Shape

Recommendations

Info

135 What’s That or How Many? single example, I may mention Ivan Sutherland’s SKETCHPAD program, which allows geometric shapes to be represented and conditions to be placed on these shapes in terms of constraints, to which they then conform. Yes, design is drawing objects and their arrangements! And Simon knows the kind of structure that works best in drawing and elsewhere—hierarchies make the difference. They’re inherent in memorable experience and the reason it’s comprehensible. Seeing things and their parts is impossible in any other way. If there are important [things] in the world that are complex without being hierarchic, they may to a considerable extent escape our observation and our understanding. Analysis of their behavior would involve such detailed knowledge and calculation of the interactions of their elementary parts that it would be beyond our capacities of memory and computation. How comprehensible are stars and superstars when I calculate with them? Aren’t they important? Or do they escape observation and understanding, and exceed our capacity of memory? The structure of the five-pointed star isn’t close to being hierarchic when it’s divided into elementary parts (lowest-level constituents) compatible with the shape and its reflection. These parts combine to form triangles and chevrons in a pair of interacting ways
136 I What Makes It Visual? that block any chance of an underlying hierarchy. The practical necessity of hierarchical structure in calculating seems to be another good reason to deny the existence of elementary parts. It’s easy to do without them. And once they’re gone, new ways open up to restructure shapes dynamically. There’s nothing to remember. Understanding changes every time a rule is tried. I would like to think that the visual examples I’ve shown so far make this obvious. But Simon provides additional evidence, if there’s still any doubt, in a wonderful analysis of representational drawing. If you ask a person to draw a complex object—such as a human face—he will almost always proceed in a hierarchic fashion. First he will outline the face. Then he will add or insert features: eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair. If asked to elaborate, he will begin to develop details for each of the features—pupils, eyelids, lashes for the eyes, and so on—until he reaches the limits of his anatomical knowledge. His information about the object is arranged hierarchically in memory, like a topical outline. When information is put in outline form, it is easy to include information about the relations among the major parts and information about the internal relations of parts in each of the suboutlines. Detailed information about the relations of subparts belonging to different parts has no place in the outline and is likely to be lost. The loss of such information and the preservation mainly of information about hierarchic order is a salient characteristic that distinguishes the drawings of a child or someone untrained in representation from the drawing of a trained artist. The way my computer works shows something different. Every time I turn it on, I see Apple Computer’s Macintosh logo The six maximal lines in this Picasso-Braque–like figure form a quartet of human faces. There are left and right profiles, and corresponding concave and convex front views with noses in alternating places And if I cut the free ends of lines to treat the logo like the Y’s in Evans’s shape, there are indefinitely many more faces. Some even appear to wink. But this is unnecessarily indulgent. The four faces alone are already much too entangled for the logo to be described ‘‘in a hierarchic fashion.’’ The hierarchies that describe the faces singly are incompatible. Which description is preserved when I draw the logo? Does it keep me from seeing the logo in another way? What about Wittgenstein’s observation that
Page 2:
SHAPE
Page 5 and 6:
( 2006 Massachusetts Institute of T
Page 8:
Contents Acknowledgments ix INTRODU
Page 12 and 13:
INTRODUCTION: TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT
Page 14 and 15:
3 Answer Number One—What Do You S
Page 16 and 17:
Page 18 and 19:
Page 20 and 21:
9 Answer Number Two—Three More Wa
Page 22 and 23:
11 Answer Number Two—Three More W
Page 24 and 25:
Page 26 and 27:
Page 28 and 29:
Page 30 and 31:
Page 32 and 33:
Page 34 and 35:
Page 36 and 37:
Page 38 and 39:
Page 40 and 41:
Page 42 and 43:
Page 44 and 45:
33 Trying to Be Clear Points aren
Page 46 and 47:
35 Trying to Be Clear and twenty-fo
Page 48 and 49:
