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Thoughts on design 1.2

Designers discuss typography in terms of good and bad. Good typography consists of perfect kerning, readable leading, and the perfect choice of display headlines. Bad typography consist of stretched, distorted, and poorly kerned type. While graphic designers and typographers focus on the details of type, does the general public do the same? Probably not.

From an objective viewpoint, my assumption is that most people (i.e. non-designers) see typography and text as texture. When walking down a hallway, do you notice the texture of the wallpaper? While taking a shortcut through an alley, do you notice the texture of the brick in an alleyway?

Less often than not.

November 1, 2010 // 0 Comments

10 FAMOUS WORKS (WITH CLIENT FEEDBACK)

I found this post on the blog at Crestock.com. Enjoy!  …although, I wonder if they could make the font bigger and put a thicker border around the most important works.

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If you’re a designer, you’ve probably had to deal with lots of annoying client feedback throughout your career. Let’s face it, a lot of clients have no idea what good work looks like. In fact, I reckon that if the average client was presented with classics of Western art, they’d probably still try to offer up some constructive criticism. And it might look something like this…

10 - Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa
Client feedback:
We think it would help communicate our superior customer service if we make her a call-center employee, so please give her one of those headsets. Further to that, since she’s just helped a customer solve their problem, why isn’t she smiling?

9 - The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind
of Someone Living

Damien Hirst Shark
Client feedback:
We love this! So profound, and it really makes you think. But just a couple thoughts: Instead of a shark, can we make it a couple of rabbits? And instead of being dead, let’s make them alive. And throw some grass in there so they can frolic.

8 - The Scream

The Scream
Client feedback:
From his expression, it’s not totally clear he’s screaming. We showed it to one of our HR girls and she said “It looks like he’s really tired and having a yawn.” So let’s add a voice bubble with text that reads “Nooooooo!” (for the text, use Comic Sans).

7 - Venus de Milo

Venus de Milo
Client feedback:
Is this even finished? And we’ll have to check with legal and get back to you about her being unclothed.

6 - The Last Supper

The Last Supper
Client feedback:
Our customers are both men and women, from a wide variety of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, and we feel this doesn’t quite reflect that. As such, please adjust your choice of models to include one MILF-type with a baby stroller (young, urban mothers are one of our biggest demographics), a man in coveralls with a hardhat, an Asian (doesn’t matter what type), and a Native American. Oh, and make that long haired metal dude in the middle black.

5 - The Kiss

Gustav Klimt - The Kiss
Client feedback:
We have two words for this: Not hot. Let’s see some skin. Try another revision, with her in a red lace bra and thong.

4 - Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

Sistine Chapel Ceiling
Client feedback:
We appreciate your hard work and dedication as you worked on this these last four years. Unfortunately we only budgeted 20 hours of design for this project. So we’ll have to ask that 35,043 hours of your work be pro bono.

3 - Guernica

Picasso Guernica
Client feedback:
We like the direction you’re going with this sketch, but we thought you were presenting finished mock-ups today.

2 - The Thinker

The Thinker
Client feedback:
We want to improve conversions by making things more interactive. So please add a poll question to this, with the following text:

What’s he thinking about?
a) Who’s going to win “So You Think You Can Dance”
b) Where he left his pants
c) Whether there’s any more toilet paper
d) That Venus chick is amazing – wonder what line I could use to pick her up?

1 - Andy Warhol’s Campbell Soup 1, 1968

Warhol Campbell Soup
Client feedback:
Make the logo bigger.

August 23, 2009 // 0 Comments

BLACK AND WHITE CLOCK

A must have from Kibardindesign. Unfortunately, it’s only a prototype.


img-1

clock3

clock4

Digital clock: only figures, no case, only the necessary – only accurate time. Each figure has self-contained power supply and independent control, it can be fixed to any surface autonomously. A light sensor will switch the clock to an invert mode: the figures are white in the dark time of day and black at daytime.

Design: Vadim Kibardin

Size of one figure: 60 mm x 110 mm x 10mm

Colour: translucent white

Materials: polycarbonate, luminous part of figure – Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED)

Power-supply: lithium-ion accumulators

Control (choice of mode and time settings): touch-sensitive

Status of project: searching for manufacturer.

