Design and Technology – Communication | e-Consult

To effectively communicate material contrast in a presentation model, the designer should leverage tone, colour, material representation, and shadows to create a visually distinct and impactful representation. Here's how each technique can be applied:

• Material Representation: This is the foundation. The designer must select materials with distinctly different visual properties. For example:

  • A smooth, glossy plastic for the main body of the product.
  • A rough, matte rubber for the grip areas.
  • A metallic finish for accent details.

• Colour: Use contrasting colours to further differentiate the materials. For instance, a bright colour for the plastic body and a darker, complementary colour for the rubber grip. Avoid colours that blend together.
• Tone: Employ tonal variations to enhance the contrast. The glossy plastic could have brighter highlights and deeper shadows than the matte rubber. This difference in tone will emphasize the different surface qualities.
• Shadows: Use shadows to define the edges and contours of the different materials. The glossy plastic will reflect light more intensely, creating sharper, more defined shadows. The matte rubber will absorb light, resulting in softer, less defined shadows. This difference in shadow quality will further highlight the material contrast.

Example: Imagine a handheld device with a smooth, glossy polycarbonate body and a textured rubber grip. The polycarbonate body would be rendered with a high gloss finish, bright highlights, and sharp shadows. The rubber grip would be rendered with a matte finish, softer highlights, and diffused shadows. The colour palette would also be chosen to enhance this contrast – perhaps a vibrant colour for the polycarbonate and a darker, more neutral colour for the rubber. This combination of techniques will clearly communicate the different materials and their intended functions to the stakeholders.