design thinking

2009-11-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

100

2009-10-13T22:36:00.000-07:00

100 Colors, 100 Writings, 100 Days

click here for original post @ observatory.designobserver.com
Rachel Berger, a graphic designer in San Francisco picked one paint chip a day
and started responding to it with a short writing for 100 days.
Her writings are very witty and inspiring. So check it out!
'This project was generated in Michael Bierut's 100 day workshop at the Yale school of art'.

Eco-Friendly Pizza Box.

2009-06-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

Green Box: Pizza Box Turns into Plates & Storage Unit

An idea so simple yet so brilliant.
Why couldn't I think of this while having pizza so many (uncountable) times?

You can also watch this video @
Daniel H. Pink

Daniel H.Pink talks about Design

2009-06-22T23:44:00.000-07:00

Link to original site @ Dwell.com

Dan Pink is a former speechwriter for Al Gore in the late 90's and a left-brainer turned right-brainer and a writer of two blockbuster books(including 'A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future). He talks about design-thinking as a key solution to most of our problems we face and the importance of design education. He notes that it is the right-brainers' responsibility to teach the others why and how to appreciate design and to become 'design-literate', instead of whining about illiterate clients(which we love to do).

Here are some parts from his interview:

"If you look at the big problems, they're design problems. Health care is a design problem. Dependence on foreign oil is a design problem. To some extent, poverty is a design problem. We need design thinkers to solve those problems, and most people who are in positions of political power are not design thinkers, to put it mildly.

I think that designers and architects need to educate the people who don't quite know what they do and make a strong case for why it's valuable and why it changes the game. I think waiting for people to come around to it just won't do.

And there's a responsibility for designers, not just as businesspeople but as members of civic society to make the case to the left brainers for why this really matters. The main thing that architects and designers love to do is create cool stuff, the second thing they like to do is complain about their clients. It's their two favorite things in life. And I'm saying, that's fine, I feel your pain, but I think you've got to get out there and educate your clients..."

Now I gotta add a line to my schedule for tomorrow.
Get that book about right-brainers ruling the future at Barnes&Nobles!!

What's SUCH a BIG DEAL about Twitter??

2009-06-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

logodesignlove.com talks about how designers can benefit from Twitter.

Now, to be honest I have an account at twitter.
I joined some suggested people there but I don't know who they are and I am not interested in what they have to talk about.
I still don't know how to use it and what the big deal is about.
What's the difference with facebook, myspace and other websites? They update what they're doing too and you can check that out from there..?
Well, I did enjoy twitters from John Legend and almost felt like I knew him..I secretly felt delighted to know his personal schedule..he was going to a mexican cooking class for some magazine article....haha.. although, I am pretty sure he doesn't twit. his marketing agent must be.
Well, I read all these good things about twitter and I read an article that Korean President is considering to join Twitter too!!! so there must be something good about it.

Here is a link to 300+ active web designers to follow on Twitter, suggested by
Themeflash.
Also this is a link to 50+ logo designers on twitter to follow, list supplied by
Siah Design.

Well, I am willing to explore the whole twitter thingy, and starting to see the good side of Twitter...are you?

one question,
How did Twitter become so popular?
What has attracted so many people??

Don't forget the FUN part in Designing!

2009-06-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

I recently found a "designer-candy" blog called, Gelatobaby. The blogger, Alissa is a writer in LA and she wrote in numerous magazines including, Core77, I.D, Print, Wired, Eye, L.A weekly, and so on. Her blog talks about design stuff, cool stuff, hand-made stuff, and also inspirational point of views such as her upcoming(not yet published)book, "A Walker in New York". Example of her book
As I read through her blog and opinions plus what she does daily, I began to realize, I am missing something in my design life. In my recent couple of weeks, I started to learn what i was missing but couldn't find the definite answer. It was the "fun part".
I was missing the sometimes hand-crafting, and sometimes goofying around and the time of having fun like a child.

I was feeling a certain jealousy and a huge inspiration from her/her blogs.
She seems like she's having so much fun, writing, and designing her own blog and in general, what she's doing. I think I became too serious,or quote paula, "solemn"..I wanted to get things done, just in a right way.
..it's about time I had some fun and enjoy..!

