i shop therfore i am

As designers we need inspiration…and there’s no better place to get it than the shops or bookstores at art galleries. I’m thinking about our excursion to Goma earlier this year where I’m sure I enjoyed the store as much as the gallery…well, neaarrrrrrrllly...it sure was a close second! Admittedly we’ve got to be discerning about which gallery. One of my all time faves is the legendary MoMA. You can almost always be sure they use great design for everything from the paper bags they wrap your purchase in to the catalogue art books, the posters, the nick-nacks, the furniture.

I found these few cutting edge designs at their website…their photo printed PVC tote bag featuring graphically abstracted photos of the recently designed museum…an art book from a collection and a re-make of a Frank Gehry 1972 sturdy cardboard stool with lacquered sides which has a beautiful flowing organic shape and yet is as simple and classically mimimal as design can get. Sure a lot of these “objects d’art” are for sale but it’s a great resource, often an education and always major food for the designer’s soul…


Go to www.moma.org and have a look…

Case Study

Juretic
http://www.juretic.com/


Case Study

Client:
Tim O'Sullivan
An award winning portrait photographer

Requirement:
An online portfolio to showcase his work

The result:
www.timosullivan.co.uk






















This was one of those rare opportunities, being commissioned by a high profile photographer to design and build an online portfolio.
After much consideration and discussion with the client we opted for the most simplistic design option, removing all clutter and distractions from the website, allowing the photography to be the main focus of the site.
Built using flash to enable clean transitions and motion, presenting each portfolio in a smooth, easy to use manner that supports more than one method for browsing.
The site can be update via a database driven content management system that allows images and portfolios to be added and removed quickly and simply.

Designing the fluffy duck

What the d*#k?

I was looking for a design that was simple yet effective and i wasn't prepared to spend to much time doing it, i was randomly searching designers websites, checking there work when i came accross this guy.



He did it for me, the use of very simple lines to create the suggestion of a duck, the ability to convey the image with the use of three colours, even the little turned up foot is a great idea, it gives the duck the impression of walking away, to me he even seems a little "stuck up as if he is leaving in digust".

The designers Philter Group, didn't really elude as to the design process, but i think with a name like Fluffy Duck we are not talking midnight brainstorm material. The information i did get was in regard to the product, which are scented nail files. An amazing inovation in the cosmetic market i am sure...



I definately find that the name and design distract my mind from the fact that we are not talking about the most glamerous of products, infact the duck himself even seems a bit disgusted. This fact that my mind is distract from the obvious may just be the marketing genius that would make this product sell... and look they have flavours mmmmmmmmmmm yummie.



quak quak!!!!

CMYK Magazine

CMYK is a quarterly magazine based in New York..
CMYK Magazine is where aspiring creatives showcase their talents to an industry driven by inspiration and new ways of creative problem solving..
At the same time, CMYK Magazine is where creative directors, agency principals and art buyers recruit students and recent graduates at today's top art-design schools: art directors, copywriters, designers, photographers and illustrators..

The website grabbed my atention, not only because it was in english..
But because it lets you read certain articles from each issue..
And also because students have the ability to upload a portfolio to the site..
The contest allows students to enter up to 15 pieces, for the opportunity to be published and seen across the globe..
Entries are judged by some of the most influential professionals in each field..
Some interesting pieces of student works i found that have been published include:

"New Video iPod"














"Miele vacuum cleaners"















There are alot of other great features on the site..
You can read other artists profiles and contribute to blogs..

Anyways this is the link:
http://www.cmykmag.com/

The case study done with the client Blairmore Estates is a features case study on a site which I found interesting as I got the idea of how to plan and design projects for the future using different aspects of the design process such as planning, designing, listening and gaining inspiration. Blairmore Estates plane was to impact provided marketing direction, graphic design and presentation design and printing services in conjunction with a special evening sales presentation.
The next step they took was design in which they stated; 'all branding aspects, including logo concept and creation, were applied to multiple marketing and advertising piece supported the clients sales process and provided interested
Parties with all relevant information in conjunction with the sales evening. Project objectives were surpassed with the introduction of a direct mail campaign that targeted specific demographics within a focused geographical area.'
I thought the inspiration side of this case study should be taken to ways as their inspiration study says;
Presentation attendees and the number of actual pre-sold property sales during the evening exceeded the client's expectations.
But I personally think that inspiration should also encourage you to look around and become informed about different aspects, views and directions that could be possible to take!
This case study has widened my thoughts on how to approach a project or job and to actively start on it with ideas in mind.
i got my facs and info from this site:http://www.impactvisual.ca/pages/portfolio/casestudy/1-Blairmore%20Estates/

LOOK! @ Icograda website

Icograda website is certainly vast. Spend hours looking around; as we all have. I have clicked here and there and have gone back to this particular website via the links to find a very appropriate article for us, as students.

“Creative Behavior” is Indonesian based online magazine. O.K it was the pictures that got to me (and the article titles). And a blah-blah with Clea about being lost in this world of computer graphic design (direction-wise), where the world and outer space is only one press or touch of the fingertips away--of a senseless piece of bin filler that you don’t even bother to unfold, least read. Hence, this title grabbed me:

‘WORKING WITH VALUES’ was the first article I moused. And what do you know?!~It was the picture I liked most as well. For me it has confirmed answers to a lot of questioning about the relativity of self-value (morals, life guidelines) that each has chosen to follow, construct, and live by, and the affect of this on our world.

‘ON-LINE CREATIVE STRATEGY’ was the second article I perused; written by an online creative designer/director Stephen Gates. In his article he reflects on what he has seen that doesn’t work, rubbish he has- I assume- received, and what creates inspiration. Stephen goes into aspects of his process as a director/designer of an on-line company.

‘MULTIDSIPLINARY DESIGN’ was the third article I looked at. What in the hell’s that? WELL……to find out more go to www.creativebehavior.com

Don’t forget to look at the pretty pictures!