Looking for the current blog from Michael Surtees?

I have stopped using this blog, my current blog can now be found at www.designnotes.info

the Unboxing Ceremony

iPod 60GB, In-Ear Headphones, A/V Cable, with packaging
Originally uploaded by JoshB.

Imagine designing something so well that others feel the need to capture the experience and share it on flickr. There's a photo pool that does just that: www.flickr.com/groups/unboxing/pool/

There's also a blog dedicated to people talking about they're experiences at www.unboxing.com via core77

Stock Photography Cliches

We've all seen the brutal stock images that come up time and time again when searching for that perfect image. Forty Media has taken it one step further and created their own Top Ten Stock Photography Cliches. While the handshake of synergy photo makes a strong showing, there's gems like the above image that comes in at #4: 4. The Romantic Glow of the Laptop: You’ve stayed up late working on those TPS reports, and there’s just something magical about that LCD glow…

Edmonton Oilers Fans sing O Canada

How changing a name has made people buy more coffee

Second Cup, (a coffee chain in Canada) has changed the names of their coffee sizes. If you were to buy a large today, a couple weeks ago it would have been the size of an extra large. So now the sizes go small, medium and large, previously it would have been medium, large and extra large. Why the name change? To sell more coffee obviously. Asking on of the people behind the counter about the name change, I was curious to know how the new large was selling. Apparently it's their new most popular size. Who would have guessed?

Issues around designing services

If you're wanting something to listen to about design today, there's a number of podcast's from speakers that attended the International Service Design Conference. The first two links are password protected, but most of the others are available to listen to at www.cfdr.co.uk/isdn/. Some of the guests included IDEO, the Design Council, Philips Design, Wolff Olins and a number of others.

design update

Over the next couple of days design*notes will be going through some changes. Please be patient as this is a work in progress.

Coverflow

who says album art is dead www.steelskies.com/coverflow/download.php

For the coffee lovers out there

Christian, a friend and coffee aficiando passed me on the url CoffeeGeek. It's all news, reviews, opinion and community for coffee and espresso. Enjoy at coffeegeek.com And yes they do have a podcast.

social groups via photography

Here's a really interesting project from Rotterdam-based photographer Ari Versluis and stylist Ellie Uyttenbroek called Exactitudes. Exactitudes: a contraction of exact and attitude. By registering their subjects in an identical framework, with similar poses and a strictly observed dress code, Versluis and Uyttenbroek provide an almost scientific, anthropological record of people's attempts to distinguish themselves from others by assuming a group identity. The apparent contradiction between individuality and uniformity is, however, taken to such extremes in their arresting objective-looking photographic viewpoint and stylistic analysis that the artistic aspect clearly dominates the purely documentary element.


Aside from just looking at the images, I found some of the categorizations to be insightful. The image above is part of the Young Activists group. Here's a list of all the groups: 02. Casual Queers, 03. Gabberbitches, 04. Bimbos, 05. Combat Girls, 06. Teenagers, 07. Game Boys, 08. Young Activists, 09. Young Executives, 10. Skaters, 11. Bonita's, 12. Allah's Girls, 13. Supporters, 14. Moroccies, 15. Tatto Babes, 16. Manipulators, 17. Smas, 18. Mohawks, 19. Vagabonds, 20. Madam, 21. Leathermen, 22. Butchers, 23. Dreads, 24. Bouncers, 25. Grannies, 26. Preppies, 27. Fans, 28. Massalas, 29. Kils, 30. Roffas, 31. Chillers, 32. Showpieces, 33. Students, 34. Scream, 35. Rockers, 36. Mister Wang, 37. Chairman, 38. Brats, 39. Workers, 40. Chickies, 41. Surfistas, 42. Pitboys, 43. Bundaboys, 44. Gentlemen, 45. The Girls from Ipanema, 46. Musulman, 47. Mothercare, 48. Habibties, 49. Teknohippies, 50. Ecopunks, 51. Sleeves, 52. Skins, 53. Ghoullies, 54. Corpos, 55. Fly Girls , 56. Homeboys , 56. Homeboys , 58. Toppers


www.exactitudes.com


via GDC Listserv > Paul Tetrault

Thanks Bantjes

Let's hope all of the GDC appreciates what Marian Bantjes did for Graphex’06. I've only seen the pics from the catalogue. I can't wait to get it in my hands so I can feel what a genius does when they have put all their energy into a project.

playoff beard continues

oilers win their second round playoff series, now they're in the final four. my hockey playoff beard continues to grow.