These are some of her blog header designs and
gelato patches!:)
Her blogs are truly sweet, so check it out!

human interaction as part of art

2009-06-16T00:17:00.000-07:00

link to original post@ nytimes.com

At the 53rd Venice Biennale, a Japanese collective founded in the mid-50’s who worked with nontraditional materials and experimental play that often "roped the viewer into the action" showcased Saburo Murakami’s “Hako” (or “Box,”). First created in 1956,it is a big plywood box with a label "clock". A sign on the floor instructs you to “please put your ear on the white circle and listen". In fact, there is no sound. The repetitive human action creates art in the form of a plywood box with a bended human with their ears on the wood.
”It manages to evoke both a chopping block and some kind of surreal, spontaneous act of human tenderness."

blurring the border between art& environment & people

2009-06-15T23:43:00.000-07:00

original post @ nytimes.com
Sculptor Jessica Stockholder has removed the border between painting, sculpture, environment and people. Her recent piece, called “Flooded Chambers Maid” in Madison Square Garden became the playground for children, resting platform and art for adults and attractive landscape in the park, the art became a human magnet.
slideshow of her work

Likewise in my recent visit to the Armory, Ernesto Neto's immense interactive sculpture, anthropodinothe became the playground for children, a fresh breath to adults that it provided the opportunity to be childlike again to play.
The human interaction made the art piece to be more appreciated.

Paula Scher on failure..

2009-06-15T17:20:00.001-07:00

Link to original interview with Paula Scher
In her interview, she says failure makes you grow.
It's so right and easy to understand but not easy to follow.
It's always hard to take criticism and take risks to fail.
But in my status as a student and having professors to guide me when I fail,
I love the opportunities I have to fail without any disastrous financial outcome.
This semester in Pratt I had so many classes to focus that I admit I failed to produce a satisfying porfolio however the weird part is that I learned so much from it.
In my college years, I hated showing ugly developments to fellow classmates or professors because it wasn't done yet and it hurt my feelings to receive criticism but I found myself asking for professional opinions to professors more than ever on my not-so-proud works this year. Now I know what not to do and what I did wrong.
One more thing I learned is that you should always believe in yourself & your design, which is very different from thinking 'oh, my design's perfect and you're an ass'.

"The thing about your mistakes is, when everybody praises something, you don't learn anything. But when you do something terrible, you know what not to do. And that's fantastic. You also learn what you could do if you manipulated it a different way. You have to try these things. You have to see where the failure takes you."-Paula Scher from the original post

Paula Scher talks about 'serious play'. Exactly what I need to do.

Start of a social network

2009-06-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

Link to Core77

This is a video from core77 and it shows a guy who starts a dance party.
The desire to be part of a group is so natural to human. Starting something new is the most difficult and courage thing to do and I think joining the starter as a second person is as difficult as the first person. however once the "one-man" becomes a group and proves to the society that the group is not crazy, you don't look back, people plunge themselves into it. Isn't it what Facebook, Twitter, youtube and other social networking is about?
and not just that, the movements and social changes throughout the history is about that. We experience this mental game every single day.

Tina Chang & Esther Mun, Start Here

2009-06-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

www.littlefury.com
starthereny.com

Tina chang & Ester Mun joined forces 3 years ago to pursuit the design philosophy to provide elegantly what's exactly needed. "Start Here" notebook series is one of their solutions which answers what people really needed, or at least what I wanted with a simple idea. Their works inspire me so much and makes me realize what I want to do.

They are sharing their ideas for free, (organized by AIGA/NY: Design Remixed)so get inspired at Apple store Soho, Wednesday 17, June from 6:30 pm!

Interactive Annual Report

2009-06-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

Link to the annual-report: http://www.wnet.org/annual-report/

WNET.ORG is a New York City public media provider and a parent company of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21. WNET.ORG also hosts variety of digital services THIRTEEN HD, KidsTHIRTEEN, WLIW Create, WLIW World, THIRTEEN on Demand, THIRTEEN Kids on Demand, and V-me; as well as an ever-expanding range of websites, including thirteen.org, wliw21.org, and Thirteen EdOnline.-www.wnet.org

For their 2007-8 annual report, Pentagram design came up with a solution of online interactive annual report which communicates the institution’s commitment to digital communications.

(From Pentagram.com:
A team led by Lisa Strausfeld developed an interactive website that traces the connections between the vast range of people, places, and ideas that comprise the subjects of the organization’s broadcast world. Clicking on any one of the hundreds of items in a word cloud discloses multiple links to a variety of WNET.ORG programming.
)Link to original post by Pentagram

Below is the 2 color printed version of the annual report which is made up of recycled paper. This supplements the rich information available online.

Annual reports carry the most important facts in the most boring way(not always) because of the heavy amount of information that has to fit within a low budget. Annual reports in my personal opinion, also produces the most amount of waste each year and companies are turning to the web more these days. I think this interactive annual report introduces a fresh look and gets the information across by allowing the audience to play and experiment. The concept well represent the organization's role and high performances during the year.

