ReBbLyN Creative

Joshua Davis is Infinitely Interesting Part #2

2010-05-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

Joshua Davis is happy he was the selected Pokemon.

To explain, I recently posted a blog entry about deciding which designer to write about for my New Media Web Design course as part of a final project. Based on the initial web layout of the site, I selected Joshua Davis. His portfolio was laid out similarly to Evan Roth’s in a grid-like pattern. Davis had actually commented on the post, saying he was glad he won, but HE was the first to use the grid pattern for his portfolio. He said he greatly admires Evan Roth and even though he used the layout first, “we won’t have to kill him.” Davis then offered an invite to his studio in Mineola, NY, where I could possibly score some print freebies.

Even more reason why he is the selected Pokemon. (I choose you!)

Bio:

Joshua Davis is an American web designer and new media artist. He is most recognized for being an early pioneer of Macromedia Flash and wrote Flash to the Core in 2002. Joshua Davis’ work “brought an entirely new dimension to art. Utilizing randomization in controlled environments, or Chaos Theory, Davis established a new and unique perspective on visual communication and creative expression, pioneering an area previously unexplored in graphic design.” (via good ole’ Wikipedia)

Chaos Theory = Butterfly Effect

“"In my work I derive huge satisfaction from creating discrete shape and color palettes and then writing algorithms that assemble the pieces into randomized, whole compositions. Chance is not always pretty, but it is fun.”

-Joshua Davis

After being a part of the New York art/club scene in the early 90’s and battling with drug addiction, Davis elected to pursue his dream of being a full-time artist. Working under Thomas Noller in 1995, he learned to write HTML, experiment with Macromedia Flash, and ActionScript programming.Davis became a major influence in graphic and web design during the “Y2K” era of the “Dot-Com” explosion.

Timeline:

1998 - 2001

worked at Kioken Design, a web production company who made JLo’s first site, until it folded in 2001. became an independent web designer and artist, speaking at graphic design conferences including SIGGRAPH, Flash Forward, FITC, BD4D, OFFF, & Graphika Manila.

2002

teamed up with developer Branden Hall to form The Department of Notation Studios,
a media development studio

2003

took over the band Tool’s websites - designed info page

2006

The Department of Notation Studios disbanded. Davis & Hall continue collaborating on projects.

2007

professor at New York’s School of the Visual Arts, runs own design studio, & leads workshops at design conferences.

Influences:

Jackson Pollack – abstract expressionist prominent in the 1940’s and 50’s.

“Among modern artists, I conceptually identify with Jackson Pollock — not that I'm a particular fan of his visual style, but because he always identified himself as a painter, even though a lot of the time his brush never hit the canvas. There's something in that disconnect — not using a brush or tool in traditional methods.”

- Joshua Davis, from his studio website

Classic video games – used “sprite” of an alien from Space Invaders as logo for Praystation.

Apple iPhone Art App “Reflect”:

REFLECT is an Apple iPhone Art App that uses multi-touch gestures to randomly generate a composition which gets reflected into a kaleidoscopic pattern.

You can then save your reflection as a background wallpaper, or send to a friend.

For more info, visit Sideways Mobile.

Independent Projects:

Praystation.com was a website used by Joshua Davis’ website display new design work and experiments and one of the first to offer open source Flash files. It was regarded as an “icon of web design.” (Design Museum )In 2001he won the Priz Ars Electronia Award, a prestigious prize for digital art.

Joshua Davis also hosted Dreamless.org, the site of a popular Internet forum, hosted by Joshua Davis. Its minimal design, understated Web presence and hidden registration page all added to its intrigue, and for a period of time it served as an online community for many graphic and web designers and programmers. "Photoshop Battles" were a popular activity among forum members, leading into the internet phenomenon now referred to as Photoshop tennis. “Photoshop tennis” is a graphics related game conducted in internet forums where one member “serves” a photo to another member to make their own alteration. Each member makes one alteration and then passes on the photo. The community of Dreamless traveled past the boundaries of the Internet with impromptu local meetings, or “riots” according to Davis, that were arranged for Dreamless users to meet face-to-face and exchange ideas.

One notorious forum on Dreamless was "08 - Meaningless and Shallow", a topical free-for-all which lead to numerous flame wars, post floods and user-led XSS vandalism. After several "meltdowns" and member disputes, Davis closed Dreamless in July 2001.

Commercial Clients:

Barneys Department Stores, Lucent Technologies, BMW, Kanye West, Motorola, Amp'd Mobile, Nike, Volkswagen, Umbra, Miquelrius, Sony, Motown Records, Puff Daddy, Bad Boy Entertainment, TOOL, Universal Records, Atlantic Records, HBO, Canon, Nokia, Charles Schwab, New Riders Publishers and others.

Websites:

Once Upon A Forest

Joshua Davis Studios

Credits:

Good Ole’ Wikipedia

Gadgetopia “Whatever Happened to Kioken Design?”

Joshua Davis Studios

Design Museum

Sideways Mobile

Manhattan Mall Logo - Unexpected Example of Good Design

2010-05-13T07:27:00.001-07:00

I've had my fair share of an education about logo design this past year. One thing I learned is that it is a great skill to identify good design vs. bad design. I was taking the F train from Herald Square when I noticed the Manhattan Mall logo. To an untrained eye, it looks like a meaningless "squiggle". However, that "squiggle" incorporates the two "M"'s for Manhattan Mall. For me, it also evokes the image of the bridges that connect Manhattan to the other boroughs.

Taking It Out of Context

2010-05-11T10:18:00.001-07:00

After recently subscribing to Evolve Happy, a blog by Roberto C. Madruga, an artist and photographer from Washington, D.C., I saw he posted a few designs of modern Websites as vintage books. I wrote a comment asking where he got the images from, but now we should just look and reflect on our love for both social media and vintage design.

Click on image to get a more detailed look at all of them.

Summertime - the perfect photo op

2010-05-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

Designers, get ready to drool. Summertime is known as prime photo op season, so why not outfit yourself with the latest cameras that definitely make a statement. Here are some new models from pretty Polaroids and wacky Lomography cams to homemade pinhole models and DIY designs you can assemble yourself. via Flavorwire.

[via Core77]

Special-edition Pentax K-x: The camera that matches your old-school sneakers [via Wired]

Peekfreak: The one-of-a-kind art camera made from household objects [via Designboom]

[via Core 77]

Sony NEX: The smallest camera in the world [via Wired]

Rubikon 2: A DIY paper camera that’s free to download in PDF form [via Designspotter]

Polaroid 300: Instant photography’s 21st-century makeover [via Designboom]

Polaroid 600: Instant photography’s high-concept 21st-century makeover [via Gizmodo]

Aerial Capture: The camera that flies [via Wired]

Fisheye No. 2: Pretty in hot pink [via Lostinasupermarket]

Bleak Street Art

2010-05-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

Anonymous tagger(s?) Trustocorp has “rebranded” the streets of Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Miami, and New York City with cheeky, hand-painted upgrades to classic traffic signs. Trustocorp is a New York based artist (or artists) dedicated to highlighting the hypocrisy and hilarity of human behavior through sarcasm and satire.The work is dark and clever; shock-and-awe at its finest. (We’re also fans of Trustocorp’s “product redesigns,” which landed in random NYC grocery stores over the weekend.) Courtesy of Flavorwire.

The Importance of Your Web Layout: Joshua Davis is Infinitely Interesting

2010-05-10T23:42:00.000-07:00

As part of the final project for New Media Web Design for the semester, I have to write an essay profiling the background, work, and creative perspective of a recognized design studio creating award-winning web or interactive design work. The list we could choose from was Funny Garbage, Robert Greenberg Associates (RGA), Antenna Design, and Joshua Davis.

The following is proof about how the layout of your website can make or break whether you are offered certain opportunities, or whether a graduating senior will write an essay about you as a final project.

Funny Garbage -big text – REALLY big text – and crazy animations going everywhere. It may be the Red Bull I drank at 1 am, but I’m growing anxious at the rapid movement.

R/GA – Oh, I see you are opening a Singapore Office. Everyone is doing work in Singapore nowadays. I see you like to use Helvetica. Everyone likes to use Helvetica Nowadays. Oh, wow, you’ve won a whole mess of awards. You are also black, white, and red all over.

Antenna Design – You demand for me to get Flash 6. My 4-year-old IBM can’t handle it. Yes, I know, I’m not a full-fledged Mac user yet. Why do you have to take such a low blow considering we just met? I’m done with you.

Joshua Davis – At first glance, I see you laid out your site in a grid patter similar to Evan Roth. Great minds think alike? Oh, and your studio is based in Mineola? You show images of your work right away, which I see mostly involve pleasant looking designs, some of which are in soothing kaleidoscope-like patterns.

Joshua Davis, in the spirit of Pokemon, I choose you for my paper topic.

The New Yorker Portrays Chatroulette Founder As A Juvenile Delinquent

2010-05-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Erick Schonfeld wrote on TechCrunch about how the founder of Chatroulette Andrey Ternovskiy was portrayed in The New Yorker as a delinquent being a menace to society. Chatroulette is a random video chat site that leads to people talking with strangers for hours at a time.

What do you think of this profile?

"Like many young Russians with programming skills, Ternovskiy turned to hacking. When he was eleven, he came upon zloy.org (which translates as angry.org), a hacker forum led by a young man named Sergey (a.k.a. Terminator), who trained his followers in cyber warfare. Using the handle Flashboy, Ternovskiy soon mastered the art of the denial-of-service attack, wherein a target system is paralyzed by a mass of incoming communication requests. Next came Web-site and e-mail hacking, a service he gladly performed for girls who asked nicely. By 2007, at the age of fifteen, Ternovskiy had learned about what hackers call “social engineering”—getting what one wants through deceit or manipulation. Posing as a teacher, Ternovskiy got access to some practice tests before they were delivered to his school."

