Maybe A Warning Label Would Help

"Drinking bottled water relieves people of their concern about ecological threats to the river they live by or to the basins of groundwater they live over. It's the same kind of thinking that leads some to the complacent conclusion that if things on earth get bad enough, well, we'll just blast off to a space station somewhere else."

-Sandra Steingraber

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Our world is one of convenience. Perhaps the epitome of convenience is the concept of individually-wrapped packages of.. well, just about anything. Whether it's eating a packet of Top Ramen (and within it, a packet of seasoning) or taking a sip from a bottle of Crystal Geyser spring water, all of us are guilty of supporting individually-wrapped items in blatant disregard of the consequences.

Everyone knows that with every bottle of water tossed in the recycling bin, four more are tossed in the trash. And that it takes about 17 million barrels of oil to support annual consumer demand for water bottles. And almost 3 million tons of plastic.

And even if you didn't, you know now. But will that change anything? Most likely not.

While design attempts to solve problems and make them better -- more effective, more efficient, more intuitive -- there can often be nasty side effectives that are downright dangerous. The worst part is, many of these consequences can't be foreseen until they happen. By then, it's too late because the millions of people whom these ideas affect are already used to the concept and can't turn back.

It's true that many of these individual items are there for other practical benefits, such as individual butter or jam packets to prevent the spread of germs between restaurant customers. However, others are just plain unnecessary. For example, fruits that are sold wrapped up into plastic containers or trays could do just fine in a grocery bag with a little extra effort to not place them at the bottom. Other simple "backwards" changes that would save around 1.5 million tons of packaging waste every year include using personal coffee mugs and bringing cloth shopping bags for trips to buy only a few items from the grocery store.

For some reason, those bag boys/girls feel the need to use a new bag every 2-3 items. Doesn't anyone care about the environment anymore?

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Sources: http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-nine-biggest-sins-of-packaged-food/, http://www.suite101.com/content/bottled-water-and-the-environment-a120739

Transformers: Now In Color

"It is not form that dictates the color, but the color that dictates the form."

- Hans Hofmann

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Until February 10th, 2011, the Johanssen gallery in Berlin, Germany will have on display "RGB," an experiment with color by Carnovsky. Carnovsky is a Milan-based collective created by Francesco Rugi and Silvia Quintanilla.

"RGB" takes the powers of color to a very literal level. By scraping illustrations down to the three primary additive colors of light, red, green and blue, a wall of seemingly jumbled lines and shapes can give off the illusion of transformation.

The original wall seems to be a random array of animals plastered one on top of another, forming a sort of visual discord that is almost painful to look at.  However, under differently filtered lights, this mess of color morphs into various arrangements of animals that are rather eerie in all of their monochrome glory.

The reason why this illusion works is due to the blending of colors and how, when the right wavelengths of color come together, they can seem to disappear into one another. Color is a very relative concept. Because light is additive into white, rather than forming big blobs of murky darkness, the distinctive outlines of each animal is instead more pronounced against a "white" background.

They say that it is color that determines form, not the other way around. This is a prime example of that, as all of the figures are simply made from different shades of one hue: either red, blue, or green. Despite the lack of black outlines, they can still be clearly seen and distinguished from one another.

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Source: http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/12317/carnovsky-rgb-exhibition-at-johanssen-gallery.html

Utopia? Maybe One Day

"You nevertheless go on, walking towards Utopia, which may not exist, on a bridge which might end before you reach the other side."

- Marguerite Young

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Utopia. Other than being a random city in the middle of Texas, utopia is a word that encompasses the unreachable -- a perfect world. It can be argued that design is continually trying to help society attain this status of perfection. Even if it proves an impossible quest, some designs, such as Google's recently unleashed smartcars, are trying their best to improve society little by little. Their purpose? To help reduce the number of traffic accidents and fatalities that, unfortunately, occur by the minute, as well as reduce harmful carbon emissions and free up peoples' time.