NYC Pillow Fight 2009

2009-06-09T00:07:00.000-07:00

URL:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnxqB_xB45A

video playback of this week's Colombo's finger painting

2009-06-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

Jorge Colombo has created finger painted The New Yorker cover with Iphone's Brushes application.
Now he produces finger paintings every week and let us see the process of drawing in a video format.
This is the link to the video of his this week's painting: STARBUCKS WINDOW
Link to see this weeks painting

From the original post:
“Imagine twenty years ago, writing about these people who are sending these letters on their computer.” But watching the video playback has made him aware that how he draws a picture can tell a story, and he’s hoping to build suspense as he builds up layers of color and shape.

Link to original post@ New Yorker Magazine

www.jorgecolombo.com

Forever 21's Ability to Copy Designer Clothes Could Be in Jeopardy

2009-06-08T12:58:00.000-07:00

Link to original post: The Cut,New York Magazine's Fashion Blog

Top row from Forever21, bottom row from designer label, Trovata

The Cut,New York Magazine's Fashion Blog says that Travota's been fighting over 2 years with Forever21 for illegally copying designs. A jury will decide the case in court next month and the results will affect the whole fashion industry, including the fast-fashion chains. It says that you can't copyright clothes under current laws only original graphics or prints on clothes(which is fortunate for us, graphic designers!) so the act of "getting inspired" from designer clothing or rather, ripping them off is no secret.This kind of practice is rife. It'll be interesting to watch what happens.

Whats more interesting is the comments added to the post. Opinions were divided. Some said they would not shop at FV21 anymore and some accused of designer labels for ripping their money off, for producing the same material as FV21 for price of 5times higher. Some said they are aware of the moral issues but will still shop at fast-fashion shops because they're broke. How far is getting "inspired" and "copying"?
This is a whole new area from those fake bags in China town.
Where is the appreciation for originality, or, is there anything original these days anyways?
well, from a personal perspective, if this happens to me I would be pissed off too to see my designs copied without any acknowledgment but if they do let people know where the inspiration come from with very different quality of the material, appropriate for their cheap price, I would rather be pleased as it means my design sells.

interview with the vibrator designer

2009-06-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

link to the original interview with Ethan Imboden of Jimmyjane @ designglut.com

JIMMYJANE, Ethan Imboden
When I first read the interview and read the line, 'Then he started designing vibrators', I started to form an immediate misconception of the designer as third-rater. The negative idea disappeared very soon reading how he is in his place now. In the interview he talks about how he needed something more than acting as a service to the consumers with a middlemen.
"...I loved the process, I loved drawing, but at the end of the day I had this sneaking suspicion that I was driving consumer demand without delivering anything more then incremental benefit..."
He then started his own independent design & consulting firm, getting rid of the middleman,or clients. When he got a chance to look into vibrators he was amazed how people were putting up with the poor quality;toxic&uncomfortable vibrators with porn star photos on its packaging, just because of its category. Since then he's been designing products that actually works and benefit the users plus giving opportunistic pleasures.
At this point, I wonder myself as a graphic designer.. where do I sit? I share the same desire with Ethan on the idea of getting more involved on what I am actually producing for the users, and not just driving consumer demand.
Then what would be the product?

Stella McCartney Shop window!!

2009-06-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

Stella McCartney Inflatable Dinos- 05.18.09

Link to Original Post: www.notcot.com

Bold & Brave move.
Would this work if the shop's a low-priced brand?
Some comments from the NOTCOT post say that they stood in front of the shop window
longer than usual just to observe the new&fun dinos. Whether if it works or not for the collection it self, it sure does create a huge visual impact. Just like opposites attract, unexpected sources give pleasant surprises to people!

When smart people are hard to understand...

2009-06-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

He says that asking what you don't understand during a discussion or meeting of some sort in the right moment, is a very smart thing to do and in fact, can sound very smart too! Also he notes that it is necessary to understand the previously asked concept so well, even better than the person who brought it up, to become the "smart one".
This works for everything in life. You don't know about something, you should ask or find out about it. You spend more time on it, study it and improve to become smarter than others who did not do likewise. Sometimes I wonder if (as a transfer from Korea), I ask a question about English during a discussion might sound stupid or totally out of the atmosphere..sometimes I ask a person next to me, and sometimes I'd have to remember what the word was and google as fast as I can to find out what it meant. Thank you fast internet!!

