Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Chair Studio - B's and Sketch Models
Direction was focused a bit more and small sketch models were created.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
DesComm - Design Charette
We were given a situation and 3 hours to research, solve, and design for.
Chelsea hates alarm clocks, but she needs something to help her wake up. She believes the best way to wake up is also the healthiest, so she times her sleep cycles and sets her alarm to get her up at the end of a cycle. Her problem is her irregular; she wakes up anywhere between 5:30 and 8:30 each morning. Create Chelsea a product that matches her calculated approach to sleep.
Chelsea hates alarm clocks, but she needs something to help her wake up. She believes the best way to wake up is also the healthiest, so she times her sleep cycles and sets her alarm to get her up at the end of a cycle. Her problem is her irregular; she wakes up anywhere between 5:30 and 8:30 each morning. Create Chelsea a product that matches her calculated approach to sleep.
Monday, April 11, 2011
DesComm - Visual Resume
So, I'm not really sure how much of a resume this is for me; its more of a personal advertisement. I toyed around with putting things from my co-ops in the image, but it just didn't feel right. I am happy with what I have and I feel like it describes me well.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
DesComm - Course Evaluation
Assignment: Evaluate the Design Comm course. Talk about its successes and ways to improve the course.
This was probably my favorite DesComm course I've had yet. It wasn't just about drawing and sketching and rendering. This time it was about presenting as well. That's an area I've struggled at for a long time, and I really believe I've gotten better at it thanks to my teacher and his curriculum. The only thing I would have liked would have been more feedback from my teacher on how I did at my assignments. I got a lot of great feedback from my classmates, but they don't have the same experience he does.
This was probably my favorite DesComm course I've had yet. It wasn't just about drawing and sketching and rendering. This time it was about presenting as well. That's an area I've struggled at for a long time, and I really believe I've gotten better at it thanks to my teacher and his curriculum. The only thing I would have liked would have been more feedback from my teacher on how I did at my assignments. I got a lot of great feedback from my classmates, but they don't have the same experience he does.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
DesComm - Housewares Design
Assignment: Design an innovative product or experience that brings a popular food trend into the home kitchen. It could be a professional technique, a cultural food trend, or an environmental improvement. The design can refine an existing product or be something completely new to the kitchen environment. It should be portable and consider both functionality and aesthetics in its execution. Read the complete rules at the IHA website.
DesComm - Blogging
Assignment: Evaluate the use of a blog as a communication tool about design.
I've enjoyed using a blog as a way of communicating with my peers. Its interesting to read their opinions on things and see where they are coming from on stuff. I like that we all post our projects online for each other to see. As for changing the world with our ideas, I don't think we are there yet, but you have to start somewhere. This format gives us practice at getting our thoughts across. I also really like that with a blog I have the ability to do the assignment when I have the time. Sometimes my class schedule just gets packed down and I would have a hard time squeezing in a free writing assignment. This format allows me to do them when I've got a few minutes waiting for something or carve out a larger time to do them all. I feel like I'm able to put more thought into them because they aren't due on a certain day at a time. I hope my classes in the future continue to use blogs as a presentation or recording format.
I've enjoyed using a blog as a way of communicating with my peers. Its interesting to read their opinions on things and see where they are coming from on stuff. I like that we all post our projects online for each other to see. As for changing the world with our ideas, I don't think we are there yet, but you have to start somewhere. This format gives us practice at getting our thoughts across. I also really like that with a blog I have the ability to do the assignment when I have the time. Sometimes my class schedule just gets packed down and I would have a hard time squeezing in a free writing assignment. This format allows me to do them when I've got a few minutes waiting for something or carve out a larger time to do them all. I feel like I'm able to put more thought into them because they aren't due on a certain day at a time. I hope my classes in the future continue to use blogs as a presentation or recording format.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Typography - Poster Project
Assignment: Create a 16 × 20 inch poster for the MidPoint Music Festival 20XX in Cincinnati. The text and the MPMF graphic identity assets are provided on the class workspace. Carefully consider the typographic hierarchy of the information presented. A viewer should be able to easily understand the calendar of events and to quickly learn who the featured performing acts are. The poster must also convey the excitement of contemporary indie and art rock to an audience of designers and students. The information itself must constitute the “imagery” of the poster. Your poster must be purely typographic. You may use colors, shapes, and lines as well as text, but no illustrations or photography.
Our class didn't get to this project this quarter, but I wanted to keep the assignment included so I might come back to it at some point. The examples were all really cool.
Our class didn't get to this project this quarter, but I wanted to keep the assignment included so I might come back to it at some point. The examples were all really cool.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
DesComm - Personal Evaluation
Assignment: Evaluate your work this quarter and list your goals for the next quarter.
I believe I've improved my skill set and my work has been good. It's definitely not the best in the class, but I hold my own. I've got plenty of room to grow and peers to look up to.
Next quarter is winter quarter and I'll be on co-op with Swimways. My goals for then are to learn all I can about chairs. Spring quarter's project is the famous Chair Project so I want to hit the ground running. Swimways is looking to expand their camping line, so hopefully I'll get some useful knowledge about chairs and other foldable, portable furniture. I also want to update my website and portfolio to include this quarter's projects. I'm quite proud of both my Baby Food Processor and my main studio project. As a general goal, I want to get even better at Photoshop and Illustrator, and page layouts, and of course, sketching.
I believe I've improved my skill set and my work has been good. It's definitely not the best in the class, but I hold my own. I've got plenty of room to grow and peers to look up to.
