I love Neville's perspective that design should be a dialogue, not a monologue; design should tell a story not just be words on a page.
In this video Neville talks about the redesign of the Times Newspaper and his creation of TimesRS a typeface designed specifically for that project.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Some thoughts from April Greimer
I asked April what she meant when she said, develop your aesthetic... She said aesthetic to her meant your value system, staying true to what you believe in. Many people don't do this, they just work jobs to make ends meet but they never do what they always wanted to do. It takes a lot of risk for that, and it's true that sometimes people are forced into doing jobs they don't want to. It's sad that a lot of people only do what they really love to do, on the weekends. If everyone did what they loved to do the world would be a better place. I think that's a true statement. She reckons there's always a way you can make it.
I think the problem goes even deeper and it's that often people aren't able to get in touch with what they love to do because what they have, the gifts that they posses, have been so pushed down because of life's hardships, they don't realize who they are. People need lots of help to realize their place and then they might realize their passion.
I think the problem goes even deeper and it's that often people aren't able to get in touch with what they love to do because what they have, the gifts that they posses, have been so pushed down because of life's hardships, they don't realize who they are. People need lots of help to realize their place and then they might realize their passion.
An evening with Paul Matthaeus (AKA Digital Kitchen)
He said the word 'essentially' a lot.
And here's his list of things that a creative genius does:
1. Look at problems from all possible angles: Get them out onto paper. Get them on the wall and move on. Later, when all the weaker ideas have fallen away, then move into the critical phase.
2. Make thoughts visible
3. Use more than one modality of visualization
4. Creative genius' produce. The most successful people in the creative field fail more, it tells them where to go next.
5. Force relationships: I think here he was meaning force things together that you wouldn't normally put together, they will inspire iteration after iteration.
6. Think metaphorically: This is the fastest assimilation of information for people in this day and age. Steve Jobs understood that people had a big learning curve to get over when it came to computers. He understood that people knew what a trash can was...
7. Prepare yourself for chance.
He also talked about a 'redefinition of advertising' meaning, you have to now think in terms of entertainment purposes, create theatre around the brand. I like that.
And here's his list of things that a creative genius does:
1. Look at problems from all possible angles: Get them out onto paper. Get them on the wall and move on. Later, when all the weaker ideas have fallen away, then move into the critical phase.
2. Make thoughts visible
3. Use more than one modality of visualization
4. Creative genius' produce. The most successful people in the creative field fail more, it tells them where to go next.
5. Force relationships: I think here he was meaning force things together that you wouldn't normally put together, they will inspire iteration after iteration.
6. Think metaphorically: This is the fastest assimilation of information for people in this day and age. Steve Jobs understood that people had a big learning curve to get over when it came to computers. He understood that people knew what a trash can was...
7. Prepare yourself for chance.
He also talked about a 'redefinition of advertising' meaning, you have to now think in terms of entertainment purposes, create theatre around the brand. I like that.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Narrative in Sound and Motion: in summary
Reflecting on this semester I am grateful for the mind being blown. I had no idea that I would learn so much over the course of only a few short weeks.
We have studied a lot of outside design work and animation, some of which is really inspiring. Doing this has also helped me to see what kinds of things are possible and some of the tools available to me as a designer: design doesn't have to just be about the printed page.
Key elements like temporal narrative (story telling over time), motion capture, story boarding, animatics, transitions, duration, kinetic type, claymation and the role of sound have all been new things to add to my portfolio.
I have so appreciated the challenges many times to step out of the box and try something new. Thanks Tyler :)
We have studied a lot of outside design work and animation, some of which is really inspiring. Doing this has also helped me to see what kinds of things are possible and some of the tools available to me as a designer: design doesn't have to just be about the printed page.
Key elements like temporal narrative (story telling over time), motion capture, story boarding, animatics, transitions, duration, kinetic type, claymation and the role of sound have all been new things to add to my portfolio.
I have so appreciated the challenges many times to step out of the box and try something new. Thanks Tyler :)
Type III: in summary
The semester in Typography III has taught the development and design of content-rich projects such as books, portfolios and posters. Typography not only has an formal functionality to it but the arrangement and design of it on the printed page can persuade just as powerfully as image, music or speech. The marriage of type and image can serve an incredible purpose if executed together well.
Research behind artifacts we have designed such as Tender Buttons by Gertrude Stein, Good Design is for Everyone by Russel Wright and a mailer for the typeface Bodoni BE, is imperative in interpreting image and text correctly. Without research and study of the artist and the artwork time period the graphic design artifact produced would not be true to the content or author.
My understanding of typographical form and etiquette has been deepened by studying and understanding The Elements of Typographical Style by Robert Bringhurst and by many class and faculty critiques of on going process.
Research behind artifacts we have designed such as Tender Buttons by Gertrude Stein, Good Design is for Everyone by Russel Wright and a mailer for the typeface Bodoni BE, is imperative in interpreting image and text correctly. Without research and study of the artist and the artwork time period the graphic design artifact produced would not be true to the content or author.
My understanding of typographical form and etiquette has been deepened by studying and understanding The Elements of Typographical Style by Robert Bringhurst and by many class and faculty critiques of on going process.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Visual Language: final movie
In this final project I have learnt to dissect an existing communication model and reinterpret into a new one that has meaning for me and meaning for the viewer. The process of that has helped me learn about communication.
Breaking down the existing model by Shannon/Weaver into my own model was a good process. I went through several iterations of this and ended up with something quite nice (below) which really gave me something to build the video around. When I drew the final version of my communication model I said, "oh yeah, this makes sense now, to me, and this is how it affects the communication back and forth from sender to receiver and now I can build the video around it." The model became to me like a kind of storyline.