Link to Original Post: from Sethgodin.typepad.com

Dotz Cable Identifier

2009-06-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

link to original site
This is the kind of thing that when you see it for the first time, you disregard it as unnecessary&foolish but sometime later you end up admitting you need one! These come out in a set of 12 colored dotz with 24 punch-out icons so you won't miss which cable you are pulling off. Very clear communication & fun stuff to decorate your room.:)It's interesting how sometimes such a simple and common idea can be so innovative, reminding me of the humble masterpieces:everyday marvels(MoMa).

music school of bright colors

2009-06-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

click to go to the original post

This is the photo of Tokyo’s famous Senzoku Kaguen College of Music designed by Terada design & Architects.
I think these bright colors can communicate how vibrant the school and students are in the school of Senzoku Kaguen College of Music and brings fun and excitement to the building itself. But because these colors are so vibrant,so opposite to natural colors that's comfortable to the eye, I wonder if it becomes hard to live in this environment. But who know, it might not then why not use some fun colors in others too?

Obama as a hot subject matter for art&online business

2009-05-31T21:43:00.000-07:00

Obama’s Face (That’s Him?) Rules the Web

link to original site@ The New York Times

click to see more Obama paintings

President Obama has stimulated artists/self-claimed/first time artists worldwide. Paintings of the president is selling on web regardless of how well known or educated the painter is. People want to keep a unique portrait of the historical icon. The business is still a growing business that there are numerouse sites selling the paintings. Examples are, createobamaartreport.com, artofobama.com and,badpaintingsofbarackobama.com

It's interesting how sometimes the subject matter becomes the art itself and what is demanded. Some painters make art from their own creative view and talent from an ordinary scene and some artists create art by making the content the major focus.

Design is a problem

2009-05-31T17:40:00.000-07:00

click the image to read the original post(core77)

In Shedroff's book, he talks about the definition of sustainability as not just about the environment, usually synonym to 'green' but as not doing things that could make tomorrow worse, whether its the economy, culture, religion, or the environment. He also talks about how we as designers were taught to create and bring something new and different all the time despite the actual need for people and make people feel bad if they don't have one. This is definitely worsening the future.
I always felt like I, as a designer have the responsibility to reduce waste from what inevitably i'd have to produce, however this book gave me a whole new outlook to what sustainability is.
As believer of a designer's responsibility to positively influence people, I agree to his views on how design should be in order not to be subjected as "the problem". This is what he says in his book:

"Design at its best, however, focuses on people and seeks to understand what it can offer them to make their lives better in some way. Despite the celebrity designers foisted upon us by the design industry, successful design isn't about some personal vision spun out and overlaid onto the world to make it seem shiny and new. Successful design is careful and considered. It responds to customers/users/participants/people, market, company, brand, environment, channel, culture, materials, and context. The most successful design is inseparable from these criteria. The most meaningful design is culturally and personally relevant, and we respond to it on the deepest levels. The best design also has a future. It is sustainable.
It should be clear by now what I mean by design is the problem. Design that is about appearance, or margins, or offerings and market segments, and not about real people—their needs, abilities, desires, emotions, and so on—that's the design that is the problem. The design that is about systems solutions, intent, appropriate and knowledgeable integration of people, planet, and profit, and the design that, above all, cares about customers as people and not merely consumers—that's the design that can lead to healthy, sustainable solutions."
This should be a very good reference to my future thesis contents.

Bad Time To Graduate For Creatives?

2009-05-30T15:51:00.000-07:00

Bad Time To Graduate For Creatives--
Let's Change That

post by Nussbaum on businessweek

This is a post from Nussbuam's blog on Businessweek. He suggests few ways to flip the falling demand for fresh creatives and points out how valuable graduating creatives are to the corporations for providing innovative minds for the cheapest price and that it is stupid not to take interns especially, during this time of economic depression since once the economy climbs up, so the price for creatives will be. He also shows the statistics of the profession world, Art,Design,Media related occupation showing -11.5% of decrease in employment(the biggest drop of occupations) during the last 8 months!!

As a soon to be graduating student in the design field, the idea of a system that links potential business ideas from design students to investors and businesses is very attractive.
There's social networking for everything out there so why not connect creative minds to strategic minds? He talks about bringing in InnoCentive, which is a networking company that connects businesses with a problem to innovative thinkers to solve to be selected and rewarded. So how about innovative thinkers suggest our own idea to investors&businesses that will help it bloom?