37 Trying to Be Clear things look.
Page 50 and 51:
39 Trying to Be Clear on correspond
Page 52 and 53:
41 Tables, Teacher’s Desks, and R
Page 54 and 55:
43 Tables, Teacher’s Desks, and R
Page 56 and 57:
45 It Always Pays to Look Again In
Page 58 and 59:
47 Background always more when you
Page 60 and 61:
49 Background Getting it first and
Page 62 and 63:
51 Background and not These are the
Page 64 and 65:
53 Background and count as I please
Page 66 and 67:
55 Background and time. The way Eul
Page 68 and 69:
57 Background them apart—a triang
Page 70:
59 Background without ‘‘agreeme
Page 73 and 74:
62 I What Makes It Visual? (2) What
Page 75 and 76:
64 I What Makes It Visual? Whenever
Page 77 and 78:
66 I What Makes It Visual? calculat
Page 79 and 80:
68 I What Makes It Visual? And my r
Page 81 and 82:
70 I What Makes It Visual? more tha
Page 83 and 84:
72 I What Makes It Visual? Table 1
Page 85 and 86:
74 I What Makes It Visual? but neve
Page 87 and 88:
76 I What Makes It Visual? may be f
Page 89 and 90:
78 I What Makes It Visual? formula
Page 91 and 92:
80 I What Makes It Visual? But what
Page 93 and 94:
82 I What Makes It Visual? they pro
Page 95 and 96: 84 I What Makes It Visual? The one
Page 97 and 98: 86 I What Makes It Visual? I see a
Page 99 and 100: 88 I What Makes It Visual? But this
Page 101 and 102: 90 I What Makes It Visual? contains
Page 103 and 104: 92 I What Makes It Visual? and othe
Page 105 and 106: 94 I What Makes It Visual? The lett
Page 107 and 108: 96 I What Makes It Visual? and corr
Page 109 and 110: 98 I What Makes It Visual? (Is hh i
Page 111 and 112: 100 I What Makes It Visual? and the
Page 113 and 114: 102 I What Makes It Visual? There
Page 115 and 116: 104 I What Makes It Visual? to the
Page 117 and 118: 106 I What Makes It Visual? Table 2
Page 119 and 120: 108 I What Makes It Visual? is trie
Page 121 and 122: 110 I What Makes It Visual? artifac
Page 123 and 124: 112 I What Makes It Visual? and thi
Page 127 and 128: 116 I What Makes It Visual? looks l
Page 131 and 132: 120 I What Makes It Visual? when th
Page 133 and 134: 122 I What Makes It Visual? until t
Page 135 and 136: 124 I What Makes It Visual? The fir
Page 137 and 138: 126 I What Makes It Visual? What Sc
Page 139 and 140: 128 I What Makes It Visual? Here, g
Page 141 and 142: 130 I What Makes It Visual? be desc
Page 143 and 144: 132 I What Makes It Visual? An addi
Page 145: 134 I What Makes It Visual? forget
Page 149 and 150: 138 I What Makes It Visual? Why is
Page 151 and 152: 140 I What Makes It Visual? see wha
Page 153 and 154: 142 I What Makes It Visual? to calc
Page 155 and 156: 144 I What Makes It Visual? How cav
Page 157 and 158: 146 I What Makes It Visual? togethe
Page 159 and 160: 148 I What Makes It Visual? and six
Page 161 and 162: 150 I What Makes It Visual? and its
Page 163 and 164: 152 I What Makes It Visual? these h
Page 165 and 166: 154 I What Makes It Visual? So how
Page 167 and 168: 156 I What Makes It Visual? (TRI(XY
Page 169 and 170: 158 I What Makes It Visual? The fir
Page 171 and 172: 160 II Seeing How It Works was thre
Page 173 and 174: 162 II Seeing How It Works and lowe
Page 175 and 176: 164 II Seeing How It Works Back to
Page 177 and 178: 166 II Seeing How It Works Divide e
Page 179 and 180: 168 II Seeing How It Works There ar
Page 181 and 182: 170 II Seeing How It Works while th
Page 183 and 184: 172 II Seeing How It Works there ar
Page 185 and 186: 174 II Seeing How It Works This has
Page 187 and 188: 176 II Seeing How It Works And noti
Page 189 and 190: 178 II Seeing How It Works looks ex
Page 191 and 192: 180 II Seeing How It Works meaning.