Matchbox Pinhole DIY

I luv pinhole photography, but have never tried it myself. Now with a little time and experimentation there's a site that explains how to make a Matchbox Pinhole camera at alspix stuff.

Liquid Nav

First there was the visual thesaurus, then there was the hive group, now when you combine the two ideas you get liquid 2D scatter space in my opinion. There's a nice quicktime vid and other info tidbits to chew on.


via Communication Nation

GDC 2006 - 2008 National Executive

For Immediate Release
15 May 2006

Society of Graphic Designers of Canada
Announces 2006 - 2008 National Executive

Ottawa, Ontario – The Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC) is pleased to announce the 2006 - 2008 National Executive. Dean McNeill MGDC, President, Peggy Cady FGDC, Past President, Judy Snaydon MGDC, Vice-President Membership, May Chung MGDC, Vice-President Education, Michael Surtees MGDC, Vice President Communication, Jim Hudson MGDC, Corporate Secretary, Meenu Ahluwalia Brar Barrister & Solicitor, Legal Advisor and Melanie MacDonald, Administrative Director.

more info at gdc.net

Roloson's Goalie Mask

In the spirit of combining design and hockey today, I present one of the coolest designed masks that I've seen in some time. Designed by Myers Mask Design, Dwayne Roloson's goalie mask sports a gold plated cage and some nice graphics. When Dwayne came to Edmonton he was wearing a blank white mask which concerned me. Was it a visual cue that he wasn't going to stay too long? Thankfully that wasn't the case and he's brought some amazing victories in this playoff run for the Edmonton Oilers.

There's also a podcast video talking about the mask, to watch it, do a search on iTunes podcast directory and type in "Edmonton Oilers".

Brand Book Promo

From the editor of the now defunct Critique Magazine and the book Brand Gap, it looks like Marty Neumeier has a new book coming out in August titled Zag. Over at the Zag site www.zagbook.com you can read a lot of the pages from a mini flash book.

Trending Google

You can now compare keyword searches with Google trends. The above compares art, design and advertising: www.google.com/trends

Recognizing a pattern

There's a couple things that I'll try to tie into this post. The first is the video you should watch above, the second is this small crit on ad blogs from if, and the third is the pattern blogs I keep linking from.

I first caught the video above at Russell Davies blog a month or two ago. He had a couple different formats available, I could watch it on my browser or download it to my iPod. Now I can pass the video live from my blog. Ironically or not, blogs are being scrutinized the way magazines talked about blogs a short time ago. if suggests “There is little in between. Ad-blogs have the same problem as the ad press - they see the game as advertising and they'll tend to highlight the newsworthy and miss the strategically sound.” Yes the same could be mentioned of design blogs, maybe I'm guilty too, maybe not. Third point, what does the group of bloggers I continually link from tell me of my interests, and how and will that help me figure out my future career intentions?

Ninja fighting

Tina's Back

After taking a couple weeks off to deliver a beautiful baby girl, swissmiss is back to fine form. Be sure to say hello at http://swissmiss.typepad.com

Design seizures

Design seizures, originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

When has it ever been a good idea to place a hologram on the cover of a printed piece? How about never? If this is what get's advertisers excited about mags, we're way past content issues.

What is Graphic Design

On May 5th, the following defintion was approved at the National GDC AGM. Researched and written by Walter Jungkind and Yves Rousell, the folowing definition improves on the previous wording by the GDC "Graphic designers are visual problem solvers. They enjoy the challenge of working with clients and resource people to produce effective visual communication." I suspect that there may be amendments next year to the definitions, perhaps even a name change. While it is a good start I do take issue with the last line "clients usually determine project aims" below. If designers are to be seen more than for the pure visual, the designer needs to be part of the brief and work with the client to determine the scope of the project.

