Today we practiced different types of shading with our drawings. I have room to improve, of course, but I was pretty pleased with the outcome of my drawings.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Still Life Shading
Today we practiced different types of shading with our drawings. I have room to improve, of course, but I was pretty pleased with the outcome of my drawings.
10 Designers You Should Know
Renzo Piano is one of my favorite architects. His work amazes me because it is so intricate yet so simple at the same time. He knows how far to go and where in his designs and that definitely shows. His work includes the Centre Georges Pompidou in France, which is featured in my blog on buildings. What is even more important is that instead of having his own 'style' like Frank Gehry, Piano really keeps his clients in mind and designs for his clients, not himself.
Frank Gehry likes to push the limits of design. His buildings are crazy, abstract, and out there. He has worked on many museums and public buildings. Although I may not enjoy all of his designs, I appreciate everything he does because he knows how to get people thinking. A building doesn't have to be straight up and down. Gehry turns everyday buildings into extraordinary pieces of art.
George Nelson is very much like Alavar Aalto in that he is known for modernism. His work is now sold along side design 'gods' such as Charles and Ray Eames. Nelson studied architecture at Yale and graduated in 1928. His work includes a myriad of product design including vintage clocks and bubble lamps.
Alvar Aalto, the 'father of modernism,' was a Finnish designer. He was even acclaimed by Frank Lloyd Wright as a 'work of genious.' One of his most famous buildings he worked on was the Viipuri Library. His work is beautiful and all designers should know of Alvar Aalto if they know what's good for them!
Luca Nichetto is a designer from Venice. He is known for product design and he works with glass and makes chairs. His work is sleek, modern, and colorful. I really love his designs and I think they can appeal to all generations however his designs seem to attract younger hipsters mostly.
Michele de Lucchi is an Italian designer born in Ferrara. He is known for product design of lamps and furniture. He also does art exhibitions, writes, and everything in between. Lucchi dabbles in different areas you could say and he is a multi-talented Italian designer.
Jean-Marie Massaud is a French designer. I couldn't find his biographical information because it was all in French. But Massaud designs modern chairs, bookshelves, and other items that are like pieces of art that could be placed in a museum.
Maurizio Galante is a furniture and fashion designer. He is known for doing over the top fashion and very interesting furniture. If one could picture Couture fashion transforming into furniture design, you would have Galante's work.
Friso Kramer is a dutch designer who in the 1940s was part of a group that helped reshape war torn Europe after WWII with beautiful designs. He has worked on everything from office furniture to oil heaters. One of his most famous pieces is the Revolt chair which is now on a Dutch post stamp.
Geoffrey Mance is the new Chihuly of lighting design. His work is very reminisent of Chihuly's because of the colors and the blown glass in many of his lights. His lights are fun, colorful, and unlike most boring lights, are pieces of art.
Frank Gehry likes to push the limits of design. His buildings are crazy, abstract, and out there. He has worked on many museums and public buildings. Although I may not enjoy all of his designs, I appreciate everything he does because he knows how to get people thinking. A building doesn't have to be straight up and down. Gehry turns everyday buildings into extraordinary pieces of art.
George Nelson is very much like Alavar Aalto in that he is known for modernism. His work is now sold along side design 'gods' such as Charles and Ray Eames. Nelson studied architecture at Yale and graduated in 1928. His work includes a myriad of product design including vintage clocks and bubble lamps.
Alvar Aalto, the 'father of modernism,' was a Finnish designer. He was even acclaimed by Frank Lloyd Wright as a 'work of genious.' One of his most famous buildings he worked on was the Viipuri Library. His work is beautiful and all designers should know of Alvar Aalto if they know what's good for them!
Luca Nichetto is a designer from Venice. He is known for product design and he works with glass and makes chairs. His work is sleek, modern, and colorful. I really love his designs and I think they can appeal to all generations however his designs seem to attract younger hipsters mostly.
Michele de Lucchi is an Italian designer born in Ferrara. He is known for product design of lamps and furniture. He also does art exhibitions, writes, and everything in between. Lucchi dabbles in different areas you could say and he is a multi-talented Italian designer.
Jean-Marie Massaud is a French designer. I couldn't find his biographical information because it was all in French. But Massaud designs modern chairs, bookshelves, and other items that are like pieces of art that could be placed in a museum.