Page 193 and 194: 182 II Seeing How It Works and the
Page 195 and 196: 184 II Seeing How It Works Embeddin
Page 197 and 198:
186 II Seeing How It Works both of
Page 199 and 200:
188 II Seeing How It Works but in a
Page 201 and 202:
190 II Seeing How It Works It’s e
Page 203 and 204:
192 II Seeing How It Works of one i
Page 205 and 206:
194 II Seeing How It Works how it w
Page 207 and 208:
196 II Seeing How It Works Table 7
Page 209 and 210:
198 II Seeing How It Works of these
Page 211 and 212:
200 II Seeing How It Works maximal
Page 213 and 214:
202 II Seeing How It Works They’r
Page 215 and 216:
204 II Seeing How It Works So, bðA
Page 217 and 218:
206 II Seeing How It Works made up
Page 219 and 220:
208 II Seeing How It Works boundary
Page 221 and 222:
210 II Seeing How It Works First, t
Page 223 and 224:
212 II Seeing How It Works topology
Page 225 and 226:
214 II Seeing How It Works This has
Page 227 and 228:
216 II Seeing How It Works where po
Page 229 and 230:
218 II Seeing How It Works Operatio
Page 231 and 232:
220 II Seeing How It Works is part
Page 233 and 234:
222 II Seeing How It Works In parti
Page 235 and 236:
224 II Seeing How It Works suggest
Page 237 and 238:
226 II Seeing How It Works intricat
Page 239 and 240:
228 II Seeing How It Works see what
Page 241 and 242:
230 II Seeing How It Works to show
Page 243 and 244:
232 II Seeing How It Works It’s a
Page 245 and 246:
234 II Seeing How It Works that can
Page 247 and 248:
236 II Seeing How It Works But supp
Page 249 and 250:
238 II Seeing How It Works And toge
Page 251 and 252:
240 II Seeing How It Works with poi
Page 253 and 254:
242 II Seeing How It Works It’s f
Page 255 and 256:
244 II Seeing How It Works to limit
Page 257 and 258:
246 II Seeing How It Works and two
Page 259 and 260:
248 II Seeing How It Works And the
Page 261 and 262:
250 II Seeing How It Works (inducti
Page 263 and 264:
252 II Seeing How It Works Two seco
Page 265 and 266:
254 II Seeing How It Works Or I can
Page 267 and 268:
256 II Seeing How It Works I can’
Page 269 and 270:
258 II Seeing How It Works —and s
Page 271 and 272:
260 II Seeing How It Works Now, no
Page 273 and 274:
262 II Seeing How It Works up of se
Page 275 and 276:
264 II Seeing How It Works These co
Page 277 and 278:
266 II Seeing How It Works Why? The
Page 279 and 280:
268 II Seeing How It Works and its
Page 281 and 282:
270 II Seeing How It Works square f
Page 283 and 284:
272 II Seeing How It Works descript
Page 285 and 286:
274 II Seeing How It Works produce
Page 287 and 288:
276 II Seeing How It Works points.
Page 289 and 290:
278 II Seeing How It Works x fi y t
Page 291 and 292:
280 II Seeing How It Works Indeterm
Page 293 and 294:
282 II Seeing How It Works Or I can
Page 295 and 296:
284 II Seeing How It Works applies
Page 297 and 298:
286 II Seeing How It Works the same
Page 299 and 300:
288 II Seeing How It Works in terms
Page 301 and 302:
290 II Seeing How It Works It’s e
Page 303 and 304:
292 II Seeing How It Works If a rul
Page 305 and 306:
294 II Seeing How It Works But then
Page 307 and 308:
296 II Seeing How It Works And, cer
Page 309 and 310:
298 II Seeing How It Works are all
Page 311 and 312:
300 II Seeing How It Works combine
Page 313 and 314:
302 II Seeing How It Works In fact,
Page 315 and 316:
304 II Seeing How It Works next pap
Page 317 and 318:
306 II Seeing How It Works Table 12
Page 319 and 320:
308 II Seeing How It Works initial
Page 321 and 322:
310 II Seeing How It Works Kinemati
Page 323 and 324:
312 III Using It to Design (3) desi
Page 325 and 326:
314 III Using It to Design does mor
Page 327 and 328:
316 III Using It to Design that I d
Page 329 and 330:
318 III Using It to Design don’t
Page 331 and 332:
320 III Using It to Design fix the
Page 333 and 334:
322 III Using It to Design Figure 1
Page 335 and 336:
324 III Using It to Design —divid
Page 337 and 338:
326 III Using It to Design Perhaps
Page 339 and 340:
328 III Using It to Design I seem t
Page 341 and 342:
Page 343 and 344:
332 III Using It to Design Then the
Page 345 and 346:
334 III Using It to Design and ‘
Page 347 and 348:
Page 349 and 350:
338 III Using It to Design But this
Page 351 and 352:
340 III Using It to Design but occa
Page 353 and 354:
342 III Using It to Design numbers
Page 355 and 356:
344 III Using It to Design to start
Page 357 and 358:
346 III Using It to Design The rule
Page 359 and 360:
348 III Using It to Design Everythi
Page 361 and 362:
Page 363 and 364:
352 III Using It to Design Let’s
Page 365 and 366:
354 III Using It to Design ever hav
Page 367 and 368:
356 III Using It to Design (2) Furt
Page 369 and 370:
358 III Using It to Design that wor
Page 371 and 372:
360 III Using It to Design with the
Page 373 and 374:
362 III Using It to Design are equi
Page 375 and 376:
364 III Using It to Design and in f
Page 377 and 378:
366 III Using It to Design to the p
Page 379 and 380:
368 III Using It to Design rules th
Page 381 and 382:
370 III Using It to Design x fi bð
Page 383 and 384:
372 III Using It to Design These we
Page 385 and 386:
374 III Using It to Design easy to
Page 387 and 388:
376 III Using It to Design and spir
Page 389 and 390:
378 III Using It to Design I said I
Page 391 and 392:
380 III Using It to Design include
Page 393 and 394:
382 III Using It to Design x fi x i
Page 395 and 396:
384 III Using It to Design It’s g
Page 397 and 398:
386 III Using It to Design take car
Page 399 and 400:
388 III Using It to Design wealth o
Page 402 and 403:
Notes Introduction 1. S. Pinker, Th
Page 404 and 405:
393 Notes to pp. 48-50 Langer’s d
Page 406 and 407:
395 Notes to pp. 51-55 19. H. L. Dr
Page 408 and 409:
397 Notes to p. 156 9. C. Alexander
Page 410 and 411:
399 Notes to p. 304 of lowest-level
Page 412 and 413:
401 Notes to p. 305 24. The ‘‘n
Page 414 and 415:
403 Notes to pp. 306-387 35. G. Sti
Page 416 and 417:
405 Notes to pp. 388-389 M. A. Bode
Page 418:
407 Notes to p. 389 The essence in
Page 421 and 422:
410 Index Aristotle, 81, 167, 337 A
Page 423 and 424:
412 Index creativity and (cont.) re
Page 425 and 426:
414 Index greatest lower bound, 224
Page 427 and 428:
416 Index maximal elements and basi
Page 429 and 430:
418 Index Quine, W. V., 57, 58, 210
Page 431 and 432:
420 Index shape grammars (cont.) an
Page 433:
422 Index Van Gogh, V., 403n1 Vanto
show all

Shape

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?