Project Difficulties, Solutions, and Learning Points

This project was in my opinion the most difficult of the three we have encountered in BDS 101. I think the mere scale of this piece and the three feet minimum requirement was extremely difficult. I have never worked on something so large before and it really was a challenge. Especially as an illustrator I am much more comfortable working on a tiny pieces and my small sketchbook pages. Nevertheless I really enjoyed the large scale and the grand impact our project has in photographs. It was really great to see our pieces from far away on campus, quite a strange and unique sight. 

I would love to create an illustration on such a large scale, and am really drawn towards the magnetic effect of street art. The large aspect of these pieces carry the same sort of stop and look reaction from the public. I think it would be pretty great to see my illustrations on such a massive scale. 

The scale made it difficult for the construction aspect of this project. Since we decided to create entirely 3D letters, the individual pieces that needed to be measured and cut was immense. I think we definitely underestimated this point of the project, the sheer time it would take for building/wrapping our eight letters. I think we could have come up with a alternative for creating our letters that might have saved us some valuable time. 

I learned how to work with cardboard and the varying levels of problems this tends to create. What I felt was the most valuable aspect of this project was the photo essay book. It was quite a learning experience coming up with a way to convey the word ‘exchange’ and have my photographs displayed in a logical and aesthetically pleasing format. I feel like this part of the project will last with me the longest, partly because I love books and sketchbooks. I can imagine making future pieces similar to this one. There is something very gratifying about making a book with all these folds and flaps, and figuring out how to place everything for the printer. I felt like my end book was a successful solution to the problem presented and quite an improvement on my initial ideas. 

Inspiration: Nicholas Stevenson

When I was browsing the Internet I came across the website of illustrator Nicoholas Stevenson (http://www.nicholasstevenson.com/Sketchbooks). Looking through his digital sketchbook pages was pretty fun. 

Yet again what instantly grabbed my attention was his lovely use of blue and the clever way he framed this scene, I love the fact that the wall takes up a majority of the space. He gives the viewer an interesting perspective on the group of gentlemen seated off in the distance. If this painting only occupied the left page I believe it would not carry the same impact. 

I also appreciate his painting style, I love the emotions that his pieces give off, there is nothing strained about his art. Everything has a sense of simplicity and bluntness. What you see is somewhat generalized, the men's faces and sweaters are flat swashes of color and the wallpaper pattern is loose and playful. His focus for this piece is not an accurate rendering of what this situation might look like, but instead conveying a feeling of mood and atmosphere that accompanies a group of old friends. 

Exchange: On Campus Locations

Once the construction of our large letters was complete we reached the point in the project where we were asked to showcase our word in public spaces. My group and I came up with a handful of ideas on how to describe the word 'exchange' on the KU campus. Eventually we settled on four different locations that we thought best described different aspects of the word 'exchange'. 

1. Position

The first placement of our word was at the round-a-bout at the campus entrance. With this location we were trying to describe the exchange of transportation and their positions, each car/bus/bike entering and exiting from a different direction, trading places. 

2. Culture

The second placement of our word was located in front of Lippincott Hall, the headquarters for cultural exchange and backdrop to the friendly statue of two men exchanging greetings. Here we were trying to explain the exchange of culture by placing the word in front of the statue, with both items in the background. 

3. Goods

Thirdly we choose to use the vending machines in Wescoe to describe the exchange of money for goods, an equal trade of one thing for another of the same value. 

4. Ideas/Knowledge

Lastly, we used a classroom setting to describe the idea of exchange of ideas and the transmission of knowledge. First, as depicted in the photographs, we arranged two Es facing each other, seated in desks, with the remaining six letters spread out from the first E to the last. To depict the scenario of one person exchanging ideas with another student during a classroom discussion. The second placement of our letters explains the exchange of knowledge from teachers to students.