Just by looking at the outcomes from the first class of Communications Design at Pratt(visual communication 1) allows me to see the vast pool of innovation and creative products that can be successfully implemented into the real world however,it's hard to find its way out to the business world. Designers are innovators and in my opinion, entrepreneurs. Wouldn't it be great if there really is a help out there who can pull the potentials out to the real world?

Procrastination

2009-04-03T22:47:00.000-07:00

This is a video I found in 2wice website>not2twice. It demonstrates all the things I do and I hate doing but what I always tend to do; procrastination. Well, it's at least good to know everyone does so every so often. This video also gives me inspiration that a single subject can create such a powerful visual message and that designers can use any kind of devices to communicate. I wonder if I could use this concept of proving that
a real designer is a person who can communicate a message regardless of the type of medium for my thesis project...hmm...

motion.pratt.RHYTHM01

2009-02-27T14:27:00.000-08:00

rhythm01

motion.pratt.TENSION03

2009-02-27T14:12:00.000-08:00

tension03-stress

motion.pratt.TENSION02

2009-02-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

tension02

motion.pratt.TENSION01

2009-02-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

tension01-fight!

motion.pratt.CONTRAST04

2009-02-27T13:27:00.000-08:00

contrast04

motion.pratt.CONTRAST03

2009-02-23T14:36:00.000-08:00

contrast03

motion.pratt.CONTRAST02

2009-02-23T14:28:00.002-08:00

contrast02

motion.pratt.CONTRAST01

2009-02-23T14:21:00.000-08:00

contrast01

2009-02-19T14:01:00.000-08:00

SaksFifthAvenue Identity done by Pentagram

Experimental typography creating 1 and 100 zeros following numbers of outcomes,
still remaining the same look of the brand.

studio number one

2009-02-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

nice home page.

2009-02-12T14:27:00.000-08:00

HERE IS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE ABOUT DESIGN STARS!

STEP INSIDE DESIGN:July/August 2006
INTERVIEWS/PROFILES
The Rise and Fall of the Design Star

2009-02-11T13:18:00.000-08:00

Just something i found randomly on a random blogger's page,
something I can relate to a whole lot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Being 20 something
Courtesy a friend's Friendster account.I sure can relate.

Being Twenty-something - they call it the "Quarter-
life Crisis. It is when you stop going along with the
crowd and start realising that there are many
things about yourself that you didn't know and may
not like.

You start feeling insecure and wonder where you
will be in a year or two, but then get scared
because you barely know where you are now.

You start realising that people are selfish and that,
maybe, those friends that you thought you were so
close to aren't exactly the greatest people you
have ever met, and the people you have lost touch
with are some of themost important ones.

What you don't recognise is that they are realising
that too, and aren't really cold, catty, mean or
insincere, but that they are as confused as you.

You look at your job ... and it is not even close to
what you thought you would be doing, or maybe
you are looking for a job and realizing that you are
going to have to start at the bottom and that
scares you.

Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what
others are doing and find yourself judging more
than usual because suddenly you realise that you
have certain boundaries in your life and are
constantly adding things to your list of what is
acceptable and what isn't.

One minute, you are insecure and then the next,
secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force
of your life. You feel alone and scared and
confused. Suddenly, change is the enemy and you
try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon
realise that the past is drifting further and further
away, and there is nothing to do but stay where
you are or move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how
someone you loved could do such damage to you.
Or you lie in bed and wonder why you can't meet
anyone decent enough that you want to get to
know better. Or maybe you love someone but love
someone else too and cannot figure out why you
are doing this because you know that you aren't a
bad person.

One night stands and random hook ups start to
look cheap. Getting wasted and acting like an idiot
don't seem as fun.

You go through the same emotions and questions
over and over, and talk with your friends about the
same topics because you cannot seem to make a
decision.

You worry about loans, money, the future and
making a life for yourself... and while winning the
race would be great, right now you'd just like to be
a contender! What you may not realise is that
everyone reading this relates to it.
We are in our best of times and our worst of times
trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out

# posted by Abeni @ 7:41 AM

Type2. designing a menu for a restaurant.

2009-02-02T18:18:00.000-08:00

In Type 2 class, students are asked to design a menu for a restaurant.
We were given a book for inspiration called, 'Invisible Cities' by Italo Calvino.
From all the cities that come up in the book, I decided to go with the city of 'Despina'.
Despina is a border city between two deserts, a desert of sea and a desert of sand.
It's an illusional city that changes face from being a vessel that will take the man on a camel away from the desert, to a camel's withers with bags of fruits & wine to a sailor in a boat.
Initially, I focused on 5 key attributes of the city & 5 words are; ship, camel, illusional, fruitfulness and oasis.

type composition. texture created from a photograph of a wet printed type.

moodboard for the city of Despina.
A border city between two deserts.

moodboard2. & some pattern tryouts

type inspirations.

some sketches for the restaurant interior.

moodboard for the restaurant.

