Alternative san serif fonts for Futura: Din, Helvetica and Interstate
Designing Under the Influence:I thought this article to be extremely relevant in pertaining to today's ever increase in visuals and graphics, especially to a young graphics student (me). "Copying" and "ripping off" someone else's work is always consciously in the back of my mind while working. I think the author made a good point in saying, "We've debated imitation, influence, plagiarism, homage and coincidence before, and every time, the question eventually comes up: is it possible for someone to "own" a graphic style? Legally, the answer is (mostly) no. And as we sit squarely in a culture intoxicated by sampling and appropriation, can we expect no less from graphic design?" It is definitely something that should be thought about and taken a little more seriously by the design world.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
A Speech
Robert F. Kennedy
He is addressing the nation about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
I felt that his words, while somber and sad, were inspirational. He articulated the life of Martin Luther and was hoping to sooth the audience but reinforcing that while he is no longer living, his ideals should live on.
The speech has a slow, steady beat to it. It is dark in the subject matter but inspiring and soothing in the intent.
I believe the audience felt shocked, despair and sadness. I think that the speech is pretty strait forward and can’t be interpreted in very many ways.
He is addressing the nation about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
I felt that his words, while somber and sad, were inspirational. He articulated the life of Martin Luther and was hoping to sooth the audience but reinforcing that while he is no longer living, his ideals should live on.
The speech has a slow, steady beat to it. It is dark in the subject matter but inspiring and soothing in the intent.
I believe the audience felt shocked, despair and sadness. I think that the speech is pretty strait forward and can’t be interpreted in very many ways.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Blog/Research for Spreads Project
What are the advantages of a multiple column grid.? A multiple column grid, obviously allows for the use of multiple columns, which will allow flexibility add variety and interest to a page and allow for more complex layouts with more interesting compositions of visual elements.
How many characters is optimal for a line length? words per line? Between 45 and 65 characters is optimal for a line length. This is approximately 10 to 11 words with an average of five letters.
Why is the baseline grid used in design? The baseline grid maintains continuity across a page and within a design. When text sits on a baseline grid, the space between the lines and the margins are equal or proportional
What is a typographic river? A typographic river is created from the large gaps that run down a paragraph of a text. This is due to the alignment of spaces often caused by justifying text.
From the readings what does clothesline or flow line mean? Flowlines are the horizontal intervals that separate columns of a grid to create alignment throughout the page.
How can you incorporate white space into your designs? White space is created by not filling up the whole page and by creating negative spaces or margins between objects and or text on the page.
What is type color/texture mean? Type color refers to the weight or boldness of a typeface. It is used by typographers and designers to describe the visual tone of a mass of text on a page. Type color can also be the spacing and line measurement used.
What is x-height, how does it effect type color? X-height refers to the distance between the baseline and the mean line in a typeface. The differences in x-heights on a page can affect the typographic color. The smaller the x-height is, the darker the typographic color is, and vice-a-versa.
In justification or H&J terms what do the numbers: minimum, optimum, maximum mean? Minimum, maximum and optimum amounts of space are used when justifying text and to prevent bad rivers or gaps between words. The minimum word space is usually a fifth of an em.
What are some ways to indicate a new paragraph. Are there any rules? There are many different ways to indicate a new paragraph. New paragraphs are typically indicated by an indentation. Other ways to highlight a new paragraph are with a new color, font, or size, ornaments, droplines, pilcrows, boxes, bullets, and outdentations. One rule is that when you indent it is not necessary to put space between paragraphs.
What are some things to look out for when hyphenating text. Some things to look out for are to never hyphenate a word in a headline, to hyphenate proper names as a last resort, and avoid more than three consecutive hyphenated lines.
What are ligatures, why are they used, when are they not used, what are common ligatures? A ligature is when two or more letters are combined into one character. Ligatures used to improve the appearance of type are usually character pairs or triplets that have features that tend to overlap when used together. Ligatures create a smooth transition and connection between characters by removing dots over the j, by connecting crossbars or otherwise altering the shape of the characters. Common ligatures include ff, st, ft, ch, ct, qu and Th
What does CMYK and RGB mean? RGG are additive colors that have 3 inks: Red, Green and Blue. CMYK are subtractive colors that have 4 inks: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black
What does hanging punctuation mean? Hanging punctuation is used in justified text when the punctuation is allowed to extend into the right hand margin area to make the margin look neater. Typically this would be quotation marks hanging outside the text.