Using the most advanced robotics technology, Google's smart cars have been able to navigate over 140,000 miles on the road without human aid, and most importantly, without accident. With a toolbox of lasers, video cameras, radars, and a plethora of other sensors, the cars are able to connect to Google's vast database of terrain (the same data used in Google Earth or Google Maps when you look up travel directions) and navigate roads, all while heeding traffic signals, stop signs, speed limits, and more. Because a well-designed sensor is objective and can make accurate decisions much more quickly than a human who may mistakenly jam on the gas pedal rather than the brakes, the potential of this technology to reduce accidents is quite high. Also on the list of highly preventable accidents would be the carelessness of drivers who may miss pedestrians, talk on the phone, try to text and don't pay attention to the road, or are even drunk.

By having sensor systems within the cars that can measure the carbon footprint of each trip, these smartcars are capable of taking the most "eco-friendly" route from point A to point B. With the millions of cars that travel the roads each day, this could significantly reduce the impact of exhaust's contributions to larger world-wide issues, such as global warming.

We may not have the means of creating a true utopia yet, and we may never acquire them.. but you can bet we'll try our hardest. As designers of the future, that's our goal.


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More information can be found at the official Google Blog: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-were-driving-at.html.

When Hunger Strikes

"How can a society that exists on instant mashed potatoes, packaged cake mixes, frozen dinners, and instant cameras teach patience to its young?"

- Paul Sweeney

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So it's usually around this time of night that I get hungry. Really hungry.

But there's this blog thing I have to do, and.. well I guess I could kill two birds with one stone and bring food and design together. Shouldn't be too hard, eh?

It only takes a little bit of magic, after all, to turn this Nikon D700..

..into this Nikon D700. It's the same thing, of course. Just tastier.

The design of food is one of those things that doesn't seem very important until it's gone. Going to a restaurant and having all of your meals come out as a pile of slop hastily tossed on a plate would definitely increase efficiency, but it's not exactly what customers expect from a typical lunch stop. Aesthetics play a huge part in determining the difference between Joe's Diner and a candidate for a Michelin Star. 

Thus, it's fair game to analyze food.

All of the details are there. Other than the gunmetal-gray body (probably made out of fondant) and a few missing buttons and knobs, this edible D700 is nearly an exact replica of its real-life counterpart. Even the letters, done in precise white frosting, are in their proper places and sizes. The red highlights are re-emphasized by the red velvet internals. The abnormally smooth exterior makes the cake look almost as if has been made out of clay or Play-Doh, and thus slightly less appetizing, but even that can't dent the sheer awesomeness that radiates from this custom-made cake..

Yeah okay, that didn't help my hunger at all. Food time.

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Source: http://gizmodo.com/5104469/best-husband-ever-bakes-wife-nikon-d700-cakewith-a-surprise

Ergonomickz #1: Seagull Entourage Rustic Acoustic Guitar

"Any problem you can't solve with a good guitar is either unsolvable or isn't a problem."

- Anonymous

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So I'd like to take this moment to introduce my Seagull Entourage Rustic acoustic guitar. Figured if I'm gonna be doing an ergonomics analysis, it should be on an object I can actually test, right?

Right-o. Onwards!

1. Safety

It's a little hard for something like a guitar to become a weapon of destruction, but people are always strangely able to manipulate the most harmless objects into a court case. The Seagull's wooden body is strong and stiff, a hard surface that is capable of smashing into body parts. However, wood is wood, and the possibility of hitting the surface too hard could result in a huge splintering of material into ultra-thin, hard and sharp miniature skewers. Perhaps the biggest danger lies in the strings, which are capable of snapping at any moment (especially during a tuning or restringing session). Otherwise, the metal strings and frets can cause nothing more than a little roughening of fingertips during play. This usually results in the formation of callouses, which are normal for any serious guitarist.