The communication exercise between me and the student in Ohio also gave a lot of understanding to how communication works. Boiling some of the things that happened between us down to their simplest form (is he listening? did he see the message? why hasn't he responded etc) gave content to my model and the production of the video. The idea of the paper plane really came out of that simple back and forth process.User testing was also helpful on this project, to really make sure I end up with something that works and is useful and meaningful. It was great to be able to watch people make the plane and learn from that.
The Visual Language Studio at KCAI
The semester here in Visual Language and Communication has really changed my point of view about design. Just before I came to KCAI I knew I was tired of 'flat' design that had no depth or personality or ability to persuade or convert the viewer. Something had to change. This particular class in the design program has given me the understanding to become a more effective communicator.
Design is not about just things that look good on the page. Nor is it about just stringing nice sounding words or graphics together in a way that seem pleasing. Design is much more than that. It's about creating meaning. As designers we have a responsibility to communicate in a way that people will understand. Now I'm better understanding the way people process information and how we as artists can create design that will make sense to the those people. To ignore things like the use of rhetoric in design (the art of persuasive speeking/image making), emotional, ethical and logical modes of appeal and the use of signs, symbols and icons, is to ignore a whole world of image making technique that can serve to make 100% impact upon a viewer. What power is this that we have as designers? We had better use it well.
Narrative in Sound and Motion: data presentation
This project is about food. My desire was to get people into the garden, perhaps beginning to grow their own stuff, not by saying gardening is great, but by shocking people into what might really be in food or what it takes to get food to our plates.
I chose a data presentation over an opener for the reason above. I think the points to make can be summed up a short, shocking video like this. I don't think the average person would sit down and watch a half hour show on these topics.
My purpose here was to stimulate thought, conversation and action towards a better future for individuals and communities at large, one of growing and eating locally, appreciating and utilizing the resources that are around us that are so often overlooked; the earth in our gardens, the fragile eco-systems all around us. The video is small enough to be shown on Youtube virally which will help propagate the message, the audience being anyone who has the internet - we all have the chance to take responsibility for the world in which we live.
In other posts you can see my process for arriving at this video; research examples, initial storyboard and progress work.
I filmed this piece in my garage and added the restaurant sounds later. I felt like this really worked. I bought myself two plates so I could do multiple shoots. The script I recorded and played as a time template while I placed the objects on the plate one at a time. Doing this made sure the durations turned out exactly as I wanted. After filming I was faced the seemingly insurmountable ordeal of learning after effects on my own. I really had to push through on this one! I did have some help from a friend (thanks Kenny!) and some helpful tutorials (videocopilot.net). I also watched a good tutorial on sound fades in AE that was done in some weird language, might have been Portugese. Anyway, it was good cause I understood the lesson just from watching it!
After Effects is really not that hard once you get a hold of the basics.
I chose a data presentation over an opener for the reason above. I think the points to make can be summed up a short, shocking video like this. I don't think the average person would sit down and watch a half hour show on these topics.
My purpose here was to stimulate thought, conversation and action towards a better future for individuals and communities at large, one of growing and eating locally, appreciating and utilizing the resources that are around us that are so often overlooked; the earth in our gardens, the fragile eco-systems all around us. The video is small enough to be shown on Youtube virally which will help propagate the message, the audience being anyone who has the internet - we all have the chance to take responsibility for the world in which we live.
In other posts you can see my process for arriving at this video; research examples, initial storyboard and progress work.
I filmed this piece in my garage and added the restaurant sounds later. I felt like this really worked. I bought myself two plates so I could do multiple shoots. The script I recorded and played as a time template while I placed the objects on the plate one at a time. Doing this made sure the durations turned out exactly as I wanted. After filming I was faced the seemingly insurmountable ordeal of learning after effects on my own. I really had to push through on this one! I did have some help from a friend (thanks Kenny!) and some helpful tutorials (videocopilot.net). I also watched a good tutorial on sound fades in AE that was done in some weird language, might have been Portugese. Anyway, it was good cause I understood the lesson just from watching it!
After Effects is really not that hard once you get a hold of the basics.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Narrative in Sound and Motion: final stats
I am filming the footage in HD this afternoon :) Here are the final stats. I'll be placing these items on the plate one by one. It's going to look tasty!
1. Each food item we eat travels an average 1,500 miles to get to our plate.
2. U.S. farmers spend $8 billion per year on chemical pesticides, equivalent to 3.5 lbs per person, per year.
3. Silicone-based polymers are used to control the level of foam in large frying vats so more food can be cooked.
4. An estimated 67 million birds die each year from pesticide exposure on U.S. farms.
5. Animals like sheep and cows are raised in such extreme confinement they consume their own waste.
1. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Barbara Kingsolver, p.5
2. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Barbara Kingsolver, p.165
3. divinecaroline.com http://www.divinecaroline.com/22177/47505-lab-lunch--chemicals-food
4. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Barbara Kingsolver, p.221
5. forbes.com http://www.forbes.com/2008/11/10/burgers-health-food-forbeslife-cs_rr_1110health.html
1. Each food item we eat travels an average 1,500 miles to get to our plate.
2. U.S. farmers spend $8 billion per year on chemical pesticides, equivalent to 3.5 lbs per person, per year.
3. Silicone-based polymers are used to control the level of foam in large frying vats so more food can be cooked.
4. An estimated 67 million birds die each year from pesticide exposure on U.S. farms.
5. Animals like sheep and cows are raised in such extreme confinement they consume their own waste.
1. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Barbara Kingsolver, p.5
2. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Barbara Kingsolver, p.165
3. divinecaroline.com http://www.divinecaroline.com/22177/47505-lab-lunch--chemicals-food
4. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Barbara Kingsolver, p.221
5. forbes.com http://www.forbes.com/2008/11/10/burgers-health-food-forbeslife-cs_rr_1110health.html
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