Reflections on AIGA part one

Wow, they’re spicing up the world of student design competition and adding another step by challenging students in real life scenarios. It’s funny that the emcee had made a reference to the show Project Runway, which I think was an influencing factor in the way that the AIGA had approached the 2007 student design competition. If you haven’t seen Project Runway it’s a fashion design competition hosted by Heidi Klum that challenges the best of designers to design and make clothes with certain themes or clients in mind while dealing with time and budge constraints.

So back to the matter at hand, the Command + X student design competition part one, which challenged seven students to redesign the Denver Broncos’ logo. I felt that some of the designers seem to just take elements from past logos and simply passed them off as a redesign with simple tweaks here and there. The evolutionary designs seemed to lack execution while the revolutionary designs were on point with execution and fresh ideas. These designers took the past logos into consideration to direct them in their redesign, which looked and felt fresher.

On another note I thought the judges pointed out some valid points with some of the elements in each design but I felt that they didn’t have a clear direction in their judging and felt that they were looking at the designs based on their personal tastes instead of looking at the designs objectively as clients representing the Denver Broncos franchise. I thought the “Farrah Fawcett” design that was put in the two truly showed there bias and the clear fact that they criteria when they were judging because the “Farrah Fawcett” design in my opinion lacked in execution and appeared to be an easy solution to the challenge.

Overall, I’m excited to see how each student will meet the challenges. It’s like American Idol for designers. lol


Image from: http://designconference2007.aiga.org/dc-commandx

Are ad'g and graphic design moving toward delivering 'experience'...

Yes, I think that advertising and design is moving toward delivering “experience” as the end product for the simple reason that we as a society are constantly inundated with hundreds of different ads at every turn we take. It only makes sense that advertisers and designers try to deliver to their audience in the only way that will catch, hold and influence their opinion. I keep hearing that it’s all about the experience because then you have a story to tell and memories to look back on. When you look at it from the point – of - view that an “experience” can be passed onto family and friends it creates a far better reach then advertisers have ever imagined. Look at the whole history of oral stories that have been passed on from generation to generation having an effect on what we believe and think for example “Urban Legends” and “old wives tales”.

So what better way to get into the already clouded minds of the public by creating an “experience” that can be used as jump off to create more buzz around a product. It sort of like the way viral ads work in the way it spreads like a virus with the simple form of communication.

Headstart 2008 - Yesterday was the day

So I’m writing this blog on my way to Headstart 2008 at CNIB. I have to be there at 8:30 am put it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting there on time. The workshops don’t start till 9am but I’m volunteering for the morning then going to the afternoon workshops. Maybe I’ll come back to post about each workshop that I’ll be attending today. The workshops include:

Networking – This is definitely an important part in making a name for ourselves so I’ll be listening carefully.
Freelancing – This will come in very handy.
Working Abroad – This should be interesting because I’ve always wanted to work in England or even the States for that matter.

Hopefully, I’ll learn something that I’ll be able to pass on to you. I’ll be taking notes.

What I’ve learned so far is…

• Those things that appear easy are difficult. And the things that appear difficult are easy.
• That nothing worthwhile is easy.
• People want to help and see me succeed even though I can’t see it for myself yet.
• That talking to people is better then ignoring the problem.
• That working hard is not a chore.
• I need time to understand and fully grasp things.
• I can’t keep doing stupid things.
• Procrastinating is not something I should be proud of.
• I’m not as scared to speak in front of others.
• I spend more time doing nothing then I do doing something.
• I am capable.
  

Image by: Bethany Carlson

Things that make me happy :D

• My Zen V
  
• My Macbook
  
• Good music
  
• Great design
  
• Figuring something out
  
• Finishing my homework
  
• Making other people smile
  
• Sleeping
  
• Great Food
  
• Free Food
  
• Spending time with good friends
  
• Dancing my butt off in my room
  
• Candy or Chocolate
  
• Long Weekends/Vacations
  
• Going camping and getting away from the city with friends
  
• Campfires
  

Image by: Rodolfo Clix

Design is...