What is the difference between a foot mark and an apostrophe? A footmark is a straight dash, while an apostrophe has a curve and a ball serif
What is the difference between an inch mark and a quote mark (smart quote)? Inch marks were common in type writers. They are straight quotation marks. Quote marks are the marks that should be used, not inch marks.
What is a hyphen, en dash and em dashes, what are the differences and when are they used.
An em dash is the size of a capital M relative to the typeface. It is substituted for brackets or parentheses and indicates a sudden change of though or though patterns. It is also to indicated a rest, less strong than a period but stronger than a comma.
An en dash is half of an em dash. It is used to indicate a range between preceding and following words such as dates.
A hyphen is 1/3rd of an em dash. It is used to connect words, connect two broken parts of a word when reading justifies text and to break syllables.
How many characters is optimal for a line length? words per line? Between 45 and 65 characters is optimal for a line length. This is approximately 10 to 11 words with an average of five letters.
Why is the baseline grid used in design? The baseline grid maintains continuity across a page and within a design. When text sits on a baseline grid, the space between the lines and the margins are equal or proportional
What is a typographic river? A typographic river is created from the large gaps that run down a paragraph of a text. This is due to the alignment of spaces often caused by justifying text.
From the readings what does clothesline or flow line mean? Flowlines are the horizontal intervals that separate columns of a grid to create alignment throughout the page.
How can you incorporate white space into your designs? White space is created by not filling up the whole page and by creating negative spaces or margins between objects and or text on the page.
What is type color/texture mean? Type color refers to the weight or boldness of a typeface. It is used by typographers and designers to describe the visual tone of a mass of text on a page. Type color can also be the spacing and line measurement used.
What is x-height, how does it effect type color? X-height refers to the distance between the baseline and the mean line in a typeface. The differences in x-heights on a page can affect the typographic color. The smaller the x-height is, the darker the typographic color is, and vice-a-versa.
In justification or H&J terms what do the numbers: minimum, optimum, maximum mean? Minimum, maximum and optimum amounts of space are used when justifying text and to prevent bad rivers or gaps between words. The minimum word space is usually a fifth of an em.
What are some ways to indicate a new paragraph. Are there any rules? There are many different ways to indicate a new paragraph. New paragraphs are typically indicated by an indentation. Other ways to highlight a new paragraph are with a new color, font, or size, ornaments, droplines, pilcrows, boxes, bullets, and outdentations. One rule is that when you indent it is not necessary to put space between paragraphs.
What are some things to look out for when hyphenating text. Some things to look out for are to never hyphenate a word in a headline, to hyphenate proper names as a last resort, and avoid more than three consecutive hyphenated lines.
What are ligatures, why are they used, when are they not used, what are common ligatures? A ligature is when two or more letters are combined into one character. Ligatures used to improve the appearance of type are usually character pairs or triplets that have features that tend to overlap when used together. Ligatures create a smooth transition and connection between characters by removing dots over the j, by connecting crossbars or otherwise altering the shape of the characters. Common ligatures include ff, st, ft, ch, ct, qu and Th
What does CMYK and RGB mean? RGG are additive colors that have 3 inks: Red, Green and Blue. CMYK are subtractive colors that have 4 inks: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black
What does hanging punctuation mean? Hanging punctuation is used in justified text when the punctuation is allowed to extend into the right hand margin area to make the margin look neater. Typically this would be quotation marks hanging outside the text.
What is the difference between a foot mark and an apostrophe? A footmark is a straight dash, while an apostrophe has a curve and a ball serif
What is the difference between an inch mark and a quote mark (smart quote)? Inch marks were common in type writers. They are straight quotation marks. Quote marks are the marks that should be used, not inch marks.
What is a hyphen, en dash and em dashes, what are the differences and when are they used.
An em dash is the size of a capital M relative to the typeface. It is substituted for brackets or parentheses and indicates a sudden change of though or though patterns. It is also to indicated a rest, less strong than a period but stronger than a comma.