Graphic Design
involves effective visualization of communication concepts, primarily in print and electronic media (including interface design), in the context of business and technology, socio-political, cultural and educational environments, in transmitting government and institutional aims and services, and in visually explaining and exploring medical and scientific data and processes. Clients usually determine project aims.

Graphic designers
help to achieve communication goals by analyzing, structuring, planning and creating images and text to enhance visual communication for specific purposes. They often act as consultants.

Alternative version to the above

Graphic designers
help to achieve communication goals via analysis and interpretation of client needs. They plan, structure and communicate information and ideas, appeal to emotions or facilitate orientation, by creating or combining images and test for distribution to specific publics. Efficiency and high esthetic standards are hallmarks of work by professional designers, who frequently act as consultants on design strategy. Consideration of the public good is a bonus.

GDC AGM 2006

GDC 50
Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

In response to all the photo action going on in Edmonton about the National AGM for the GDC (The Society of Graphic Designers of Canada), you can view the images from the four days at www.flickr.com/groups/gdcagmedm2006/pool

What's Your Project?

Looking for something to do over the next couple days - check out http://www.whatsyourproject.com and if that's not enough there's www.52projects.com

Metropolis Magazine Redesign

metropolis magazine redesign
Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.


metropolis magazine redesign
Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

So did you notice that Metropolis magazine has been updated/reDesigned? Really, you still read design magazines and didn't notice?

GDC National AGM

Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

This Thursday the National AGM for the GDC will be held in Edmonton. And as they say a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. Being President for the Alberta North Chapter I'll be attending the four days of meetings. If you come back next Tuesday I'm sure I'll have a couple thoughts on the future of the GDC.

Virtual Key System

I seem to be on a digital kick these days. Between the wifi shoes and umbrellas to this RFID idea - I'm finding the interaction between objects and visible action to be worth exploring. The above images are for a Key Transponder: Transport and Responder for Opening the Door. Here's how they explain the virtual key and RFID tag: “RFID Tag is built inside the key-shaped product, and the reader has the same key-shaped hollow. When you let your key-tag touch this hollow, the visit will be told to the real key holder.“


On the iconic side of things, here's a good example of an object that has been transformed by technology, yet the shape of the object is defined by it's past. You can read more info about the key transponder HERE.

Hockey Playoff Beard Part Two, We Win the First Series

Hockey Playoff Beard continues after eliminating Detroit in six games tonight
Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

Edmonton Journal newspaper mention of my hockey playoff beard
Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

With the Edmonton Oilers winning a great hockey series against Detroit tonight, I'll be continuing to grow my hockey playoff beard.

The Edmonton Journal covered the start of my beard with a mention today in the newspaper. So far the beard has been growing fairly even with no signs of stopping. I will continue keeping up with the tradition as the next hockey series will start in a couple days... You can read my hockey playoff beard announcement HERE.

World Cup Ball

You can read up on the new World Cup ball at www.soccerballworld.com/Teamgeist.htm


via crit

wifi shoes

They tell you when you're in a WIFI Hotspot - using Nike Dunk SBs


via Sebastian Chen Speier

Learning by Design

Debbie Millman, a friend and someone who I admire has posted one of her best blog posts about what she has learned. There's 10 graceful points that most designers can take something away from her experience, learn and get better.


About a year ago Debbie visited Edmonton for a talk titled “Design Stories from New York” for the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada Alberta North Chapter. We filmed the talk and you can watch the entire presentation at http://abnorth.gdc.net/millman. While Debbie's 10 points from her blog entry are not mentioned directly in the video as such, a lot of her ideas are talked about in part 3 of the video presentation.


Below are the ten headers of Debbie's points, to read the whole thing visit here blog HERE.


Things I have learned by making a lot of mistakes


Number One:
Fabulous talent is equivalent to operational excellence


Number Two:
How you lead and what you represent is as important as your ideas


Number Three:
You need to know what you believe in, whether or not it is popular.