Exchange

ex·change

Noun:	An act of giving one thing and receiving another (esp. of the same type or value) in return.
Verb:	Give something and receive something of the same kind in return.
Synonyms:	noun.  interchange - swap - change - swop - barter - replacement verb.  change - interchange - swap - swop - barter - commute

For our third project of the semester we have been asked to create giant 3D depictions of a chosen word that would later be displayed on campus. Drawing from a hat, all teams were given a single word. My team picked exchange. 

Throughout the idea process we have come up with a handful of different ways to describe this word and correlating locations that they could be placed. We thought about the exchange of money (banks, ATMs), the exchange of ideas (classrooms, lecture halls), cultural exchange (Lippincott Building), and the exchange of goods (mail slots, delivery/sorting rooms).

At this moment aren't quite sure which idea we are going to follow through with. Right now we are working on making smaller models of our words with different font variations. 

I'm having many hesitations about this project, but hopefully over the next few days my team and I will begin to develop more concrete ideas. 

Second Project Summary

Overall I thought this project was helpful, especially with helping me develop creative brainstorming practices. I think if this project was an individual project, like our last one, I would have been very intimidated by the whole process. It was definitely beneficial to work with a team of people from different skill sets and interests. I usually do not enjoy group work but felt this project worked out extremely well. 

It was interesting hearing everyone’s ideas and sharing in the brainstorming process. I think the most difficult part was trying to create prototypes. Considering that we were limited by a lack of certain materials, skill sets, and machinery, this made the design process a challenge. There were certain limitations we had to work within and couldn’t fully develop some potentially innovataive ideas. 

I think the most interesting part about this project was watching the IDEO and Objectified videos. I found a great wealth of knowledge in the two and felt they greatly assisted in this project. It was very insightfu l to understand how designers in the real world work and what they go through daily to create objects. I can confidently say majoring in Illustration better suits my tastes. I can see, however, that there is a lot of overlap of ideas and practices. For example, mind mapping and world lists are important for almost any artistic career. They are a great way to create new ideas.

As  an individual I think word lists, freewriting, and mind mapping are all very helpful techniques. At this moment in my artistic career I can’t say one works better for me than the other; I just haven’t experimented with them enough to know. Though I do enjoy freewriting the best, I think really has no limits and the structure is really set up by the individual, and doesn’t have to be limited to a web or vertical column. 

As a group though I’m sure the mind mapping with sticky notes was the most effective way for developing our flyswatter idea. I think it was a very non-commital way of placing ideas on the paper, no matter what they stated. It led to a very fun, relaxed environment and was a good way of getting the ball rolling. 

Interviews: Original Flyswatter

Questions:

1. How often do you use a flyswatter? 

2. Would you want it to be fun?

3. Most important thing you would change?

4. Would you purchase add-ons? 

5. Option of trapping?

6. Any pros of the flyswatter?

1. Very rarely

2. Sure! I want everything to be fun.

3. Longer, then I could sneak up on it.

4. No 

5. Yes, I might use it

6. Like the feel of the handle, not too   heavy, I can really whack ‘em. 

1. Not very often

2. Sure, making it electrified would be fun. 

3. Self-cleaning

4. Yes

5. No 

6. I like the color, effective. 

1. Never 

2. No

3. Colors too bright 

4. No 

5. Yes, though I would use my bare hand

6. No 

Interviews: New Flyswatter Prototype

Questions:

1. Do you think the prototype is an improvement over the original flyswatter?
2. Would you buy it?
3. What do you like about it?
4. Weakness in new design?
5. General thoughts?



1. Yes, it has a nicer handle.

2. Sure, (hesitant) if it worked better. 

3. I don’t have to touch the dead fly!

4. It is a bit flimsy at the moment. 

5. I love the blue!

1. Yes, a little bit. 

2. No, I would just use my hands to pick it up.

3. It has a nice color.

4. There aren’t any air slots in the head.

5. Neat idea, if it functions properly.

1. Yes, I won't have to touch the fly with my hands. 

2. I might, depends on how much it costs.

3. It is an interesting geometric design.

4. Needs to function better, a bit bulky.

5. It has a comfy handle, now I can get a really good grip on it

1. Yes, it is an improvement for people who would rather not pick up the dead fly. However it seems to be a niche market. 

