its-nervouswolfcollection

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ATQ

The most interesting change that I realized in my life as a college student was making the transition from lazy slacker who relied heavily on his family to get me out of bed, to being a responsible morning person. I was never getting up on time for school in high school, and barely expected any different for college, but I learned I had the potential to change and I had transformed and learned to wake up on time and make the right decisions to be a more punctual and responsible individual! I can wake up at 6:20 am and be on time for class and different appointments! (Even though I have to re learn that responsibility and overcome my laziness since I'm at home I seem to be relapsing since I'm in a comfort zone of past sins and I'm trying to overcome this as well!)

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ATQ

Humility:

I never oversell myself on things, because I know I can be better and as important as confidence can be, arrogance is never the answer, so I always label myself as "okay" at things.

I also tend to credit people around me for my success, because I didn't do it alone.

Happiness:

Trying to become a better person each day and trying to improve my listening skills.

Video games.

Family

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J. Entry

I think the future of design resides in a “less and more” approach. What I mean by that is, as time continues and humans learn to develop faster, stronger, smarter technology with less size, effort, and required resource, humans will be able to create technologies that solve a greater amount of problems in an even smaller package. I think soon we will experience technology integrated into the human body (like a phone receiver in my hand or a means of regulating health with a chip or strip of technology inserted/attached to the user. Contemporary art takeaways for the future, I would say, include: diversity, technological advancement to make different types of art, “personality,” eclectic work, and work related to the artist and societal awareness (identity). 

A futuristic item in my personal life that has evolved, and most likely will continue to do so years is my  dad’s Apple Watch. The device can read my heart rate, conduct workouts, count the amount of steps I take, and send texts from my wrist without requiring me to pull out my phone. In the next few decades I think a device similar to this will no longer be a watch (I’m gonna get all Sci-Fi on this one, but bear with me), I believe that this will adapt to a digital system within our bodies that allow us to track our health, conduct dietary regimen, take temperature, or give a diagnosis. I think this type of item (the watch) will end up obsolete and technology will end up being small enough to integrate into the bloodstream, or somehow incorporated within or onto our body. I think this can even happen with laptops, cell phones, and even glasses. Technology has gotten smaller and smaller, and as science and humans continue to grow and become more intelligent, I believe a future like this is very possible, and maybe can happen in the next few decades or so.

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Week 13

Postmodern designers developed their own style of design that stood out very distinctly from the designs of the previous era. Feeling bored with the styles that were being implemented before they arrived and receiving new technology that enabled the Postmodern designers to experiment more with the designs they wanted to create. Fusing image and text became a lot easier and different design techniques implemented in the modern era had become obsolete. The characteristics of postmodern designers are bright colors and dynamic energy aligned with a commercialized Punk aesthetic. Out of all of the designers that we have looked into over class lectures and within our textbook, the designer that I appreciate the most is Paula Scher. I find her interesting because of her ability to incorporate text and type and I’m interested in the work that she made based off of the Russian constructivism period. The two elements within her designs created a powerful dynamic and contained aesthetic that is fun to look at because they worked together to move the eyes through the composition. The elements present in her work are the vibrant/bright colors and the dynamic energy that was mentioned before. She used brighter colors, like red or yellow against white backdrops in between the bright red or using contrasting vibrant colors against one another to present a vibrant and interesting piece. The dynamic energy is created by the contrasting colors and the figures or images in the design along with colored text that works with and against an image inside of a piece of design. The designs followed the postmodern aesthetic, with the (sort of) Avant Garde style that allowed the designers to flourish and stand out in the coming of a new design era. Scher had a great sense of typography which spoke volumes within her poster designs. 

Paula Scher, The Diva is Dismissed, 1994, MoMA

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Entry 11

1.) Helvetica is a typeface that was created in 1957 post-war by Swiss designers. The design was created as a felt need to present modern feelings and idealism to the world. Helvetica was created to give the world a good, clear type that’s versatile and modern.