Number Four:
Vision is easy, strategy is much harder.


Number Five:
Know what you are talking about


Number Six:
Common vocabulary is not always equate with common behavior


Number Seven:
One day working on a creative brief is worth (minimally) one week of design time.


Number Eight:
Be aware of "artificial harmony"


Number Nine:
Seek out criticism


Number Ten:
Design Matters

Blog reDesign

Every once in awhile I flirt with the idea of redesigning this blog. Though ironically in the first year I did update it three times. I even changed the name. Originally design*notes was known as d*notes. But I decided to change it after swissmiss kept calling my blog "design*notes". She's pretty smart so I followed suit.


Generally the need for a redesign of anything follows one of three reasons: a. a merger or acquisition, b. change in leadership or, c. a new direction or philosophy. While thinking I wanted a redesign, the blog never really fell into any of those categories. Today this blog still doesn't fall into those categories, but a blog mentioned on Coudal today has really inspired me to get a hell of a lot better with the design of design*notes. It's www.subtraction.com by Khoi Vinh. I've sort of liked the understated design factor of design*notes. I felt a good blog didn't need to look designed, or have that web 2.0 look - the content should be first and foremost.


I still believe that today, but www.subtraction.com has set the bar pretty high for being able read the content in such a great way that you can't stop. That is what I want design*notes version four to be. Stay tuned and thanks for the ongoing support.

Explore, it's a Friday to buy some new muzak

Treat yourself, it's been a busy week. Go out and buy some muzak. Amos Lee's album Roots and Elvis Costello's North have been two of my favs for a while. Ok, I've only been listening to them for the last three weeks. But if you don't know what to get, maybe try those two.

Happy World Graphics Day

27 April marks the birth of Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Associations) in 1963. It is celebrated by graphic designers, communication designers, industrial designers and design associations around the world. Today is the 43rd birthday of Icograda.


Graphic design has become one of the most influential professions in the world. It shapes the daily lives of people everywhere.


World Graphics Day is an opportunity to recognise graphic design, and its role in the world, and to celebrate the birthday of Icograda.


On this occasion, designers reflect and hope that our global network can contribute to greater understanding between people and can help to build bridges where divides and inequities exist.


At the Icograda Secretariat in Montreal, they’ll be marking the day with the launch of the ‘Call for Expressions of Interest’ for the IDA (International Design Alliance) World Design Report pilot project.


FOR MORE INFO: www.icograda.org/web/

Warm greetings,

Sue Colberg, MVA, MGDC
GDC National
Icograda Representative

The Agony and Ecstasy of the Diagram

Ticker Factory is one of those sites that has turned static diagrams and leveraged dynamic data entry into something for “the rest of us", counting down to that great day you're thinking about. Ok, I'm being somewhat sarcastic but is there anything really wrong with this type of diagram? Ticker Factory offers a lot of different types of countdowns; Trying To Conceive: Create a menstrual cycle day count, Pregnancy: Count your weeks and days of pregnancy, Due Date count down, Baby and Child Age, Display the age of your baby or child, Weight Loss: Display your progress, Count down to your target weight, Birthday: Count down to a birthday, Anniversary: Count down to your anniversary, Vacation & Travel: Count down to an upcoming vacation or travel, Event: Count down or up to a special event, Exercise & Fitness: Track your progress towards your exercise and fitness goal.


Once you've decided on the countdown, you get to pick out a lot of different graphics. There's timelines, icons, ways to show the negative and positive steps to get to the goal. There's a lot more to this that I'd like to say, but alas I have to head out for a workout...

Coffee time on the street

Folgers Coffee ad by Saatchi & Saatchi New York


via www.woostercollective.com > www.coloribus.com

16 Colors Blog

Viva color! 16colors.blogspot.com

Official Art Poster 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™

Some of the posters for the next World Cup seem odd to me, but perhaps that will change over time. View them all HERE


via coudal

Affirmation sticker and smart blog

Affirmation sticker
Originally uploaded by saralynncantor.

http://curiousshopper.blogspot.com/ just came on my radar tonight. It's a nicely written blog by a retail planner, though I'm not entirely sure what a planner does...