Maurizio Galante is a furniture and fashion designer. He is known for doing over the top fashion and very interesting furniture. If one could picture Couture fashion transforming into furniture design, you would have Galante's work.
Friso Kramer is a dutch designer who in the 1940s was part of a group that helped reshape war torn Europe after WWII with beautiful designs. He has worked on everything from office furniture to oil heaters. One of his most famous pieces is the Revolt chair which is now on a Dutch post stamp.
Geoffrey Mance is the new Chihuly of lighting design. His work is very reminisent of Chihuly's because of the colors and the blown glass in many of his lights. His lights are fun, colorful, and unlike most boring lights, are pieces of art.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
New Design Technologies
I am in love with the idea of saving space with a sink drawer! It's so cool! Who would have thought that a sink could go back into a wall? Next there will be retractable toilets and showers! Well, maybe not, but many people live in tiny spaces and need to be able to have the same amount of accessibilities as those who live in large homes have. I was very impressed when I saw this technology and I actually prefer this sink to a regular one.
This is a chic fire extinguisher, that is actually much more simple to use. I've always been afraid that if a fire happened I wouldn't know what to do because I wouldn't know how to use the fire extinguisher in time. This extinguisher is designed so all you do is pull the round nob. I could figure that part out without even reading the article explaining how it works. Emergency equipment should be extremely simple to use because people have enough on their minds in an emergency.
This is a bike designed by Puma that folds up for easy storage! Many people who ride bikes have apartments and they don't have a lot of room to store their bike so this is a great technology. The bike looks kind of funny when folded out normally but if you need the space, this is a great alternative to getting your bike stolen because you have to leave it out on the street.
10 Design Firms
Callison is a large architectural firm with locations all over the world. Their work includes everything from corporate health care to fashion stores. Their work to me is way too safe, they don't seem to take risks or do anything new. They're website is pretty simple to use and other than a few navigational issues I don't see much they could improve on in the aspect of the website. I really like some of the things they do however, and think that they could show off their work and make it look more high end just through the graphics in the website. Their website is like much of their work, too safe, nice looking, but on the edge of boring.
Leo A Daly is an international architecture, engineering, and interior design firm. They're work is very impressive and somewhat relates to Callson's work however it could be the more dynamic graphics of the website or something else but it seems to me that their work has a little more edge. The website is very easy to use and my favorite part is the cohesiveness of the squares and array of pictures that make up every page.
Hellmuch, Obata & Kassabaum is a very impresive firm with an absolutely fabulous website. It's high tech with its use of flashplayer and slightly hidden navigation system. To find the navigation, one must scroll over words at the top that don't even look like links. For someone who is not very good with computers, this may not be very helpful and it might even turn away potential clients. I personally really love the simplicity of the site. HOK did a very thorough job with explaining and showing off their work, location, and everything about the firm.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
is another great firm that I am really impressed with, especially with their commitment to sustainability. I like their website a lot but navigation is a problem. I think that if these websites chose to focus on the easiness and accessibility of their website through their navigation, they would be much more successful.
Gensler Architecture Firm does a really good job with making their site interactive. Even simple things make a difference such as the circles that correspond to a link all move at once when you scroll over them. It's not confusing in the least and is actually kind of fun. The simple lines on this site are really what make the attraction and focus go to their work.
RTLK Architects is a large firm with a great body of work. They design beautiful buildings in highly urban settings. One thing I notice is very popular in their designs is the use of glass, reflection and windows on a large scale. Their website is extremely easy to navigate, it's original, and they let their work speak for itself. I think RTLK's website is one of my favorites by far.
The Phillips Group definitely understands that pictures tell a thousand words. I don't really enjoy the very first home screen for this website, I think it might be too plain. Once I clicked on their portfolio I really enjoyed the graphics and the layout of the many different squares put together. Their body of work is organized very nicely and the only thing I would change would be their homepage to make it more dynamic.
Leo A Daly is an international architecture, engineering, and interior design firm. They're work is very impressive and somewhat relates to Callson's work however it could be the more dynamic graphics of the website or something else but it seems to me that their work has a little more edge. The website is very easy to use and my favorite part is the cohesiveness of the squares and array of pictures that make up every page.