2. Comfort

The curved shape of the Seagull allows it to rest comfortably on either leg when playing, as well as providing a  smooth edge on which to rest an arm while strumming or plucking the strings. The neck is of average width and allows the player to wrap their entire hand around without straining any muscles. Also, this guitar has an unusually slim headstock (where the tuning knobs are), which makes the tuning process slightly easier to complete because each knob is easy to locate. The also-unusual positioning of the tuning knobs parallel, rather than perpendicular, to the headstock allows the player more leverage for tuning difficult strings. The finish is also a smooth natural wood rather than lacquer, and thus doesn't cause an uncomfortable stickiness or difficulty sliding up and down the neck after long sessions of play.

3. Ease of Use
This wouldn't be a particularly good guitar for a beginning guitarist, but for one that knows what he or she is doing, the Seagull is perfect. Beginners who haven't yet developed the finger strength or calloused fingertips of a seasoned musician will find it difficult to combat the high action (how far the strings are lifted up off of the fretboard), and may become frustrated. This also hinders their ability to "bar" chords, the act of using a single finger to hold down all six strings at once. Otherwise, it isn't too hard to get a good sound out of this guitar. The tuning knobs are also friendly and twist smoothly, providing very little resistance. Ball-end strings may be used, which makes it easier to re-string the guitar alone, without having to bring it to a shop. In addition, younger players may have some difficulty with the bulkiness of a full-size guitar.

4. Performance and Productivity
With a top of solid cedar, neck of silver-leaf maple, and sides of red wild cherry wood, this Seagull guitar is practically made for the fingerstyle guitarist. The maple neck shows itself in the bright ringing mid to high tones; especially in the middle tones, maple wood provides a "bite" that sings out loud and clear without being sharp or brittle. The cedar top causes a little bit of muddying among lower tones, but at the same time, generates a warm and mellow feel for any song played and is the perfect balance to counteract the brighter high tones. Finally, the wild cherry is the balancer -- with traits of both maple and cedar, it forms the back and sides of this guitar to give it an overall intermediate sound, with defined, booming bass notes and clear, crisp high tones. These qualities make it great as a performance guitar, and the range of volume it produces also makes it a good instrument to play when relaxing at home.

5. Aesthetics

Finally, aesthetics. The majority of the guitar is made up of a varied brown palette, ranging from the dark shade of the fretboard to the beige, almost yellow bands that form a bezel around its body. The top features a gradient "burst," fitting for a guitar deemed "Rustic," that gradually goes from a dark to light brown from out to in. Even the copper-colored strings match the brown theme. The only deviations would be the characteristic black of the pickguard, as well as the silver of the tuning knobs. Furthermore, the curves of the body are reflected throughout the headstock and the rosette that surrounds the soundhole, providing consistency. The Seagull is also laterally symmetrical, with exception of the tuning knobs whose positions may be changed constantly. Overall, the guitar itself gives off a very mellow feel that matches its tone when played.

And that's that, I guess. Now.. time for a jam session.

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Were you interested in buying a guitar? For something nice, go take a look at the selection at http://www.seagullguitars.com.

Logo-rhythms #2: Going Green

"Nothing is new except arrangement."

- William J. Durant

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So the "big thing" going on in society recently is a movement toward being green: eco-friendliness, recycling more, sustainability, and all that jazz. Thus, it makes perfect sense that a lot of logos popping up revolve around these topics, so much that many of them have evolved into stereotypes -- icons, if you will. 

A leaf is a leaf. 

