In class we discussed the past articles we had read, as well as the topic about print and it’s present life and future. The article, “Is Print Dead” says “People have been reading since Gutenberg.” While that is true, we are still seeing drops in print in general. Designers like myself have to question if print is in fact slowly dying off. I do believe that in some instances, print is dying. Referring to the newspaper example, news is so much more readily available online in comparison to getting a newspaper from the store. When you look at books, you see e-readers taking over and digital books becoming the new craze. Print will never completely die off though. Think about business cards, the quality of a hard back book, menus, etc. We have used print in our daily lives for years. It is a part of so much of our world, even if this world is so technologically based. We could never cut it out completely. It’s uses and applications just might have to be altered slightly. If this means designers need to look elsewhere for print jobs, then so be it. Package design, posters, cards, text books, and brochures all hold hope for designers. Even web design is an evolution from print. It still holds the same principles of design in most cases. Hope is not lost. We are designers. We are problem solvers. We can adapt to this ever changing world around us as, we always do. The End.
In a small group of mine, we discussed how the internet has had such an influence on society in so many ways. Just think about the news. You can find every update you need at the click of the mouse. Where is the need in buying a newspaper anymore or a magazine for that matter. My first question that came to mind was, “What will be the next huge technological advancement that will influence society on such a level as the internet?” I am not even sure there could be something, but as history shows, the world is always and forever will surprise us! My group agreed that something has to come along. Whether or not my generation see it is questionable. My next question pertained to designers in specific. I asked, “Will designers be required to know it all (so to speak) in the future?” This is something we are already seeing with designers. When applying for jobs in the design world, employers are asking their job applicants to be knowledgeable in a multitude of specialties. For example, a designers is expected to know not only the necessary design principles, but have knowledge in Microsoft Office programs, as well as experience in web design, coding for the web and have a background in fine art if the need be. With this, it is making the design world much more competitive. This scares me because many times, if you do not meet these requirements, you are not even considered for the job. I can only hope to exceed in my skills and work towards a well rounded design lifestyle.
After reading over the Marshall McLuhan interview and discussing it in class, I have come to understand his responses and views that he takes. It was a very lengthy article to read and full of content, but some of his views were interesting and in depth. I found it interesting when he referred to technology as a extension of our bodies. He mentions that technology changes us and transforms the environment in which we live. Our relation to technology, the form of the media is usually ignorant and unknown to us. McLuhan says that we usually do not notice the medias effects. He also states that we are shaped by the media itself and not the content being displayed. I found this intriguing because we are usually so focused on what the content is. I also found his section on education thought provoking. He describes the generation I belong to as the “television generation”. For this generation, education is “imposing the values of the dying literate age”. He says education is oriented in the past and totally considered in the “rear view mirror”. This does make sense to me because students are forced to be taught a certain way and learn a certain way. That method relates in no way to how we orient ourselves to the rest of the world. I found most of what he said to be his thoughts and views. I did not feel as though he was trying to “preach” to his listeners but rather share his ideas. It was very amazing that this was written in the 60’s because it has so much to do with the present day.
#1. Illustration- My favorite projects are those that invole illustration. I have always loved drawing, so I try incorrporate some sort of drawing aspect in my projects if the concept allows. I enjoy drawing by hand on paper but the occasional hand drawn effects in illustrator with the use of a drawing tablet is a new practice I have been trying out.
#2. Children Based-I love designing for children. I find that I can relate well with children for some reason. I find these projects fun and engaging. My last project I did for children was my “Peas in a Pod” organization I developed in our Visual Identity class last tem.
#3. Collaboration-I have found that I really enjoy projects involving collaboration. This stems from the CoLab class we all took. I found that it makes the process more interesting and more ideas can form in groups rather than designing on your own.
#4. Hand’s On-I really enjoy projcts that allow you to get your hands dirty. I would much rather be building a project than slaving away at a computer. I really enjoyed Art 115 for this reason. I loved being able to use stamps, sissors, paper, and other matterials to create the projects.
#5. Fine Art-I will always have a love for fine art. I did 4 years of fine art in high school, I have taken multiple studio classes at OSU, and traveled to Greece this last summer to take a art program there. I find that this type of work is time consuming and can be overwhelming but extremely rewarding results in return.
#6. Home Made-I love home made qualities in projects. I think they give a personal touch to the project. This goes hand in hand with the hands on love I have but the final product of home made items usually have the astetic appeal of being home made.
#7. Relatable Theme- I love projects when I can relate to them. It was very hard for me to do the 225 entrance to the GD program because while the historic event we were given did have an effect on many peple, I did not have a very personal connection with it.
#8. Animation- While I do not have much experience in anamation, I would love to be involved in it possibly one day. This goes along side the illustration love of mine and I think this sort of career would be exciting for that reason.
#9. Children Book Illustration-Yet, another form of illustration but I think this would also combine my love of designing for children. This really would be the best of both words and is a dream job of mine!
#10. Photographic-I love projects that involve my own photography. This makes the project so much more personal rather than taking photos off of Google Images. My “Peas in a Pod” project involved my own mood photography and photographs of my collateral and that was one of my favorite parts.
When we think about design, we have to question where it will be in the future, what will it be like, how will it be done. We can all live in the now, but thoughts about the future always come to mind. Through this time of recession, it is easy to see that less and less jobs are available, not just in design but in many other fields as well. It is more competitive in the work force these days than ever. I do not believe that the field of graphic design has necessarily changed, but it is going through more of what I would call a trend. DIY for example is a trend that has become extremely popular in the design world. I think many people find DIY and a more hand crafted feel to be ascetically pleasing. These types of design give a feel that the design has had a lot of love, time and attention put into it. While DIY can be seen as a pleasing aesthetic, it is not a necessary a need for design.