2.) Helvetica is considered a very neutral, clear, and readable space that didn’t require have a meaning in itself like other typefaces might possess. Helvetica has horizontal tones, is clear, and straight, with a focus on negative space to counter the space between characters that hold the letters. The modern typeface solidified the typeface of the poster, “the letters weren’t bent to fill,” and is “horizontal, slicing off the terminals.

3.)Modernists of the time used Helvetica because it was very clear, defined, readable, and strong; which allowed the typeface to speak very neutrally. The neutrality of Helvetica made the typeface very versatile. There are no exclamation points (like other typefaces of the time), which created a message that was straightforward and to the point. “The smooth letters seem almost human...open to interpretation...feeling of finality to it...works like a person, has no contrasts...perfect balance of push and pull in the letters...its air, its just air.” Those quotes from the movie are explanations of what made Helvetica so pertinent and potent for its time. Modernists appreciated the accessible, transparent, accountable, clean, and efficient look that Helvetica offered to designers.

4.) After its larger reign of popularity, I think Helvetica had begun developing outdated associations decades ago. I think Helvetica became too popular and became a norm/default and artists/designers had become bored with it. After awhile, Helvetica stopped speaking to designers and thus the status quo became less interesting. So designers started trying to utilizing different typefaces to communicate different, more interesting messages to their viewers, because when everything is the same, the world of design is dreary, dull, and lifeless.  

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Entry 10

Industrial design reshaped the way Americans conducted their shopping habits. Due to the introduction of function as well as attraction, consumers developed their own sense of self through the advertised items and developed more focus on the look of the object than the functionality of it. A product’s function was secondary to the way the design looked. Sleeker, slimmer, and newer designs took American consumer culture to new heights, because once this style of production became prevalent advertisers had more to advertise, which tied itself to the mass production of attractive and functional and eventually spread to the rest of the world to create a  world of self-aware consumerism.

Brian Stevens is a very influential designer (born in Milwaukee) from the early 20th century born in an unlucky situation (Polio, his doctor said he wouldn’t walk again). However, after being influenced by his father, Stevens became one of the best designers of his time. Throughout the early twentieth century, Stevens transformed the industry of consumption with his industrial designs which eventually lead to his success with becoming founder of the Society of Industrial Designers. Stevens contributed the work ethic of a businessman into the workflow of a designer and Planned obsolescence, which is utilized in the world of industrial design to this day.

Brooks Stevens, Weinermobile, 1958

Stevens took the lower end of the vehicle and developed a more flat region to be the bun for the hot dog part of the car with the cockpit for the driver. This vehicle was one of the first billboard/commercial vehicle with the hot dog in a bun concept.

This design by Stevens is definitely my favorite, because this design is a very unorthodox spin on the era of functioning and attractive mass production. Food is very attractive, but food and car together can make you hungry and envious of the owner of such a radical vehicle.

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Entry 9

Based on the article, “universal design,” is the idea of design/art with the purpose of appealing and giving access to the largest possible audience and provide a sense of success in the functionality of a design. However, “essentialism,” can create difficulty in the pursuit of a “universal design.” Essentialism is an idea of benefiting for a specific need, focusing on a specific group of characteristics rather than the whole, which is very short sided in comparison to universal design, which focuses on everyone. The author is arguing that while universal design is on the right path, but doesn’t appropriately handle the individuality amongst the equality. Universal design isn’t completely addressing the differences that all humans have as much as the equalities that stand out just as much and ends up becoming essentialism. The author spoke of the difference between reality and the way architects conceptualize designs. The difference is discussed in the way that essentialism was compared to universal design, the idea of mixing the two concepts for an ideal situation is great in theory, but when the actual application of those concepts is done, the outcome is completely opposite of the desired results. Similar to architects, the design is intended to be applied to every side of the spectrum, but somewhere down the line the desired result gets lost because the artist falls into the trap they meant to avoid. I agree with the way the article ended because of the way it ties all of the ideas together through a final view and personal opinion of the topic. 