However, a green leaf is no longer just a leaf. It is a symbol of sustainability, no matter what form it comes in. Take a look at this logo:

It combines the typical lightbulb of cartoon and animated "bright ideas" with a leaf. The result? "ecoideas." In terms of logo design, it is, again, clean and crisp. Sans-serif fonts are generally "friendlier" and more modern; thus, it works great in boosting the appeal of eco-friendliness. The roundness of the characters is reflected in the lightbulb itself, which uses Gestalt principles to imply the shape of the entire lightbulb, though pieces are missing. The use of different but complementary green hues is an aesthetically pleasing touch, as it keeps the logo lively rather than flat. The bolder dark green also stands out, visually, giving a slight sense of depth, as well as emphasis on the "eco." These aren't just ideas.. they're ecoideas. Using the darker green allows for the same amount of emphasis as one would imply from bolded text.

Brilliant, in the sense that the concept is easy to grasp. But is it original? Definitely not.

Ecofuel uses the leaf in a different sense -- it's the flame of a campfire. As with the ecoideas logo, "eco" is separated from the rest of the text in a green hue, giving it emphasis. However, because the brown text is relatively the same value, the green coloration doesn't create the same kind of bolded feel as it did in the first one. 

There are plenty of other examples out there today that probably make use of the exact same techniques to promote "going green." It's alright, though -- at least it's a sacrifice of originality to go towards a good cause. And they don't look half-bad, at any rate.

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Find these and more logos at http://brandstack.com.

Word&Image #2: Typography Is..

"Type well used is invisible as type."

- Beatrice Warde

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If I was challenged to choose the perfect example of interaction between word and image, it would, hands down, be some form of typography. The concept itself is a combination of "typo," meaning "mark," and "graphy," meaning "to draw." 

Typography is everywhere. It is simply the arrangement of type, whether it appears on an advertisement, the cover of a book, or a website banner. However, there are some "genres" of typography that focus simply on having type be the medium through which art and design are expressed. The type not only serves its purpose to convey a message.. it can be appreciated just the same as any other graphic or illustration.

And what better typography is there than that whose subject is typography itself?

This poster, of which only 100 were hand-printed, highlights the very structure of type in a clearly constructed, simple-to-follow poster of character anatomy. The detail with which each letter was formed is immense: not a single dot missing or dent out of place. 

Each piece is clearly labeled with small red print that is easy to read, as well as color-coded in red so there is no ambiguity about what's what. 

Although the individual pieces of the puzzle are formed from recognizable letters and lines, the whole poster is a working image in its own right. It is aesthetically pleasing, whether or not the viewer can read the words. This is the beauty of typography -- even if you can't understand the language, the words can still be seen as something to view and enjoy.

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Interested in more posters like this one? Visit FPO: For Print Only at http://www.underconsideration.com/fpo.

Word&Image #1: Calvin and Hobbes

"Sometimes when I'm talking, my words can't keep up with my thoughts. I wonder why we think faster than we speak. Probably so we can think twice."

- Bill Watterson

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Ah, comics: the ultimate, most versatile usage of word and image. Comics exist everywhere, whether we notice them or not. Do they have to be funny? Nope. Some are informational, like the stick-figure illustrations that describe how to put on a lifejacket in event of emergency. Some are simply stories, with their fair share of drama, character development, and perhaps, conclusion.

But you've got to admit, funny comics are pretty entertaining to read. Take this old Calvin and Hobbes strip, for example:

 

Comic strips such as these inherently rely on the interaction of words and images to relay humor. This dependence is better illustrated by literally separating the two.

Here's the same comic strip with the words removed:

We can see Calvin and Susie walking along, Susie saying.. something. Or perhaps she's just yawning. Or trying to catch bugs in her mouth. Who knows? In the second panel, Calvin gestures to himself, eyes closed, in what seems to be a pose of dramatic intent. The frame disappears as well, indicating a focused, perhaps dream-like spotlight (which, when placed in context, seems intentional -- they are talking about a play, after all). The third frame has the two of them looking relatively happy, facing each other in some sort of exchange.. but the fourth? Susie's mouth is wide open, her hands clenched in fists to suggest angry yelling. Calvin is splayed out, back to the ground, feet up, stars and a curling line implying dizziness. 