An en dash is half of an em dash. It is used to indicate a range between preceding and following words such as dates.
A hyphen is 1/3rd of an em dash. It is used to connect words, connect two broken parts of a word when reading justifies text and to break syllables.
BOLD + cold. (journal #5)
Johnathan Harris's Ted talks at the AIGA Gain Conference.
Jonathan Harris makes projects that reimagine how humans relate to technology and to each other. Combining elements of computer science, anthropology, visual art and storytelling, his projects range from building the world’s largest time capsule to documenting an Alaskan Eskimo whale hunt on the Arctic Ocean. He is the co-creator of We Feel Fine, which measures the emotional temperature of the human world through large-scale blog analysis, and created recent projects about online dating, modern mythology, anonymity, news and language.
Johnathan's thoughts:
Empathy: A good person makes a bad programmer
Rational Beings: Always one in code but not in real life
The Act of Expression: Layers of abstraction make it hard to express yourself
Resistance of the medium: Your first vision will always be wrong
Individuality: It is possible for technology to help with self reflection not just self promotion.
Housing Crisis: Dealing with individual places/spaces/pages on the net.
Outcome over Ideas: Ideas are way of getting to your goal, but your goal is the goal.
Question to ponder: Is the thing you are making, making life better for people as humans, not just people as consumers?
Jonathan Harris makes projects that reimagine how humans relate to technology and to each other. Combining elements of computer science, anthropology, visual art and storytelling, his projects range from building the world’s largest time capsule to documenting an Alaskan Eskimo whale hunt on the Arctic Ocean. He is the co-creator of We Feel Fine, which measures the emotional temperature of the human world through large-scale blog analysis, and created recent projects about online dating, modern mythology, anonymity, news and language.
Johnathan's thoughts:
Empathy: A good person makes a bad programmer
Rational Beings: Always one in code but not in real life
The Act of Expression: Layers of abstraction make it hard to express yourself
Resistance of the medium: Your first vision will always be wrong
Individuality: It is possible for technology to help with self reflection not just self promotion.
Housing Crisis: Dealing with individual places/spaces/pages on the net.
Outcome over Ideas: Ideas are way of getting to your goal, but your goal is the goal.
Question to ponder: Is the thing you are making, making life better for people as humans, not just people as consumers?
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
"Now that we can do anything, what will we do?" Journal #4
With the help of my developing multi-taking skills (and indecisiveness) I have chosen three mantras from Bruce Mau's Incomplete Manifesto for Growth.
27. Read only left-hand pages.
Marshall McLuhan did this. By decreasing the amount of information, we leave room for what he called our "noodle."
40. Avoid fields.
Jump fences. Disciplinary boundaries and regulatory regimes are attempts to control the wilding of creative life. They are often understandable efforts to order what are manifold, complex, evolutionary processes. Our job is to jump the fences and cross the fields.
43. Power to the people.
Play can only happen when people feel they have control over their lives. We can't be free agents if we’re not free.
Since founding his studio in 1985, Mau has used design and optimism to originate, innovate, and renovate businesses, brands, products, and experiences. Through his work, Mau seeks to prove that the power of design is boundless, and has the capacity to bring positive change on a global scale. Working with his team of designers, clients and collaborators throughout the world, Mau continues to pursue life’s big question, “Now that we can do anything, what will we do?”
27. Read only left-hand pages.
Marshall McLuhan did this. By decreasing the amount of information, we leave room for what he called our "noodle."
40. Avoid fields.
Jump fences. Disciplinary boundaries and regulatory regimes are attempts to control the wilding of creative life. They are often understandable efforts to order what are manifold, complex, evolutionary processes. Our job is to jump the fences and cross the fields.
43. Power to the people.
Play can only happen when people feel they have control over their lives. We can't be free agents if we’re not free.
Since founding his studio in 1985, Mau has used design and optimism to originate, innovate, and renovate businesses, brands, products, and experiences. Through his work, Mau seeks to prove that the power of design is boundless, and has the capacity to bring positive change on a global scale. Working with his team of designers, clients and collaborators throughout the world, Mau continues to pursue life’s big question, “Now that we can do anything, what will we do?”