Tactile Hand Motions Replace "Mouse"

2010-05-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

Wearable ‘AirMouse’

Catching up the technological evolution, Canadian firm Deanmark Ltd has come up with a revolutionary computer mouse that invariably becomes an integral part of your body. Hailed as the “AirMouse,” the radical mouse can be worn on your hand like a glove, allowing easy as well as brisk web navigation. Read more

New Age Skate Rat

2010-05-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Axess

The Axess, makes you access the same area with a lot of modulations that make it better than anything currently on offer. Longboard manufacturers around the globe would surely have their eyes on this design for the sheer versatility it brings to the same. If they miss out on this design, they would kind of hinder the evolution of these phenomenally popular rollers that people just love to have fun with. Read more

10 Reasons You'll Never Quit Facebook (Even If You Think You Want To)

2010-05-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

Sometimes looking to online gossip magazines is a great way to gauge public opinion. It's also definitely worth your while when it's written in a funny, amusing tone. It is becoming a fad to renounce your Facebook account and swear you will never return. But we all know better. Courtesy of Gawker, who republished it from The Business Insider, here are ten reasons why you will never quit Facebook.

10 Reasons You'll Never Quit Facebook (Even If You Think You Want To)

1. You're not going to go back to waiting an hour to send an email to 30 people with 40 photos.

2. How will you remember anybody's birthday?

3. How will you stalk your college boyfriend's new fiance?

4. Without Facebook what are you going to do when you don't have a friend's email address or phone number? Facebook messaging blows. But at least you know you can reach anybody who has a Facebook account.

5. Forget Facebook. 80 million of you are addicted to Zygna's Facebook game, FarmVille.

6. It takes 2 seconds to "join" a new site through Facebook Connect. It can take a good 10 minutes doing it the old way. (Care to subscribe to these magazines?)

7. How will you hear about parties? How will you remember where and when those parties are? Evite?

8. You don't care about Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg's sometimes sketchy past.

9. Sure, Facebook has privacy issues, but you don't care about privacy anymore. Remember when you wouldn't use your real name on the Internet?

10. You've never quit before. Remember News Feed? Beacon? You didn't quit then and won't now, either. Not even if you want to.

Your Ears Will Stay that Way

2010-05-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

Deafinite Style Hearing Aid

Designaffairs Studio of Germany has device a hearing aid concept called the “Deafinite Style” that doubles as jewelry for the trendy. Featuring the brand new TriMic system, the stylish accessory allows just perfection positioning of the microphones, making the hearing aid more effective. Read more

Espresso for the 25th Century

2010-05-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

Espresso waker

I bow down in gratitude to Sang hoon Lee for concocting the most refreshing wakeup system. Shooing aside an array of alarm clocks that blare their way in to our beautiful mornings, Lee’s Espresso waker is designed to help you open your eyes to the smell of a cuppa espresso. Who needs a butler to walk in your room with cup of hot coffee to wish good morning? Read more

Beautiful Music Helps You Get a Beautiful Bod

2010-05-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

Developed for the inaugural Rotterdam Electronic Music Festival, the “Vinyl Workout” by Theo Watson is an interactive project that transforms your floor into a digital record player. Projecting a giant record player onto the floor that the user can control by running around on top of the surface, the interactive system responds to the pace of running and direction, as it slows down when you walk around slowly and plays backwards or rewinds when you start moving on the opposite direction. Moreover, the Vinyl Workout creates a playful environment, as you can create picture variations of a treadmill at your personal fitness center. Check out the video after the jump.

another example of nature making a comback

2010-05-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

Tulip Nespresso

Drawing inspiration from a tulip, French Designer Guillaume Garcia has come up with a radical coffee maker called “Nespresso” that apart from brewing coffee for your family and guests becomes a center of attraction in your living room. Usually the coffee drains into the cup, but the new coffee maker places the cup on top of the machine. Read more

This "Pebble" Fad

2010-05-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

What is with everyone and designing products to resemble a beautiful river stone?

Presovar by Martin Necas

Created by Czech designer Martin Necas, Presovar represents the next generation of designer coffee makers which not only perform to the tee but also add a hint to glamor to the kitchen space. The graphic design features an irregular silhouette that instantly lends it an identity as a work of art. Read more

You Could Use a Power Nap

2010-05-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

10 sleeping bags for a power nap anytime, anywhere

from The Design blog by Naresh

My Favorite is the Sleep Suit:
Inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s practice of Dymaxion Sleeping, which involves four 30-minute naps over a period of 24 hours, the “Sleep Suit” by Forrest Jessee is a sort of portable sleeping bag that lets the user have a power nap anywhere, anytime. Interweaving structural pleats made in EVA foam, often used as padding in sports equipments and sleeping bags, the Sleep Suit ensures optimum comfort even in hard surfaces. Read more

The Five Most Annoying Kinds of Internet Scolds

2010-04-30T10:07:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, there are some annoying people out there who live by critiquing other people's mistakes. The online world of social media does not escape it. In fact, people could argue that it is easier to be a complete scumbag online than in person. Here are the Five Most Annoying Kinds of Internet Scolds according to Nick Douglas of URLesque.

This week, the Times covered the "Twitter Patrol," users who point out other people's misspellings and grammar mistakes on Twitter, "whose constant yipping at their victims gives a bit of an edge to the free-for-all dialogue on the site."

One of these guys has sent over 130,000 automatic replies to people who twitter in all caps. He says he does it to teach people about etiquette.

The Twitter Patrol is the worst type of online vigilante -- except for the four other types listed here.

The Facebook Politico
He saw your opinion of the health care reform bill and it is wrong. He has this other, opposing belief, supported by an article he read somewhere that you really need to read now or else he can't be bothered to argue with you about a thing that in fact he has just started arguing with you about without being asked to.

Granted, you sort of asked for this crap when you shared your opinion of a political matter on Facebook, but the Facebook Politico made sure to go beyond polite discussion of opinions and tried to humiliate you on your own profile page. Because the internet is just another place to hold his tea party or let his freak flag fly and your social circle is his new flock to be preached at, whether they care or not.

The Internet White Knight
Guys, stop ragging on that poor girl who posted photos of her half-naked body! Internet White Knight is here and he wants to tell that girl that she really is cool and beautiful no matter what everyone else says. Now, girl, won't you proclaim that White Knight is your hero and thank him for saving you from the internet mob? White Knight needs acknowledgment and gratitude or else he'll rescind his kind statements and call you a c*cktease. Because Internet White Knight is just another sad manipulator, just one that fancies himself a more sensitive dude.

The Seen-it-all
Oh, that animal doing that people thing? Seen it. The animated gif of things of every size from molecule to human to planet to galaxy? SO LAST YEAR. This kid belting out a Beyoncé hit is so ancient that Abraham Lincoln saw it and he was all "Old!"

The seen-it-all probably already read this on Boing Boing and she definitely already saw it on Digg. And because nobody should ever talk about anything that anyone else has ever ever possibly barely heard of, she is going to wipe your "news" in your face because you are so damn last season, you poor luddite slob. Did you ever see that episode of Ghostwriter where Julia Stiles was a hacker? The Seen-it-all is that. She's also seen that episode a million times so oh my god stop posting it on Reddit.

The Blogger Out of Nowhere
You're checking your Google alerts and heyyy, there's a mention of the blog post you wrote! Cool, someone had something to...say...about...your...oh. This is just some angry blogger who misunderstood your point and took one line out of context to make a totally different point. He also misspelled words you spelled correctly and someone in the comments mocked you for the typo.

You know how pointless it is to have any emotional reaction at all to this little mistake happening deep in the bowels of the web where no one outside of this guy's trailer park will ever see, but you rage. You rage so hard, you post about it back on your blog, taking him out of context and that is the circle of life. The cirrrrrrcle of liiiiiife, and it mooooves us allllll.

Another Pebble Design..

2010-04-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

The majority of users keep a cellphone to contact people and nothing else, therefore multimedia functions of contemporary mobile phones become futile for them. Conceived by British designer Jamie Lawrence, the “Pebble” is a simple yet stylish mobile phone that removes all the multimedia capabilities to keep its use easy for common users. Sliding apart from the middle to reveal a touchscreen, the Pebble presents reduced functions for easier use, while its reduced size and weight coupled with a curvy shape enables the user to carry it comfortably for a long period. Though the Pebble removes most of the complex technical aspects, it maintains a sleek and contemporary design for the trendy users.

Literally stepping to your own beat.

2010-04-29T09:35:00.000-07:00

You have to love Nike. They recently created a prototype for a "musical shoe" that makes musical sounds however you move your foot/shoe. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at how the Japanese DJ duo Hifana performed with their musical shoe.

posted by Design Boom and wieden + kennedy

Fruit of Life

2010-04-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

Fruit of Life

Hieu Tranngoc and Hao Tran have designed a balanced kitchen that fits the lifestyle a geek, for sure. Ideally sized for one or two people, Fruit of Life is an open concept that gives the user the freedom to move the kitchen with ease. A fruitful apple tree has been the source of inspiration for the designers and they have literally shaped the whole setup like a tree with two fruits hanging from branches on either side. Read more

the Original "Tweet"

2010-04-22T09:18:00.001-07:00

Now your favorite clock can really tweet for you.

Social networking on the internet is possibly the best way to remain in touch or updated with friends and happenings going on across the world. Making internet networking simple and swift, interface and interaction designer Haroon Baig has modified an old-fashioned cuckoo clock that connects to the internet wirelessly and looks for new updates or search results from the Twitter API regularly. Entitled the “TwitweeClock,” the clock displays the latest tweets in near-real time on the built-in display, while a mechanical cuckoo popping out of the clock gives it a conventional touch.