Hellmuch, Obata & Kassabaum is a very impresive firm with an absolutely fabulous website. It's high tech with its use of flashplayer and slightly hidden navigation system. To find the navigation, one must scroll over words at the top that don't even look like links. For someone who is not very good with computers, this may not be very helpful and it might even turn away potential clients. I personally really love the simplicity of the site. HOK did a very thorough job with explaining and showing off their work, location, and everything about the firm.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
is another great firm that I am really impressed with, especially with their commitment to sustainability. I like their website a lot but navigation is a problem. I think that if these websites chose to focus on the easiness and accessibility of their website through their navigation, they would be much more successful.
Gensler Architecture Firm does a really good job with making their site interactive. Even simple things make a difference such as the circles that correspond to a link all move at once when you scroll over them. It's not confusing in the least and is actually kind of fun. The simple lines on this site are really what make the attraction and focus go to their work.
RTLK Architects is a large firm with a great body of work. They design beautiful buildings in highly urban settings. One thing I notice is very popular in their designs is the use of glass, reflection and windows on a large scale. Their website is extremely easy to navigate, it's original, and they let their work speak for itself. I think RTLK's website is one of my favorites by far.
The Phillips Group definitely understands that pictures tell a thousand words. I don't really enjoy the very first home screen for this website, I think it might be too plain. Once I clicked on their portfolio I really enjoyed the graphics and the layout of the many different squares put together. Their body of work is organized very nicely and the only thing I would change would be their homepage to make it more dynamic.
FRCH World Wide has one of the most confusing websites I've come across. I understand that design is a complex system but that should only be seen by the designers. FRCH's designs are not even that complicated. The design firm designs some of the nicer KFC's and Disney stores. I think that FRCH is trying to overcompensate with their web design to make up for their designs.
Swanke Hayden Connell Architects have a very simple but easy to use website. I like the way it interacts and how their portfolio is a long list. It makes it easy to look up certain buildings. The one thing that bothers me is that it doesn't seem as high end as the other websites I've looked at. This is probably because when the pictures are loading, they are blurry for about thirty seconds and then finally load.
Interprise sounds like a great architectural firm however the website is hideous. The homescreen is full of words surrounding the brand name Interprise. Once you enter the site it is just as scrambled if not more. I think if they just simplified things that it would looks so much better and the company would probably be a lot more successful.
Swanke Hayden Connell Architects have a very simple but easy to use website. I like the way it interacts and how their portfolio is a long list. It makes it easy to look up certain buildings. The one thing that bothers me is that it doesn't seem as high end as the other websites I've looked at. This is probably because when the pictures are loading, they are blurry for about thirty seconds and then finally load.
Interprise sounds like a great architectural firm however the website is hideous. The homescreen is full of words surrounding the brand name Interprise. Once you enter the site it is just as scrambled if not more. I think if they just simplified things that it would looks so much better and the company would probably be a lot more successful.
Metamorphosis
Michelle and Monique's Projects
This project was to take two students projects and morph them into one. I made three iterations and each one is different. One is closer to Michelle's red and black boxes, and the other is closer to Monique's shoe. The third iteration is the middle ground between the two. I wasn't quite sure where I was going with this project, you could say that this project somewhat morphed on it's own. I was really unhappy with this project and am somewhat embarrassed putting these photos up. I guess you could call this a learning experience though.
10 Buildings
The Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeaneret was built in 1929 and is one of my favorite buildings of the 20th century. The long horizontal window brings visual interest to the facade of the building. The windows are so crystal clear from the inside and provide a cohesive element to the house. As much as I enjoy the facade, it's the inside of The Villa Savoye that I enjoy the most. The long line of the silver pipe in the ceiling mimics the the long horizontal elements that are repeated throughout the home from the window to the columns. The pop of color against the white and the simplicity of the furniture works really well and is just right because the inside and outside of a building should be cohesive on a certain level.
The Hearst Tower is a new skyscraper technically. It was built upon the existing Hearst Corporation headquarters. Only the Facade of the original building was kept and the glass skyscraper was added on top of it. I love the triangular design on the outside and the reflective quality the glass gives. Unlike most buildings that go straight up and down, the windows are angled, giving even more reflective quality from the street. The building was designed by Norman Foster and was the first 'green' building in New York. This surprises me since the building wasn't one hundred percent complete until 2006. What I like most about the facade of the building is the way Foster merged the original 1920s architecture with the modern skyscraper.
