The Influence of Mac

Since 1984 Mac has been at the forefront of creative innovation. They have made leaps and bounds towards a improving media and communication.  As a designer, this has greatly influenced the way we interact with each other. Due to such advances in creative programs, I have the ability to consider design in a much broader perspective. With media just a click away, design is everywhere. Mac has had an affect on how people communicate, which has an affect on how we consider design. 

Mac design sense is evident in everything they produce. From typography to packaging, they have established a simple less is more approach. They have also married the style with functionality. Just because something works doesn't mean that the esthetic value should be ignored. 

Design Inspiration

As apart of this class assignment, I was asked to find, and reduce my opinion on an element of design that truly inspires me. I found this task to be very challenging. In honesty, my opinion keeps changing. There are so many new and exciting revolutions out  there that currently affect my view on design. I cannot give a solid answer, nor can I pin point the right thing to say for the purpose of this assignment. 

However, I decided to look back to my roots, and give proper credit to my ancestry. 

My grandfather, Robert Short, was an eccentric artist, that I feel, owns this small portion of humble recognition. 

He made his living teaching and studying art, and held a strong will and dedication towards the dignity and passion of the subject at hand. 

What made him different, was his ability to see art in other forms that most would, and could not consider. What most people consider trash (literally), he saw an opportunity for creation. In other words: he gave garbage a secondary use. 

As weird as it sounds, he found beauty in human disregard.

Growing up, it never occurred to me, that he was making an indirect artistic statement.  

Where Does the Time Go?

We were asked in class to evaluate the amount of time 

we spend doing the following:

• Reading books (school): 4 hours
  
• Reading books (leisure): 2 hours
  
• Reading magazines: 2 hours
• Listening to the radio: 1 hour
• Listening to my ipod: 7 hours
• Watching television: 12 hours
• Watching movies: 8 hours
• Checking e-mail: 1 hour
• Facebook: 2 hours
• Surfing the web: 3 hours
• Playing video games: 2 hours
• Talking on cell phone: 4 hours
• Text messaging: 1 hour

Total hours = 49

MAG CIEMIEGA

Auditory–vocal

- Animated and expressive tone 

- Laughs out loud

- Warm laugh

Visual

- Wears particular cloths according to weather and time

- Sports fashionable and trendy cloths

- Wears interestingly crafted jewelry

Tactile

- Uses hand gestures to express a story

Olfactory

- Smells like fresh perfumes and scents

  

Men v.s Women: What's the Deal?

I am glad that I stumbled upon this article. It is a topic that can be discussed with true debate. I will, however, state my opinion on it. 

Finally! Someone (a woman) said it so articulately. 

Since when did the relationship between man and woman become a threat? If you can answer that question with a reasonable answer, I would be open to a discussion. In the mean time, why are we not beyond the idea of social indifference? 

http://society.krishna.org/Articles/2002/04/008.html

Got Milk?

I was intrigued by a Milk Ad campaign that came out of California. It is a little video game called get the glass. The main objective is to get to the glass of milk before getting caught by the police. I think that it is a really innovative way to get people (especially kids) involved in drinking milk. I'm 26 years old and I really enjoyed the game. Check it out at http://www.gettheglass.com/

The Von Bondies Concert

Yesterday I went to the Von Bondies concert at the El Macombo on Spadina. I must say it was a pretty good concert. The girls in the band really knew how to rock out. They are a band of four from Detroit, and are relatively known in the music scene. Overall I would have to rate their performance a solid eight out of ten. 

Sidewalk Chalk Artist

Check out this guy! How does he do it?

Middle Management Video Games

I was driving home from school today listening to Jessie Brown on 99.1 (CBC Radio), where an interesting video game subject was brought up and discussed. A company called Experience Point has created a video game about middle management. Yes, that's right, middle management?!! The game entails a bird's eye view of a cubical farm in which you, the manager, venture around making company decisions, organizing teams, hiring and firing people, and spending fictional company budgets. 

The whole idea and appeal to gaming is the element of escapism, and this game could possibly appeal to a person who does NOT work in this kind of environment. However, the game was designed to aid and engage people who DO work in a management position. Companies actually suggest to their employers that this game and hypothetical scenario is helpful in their real life situations. They believe that the game is an aid in building leadership capabilities, facilitating change, and improving workforce effectiveness. 

Is it possible to bridge the gap between virtual and reality? I don't know if I believe that this gaming process can be so easily applied to real world situations. How can you encapsulate a situation in life that has ever changing and incalculable variables?

Polar Artist

Today I attended an art show held at the Steamwhistle Brewery called the Northern Extreme Arctic Quest. It was a collaboration of twenty-five artists who ventured on a trip to Greenland. During their quest to the arctic north, each artist expressed their interpretation of their experience. The medium varied from photography to water colour to oils and acrylics. It was interesting to see how each artist communicated their personal experience. 

Not only was this event a great way to see and experience other artist's work, it was a great way to network with local people in the industry. One of my favourite pieces was done by a man named Andrew Sookrah. After mentioning to him that I enjoyed his work, he gave me his card to check out the website for his graphic design studio called Engine Room Creative Inc. Let's see what he is all about...www.engineroom.ca

Welcome

Hello and welcome to a space where contemporary and inspiring art ideas are shared, discussed, and critiqued.