Understanding the process and nature of our society.

When examining the idea of what design is to me I think it’s about understanding the needs and wants of the audience. It’s about being able to find solutions to problems that affect our society. It’s about understanding the individuals we are trying to reach on a psychological level to reach them on a personal level instead of an artificial level.

Do Designers have Environmental Responsibilities?

Yes, I think designers have a responsibility to be informed and educated about the impact that their designs may have on the environment. Being a designer is not simply designing it has transformed into a career that has many different job descriptions. And being environmentally aware or at least informed should be an important part of the design process. As they say“ it only takes one to make a difference” because that one can teach the rest that we should be taking responsibility for our work on a larger scale. I think people fail to see the importance of this matter in the long run because it doesn’t directly affect us in the present. Look at the natural disasters that have occurred over the past seven years, which have been linked to global warming. We create this illusion of this ideal world in our designs and the impact that has on society is phenomenal because of the reach and influence that we possess. I think my taking that into consideration we should be conscious of the effect that one designers have on the world.

What about Print?!...Will Print die?

What print do you consume?

I found that over the last couple of years I’ve subscribed to about four different design magazines, which consist of Applied Arts, Communication Arts, Photoshop and IdN magazine. I not going to lie and say that I look at them for the articles but for the different imagery that they contain and for the inspiration that they provide. I love the fact that I have a physical copy of all these wonderful works in my house. Along with the design magazines I find myself currently reading P.S I love you by Cecelia Ahern during my free time. I usually read it on the bus to and from school/home. On occasion you might fine me reading the Metro, or looking at flyers like Best Buy, Future shop or No Frills for deals and sales. And on an even rarer occasion you might catch reading notes or textbooks for class.

How will design change print media?

I think design will shift print media into a new realm of accessibility through on demand technology where users are able to access any form of medium instantly, which will become the primary form of delivering print. It will become a world of options that would allow users the right to decide what they do and don’t want in printed format. Design has the power to change the way we perceive and think and it will be a force to reckon with ten years down the line when we have the option to get any publication through the click of a button.

Will Print die?

No, I don’t think print will die it will simply become a secondary medium, an alternative to high tech technology. I say this because there are those that aren’t computer literate and to simply ignore that portion of the population would be a mistake if print became obsolete. I also feel that people will need to have print in some shape or form because as much as technology has come there is always the threat of computer viruses and programs that could potentially erase and destroy peoples records. As long as there is that threat print will exist in our digitized world of high definition and instant access.

Image by: Zsuzsanna Kilin 

Time Spent

So I’ve finally figured out that I spend too much time on the web doing nothing productive with my time. If you want to see how I spend my time look below and I’ll bet you’ll be surprised at what you find.

Reading
Books – 4hrs
Fanfiction – 20hrs

Radio
none

Music
MP3 Player – 15hrs
Computer – 28hrs

Email
Checking – 2hrs
Replying – 45mins

Web
Surfing – 20hrs
Msn – 21hrs
Facebook – 2hrs

Video Games
None

Cell Phone
Text – 1hr
Calls – 30 mins

Total: 114 hrs 15 mins

Image by: Rodolfo Clix

Who is Melissa Hombrebueno?

Hold on, I’m trying to figure that out. Give me a few minutes to talk to her and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible to answer all your Melissa related questions. Alright, so I just finished talking to her and I must remind you that anything I say here is strictly between me and you.

Disclaimer: I will deny everything if questioned.

AUDITORY

When conversing with Melissa her tone is calm and the pitch is low, which doesn’t command attention to herself from those around her. She speaks to the person in front of her instead of the whole class with her even tone of voice.

VISUAL

Looking at Melissa I see that she is dressed neatly with blue jeans, a black coat (because it’s really cold in this room), black air walks, glasses and a black and grey scarf. Her hair was combed into a ponytail with the loose strands and tucked behind her ears. When we were talking she made eye contact and was sitting up straight but I did notice that she had a nervous habit of shaking her leg and tapping her finger on the desk when concentrating on a reply. Occasionally, she will smile when talking.