A recession in the design world can pose problems as to how many jobs are available, but it can also weed out the less serious designers. When some fresh and new designers right out of school don’t receive a job right off the bat, they might look for something in a different field. This leaves those design careers available for the more serious designers who need art and creativity in their everyday lives.
With fewer jobs available, designers need to be able to stand out in order to snag a job from the person that applied right before you. To do so, designers need to go above and beyond. They need to show that design lives in their lives outside of their current job or schooling. They need to live and breathe it. It is also important to be involved in other things as well though such as the community, traveling, and other activities. These make a person well rounded and more knowledgeable about the world around them, which in return can influence design and creativity.
Nike-Sporting Goods:
Nike does not only provide clothing for the world’s athletes but they are known for exploring potential, breaking boundaries, and pushing the limits of design. Nike searches for a variety of diverse people who can grow, dream, think and create for their company. “At Nike, every employee brings inspiration and innovation to our business” says their career website. The goal of Nike is to carry on the legacy of innovative thinking no matter what the product or goal might be. Their website says, “Our differences allow our brand to be creative and innovative with a universal, global reach.” This is crucial when designing for different kinds of people all over the world. The design team works directly with athletes and consumers to design products that are specifically geared towards their customers. “It’s a job that requires a passion for creativity and aesthetics, an eye for detail and the ability to create designs that help our athletes perform better.” Nike also has a campaign that is in effect that involves different methods of sustainability and protecting the environment. http://www.nikebiz.com/careers/ http://www.jobs.nike.com/united-states/portland,-or/footwear-design/senior-footwear-designer-design-studio-jobs
IDEO Design:
I first discovered IDEO design studio in my collaboration class last term. We viewed a video of their design team in action showing how they worked together and developed though the creative process while tackling a design problem. I was immediately inspired by their work methods and practices. IDEO is an award winning design studio that helps organizations and private businesses innovate and grow. They help to build a creative culture. “Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer’s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.” —Tim Brown, president and CEO. IDEO combines a variety of diverse people to tackle design problems given to them. They work with brand, engineering, business design, digital services, food and beverage, and beyond. IDEO’s work is done with the client’s needs at the top of the list. The goal of IDEO is to “deliver appropriate, actionable, and tangible strategies”. http://www.ideo.com/
David Carson-Designer:
David Carson is known as the “Father of Grunge”. He is breaks all of the rules of graphic design while developing his own style. “…he changed the public face of graphic design” –Newsweek. His designs are bold, unexpected, and dynamic. He has worked with Kelly Slater, multiple magazines, the Salvador Dali Museum, Mazda, and so much more. His use of expressive type in his designs is what inspires me because I find it extremely fun to work with. He has received multiple awards and has been added to the “most influential” list of graphic designers. His work is moving, compelling and persuasive. His website is even unexpected and out of the ordinary with it’s reading style, flow, hierarchy and overall design. It is this “breaking of the rules” that makes his work so interesting and his design practices so inspiring and unique. http://www.davidcarsondesign.com/?dcdc=top/t
The direction I chose to go for this paper was “inspiration”. I have always been interested in how people develop ideas and concepts. This would be tied in with “process” for that reason. Below are my five questions:
Possible Contacts:
1. Nature: I find myself drawn to nature in many ways. I not only love being outside but I also love paintings, photographs and drawings of nature. It can be simplistic and yet very complex on a different level. It is just beautiful and interesting.
2. Color: Many colors seem to influence me. I am drawn towards bright, bold, and fun colors usually. Color can make or break something. When the color is right, it draws your attention and can even affect your mood.
3. Mood: Many things influence me based on my mood. This also is attached with moments in life, feelings, and events that can affect what kind of project I produce and the quality of it.
4. Children: I have always loved designed with children in mind. It might be a connection seeing how we were all children once and it brings back so many memories. I am also the oldest in my family so that could play a role too.
5. Illustrations: Drawing is one of my favorite hobbies. I have a fine arts background so I am always excited when I get to use illustration in a design piece.
6. Hand Made: I love pieces that have a home made feel and quality. I believe it relates to the childish aspect and can have a more thoughtful and meaningful touch.
7. Flowers: I have always been drawn to daises. They are my favorite flowers because of their simplicity. Flowers can also be used well in pattern.
8. Curvilinear Forms: These types of forms come from the nature quality. I have always been drawn to flowing forms rather than geometric.
9. Textures: I have always loved pieces with texture. I think it gives a hand made and rich quality. They can also be engaging and dynamic.
10. Organization: I am a very organized person, so anytime a design or space is organized, it always soothes mood and creates a calm place or feeling.
This article caught my attention when they spoke about “human-centered design”. The article says that human-centered design “caters to the needs of the user; and systemic thinking, which looks at solutions within a larger context.” These discuss larger issues rather than focusing on small facts. This approach would have a wider audience and deeper meaning.
I also enjoyed the part about brainstorming. Groups were given 30 minutes to tackle a specific combination of a category. They used a form of brainstorming that is “unedited, uncensored burst of ideas (divergent thinking). into more actionable, physically-oriented solutions (convergent thinking). We do this in our design classes now. It is so important to travel though this process to achieve your final design that is strong and memorable.
The designers in this article took a good approach to design the same way much of us in our classes do, brainstorming into ideas which leads to action. It was interesting to hear the story of the designer’s process and journey through these steps as a collaborating group.
It is important to include designers in the collaborating process. We can inspire, we solve problems, we work in teams, and we are trained in communication in multiple forms. All of those qualities benefit a group. But it is also important to have diversity with your input by including other types of people in other careers, different lifestyles and backgrounds unlike your own.