The Palace Hotel in St. Moritz Switzerland was opened in 1896 by Caspar Badrutt. The Palace hotel is a luxury hotel in the beautiful mountains of Switzerland. Red balconies, and beautiful stone contrast with the dark green roof. The best part is the views of the snow capped mountains. Alfred Hitchcock and Greta Garbo were known to stay at this fairytale hotel. When I think of buildings in Switzerland I think of buildings such as this with wooden framework, stone, and Christmas colors. Although this hotel is somewhat stereotypical of buildings in The Alps, it is still beautiful and I'm sure quite lovely to stay at.
The Albery Theater in London reminds me of an era where men and women dressed up to go to the theater, when technology was hardly as advanced as it is now. This theater is classic and absolutely gorgeous at night with lights hanging from awnings. I particularly love the colors chosen such as the sandstone and how it contrasts with the red and black signs. The architecture reflects the time period but also references classical style architecture which makes a nice contrast between the two styles. The contrast is not extremely apparent and that is what makes this building so successful.
This is a building where a lot of white works wonderfully. The Cy Twombly Gallery at the Menil Collection Museum in Houston, Texas was designed by Renzo Piano in 1995. I really respect Piano's work because he knows exactly what he's doing down to the placement of trees and plants such as in this photograph. The tree hanging down over the steps is absolutely gorgeous and contrasts wonderfully with the white of the building and the yellow light inside. Piano knew not to use stark white, even though this was a museum, he used grays and eggshells so the art work could stand out without the museum being stark white.
The Jubilee Church designed by Richard Meier scares me. I really dislike this building on many different levels. To begin with, the building is too white, so white that It's uncomfortable. I understand that Meier and his associates were going for the look of 'heaven' but to me the white makes me want to stay away from it because it is such as sharp white. Secondly I really dislike the structure of the building, especially the three pillar like structures aiming towards the heavens. I feel like a church shouldn't have such sharp and abrasive lines, that it should comfort and shelter the people inside of it. Churches are a place for reflection and prayer, I don't think I would feel very reflective in a place like this. The last thing that deeply disturbs me is the symbolism in the building. Arcspace.com explains how Meier and his associates designed the building to represent faith beliefs. "The proportional structure of the entire complex is based on a series of squares and four circles. Three circles of equal radius generate the profiles of the three concrete shells that, together with the spine-wall, make up the body of the nave. The three shells imply the Holy Trinity, while the reflecting pool symbolizes the role played by water in the Baptism ritual."
The Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe is simple, modern, and beautiful. I love all of the angles used inside and out. The fact that the house is elevated so high off the ground makes it quite simple to access underneath the house, making it easier to do repairs and fix the framework. My favorite part about the house is actually not the house itself, but what surrounds it. The lush scenery surrounding the house looks like artwork from the inside. The crystal clear windows frame the outdoors beautifully. I really love so many things about this house but it is not livable in the aspect of it being placed into a neighborhood. This house is only comfortably livable if there are no neighbors considering the neighbors could see everything.
The Centre Pompidou in France was designed by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano. Construction began on the multi-purpose center in 1971 and was completed in 1977. The Centre Pompidou houses a large public library, the National Museum of Modern Art, and a center for music and acoustic research known as IRCAM. The center was made for social interaction. Pipes and all the inside workings of buildings are placed on the outside, making the building like a skeleton. People are able to see how everything works and how things are connected, which is a really interesting part of the architecture. The building becomes a learning experience in itself because of all the pipes and elements that are exposed. The bright colors and industrial pipes were probably very strange in the 1970s, but now they are quite modern and beautiful. I really love the colors used and this building seems like it would be so much fun to visit.
Art Deco Buildings are so interesting to me and the Chrysler Building particulary intriques me because of it's repeated sharp triangles which point upwards in a fashion that makes the building look even larger. For a moment in time the Chrysler Building was the tallest building in the world. That is an impressive fact but height isn't everything, and I am glad that the architect, William Van Alen, didn't sacrifice architectural beauty for height. The Chrysler Building is a masterpiece of the Art Deco period and was built surprisingly fast in 1929. With a competition to build the worlds tallest building in the quickest amount of time, William Van Alen succeeded in much more than the competition.