Found via swissmiss

July 20, 2009 // 0 Comments

IT’S BEEN FOREVER BUT THIS IS COOL!

Although I realize I have been horribly shirking my blogging duties, there are very good reasons why.

1. I’ve been crazy busy. I am now leading Aptera’s design team, which is great but doesn’t feed my craving for graphic design. My position entails more project management and client relationship duties. So…I am in the middle of a few exciting, but fairly good-sized freelance projects.
2. I’m working on a font. Although I’d love to say I officially have my degree, I have to complete an additional class before they actually hand me my diploma.
3. I found Twitter. Sorry WordPress, but Twitter is much more quick and simple. I’m finding it easier and easier to to say what I want in 140 characters.

Just to prove that I haven’t fallen off the face of the blogging world, I leave you with this video. I don’t care who you are – this is simply amazing. Genius.

More information about the project on Pierre and Damien’s web site, pleaseletmedesign.com. More images onFlickr. You can download the free iQ font from Toyota.

July 18, 2009 // 0 Comments

THE BEST BUSINESS CARD?

I couldn’t help but LOL when I saw this video. This guy is ridiculous. My favorite line?

“This is the most impressive business card I’ve ever seen. It’s mine. It took me 25 years to design this…”

You mean he’s been designing that card since 1984. I must admit that’s impressive. Twenty-five years is long enough for something to be in style, go out of style, and come back in style.

In style, out of style, whatever…it’s hilarious.

June 3, 2009 // 1 Comment

HAPPY MAY DAY

Ever since I can remember, my family has celebrated May Day to it’s fullest.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with May Day, May Day was celebrated by some early European settlers of the American continent. In some parts of the United States, May Baskets are made. These baskets are small and usually filled with flowers or treats and left at someone’s doorstep. The basket giver would ring the bell and run away. The person receiving the basket would try to catch the fleeing giver. If they caught the person, a kiss was to be exchanged.

When I was in Kansas, we would devise elaborate plans for getting the May Day baskets to our cousins without getting caught. Sadly, I have yet to find anyone in Indiana who celebrates this holiday. One of these days, I’ll make it a tradition. Yes….I will.

May 1, 2009 // 4 Comments

THE “SAVE” FOLDER

I’ve been collecting things to blog about for when I upgrade my version of WordPress, and I’m excited that the day has finally come.

Without futher ado…

2988973646_55d2a9ce7a

baron-baron2

studio-punkat2

studio-punkat

ligature

February 16, 2009 // 3 Comments

A LITTLE INSIGHT

Found via Twitter, posted by Slash.

The 7 Stages of Design Grief
The design process is fraught with self-doubt and second-guessing. I’m not sure there’s any cure for it, but if you’ve ever stared at a blank page or screen and wondered if this time the creative well has permanently dried, just know that you’re not alone.

1. Anticipation
I can’t wait to get started. This will be my best work ever, I’ll win loads of design awards!

2. Despair
I’m a hack. I have no ideas. This time I’ll be found out for sure.

3. Resentment
Why do I even try? They’ll pick the most conservative concept anyway. And would it kill them to hire a professional photographer?

4. Desperation
Deadline looming. I can’t show them a blank page! Look through design annuals for inspiration, come away with nothing except “orange.”

5. Cynicism
More drop shadows, anyone? How about tilting all those photos at jaunty angles and putting “Polaroid” frames around them? No one’s ever done that before. (Ugh. I hate myself.)

6. Resignation
This sucks, but it’s better than nothing. And now I can justify this invoice. I wonder if I can convince them that orange symbolizes “transition”?

7. Acceptance
The client liked it! Hey, maybe I don’t suck after all. I have been doing this professionally for years.

8. Repeat.

February 12, 2009 // 0 Comments

THE NEXT STEP IN HUMAN EVOLUTION

I received this in an email from my brother. Simply amazing.


wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

February 10, 2009 // 1 Comment

STEFFEN UP THE HILL

steffenupthehill.com

And now for a plug for my sister in law who has just started a blog on interior design. Check it out!

February 4, 2009 // 1 Comment