TACTILE

I noticed that she held her pen in her hand when talking or would tap on the desk or shake her leg. It didn’t appear to be a conscious thing but more of a nervous habit or even a form of stress release. She seemed to have something within arms reach throughout our conversation. She seems like a very active person because of the fact that she couldn’t sit completely still throughout our conversation. She would also brace her arms on the desk leaning forward slightly.

OLFACTORY

There was no distinguished odour or perfume that I could smell. So I’m assuming that she doesn’t wear any or uses a small amount that is not noticeable to those around her.

Image by: Gabriella Fabbri

Headstart 2008 (March 7 - 8)

So have you heard about Headstart?!

Yes/No....Well, if you haven't I'm going to give you the 411 (info). It's a student event held my RGD each year that lets us students gain access and insight into the professional world of Graphic Design through studio tours and seminars that gets us face-to-face access with Creative Directors and/or Senior Designers. This is your chance to network, ask questions, get informed and improve your portfolios. 

For more information or to register click here.

Studio Tours - Friday, March 7th 2008

Times

• Tours A + B  9am to 12:30pm
  
• Tours C + D 1pm to 4:30pm

Pricing (+GST)

Morning or Afternoon

• Student Member  $30
• Non-Member $40

Full Day

• Student Member  $50
• Non-Member $70

Studios

Tour A (Morning)

• Amoeba Corp
  
• Grip Limited
  
• Blast Radius
  
• Oxygen
  

Tour B (Morning)

• Hambly & Woolley
  
• Pylon
  
• Bruce Mau Design
  

Tour C (Afternoon)

• Critical Mass
  
• Organic
  
• q30 design
  

Tour D (Afternoon)

• CTV
  
• Zync Communications
  
• Royal Ontario Museum
  

Workshop and Portfolio Interviews - Saturday March 8th, 2008

CNIB, 1928 Bayview Ave, Toronto

You'll be able to select sessions from any of the four streams which are:

• Stream 1 - Prepare yourself for the job market

1. Resume writing Workshop
2. What to expect Panel discussion
3. Where you fit Panel discussion
4. Networking Workshop

• Stream 2 - Develop skills not taught

1. Starting your own business
2. Sustainability and environmental issues for graphic designers
3. Understanding Ethical Issues in Graphic Design
4. The "Creative Autopsy"

• Stream 3 - Be inspired

1. Print/Illustration
2. Print/Editorial
3. Advertising
4. Environmental/Packaging
5. Identity/Corporate Communications
6. Interactive

• Stream 4 - Portfolio Reviews

Pricing (+GST)

Morning or Afternoon

• Student Member $30
  
• Non-Member $40
  

Full day

• Student Member $50
  
• Non-Member $70
  

Meet "The String Doll Gang"

So last year when I was volunteering at "The Toronto Film Festival" me and my friend came across "The String Doll Gang" in a store front window downtown. Essentially the dolls are made out of one continuous piece of string and can be placed on your keychain. Each doll in the series has it own special power and are quite cute and unique. The dolls are handmade in Thailand and are priced at between $10 - $12.

I myself own:  

• Lover Boy who attracts passion, inspires loyalty, and serves up the love.
• Big Frank who helps you to stay on task and finish the job. (Which I totally need)

These are great presents to give to family and friends. I actually gave my friend two for her birthday and we had a good laugh. It's just something that is fun for all no matter what age you are. The dolls are made by a company called Kamibashi so go check them out. The Gang can also be found at Propaganda at 686 Yonge St.

My Guilty Pleasures....What are your guilty pleasures??

This is sort of my guilty pleasures list.

Its weird but I like love love love "The Food Network"... come on Iron chef so does it for me. It's interesting because when you think about it they're like designers specializing in food. So basically there are 3-4 Iron Chefs who specialize in a certain area of cuisine like French, Italian, Japanese etc. So each week a top chef comes on and challenges one of the Iron Chefs in a hour battle of skills. The best part is the secret ingredient they must use in all their dishes. 