Another Concept for an E reader

2010-04-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

Everyone is coming out with their own concept for an E reader, everyone - including your mom. this is "The Page" from Jae Kim, a prototype e-reader makes use of a semi-transparent e-ink screen to display images and text with more clarity. It looks like a newspaper, kind feels like a newspaper, but oh no - it's not a newspaper. This e reader allows those with some e - reservations to have their cake and eat it too. They still have the feeling of holding a paper in their hand, but now they can jump on the e reader bandwagon as well.

What's cool is that you can scroll through articles and surf through content just as you would surfing the web. Check out the video below.

On a separate note: The New York Times is always used as an example newspaper in concepts for e readers. Do they collect royalties?

via The Design Blog

infographic of the day "So you need a typeface"

2010-04-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been in the middle of a project and you can't figure out which typeface to use? Yes, no, maybe so?

Even if you are not involved with design, this fun infographic "So you need a typeface" from Julian Hansen, a graphic design student from Copenhagen, Denmark. Hansen created this project as a more amusing manner in choosing fonts for a project besides flipping through the pages of a typical Font Book.

Hansen created this project as a result of utilizing the problem-solving nature of designers. One can assume that after many instances of frustration concerning the search for the perfect font, Hansen wanted to create an easier manner to do so.

You're So Vain

2010-04-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

Just wondering why the badass Chinese manufacturers took so long to come up with a cheap iPhone edition? Possibly, this time around they wanna give it a sleek, sophisticated look that they could identify with themselves, rather than producing a cheap mockup. Here is the strange oval phone dubbed “Leady Apple” or “Lady Apple” from China that as indicated by its name is designed to attract stylish female users with its smooth, curvaceous design. Featuring the Apple logo, the feminine iPhone comes with all the standard features, including built-in games, media playback, digital camera and an FM radio. While the super shiny mirror-finish screen, allowing an instant makeup on the go, could well turn out to be the main attraction for the female folk.

A different kind of "tweet"

2010-04-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

The “Wildermann” by designer Georgios Maridakis is a cuckoo clock created by a magical state of the art wood cutting technique, becoming a functional sculpture for modern apartments. The digital clock bringing the fairy tale forest to life looks more like a piece of art than a timepiece, enhancing the decor of contemporary spaces with its classic, but at the same time unique, design.

Another Reason to Wish You Were At Coachella

2010-04-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the Japanese tradition of folding a thousand cranes in order to receive a wish, the LA-based Crimson Collective has come up with a massive origami crane named the “Ascension” that will be displayed at Coachella music festival this weekend. Finished in modular aluminum tubes covered with a white mesh fabric, Textilene, the structure measures 45 feet in height with a wingspan of 150 feet and weighs about 35,000 pounds. The origami bird integrates multi-colored LEDs powered by a solar system to illuminate at night, creating a mesmerizing view to attract visitors.

Really?

2010-04-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

Would you want this in your house? Wouldn't it be a bit of a bad omen? Or playing with fate?

Evan Roth: Bad Ass Mother Fucker

2010-04-15T20:34:00.000-07:00

: Google "Bad Ass Mother Fucker" and you'll find Evan Roth

Today we Hofstra New Media students had the pleasure of having Evan Roth come speak to us about his work, his belief in open/free culture, and being a bad ass mother fucker. He spoke about his fascination with remix culture (a society that allows others to improve upon, change, integrate, or otherwise remix the work of copyright holders) and the importance of an open source community (most of Evan's projects offer a free source code for others).

Some takeaways:

think "Free as in freedom, not free as in free beer" - Richard Stallman ~ especially pertinent when thinking about the distribution of free content in today's media.

to hack: "small interventions that alter large systems" - be disruptive ~ this relates well to my Honors Project "Google How to Be Disruptive". I'm placing the slides up this weekend.

"good projects take a year, great projects take a weekend" - I talked to Roth about this afterward. He explained that he thought it better to "think smart" instead of "hard". When it comes to time management, I agree that one can't sit on an idea - you have to hold on to the momentum of a brilliant idea and see it through.

"publish every day" - when timeliness equals relevance, it's necessary to publish content as soon as possible. When you have an original idea, the sooner you publish it, the sooner you have "idea right"

In terms of becoming relevant online, there are three important traits you need: Sincerity, Style, and Timeliness

For more tips, check out 11 Rules for Getting Famous on the Internet. This is a blog for Evan Roth's Parsons Paris "Viral Media for Viral Artists" class.

Be sure to check out Evan Roth's unforgettable projects such as LED Throwies, Jay -Z's "Brooklyn Go Hard", and Graffiti Analysis 2.0.

Wait, so it's not REALLY a chair? Or it is?

2010-04-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

Call it furniture or a belt, the “Chairless” by designer Alejandro Aravena is a minimal chair that allows seating for the modern nomad in between their stretched journeys. Developed for German furniture firm Vitra, the minimal chair (rather a fabric strap) draws inspiration from a strap used by Ayoreo Indians and wraps around the knees and back of the user to keep him/her in a stable position without any external support. Though, not too sure of the comfort, I presume this to be a really easy carry deal for all travelers. Claimed to be the world’s most minimal chair, the Chairless when not in use enfolds to fit in your pocket or backpack with ease.

is advertising on twitter right for your business?

2010-04-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

wieden + kennedy's London office employee Neil Christie wrote on their "Welcome to Optimism" blog about how Twitter has incorporated advertising into its platform. Christie argues why it may or may not be a good idea for businesses to advertise on Twitter.

Twitter just announced that they will be launching a new ad platform and you may be wondering if it’s right for your business. Before we get to that, first let’s talk about how the new model works.

First and foremost, Twitter’s system isn’t all that different from Google AdWords, which is a system for placing ads alongside search results based on the keywords the searcher used. Twitter advertisers place CPL (cost-per-thousand views) bids on keywords and their tweets are displayed in the search results based on their bid and quality score, which will likely be calculated based on how people respond to the tweet, i.e. retweets, @replies generated by the tweet and new followers. The higher your quality score, the lower your CPM.

The benefit to advertisers according to Twitter is your tweets will be displayed “above the noise” of ever-changing search results, which gives brands the power to respond to discussions in real-time and not be buried by rapidly changing Twitter search results. Eventually, promoted tweets will find their way into Twitter streams and desktop/mobile Twitter clients like TweetDeck and Tweetie, but Twitter has not yet announced how this will be executed, but it will likely be related to the topics users tweet about. The ads will initially look like this:

Now, are sponsored tweets right for your business? If you have something to say that’s relevant in real-time, then yes. If you want to use it to promote a static message the same way you would with Google AdWords or banners, sponsored tweets are probably not right for you.

The Starbucks example above is a great illustration of an effective use of this technology. It’s related to a one-day promotion and would be shown to users expressing interest in the brand. It would also make sense for them to use more general keywords relating to coffee. However, keywords relating to free stuff and deals would attract less qualified users.

Initally, this system is being tested by Starbucks, Virgin America and Bravo, however, it will soon be opened up to other brands.

Passion for fashion - it's illuminating

2010-04-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a tie and collar, designer Dzmitry Samal has come up with an innovative light that seems to make a style statement in contemporary apartments. Dubbed the “Karl,” after stylish German fashion designer and artist Karl Lagerfeld, the trendy lamp features a clean and elegant look. Made in metal and plastic, the new table lamp presents a minimal design, as it just includes an on/off button at its metal base, which keeps the lamp steady on the table.

I may pass.

Via: Samal Design

Now You Can Work Anywhere....

2010-04-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

GREAT

A workstation is sure to enhance your performance at work, but what if you don’t have adequate space to place a regular workstation at your workplace or home or home office? Then you possibly would like have a look (rather buy) the new 2 in 1 chair & workstation from Baíta Design. Dubbed the “Versus,” the multifunctional furniture unit from the Brazilian design studio is essentially a flexible chair that flips into a workstation for compact spaces. Made in Policarbonate, the modular unit is not only durable but also lightweight for easy transportation.

You're Safe with Time by Your Side

2010-04-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

never fret, walk down any dark alleyway without fear with this proposed bullet-proof wrist watch that, frankly, looks as bad @$$ as you.

Tread 1: Bulletproof wristwatch

Developed in collaboration with a Californian aerospace engineering company, the “Tread 1” from Devon Works is a bulletproof wristwatch that creates a splendid work of art as the numbers move with precision across a belt, giving an altogether new dimension to the mundane task of checking the time. Read more

Can Social Media Be Translated Into Art?

2010-04-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

Alison Campbell Rogers wrote an entry on Talent Zoo's "Digital Pivot" blog about how artists are interpreting social media as art. Alison Campbell Rogers is a Media Director and agency owner (and former advice columnist) who is passionate about creating space for her clients to stand out, especially online. Follow her on Twitter.

Art and social media may not seem like a natural match. Let’s face it, no one expects to ever have a tweet hanging in the Museum of Modern Art. However, just as technology has changed the way we write -- from blogging to texting -- technology also has changed the face of art and how we interact with it. It is evolving from the typical canvas-hanging-in-a-museum kind to a new medium and changing how we interact with art on a larger scale.

Social media seems to be a great equalizer. Brands that may not be able to afford exorbitant media rates have the same basic tools at hand to talk to their markets as the big guys. It is making art accessible to the public in the same sense -- democratizing art so that we can all play a part. Art, especially over the last century, has come to be perceived as exclusive, rather than inclusive, with dominance of abstraction and even shock value for critical darlings such as Damien Hirst.

Even in the realm of public art, the public doesn’t often have much of a say or take as much of an interest as the name would imply. In fact, many times these pieces are more controversial than welcome in a community.

