Type2: Find and Share

Just some interesting examples of type and image in poster design.

VisCom2 Updated Narrative

Still going with "High Altitude", but just changing up the list a bit as far as items go. I'll probably drop a few that might not work in the conversion to icons.

1. Harness
2. Backpack
3. Trek Poles
4. Ice Axe
5. Crampons
6. Oxygen Tank
7. Respirator
8. Coat
9. Snowy Peaks
10. Rope
11. Carabiner
12. Gloves
13. Tents
14. Packaged Food
15. Some other element of nature?

VisCom2: "How to Think" Response

In Ed Boyden's article "How to Think", he runs over a basic 10 step plan for successful thinking.  On second thought, it's really more of guidelines and tips.  The structure of his time is very analytical and design based. Something I'm quite fond of.  For the sake of the response and my future reference, here are his 10 steps listed under his brief titles:

1. Synthesize new ideas constantly.
2. Learn how to learn (rapidly)
3. Work backward from your goal
4. Always have a long-term plan. 
5. Make contingency maps. 
6. Collaborate. 
7. Make your mistakes quickly.
8. As you develop skills, write up best-practices protocols.
9. Document everything obsessively. 
10. Keep it simple.  

The steps are fairly solid.  I'm a little confused as to how you work backward from your goals.  If one were to need a paper finished for their class tomorrow, then going to a party wouldn't get that paper finished.  I think he might be saying that people should take less enphasis in getting the goal accomplished, and letting it come to completion naturally with your interests in mind.  This might have grounds in particular goals, but when something needs to get done, like constructing a building, it doesn't get built through doing everything but building.  I think the way he worded that step might have just confused me as to his meaning. 
Step 7, was very informative to myself.  I have a hard time jumping off and doing something I'm uncomfortable with, but that usually becomes rewarded in the end as you end up with fantastic and unpredictable results.  I could use a bit more courage in trying new approaches to problems, and quickening the trial process of any new medium or method. 
Step 10 is the most important to me. Keeping things simple is ideal in making progress, as complicated systems usually yield problems.  Simplicity also helps to weed out the fluff to get to the purest form and function of an object. 

I'll be sure to put many of these steps into practice.

Inspiration: Skyscraper Design

Once again, I find myself drawn to modern architecture and it's clean lines.  After treading around through google images, I found some amazing line work and form in some skyscraper design.  The monolithic monuments demand attention, and being at such a large scale, need an upscale form the people will love since it will be blocking the view of the sky all day.  (Though some windows and other aspects will solve this problem in future architecture.)  These are just some examples of those designs I've been scrolling through. Hope they strike the right note for some of you as well.

I'm particularly fond of this last one.  The blocks making up this structure were design to be added onto the side of any other room. Much like lego's I guess.  But in this way, the buildings structure is very organic, and can be constantly changing and growing. It also makes moving effortless if you wish to move.  Your block would simply be removed and shipped to a different complex.

Type2 Poster Subjects

So for the AIGA "Change One Thing" poster contest, I've decided to use the following as topics.

• Composting
• Recycling Batteries
• Human Trafficking

I'm definitely leaning more toward the human trafficking issue.  I've done extensive research on each issue and have done a round of sketches for possible poster concepts.  We'll have to see what comes of tomorrow's type 2 critique on my topics.  I'm hoping for a poster that is simplistic, with plenty of room to breath in terms of composition, but gets the point across very quickly.

VisCom2 Process Update

So here are the images I've amassed for research.  Can't wait to draw and organize the material for these narrative props and scenery. It's been very insightful too. I've always been a backpacker and have had some experience in mountain climbing and repelling, but never at such great heights. So it's interesting to see the change in gear and the tools they use to perfect their work.

Oxygen Tanks

 Snowy Cliffs

 Coat

 Tree Line

 Backpack

 Boots/ Snowshoes/ Crampons

 Trek Poles

 Gloves

 Ice Axes

 Climbing Gear

Image Making After-Crit

So after the documentation for the semiotics project in Image Making, it occurs to me I have some more pictures to take. The ones I had were nice, but they need a change of scenery in many cases so they don't feel so static, and in doing so, changing their light source. Some natural light in some of my images would do a world of good. Still unclear as to my choices for each of the words, but I'm sure I'll get there after taking some new photos. It was a pretty helpful crit though, seeing my peers' photos and it was interesting to learn a little more about some of them. For those of you who aren't familiar with the project, we are suppose to represent ourselves as a whole through the use of an index, a symbol, and an icon. 

Here are the photos turned in today. I'll have the new ones uploaded later.

Index

Icon

Symbol

VisCom Narrative Project

The new narrative project will also be centered around semiotics.  We were asked to create 2 narratives with titles 2 to 3 words long, and create a list of items for each.  Mine will be:

       High Altitude

·      Oxygen Tank

·      Snowy Cliffs

·      Coat with Furry hood

·      Pine Trees,  dead bushes

·      Backpack

·      Boots/ Metal spikes for boots /Tennis racket shoe

·      Walking poles

·      Gloves

·      Ice axe

·      Climbing Gear

 Battle at Sea

·      Battleship

·      Submarine

·      Depth Charges

·      Torpedo

·      Huge Bullet Shells

·      Machine Gun

·      Sonar

·      Radar Dish

·      Rockets

·      Underwater Missiles

 I'll most likely go with "High Altitude", but we'll see.  The next step is to chose a story and find 50+ images of the objects to further iterate their form and function.

Start of the new semester.

Well the first day is pretty much done.  I'm definitely ready to get some new projects underway, so today will be generating ideas for the icon, symbol, index project, and Type 2's change one thing poster project. 

I've been busy with an internship over the break, so I'll have all that posted soon enough.  I'll try to get some documentation of my taxonomy book too.