Don't Hurt Tom's Nose. Journal Entry #3
Stefan Sagmeister's Ted Talks was engaging and slightly hilarious. One of the statements that stood out to me was a sort of off hand comment he made about one the the pieces of art that interested him was this:
"If you abstract an image you open as much room for the unrepresentable and are therefore able to involve the viewer more."
I also really enjoyed his list at the end of the talk about things he wanted to try when working on his art. I think it's a really great list that could be incorporated all of our work:
Thinking about ideas and content freely - without the deadline far away
Working without interruption on a single project
Using a wide variety of tools and techniques
Traveling to new places
Working on projects that matter to me
Having things come back from the printer done well
Ken Robinson- Schools Kill Creativity
"If your not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with something original"
"Professors live in their heads (and slightly to one side)"- funny comment never to share with my mother (and English professor).
"Creativity comes about though the interaction of different disciplinary ways of seeing things."
What do I love more than Lost?
I'm IN. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. with J.J. Abrams.
Several basic ideas from his talk:
Infinite possibility
Mystery is more important than knowledge
What are stories but mystery boxes?
Importance of investment of characters
"If you abstract an image you open as much room for the unrepresentable and are therefore able to involve the viewer more."
I also really enjoyed his list at the end of the talk about things he wanted to try when working on his art. I think it's a really great list that could be incorporated all of our work:
Thinking about ideas and content freely - without the deadline far away
Working without interruption on a single project
Using a wide variety of tools and techniques
Traveling to new places
Working on projects that matter to me
Having things come back from the printer done well
Ken Robinson- Schools Kill Creativity
"If your not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with something original"
"Professors live in their heads (and slightly to one side)"- funny comment never to share with my mother (and English professor).
"Creativity comes about though the interaction of different disciplinary ways of seeing things."
What do I love more than Lost?
I'm IN. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. with J.J. Abrams.
Several basic ideas from his talk:
Infinite possibility
Mystery is more important than knowledge
What are stories but mystery boxes?
Importance of investment of characters
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Audience Personas
Neeti is a 20-year-old college student that lives in Wichita Kansas. Neeti has lived in Wichita since her freshman year of high school. She previously attended the University of Kansas but is currently enrolled in the business program at Wichita State. Although she is majoring in business, her heart lies with children. Her career goal is to open her own daycare. Neeti lives in an apartment with a good friend from high school. The majority of the residents in her complex are older, middle class citizens. Being a college student, Neeti has a hard time affording the rent. Consequently, she spends most of her free time working at “Kinder Care,” the local daycare chain. Neeti has been working for Kinder Care for six years and has recently been promoted to Assistant Director.
When she is not working or going to class, Neeti is spending time with her friends or visiting her boyfriend, of two years, in Texas. Neeti hopes to graduate in a year and move to Texas to pursue her MBA.
Trisha is a 48-year-old professor at Wichita State University. Trisha is a mother of two and has been happily married for 25 years. She lives in the small town of Andover, on the outskirts of Wichita. As a child she grew up in an even smaller town called Girard, Kansas. When she graduated high school she attended Wichita State, working her way through college by teaching twirling lessons. After receiving her masters in speech pathology she worked for a company called Rainbows. Later, she opened a teaching school called Kaleidoscope in conjunction with Wichita State University, before starting her teaching career full time.
Most of Trisha’s time is spent grading papers, completing research for the university and updating her teaching material. However, she loves spending time with her family and enjoys spending evenings drinking coffee and watching TV. Her favorite show is Brothers and Sisters.
Trisha enjoys the simple things in life and would not be considered high maintenance. Although, she has been known to rack up her Talbots bill from time to time. She prefers the atmosphere of Dillons over Wal-Mart, however, can’t ignore the significant price difference that is indispensable.
Marlene is a 68-year-old woman residing in eastern Kansas. She is a retired hairdresser happily living with her first husband, Eldon. Eldon is the owner of his family carpet company. It is hard for Marlene to find more joy in something other than her grandchildren. Over the years, her acquired name has become “gramzie.” Gramzie hates the winter months because she is no longer able to sit around her pool in her backyard.
Marlene sits across from her husband on the reg. and while he is reading from his Christmas present, the Kindle, she prefers “old fashioned” books.
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