Social media has armed certain artists and groups with the needed means to change that. One example is The Hello Wall. It's the work of London’s Wasted Spaces, which creates art using old or abandoned structures, creating beauty and interest in spaces that might otherwise be considered eyesores, and Hellicar & Lewis, an installation-art duo. Using the @thehellowall Twitter account, tweets control geometric shapes that move on the large digital screen. It is meant to empower and put creative responsibility into the hands of the viewers by letting the public control what they see displayed as art.

Twitter-controlled public art shows that art loves social media. Can social media love art back? Certainly. Just as small business enjoys a level playing field and access to audience through savvy social campaigns, the art world is enjoying social’s ability to link the sometimes economically disparate groups that create, promote, display, and buy art.

Art Imitates Your Worklife

2010-04-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Can you look at some one and be able to guess their career choice? Flavorwire posted a few products that if toted around definitely say more than a fashion statement.

A plate made for surveying [Via Designage]

A new spin taking your work home with you [Via design boom]

MOMA Acquires @ Symbol

2010-03-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

The Museum of Modern Art has added the typographical symbol @ to their design collection. MoMa's chief design curator, Paola Antonelli, explains that "the @ is more ancient than you might think--Some scholars think it was invented over 1,300 years ago, as a way to reduce the Latin word "ad"--which means "at", "to", or "toward"--into a single penstroke." (read full text here) In the 20th century it was considered an "oddity of typography" on most keyboards - utterly useless.

However, the @ has been revolutionized. We could not function every day life without the @ - all because of Twitter and email.

Ray Tomlinson, a computer engineer who helped create the world's first email system and is "the man who created email" according to NPR. He thought to use the @ symbol as a way to permit cross-server email routing. Tomlinson changed the rules of how the @ symbol was portrayed. Antonelli continues saying that Tomlinson "performed a powerful act of design that not only forever changed the @ sign's significance and function, but which also has become an important part of our identity in relationship and communication with others."

I find it interesting that something we consider an ubiquitous symbol finds placement in an renowned art museum. It reminds me of Found Art, making art out of everyday, familiar objects.

via Fast Company

How We Love Infographics

2010-03-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

Here we have a metro map showing the most influential bands on history broken up by genre. The concept and design is by Alberto Antoniazzi, a freelance designer from Milan who has other interesting graphics on his site.

Information Graphics are visual representations of information, data or knowledge. These graphics are used where complex information needs to be explained quickly and clearly^[1], such as in signs,maps, journalism, technical writing, and education. They are also used extensively as tools by computer scientists, mathematicians, and statisticians to ease the process of developing and communicating conceptual information.

"The Rock and Roll Metro Map" designates each subway line with a genre:

A = Alternative Rock

G = Grunge

M = Heavy Metal

N = Nu-Metal

R = Pop Rockstars

P = Punk Rock

HC = Hardcore

E = Emo

Certain bands - designated as a stop - can sometimes cross multiple genres. Such bands are Metallica, Radiohead, and Aerosmith.

All in all, another fascinating way to explain the influence of music.

Smart House, Sharp Writing

2010-03-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

I have been obsessed with this graph since I read the "How Smart Could I Make My Dumb Manhattan Apartment?" article in the NYTimes Home section last Thursday. Go to the full article to see a larger image of the graph. Not only is the visual aesthetic pleasing, but the captions with each icon are humorous and memorable. Joyce Wadler makes a somewhat dry topic of making your apartment "smart" (television screens in bathroom mirrors, creating a "romantic mood" with lights and music from your iPhone) entertaining and funny.

The idea of incorporating "smart" technology into your home is one's tech dream, but the above graph not only gave an idea of a "day in the life" in a smart apartment, but gave a glimpse of what the future may hold in terms of outfitting your house to match your every day needs.

The Internet Will Make You Depressed! Or Not

2010-03-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

Ari B. Adler wrote on Talent Zoo's "Digital Pivot" blog about how some studies are making claims that interacting online causes depression. Ari B. Adler is a professional communicator with a vast array of experience in media, public, and government relations for public and private sector employers. You can find his personal blog at Here Comes Later and follow him on Twitter at @aribadler.

Psychologists in the United Kingdom reported a connection between Internet addiction and depression. Of course, they can't prove it, and critics are lambasting the research, for anyone with common sense can see it's a bogus claim. However, that didn't stop several media outlets from sounding the alert.

Maybe it's true that some people spend too much time online, but I'm not willing to go out on a limb and declare how much is too much. To each his own, I say, and if that means you are more productive, more social, or better educated because of the time you spend on the Internet, well, hey, more power to you.

Is spending a lot of time online going to make you depressed? I suppose that depends on what you're seeing and reading online. Following mainstream media reports could you make you depressed -- especially the ones that unnecessarily cause alarm.

Even the BBC, which is generally regarded as a pretty serious international news organization, got caught in the "Internet-addiction-equals-depression" hoopla. Granted, they did a good job of finding experts who disputed the findings, and they pointed out how small the study was and how tiny a percentage of people within that study actually "proved" the connection. They dropped the ball when they slapped on an alarming headline and lead that, in today's fast-paced, attention deficit-driven world, is all some people are going to read. The most important sentence in the BBC story should have actually killed it rather than being a qualifying second paragraph:

"The Leeds University team stressed they could not say one necessarily caused the other, and that most Internet users did not suffer mental health problems."

Essentially, this research team did an online survey of about 1,300 people with an average age of 21, and 18 of them were classified as Internet addicts. They also reported that those 18 had a significantly higher depression score. I wonder how much money was spent on this university research and how much of a government grant I could get to prove it wrong.

Once again, people are looking to vilify something as the reason for our troubles. Technology does not lead to problems with our psyche. Humanity has enough issues within its DNA to handle that one all on its own.

Sure, our problems may manifest themselves via technology, but that's a good thing, isn't it? The 18 "addicts" in the UK study were reportedly spending much more time on sex and gambling sites. When people used to have to get porn and gamble their money away in person it wasn't considered depression. Moving those activities online might even be a good thing. Porn shops are generally in the seedier parts of town and gambling spots are filled with smoke. Both of those scenarios seem to be a bigger threat to your health than connecting to vices via a computer keyboard.

"Paint My House"

2010-03-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

The light artists, graphic designers and technicians from Skudi Optics, invited artists from all over Europe to project their fantastic creations onto the facade of the Berlin City Cathedral in August 2008. On February 25th a similar event will took place onto the most beautiful fasade in Trondheim: Nidarosdomen. The artwork was created by local artists invited to be a part of the one-night only visual treat, both ad-free and independent.

This image is from the August 2008 event.

The image below was from the event on February 25th by an artist called "Tofa".

Our love for Google part 2

2010-03-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

It's undisputed that the minds behind Google are truly brilliant and have interests and talents outside of the programming world. Ji Lee, New York-based designer and creative director of branding and marketing at Google, is working on a project he called "Parallel World" (http://pleaseenjoy.com/project.php?cat=4&subcat=&pid=75) "Parallel World" as featured on his personal site shows images of Lee's recreation of entire rooms in miniature form on cielings.

He explains saying:

“People fill the floor of their homes with furniture and walls with paintings and pictures. So why are the ceilings left empty? Decorating ceilings was a celebrated art form in the past centuries that somehow got lost through the reductionism of modernism. People don’t look at the ceiling anymore. It’s a dead space. So I wanted to bring a small wink to this space. I also liked the idea that somehow there’s a parallel world which coexists with ours.”http://flavorwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/01.rocker_final.jpg

Online Identity Calculator

2010-03-15T23:09:00.000-07:00

While preparing for my post-graduation era, I have been taught time and time again about the importance of your online presence. Not only should content about you posted online be positive, it also should be an aid to developing your "personal brand". One site I was told about during a workshop at the Career Center is the Online Identity Calculator. You Google your name and input different information about it, such as the number of results generated and how many links actually pertained to you. I was rated off the charts as being very "Digitally Distinct". It may be on account that online I go by "Reb Carlson", which is much more unique than "Rebecca Carlson" (Madonna played a character named Rebecca Carlson, so I'm screwed.)

Bird's Eye View

2010-03-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

Christoph Niemann's abstract illustrations have appeared on the covers of The New Yorker, Newsweek, Wired, The New York Times Magazine and American illustration. Today he posted illustrations reminiscent of Google Maps in his blog Abstract City in The New York Times that change the way one views nursery rhymes, food, and movies.

Behaviors of Social Media

2010-03-12T19:47:00.000-08:00

Everyone has their own opinions about social media and it's effect on our society as we know it. Judgements are made about how social media can isolate people, when the truth is actually the opposite. While some of us are already tired "tweeting" and having people follow your status updates on Facebook, social media is actually still catching on. Jacqui Cheng from Ars Technica posted an article about the realities of behavior when affected by social media.

Some examples:

The majority of Twitter users are still just voyeurs.- Most people use their Twitter accounts to follow people, not to tweet themselves.

Mobile social networking is for the ladies. - More women than men use mobile devices to stay up to date with their statuses. Also, the age group that uses social media the most are 35-54, not kids as commonly thought.

Social media isn't replacing real life just yet - face to face communication is still preferred over online communication.

The Art of Chess

2010-03-11T12:02:00.000-08:00

I like playing chess. Do you like playing chess? Am I the only nerd?

'The art of chess' is an exhibition of seven chess sets created by a group of contemporary
artist including Jake and Dinos chapman, Tracey Emin, Tom Friedman, Damien hirst, Barbara Kruger, Alastair Mackie and Rachel Whiteread. Each artist infused their own interpretation of the board game in real dimensions.
My favorite set is this by Tom Friedman. I love the idea that the table could exist on it's own as a simple table, yet once you set ordinary household objects on it, it turns into a chess set.

The exhibition is set to open on the 49th edition of Milan Furniture Fair on April 14th
at Project b gallery, in Milan . This event which is part of the Fuori Salone will be on display
until April 29th.