The affirmation sticker post HERE is a good example of what you're going to get with Sarah Cantor's posts. I also like the word "Another." It's kinda like those ads - "Secret #24: Sometimes I fake an accent at parties" - you feel like there are at least 23 other Secrets. Here, the word "Another" makes you feel like you aren't alone - there are tons of organized customers, and you are yet another of the already-overflowing pool of organized people in your town.

Time Killer

via jonnypage.ca

technorati tags: google video, fun, puzzle, michael surtees

Watching the power meter go backwards

If the power meter goes backwards, does that mean the power company pays you? Over at www.dhlovelife.com in the past episodes section, the green bldg clip shows a solar powered house that getting enough rays that the power meter goes in reverse.

technorati tags: green design, environment, daryl hannah, michael surtees

Bridge Design

Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

I love walking with Maddie but the one thing I hate doing is crossing bridges with her. My worst nightmare is that she some how breaks her leash and sneaks under the rail posts. Future bridge designers, please make rails less than 4 inches from the ground so dogs can't crawl underneath the sides.

Flock

I'm sending my first blog post from flock. It has the potential to be something great, but uploading images is a bit of an issue.

technorati tags: flock, browser, design, michael surtees

!!!!

Best for E, T & G

One Trick Pony

Here's an interesting evolution of muzak players, the Buddah Machine and Disposable Audio Books. With the unlimited choice of filling up your iPod, the counter approach is to simplify to such a degree that the sound box is so limited that it's easier to use. Of course if they catch on I'm sure people would find a way to modify it for an entirely different purpose.

You can read about the Buddah Machine at russelldavies.typepad.com and Disposable Audio Books at MIT Advertising Lab.

The Hockey Playoff Beard

Hockey Playoff Beard
Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.



Playoff Time
Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

There's a tradition in Canada known as the hockey playoff beard. When hockey playoffs come around there isn't a bare face on the team. It's been two long years since the Oiler's have been in the playoffs so I figured I could show a little solidarity with the team and start a couple days early.

In the first series against Detroit, the Oilers will probably win the series in five games.

For more official info on the hockey playoff beard, visit wiki.

Microsoft's Mac Lab

Here's something that you wouldn't normally think of, but it makes sense. How does Microsoft build apps for macs without the computers? Well they do use macs and there's a blog all about it. David Weiss has images and explanations over at his blog at http://davidweiss.blogspot.com


If you're wondering what the image above is, it's 150 Mac minis.


Thanks for the tip John

Contropiede

The newly redesigned Domus (free registration required) web site has reviewed Contropiede by Peter Eisenman. Not knowing anything about Peter Eisenman, but interested in anything related to diagrams, the review brings some fascinating concepts about diagrams to light. I've always thought of diagrams as turning data into information, but they can also be seen more strategically. Hence the following quote: “The concept of defensive play is one of the main features of Italian football, writes Peter Eisenman… when the players form a spider’s web and wait for an errant player or a loose ball and then pounce to execute a speedy counterattack, like the mongoose with the cobra. I have always been struck by this idea of counter attack (or contropiede), particularly so since I started thinking that football and architecture are both diagrammatic fields. I don’t trigger circumstances, I react to them.”

Ad from Nike

via Inside the Net 15: Steve Chen of You Tube

Wi-Fi Umbrella

The handle changes color based on weather forcast the umbrella receives through a Wi-Fi network. MIT Advertising Lab makes the suggestion that this same technology could be used for billboards. It's a good idea, but I think it's already here. There's tons of large scale tv's (think Times Square) acting as billboards. They could easily be set up to change content at the switch of a button. The bigger issue is having someone understand what button should be pushed and when.

For those proportion people out there

Phiculator is one of those tools that will make things golden for people that are trying to maintain some kind of order or proportion with numbers. Phiculator (pronounced "fye·cu·la·tor") is a simple tool which, given any number, will calculate the corresponding number according to the golden ratio. Useful to anyone wishing to create anything with divine proportions!