Ok, if that doesn't surprise you I also like watching Antique Road Show. Though it's less frequent I'll stop and watch it if I happen to catch it while flipping through channels. There's something about seeing someone discover that that old ugly vase that they hated in their parents house is worth +$5,000. I also I like the whole discovery of learning about the history behind items that appear on the show.

I would be a fool if I didn't mention HGTV and Holmes on Homes. I think what I admire about this show is the fact that they are trying to right the wrongs of contractors who have scammed home owners out of thousands of dollars because of greed or lack of knowledge.

Oh oh oh, have you watched American Choppers on TLC. They build custom made theme motorcycles for their customers like LUGZ, Sunaco, Lance Armstrong and many more. Just the dynamics of the crew is enough to make you laugh especially with Mikey hanging around and Paul Jr. & Sr. fighting.

     

Layout Galaxy Tutorials

Layout Galaxy Tutorials

So I just posted two new links into my tutorial section for HTML and XML. And I'll probably be adding the Flash kit link later on today. The layout galaxy site is fairly comprehensible and broken down so that it is easy for us beginners to get started on the right foot. So go check it out.

Challenge Week 1: Sketches

The site that I will be creating will be geared towards marketing my skills as a graphic designer to potential employers looking for some basic design work to be completed. Seeing that I want to try my hand at freelance work to gain experience and extra cash, the site will be an easy gateway for potential employers to see the type of work that I am capable of. The site will be flashed based, which will allow interactivity and motion. If time permits I would like to have a HTML site to complement the flash site. It will also offer an alternative to people without flash player installed to still have access to my site. The hard part in this whole challenge will be to keep it simple and not go crazy on the flash stuff. Yes, I must exhibit some self control, which will be difficult because I like all those flashy pretty things.

Sections:

• Home Page
  
• About/Biography
  
• Resume Section
  
• Portfolio
  
• Contact
  

Image 1:

Static page: 

• The browser window will pop up in the position of the static image and then will load and animate.
  
• It will check if flash player is installed. 
  
• The browser will be right t the edge
  
• I want to go with the whole idea of the thought process of my ideas. Developing and then reformatting into new ideas.
  

Image 2:

Portfolio Section:

This section will be set up a little bit differently then the main sections.

Components of this section

• Image system with specs/rationale (the image area has to be flexible in regard to size)
  
• Titles of Artwork
  

Image 3:

Main page/Portfolio:

• I was thinking of having any page be the home page.
• The menu section will be compacted on the bottom left hand side of the content area. When clicked it will scroll out to reveal the other section of the site.
• I still have to figure out how to transition from one section to the other.

These sketches will be further refined and sketched out. 

Creative ZEN

So I'm all about my music and when I decided to invest in my first MP3 player about 3 years ago I wasn't exactly jumping on the Ipod band wagon if you know what I mean. To be completely honest with you owning an Ipod is like the default (automatic) there's no thought behind it, it's just ordinary. I like to make informed decisions so I went out and did some research on other MP3 players on the market to try and find something that suited my aesthetic needs and music desires. 

I was discussing my need for a MP3 player with one of my friends from work and he told about Creative, which is one of the leaders in digital entertainment products. Checking out there site I happen to come across their Zen Neeon, which I automatically fell in love with. But to my utter horror they only sold it in Asia so I had to make peace and try to move on and hopefully one day if I was so lucky I would fall in love with another MP3 player. *sniffles* At that came minutes later when I came across the Zen Micro, which met my music needs and sooo much more with its built-in radio, hard-drive and sound recording. I think what really sold me on the Zen Micro was the fact that I could store music and have work files on one player seeing that I would be traveling from home to school and school to home. 

Though my Zen Micro didn't last I stay with the same brand and got myself another Creative player called the Zen V plus, which to my horror everyone thought was the new Ipod nano that just came out.

                                        

                                                                      

 Zen V Plus

Tutorials

I think everyone knows that tutorials are a great way to improve their skills when it comes to software. Even just taking what you learn from them and applying it to other work is how I personally learn and develop my skills. I was recently talking to Kemar, who a third year graphic design student and he told me about a great site called Computer Arts that has free tutorials for: 

* Photoshop and 2d

* Web and New Media

* 3D and animation

So if any of you know or find great sites that offer tutorials leave me a comment and I'll put it on my page.