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ref="http://www.designboom.com/cms/images/fiona02/chess001.jpg">

via Design Boom

One form of art reinterpreted into another medium.

2010-03-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

Stephen King movie “Carrie” as minimalist art.

Bee Combs aka Nick Tassone, a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology, created movie posters out of Stephen King Movies. It is reminiscent of Saul Bass who is famous for his intros title sequences for such movies as Psycho and The Man with the Golden Arm.

via flavorwire

Flights of Fancy, Wonders of Whimsy

2010-02-23T08:54:00.002-08:00

Think of when you were young, imagining surreal creatures and day dreaming about your larger than life ideas. When I was a child I was constantly thinking of ideas and acting on them, making by hand a million small projects without looking up directions. On my own I learned how to make bound books, clothing, jewelry, puppets and even went through a phase where I would sit in my backyard and make small "fairy" towns and villages out of sticks, flowers, etc.

I feel when we grow up we can look that whimsy and try instead to be very strategic and methodical, so I was happy to see this project on Kickstarter about The Museum Proper, a contemporary performance troupe working to create a 12-foot tall puppet. Obviously, to make their puppets involves a lot of sketching and preliminary design. Their Flickr account of their sketches is inspiring. Also, take a look at a video of a demonstration of their prototype here.

"How Haiti Could Change Design"

2010-02-23T08:40:00.000-08:00

Design Observer had an article about how the earthquake in Haiti could lead to a revolutionary way to look at design and architecture. The article by Thomas Fisher discusses how natural disasters (Haiti, Katrina, South Eastern Tsunami) and attacks (9/11) have increased over the past few decades. It does not take extensive research to understand the destruction such events had on people's lives.

Fisher continues saying that by using strategic design in architecture and civil planning, the scope of the aftermath of a tragic event can be reduced. We can't "predict when natural disasters will occur, we can predict where they will likely happen and what effect they will have." By ensuring that structures are designed to withstand the elements, the cost overall of rebuilding a community would be greatly reduced. Fisher also suggests that instead of waiting to be commissioned for a project, architects should be proactive and offer their services to protect a community from the unpredictable forces of nature.

Down to Earth

2010-02-18T12:03:00.000-08:00

6. Madrid Barajas International Airport, Terminal 4 (Richard Rogers)

5. JFK International Airport, TWA Terminal (Eero Saarinen)

4. Heathrow International Airport, Terminal 5 (Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners)

3. Incheon International Airport, Seoul (Fentress Bradburn Architects)
2. Bilbao Airport (Santiago Calatrava)
1. Beijing Capital International Airport ( Foster + Partners)
Travel + Leisure came out yesterday with the world's ugliest airport terminals. They are appalling, so much so I can't share them with you. I have also been reading "Home From Nowhere" by James Howard Kunstler that discusses how the United State's civic planning has a negative psychological impact, specifically how suburbia discourages our participation in communities. Inspired by that, I have been thinking about travels and coincidently found on Flavorwire some images of the world's most beautiful terminals. Only one is in the United States - how does that makes us feel?

Come on over baby

2010-02-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

This is FlexibleLove, furniture created from paper that is "ecological, adaptable, and practical" by Taiwanese designer Chishen Chiu and manufactured by Pinzaan Company Limited. Made from recycled cardboard, this innovative design is practical and can be adpated for any sort of space and any sort of idea. FlexibleLove furniture utilizes an "accordian-like, honeycomb" structure to create durable furniture pieces. "Flexible Love" comes from the idea of a "flexible love-seat" that could seat up to 16 individuals. It currently cannot be purchased from stores in the United States, but if you so desire you can email them with an inquiry.

AH! AMAZING!

2010-02-09T13:35:00.000-08:00

This is a video of a speech by Dr. Michael Wesch, an Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology and Digital Ethnography at Kansas State University. He was named 2008's US Professor of the Year, so I would say he is credible when he calls himself "a cultural anthropologist exploring the impact of new media on society and culture."

Fun fact: After two years studying the impact of writing on a remote indigenous culture in the rain forest of Papua New Guinea, he has turned his attention to the effects of social media and digital technology on global society. Digital Ethnography

In this speech at the Personal Democracy Forum held at Jazz Lincoln Center last summer, he discusses the anthropological introduction to Youtube:

Re-Visiting the Reptilian Mind

2010-02-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

Visual Thesaurus : Yet again marrying two of my great loves: concepts of visual design and words.

J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" Vocab List.

Some images

2010-01-28T13:24:00.000-08:00

Research: virtual communities enhancing daily life, physical disabilities

2010-01-28T13:11:00.001-08:00

Study to develop a theoretical framework or model for a virtual community for persons with long-term, severe physical disabilities.

Necessary components to a successful online community:

education;
fantasy-oriented;
information-oriented;
interest-oriented;
relationship-oriented; and
transaction-oriented.

A little more research...

2010-01-28T13:08:00.000-08:00

Virtual community:A virtual community is a social network of individuals who interact through specific media, potentially crossing geographical and political boundaries in order to pursue mutual interests or goals. One of the most pervasive types of virtual community include social networking services, which consist of various online communities.

Virtual communities are used for a variety of social and professional groups. It does not necessarily mean that there is a strong bond among the members, although Howard Rheingold, author of the book of the same name, mentions that virtual communities form "when people carry on public discussions long enough, with sufficient human feeling, to form webs of personal relationships".

A little research...

2010-01-27T17:32:00.000-08:00

Wikipedia: "A social network service focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, e.g., who share interests and/or activities. A social network service essentially consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are web based and provides means for users to interact over the internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. Although online community services are sometimes considered as a social network service in a broader sense, social network service usually means an individual-centered service whereas online community services are group-centered."

"Interpersonal communication has been a growing issue as more and more people have turned to social networking as a means of communication."Benniger (1987) describes how mass media has gradually replaced interpersonal communication as a socializing force. Further, social networking sites have become popular sites for youth culture to explore themselves, relationships, and share cultural artifacts"A Privacy Paradox Many teens and social networking users may be harming their interpersonal communication by using sites such as Facebook and Myspace."

Mashable: "internet users are far more likely (45%) to visit a café or a coffee shop than people who don’t use the internet...the myth that frequent internet users hang out mostly at home is also busted, as people have started using it many public spaces, such as libraries, bars, coffee shops, restaurants and the like."

"online activities such as social networking, sending e-mails and blogging can lead to larger, and (perhaps even more importantly) more diverse social networks"

Pew Internet and American Life Project: "Social media activities are associated with several beneficial social activities, including having discussion networks that are more likely to contain people from different backgrounds. For instance, frequent internet users, and those who maintain a blog are much more likely to confide in someone who is of another race. Those who share photos online are more likely to report that they discuss important matters with someone who is a member of another political party. "

"Challenging the assumption that internet use encourages social contact across vast distances, we find that many internet technologies are used as much for local contact as they are for distant communication."

"Some have worried that internet use limits people’s participation in their local communities, but we find that most internet activities have little or a positive relationship to local activity. For instance, internet users are as likely as anyone else to visit with their neighbors in person. Cell phone users, those who use the internet frequently at work, and bloggers are more likely to belong to a local voluntary association, such as a youth group or a charitable organization. However, we find some evidence that use of social networking services (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn) substitutes for some neighborhood involvement."

Google Xistence Mock Video by Australian web designer Philipp Drössler:

Something Kind of Sweet

2010-01-26T23:05:00.000-08:00

Drill Team is a social media agency that is spot on with it's Tumblr posts. They recently posted an image courtesy of Time Out New York that shows the level of prevalence for cupcake flavors. The image is reminiscent of cloud tags (most of you have seen these on blogs) where the more popular a tag is, the larger the size of the font. As we see here, Red Velvet is the boss.
For even more interactive fun, check out this interactive map. You click on the cupcake icon to see the flavors available at that particular location. It's a fun, visually compelling way to catch the attention of online readers. Congrats Time Out New York.

Visual Learning

2010-01-26T22:54:00.000-08:00

People have supposedly become more visual in the past couple of years. With all technological advances and evolving of humans, we still make simple spelling errors. As a public relations major, nothing grates my nerves more than common spelling mistakes. Maybe with the combination of this visual guide with humor from Oatmeal (courtesy of Mediabistro), you too will stop misspelling the same ten words and give my editing eye a rest.

Theme for Innovative Developments

2010-01-26T12:49:00.000-08:00

We live in a time where you may "talk" with your friends online more often than in person. What is actual conversation?

When a object is recreated digitally to be saved forever, which is the real object? The one that is tangible or what will exist forever? What's the "real" object?

When you interact with people in a virtual world and spend time creating your "Second Life" and is your primary focus, which life is real?

When you can speak and see some one through a computer screen, crossing the boundaries of time zones and the costs of telephone calls, where you can conveniently catch up while doing other things - is it more efficient than actual conversation, where both parties are present? Laughter can bring us together through skype, but does it really?

In the future, what will real experience be, what happens through cloud computing and digital technologies or real life? Or is it?

What is true communication? Interpersonal or viral? Will social media replace "true communication?"

What about both?

The use of the Internet doesn't necessarily lead to isolation.

The use of social media activities online in a "virtual world" will enhance the "real" one.

Internet technologies enhance our relationships in the "real world" and increase communication and contact.

Technology - a help, not hindrance

So it begins

2010-01-26T12:47:00.000-08:00

Look at today's date.

It's 2010 and today is the first day of New Media II: Web Design.

It's super exciting and glorious.

A whole new project.

A bunch of new entries.

Hope you are all looking forward to it.

Saul Bass - innovation of the mundane.