Casa Mila is considered a great landmark in Barcelona. The apartments were built in the early 1900's. I'm not exactly sure what the building is used for today, it seems like it would be a landmark and museum by itself. Architectural details are everywhere in this building. Living in one of these apartments would be like coming home to a Some find Casa Mila by Antoni Gaudi too free-form and much like a bee-hive or castle in an aquarium. Personally, I love the curves and nooks in the balconies of this art nouveaufairytale everyday. If I every get a chance to go to Spain, this is the first place I will visit.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Perspective Drawing
Less than a week until fall break and less than 24 hours until I'm 19! This week we're working on perspective drawing. I have drastically improved on my drawing skills and I need to work on my perspective drawing so I am glad we are working on this. I really have enjoyed getting into smaller groups for our drawing class. My favorite was Suzanne's group because we got to work with magazine layouts and fonts. It was so much fun. Drafting may not be as much fun but it is something we have to do. My favorite part about being in the studio and in a program like this is that I can talk about how much I like a certain wallpaper or font type and not sound like a loser! haha. It's so refreshing to sit down and talk about design with people like it's the norm.
Monday, October 8, 2007
10 Graphic/Media Designs
I've noticed that a few people have commented on album art for their graphic/media design research, so I think I will take this opportunity to do the same thing and share some of my favorite music with you all at the same time. While I'm talking about music, listen to WUAG 103.1 FM next semester from 5-7 on either Tuesdays or Thursdays. I am not sure which day I will have yet but I love being a DJ and I get to listen to some of the best underground and indie music out there. Indie music is the only way to go in my opinion and WUAG has everything you could ever possibly want. Now back on topic...
Julie Sokolow is a indie/folk artist with a beautiful and calming voice. Her music makes me just want to drive around and contemplate life. I really like this album design is because it gets your attention. It's not too complex, complex album art can be nice sometimes but most people really are interested in the music. Simple yet appealing album art is the most effective in my mind. If I went into a record store I would definitely pick up this album just because of the album art. I love the idea of cherries on strings hanging from a tree. It's not something you see in real life and the colors are what are really interesting. The spots of red get your attention while the white brings it all together. Also, the font is perfect because it seems to represent her personality and music. Her music is feminine, not always serious, and sometimes sad and I see that in the font and album art. Listen to the song "seasons" off of this album, it's amazing.
Joanna Newsom's music is a beautiful mix of folk/experimental melodies. She plays the harp and her music is really soothing and I have some of her songs on my sleep mix on my ipod. This is why I love this illustration of her playing the harp and putting someone happily to sleep. This illustration is really cute and I like how the polka dots are out of order and randomly placed. I also like how the illustration is not colored in and it is just black and white so we can see the background behind it. The blog where I found this said that "Joanna Newsom is music for English majors. Newsom's are not so much songs but stories—sprawling pages of verse peppered with clever rhyme schemes." I love that statement and I guess that is why I love her music so much, If in some way design was not my favorite thing in the world, I would be an English major. I love poetry and her music is quite poetic.
This poster reminds me of the Julie Sokolow album art because of the tree and the hearts on strings. I actually saw this poster for Ted Leo back in high school and was inspired by it. I turned it into an art project and used the same idea with the hearts on the trees. Unfortunately I didn't understand the importance of documenting your work and so I don't have a picture of it. I really don't like the colors in this poster. It seems to me that the hearts and the tree are very 'girly' and 'girly' colors would have been more effective, but then again I understand that they are trying to advertise a band. Band posters can be very strange sometimes but I think the art is so interesting and different.
Wilco is a great indie rock band with influence in alternative country. Alternative country, as in the kind you don't see on CMT. I like this band poster because the lime green really pops against the white background. The people in all different positions and outfits are really interesting and fun to look at. I think the black and white people was a very good choice because the focus should be on the band name and the the artwork as much.
I actually have never heard of any bands on this flyer but I picked it up as soon as I saw it because of the colorful and interesting artwork. This is a flyer for an art show and music at The Green Bean in downtown Greensboro, probably my favorite coffee shop ever. I would just like to say that they truly make the BEST coffee I've ever had. It's a great place to just hang out and do homework as well. Back on topic, I don't understand what deer and hearts have to do with this show but frankly, it doesn't matter. It's a nice composition even if the artwork is a little disturbing with the heart. I really like the bright color combination, it really caught my eye.