Wait, what? To tell a story like this with images alone would require many more panels, but even conveying the gist of things would require a ton of frames, perhaps showing Susie with her hands gesticulating, explaining something to Calvin, and getting progressively angrier until.. WHAM! the punch lands, and Calvin is knocked to the floor.

The point is, in a comic like this, image alone isn't capable of doing the job right. There is no sense of how much time has passed from panel to panel, and in a normal timescale where each panel is approximately the same length, it makes no sense to have Susie go from amiable to angry in such a short period. 

The use of words alone fares a little better, but not by much:

Susie: "Do you have your line memorized for the nutrition play, Calvin?"

Calvin: "I'm still learning it. Being an onion is a difficult role, you know. What are you?"

Susie: "I'm 'fat.'"

Calvin: "No, I mean in the play."

Susie: "Anyone else want to say it?"

Calvin: "Aackk! Understudy! Understudy!"

The "I'm 'fat'" joke is a little clearer here. However, the last two lines of dialogue still make little to no sense, out of context. Keep in mind that words are words.. the tone in the comic is conveyed not by diction. but by the sheer imagery and how the words are drawn on the page -- primarily, how Susie's ending line is fully capitalized, with emphasis on the "else," not to mention that the speech bubble is large, spiked, and all-around scary. Also, Calvin's "aackk" seems almost out of place without being able to see him sprawled out the way he is. 

But anyway.

At the end of the day, no matter how much analysis you put into it, Calvin and Hobbes is just a great read. Time to hit the books.. Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons, here I come!

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If you love Calvin and Hobbes as much as I do, you'll probably find this search engine quite handy. Check it out at http://michaelyingling.com/random/calvin_and_hobbes.

Bang Bang, You're Dead

"What works good is better than what looks good, because what works good lasts."

- Anonymous

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As little as we think about it in our everyday lives, the world around us is dominated by mass-produced, factory-made objects that are chugged out by the thousands every second. This type of industrial design is critical to any society; every moment, designers strive to make the next big thing better, sleeker, cleaner, easier to use. From iPods to cars to shovels, every piece manufactured can be fitted for its purpose.

However, this goal doesn't just take place in civilian society. Take the AK-47, for instance.

This assault rifle is the iPod of the military world -- more AK-47s have been produced than all other assault rifles combined.

Compared to guns that are made entirely out of metal, the wooden pistol grip, handguard, and stock make it light and highly durable, as well as cheaper to produce. With a full magazine, the gun weighs in at a mere 4.8 kg, and without, only 4.3. The magazine also serves as a stabilizer during combat, in combination with the broad end of the stock, to improve accuracy.

In terms of coloration, the dark brown of the wood and gunmetal gray of the other parts enhance the gun's ability to camouflage during combat. Viewed from the top, the AK-47 is symmetrical, but even the side view feels balanced because the small black bore is bolder and thus visually heavier in color than the brown stock, which is visually dominant in terms of volume. Edges and surfaces of the wooden pieces are slightly discolored and darker, giving a burnt, vintage feel to a gun that debuted in the early 1900s. The curvilinear design of the magazine, set slightly off to the back, flows towards the front of the gun, which also provides a sense of balance. The gradual narrowing of the entire gun from back to front forms an implied point, which implies accuracy and speed; the smoothed edges also give a sense of speed and flow.

The average soldier may not put much thought into examining the details of his weapon, especially when putting it to use. Although a gun is built primarily to fit its purpose, aesthetics do come into play, just as with any other product on the market. To what extent? Not too large, but as far as design is concerned, the AK-47 is still one of the best.

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Sources: http://science.howstuffworks.com/machine-gun.htm/printable, http://www.ak-47.us/AK-47info.php, http://firearms.atactv.com/userfiles/image/AK%20Dis%282%29.jpg.

Objectified.

"We are interpreters – not merely translators between sender and receiver. What we say and how we say it makes a difference. If we want to speak to people, we need to know their language. In order to design for understanding, we need to understand design."

