VA : week one r&r

design thinking and the falsities of it all. 

As a designer our biggest secret is how we observe and report. In truth 
anyone can think in the same way as we do. The reason why designers
or specifically good designers are successful is because we are brought
in from an outside pov. We are not as close to the subject topic which 
allows us to bring some new things to the table. However this really is
not a skill limited to designers. We are all able to view from an outside
view and come up with answers to the problems in a "design thinking"
way. The sobering thought is that we are not special, anyone can do 
what we do, however it is up to the designer to dig deeper and truly 
dive deep and pull out a design that represents the party because that
shows just how smart of a design thinker they really are. 

good citizenship, promoting, demoting, propaganda, what ever floats.

Controversy is unavoidable within design, whether it is social, political, 
or sociopolitical. Designers in general are very loud, not afraid to talk 
about the things that matter to them. Designing for those ideals is 
another animal in its own. Being someone who knows what is going on
around them and taking a stand for that idea can be hard as a designer
because it can cause some burnt bridges if not now but in the future.
We go client to client because that is the only way we keep afloat. 
However there are many ways to be proactive and design for "good".
I think it is important to know what you believe in and find a way that
you can pursue being an active member of that community and give 
back to those around you. Also to be open to helping others because 
not everybody knows how to design an image that is inviting and if 
our gift is the ability to do so why not share that gift to better the
communities around us?  I think it is important to get out of our norm
and to push our comfort zone and usually helping other is a great way
to do so. being a good citizen in a messed up world. 

FIESTA FINAL

Ian O'Saben and I Developed a Fiesta Map system and brochure came from some pretty cool beginnings. It all started with the inspiration of cut paper and the fascination of Luchador culture that propelled us to make an Energetic, Fun, and Legible system to help families through the Kansas City Sculpture Park.

Moodboard & First Luchador

Our first priority was the ergonomic form of the built artifact. Above all else, the piece needed to be able to be used by kids. The resulting vessel was a mash-up of Blue's Clues and (the more adult version) simple field guides used for plant and animal identification (think birds, leaves, etc.)

 









This yielded a colorful (and brand-standard compliant) solution that embraced the Frida Khalo exhibit while showing exciting and playful nuances.

The Field Guide Closed (left) and open (right)

This system yielded the idea for the kid-sized Luchador (for interactive photos) along with the utilization of our icon set for wayfinding. 

Final System

Learning from others

People have experimented all their lives, trying to learn new things, within experimenting we look to others to learn what they have. Looking at my t4 classmates I ponder in what they have all learned, being I was there during their experiments. For me distortion was my main point, so looking at others who had similar points? Well first I looked at Zacs work.

He started of focusing on interaction, Something I found interesting later on. He explored how people react to what he put up. The first experiment with rush is really something that I feel is a great experiment trying to control thoughts or emotions. Which was inline  with my experiments with controlling emotions and interactions with condoms. Zac however took it even further he worked to have an interaction with others , something I think is important and possibly something I want to look into.

Second person I think did some interesting stuff  was andra she also ended up doing some  distortion but in a different way. She was using association to push her distortion and she introduced a really impressive use of interaction into her work. With the tab pulling for the cd and identity card. I really was interested in that exploration.

Another person I really liked was Anna. She really had some cool perception control and concepts put into her work. Looking at the interaction of composition building at the end made the experience different. Before it was a personal thing that she had created now people where building their own hierarchy and message proved to her benefit. You let loose sometimes and allow others to put their own spin can create an whole new thing. And it still holds the same style bc it is her work but manipulated to someone else's preference.

Overall there were some really cool work done that had some cool results.

iphone wireframes // response

FIESTA APP wireframes

The movement within mobile devices is quite rapid. Understanding of finger gestures has pushed the format to be easier and more accessible for a wider audience. I understand that really if an app isnt built so that someone can only use one had that it really effects the usage of the app. It is interesting that people are so used to being able to just use one hand when really generationally we have been using both hands for the same purposes. I look at using my computer today, i type with both hands and play games with both hands, but then i think well i do write with one hand and we use one hand on the phone, changing the channels on tv, there are tons of things we just are so instinctual to do that may or may not call for both hands. I also find it interesting the finger gestures that we have been employing upon the mobile format.

Fingers are one of the things that put us on the evolutionary top, so it is natural to employ solutions to such a small format by using finger based responses to the problem. I figure that it took some time to figure out that people like the ease of just using one hand. I can see making it a standard to use both hands could complicate the finger system also. there would have to be a lot more responsive coding for it to work appropriately. When i was reading about the differences between formats for web i was reading a "versus" or comparison graph comparing mobile/hybrid/responsive/native sites. It was talking about how Mobile sites or apps have been so openly excepted being that they have redefined responsive design. They on average are just easier, cost effective, responsive, personal, and function in a way that people are more open to using them. The old days of having to use basic sites has faded because over complicated or un exciting formats have been out-shined by the pretty little package the iphone (or mobile in general) has brought to the table. 

T4 update

(final experiments above)

The year is coming to a close, only three weeks left and finals are starting to pop up at the horizon. T4 so far has been eventful, I really have been pushing myself within the class trying new things and trying to reach new goals.  Not confining myself and really looking to new answers each week for the problem at hand. However without some sort of control i could have easily lost what i was trying to do. As i saw other classmates succumb to the complexity or lack there of the self assigned work I tried to give reason each week to what i was doing. Not just justifying what my experiment was that week but just in my head to what i would be learning or expressing, helping myself grow. Working with the idea of distortion I was open to doing anything i really wanted to. So it was interesting to see what i came up with. 

T4 notes

Where am i going from here?

so the main points on where I will be going from now on in my t4 class.

1) Choosing a specific topic within the topics condoms involve. Whether it is std control or pregnancy aversion. What can I do to further my motives and push even further.

2) Do i bring this into a "ad" based composition? Could controlling it be more beneficial to the motives of the project so far?

3) Condom Packaging? How to make the experience of buying a condom better? Not as much awkward and sort of embarrassing?

4) Do i continue to think about high schoolers and use some satire to connect and keep a less serious tone within my design?

5) suppp cha

FIESTA UPDATE

Luchador update [p3]

Working on assets for the Luchador project for the Nelson Atkins. Here are some images of just a jumble of all the things I've been working on. Trying to break down the Luchador and have some idea of how it will interact within the design. Also trying to connect it to the color pallet they have been using on the Frida exhibit coming up. I think it to be appropriate to use their colors being that it is being tied into the actual debut of the exhibit.

Luchadore

Just an update on our first round of ideas, just some imagery that we are trying to apply. We are trying to make the connection to the idea of this child friendly.

Nelson Atkins "fiesta"

brainstorming yesterday with my partner Ian O'Saben we played around with ways we can express culture and create cute little way-finding systems for this child-centered event the Nelson will be throwing during the summer. here are our beginning idea gathering and possible images or cultural ticks we want to draw from.