What up with these templates???!

So am I the only one that is not feeling these templates because I think my blog needs a desperate overhaul so it suits my style. As much as I like these dots there will be some tweaking going on in the next couple of days. The only thing is I'll probably have to get my hands dirty in some html.... and we all know how fun that prospect is. So, if you come to my page and it's all messed up I tried my hardest. I'm sorry!

Justin Bua: Illustrator, Painter and Teacher

Bua in my mind is an urban artist that depicts urban life and culture through his unique style of drawings and paintings. I think what drew me towards his work was his unique style of exaggerating the human form of his characters. A common theme that I found in his paintings was music, which showed people singing or performing. On the other side you see his version of urban life with people playing basketball, chilling with friends or just getting up to trouble.  

Justin Bua has come a long way since his days growing up in New York city where he attended New York's High School of Performing arts, which is also referred to as F.A.M.E....*sings* 

I gonna live forever. 

I'm gonna learn how to fly, High!  

Anyways, back to business Bua has gone on to work on projects with EA sports for games such as, "NBA Street" and "NFL Street" and even has his own shoe line. Nowadays, Bua teaches figure drawing at USC. It seems that there is no area that Justin Bua hasn't reached in his career as an artist. He has truly adapted his work to the evolving nature of art in todays society.

Justin Bua

 

                

        

Image 1: Miki

Image 2: Jackson Jive

Erykah Badu...

is an artist that is "beyond the box" when it comes to her music and her message. I remember hearing her track "Bag Lady" and just falling in love with the beat and the message behind it. I know when I first listened to her album "Mama's Gun" I didn't really get it until I sat there and actually listened to the lyrics and understood what she was trying to say. For example her song "Green eyes" goes through three stages of a break-up where the music changes and evolves with each stage. These changes consist of Denial, Acceptance and Relapse.

The way she sees and interprets the world in her music is the reason why I would go out and buy her cd. There are certain artist that you feel compelled to support regardless of the fact that you can go online and get their album for free within minutes. I think it comes down to respecting and supporting artists that aren't trying to get a club hit and actually try to say something in their music. So here I am excited because I just found out that her new album is dropping on February 26, 2008. 

Her new album is called "New Amerykah" and the album cover is amazing with all its details that seems to capture the true essence of her and her music.  So you if don't know who she is check her out because I've attached some links below.

New Amerykah

Check out some of her other videos:

Next Lifetime

Honey (New Single)

Love of my life

Back in the day

Personal Challenge...challenge yourself to do something new

So this is a personal challenge for myself to improve my knowledge of photoshop and illustrator. I was speaking with one of my friends, who mentioned something about doing a tutorial everyday to improve their skill and knowledge for certain software and I thought that was an excellent idea to broaden my horizon per se.

Hold on, scratch that idea I think I'm going to start building my website. You know what they say it's never to early to start preparing yourself and this is probably one of those things that will change and morph into something up to par . I've always had this fascination with Flash and actionscript and all those wonderful and complicated things that we've all seen on other people's sites. And I think it's an area not many of us have explored fully. So my challenge to myself each week will be to either start or finish an aspect of my website starting from sketches to a fully functioning website my the end of the term. It's funny because I have all these books about building websites and I have technically never finished one...so here is my chance to get down and dirty with everything from photoshop to dreamweaver.

So the challenge starts Feb. 4 and ends April 18th. I want your opinions, advice and criticism. Don't be shy... be loud and obnoxious and tell me what's on your mind.

Looking for a few good people...

So I have this pipe dream of entering "The ADCC student awards competition" this year and I was going to enter the graphic design category only but I think it would be more fun to work with someone else and enter the advertising category also. So if your interested in working with me let me know...it would definitely be an experience. Oh, this years competition is centered around Bell Canada and re-launching the brand.  The deadline is: Thursday, May 8th 2008 at 5pm

If you want to check out the design brief click here.

