An Aside - Inorganic Flora

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?

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

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

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

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

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:

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

cute idea - but not for the practical world.

An Aside - Digital Reading

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.