A world example that can benefit from “mass customization,” is clothing for women. Clothes that fulfill different needs (for example, actually having pockets in women’s stylish pants)

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Emory Douglas

Emory Douglas is a graphic artist who made very socially aware poster designs for the Black Panther movement in the mid 1900′s. Douglas has worked all over the globe in hopes to help resolve some of the social injustices that plagued many people of the time and continues now to try and promote the slogan “all power to the people,” and spread peace in communities. His work is very important to graphic design and political activism in many ways. His work truly promotes the idea of design solving a problem, due to the way his work had a consistent way of saying the things that most people couldn’t or wouldn’t say in order to raise the fists of the community against all social injustice against people of color or any persons under the foot of socially unjust America. Douglas’ work spoke out against political powers, war, police brutality, and the empowerment of the mistreated people. Some things that I found particularly interesting within Emory’s talk were: the Black Panther movement defined the term ‘pig’ in reference to policeman describing a ‘pig’ as “A low natured beast that has no regard for law, justice, or the rights of people; a creature that bites the hand that feeds it; a foul depraved traducer, usually found masquerading as the victim of an unapproved attack.” I also thought it was interesting when he spoke of the black Olympians doing the power fist on the podium. That was not a planned action. He elaborated that the community had been talking it over to figure out what the athletes should do, but the community couldn’t settle the debate so the athletes decided for themselves to raise their fists. Finally, I was fascinated with the answer he had to the question I asked him after the talk. I had asked him if he thought a socially just America would/could ever exist? He responded with a yes, but he said “hundreds of years from now,” and went on to explain the possibility of the occurrence, but it would have to done through people and their differences getting together and figuring it out together (this was what happened in the Black Panther movement as well). He said that there are genuine people, but the systems that they, as well as us, reside in are corrupt and the only way to end that line of corrupt hatred is together, not just black people or troubled people of minority ethnicity, but everyone, because we are all family to the human race.

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Entry 7

Le Corbusier was a famous designer/painter from the Postwar Modernist Reconstruction Effort era. Corbusier’s work held closely to a concept known as Purism, which emphasized clear forms and structures and utilized a style that reformed the world while retaining a classical order. Corbusier had 5 points of architecture based off of his concept L’Espirit Nouveau. The five points were 1.) Supports: Reinforced concrete columns support structure. 2.) Roof Gardens to control the humidity and temperature of the concrete, and allows townspeople a respite from city life. 3.) Free Designing of the ground plan because the support system of columns are in place, interior walls can be placed anywhere the architect wans. 4.) Horizontal Window: Allows light and air to enter the building in large quantities. 5.) Free Design of the Façade: The façade is not load-bearing and so can accommodate many windows and extend outward, beyond the support columns.

Le Corbusier, Villa Savoye

Corbusier’s Villa Savoye building incorporated the use of multiple ideas from his 5 points of architecture. One being the use of concrete support columns to support the entire building. Another being the horizontal windows that glide along the outer wall of the building to allow more light to enter the home space. Finally, he incorporated the free designing of the ground plan. The ground plan for this building was meant to emphasize the act of walking for the homeowner and allow a more car friendly space. I can see the legacy of Corbusier in the architecture of the modern world, and one of the prime examples of an architectural work that derived ideals from Corbusier’s designs is on Uwm’s campus. The building on campus that reminds me of the Corbusier architectural legacy is none other than the Lapham building. The building utilizes one of Corbusier’s famous points of architecture, which is the feature of horizontal windows that allow natural light to enter the halls

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ENTRY 5

Jules Cheret, Foiles Bergere-Fleur de Lotus, 1893. Color Lithograph, 48 7/8 x 34 5/8 in. Les Arts Decoratifs, Musee de Publicite, Paris

Theopile Steinline, Cabaret de Chat Noir, 1896. Poster. Victoria and Albert Museum, London,

