Inspiration

I was walking to class one morning in the Art & Design building and I saw a man with falling feathers tattooed down his arm. And I thought to myself, "Wow, that is beautiful. That is real art." I sat down to draw out feathers in my sketch book and I ended up drawing a dream catcher. I felt like I had found my light idea. I thank that man with the tattoo for giving me inspiration for my light project. It really does come from anywhere.

Locations

Reflection of the Project

This project was a challenge for me. I am obviously not great with cardboard. However, I learned how to find solutions. I learned not to argue with people. I learned that time is a factor in the creating process. I was not sure how much this project would teach me, but I now know what a location can do for the word. I can now tell someone about fonts and how they can manipulate the way you understand a word. The placement of a word is important. You can not just but disrupt anywhere and have it be disruptive. I felt that the bus stop was the most disruptive.
Deciding on a certain way to manipulate the word was the hardest. We had so many ideas and I felt like I was just overwhelmed. I wanted to stick with just one idea because I knew time was a factor. But we all took our letters and we finished them on time. Well, some of us did. It was really hard to get everyone together because of schedules. I still feel like our project is unfinished.
The solutions I found for my letters was clear tape. I had thicker cardboard and the tabs were hard to create with that thickness, so I used clear tape and I found that it worked pretty well. We had trouble with the inside of our letters. We wanted bright wrapping paper, but we did not buy it in time. Our solution for that problem was paint on the inside. Some letters had painted paper and some had painted cardboard. Through all of this, I have learned that you better talk out your ideas and the constraints that you will have before getting started. Communication is the key to life.

Parts of the Letter

You can change how people understand a word by simply changing how it appears. Knowing the parts of the letter helped my group communicate better. Instead of saying "that thing," we could say "the bracket" or "stroke width." Although there were several terms in this presentation, I walked away with more knowledge than I had before. I did not notice that all the lowercase letters were basically the same height as the "x." The "FedEx" logo was a good example of how to manipulate a word. This presentation helped my group construct letters and to understand what was disruptive. Oh, and applause to Daniel for doing such a good job presenting.

Reflection on the Photo Essay

You can be very creative with a camera. I feel like it is much like a pencil and a  piece a paper. So many things are possible with it. The trick is to take as many photos as you possibly can. There is no such thing as too many photos. You want to keep the photo interesting. Asymmetry, symmetry, repetition, placement of the object, placement of the camera, movement, and framing keep a photo interesting. We needed interesting photos for our photo essay books. Having a balance of all the ways to keep a photo interesting can make a great photo. There was one photo I took in front of the street. At the time I did not notice the bus in the background moving, but I later saw it. The bus was blurred due to its movement, but it was why I choose that photo. That movement made that photo great. It grabbed my attention before any of the other photos I took in that location. These photos helped us convey the meaning of the word. Without the guy blocking the "D" it would not look disruptive. Every type of photography is important. Without photos of our words at the location at that specific time, how would we share the beauty of the moving bus in the background?

Written description of project 3

For this project, we were learning about what language looked like and how the meaning can be conveyed simply by placement or construction of the word. My group's word was "Disrupt." The first part of the project, we printed off our word and using 6x6 inch squares, made word collages. This was to show how manipulating a word changed how you understood it. We made 20 of these word collages. Then we picked a font. We used futura font. Then we made prototypes of the letters. My group made several. We decided on one prototype and mad 36 inch letters. We made these letters out of cardboard. We found a few locations for the placement of our word. My group decided on Budig. We placed the letters there and the class went out to see them. Every group done this. After that, we broke from our group and made individual photo essay books. It included: the title, name, definition, 6 photos of the word on site, and a group photo. It was an accordion fold book.

Letters

Done with the giant letters! The I and U of disrupt are complete. Maybe not as planned...but they are finished. Good luck group "Disrupt!!"

Our Word

dis·rupt  (ds-rpt)

tr.v. dis·rupt·ed, dis·rupt·ing, dis·rupts

1. To throw into confusion or disorder: Protesters disrupted the candidate's speech.

2. To interrupt or impede the progress, movement, or procedure of: Our efforts in the garden were disrupted by an early frost.

3. To break or burst; rupture.

 

also...

 

 1. (tr) to throw into turmoil or disorder

2. (tr) to interrupt the progress of (a movement, meeting, etc.)

3. to break or split (something) apart

[from Latin disruptus burst asunder, from dīrumpere to dash to pieces, from dis-¹ + rumpere to burst]

Understanding Comics

It is not the actual item. It is a drawing of the item. Those are not people in that painting, those are paintings of people. An icon represents a person, place, or thing. There are images that stand for something else, there are images that convey language, there are pictures (resembles the object). However, images can change and mean something else. It really has to do with how you see something. Letters and numbers always represent the same thing, but pictures are the things that change. Words are abstract. You can change the face of someone by just drawing lines and it still represents that person. A cartoon can put the meaning out there that was intended. There is a slight chance that it will be misunderstood. You can point out exactly what you want to point out. You can focus on what you want people to see. You can express emotion in a drawing. Words only do so much. An image can really speak to a person. You can create an emotion with one image that might take several sentences to evoke in a person. Art makes things visible. Even a line can be strong, dynamic, or angry.