2009-12-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

Saul Bass was both graphic designer and Academy Award winning filmmaker. However, he is most famously known for his animated motion picture title sequences. During his 40 year career Bass had worked with notable filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger, Stanley Kubrick, and Martin Scorsese. He created over 50 opening sequences for a range of films, including Sparticus, The Victors, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Goodfellas, Doc Hollywood, Cape Fear, and The Age of Innocence. Among his work are three famous title sequences: the animated paper cut-out of a heroin addict’s arm in Preminger’s The Man With the Golden Arm, the text utilized as a high-angle shot of the United Nations Building in Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, and the scrambled and disjointed text used for the opening sequence of Psycho.

Saul Bass also designed the sixth logo for the AT&T Bell system, and then designed the globe logo for AT&T after the breakup of Bell System. The logo he designed for Continental Airlines’ 1968 “jetstream” became one of the most recognized airline industry logos of the 1970s. His other corporate work includes United Airlines, Minolta, and Warner Communications. Other widely recognized logos by Bass are the United Way and Girl Scouts Logo and the Kleenex and Dixie logotypes. Bass also designed the main poster for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Born in the Bronx quarter of New York City on May 8, 1920, Saul Bass had an early developed interest in art. He studied painting at the Art Students League of Manhattan at the age of 15. Once old enough, he began attending classes taught by Gyorgy Kepes at Brooklyn College. Gyorgy Kepes was a Hungarian graphic designer who introduced Bass to László Moholy-Nagy’s Bauhaus style and Russian Constructivism. Bass worked as a commercial designer in New York until 1946. He moved to Los Angeles at that time, feeling creative constraints in New York. After freelancing for four years, Bass opened up his own studio producing work for advertising. In 1955 he renamed is studio Bass & Associates.

He began his Hollywood career by doing print work for film ads. During a collaboration with filmmaker Otto Preminger on a film poster for the 1954 film Carmen Jones, Preminger was impressed enough with Bass to ask him to produce the title sequence as well. With the new venture, Bass realized that opening sequences for movies could provide more than the opening credits, but as a way to make an experience to introduce the film. An effective opening sequence could enhance the overall experience for the audience as well as contribute to the overall mood and theme of the film.

"My initial thoughts about what a title can do was to set mood and
the prime underlying core of the film's story, to express the story
in some metaphorical way. I saw the title as a way of conditioning
the audience, so that when the film actually began, viewers would
already have an emotional resonance with it"

Bass was the first to see the creative potential in something that would ordinarily appear mundane. The Man With the Golden Arm was a film by Preminger created in 1955 about a jazz musician’s struggle with his heroin addiction. The subject of the film proved to be too taboo for the mid 1950’s. With that in mind, Bass decided to create a controversial opening sequence for what will prove to be a controversial movie, featuring a black paper cut out of the arm of a heroin addict. He selected an arm as the central image, since the image of an arm has a strong relation to drug use. This opening sequence was how Bass became notorious in the film industry.

After working with Preminger, Bass began his work in kinetic typography for Alfred Hitchcock. Kinetic typography is an animation technique mixing motion with text. Text is shown over a period of time in such a way as to convey a particular idea or emotion. He created opening sequences for the films North by Northwest, Vertigo, and Psycho. In North by Northwest, the text for the credits would appear as if they “flew” in from off screen, then fade into the beginning of the film. His work was found to be revolutionary and innovative, making Saul Bass a revered graphic designer.

Bass moved away from the optical techniques he was a pioneer of to computerized titles during his work with Martin Scorsese on the opening sequence of Casino. While average patrons may not know of the name of Saul Bass, the style of his iconic film posters is surely recognized. The array of posters he designed includes The Shining, In Harms Way, One Two Three, Love in the Afternoon, Saint Joan, West Side Story, and Bunny Lake is Missing.

Bass was considered to have a gift for have the ability to identify a central image that defines the movie, then recreating the image to become the symbol of the movie by remodernizing it. Martin Scorsese described Bass’ style as creating: “an emblematic image, instantly recognizable and immediately tied to the film.” When Saul Bass died in 1996, the New York Times published his obituary hailing him as "the minimalist auteur who put a jagged arm in motion in 1955 and created an entire film genre…and elevated it into an art." It has been said that after watching one of Bass’ title sequences, one could walk out of the theater. In under a minute and using mainly visuals, he was able to summarize the film in its entirety.

Here are more examples of Saul Bass' work:

In Time for the Wintry Season

2009-12-17T14:05:00.000-08:00

Now that the wintry season is upon us, it is time to contemplate a small wonder: the snowflake. While snow is white on a good day, with close inspection we see many inspiring palettes as Color + Design Blog noted by visiting snowcrystal.com. They go on to say that for each snowflake are individual snow crystals that create every unique pattern. Here is a brief diagram.
Broken down into a diagram, we realize the great design behind the basic snowflake, a wonder of the natural world. Let's look further into the wondrous world of snowflakes.

Typography Fan Club

2009-12-15T21:57:00.000-08:00

It is with great pride that I say I love this bag. I am a part of the club who knows the difference between Serif and Sans-Serif fonts. Now anyone can proudly show their membership to the typography fan club while they shop for groceries, visit their favorite book store, or purposefully walk around the block carrying the bag, showing off their love of the Serif. Visit the Little Factory blog - op - it's too late. The bag is currently sold out : (

Seth Godin Does It Again

2009-12-15T21:48:00.000-08:00

Today must have been an intellectually stimulating day for Seth Godin. He wrote another brief entry simply asking "...which comes first, the curiosity or the success?"

Godin observes that most people who read multiple blogs and many books (in my opinion, anyone who has finished a full book in the past few months must be a diabolical genius), tend to be more intellectually curious and "thirsty" for knowledge. These people tend to be innovators and quick adopters of new ideas.

Particularly in this day in age when we are bombarded by information, have an abundance of information to process, and have many means in which to receive this information, it takes time for an individual to adapt to unlimited access to knowledge.

I agree that the most intelligent people are those who prioritize their education and search for their every query - in grade school, these were the children who were unafraid to raise their hands.

How to Lose An Arguement - Seth Godin Style

2009-12-15T21:31:00.000-08:00

With the changing landscape of our culture's social practices, one must be careful of every interaction they make. This includes personal interaction as well as online. Seth Godin recently wrote guidelines on how one would be guaranteed to lose an argument online. No one likes to be combative, but everyone feels untitled to defend their own opinions. The differentiating factor of online communication is that if you are too abrasive during a particularly heated discussion, the other party has every means to end the argument by defriending, unfollowing, etc. My favorite tip is the first - don't argue- period.

Have an argument. Once you start an argument, not a discussion, you've already lost. Think about it: have you ever changed your mind because someone online started yelling at you? They might get you to shut up, but it's unlikely they've actually changed your opinion.
Forget the pitfalls of Godwin's law. Any time you mention Hitler or even Communist China or Bill O'Reilly, you've lost.
Use faulty analogies. If someone is trying to make a point about, say, health care, try to make an analogy to something conceptually unrelated, like the space shuttle program, and you've lost.
Question motives. The best way to get someone annoyed and then have them ignore you is to bypass any thoughtful discussion of facts and instead question what's in it for the person on the other end. Make assumptions about their motivations and lose their respect.
Act anonymously. What are the chances that heckled comments from the bleachers will have an impact?
Threaten to take action in another venue. Insist that this will come back to haunt the other person. Guarantee you will spread the word or stop purchasing.
Bring up the slippery slope. Actually, the slope isn't that slippery. People don't end up marrying dogs, becoming cannibals or harvesting organs because of changes in organization, technology or law.
Go to the edges. This is a variant of the slippery slope, in which you bring up extremes at either end of whatever spectrum is being discussed.

Who Doesn't Like Music Videos?

2009-12-10T22:05:00.000-08:00

Stop motion with knitting? Say it isn't so.

With over 700 knits, the Montreal duo Tricot Machine created this video to accompany their song "Les peaux des lievres" as part of the Portable Film Festival. It's also a great animation and song to prepare yourself for winter - not only for the palette and winter theme, but the reminder to engage in handicrafts while visiting family (i.e. not the most exciting holidays)

The Portable Film Festival is a daily online film channel that showcases one mini film each day, every day, all year. In it's third year, it has gained international interest and is solely based online. Every August they launch a new competition, where members can vote for their favorite video.

Film festivals conducted online, electronic literature...what's next?

Symbolizing Something Else...

2009-12-01T22:17:00.000-08:00

Here are the 10 Best TV Shows of the Decade....interpreted as Minimalist Art by designer Albert Exergian and selected by the folks at Flavorwire. Exergian's series of graphic omages to popular television series includes other titles such as Charlie's Angels and Better of Ted.

Here are a few of my favorites:

2009-11-30T22:40:00.000-08:00

Page 030 : Yes, here were a set of sea-dogs, many of whom without the slightest bashfulness had boarded great whales on the high seas — entire strangers to them — and dueled them dead without winking…

Self-declared non-artist Matt Kish decided to take on an ambitious, interesting, yet daunting task - create an illustration for every page of Moby Dick. that's 552 pages. Every work is created with "found" paper as the background. His goal is to create one drawing per page every day. While starting on August 5th of this year, he has 104 pages complete so far. Check out his blog to follow his progress and his website for more illustrations.

An Aside - Wilco

2009-11-10T16:33:00.000-08:00

Grammy Award winning Wilco's secret studo loft in Chicago is every independent musician's dream. The construction of the space allows for interesting acoustics, picking up Andrew Bird's violin as well as the sound of the amps across the room. "The sixty-plus guitars sitting around the room all hummed along, as the vibrations from everything else shook and resonated the steel strings, adding even more texture to the sound. The Loft is, essentially, an instrument of its own."

Check out the entry on the Loft Blog for more photos.

The loft's "brick box" layout has also been utilized in multiple sound recordings. "The stairwell, elevator, and bathroom have all been utilized for specific sounds while recording,” says Tobias. Grocery-carrying neighbors have been known to take the stairs when Wilco is recording in the elevator.