There's a windows and mac download available at http://www.thismanslife.co.uk/main.asp?contentid=phiculator

via swissmiss

iCab

Hey look, iCab is a new browser for mac. One of the more interesting reasons you might want to use it is for Kiosk mode: While in Kiosk mode, iCab will cover the whole screen and all other applications are blocked. The Kiosk mode is the ideal environment when the computer is accessing a public place (like fairs, exhibitions, hotels etc.) where users should be able to obtain information, yet prevent any external access to your system. Additionally, the access can be restricted to certain pages (even refusing referrals, if you choose).

Making the tire stick

I thought the above direct mail piece for a tire company by Y&R Singapore hit the mark.

via www.ihaveanidea.org

Design 3.0 defeats Identity 2.0

Trend 6.9: people identifying terms with numbers. Is there any end in sight? Probably not, but if you're curious about Design 3.0, you can read all about it here: http://nextd.org/03/index.html

Shoe horn, spoon or boning tool?

Shoe horn, spoon or boning tool?
Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

Today

It’s Tuesday but it feels like Monday. This is not speculation, it’s my reality. So I dare ask myself the hardest of all questions, what would I rather be doing now? And I daydream. What would you rather be doing right now?

All those Secrets

Have a secret your dying to tell someone about yourself? Check out PostSecret.

Identity 2.0

Your identity vs their identity, using your identity to move from one site to the next is a challenge that is starting to creep into the lives of people that are using the services that are web 2.0. There's a 15 minute vid that talks about some of the issues that ultimately lead to the pitch for skip. I'm not so sure that it's the killer format, but the issues that Dick Hardt talks about should on people's radar.

High dynamic range

Old Man Willow
Originally uploaded by Bhalash.

I've never heard of the term High dynamic range (HDR) before. The wiki def. s a set of techniques that allow a far greater dynamic range of exposures than normal digital imaging techniques. The intention is to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from direct sunlight to the deepest shadows.

And if that didn't make a lot of sense there's a fyi HERE and a group pool HERE

yellow arrow

I'm not sure what yellow arrow is yet, but it does look interesting. I've been thinking a bit about American Idol and Second Life lately, and guess what - there's a great article that talks about everything I have in this post: A briefing service for contemporary culture.

3rd life

While I try to stay far away as possible from video games, I'm intrigued by the idea of Second Life. PSFK has an interview with one of the creators of SL. Here's a context question to give you an idea about what it's about. Can you give a quick overview about how long SL has been running, what was your original plan for SL? Second Life launched commercially in June of 2003. I wanted to create a digital online world where the environment would constantly evolve, driven by what people make and do. The goal was build a platform where anyone could build their "second life," aside from whomever they really are in the "real world."

The idea of emulating real world items in Second Life, like shoes from nike etc. are notable, though I'm curious to see what comes from Second Life into 3rd life - the real world after second life. Those items developed in a virtual world that become tangible items that people living and breathing can use. If you're a second life expert, maybe you could share any examples out there that I'm not aware of. You can email me at michael [at] michaelsurtees.com

So little time, the joys of a spec forum

Kevin Guenther has found the spec site of all spec sites and shared it with the GDC Listserv. Over at Threads in Forum: Contests Empowering Web Developers Since 1997. Take a look, it's really unbelievable. What it does show us is though is how the crit plays out online. Kevin has taken the time to post a comment that talks about why this whole forum is insane at http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?t=369351.

Designer's Books / Pool

lib_all
Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

I'd be remiss not to mention the Designer's Books / Pool at http://www.flickr.com/groups/designerbooks/pool/ If you're reading this blog, sign up and share your book luv.

AIGA Conference Timeline Site

Checking out designinteract.com, I came across a clear and to the point site for the AIGA. It chronicles the past AIGA National conferences. Each year has some audio files from a couple design luminaries talking about their memories of the particular conference. If I could have a couple wishes granted, it would be to have longer audio clips, and more people reflecting. On the second point, you do get the idea who is heavily involved in participating which perhaps reflects on the number of stories they have. You can visit the site at http://www.designconference.aiga.org/timeline/ Oh, one more point; I couldn't actually find the site on the AIGA website - that seems strange to me.