Writer's Toolbox

How do you best explain an image? With words. How do you get your ideas across? With words. Write everything you do down. Yes, photos are helpful, but even art museums have a description for the artwork. Words help you convey what you are thinking at the time of creation. Words written off to the side of a sketch help a person remember why they drew it, what the intention was, and how to improve it later. Note taking is the best skill you can have. It adds to the creativity. Brainstorming, concept maps, and one word sentences explain so much more than what an image alone can explain. Without writing thoughts down, it would be hard to understand a piece of artwork. The title to an artwork in a museum helps the viewer understand the artwork. Titling everything you do keeps things organized. It helps a person know several months after making the sketch what it was. A mind map can enhance a design dramatically. Write every idea you have down and put in on the map. You will be glad you did. Draw line from one idea to another, connecting things you think go together. The pencil and paper method is the best way to do a mind map. It is quick and allows your ideas to flow. Starting with a large piece of paper gives you more rooms for your ideas. An 8”x10” piece of paper might limit your ideas. You want to think big!

Thought this was worth sharing :)

 I was working on a ceramic tea pot and while I was carving out some of it, pieces fell on the pot exactly like this. Pretty cool.

Objectified

Objectified was a movie all about design (like our class). It included people who redesign things to make them more comfortable and functional. Then they send the redesigned product back out into the world to see if what they did will work. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it does not. People hardly ever see when an object has been redesigned. We become so use to something that it is just part of the routine in life. An object becomes "just there." And that is part of the job. Secretly changing an object for the better and having the consumer not notice is a good thing. Any product can be redesigned. Nothing is ever perfectly done. Design is about the future. We want to keep it going. You need only look back when you need to know what did not work. Never look back for something that did work because it has already been done. People want the new and the now. You will design something only to have someone else come along and redesign it. And as designers, we need to accept this fact. Try not to stray from the ten principals of design. They are what make a good designer. Every designer will have designs that will not work. It is better to have 10 designs that do not work than to have no idea. Make the design meaningful. Make the design count.

Materials Used

 The materials I used for my prototype alarm clock: a pizza box (cardboard) and tape. Well...lots of tape.

Our Progress

This alarm clock has a touch screen on the back and cushion on the top.

This alarm clock is round, has big speakers, and a big snooze button.

This alarm clock you must bounce to turn off

 

This one has a usb port.

 I think this is the one we're going with. It has a clip so it can be put on a bed post. The snooze button is "ZZZ." The front is touch screen.

IDEO Video

The only design that does not need to be redone is nature. The things mankind designs can always be improved. Design is not invention, so design is fixing what has already been invented. Leave the inventing to the nerds. However, sometimes we get so use to things, we do not think to improve them. IDEO likes to improve things, from a toothbrush to a shopping cart.They have designers working there, along with psychologist. I found that a good idea because, of course, you need to know a lot about the human mind and human activity to design for the human species. Also, they work as one. There really is no "boss" because they don't want someone taking over. To get to know the people they are designing for, they go out into the field to do research. For the shopping cart, they went to a grocery store.

The rules of IDEO are: 1) think in verbs, 2) do not interrupt anyone, 3) focus, 4) encourage wild guys, 5) quantity, 6) be visual, 7) NO judgment, 8) build on ideas.

Being playful is a huge part of being innovative. Fresh ideas come easier when the mind is relaxed and having fun. It is totally okay to be weird! Say your ideas no matter how weird and out there they are. You can build off them. Failing is part of the process.

The 5 steps for brainstorming are: 1) understand the market, 2) observe, 3) visualize, 4) evaluate, 5) implement new concept.

To make good ideas it takes a lot of time, teamwork, being weird, and disagreement.

Project 2

The job of a designer is to look at the world and keep improving it. For our second project, we choose 3 objects we thought were bad designs. We brought those 3 objects and sketches of them to class. We got into groups of three or four and picked one object to improve. The groups did a mapping of the object on a big sheet of paper. The mapping included what was wrong with the object, what it was used for, who used it, its purpose, and how to make it better. We came up with as many ideas as possible, from possible to the impossible. We are to interview ten people about the object, make sketches with improvements, and bring materials to make a prototype. Along with making a prototype, we will make an Imovie and a poster.

 

 

Finishing up

This project was a good experience. I enjoyed learning about the program Indesign and attempting to make a well-designed poster. I believe that making the hand-crafted poster was more fun for me than making it on the computer, though. The program involved a lot of information and a lot of mistakes. Also, printing the final project was a bit scary, along with putting it on the foam core. It meant no mistakes could be made!

 I feel my poster is a good design because it has color unity; I went with the colors black and red. It is an
asymmetrical design and has one image larger than the others so the viewer knows which one to focus on. I had fun using photoshop to alter the images on the final design. Hopefully, I will get better at design and feel more confident about  putting my ideas out there for people to see.