2. No, not my taste.

3. Cool design, made me interested to know what it was.

4. I think it would need to be stronger, more securely attached. 

5. Definitely caught my attention.

1. Yes, it seems to be more stable. 

2. No, I don’t have a use for it.

3. Nice, sturdy handle

4. It doesn’t look too effective if you really need to smoke a fly, not powerful enough.

5. Interesting to look at, probably would stop in the store to see what it was.

Reflection: IDEO Video

I enjoyed watching the 1999 "Deep Dive" Nightline segment featuring the design company, IDEO. Even though it was filmed thirteen years ago the information discussed was still extremely pertinent. And considering how fast things change in the design world, that is a pretty amazing feat. I think the reason this video is still important to this day is because IDEO has developed some rather genius design practices and methods for developing ideas/products. 

One principle that I found rather refreshing was their belief that all ideas are worth expressing, no matter how crazy they may sound. Throughout the segment the IDEO team was asked to create a new, more functional shopping cart. Ideas were offered from every member of the team, seniority didn't matter, and extreme, silly thoughts were encouraged. It makes sense that you want to express all your ideas even if they aren't realistic. Discussing anything and everything will help others generate ideas, which in turn develops a very open discourse of creativity. Negativity wasn't allowed, nor were criticisms. 

I agreed with the video, many companies today do not encourage this kind of discussion. Many employees do not feel like they have the grounds for voicing their opinions even if they are better for the company than the boss's ideas. The real goal of IDEO is to create a successful product and from viewing the video it seems that they will do whatever it takes to break down barriers that hinder true creativity. One thing that I think helped this process was IDEO's extremely relaxed work environment. Group spaces were open, bright, and big, while individual offices were customizable and personally decorated to suit the needs of the designer. 

It was neat to watch the entire design process. All the steps that went into creating the final, modern shopping cart seemed rather laborious but also really rewarding. Watching IDEO's design process makes me wish more companies would take such an innovative problem-solving route. The finished product was a quite an improvement over the cart models we still see to this day. I was disappointed to learn that IDEO's great idea has not replaced our old, outdated carts. I think the shopping experience could really be improved by their cart. I especially liked the fact that the cart had improved mobility and could be pushed sideways, not just backwards and forwards. 

Movie Reflection: Objectified

I really connected with the movie Objectified. I felt that the basic message of the movie, how to be innovative in today’s marketplace while also being environmentally-friendly, is of utmost importance. One designer in the movie pointed out the common goal among major companies today: mass production. Personally, I’m not a big fan of the phrase. It makes me a bit nervous, the idea of producing items at such a fast rate. It was interesting to learn about the first recorded instance of mass production, with the systematized development of the bow and arrow. Obviously this rapid process had to start some where, I just never really gave much thought to it. I suppose that shows how familiar the idea of mass production is on a subconscious level. 

Objectified really makes me wonder how necessary constant mass production really is. It would seem to me that we already have an excess of goods lying about, waiting for a new owner and a second life. I’m a big proponent of thrift stores, Craigslist, and flea markets. Anything old or second-hand I love, sometimes they have the best history and most character. However that is just my aesthetic. There are other individuals who are more attracted to the new gadgets and modern designs. 

Objectified makes me wonder about the nature of items and how they develop culturally. Another designer made a point about a new item lasting less than a year until the next model comes along. The idea that many objects these days have such a short life expectancy is a bit crazy. I liked the idea mentioned about starting a campaign to promote items we already have. I think that is extremely cool. There are plenty of things people already own that aren’t even being appreciated! I think if people dug around a bit in their homes they would be surprised at what they would discover.

I learned a few important things about design from this movie. Especially important was the idea of “knowing your extremes”. When designing an object it is a good idea to realize possible outliers. If you can cater to their personal needs than the “middle will take care of itself.” I think this idea is really smart. You can design an object for the average person, but to design a really great object you must understand the not so average customer. 