From the moodboard I created, I can see my restaurant being an upscale, hip, fusion Italian restaurant which has the mood of a sanctuary, with colors of gold-mustard-khaki & tints of blue.

2008-12-13T23:35:00.000-08:00

Marian Bantjes

The designer who designed Saks Fifth Avenue snow flakes!
Her works are amazing...
snowflakes!

and more about the designer.

2008-12-12T20:16:00.000-08:00

art test music

An independent music and sound design house based in NYC.
Love their crafty and attractive look of the website, as well as their projects!

website of the week!

2008-12-09T03:10:00.000-08:00

GAUD.

Pratt school of achitecture.
GAUD

Intriguing & attractive navigation!
I think CommD department should start thinking about our website,
as designers..

customization

2008-12-01T11:15:00.001-08:00

These days, it seems like everyone's on to customization.
All kinds of products and websites are available to customize for
the client's own favor and I myself enjoy the process of making my own style of 'something' a lot,and makes me feel like I have the power to decide and choose.
The interaction between the customer: the person and the product:the web became the essential part of the digital communication.
Here are some examples of websites:

NIKEID:
http://nikeid.nike.com/nikeid/

MINI
http://www.miniusa.com

Minneapolis agency MONO
mono_holiday card
The site consists of 759,375 different faces.

website of the week!

2008-11-23T15:46:00.000-08:00

Red Interactive Agency

RED Universe

Red Interactive Agency is an award-winning studio which mainly works on websites, interactive web-based advertisements. Their clients include: Eagle eye, Doritos, Windows mojavi, spiderman 3 and etc. Websites they create are highly interactive and user attractive. Their portfolio website, RED Universe is effectively showing the interactive aspect of the studio and is a multi-user environment. Users can customize their avatars and walk, fly around the cemetery and chat with other users or punch them.
According to the Communication Arts magazine, the average time spent on the site is ten minutes; many users spend multiple hours. Red interactive agency has really enhanced the web experience from the solitary to the engaging multi-user interactive.

website of the week!

2008-11-13T19:10:00.000-08:00

Jam3media.
*Click on the image to read the article.

This is an article I found in Communication Arts; Interactive annual.
It's a Tetris game! no, its a portfolio! no, it is both.
I got so hooked onto the game, I spent too much time playing before checking out their work which turned out to be very interesting. I'm definitely coming back, although it may be just to play the game but still, I think that the designers achieved their goal to attract viewers.
Little icons used in Tetris game are used throughout the website.
It's shuffled to make type(title of the project or the name of a person)which also act as navigation buttons.

Whenever I see these kinds of websites, I really want to go work for the studio like this which tries to explore and experiment different ways to communicate than just doing the same thing again and again. How nice is it to get paid for doing something you love?

Jam3media.com

Misprinted type

2008-11-10T19:19:00.000-08:00

misprintedtype.com

This is a truly inspirational website regarding type & illustrations.
It is a personal space which showcases his type designs and illustrations using the type and collage technique with his own drawings. It's like a playground and different from other sites, it uses the web frame very long and uses it as a sketch book.
It goes on and on with little illustrations.(but it has a limit!)
His illustration posters and type design are available to download for free and also to buy. Love it!

website of the week2!

2008-11-04T01:12:00.000-08:00

British Heart Foundation
This website has a very interesting and well designed navigation.
With a smart use of typography and color, it remains simple and at the same time,
fun to navigate through.

website of the week!

2008-11-04T01:04:00.000-08:00

LOU LINGERIE

Recently, there are lots of websites that guide the viewer through
the virtual reality. We meet real people and hear sounds from the streets inside the web
environment, and it does attract the attention. This website is a French lingerie website and the first time I experienced it, I was hooked. I felt like I am greeted from a real person from France and felt as if I was treated as a VIP.
It literally gave me a whole new experience, seating at my desk.
This is definitely a direction I would like to explore for my own website, incorporating the blog system.
This way, I can really communicated to the people who I really am and literally show them the stories of my life.

GREAT!!

2008-10-14T09:13:00.001-07:00

Typolution

website of the week!

