Our Fictional Future

So basically I just want to bring people who believe that everyone must be a little creative to be able to make the future possible. For some reason it comes to mind when people say "get out of your head" or things of that sort and, well, maybe, you were unconsciously creating something that will be possible in the future. Maybe that person can't make it possible but people should catalogue their creations and maybe an engineer will take a look and think to himself 'I can do that'. It's possible. We shouldn't push people who live in a fantasy world down. that fantasy world might just be a glimpse into our future!

Philips

My second research paper is on Philips Design Centre. What attracted me to do Philips was actually the layout of their website. I just thought it was really easy to use and also their logo! Philips- senseandsimplicity. What a design should be.

The company specializes in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting. It focuses on merging technology and design to create products, which help improve the quality of life. Philips is a leader in cardiac care, acute care, and home healthcare, as well as, energy efficient lighting and new lighting applications. Philips wins 50+ awards each year and has a client base that includes 60 Fortune 500 companies.

This is a big company, but this company tries to focuses on their demographic. So, if they being a project, they start by focusing on the people their project is targeting. They get to know their buyer. Because this company is so large, with “116,000 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide,” they put a point in trying to diversify their team. The backbone of their company consists of over 400 people from over 35 nations. They have 7 main studios in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Philips wants to give people what they want and what they need, all in one. The picture below gives an example of such products.

A child who would usually be afraid of going to the doctors and getting all sorts of exams done will be comforted be the drawing on the wall and the same drawing being projected on the ceiling. The child is comfortable, and the job still gets done.

This company realizes the power of design and tries to use that power for good. “High Design is a practical approach to design that helps to create commercially successful products and solutions that support people in accomplishing and experiencing things in natural, intuitive ways.” It wants to make products that are natural to people. Things that you could just be accustomed to and because of this you would think to yourself, how did I ever live without it.

Their design teams incorporate people from different fields of study, such as philosophy or ergonomics, not just design, because they want to understand people, and make them happy.

They also focus on creating projects that are sustainable; their designs try to be earth friendly. The company even has a specialized force called “Philanthropy by Design.” This branch helps non-profit organizations by donating skills and programs, and they develop humanitarian propositions that address both social and environmental issues.

Every since its beginning stages in the 1920s Philips has produced an array of different products and it kept that trend. In the 60s Philips created their design bureau which focused on all the different products by them selves. Philips has grown to be a strong global brand and will maintain that status if it sticks to its principles, best addressed by the CEO Stefano Marzano:

“Business and Design need to find a common objective that lies beyond the present, beyond the temporary – a goal that goes beyond a single transaction or a specific product. Together they need to take responsibility for leading us away from mediocrity and to connect not just at a commercial level, but at a higher level, as well.” – Stefano Marzano, CEO, Philips Design

Funny Garbage

I decided to talk about Funny Garbage today well, because I have to. But, I went to their site firstly to see what it was about, and when I found out it was a company that was dedicated to creating interfaces that were fun and user friendly I did enjoy learning more about them and seeing some of their projects. Lets get a little biography first shall we?

Funny Garbage has been around for 15 years, since 1996, and its work includes project for large Media companies, like cartoon network! (My fav, Adult swim ANDDDDD totally drama island!!!!!!) Comedy Central, CNN, others… Also, it works with cultural and non-profit institutions, like the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History… and more others… So they do all these projects, they get awards for there graphic designs…. Basically… they are the shit, up in this bitch.

The companies “core are of expertise” is changing information into “fun and easy-to-use digital experiences.” They are really good at changing info to into ridiculously good-looking sites. The goal being to make it easier for the web browser, which translates into more views on the website, hopefully.

But, this kick ass company doesn’t stop there. They know that for good graphic design you need a superb technology department, which they have! Design and Technology, like cheese and mac. (I’m not a big fan of the pbandj… I’m not gonna lie though, I did watch the show) They know that a design can’t just look good, I mean obviously some one has to use it right? But that is what makes Funny Garbage so good! Not all companies think about these things, so that is a really good trait to have.

Funny Garbage does good work. So why have they survived? Well, lets here from them: “during a time when interactive companies struggled to thrive, FG’s ability to adapt and invent, to do great work in a variety of industries and to anticipate and master new technologies, has made FG a leader in the world of media development and interface design and production.”

Funny Garbage got a break, it’s got a good list of regular costumers. It is a really good company who has constantly offered good designs and that is why people keep coming back to it. Two years after their creation, in 1998, they made an interactive online game for South Park, which is a really big television show.

But, the reality is that they are a smart company who is in tuned with the consumer. And behind them they have a solid base of people who each bring their own strength to the company, like their own CEO John Carlin.

Carlin has a unique background in both business and art. He created one of the first museum exhibitions to showcase comic and graphic novel art, showing that he has initiative and drive. His background in business and law gives him a grip on all the desk stuff that comes with being a CEO of a major company, but, his background with pop-art allows him to bring creativity and imagination into the company.