Another interesting point in the movie was Henry Ford’s quote, “Every object tells a story”. Through this class I have a better idea of how much work has gone into the items I use daily. It is pretty amazing, and a bit exhausting to think about all the brainstorming, preliminary ideas, and prototypes created before the final design was chosen. I agree with Ford, every object does seem to tell a story, some just more interesting than others. 

Inspiration: Fiona Rae & Street Art

Another artist I am really into is contemporary painter, Fiona Rae. Similar to Hardgrave's work, there is a great sense of freedom in Rae's paintings. It seems to me that she paints more intuitively, I think that is extremely fascinating. Sometimes I find I can over think pieces, other times I just doodle senselessly. I think I find more pleasure in the latter. I am also really drawn to her color palette. She usually keeps the piece within a certain color field, and doesn't shy away from using bold hues.

Rae's thick, organic line work reminds me of images I have seen inTristan Manco's Street Sketchbook and Street Sketchbook: Journeys. Manco's books are my number one go to source for inspiration. I love all of the artists featured and really appreciate looking at pages of their personal sketchbooks. 

I think it would be an amazing experience to create a piece of street art. I like the idea of using existing structures, or dilapidated buildings as canvases. I think more cities should welcome street and graffiti artists, there are always little nooks and crannies that could use a bit of sprucing up with a  lively piece of art. Street art has the ability to surprise and generate questions in the viewer. We should appreciate art more in our everyday lives, I think we would be much happier. 

Project 1 Summary

Below I answer the following questions. 

What have I learned throughout this project? 

How does my poster demonstrate good design?

What would I change?

What was the most difficult part of this project?

What have I learned about design?

Throughout this project I have learned many important aspects about the art of design. Especially helpful, was Dieter Rams’ article. Reading Rams’ ten principles greatly helped me choose my well-designed object and what aspects to focus on in my poster. 

Our lecture on color theory was also helpful. Before, with my work, I was never quite sure how to correctly work with color. Now, learning about chroma, value, and hue, I feel I can have a better handle of color usage and create more compelling images.

I believe my poster demonstrates good design with the appropriate use of white space and clear size variation of my hat drawings. I believe my use of minimal design elements also aid in my poster’s message, by limiting any distracting, unneeded drawings. By focusing on the hat’s ability to provide shade to the wearer, my piece mirrors the item’s simplistic nature. 

While I have learned a great deal about correct color usage, I decided to keep my poster devoid of color to emphasize the black and gray aspect of shade. I like the stark contrast between the lights and the darks, feeling this represents the idea of shadows very well. 

When thinking about what I would do differently, I would probably draw my hats a few more times. I didn’t feel like I had adequate time to get them to look exactly the way I wanted. I would try to create a uniform light source to give them a more realistic feel. However I am happy with deciding to use ink instead of pencil, I feel the visibility was greatly increased, along with the feeling of the hat’s protective nature. Another thing I might do differently if I was to complete this project again is to try out adding color. I'm not certain the poster would carry the same message, but it still could be a interesting piece. 

One of the most challenging parts about this project was choosing an object. I went through many different items before I settled on the baseball hat. I’m pretty indecisive, so going forward with a set idea was difficult. Other than that, coming up with the composition wasn't too hard, after playing around with different horizontal and vertical layouts. 

Through past art classes I have been taught about design and how influential a role it has in our everyday lives. With this BDS 101 class I feel like the concept was cemented even more in my brain. I think some of my ideas have changed. I believe I have a more precise understanding of design and how to create successful pieces. I think I have gained a better insight, but still have a great deal of learning to do; along with practicing these basic design concepts. 

Inspiration: Robert Hardgrave

At first I wasn't really into the whole Pinterest thing, but I am glad that I joined the bandwagon. Through this site I have discovered a great deal of artwork that I really admire. Above is a piece by Robert Hardgrave (Website). I am really attracted to his use of color and complex composition. 

