1. FIELD & EVENT THEORY a different way to think about basic design adapted by Jody Dube from ART AND DESIGN by Philip Carlo Paratore Prentice - Hall, Inc., 1985

2. Design is a statement of order and organization. Its goal is unity. It reflects our most very basic human quest for order over chaos. Organization comes from an almost infinite number and variety of forms. Birds flying south in formation, systematic erosion of a lake shore, the brushwork in a Cezanne still life painting, and the floor plan of a local supermarket are all expressions of order and organization.

3. Unity is an expression of organization and order – the central goal of design.

4. Field-event theory holds that there are two general ways in which information is organized to achieve unity: 1. Fields and 2. Field-Event Relationships

5. Dominance is defined in dictionaries as authority, the power to rule and control. Field-event relationships are hierarchical systems of organization. In hierarchies, there is always a ranking order in which some elements or individuals are more important than others and, as a result, get more attention.

6. Dominance hierarchies are established for the same reason in design and nature. They provide a ranking order among various elements or events and, at the same time, help to determine their relative value and meaning.

7. Dominance occurs in many forms and is not simply a matter of brute force or overwhelming strength. In both animal and human societies, a less powerful but highly charismatic individual often becomes dominant as a result of his or her capacity to attract and hold attention.

8. Field-event relationships are a fairly simple matter when there is one event in a field, but when there is more than one, the problem becomes much more complex. In such cases, a ranking-order is established in which one top-ranking event is deemed dominant.

9. As the number of events increases, dominance becomes more difficult to establish and hierarchies more cumbersome, resulting in a less efficient system of organization. However, masterworks like Picasso’s Guernica show us that complex, hierarchical configurations of field-event relationships are not impossible.

10. Dominance in animals is purely functional. It is an organizational system which establishes order among individuals and within groups. Wolves, baboons, geese, and gorillas live in societies with a hierarchical structure based on dominance. It is an unhappy and abused animal that does not know its place in this hierarchy. Its very survival is at stake.

11. Dominance in Design: A field-event relationship is a hierarchical system of organization. It consists of a dominant and a subordinate set of characteristics, providing a natural model for dominance in design. In design there may be one, several, or many field-event relationships. They are divided into three general classes: 1. Primary Relationships 2. Secondary Relationships 3. Peripheral Relationships

12. Primary relationships impact upon us immediately from a distance or at a glance and are most likely to stay in our memory. Primary relationships are dominant; they always get the most attention. They have a tendency toward high contrast and their role in the organizational hierarchy is one of leadership. The Rolling Stones is a band with five members. Mick Jagger, because he is the lead singer, is the primary focal point in the band. As he attracts the most attention, his role in this particular organizational hierarchy is one of leadership.

13. Secondary relationships are subordinate in the hierarchy of design. They are important without being central. In visual art we don’t see them first and in music we don’t hear them first, for they tend to be overshadowed by primary relationships. Although they are subordinate, their structural value in design is readily ascertained. While still using the example of The Rolling Stones, it can be said that Keith Richards and Charlie Watts may be considered secondary to some extent to the lead singer, Mick Jagger Even though they are not the dominant focal point in the band, the roles they play are important and vital to the band’s identity.

14. Peripheral relationships are subordinate to both primary and secondary relationships. As the lowest ranking relationships in the design hierarchy, they tend to be subdued and exhibit low contrast. One notices them least, counts them last and forgets them first. Like peripheral animals in a herd, peripheral relationships are the most expendable; they may be easily shifted, changed or substituted without substantial effect on the main idea of the design or appreciation of the whole. Again, using the example of The Rolling Stones, it can be said that beyond the previously mentioned members, there are still two more who have come and gone, being replaced over the years without seriously affecting the overall chemistry of the band or its sound. These members can be considered peripherally important to the makeup of band.

15. Ironically, it was a young man named Brian Jones who was the originator, founder and initial leader of The Rolling Stones. His role as the “primary focal point” was challenged because Mick Jagger did the singing and co- wrote their songs with Keith Richards. Dejected, Brian Jones grew restless and left the band shortly before his unfortunate death in 1969. Many younger fans don’t even know his name today. His role declined from that of primary to peripheral as the band became famous.

16. Primary Relationships: Field …………………….……..………Event Dark……...................……………..Light Harmony……….………….……..Contrast Negative……………….…….…….Positive Motion………………….…….…….Position Simple………….……….………...Complex Organic………………….………Geometric Low-Definition………...High-Definition Subjective………………...…….Objective Informal…………………..…………Formal Romantic…………………….…...Classical