This company is always looking to better the design industry by creating something new. That is the force that should drive a really good company.

Style

It's important to have some style and individuality. So, if you have a website, you have to make a good banner. Creative Curio set up a step by step guide to recreating their banner. You can find these all over the internet!

The Portfolio

If someone doesnt know your name... You have no chance of getting remembered. Have a good logo, and maybe even make it out of your name. A portfolio tip from Core77.

Mixed Design

Like the spork, two designs can come together to create something great! Now Core77 has found something else thats really not nearly as exciting as the spork... But, here it is. Muji and Lego combine to make paper cut outs with lego bricks.

Color

Creative Curio brought me back to my Color Theory days. I usually pick bright colors to draw with because they are the ones I'm attracted too. Looking at the color wheel for inspiration is always a good place to start, but you have to pick the right color combinations. Like the three colors I had to choose to make my Website.

The Personals

It's fun to take everyday things and see them from a designers point of view. Swissmiss entered a design for the Type Directors Club, Beautiful Banal auction. The point was to take a personal ad found in the Newspaper and convert it into a poster. She took the ad above and converted it to the poster below. Check out the design,

Evan Roth

I few weeks ago we had Evan Roth come and speak to our class about his experience as an artist. I had actually seen something of his at the Museum of Modern Art. I didn’t actually know that it was his work until he should it to us in the presentation.

Well he spoke about his work during his college times. He showed us varies projects he did. But, what he really was really passionate about was graffiti. One of his projects, he explored a section of New York City and recorded all the occurrences of graffiti. Then he catalogues them by letter so that people can see the differences in typography. He later did this in Paris with funding.

He then showed us how he and a friend of his mixed his graffiti skills with varies mechanics and they created different projects. Like goggles one could use to draw even if you are paralyzed. Also, a graffiti pen which allows you to use light to tag buildings; which is the installation I saw at the MOMA.

He also spoke about how to market yourself. Really just put everything you have out there so that if some one sees it, and likes it, it will spread. Don't be afraid of copyright, in the end it is your idea; and if you get it out there enough... people will relies it's your design and they will look for you.

What I really enjoyed about his presentation was that he was so into what he was doing. He spoke of how he was constantly trying to think of something new and how on the weekend he would just do small projects for fun.

Get Payed

When you complete a projct for a client it's time for you to get you payment. Well sometimes that's not always as easy as it sounds. Personally my parents have trouble with getting payed in their business. Even in school now, people have trouble paying there tuiton. What can you do to... help your client along in peyments? Well it might be more difficult especially if you're a freelancer, people might take advantage of your companies size.

Here are a few ways to maybe avoid those situations.

1. Make payment plans available.

Small incruments are easier for people to pay than whole sums.

2. Early payment discount

Give your client a discount for payment an invoice right when it's recieved. It saves them money, and gets you your money.

3. Late payment penalty

If your client doesn't pay on time, charge interest... hey, banks do it.

4. Communication

Keep in contact with your client. Once the project is over one might forget that you even finished the project! But, the more you talked to them during the process the more likely they will remember they have to pay.

5. Reminders

Before the payment is due you can send a friendly reminder, friendly being the key word. Hey, they might have just forgotten.

6. Escalation

If none of the above works then it might be time to break up with your client. Stop working until you get payed.

Favors

In college it's a good thing to do projects for different people. This will give you practice, and, if it gets published somewhere, something to put on your resume. So you might even end up doing it for free... Well when your out in "the real world" free doesn't pay the rent.

Even if it's your best friend it's always good to keep a professional relationship separate. You could give them a discount but don't get taken advantage of! Freelancing is a hard career.

Redue

Being freelance might be discouraging at times... Being a designer might be discouraging at times. Maybe what you thought was a great design wasn't a hit with the client. Well just keep your head up and try again.

Ask for feedback, you can always learn from your mistakes... and maybe you'll like the next one much better.

PR

I barely know what PR means, let alone what one does to get good PR. So, when looking through Freelance Switch I thought I'd take note of a blog post titles "Five Simple Public Relations Steps You Can Take."

1. Pay your bills on time.

Didn't really understand this one. Thought it was more for people going into politics. I mean obviously you want to pay your bills on time, but didn't understand what it had to do with PR.

2. Be on your best behavior when in public.

You want to spread your name so you might wear propaganda, and when you do you want to reflect your company. So be nice! People might remember your name.

3. Resist the temptation to badmouth the competition

This is along the lines of being on your best behavior. No one wants to be that guy who talks smack.

4. Employees

Good employees means good customer service. People will remember that.

5. Press release

Get your name out there. And when it comes out... get it out there again! Print copies and give them to... everyone.

A Good Find

I don't like companies that make things that are so easy to produce so expensive... Well so we consumers have to find new, affordable things to substatute the expensive stuff.