Here is another piece by Hardgrave. This was my first introduction to his work. I immediately gravitated towards it because of the rich royal blue background. I love anything blue, and especially enjoy this interesting painting. When I look at this piece I can't help but see a futuristic cityscape or a jumbled up robot relaxing on a nice bed of grass. 

Overall I admire his fluid style and mix of media. I personally love using handfuls of different mediums in one piece. I get a bit bored sticking with just pen or pencil; I love getting my hands dirty, so I usually like to introduce paints, collage elements, and watercolors into my sketchbooks and art pieces. I never really try to restrict myself to one, though I'm sure there will be plenty of times where one medium will do just fine. 

Done Is Better Than Perfect

I find this saying applies to many aspects of my life. In regards to school work, it is always helpful to remind myself that actually completing a project in a timely manner is much more rewarding than stressing out last minute, trying to achieve my original, unrealistic vision. I think most artists should have a healthy degree of perfectionism and attention to detail, but sometimes you have to realize that perfection is impossible. I find that imperfections in artwork add character and I enjoy when happy accidents happen in my own pieces; it seems that sometimes perfect can be a bit boring. 

Aside from my school work, this motto is equally important in other areas of my life. I have a habit of dreaming up big projects and long to-do lists of things I wish to achieve. I also have a habit of not completely these projects or tackling my to-do lists. I've been trying to take more action in my life and not spend so much time thinking about what I want to do, and actually go do it.  I think I will find myself much happier if I actually start and finish things. Now that the school year has started I find I no longer have time to waste, I must take advantage of every chance I have and maximize my productivity. 

That being said, I think I have become better at managing my time. I can't say I have had to pull an all nighter in quite some time. Hopefully it will stay that way! 

Sustainability

I agree with Dieter Rams’ Ten Principles of Good Design. It would seem that designs must follow these rules to become truly successful objects, both on an economic and cultural level. Out of all of Rams’ principles I think sustainability is a pretty important quality. Having an object be environmentally-friendly is a difficult task. If I was designing objects for the marketplace, sustainability would be my number one goal. “Green” designers have the tough task of taking familiar objects and making them smarter, more efficient, and intriguing to the consumer, all the while being Earth friendly. They must try to appeal to everyone, not just the environmentally aware. The design itself must make a potential buyer (who might put environmental concerns on the back-burner) want the object solely for its look or function, not because of any possible benefits to the planet. 

While there seems to be a shift in the design consciousness to be more responsible, there still is a large lack of accountability from the designers, suppliers, and consumers. Rams comments about our “throw-away society” and the clutter that consumes our daily lives. There are countless things I throw in the trash because they have broken due to poor design, have reached their allotted life-span, or are simply superfluous. I understand Rams' assessment about the way our  civilization seems to operate. Humans tend to sacrifice quality over quantity quite frequently. The idea of durability and long-lasting craftsmanship is no longer as important in today’s world where you can easily go out and purchase something cheap and hassle-free. We seem to end up with a great deal of excess; the more material goods we buy, the less meaning they seem to have, or the faster we grow tired of them.

One thing that helps create a healthier environment is to create items that are long-lasting. Trendy things go in and out of favor, and sooner or later end up in the donate/trash pile. Designing something classic is key - those are the objects that continually resonate with society and well outlive their creators. 

Good Design: The Baseball Hat

When asked to choose an object that we considered "good design" a few items quickly came to mind- the clothespin, a inventive spatula, a few of my daughter's fun toys, and the ubiquitous baseball hat. 

After reading Dieter Rams’ article (10 Principles for Good Design) I believe that the baseball cap is indeed a well-designed object. The idea for the cap, which developed loosely from the sun bonnet and flat cap, was an innovative way to help baseball players of the late nineteenth century combat the sun, which in turn makes the item useful (another one of Rams' 10 principles for good design). In regards to its aesthetic appearance I think the baseball hat is simple and easy. A handy and versatile piece. The concept for the cap is extremely understandable and adaptable for all ages and many different occasions, not just sports. The cap has become a classic symbol for relaxation and no-fuss design. It is honest, and does not pretend to be more than it really is, nor try to achieve more than it can. Many well-made caps are long-lasting and therefore environmentally friendly. The concept is thorough and simple enough to include a single adjustable strap in the back of the hat. It would seem for many individuals, the baseball cap is a favorite, comfort piece and a necessity. 