Lost and.....

So I was told to check out this site called ffffound.com ,which is a site that people share art/images that they have found on the web.  At first I was a little skeptical about what I would find on a site of this nature but I was gladly enthralled my the endless images on the site. It's a modern visual journal of inspiration for anyone that happens to stumble on this site. The site has 700+ pages and is still going strong with the imagination of artists, thinkers and designers.

Image 1: www.jamesjean.com/recess/crayoneater.jpg

Get the Glass

So his name is Jorge Calleja, an Art Director at Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam who art directed the "Get the Glass" campaign for Milk. So how do I know Jorge?!....well, I heard him speak at DesignThinkers 2007 about the Get the Glass campaign. The campaign is essentially an interactive game that is centered on the Adachi family who are living a life without milk and are attempting to get the glass through any means possible. The island that you see in the game was built by hand to give the game a more realistic look. I sat through his talk and was just blown away by his work on this project. 

Me and my friend Alex actually kind of stalked him trying to get an autograph on some posters that he did but he was talking on his phone so we never got a chance to get the posters signed. 

IdN - International designers Network magazine

Sooo, I was at DesignThinkers last year volunteering and I was on by way to hear one of the talks when I happen to stumble on the IdN magazine booth, which my the way immediately blew my mind...I think it might of been love at first sight because the visuals were amazing in terms of execution and print quality. I've honestly had never heard or seen these magazines before...they were just waiting for me to gawk at and caress. The first thing out of my mouth was "I'm subscribing!" like seriously! there was no hesitation just inspiration from the talent that was oozing out of this magazine. So I ended up getting a 1-year subscription with five back issues that I carefully spent over a hour mulling over because I wanted them all. And the great thing about the magazine is that they come with a dvd with videos and other media. 

Apparently, the magazine is published in Asia and this was the first time the (IdN) magazine was being offered in North America. And to tell you the truth I think saying they are doing a great job is understatement until you lock eyes on this magazine. They are being sold at Chapters so get a copy. It's SO worth it.

Procrasinate, much?!

It's funny because  I keep telling myself that I will do it when I get home but when I do get home I see my nice comfy bed and I just have to go lie on it. Is there a reason that it has become a chore to do things that I use to live and breathe...things that I would lose sleep over just to get it just right. I remember a time where I use to live in the computer labs doing my projects, sleeping on chairs and doing whatever needed to be done. I guess I just got burnt out from pushing myself so hard that I started to slack. I also think that my need for perfection hurt me in the end because I never learned how to manage my time effectively like the rest of my classmates that were producing 10x more then I would. I've envied those people that could just sit there and get work done. Me on the other hand always had to over thinks every detail until I got overwhelmed with the idea of the idea. But I have learned some thinks over the years that has helped a little bit with this overwhelming chaos that goes on in my mind. I need to sit down and sketch out what I want to do so there is so semblance of order that I can go through to get my work done. 

You know what has boggled my mind is the home thing...it's like the place has this homework free shield that won't allow me to do any of my homework. I guess it's just all the other fun things that I can do there like laundry and cleaning my room. Like seriously homework can't be that bad that you would rather spend a couple of hours cleaning your room. We're future graphic designers and compared to other less fun things we could be studying why is it so hard to get our work done?! Maybe it's just me that struggles with procrastination I guess I have to find better ways of getting this stuff done because I know I've run out of chances. 

A first!!

Sooo, there are so many things that I can bore you with but I'll try to keep it to a minimum seeing that you all have more important things to consider.

I was recently on Facebook being bored as usual when I noticed one of my "friends" was attending an event that caught my eye and my curiosity. It was called the "No pants on the TTC" event, which took place on Saturday. It basically required the participants to get on the TTC and take off their pants and pretend that nothing was wrong. Could you imagine getting on the subway and seeing everyone not wearing pants???? It would make someones day and scare the rest for life. And the best part was the part that stated that people should refrain from "WEARING THONGS".

Sometimes you just have to wonder where people come with this stuff.