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