits to the site to plan the installation and identify any obstacles prior to the installation. One of these obstacles was an electrical outlet to the lower right of the installation which could not be removed. Ideation collaborated with the DIA facilities team to recess and cover the outlet to keep it from distracting the piece.

Hand placement of individual donor plaques on their respective rings.

By the end of the project, the Ideation team felt the pride they were hoping to evoke with the artistic donor wall.  “As we were doing our final post installation review, the installation was visible to the public – everyone who came into the courtyard was instantly drawn to it and wanting to interact with it,” said Garavaglia.

A narrative label cast from 1/4″ thick aluminum with recessed and paint filled copy.

“The placement and location of the display is very attractive as most visitors pass by when visiting the museum. Its style contrasts with our other signage and like a target draws people to the wall and focuses their attention on the wall and our story.

The wall looks like a piece of art. From a distance a visitor only sees the general shape and color. They go to look closer at the “piece” and see that it’s signage, but then look and view it like artwork. Reading the “label” and looking intently at the names printed on the wall and making out the details. This interaction is unique and helps make the sign part of the museum’s collection.”  Stepanie Rondy, Campaign Officer, Detroit Institute of Arts.

According to Ideation President, Daren Bossenberger, “artistic donor walls use design to not just recognize donors, but to draw people in to experience a story, a story in which the donors were the main characters.  The design should help tell the story.”

See how Ideation provided outdoor signs and graphics to create a buzz in the neighborhood around the Detroit Institute of Arts.

The post Artistic Donor Walls: Use Design to Tell a Story appeared first on Ideation.

We jumped right in and helped them created a branded environment.

Lobby. Photos ©2015 Gene Meadows.

Branding the Space

This project was a very fun collaboration between Ideation and EITC’s Business Development team, Jennifer Mefford and Franz DeRaad.

Waiting Area. Photo ©2015 Gene Meadows.

According to Jennifer Mefford, “It was a pleasure to work with the Ideation team to amplify the great story of the Detroit Electrical Industry Training Center. Thanks to the design work and collaboration with Ideation, the Detroit EITC now more boldly reflects the high-quality, state-of-the-art training offered by the facility and the 100 year legacy between IBEW Local 58 and Southeastern Michigan Chapter NECA.”

Governor Snyder toured the EITC in March and shared his vision for the future of Michigan’s energy.

Program Vignettes. Photo ©2015 Gene Meadows.

Vignettes were created in the lobby for each of the 6 curriculum tracks in the Apprenticeship program. Custom typography was created from industry materials like mini solar panels and power control switches.

Photo ©2015 Gene Meadows.

New signage was mapped, designed and introduced throughout – from wayfinding and room identification signs to new systems for showcasing awards and accolades in a cleaner, more consistent way.

Historical Gallery. Photo ©2015 Gene Meadows.

For over 100 years, this center has trained the area’s top electricians; those responsible for constructing Michigan’s most impressive buildings. Photography was selected from the archives to communicate this legacy.

Graduate Class Photos. Photo ©2015 Gene Meadows.

New touchscreen displays were designed to better organize and display the photos of hundreds of graduating classes. As graduates return to the center for continuing education, finding their class photo has been a highlight of the experience. Varying photography styles and an ever-increasing number of photos was making this a design and organizational challenge.

Contractor Partner Recognition. Photo ©2015 Gene Meadows.

Photo ©2015 Gene Meadows.

A custom display was designed and fabricated to feature the contractor partners represented by the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). These valuable partners help fund the Apprenticeship program along with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 58.

Lunchroom. Photo ©2015 Gene Meadows.

Without wanting to spend a lot of money on the lunchroom, we focused our efforts on wrapping the columns and designing a series of 40”x40” prints that were wall-mounted.

Main Entrance. Photo ©2015 Gene Meadows.

Exterior sign letters from anodized aluminum was designed and fabricated to contrast the existing façade. Logos for IBEW Local 58 and NECA were re-created on the glass entry doors in frosted vinyl.

A new exhibit was designed and produced for use at job fairs and other offsite recruiting events.

A new brochure and website were created to help communicate the benefits of the Apprenticeship program.

The website was redesigned per the new design style and messaging that was created for the center.

“Ideation’s design work throughout the facility and in our printed and website extensions is fresh, clean and dynamic. It was a pleasure to work with the Ideation team who kept the project on track and still remained flexible throughout the effort as the project continued to add new elements.

The facility hosts thousands of guests each year including electrical professionals, legislators and other elected officials, K-12 educators and prospective apprentice applicants. The reaction to the newly refreshed space has been incredibly positive.”

– Jennifer Mefford
Director of Business Development
Detroit Electrical Industry Training Center

Photography by Gene Meadows

The post Electrical Industry Training Center: Using Space to Recruit appeared first on Ideation.

Jon Moses and the team at Ideation Orange completed an interior update designed to move the minds and hearts of thousands of volunteers and donors that walk through the doors of their headquarters and warehouse every year. Forgotten Harvest is America’s largest and most efficient food rescue organization.

One wall in the board room was used to communicate the timeline and mission of Forgotten Harvest. Photos ©2014 Gene Meadows

“What we do at Forgotten Harvest is impressive and we wanted to use the building to communicate more of our story to the thousands of volunteers and donors that come to the organization’s headquarters each year. In a simple tour through the space, we wanted to create a natural experience that allowed our guests to better understand who we serve, our history, the scope of our operation and our many innovations. Of course, as the most efficient food rescue organization, we wanted to do this effectively, but efficiently,” said John Owens, Forgotten Harvest Communications Director.

Custom signage on a second wall in the board room was used to recognize the variety of volunteer opportunities and many of the corporate volunteer groups that make up the Rescue Team. Photos ©2014 Gene Meadows

According to Ideation team member, Daren Bossenberger, “we started by listening to the important stories that needed to be told and understanding how the space was used by various groups. We then mapped the story to the walls. Our creative team poured over existing Forgotten Harvest assets in order to take advantage of existing photography to help tell the stories visually. A series of renderings were used to road test and refine our ideas with our user groups prior to producing and installing the final solution.”

Awards and recognitions were brought to the walls of the warehouse where the majority of time is spent by volunteers. Photos ©2014 Gene Meadows

A Rescue Team wall of fame was designed for volunteers to leave their mark and create a visual representation of the over 12,000 volunteers that contribute more than 66,000 hours every year. The framed signature panel is designed to be removed each year and showcased in the warehouse. Photos ©2014 Gene Meadows

Five large scale wall murals were designed to change how people feel in the space and create natural opportunities to tell a story on the tour. Photos ©2014 Gene Meadows

The all-star team of employees at Forgotten Harvest is the heartbeat of this organization. A wall was dedicated to storytelling about this incredible team. Photos ©2014 Gene Meadows

Photography by Gene Meadows, Meadows & Company

The post Forgotten Harvest: Moving Donors and Volunteers in Your Headquarters appeared first on Ideation.