The two colored lithographs from above are both very expressive and relative to the artistic standard of their times. Around this time both artists were existing within the Art Nouveau movement in France, which utilized the industrial world that began to engulf European art and design. Jules Cheret was leading the French Art Nouveau with his use of the colored lithograph posters. He was influenced by the French eighteenth-century art style called Rococo. His poster Foiles Bergere-Fleur de Lotus, “perfectly captures, while updating the sexual energy of Rococo Art. This poster advertised a ballet and pantomime- popular entertainment at the Folies Bergere, Paris’ most famous cabaret, (Eskilson, 59).” Cheret’s lithograph features more movement and flow of the forms that are within the composition which all coexist and move alongside the type, which combines the two. Steinline’s poster was also created in the time of the French Art Nouveou, but instead of the Rococo style, Steinline’s posters “contrast sharply with the dense, decorative elegance of Livemont or Mucha… feature the bold simplicity of the Japanese print (Eskilson, 67).” Steinline’s work doesn’t fuse the text and image together like the work done by Cheret due to the boldness of the Japanese print culture that influenced him. His poster however, provides more guidance for the viewer. The poster begins with a red circular form behind the dark, black fur of the cat and in front of the bright background, so the eye flows with the descendance of the cat’s body and the text, to the bottom of the composition, in comparison to Cheret’s lithograph which places the text at the top of the poster and engages the viewer through the numerous forms that point downward, which may have been an influence for the way Steinline utilized the cat. Both of the poster designs relate to two posters that I own.

Stephen Curry Poster

Dragon ball Z Resurrection��‘F’ Po

Steinline’s poster and the Curry poster have a slight resemblance with the utilization of text moving alongside the object of focus and the fact that there is only one specific representational object in the composition. Cheret’s poster has more of a resemblance to the Dragon Ball Z poster because of the numerous forms within the composition and the text that is at the bottom directed by a limb of the figures in the piece. The Dragon Ball Z poster relates to Steinline’s boldness a bit more with the vibrant colors of the background that bring the figure of focus to the attention of the viewer.[

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ENTRY 4

Bradford’s aim for this article was to exhibit the explosion of posters becoming recognized as a higher form of art within 19th century France with a focus on Jules Cheret. Jules Cheret was a “talented, ambitious poster designer”(Collins, 18),who was one of the leaders of the changing artistic world in France, which lead to changes in the way other countries like the U.S., England, and Germany. Cheret worked as a principle illustrator for the English company Cramer and Company, where he specialized in romantic effects, and his utilization of French romantic techniques that illustrators had used in the 1830′s and 40′s. After meeting a man by the name Eugene Remille, Cheret made designs for Remille’s perfume labels. Under Remille’s clientele, Cheret had learned to apply the principle that “design should fit the object’s purpose”(Collins, 20). The reason that the poster was a sought-out and respected art form in late nineteenth century France was the combination/application of art and design. The unorthodox ideas of artists utilizing colored lithographs without addressing a political standpoint or viewpoint and only focusing on drawing the attention of the viewer was a radical and game changing move by artists of the time. France especially after witnessing a larger interval of time with a large common ground of fine art and higher art leading the artistic race, the movement of artists using a sheet of paper to produce flattened yet poppy and intriguing figures, fonts, and shapes in order to attract the eyes of viewers. “Because Paris was the art capitol of the Western world, its verdict was considered conclusive. Thus...poster artists in certain countries such as Germany, England, and the United States did not have to concern themselves with their artistic legitimacy; they were free to focus entirely on design issues.”(Collins, 27).

Folies Bergere, La Loie Fuller, Jules Cheret

I favor this work because of the ultimate focus on the subject with a black background, which combines with the very vibrant colors used to give the subject more of a glow. The mix of vibrant and dull color with a solid black background and vibrant colored text combine to create a very wholesome and eye catching print!