An Aside - Brilliant? Unnecessary? Beatles?

2009-11-10T16:20:00.000-08:00

Do you have $300? Do you want to conserve space? Do you love the Beatles? Want to have a fun party trick?

Introducing The Beatles USB flash drive. The drive contains 14 albums, 13 mini-documentaries, liner art, and rare photographs and will be available in December thanks to Apple and EMI. Only 30,000 will be made for all those Beatles fans out there. You can order yours at the Beatles Store.

This is going on the wishful-thinking Xmas wish list.

An Aside - The Wild Things

2009-11-10T16:05:00.000-08:00

Dave Eggers has self-published his own novelization of "Where the Wild Things Are", adapting it as a "contemporary problem novel or 8-12 year olds" 'The Wild Things'. There has obviously been marketing for the nostalgic adults - due to it's presence at Barnes & Noble and Urban Outfitters as witnessed by yours truly. Despite any misgivings to the reasoning behind this adaptation of the treasured children's picture book, let's take a look at the design of the book cover itself...

Bringing us back to the books of our youth inviting us to touch and feel and un-zipping the zipper (to teach the function of the five senses you perverts), the book is begging for you to pick it up and hug it - except it comes shrink-wrapped.

An Aside - iPhone app of the day

2009-11-10T15:59:00.000-08:00

The ancient Greeks were skeptical of the practice of writing because it meant that humans had no need for memorization of epic tales and speeches. Today, New Yorkers can now be skeptical of this new iPhone app Exit Strategy NYC. It takes skill to take the subway efficiently - the most effective lesson is learning which car on the train would be less crowded and leave you closest to the best exit for your destination. There is now an iPhone app for telling you which subway car to get on. Yet again, technology has allowed humans to think a little less.

1999: "Wow, there's a website for everything!"

2004: "Jeez, there's a blog for everything!"

2009: "Criminy, there's an iPhone app for everything!"

An Aside - Beautiful Trash

2009-11-10T15:36:00.000-08:00

Can design and a splash of pink make something disgusting into a thing of beauty?

TRASH:anycoloryoulike is "a vivid art intervention for urban beautification and environmental awareness. " In the summer of 2008, various artists (led by Adrian Kondratowicz) created biodegradable trash bags in order to transform piles of trash into beautiful street sculptures.

Does it transform waste into a thing of beauty? Does it lift the spirits of all those who roam the streets? Or does it call attention how much trash we actually use?

If interested, you can order your own biodegradable trash bags in various colors. Or you can try to recycle more. Or be functional like the rest of us and use old Target bags.

An Aside - Angry Lil' Ghost

2009-11-10T15:28:00.000-08:00

Inhabitots is a site dedicated to "sustainable design for the next generation". What you get is brilliant ideas that will ensure that children will understand what it means to be eco-friendly. As for the products featured, the child at heart can't help but covet them.

Take for example the "Tio" light switch by Tim Holley that teaches kids about conserving household energy. The light system is mounted to any generic household light switch. Due to the length of time that the light is on, "Tio" will change colors. At his happiest, "Tio" will be green when the light has been on for less than an hour. When the light has been switched on for over four hours, "Tio" turns orange - and he is starting to get mad. At over eight hours, "Tio" turns red and is obviously full of rage. To turn off the light, simple give "Tio" a loving pat.

An Aside - Weird but Glorious

2009-11-03T15:08:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Japan has some of the most talented hands in fashion? This video was shown during Japan's Fashion Week in order to demonstrate the visual concept the runway show for a fashion line. Innovative - creative - and downright cute.

An Aside - Electric Literature

2009-10-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Electric Literature is a quarterly literary magazine that revitalizes the short story by making each issue available in whatever form of media the reader desires: paper, Kindle, e-book, iPhone, and soon audiobook. Using their Twitter, writer Rick Moody will tweet an entire story in a few days. There was also a collaboration between authors, visual artists, and musicians creating Youtube videos inspired by a single sentence in selected stories.

Electric Literature was created by Andy Hunter and Scott Lindenbaum, writers who met at Brooklyn College's M.F.A. program in 2006. Check out NYTimes full story.

The animated videos were created as part of the first issue.

An Aside - KickStarter.com

2009-10-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to sit in on a CMJ Music Marathon panel about "Being Your Own Label". One of the panelists was Yancey Stickler, the Cofounder of Kickstarter, a "funding platform for artists, designers, filmmakers, musicians, journalists, inventors, explorers..." The site gives an opportunity for people to present their ideas while giving others the chance to fund these projects. Ideas are first submitted and approved by the site creators. The projects vary from books, art projects, films, design, activism, and music.

Among these projects is the Designing Obama text I talked about a few weeks ago.

Another interesting project that has reached success is Joseph Wain of NYC's Icons for iPhone apps. With 94 backers, he has met his goal of earning $500 and beyond, earning $1,820.

An Aside - GQ becomes iPhone app

2009-10-20T14:55:00.000-07:00

The publisher of GQ, Conde Nast, is now among the first publishers to develop an entire magazine issue as an iPhone app. The December issue of GQ will be available as an iPhone app for $2.99. By doing this, Conde Nast is stating that they "must have a paid model" in future digital products and that other publishers have been "giving their applications away."

This is a model that could revolutionize the entire print publication world and further shows how far Apple, Inc. has come. Congrats on the 47% sales gain btw.

An Aside - Vancouverian Olympian - say it three times fast

2009-10-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

The design of the Olympic medals for the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010 was just revealed with artwork by Corrie Hunt and designed by Omer Abel. The form of the medal itself was inspired by "ocean waves, drifting snow and moutainous landscapes found across Canada>" (Design Boom) The medals were based off of a large artwork of an Orca whale. Each medal depicts a section of the artwork. Each medalist will be presented with a silk-screened scarf of the original artwork along with their medal, seeing how their medal is connected to all the other athletes in the Olympic Games.

This is the back.....

This is the front...

An Aside - Too Far?

2009-10-15T15:12:00.000-07:00

An Apple Inc.'s iPhone owner could say that the iPhone is multifunctional to the point where their daily life is simpler and certain responsibilities require far less attention. Like driving, a daily responsibility that the iPhone takes care of - WHAT?

Welcome to the iDriver - the iPhone remote controlled car. The app that allows you to do so is still under collaboration with the Spirit of Berlin Team at Freie Universitat Berlin (German university robotics team who designed the remote controlled mini van) and Appirion who created the app. Check out the video below.

I do love the iPhone as being the multi-purpose personal tool that will change civilization as we know it - but is this a little too far? What if the iPhone battery dies during a long road trip?

An Aside - Rugged Radio

2009-10-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

It's an adorable yet RUGGED RADIO. Here we have a "green" radio from
Solène le Goff and Christophe Gouache. On the top is a thin solar panel - therefore, no batteries or electrical wires needed. The Radio Log is 80% wood and the other 20% is only comprised of components necessary to make the radio work. The "buttons" are the drilled holes on the lower right. Clever and cute. I'm a fan.

An Aside - Color Lovers Part 2

2009-10-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

Talk about saving a project for a rainy day. Rachel Berger pulled out a paint chip every day for 100 days and wrote a description for it. She posted her favorite 40 here. Here are three examples:

07 Lipstick
What's the difference between Sarah Palin and the next vice president of the United States? Lipstick.

48 Moss Landing
Ken Kesey's Sometimes a Great Notion opens with a description of the frightening, dripping, verdancy of Oregon. It continues for many pages, and it's all true. In Portland, moss grows on the roofs of the houses, ferns sprout from cracks in the sidewalk, even the best maintained streets and buildings are prone to sliding around during the dark wet winter. One time in college, I came home for a holiday, and there were huge gray mushrooms growing out of my bedroom carpet.

57 Cool Melon
Only three times in its hundred-year history has the Crayola company changed the name of a crayon. Prussian Blue became Midnight Blue in 1958 and Indian Red was renamed Chestnut in 1999, both in response to requests from educators. In 1962, the company voluntarily changed Flesh to Peach, partially in response to the U.S. Civil Rights Movement.

An interesting way to show yet again how a single color can invoke a mood.

An Aside - Inorganic Flora

2009-10-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Here is some work from Japanese artist Macoto Murayama, who created a "new form of plant depiction that transcends accepted (common, usual) horizons of botanical illustration": inorganic flora. Using photography and botanical drawing, the overall effect is a technical look at what are always seen as organic living things.

An Aside - Do You Take Risks?

2009-10-12T14:54:00.000-07:00

Seth Godin talked about risk taking on his blog. Is it better to take risks or play it safe? Smarter to avoid possible conflict or to take a chance? Godin says there is a difference between those who will only eat at restaurants that are Zagat rated and those who will walk into any venue, daringly so.

"When things get interesting is when the apparently risky is demonstrably [less safe] than the actually risky. That's when we sometimes become uncomfortable enough with our reliance on the apparent to focus on the actual. Think about that the next time they make you take off your shoes at the airport."

I do take risks - but it's based off of my tendency to act on impulse. The difference is that I usually have the common sense to cover my tracks beforehand.

An Aside - Color Lovers

2009-10-08T10:51:00.001-07:00

Did you ever have a favorite childhood story? Ever needed to create a palette and lacked the inspiration? While at working searching for Wizard of Oz fans, I came across this entry on Colour Lovers about the color palette behind the original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz printed in 1900.

"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was an innovative book not least because of the twenty four full colour plates and myriad monochromatic illustrations in which the colour changed according to the location in the story (Kansas = grey, Emerald City = green and so on). With the illustrative vignettes often encroaching on the text area, the type was cleverly printed over the top of the coloured images" (BiblioOdyssey). (BiblioOdyssey is another great blog about illustrations in general)

It just shows that inspiration can come from anywhere. An illustration from 1900 can still be relevant to what you design today.

