GDS 102

Good Design or Design For Good?

2010-05-03T16:46:00.006-05:00

We have discussed the many aspects of graphic design; it is artistic, business, collaboration, etc. Graphic design is also communication of ideas and experiences. You can communicate a new brand of detergent, or maybe communicate when a new DVD comes out. You could also communicate global statistics to help people better understand the human condition in other countries. Below is a link to a TED talk given by Hans Rosling. He discusses human mortality rates in other countries, and uses UN statistics to enlighten people on our misconceptions of third world and developing countries. Now where does a graphic designers come in? Well scientist collect data and analyze it, but not always does it become widespread because it is difficult to read, confusing, and/or ridiculously gaudy. Designers are trained solve these problems, to organize bits of information and make them attractive to a general public. If scientists and designers could get work together we would have a wealth of information that was easily accessible and better to comprehend. Here's Gapminder, (Hans Rosling's website) that have engaging graphs that paint a better picture of important global trends. http://www.gapminder.org/

http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html

Utilizing Escalators

2010-04-27T20:17:00.002-05:00

Juice Salon found a clever way to advertise. The have selected hairstyles and placed a different one on each step of an escalator. The hair styles were designed to line up with an image of a face at the bottom so that 'his hairstyle' would change as the stairs rotate through. While using space often ignored for advertising, this designer has come up with a creative piece that amuses the viewer. It also allows the salon to show off their wide variety of styles in one place.

Changing Logos

2010-04-27T20:10:00.005-05:00

Newsweek had an interesting article that I believe everyone might enjoy. It showed the progression of a few popular logos. They include Kodak, Pepsi, John Deere (surprisingly I hear that's where Parkland's colors come from), Shell gasoline, and 3M. The main one of interest for me was Betty Crocker because they use a photograph or illustration of an ideal spokeswoman. In the article, they mention that the latest face of Betty Crocker is actually a 'computer-generated composite of 75 women.' Also, notice how how her outfit even changed all while keeping the same color palette.

Webpage

2010-04-20T20:15:00.005-05:00

Above is a screen-shot from a website designed by Michael Franken. It shows a different way to flip through a collection of photographs, it has a very clean Swiss-like style. The commercial images are arranged in a simple fashion. The personal collection is a little bit fancier using images in the shape of film negatives. The personal ones also film around on their axis where the commercial stay perfectly gridded. The personal ones also have bold yellow as their background while the commercial images on on black and white. I really liked the look of the whole site. Although it had a different layout, I found it relatively easy to navigate through.
Check out the website here http://www.bernhardwolff.com/

Killer Intro

2010-04-12T20:36:00.005-05:00

The intro to Showtime's TV show Dexter is one of my absolute favorites. It was created by the folks at Digital Kitchen, and they won the 2007 Emmy for Outstanding Title Sequence for it. The sequence has a contemporary feel to it because of it's simplicity and conceptual imagery. The font red sans serif, with in implied blood splatter here or there because blood is very important to the whole plot of the show.The whole premise is that Dexter is a blood splatter analyst for the Miami police department, and also a serial killer. Don't worry, he only kills bad guys. In the intro it shows him going through his morning routine as any regular Joe would but the photography gives it a sinister look. The camera uses close ups to isolate areas to focus your attention while both sped up/slowed down motion add dramatic effect. Even though every action is mundane, the entire photography gives it a violent appearance. It even makes breakfast look incredibly brutal. It ends with a view of him outside of his home (like his perceived outer appearance) giving a cheesy wholesome smile contrasting what the viewer has seen as his dark interior (true self). This is how other characters see him, only the viewer has inside knowledge of Dexter's real motivations.

Sorry the images are so rough. Here is the entire intro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5WpxxJpL-g. It's less than two minutes, and I highly suggest checking it out.

Currency

2010-04-05T22:21:00.001-05:00

I was inspired by our last section to check out what some different currencies look like. Above is from the Cook Islands. I really liked the tropical feel of these dollars, partially because I would rather be on an island right now. They use animals, floral, settings and people native to their region. The front shows two people in front of a traditional-feeling patterned background. This cuts the front in thirds. Other images are layered on to help break up the space, especially the beads rolling from side to side. I love the bar of sea shells right against the bar of flowers on the back. What seems to be people in front of a church both shows what native life looks like and what their priorities are. The rest of the Cook Island currency looks similar, but they each have a different color scheme. Each of these color schemes is vibrant and cheery, you don't really see earth tones.
If your curious about other currency, you can check out this collectors site http://aes.iupui.edu/rwise/notedir/mappage.html. There are so many creative and inspiring ideas out there.

Good Luck

2010-03-29T21:24:00.003-05:00

I love honesty in advertising. So I love the simple design of Oregon's state lottery. It's just a solid hand crossing it's fingers. It's more honest than Illinois' pot of gold that a very very few every get to see. It makes more sense to me than Washington's four leaf clover that just reminds me staring at the ground looking for genetic mutant plants. Crossing your fingers probably isn't a universal symbol for hoping for the the best but it sure works in the US.