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Entry 3

After reading the  “Design Thinking” in the Harvard Business Review” pdf, I would describe design as a collaboration of numerous intellectual ideals from a particular group that come together to form a unique, functioning object that appeals to the eye and is efficient. Some examples of design thinking in objects that I use daily include my chair at my desk, my lamp, my planner, and the water dispenser on my sink in my kitchen. Just to expand on one of the design objects in my room, my lamp is not very large, utilizes an LED light and has a bendable area that allows the light to be moved into weird angles for the user (it's super clutch). One of the concepts I found very important was the concept of collaboration (design thinking) to enhance and increase potential. When the reading spoke if the nurses that collaborated with one another to create a more efficient way to transfer information about their patients, I realized that humans can solve almost any problem, and basically all humans are designers, but with a different lab coat. The IDEO process of innovation included a very open-minded collaborative process in which the team would sporadically give ideals and give/take from each of those ideas after thinking of the consumers or audience that would be receptive of the product they were working with. Some of the company’s motto’s include, “One conversation at a time,” “Encourage wild ideas,” "Differ Judgement,” and “Build on the ideas of others.” Those rules are implemented within the way the group generates ideas, they sit together and give ideas and place them on a board, each idea different, and efficient in their own way and after, the groups create different versions of their idea of the most efficient product for use. Finally, I believe that IDEO could have improved their final shopping cart design by adding a seatbelt, because a kid might mess around and slip out of that thing and get hurt if they wiggle too hard.

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Entry2

Two works of design by William Morris that respond to the  conditions of modernity were his Golden typefaces and his design for the Sussex Chair. Both of the design works responded to the surrounding art movements post-industrialization and resembled the ideals of mass-production. The Arts and Crafts movement was a period that focused on decorative structures that tended to be geometrically structured, and based upon architectural forms from the later portion of the nineteenth century. The Arts and Crafts movement involved Morris and John Ruskin, who influenced Morris’ turn toward decorative art, due to Ruskin’s belief that decorative art forms like furniture and wallpaper had a greater affect on a visual environment than fine arts. Originally Morris had planned to improve the British design quality after witnessing the decline in quality due to the industrialization. He wished to create designs that had reference to the Medieval period and had more of a fine arts orientation. However, after being influenced by John Ruskin as mentioned before, Morris changed his perspective and says “I do not want ART for a few more than education for a few or freedom for a few.”(Graphic Design: A New History, 50) and eventually was sucked into the world of mass-production when he was trying to sustain his founded business (Morris and Co.). Based off of the sources I’ve read regarding his opinions of art, I agree with what Morris’ views. In an Article by Morris titled “The Lesser Arts,” Morris talks about the shameful nature in which people have made design more of a market instead of a means of appreciating the aesthetic and have commercialized work that is replicated. He also touched on the way the world around him and other artists grew ugly due to mass-production. I agree, with his opinions, but I disagree with his execution of his ideals.

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Entry 1

Truthfully, I decided to take this course to fulfill another art credit, and because my adviser told me I would need to take the course to move forward in my pursuit of a degree in Graphic Design, or Design and Visual Communication. However, after the first lecture, I decided to participate in this course to grasp a deeper understanding of design and to develop an in depth comprehension of the differences and similarities between art and design. I particularly find design interesting because of the way someone combines aesthetic, purpose, and function to form an object that is meant for multiple purposes. For instance, the box someone receives from a Chinese takeout restaurant can unfold into a plate, and some places serve chopsticks with removable pieces on the ends so the consumer can place their eating utensils on a clean surface. The fact that I did not know those things until now, amazes me and peaks my interest, so I definitely would like to explore the concept of design much further! I find inspiration within people who support me and people who can’t do things for themselves (i.e. homeless people). My parents and siblings are my biggest supporters and I constantly push myself in every way possible, to make them proud because disappointing them hurts a ton, so I try my best to avoid that and succeed to prove to myself and them that without them I couldn’t even dream of being in the position that I am now. As for others who cannot provide for themselves, I tend to feel a deep sorrow for people who can’t provide for themselves and I tell myself that I have to work hard and strive for them just as much as myself and in a way put their weight on my shoulders and keep them as a source of strength. When it comes to purchases, many of them are mildly impulsive, but the deciding factor is usually design. For instance, I bought a pair of shoes recently and I bought them for the design elements within them over other shoes that may have looked better (like the color or the overall balance of the shoe design), and ultimately I bought them and yea, that’s all folks. Peace!