An Aside - Green Energy

2009-10-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

Green Puzzle from Kalomix Limited, a product design and development company based in Hong Kong, is a roof green that also provides green energy for your house. Grass grows naturally from a green paid that has flexible solar panels, converting into solar energy. The natural grass naturally converts carbon dioxide into oxygen. And you get beautiful green surroundings in an urban environment...just like my indoor landscaping "product" Kasan. Win win.

An Aside - Inspiration from Relations

2009-10-05T15:01:00.001-07:00

I have been inspired by my old family photographs for various art projects, normally paintings and sketches. Itay Laniado is inspired by his family photos too - for designer furniture. In the following examples we see a chair, a table, and a lamp.

I find family photos inspiring due to the emotional context. In Laniado's case, he has looked at these photos long enough to pick out different genetic shapes, receiving concept ideas for product development.

What do you think?

An Aside - A bad habit

2009-10-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

As you can tell, I am a fan of reading. I like eating too. The two do not mix. There are spills, crumbs, terrible mishaps. Until...bam....Design Boom shares a design for a new kind of reading tray by London based designer Yu-Hun Kim. Now you can read and drink simultaneously!
However, after looking at the comments section, there are some issues:

you can't turn pages
you can't read under the cup
you are holding a tray and book with one hand - awkwardness
more of a solution for an invented problem
all in all - a waste of time and resources.

cute idea - but not for the practical world.

An Aside - Digital Reading

2009-10-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

I've been reading a lot about e-books and "digital reading" and how it is turning the media and publishing industry upside down. While downloading reading material is seen as the ultimate convenience, some traditionalists are still fight for the comfort that comes with holding a book in your hands and turning the pages. Is there a way to bring both concepts together?

I bring you.... the Infinite-Book.

Designer Ewald Neuhofer came up with this digital book that allows you to flip pages, just as you would for anything traditional publication. For example, if you were reading the times, you can still have the experience of flipping through pages and disorganizing sections, as well as folding it in small quarters to toss on the breakfast table.

I'm not so sure if the whimsy of page turning is as necessary as practicality today.

An Aside - Digital Message in a Bottle

2009-09-30T15:44:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read the personals on Craigslist? Sophie Blackall, an illustrator living in Brooklyn, has compiled and published a book of illustrations based on the "Missed Connections" section on Craigslist.

She first started making illustrations for fun, inspired by "Missed Connections" and personal ads in the Village Voice. Blackall then published the drawings on her blog in March, catching the attention of publishers. The New York Times' Technology section featured her, saying that more often nowadays artists are grabbing " inspiration from the rich trove of materials on the Web and the world of social media."

Another example is Mark Held, who does paintings inspired by Facebook profile pictures.

An Aside - More About Blu

2009-09-30T14:10:00.001-07:00

so we have been talking about the artist Blu for a few weeks now. Coincidentally, my friend posted this video today of a collaboration between Blu and David Ellis. This video is a little different compared to the previous Blu videos I have seen. Check it out.

David Ellis is another artist who paints on public wall spaces. His worked is aimed to interpret music and sound.

I have been loving these videos and their playful quality. They provide and imaginative look at one's every day surroundings.

An Aside - A Challenge

2009-09-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Core 77 recently posted a challenge
to design a product that supports the future of digital reading.

One entry, from"lunchbreath", was a humorous cartoon that actually proved genius. A Trapper-Kindle - strangely enough when I first heard about the Kindle, I was envisioning people walking around with their Kindle in some sort of case. With the latest design at $299, you can bet that I want that baby protected from the rest of my clutter. A need for personalization would come next.

An Aside: Speaking of the Recession + Music

2009-09-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

I like music. I love my Ipod. I am aware of the recession. This product marries all three.
Yes, a cheeky, cardboard Ipod Case for 99 cents. Innovative, obvious, or super sarcasm?

An Aside - Something Music Made

2009-09-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a newly designed music synthesizer by Stockholm's Teenage Engineering that looks reminiscent of the popular toy keyboards from the 1980s. The portable, battery-operated synthesizer called Operator 1 hooks up to your laptop, giving you easy access to produce tracks and become the next generation's version of Girl Talk. Go on the site right now to sign up for yours.

An Aside - "Yes We Can" Design

2009-09-17T15:17:00.001-07:00

Following what has been credited as one of the most successful campaigns this millennium, Designing Obama is a newly published collection of the artwork and graphic design inspired by Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2008.

During the campaign, Obama's Design Director Scott Thomas gathered a group of graphic artists to submit their designs inspired by the candidate. The result is a collection of the posters, graphics, and art crated in light of the Obama campaign. With rising politicians, or rising celebrities, we witness the transition where a previously unknown individual's face becomes a symbol itself. With a figure such as Obama, it is fascinating to see various artists' interpretations of the "ideal of Obama".

The official site of the book claims that the volume is proof that poster art is "not a dead medium" in the United States. "With the goal of supporting Barack Obama’s campaign for presidency, Design/ers for Obama will introduce new tools and opportunities to web-powered grass roots organizing that has already revolutionized campaigning."

Let's look at this lovely chart that shows how being a poster designer proves your support for Obama:

- originally found on Flavorwire

An Aside - Color With the Lines

2009-09-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

Japan's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation created an exhibit called "Co-Draw". Children and adults alike can draw images that can be manipulated by a computer. The drawer holds the pen until light emits from it, then begins drawing shapes. Once the pen is lifted off of the screen, the computer will "read" the drawing and then set the drawing in motion. When the drawing first appears on the screen, you can even see numbers rolling as the computer reads the image.

All in all, an interesting way to marry and highlight computer science with art.

An Aside - Badge

2009-09-15T16:00:00.001-07:00

We make assumptions about people based on what they wear, what they look like, who they associate themselves with. Wearing one thing will signify another, a sort of subliminal message about the individual. A symbol if you will.

I came across this blog about BADGES. On Iriszalokar's Blog, she writes about the new trend - badges.

"A badge is a device, patch, or accoutrement which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath (e.g., police and fire), a sign of legitimate employment or student status, or as a simple means of identification. They are also used in advertising, publicity, and for branding purposes.

Badges or patches can be made from metal, plastic, leather, textile fabric, rubber, etc., and they are commonly attached to clothing, bags, footwear, transportation vehicles, home electrical equipment, etc."

While it may be the next stylish thing, I couldn't help but think about other badges:

The Scout earning their badges.

The patches scene kids wear of their favorite bands

The circle pins that were originally worn by punks claiming anarchy.

The medals war heroes being home.

Pieces of "flair" for individuality.

But the key is that by putting a badge on yourself, you are becoming a walking advertisement for something, whether a belief, accomplishment, statement, or preference. Isn't that what fashion has become anyway? Advertising yourself?

Some people may take it a little overboard.

An Aside: Following Fashion

2009-09-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

In the wake of last week's NY Fashion Week, Bruce Nussbaum of Business Week commented about the state of the fashion industry due to the economy. Even the occasional clothes shopper has noticed in the changes in the past year in fashion, where luxury is not as demanded, but low prices are. Nussbaum says that by observing the fashion industry, we will see great innovation for these struggling times.

Some examples of busiess models and strategices that Nussbaum observed from the fashion industry are pop-up stores that take over an empty space for a few months just to highlight a new designer and invite-only, limited sales through fashion sites. A great example of this is Gilt Group, which allows people to subscribe to emails detailing about the schedule of online sales of designers' clothing.

Nussbaum also gave a shout out to Gen Y, saying that online based platforms for business will eventually become the norm.

What I most agree with Nussbaum is how in the too-soon-near-future, businesses will have to attract potential customers with an online component. Gone are the days of mainstream media and hoping the casual passerby on the street will stop into your boutique.

As for the fashion business model showing great innovation, it is because of the recession that fashion has the need for innovation. During a time of recession, "extras" like fashion and entertainment will be more difficult for the average consumer to purchase on a regular basis. The economy is testing every business, and this is the time when great creativity and customer relations are necessary in order to survive.

Sketches for Logo

2009-09-14T20:52:00.000-07:00

The idea was to combine something structural with something organic, tying into the concept of interior landscaping - bringing nature into urban environments. This entry also introduces the invented name of the product - KASAN - a combination of the Japanese word "sanso" (oxygen), and the German word "kabe" (wall). The name also suggests the Spanish word for "house" - casa. The process of deciding on the name involved me furiously rearranging words, then my professor walking over, pointing at "kasan" and said "that's it."

An Aside - Everyone's Version of the Scientific Method

2009-09-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

The previous blog post focused on the Design Process, which I interpreted as adapting the scientific method into a logical process that could be used for everyday challenges. How fitting it is for such processes to come my way during a time when I feel constantly overwhelmed with problems.

Today Seth Godin blogged about his hierarchy of success.

Attitude
Approach
Goals
Strategy
Tactics
Execution

Godin basically argues that most people are too focused on the execution, when in reality the reasoning behind execution only makes sense because of the tactics behind it, and there is a strategy behind all tactics, and if you don't have reasonable goals your strategy is not sound and so on and so forth. All in all, Godin says that the attitude you have when approaching something is most important, followed by the way you approach it.

In my opinion, I think one could never go wrong with the scientific method we all learned in grade school. You begin with curiosity and a question, and then go forth to find the right answer, whether it involved research or experimentation. This yet again encourages the idea of curiosity and learning. During a training session at work, (I work at the Long Island Children's Museum), one of my supervisors said that the instinct to be curious and search for answers is dying out, now that we are in an instant-info age.

Godin also said these are important questions to ask yourself:

How do you deal with failure?
When will you quit?
How do you treat competitors?
What personality are you looking for in the people you hire?
What's it like to work for you? Why? Is that a deliberate choice?
What sort of decisions do you make when no one is looking?

Yet again, this has proven to be another course that requires a great deal of self questioning.