I haven't listened to this particular album by Band of Horses, but I have listened to some of their lasted albums and they are really good. Listen to "The Great Salt Lake" by them, I play it on almost every radio show I do. I really like this album cover because it reminds me of my childhood, yelling at the planes in the sky as they passed, and waving. Band of Horses has branded their name in a way. They have made all of their merchandise and album covers have the same font for their band name. I think that is a really effective strategy because it familiarizes the customer with their name. I also like how the tree and the person are black silhouettes against the bright blue green sky.
I love Polaroids and this picture makes me want to draw a Polaroid camera now. The colors aren't too bright but they are still fun and the big stripes are really aesthetically pleasing. My favorite part about this poster is the actual Polaroid picture with the three artists. The Silhouettes are done really nicely and the black contrasts nicely with all of the colors. I haven't heard many songs by Peter Bjorn but what I have heard I really like.
Blonde Redhead has a lot of different influences in their music. Some of their music is psychedelic, some is more towards the folk end, and some songs are more indie rock. When making album art or band posters I think it's really important to represent the band and their personal style of music in the artwork. I think this poster might be a little childish in the design but represented Blonde Redhead in a nice light with the colors used. Blonde Redhead is not all butterflies and stars and I think that this poster makes them look less serious. I love the colors used and the psychedelic patterns on the butterfly.
Finally a poster that captures the essence of the artist. Cat Power is a devistatingly beautiful woman who hides behind her hair and is one of the most insecure and quiet singer/songwriters ever. She makes very pretty, sad, and slow music and she often reminds me of a shy little girl with pressure constantly coming down on her (hence the arrow coming down on her head.)
Tegan and Sara recently got onto MTV and I am somewhat sad about that because their music is so amazing and I don't think Fergie and Akon deserve to be placed next to such talented artists. I think that The Con, Tegan and Sara's newest album is their best yet and the album cover doesn't really do it justice. I don't really understand the album art because the picture on the front you can't identify and the writing behind it you cannot read. But it looks like a journal, a secret, something you have to examine really well to understand. I do like the secretive element to the cover. Listen to all of the songs on this album but make sure you listen to "Call It Off."
Julie Sokolow is a indie/folk artist with a beautiful and calming voice. Her music makes me just want to drive around and contemplate life. I really like this album design is because it gets your attention. It's not too complex, complex album art can be nice sometimes but most people really are interested in the music. Simple yet appealing album art is the most effective in my mind. If I went into a record store I would definitely pick up this album just because of the album art. I love the idea of cherries on strings hanging from a tree. It's not something you see in real life and the colors are what are really interesting. The spots of red get your attention while the white brings it all together. Also, the font is perfect because it seems to represent her personality and music. Her music is feminine, not always serious, and sometimes sad and I see that in the font and album art. Listen to the song "seasons" off of this album, it's amazing.
Joanna Newsom's music is a beautiful mix of folk/experimental melodies. She plays the harp and her music is really soothing and I have some of her songs on my sleep mix on my ipod. This is why I love this illustration of her playing the harp and putting someone happily to sleep. This illustration is really cute and I like how the polka dots are out of order and randomly placed. I also like how the illustration is not colored in and it is just black and white so we can see the background behind it. The blog where I found this said that "Joanna Newsom is music for English majors. Newsom's are not so much songs but stories—sprawling pages of verse peppered with clever rhyme schemes." I love that statement and I guess that is why I love her music so much, If in some way design was not my favorite thing in the world, I would be an English major. I love poetry and her music is quite poetic.This poster reminds me of the Julie Sokolow album art because of the tree and the hearts on strings. I actually saw this poster for Ted Leo back in high school and was inspired by it. I turned it into an art project and used the same idea with the hearts on the trees. Unfortunately I didn't understand the importance of documenting your work and so I don't have a picture of it. I really don't like the colors in this poster. It seems to me that the hearts and the tree are very 'girly' and 'girly' colors would have been more effective, but then again I understand that they are trying to advertise a band. Band posters can be very strange sometimes but I think the art is so interesting and different.Wilco is a great indie rock band with influence in alternative country. Alternative country, as in the kind you don't see on CMT. I like this band poster because the lime green really pops against the white background. The people in all different positions and outfits are really interesting and fun to look at. I think the black and white people was a very good choice because the focus should be on the band name and the the artwork as much.I actually have never heard of any bands on this flyer but I picked it up as soon as I saw it because of the colorful and interesting artwork. This is