A Matter of Maps

2010-03-29T21:07:00.004-05:00

While I was in Seattle, I was at the mercy of their public transit system. Trying to find your way around a new city can be extra challenging when you're visiting a city that is on foothills that are just littered with water ways. The transit map designers had a problem of deciding whether to go with the more accurate terrain but messy-looking map, or go with a nice clean map that barely bore any resemblance to the actual city. It reminded me of Vignelli's map problem. So what did they do? Well, instead of possibly making the wrong choice, they just didn't. They used both. Actually they had three all together. I think it worked, I never really got lost. Although part of me hates when things don't match.

Data Visualization

2010-03-15T18:17:00.007-05:00

Above is a data visualization created by Sha Hwang to illustrate the increased use of the NYC subway station from 1905 to 2006. While trying to convey information, these graphs are also aesthetically pleasing. Clarity of information is given priority to appearance. Consideration was giving to the color choices, each line has its own distinct color within the same saturation level as the others. The cool gray background acts as a simple backdrop just to give the viewer an environment and recedes so it doesn't complicate the image. It's important to think about how we present this kind of information. It doesn't have to be boring or static, instead I can have more interest in the design than the information I get out of it. I would not be at all as interested about a bar graph created with Excel. Also, these visuals can help the viewer better understand the information they receive.
This one can be found at http://www.diametunim.com/portfolio/ . There are many great examples of data visualization out there. Some are even interactive like http://www.wefeelfine.org/. Others can hold more more specific data like http://www.munterbund.de/visualisierung_textaehnlichkeiten/sketches.php#Examplesoffinalresults or http://well-formed.eigenfactor.org/index.html.

Clearly Milk Carton Packaging

2010-03-08T19:32:00.006-06:00

This packaging, while not really practical, is extremely clear. It is creatively constructed from cardboard in the size and shape of a standard 2 liter container of milk.The designer was looking for the most effective way to represent the product with word and image. All caps Helvetica type works beautifully to create a bold statement. This would not look at all as sharp or clean with Times New Roman, and I can't even imagine (let alone want to see) Elegance. Even the photograph with the white backdrop and minimal objects echos the simplicity of this design. This carton replaces the variety of milk carton we usually would expect the hand to be holding. The milk flowing out of the carton also lets us see that this piece is functional. For this piece and other designs by Julien De Repentigny, check out http://visualadvice.com/index.php?/milk-packaging/.

Quite A Novel Layout

2010-03-01T15:49:00.004-06:00

The Early Modern period reminded me of books by Mark Z. Danielewski. He has written several novels so far, and both used different approaches to designing the text's layout. I included images from the second book Only Revolutions. Click on them to view larger images. The top image is one of the end pages. It's actually niether front nor back because you read the book from both ends. Each direction gives you a story from another perspective. The end page is just a playful layout of words forming O shapes that repeat through out the book. The words are reversed so that you can only read them in a mirror. I feel that Danielewski did this so that you see the forms as shapes rather than the specific ideas they represent.
The bottom image is from an early page. He choose to have the top left section of the left page (and top right section of the right page) be one person's story. The bottom sections are the other persons story. As you go through your narrators section gets smaller, allowing more room for the alternate perspective. The middle sections on the gutter include dates and historical references for that time in the story. Danielewski alternates between justifying text to the left or right, giving the over text body a wavy, free-flowing quality. He also choose to bold words for emphasis, and play with capitals and italics.
You can also see two circles on each page. they include both page numbers for each perspective. As you flip the pages you notice the two numbers orbit each other. It's pretty cool that Danielewski took this into account. You can watch as the two circles complete one full revolution with the larger circle.
All the O's throughout the book have been printed in color ink (either green or gold depending). I have yet to see any positive effect this has on the story. It just seems like a ridiculous expensive to me.

This is a great example of how to creatively solve the problem of having a multiple perspective book. You can use this layout to enhance the reader's experience. You could also try this approach to get more attention. This kind of book is just really engaging to any potential reader, but if done poorly it could really distract from the plot or be too confusing to navigate.

As soon as I can get my hands on a copy of House of Leaves I will bring it in. It's just the kind of thing you really need to flip through to experience.

Edible Menus

2010-02-22T20:18:00.006-06:00

Homaro Cantu is the half chef / half mad scientist at Chicago's very own Moto restaurant. They are famous for wild dishes that push the limits on presentation. They're also known to print their own menus directly on food. First a base is created, usually something starchy like a chip. Then they print out their menu, or design to be incorporated into the dish, using an edible ink they make themselves. It's a great way to introduce a customer to their way of plating a dish. Above, you can also see a printed sushi roll. Chef Cantu has also used this process to incorporate the Exxon Mobil logo into a tuna dish to make a statement about population becoming a forced part of our diet. Not sure how tasty that is, but it's a different approach to combining design and food.