- Erik Spiekermann

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"Oh hey, check it out.. that guy uses a Mac."
"Hah, just another brainless follower on the Apple bandwagon. Bet you ten bucks he did it to look 'cool.'"

As much as we hate to admit it, our generation is one that revolves around the concept of materialism. We are quick to judge, quick to make assumptions about everything and everyone we see, based solely on the appearances and qualities of the things people own.

This concept forms the basis of the movie Objectified.

Most of the time, this judgment is done without much thought, really. It's almost subconscious how we notice peoples' outfits and immediately assign them a fitting personality, or look at their cell phone and estimate their social status. Sometimes, these assumptions may even be correct. But what is it about each object that allows us to use such inanimate things (since that is precisely what they are -- things) as society's ruler?

The secret lies in design.

For every object out there -- even something as simple as a toothpick -- there is a lot of thought, time, and effort put into developing the "perfect" design. The sleek curves of a Lamborghini resonate speed, the fastest money can buy. A children's toothbrush has a fat handle and bright colors that communicate fun and excitement. These designs have become so ingrained in our minds that at a point, we hardly recognize them as being designed at all simply because, well, that's just how they've always been. The curved bowl of a spoon and the cupped speakers of headphones aren't unusual; spoons need to contain liquids and headphones need to surround ears. As they say, form often follows function.

The form of Objectified, likewise, follows its function. Done in a documentary format that ties in "how-it's made" and "behind-the-scenes" clips with simple, upbeat music and insightful interviewees, the movie unfolds the world of designers and really allows viewers to understand the life and work that is put into the design process.

The point is, a single design, once developed, has the potential to be revised. Lately, there's been a lot of revising going on. With the design of an object becoming more and more important, people are striving for clean and simple. Touchscreens, where a single surface is the source of every action. Mp3 players with as few buttons as possible. Phones that are, in actuality, tiny computers.

Objectified, also, is simple in its presentation. Short quotes and repetitive actions get the point across without being boring. Quick snapshots of designers at work give the average viewer a glimpse of both past and future.

If content is what a designer wants to say, and form is how they say it, then a concept is the finished product. So does Objectified have a good concept? I'd say it does.

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If you're interested in learning more about Objectified, take a look at their website at http://www.objectifiedfilm.com. Visit their store to purchase a DVD, or download it to instant queue -- it's also available on Netflix!

Logo-rhythms #1 - CURVE Design Studio

"Clients are the difference between design and art."

- Anonymous

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I really enjoy this logo.

Not simply because of its simple black and white "color" scheme.

Not just due to its clean, sans-serif typography.

As a designer, what I particularly enjoy is the inside joke.

An average person would take a look at this logo and notice that it says "CURVE." And it does. Then, they might notice the line to the left, and wonder why a curve might include a thinner line coming out of its back, or perhaps why one of the squared ends is filled while the other is empty.

But for anyone who's ever used a program like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, that curve is much more than your average curve. It's the easily recognizable form of the Pen tool, with the open-ended node at the bottom and the direction handle jutting out to the left of the second, closed anchor point.

The picture is an icon, one that is a good representation of the general life of a graphic designer because anybody aspiring to become one should  probably have a good grasp of how to use this tool. Because of this relationship, such an image is perhaps a perfect logo for a design studio.

Looking past the symbolism however, it's still a nice logo. The kerning between letters is a good width that promotes visual balance of figure versus ground, as well as having an aesthetically pleasing spatial separation. The gray shade of the words "design studio" provide a nice midpoint between the bold black logo and its white background, and thus seem to recede into the background, giving the illusion of depth. The thinner line is also parallel to the baseline of the type, which creates an implied line across that top that encloses the entire item.

An average person would take a look at this logo and notice that it says "CURVE." And that's the beauty of it.

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Source: http://logofaves.com/2010/09/curve-design