Swiss Miss found this one... An IPad stand.

Cost = 0.69 cents

It's... Different.

Random designs. My friend loves weird earrings so I think I just found the site for her! There is this company that specializes in... eccentric designs, Hairy Sock. The designs make Swiss Miss smile and me too. lol I'm not sure if I would wear them though...

New Born? New Design

When one has a child one finds themselves having less and less time to do anything really. It can't feed itself, It can't bathe itself, it can't even be left alone to fall asleep! Well now it doesn't have to be left alone, AND you can still so your own thing.

I'd rock that cradle. I love design with a practical side. It makes the world a happier place.

Hm.

How about hand-made designs. Really now all I think about are ad design, web design, mass produce, etc... So lets focus on those little shops on the side streets that sell things that are handmade, designed and built at home.

lol really what got me was the title. "Made for machines, not by them."

One thing I don't like about the design is the label sticking out the side. It has no use and it's in the way so it shouldn't be there. Period.

Learn From Peers

I found this blog on Core77 and I thought it was pretty amuzing slash true at the same time. Just take a look around your classroom and see that you can learn something from everyone. I know if I have a question on an assignment I'll ask whoever is closest... Maybe they know.

Plus, people who get As, get them for a reason. Don't always argue back, be open to learn something from everyone.

Mise-en-sen

Film and Art. That is what I'm studing so I thought I'd blog about it a bit. A film itself is art. everything in the film is thought to have a purpose in the overall atitude of the film. The sound, the costumes, the make-up, the camera angles, the props, scenarie... everthing has to be perfect! I guess the real point here is that there are all different types of artist. Visual, sound, I guess I just figured that out.

Just think of great movies like the Godfather people remember everything. That makes a great movie. Everything just working together to really get the point across.

Mix It Up

2D meets musical talents, The Gorillaz. Honestly it's epic. The worlds first virtual band, and the concept behind it was easy enough. The guys didn't want to deal with the whole press issues of being actual musicians.

So it was just a side project, but when to great things like music and art collide... It's become a revolution really. We Made This

Design Art

What is art? Can design be art? Can anything be art? People look at things, find them interesting, the composition is good, the colors attractive... so is that art?

I have a picture in my head right now. I women with hair down to her shoulders, bangs, a cigarette in her hand. She is looking a little off camera but is talking directly to us, as if she were pondering about something or another. Slowly she opens her lips and says, "I was staring at a brick wall today... and I found it beautiful..."

Slowly you can find more installations of design in art museums, some are inspiring, some are just design. We Made This.

Illustration

Honestly the reason I got into art in the first play is because of illustration... I think drawing with pen and with charcoal is so nice. Anime drawing is so good!!! That's how I draw. I like drawing black and white.

I read a blog on We Made This talking about Brian Bolland and about his drawings. How he devoted one day a week to doing life drawing. I think I should do that. It's something that you really wouldn't coralate to illustration but it's something that does help your craft.

Everything

I wonder if I have a designers eye... For sure when I look at things I analyse them, actually I find myself nit picking at ever little thing. Like if something is the tiniest bit off I will point it out. I knew that it was weird, but I didn't think of it as, having a designer eye. Instead of looking at the good of a logo design, or art piece... I always see the bad first and critic it.

As a designer you always have to look at designs critically. One should think, what would make this design better? Always consider what the designer could have done and didn't and ask why. I read this really good post on Creative Curio about it. It really got me thinking.

Having Fun

I wonder if people who create fun looking designs had fun creating them? Like those little robot toys... or toys in general. Like Evan Roth who creates things that he likes. I guess the question is, Is design a corporation?

Anyhoo... the think that made me think of it was this video I saw on SwissMiss. She thought it was fun because the popsicle reminded her of her childhood.

Rakete from Florian Ammann on Vimeo.

DIY

Now anyone can go online and learn how to do anything they want. I like this, it means that I can personalize anything I want to. Well would that also mean a drop in sales? I guess it works both ways really. How many people are willing to put in time to create their own chairs or tables? But how loo=ng would they be willing to look for that perfect design?

That's why companies have to create innovative design that appeal to the masses, cause the masses now have more power. So, DIY designs: Threat or Opportunity?

Shake it Up

So I saw this design for a salt and peper shaker on Coroflot that I personally thought was too complicated. The other day I went to buy a salt shaker and there was a selection in the store. How is there a selection of salt shakers? It's the easiest thing in the world. I don't need that much out of a salt shaker.

Well I ended up getting a salt grinder that I am not very happy with. Designers have to draw a line between something looking good and being practical. And I have so stop buying things that just look nice. :p

Built and Design

So, how important is the way something looks compared to the way something is built? Nidecker a snowboard company from Switzerland just finished up their snowboard design contest.

Nidecker recently won the Snowboard Technological Innovation Competition for their innovative wielded wood construction. Now they are remaking the look of their boarders. See more contestants on Core77.