Next quarter is winter quarter and I'll be on co-op with Swimways. My goals for then are to learn all I can about chairs. Spring quarter's project is the famous Chair Project so I want to hit the ground running. Swimways is looking to expand their camping line, so hopefully I'll get some useful knowledge about chairs and other foldable, portable furniture. I also want to update my website and portfolio to include this quarter's projects. I'm quite proud of both my Baby Food Processor and my main studio project. As a general goal, I want to get even better at Photoshop and Illustrator, and page layouts, and of course, sketching.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Typography - Specimen Sheet
Assignment: Typeface designers have a long-standing tradition of creating “specimen sheets” of their new fonts so printers and designers can see them in action. A good specimen sheet shows the flexibility and expressive range of the typeface family while capturing its distinct spirit and tone of voice. A good specimen sheet also highlights the most unique functional aspects of the face and displays its full range of weights, styles, characters, and special glyphs in a wide range of sizes.
Create two 11 × 17 specimen sheets for one of the following typeface families: Gill Sans Std, Sabon LT Std, Helvetica Neue LT Std, Baskerville Ten OT, Futura Std, Clarendon LT Std, or Bodoni Std (all provided). The first specimen sheet must include: (1) the “style block” with many styles and weights represented and labeled. Keep in mind that the “style block” should utilize some kind of related text, like a quotation or poem, or a set of words that surround a topic relevant to the typeface’s character or purpose. It is a chance for the specimen designer to show off personal style, topical knowledge, or aesthetic taste. The second specimen sheet must include: (2) the full character set including ligatures, lining & oldstyle figures, small capitals, and (3) a sample text set at several sizes, weights, and line spacings (see examples below).
This assignment shows what can be done with just a single font. I decided to use Times New Roman because I absolutely hate the way it looks. This exercise show all the different way the font can look and I like most all there options I came up with. I used bold, italics, small caps, all caps, and narrow width in various combination. I considered using wide as well but I already had enough variables to do the entire poem without repeating anything. I found I really like how the all caps and the small caps lines look, they are very formal. The italics look almost fun and a tad playful in this font. I still really don't care for the normal plain version of the font, but it was an interesting exercise. I'll remember that changing these attributes really changes the font next time I'm looking for that perfect font for a project.
Create two 11 × 17 specimen sheets for one of the following typeface families: Gill Sans Std, Sabon LT Std, Helvetica Neue LT Std, Baskerville Ten OT, Futura Std, Clarendon LT Std, or Bodoni Std (all provided). The first specimen sheet must include: (1) the “style block” with many styles and weights represented and labeled. Keep in mind that the “style block” should utilize some kind of related text, like a quotation or poem, or a set of words that surround a topic relevant to the typeface’s character or purpose. It is a chance for the specimen designer to show off personal style, topical knowledge, or aesthetic taste. The second specimen sheet must include: (2) the full character set including ligatures, lining & oldstyle figures, small capitals, and (3) a sample text set at several sizes, weights, and line spacings (see examples below).
This assignment shows what can be done with just a single font. I decided to use Times New Roman because I absolutely hate the way it looks. This exercise show all the different way the font can look and I like most all there options I came up with. I used bold, italics, small caps, all caps, and narrow width in various combination. I considered using wide as well but I already had enough variables to do the entire poem without repeating anything. I found I really like how the all caps and the small caps lines look, they are very formal. The italics look almost fun and a tad playful in this font. I still really don't care for the normal plain version of the font, but it was an interesting exercise. I'll remember that changing these attributes really changes the font next time I'm looking for that perfect font for a project.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
DesComm - Open Post
Assignment: Write about whatever you want relating to home, school, work experiences, or something else that could be applied to design.
Recently, Barnes and Nobels has come out with a new Nook. It features a full color touch screen. About six months ago, I bought a Nook. I weighed all the pros and cons between it and the Kindle. I found I liked the touch screen at the bottom far more than the full keyboard the Kindle has. Full keyboards should be on devices used for typing, e-readers are for reading. The touch screen has more options available for it, and I liked that it was in color and could show me the book covers.
Since then I bought a new phone, an HTC Incredible, a touch screen droid smart phone. Now when I use my Nook I find myself touching the screen expecting it to react like my phone. It doesn't. It has buttons. Now with the new Nook out, I'm kinda jealous and almost resenting the fact that I didn't wait just a little longer. I really don't want two Nooks, but the new fancy version is so pretty.
One of the reasons I liked the Nook was because I could load my portfolio on to it and could show it to anyone I randomly bumped into that wanted to see what I do. My Nook is in 16 shades of black and white. I work in color. My Nook cost me $200, I can't justify buying the new one unless there is something wrong with this one. Though, maybe I can give it to my mom for Christmas?
Recently, Barnes and Nobels has come out with a new Nook. It features a full color touch screen. About six months ago, I bought a Nook. I weighed all the pros and cons between it and the Kindle. I found I liked the touch screen at the bottom far more than the full keyboard the Kindle has. Full keyboards should be on devices used for typing, e-readers are for reading. The touch screen has more options available for it, and I liked that it was in color and could show me the book covers.
Since then I bought a new phone, an HTC Incredible, a touch screen droid smart phone. Now when I use my Nook I find myself touching the screen expecting it to react like my phone. It doesn't. It has buttons. Now with the new Nook out, I'm kinda jealous and almost resenting the fact that I didn't wait just a little longer. I really don't want two Nooks, but the new fancy version is so pretty.
One of the reasons I liked the Nook was because I could load my portfolio on to it and could show it to anyone I randomly bumped into that wanted to see what I do. My Nook is in 16 shades of black and white. I work in color. My Nook cost me $200, I can't justify buying the new one unless there is something wrong with this one. Though, maybe I can give it to my mom for Christmas?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)