2008-10-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

calibre

Calibre is a design/advertising studio based in Singapore.
The layout of their works is very interesting. Photos of their work are spread across the screen in a 3 dimensional depth and you can choose the one to look closer. It generates the feeling of being in the air and the music really adds the mood. It almost feels like you are in the air of creativity with all the works they have done.
This website has actually been nominated as the number 1 website of the week at
DESIGNCHARTS.COM.

Check out Designcharts.com, there are more interesting websites.

Another really creative website to introduce is,
hellosally.com.
This is a commercial website for frozen yogurt. The navigation system is so creative and interactive AND FUN!! to browse around the site. The illustrations are sweet, appropriate for the promoting product. I want to buy this yogurt!!
Start plunging our Sally into the yogurt mug! :)

2008-10-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

This is a motion clip I found in youtube..
What's interesting about this is that the visual motion speaks the language of the sound and the sound is translated into the visual mode. In other words, you can see what you are hearing and vice versa.

Shilo for Saatchi & Saatchi London: Guinness "Spoken Word"

2008-10-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

inspiration.

2008-10-05T17:57:00.000-07:00

Crazy. GNARLS BARKLEY

Living Canvas

smooth transition to watch

2008-09-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Website of the week!

2008-09-28T22:38:00.000-07:00

Stephen Watkins

Website of the week!

2008-09-21T14:35:00.001-07:00

http://www.elevatormoods.com/

I am not sure about the purpose of the website, but this website contains
a lot of stories that can happen/or happen inside a small elevator!
some are really scary and some are just wicked!

2008-09-21T13:48:00.000-07:00

3.1 Phillip Lim 08'SS Runway

I'm always intrigues by Fashion shows, for their presentations.
Although, the clothes and the models are more than pleasing to watch, the presentation of the actual runway in that moment is usually more exciting to me. It may seem like just a narrow runway stage with some loud music and beautiful clothes and models, when you look at each of the runway more closely, they are so different to each other and represent the collection so well. The choice of music, the choreography, the lighting and the stage adds so much to the collection and provide the experience of the brand to the viewers. Victoria's Secret Runways shows are great examples.

(The youtube video clip I uploaded, isn't a high resolution video but you can watch the better version from www.31philliplim.com.)
3.1 Phillip Lim SS08' Runway used the stage in such a different way. The models usually walks out and walks in to the backstage so it's not too long of a time to watch a piece. This time, the models stand there in little circles in the middle of the stage. Although the choreography might torture the models:(, it's still very refreshing for us to watch!

Animation of the week!

2008-09-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.adaaentry.com/adaalive.html
Category :Animation
Fowerpots by Rafael Sommerhalder and Zhe Wu.

I found this animation at the Adobe Design Achievement Awards website.
The work is called "Flowerpots"and is a short film about flowerpots and the power
of human habits.
I really like the fact that it's done in a very minimalistic way and the message is communicated so well. Also, the sound effect tickles the curiosity of a viewer.

This is not a HIGH-TECH animation but this film makes us think a while and gives an opportunity to think of the matter:the power
of human habits through an unpredictable storyline.

website of the week!

2008-09-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

http://www.3deep.com.au

3 Deep Design is an Australian based design consultancy.
The works include, advertising, art direction, publication and so on, that deals with a lot of photography and fashion.
The website is so intriguing that the background grabs the audience's attention at first. The photographs of the works they've done is repeated,shaping a grid and each photos are positioned in an interesting way within a square. The photos change every time you navigate to a different page in the website. You can never get bored! In contrast to the vibrant background, it smartly uses a simple page layout for the main information. The navigation system is straight forward and simple.
I love their works too!

Receipts

2008-09-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

Receipts.
I never tried to see receipts in a design perspective. It didn't matter to me too much as long as I paid the right amount and I can get a refund when some goes wrong.
However, when something really goes wrong,I do find some receipts easy to find & read, and I can never ever find nor understand the others. (The receipts with the company logo on top were the easiest to find.)

Since moving to NY(New Jersey! to be exact) I had to buy tons of stuff and from the piles of receipts I was surprised to see so many different layouts and typefaces, type sizes, tracking, leading and the space in the back and side were used in receipts. They vary in so many ways and yet look all the same unless you really look.

The right use of space and type inside the small area of lots of information can really make our eyes or maybe our lives a bit easier.

Some high-end fashion labels use the receipt to promote the brand. I remember getting a receipt in a specially "designed" envelope and also getting one printed on the brand's own stationery. The experience was very rewarding. So I decided to keep it since it was different and the receipt kept reminding me of the brand.