Business Cards

2010-02-15T19:49:00.003-06:00

Years ago, I was working for a company where we were revamping business cards for our sale reps. I found this website for inspiration, and I still think it's relevant today. It is a list or innovative business card design. Cards on here range from simply stunning design to the less practical but wow. I picked some of my favorites but you can check out the whole list at http://creativebits.org/cool_business_card_designs.
I feel that the most successful examples are have contact information clearly visible without being wieghed down by excessive distractions. If they choose to use a little gimmick to get your attention, ones that directly relate to the profession are the most successful. With so many business cards floating around out there, it does pay to stand out. I know people who save any unique card they get so they can show them off to other people. If word of mouth is great advertising than this isn't far off. However, it should not be done at the expense of loosing valuable contact information. People may love your card but if they can't figure out how to reach you, what's the point? I should also mention, many on the list would cost more than your standard business card (some much, much more). Your budget and printing limitations should be considered.

Olympic Posters Over the Years

2010-02-12T19:51:00.004-06:00

David Ross was interviewed on the Colbert Report yesterday. You can check it out the interview or whole episode at colbertnation.com He brought with him examples of Olympic art and how it has changed over the years. He began with ancient Greek designs, (not yet in poster form of course) focusing on forms of athletic Greek men. In more recent times the Olympics have been advertised with these posters. Designers first looked back and imitated ancient Greek style fused with the popular trends of the time. Ross discussed how the athletic human form over time was pushed aside in favor of more nationalistic themes. After more time, designers seemed to prefer to use more corporate themes. I looked around on the internet and can see where Ross is coming from, but I see that human figures often reappear as do national symbols. The best culmination of the three can be seen in the 2008 Beijing poster where the character actually represents the city but is assuming a human figure in what can be considered a good corporate kind of logo. Scroll down to 'previous blogs' for examples. I apologize for doing it this way but the blog won't allow any other rational solution.

France 1900 Olympic Poster

2010-02-12T19:42:00.002-06:00

Belgium 1920 Olympic Poster

2010-02-12T19:38:00.000-06:00

London 1948 Olympic Poster

2010-02-12T19:37:00.000-06:00

Tokyo 1964 Olympic Poster

2010-02-12T19:36:00.003-06:00

Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Poster

2010-02-12T19:35:00.003-06:00

Beijing 2008 Olympic Poster

2010-02-12T18:23:00.006-06:00

'A Psych Fest' Poster

2010-02-08T21:13:00.002-06:00

Record shops are magnets for all kinds of musical posters. This one was found at Reckless Records, and it really stood out to me because off how its using the Psychedelic style to reach any would-be fans. The event is for some psychedelic music show and is envoking the earlier style to match the environment they are trying to create. It is primarily bands of warped lines of text that are not immediately readable, and the letters have a carved out appearance. The colors are very bright, especially on the blackness of the background. The two crudely drawn veiny eyes seem to go along with the metaphysical/higher state of being vibe. I think this poster is an effective use of Psychedelic style. Although, if this was my design, I would have done a few things differently.

5 4 3 2 1 Go's Bus Ad

2010-02-01T19:03:00.003-06:00

The 5 4 3 2 1 circling around clockwise caught my attention from almost a block away. Other than the tiny logo the colors are a dark blue, a lighter version of that blue and white. Only the numbers and central message stand out in white. The dark blue text recedes into the background and becomes secondary information. This text is also sized to fit each given line with main ideas larger, like 'Activity'. The lighter blue boxes are arranged around the center in a non-symmetrical fashion giving this a less formal look. The white silhouetted icons support each boxes idea and are very similar to IPod or Wii icons. The designer was probably trying to use a similar design to attract that audience. When I got closer and realized I am pretty much looking at a public service announcement, a good looking one. I usually associate public message with cheesy pictures or outdated slang; but I think this one is clean, simple, and actually pretty effective.

Davenport's Signage

2010-01-25T21:14:00.002-06:00

Piano bar's can evoke thoughts of the roaring 20s and Art Deco. In this sign for a piano bar we see the designer play with this in the simplified geometric buildings in the background. It is also powered by bold color. These vibrant primary colors, personally, remind me of the early 1990s along with all the geometric shapes. The logo itself is pushed out from the background, angled and it even breaks the rectangular border. Black on yellow type draws your attention and doesn't get lost within the design of the sign. The D cleverly forms a piano shape reinforcing piano into the name without sacrificing readability. The eye reads Davenport's and can be comfortably pulled back in and around by the red and blue semicircle. This sign is quite successful in grabbing your attention on a busy street clogged with advertisements. It also gives you an clear idea of what kind of place you might find if you go inside.