Reading One

As designers, we should try to fix things. We should try to make life better. A designer is someone who sees the problem and thinks of a solution; design something, make it better, design it again. In the reading, it mentioned a theater that was segregated. The students decided to sit by each other. People wrote letters to the manager, not in anger, but with happiness that he was fixing a problem. This was design. Design is such a huge field. It is hard to define what design is, but it is what humans try to do. That is the basic explanation of the word. "Design is to design a design to produce a design." Everything is design. The computer used to type this was designed. The font that is being used at this moment was designed. Maybe design can be bad, but I see it as the person who designed it liked it and, well, is not that the only audience that matters? Everyone is unique. We see things in different perspective. What I like may be horrible to someone else. The whole idea is a bit like eating food. I do not like sushi, but there are people who love it. It is hard to explain design, and maybe it should not be defined. Art people usually do not like to be defined by some textbook definition, so the word itself should be open like the people who do it.

Color Lecture

Color is a huge part of design. We do not think much about how yellow and blue together contrast. Or how red and yellow are harmonizing hues. Before the color lecture, I never stopped to notice magazine ads or t.v. commercials and how they use hue, chroma, and value. Color can make or break your design. As a graphic design major, I need to be able to understand the color wheel, balance, dominance, and transitions. Even changing the chroma of a color changes the entire design. Using a limited palette can create unity, but it can also seem boring. Color dominance is usually the best way to create unity. Keying the color can change the mood of the design and change the mood given to the viewer. Designers have to be careful when using the color strategies. A slight variation in the chroma can change the entire design.

Dieter Rams

Each to his own. Art is what the artist makes of it. However, as a consumer, what would you want? When I read Dieter Rams' "Ten Ways to Good Design" I started to look at objects in my living room, kitchen, and even in my car. I noticed a pillow that was too big for the couch. It had zebra print, which at this time it is fashionable, but that will soon be outdated. It is fuzzy and already has a hole in it after just one year. I discovered it is a terrible design. A good design is innovative, useful, aesthetic, understandable, unobtrusive, honest, long-lasting, thorough, environmentally-friendly, and is as little designed as possible. To choose a good product, I thought of all these guidelines, walked around my apartment, and studied objects. I saw my measuring cup and instantly knew it was a well-designed product. I knew it was useful; I use it all the time. It may not be beautiful in a sense that most people think, but it is beautiful in a simple way. Its purpose is so obvious, it is impossible to not know what its purpose is. It does not attempt to be anything more than just a measuring cup. I believe it will be a long-lasting design; measuring cups have not changed too dramatically over the years. I know it is designed down to the last detail because there had to be some serious thinking to figure out the numbers. I do not plan on throwing it away and it is simple; it is not over done.
My intended major is graphic design, so of course I will not be designing objects such as a measuring cup, but this article gave me some idea of what I need to do to succeed. I can not just throw something together; it must be well-planned and thought out. I want to design within these boundaries, yet be original.

Don Norman

The three things Don Norman mentioned were visceral, behavioral, and reflective. When you design something, you want people to be happy with it. Making them smile would be best. People like pretty things; the juicer was pretty, but maybe not useful. As designers, we want to make people who view our designs happy. With this project, we need to make the viewer happy. It's best to make the viewer feel in control and feel that they understand the poster. Visceral has to do with the beauty of an object; we like sweets, bright colors, and beautiful things. Behavioral has to do with making the person feel in control and that they can easily understand what's going on. The reflective part has to do with the superego; the voice in your head that says "YES!!" or "NO!!" People like it when they can grab others attention and impress others.

Written description of Project 1

For project one, we were to find five objects that we thought were well designed. We explained in class why we thought the objects were well designed and decide which one was the best. I chose a measuring cup that was unique. After deciding on an object, we made a rough draft poster. Then, we downloaded Indesign. This program was new to me and I had to learn it as we went. We were to make a poster in this program that explained the best part of this object. It is 18x24 inches. We could use drawings and photos to show how and why this object is a good design. After designing the poster to the best of our ability we are to print it out on the plotter in the Mac lab and use studio tac to stick it to the 18x24 inch foamcore. Also, we are to record the process as we go.

Hallmark

I always like attending a class where they don't pound information into you and then test you on it. I learn more from that type of class then from a class where I'm too worried about the grade. The Hallmark lecture was great. I walked in there with the thought of maybe it was going to be a waste of time, but it was well worth my time. The best thing I got from that class was that artists fail and succeed. He had a few pieces of art work that didn't go as planned or sell as planned, but he also had ones that did. Maybe it's best to not measure someone by their failures and successes because to me that's a silly way to see life.

Color Lecture

 I feel that this shirt really nailed the contrasting hues. Both the colors have strong chroma. However, there is more yellow on the shirt. But maybe that makes the blue stand out even more




This is the famous Napoleon Dynamite. In yellow. This was a high school
freshman project. We added yellow to all the hues. This painting shows
great key the color.

I'm not sure if a viewer can tell, but at the top of the painting is the color
purple. The next color is blue. These two colors are right next to each other on the color wheel. This is harmonizing hues. Also, transition is used in this painting and so is contrasting hues with the yellow and the blue.