Visualising Sound

        The concept of responding to and visualising sound is a tricky one to me, as working in an abstract style s not something that I particularly enjoy. The main obstacle was trying not to picture the actual source of each sound, instead varying the shape, thickness and tone of mark making to try and visually communicate the nuances of the sound effects.

 

        As a starting point, I listened to all of the available sound effects (mostly from the Hanna Barbera and BBC sound libraries) before selecting the 10 which paced the strongest images in my mind. I then began by sketching out different possibilities for each, while listening to the sound. I also tried making marks with my eyes closed, but this approach wasn't very effective in depicting the tone of the sounds. Having settled on an effective visual response to the 10 sounds, it was also important to consider the composition of each depiction, as the size and spacing within the page could be a strong tool in communicating  volume and pitch.

Examples of sketchbook pages showing experimentation and thought process in the development of visual responses to sound effects.

         To convey all of the variations and changes in a sound effect which could last as much as 4 seconds, many of the visualisations incorporated various different marks, such as the below 'fried egg' which has sharp pops/spits alongside the main bubbling sound. The brief had specified that the visualisations shouldn't contain more than 2 colours, and in some of the sounds it was more effective to use multiple shades than different colours, as variations between pale and dark could show alterations in the sound's intensity.

 

        Others, on the other hand, were better suited to  single colour. The 'cartoon xylophone' tip toe effect comprised of two notes repeated over and over, and the lack of variation within the sound was well suited to a dense, flat colour palette.

 

        After all of this thought and consideration into the effects of tone, colour, mark making and composition, I am fairly happy with my final solutions, especially since abstract work is far outside my comfort zone.