Some people might think that receipts are just receipts and we don't really need a beautifully designed proof of purchase. In some degree, I agree but
if it has to be printed anyways and if the company wants to advertise themselves, why not pay attention to their receipts and make the customers come back again?
Who wouldn't want to feel like they are valuable customers?

It could be bettered just by using the right space between letters and lines.

2008-09-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

I tried to think of a setting for too long. It was definitely harder to choose because it could be any kind of common activity. Could it be walking? maybe brushing teeth? drinking a cup of coffee? This morning, I woke up and remembered that I bought those tomatoes to make some juice. So I decided to go with it. It was a common activity but different.
When preparing for the shoot, I tried to get rid of any unnecessary items such as rubbish bins and dirty dishes.
It would've been nicer if I explored taking photos in more interesting ways using different angles, lighting, and playing with the distance and the actress's actions. This time, I was a bit too focused on catching the realistic procedures on 'how to make tomato juice'! l0l
well, the colors turned out pretty nice and it'll be interesting to see how these change into intriguing and story-telling photographs.

Film credits.

2008-09-08T00:55:00.000-07:00

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH9qVJ9cch0

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoNbdvw5Zug

Check these out.
These are two of my favorite opening credits.

The first movie is about a king and a beloved clown(male).
The story takes place in chosun dynasty in Korean history.
The Opening credit definitely communicates the time and the illustrations with credits,
the theme of the movie. The music adds the feeling of a sad romance and all these elements together make up a very interesting and well communicated opening credit.

The second movie is called "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance".

Adding to the previous post.

2008-09-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

I can probably tell who's Korean or not because I am Korean but also because of the fact that Koreans have this culture where when a certain trend hits the market, it really hits.
Everyone I MEAN EVERYONE follows the trend. I think it's because the land is quite small and we have a massive population. You don't get to play around a lot. You have to survive from the population and you have to win to survive. In order to NOT LOSE, you have to keep up with the rest. It's risky to be original when everyone's there to haunt you down if you look different and it's not up to par. However, it's always the brave one who starts the trend.

The design world has the similar and very conflicting effect. As a person educated in a western country, I was told to be original, value the process and put the importance in my brain, not in a computer software. I know for a fact that Korean students have the ability to be globally successful designers, but the frustrating part every time I visit Korea is that there are so many design solutions that only focuses on the mere surface of the design. It's like a work done by an Adobe Illustrator professional. It might have a story in it but it doesn't have the real substance to it.

The reason behind it is because the design has to be produced as quick as possible and stand out. The designer has no time to play and people have no space for 2 seconds to read through design. They need a design that can just be immediately recognized in order to stand out from the fast moving culture with massive exposures of media. Once a creative design solution gets noticed by global market, that's when people return to see the merits of the original design. Sometimes that's the design education reality in Korea which is really sad. I was told by a lot of Korean students that the way the lectures are held in America is so different from Korea. I don't really know the differences they are talking about but I think I know what they are saying. ..

Human as a canvas.

2008-09-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

When living in a foreign country, especially in the US where you call it a 'melting pot',
you meet people from all around the world. The locals, people from your own country, the locals who are originally from your country, people from opposite side of the world, and people from a place you never heard of.

The funny part is, I can immediately recognize people from Korea. I think a lot of you can recognize Japanese, with their creative and eccentric style. In many cases I can tell who's fresh off the airplane and who is Korean-American or someone influenced by western-culture. From the experience they had, they form different kind of look.
It's the way they dress, the way they walk and talk, and the biggest part, their faces.
I'm not saying that they look the same, but the image they carry reflects and communicates their history. The new arrivals might stand out a bit at first but I find that sooner or later, they catch the style and be influenced by the way of living and become part of the group. They add another story to their original book(and of course there are other elements affecting a person such as personal experiences).

It's interesting to note that sometimes(but not always)
you can tell just by their appearances their origins, the experiences they had, cultural influences and their personalities. They say, 'Don't judge a book by it's cover', but personally I think that only applies to books since the cover designer didn't go through the same experiences as the author.

Each cultures have distinctly different look and it's natural, but as time goes the more we become globally similar. It used to be a huge difference between two different nationalities but because of the media exposure and global "Americanization" it gets harder to distinguish people by their origin. You can tell what's going on out there by looking at us, the human canvas that absorbs every little changes. Stories. It's where the design starts.

Humans are the primary and the most immediate portrait of experiences and what they are about. It's the very basic canvas we own to design. It contains massive amount of inspiring stories of every moment in their lives.

Isn't that what Branding, Packaging, Promoting, Fashion and all those are about?
It all connects what we do as a designer.