Project 1 Poster Design

What is Good Design? 

After hearing the critique over our posters in class I think I have decided to change my image. While I like my original drawing, I think it will be beneficial to depict the baseball cap in a different manner, especially for this specific poster. 

I enjoyed hearing what my classmates had to offer about my drawing and what it conveyed to them. I feel the same way when they described the hat as being an "old friend" or a loved, familiar object. It is always nice to have other's opinions, sometimes my artwork needs a fresh pair of eyes. The cap I originally rendered feels reliable and long-lasting, but doesn't necessarily convey what I am trying to say. The loose folds and dips in the hat give off a worn-in, durable vibe. While having an object be long-lasting is one aspect of good design (according to Dieter Rams) I'm stuck when thinking of a way to describe this on my poster.

I think I will try to make some more images that show a hat's ability to shield the wearer from the sun, and show the hat in a more structured, protective nature. I like the concept of shade and the simplicity of the hat's design. Hopefully my future drawings will match more with my concept and successfully show the cap's great design. 

Maybe in the future I can use my first image, because I do like the idea of a hat taking on a sort of friendship with its owner. Sometimes inanimate objects really can offer a great deal of comfort and can take on a life of their own. This assignment really brings to life material objects in our world and showcases their personality to the viewer. 

Color Theory

I found this lesson on color theory to be very fascinating, but also rather challenging. It seems it is easy to tell when a design is done well, but not always easy to understand why. Learning the tactics designers use to create successful designs was beneficial and helped me differentiate good color strategies from not so good ones. I can already tell that learning the correct usage of color is a difficult task and something that will take a good amount of practice. I'm sure I will be referencing this lesson often, especially in future illustration classes, where color is often just as important as content. 

It was interesting to hear about Isaac Newton's development of the color theory. And see the correlation between this design lesson and lessons on Newton in my History of Natural Science class. I like when courses overlap and you can see the relationship between different fields of study. It allows me to see how cohesive things are in the real world. 

Hopefully this lesson will help me make better color choices in my own artwork. I can already tell that I've been looking at printed media and everyday objects with a much more critical eye towards color. 

The following are six examples of successful color strategies. 

Transition in Value 

This advertisement for Dove chocolate is an example of smart design. Using a value transition emphasizes the rich, smoothness of their product and gives the ad a subtle creamy look. And keeping the colors limited puts the focus on their product, not their packaging. 

Chroma Dominance 

This advertisement for nail polish really grabs your attention with their  strong use of chroma dominance. The striking red is consistent throughout the design and effectively displays the color intensity of their product. I think the designers of this page were smart in limiting their color palette simply to one hue and one large focal point. Additional colors and objects might have made this had visually confusing.

Contrasting Chroma 

I think this advertisement is strong example of contrasting chroma. The use of the bright yellow and rich purple brings your eyes to the page. This design also benefits from a asymmetrical and simplistic composition, making this ad easy to understand and easy to look at. 

Harmonious Hues 

The use of harmonious hues in this design create a fun and explosive impact.  Instead of having a flat background of color, the yellow, orange, and red convey an exciting sense of energy, which ties into the company's tag line. 

Weakened Chroma & Weakened Contrast

This advertisement for diapers and baby wipes successfully creates a serene and gentle visual design. The soft neutrals and calming green give the viewer a sense of peace, while the lack of strong contrasting colors creates a light and warm visual environment. 

Key the Color 

Ocean Spray's advertisement uses a consistent range of blues to calm this packed design and create visual unity. With so many images, this ad benefits from it's constant use of blue; allowing the viewer to move from image to image with little visual leaps.