a flyer for an art show and music at The Green Bean in downtown Greensboro, probably my favorite coffee shop ever. I would just like to say that they truly make the BEST coffee I've ever had. It's a great place to just hang out and do homework as well. Back on topic, I don't understand what deer and hearts have to do with this show but frankly, it doesn't matter. It's a nice composition even if the artwork is a little disturbing with the heart. I really like the bright color combination, it really caught my eye.I haven't listened to this particular album by Band of Horses, but I have listened to some of their lasted albums and they are really good. Listen to "The Great Salt Lake" by them, I play it on almost every radio show I do. I really like this album cover because it reminds me of my childhood, yelling at the planes in the sky as they passed, and waving. Band of Horses has branded their name in a way. They have made all of their merchandise and album covers have the same font for their band name. I think that is a really effective strategy because it familiarizes the customer with their name. I also like how the tree and the person are black silhouettes against the bright blue green sky.I love Polaroids and this picture makes me want to draw a Polaroid camera now. The colors aren't too bright but they are still fun and the big stripes are really aesthetically pleasing. My favorite part about this poster is the actual Polaroid picture with the three artists. The Silhouettes are done really nicely and the black contrasts nicely with all of the colors. I haven't heard many songs by Peter Bjorn but what I have heard I really like.Blonde Redhead has a lot of different influences in their music. Some of their music is psychedelic, some is more towards the folk end, and some songs are more indie rock. When making album art or band posters I think it's really important to represent the band and their personal style of music in the artwork. I think this poster might be a little childish in the design but represented Blonde Redhead in a nice light with the colors used. Blonde Redhead is not all butterflies and stars and I think that this poster makes them look less serious. I love the colors used and the psychedelic patterns on the butterfly.Finally a poster that captures the essence of the artist. Cat Power is a devistatingly beautiful woman who hides behind her hair and is one of the most insecure and quiet singer/songwriters ever. She makes very pretty, sad, and slow music and she often reminds me of a shy little girl with pressure constantly coming down on her (hence the arrow coming down on her head.)
Tegan and Sara recently got onto MTV and I am somewhat sad about that because their music is so amazing and I don't think Fergie and Akon deserve to be placed next to such talented artists. I think that The Con, Tegan and Sara's newest album is their best yet and the album cover doesn't really do it justice. I don't really understand the album art because the picture on the front you can't identify and the writing behind it you cannot read. But it looks like a journal, a secret, something you have to examine really well to understand. I do like the secretive element to the cover. Listen to all of the songs on this album but make sure you listen to "Call It Off."
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Design + Zine = Dezine!
What is a zine? Why it's a mini magazine. Dictionary.com puts it in more specific terms though.
zine also 'zine (zēn)
n. An inexpensively produced, self-published, underground publication
For this project we were to create a 'zine' for design. I picked 10 objects from design magazines that I was interested in and commented on them. Researching this project was so much fun. I sat in the library here at the studio for hours with Missy just looking at amazing design magazines, sitting on designer couches, dreaming about owning/ designing the same types of things one day. I spent a lot of time on the commentary of the objects and not as much time as I wanted to on the actual making of the zine. This is probably why the images are slightly crooked. Although there is room for some improvement, I think that the craft overall is nicely executed. The cover of the booklet was a nightmare to make. I was trying to print an irregular shaped piece of paper and get the title in the correct place. This is why the bottom of the title is cut off. I think that it could be considered an artistic touch however and that is why I left it (also the fact that I had to go to class). There were a lot of technical issues that were frustrating while making the zine but in the end I think it turned out nicely.
zine also 'zine (zēn)
n. An inexpensively produced, self-published, underground publication
For this project we were to create a 'zine' for design. I picked 10 objects from design magazines that I was interested in and commented on them. Researching this project was so much fun. I sat in the library here at the studio for hours with Missy just looking at amazing design magazines, sitting on designer couches, dreaming about owning/ designing the same types of things one day. I spent a lot of time on the commentary of the objects and not as much time as I wanted to on the actual making of the zine. This is probably why the images are slightly crooked. Although there is room for some improvement, I think that the craft overall is nicely executed. The cover of the booklet was a nightmare to make. I was trying to print an irregular shaped piece of paper and get the title in the correct place. This is why the bottom of the title is cut off. I think that it could be considered an artistic touch however and that is why I left it (also the fact that I had to go to class). There were a lot of technical issues that were frustrating while making the zine but in the end I think it turned out nicely.
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