Thursday 26 February 2009

Pictograms











The video I posted previously, Credit crunch, makes extensive use of pictograms. I was impressed with the simplification of both the problem and the subsquent simplification of the visualisations.
Therefore, I started to think about the way in which pictograms are often used to convey basic messages and almost always without any sense of expression. However, having the opportunity to add a sense of life, to basic black shapes, can result in a wonderful thing. As is shown by the pictograms at the Lighthouse design gallery in Glasgow, which add a sense of humour to their message.

Following on from this, I happened to look up the flickr group - Stick Figures in Peril. As I was interested to see what else was out there. This group has an incredible selection of pictograms, not all effective in conveying their message, which is essentially the aim of all pictograms.















This example which is titled,

Baby Jane and Blanche have become stickfigures in peril

was uploaded by sfrikken on 20 Feb 09, 12.03AM GMT.

I find it to be one of the more bizarre examples. However, perhaps this is because it has been posted completely out of context. As if I knew what the person on the chair was representing in real life, it could almost make more sense. As it is, I am struggling...and it looks like some poor person is being strapped to a chair then pushed down some stairs...not so unlike some indoor sledging we did once! Although, the more that I examine the image, the more I can understand and decipher from it.

Ultimately, I find pictograms somewhat fascinating....as I completed a graphics module once. Where one of the topics was pictograms and I was given the task of making a pictogram for an "ornothologist", "barmaid" and a "showgirl"...not a particularly easy task. Ultimately, I was happy with the results, (see below). Although they almost look more cartoonish, than picto's. But what the most important lesson was the process of elimination and simplification, to have the least amount of details and person to be instantly recogniseable to its viewer.
I guess this principle can be used throughout the design in process and not only in graphics, and perhaps that is why this class was so valuable.

Wednesday 25 February 2009

the crisis of credit visualised

An impressive visualisation of the credit crisis. Nice graphics, good simplification, great work by a student on the Media Design Program, at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.
I just watched this video by Muto

which is The new short film by Blu an ambiguous animation painted on public walls.
Made in Buenos Aires and in Baden (fantoche)

it is also wonderfully ambitious, playful and gets your head going... trying to work out how they did it in 3d space! stunning

MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

They actually have done many graffiti type art installations on walls, buidlings arounf the world. Always in this simple, yet beautiful style.

Tuesday 24 February 2009

analogue visualizations

I like to listen to words, to hear people talk about the world. However, sometimes it is nice simply to see a visualization and allow your mind to interpret the images.


I find the work of Janice Caswell to be particularly exciting, due to the fact that it combines an analogue expression to a complex visualization. something that is often not done as often in this digital age.

Janice states that;

"In attempting to create a system for representing experience, the pieces become dynamic records of memory itself in the act of recreating what would otherwise be lost."
via visual complexity
" we need to radically rethink our ideas of intelligence"

" intelligence is dynamic, it is wonderfully interactive"

Ken Robinson - TED Talks


Monday 23 February 2009

Favourites





There are so many good photographers in the world. Particularly with the increase in digital, there seem to be a growing number appearing every minute. When I look on flickr, I get lost in a sea of photography..the good, the bad and the ugly.

However, when I see something that hits me and constantly makes me think about it. I know I have found a keeper.

I first saw the work of Dennis Darzacq when I was living in Paris. I went down a little street, into a little buidling, and down some small stairs and founf myself in a delightful gallery space, with some fantastic images...the series of fotos - La Chute were displayed. and I was won over.

How did he capture these people in these seemingly impossible positions? do they not create the most incredible portrait of the young people living in the Banlieus of Paris...
full of so much skill, yet somehow floating....
just a reminder that good photography is about the an interaction between the photographer and the subject..which then captures an the heart and imagination of its viewers.

So what does it all mean?


So what does it all mean, is the question they ask at the end of this video.
It is a good question. as it it could all mean so much or so little.
It depends how you analyse statistics and whether who you are and where you are...!

As one friend stated...it means

"process, method, persuasion, love, truth, media, sharing, caring, daring, subdivided, we will survive, strive, live"

It means connecting trains of thought, allowing transparency of information and being able to have an open mind to what the current state of the world is and what the future holds...

It means that some graphic designer, did a good job and created a topical, subjective video.

but I like it.

so I share it...

Sunday 22 February 2009

Forsman & Bodenfors


I just linked to the the new Forsman & Bodenfors website through Adverblog and I am an instant fan.

the click click noise as you scroll over the different pictures is quite delightful. But more so the interaction invites you to explore their numerous pieces of intelligent and exciting work.

Saturday 21 February 2009

User lead design


Generic work Process

a site so full of "Tools", certainly worth bookmarking.

Although it references work to look up, it would be great if it could link to real life examples.

Favorite things

Tonight I was just thinking about favorite things. I have often been one to say that I can have so many favorites that it is difficult to choose. The problem, is that is easy to be inspired by things in life, that it can be difficult to choose. However, I think I define something becomes a favorite, as opposed to an inspiration is when it continues to inspire me in a long term. That every time I revisit the work of a specific artist or designer or musician, that it gives me a renewed sense of pleasure, that it makes me want to find out more, to learn about who inspires them and who they inspire.

Tonight I was looking back through my personal library of designers and artists. And was able to remind myself of Erwin Wurm.

I simply love his work. I discovered him a few years ago, when I came across his book The artist who Swallowed the world in the school library and since then I have been hooked. I love the simplicity of the idea in alot of his work, yet I find so much of it to be extremely compelling. And it often makes me smile. which is the most important of all.

I love the series - 1 minute sculptures, which are based on a simple interactions between the model and their surroundings. They are interactions which are unusual, that cause you to stop and take a second look, then often to have a chuckle, as it is if for a single moment the person has been caught in the act of doing something that is normally "not done". It is almost like a photographic diary of catching people in these strange positions, in a multitude of locations...in the street, in a house...in a gallery...anywhere. and yet although these pieces seem so quick, so brief in their creation, they also seem to have many deeper messages that can be read within them.
















I also like, is that you can notice traces of his work in others. So it is noticeable that his work not only creates an impact, it inspires people. I see it as a possible inspiration to design work, mostly in the sense of the idea of not taking products and spaces at face value...and searching for all possible ways that something may be used or interpreted.

A group that took inspiration from his work is the Red Hot Chili Peppers, also an old favorite of mine in their video Can't stop, as seen below.