Just a thought

A smarter man than I suggested that the actual will always trump the potential though if I take that to it's logical conclusion, I wonder how dull the world would be. So I offer this quote from Albert Einstein; "Imagination is more important than knowledge".

So let's keep driving with our eyes closed and see where we go....

Liquid Cinema

I luv translation sites. For instances how would I have been able to read about the above liquid cinema in german? In english we can find out all about how programmed water droplets have the ability to create an image.


I found this new display via BLDGBLOG which has a much better write up than me that places the display in context within the landscape at Liquid films and water-signs: landscape in an age of information design.

Flickr communication these days

Design books
Originally uploaded by peressini.

Graphic Design

The above illustration that GDC members received inside the latest Graphic Design Journal (issue 6) is pretty hot. Illustrated by friend Marian Bantjes, the fly leaf illustration is the perfect foil for the cover of O Canada.

The Mirror Project

“The Mirror Project is a growing community of like-minded individuals who have photographed themselves in all manner of reflective surfaces.”

As the days go by

Anne Collier's Stuff

I'm digging Anne Collier's photos these days.

carpe diem

Identity: Best of the Best 2006?

DesignMaven has passed me on an impressive sample list of design winners for Identity: Best of the Best 2006. As he mentions there are no Canadian winners. I think there's one of three reasons for this: 1. no one in Canada knew about it, 2. perhaps it reflects the lack of new companies needing identities in Canada, or 3. they just weren't good enough to win. Take a look at the winners HERE.

Where is Edmonton?

Every once in a while I get asked about where Edmonton is located. It's west, but not too west.

Visual Linking

I thought the image above was an interesting way to display particular links that Vasta checks daily. Compare that with his del.icio.us links. Image vs. text, which one is better? The tendency would be to say the text, but I'm not so sure. Some of those images in tiny squares convey a lot of info. Text says a lot (obviously), but if you skim and don't take the time to read the link info, how does that become better than a small image? There's a lot more to explore, but by comparing those two ways to find links I'm not so sure text is the only way to go.

Radical Wegman

Since bringing Maddie home in January, the world of Tamara's and mine has not been the same. Having a weim has been a wonderful experience. But like anything it's been a lot of work too. So you're probably wondering why I'm talking about my dog on a design site? I thought it would be a nice intro for New York magazine's article Puppy Love. It's all about William Wegman, “oh, that dog guy”. Is he radical, read the article and decide. And if you happen to be in NYC, you can see William Wegman: Funney/Strange at the Brooklyn Museum through May 28.

For secondary entertainment, there's Dean Allen's weims and there's always good times at Maddie's World.

Chart Design Understood

Where has this site on chart design been hiding? For those infodesign junkies out there, you won't be disappointed. Visit Junk Charts!

Design Writing

We've all heard about how important a concept is when designing, “practice safe design, use a concept“. But how do you express that concept? Do you drop something on the boardroom table and say here, what do you think! Or do you take the time to explain the issues involved and how it was solved by your solution? ideasonline talks about how important it is for designers to write. Every day we communicate through email, create briefs and have conversations. If you haven't read a full online article lately about design, this might be one worth taking five minutes for at Designers must write.

Super Macro

Super Macro
Originally uploaded by jyoseph.

There's more to D.I.Y. design then just books. PVC and a lens, who would have guessed. See how it was built at http://www.jyoseph.com/extras/archives/2006/03/diy_macro_lens.php

Creativity: five steps?

Over on the GDC Listserv, there's been a lot of discussion lately about people's thoughts on creativity. In Jamie Lees-D'Angelo post, she explains it like this; "The 5 steps of creativity that every human being goes through no matter whether they are designing a logo, or giving a dinner party are: 1. Preparation, 2. Frustration, 3. Incubation, 4. Illumination and 5. Evaluation. You will find these listed in any good book about creative process."

As for what tips I have on creativity, I would recommend checking out oblique strategies and if you're on a PC, go HERE.

Design links a la carte

I was happy to find www.designeducation.ca this morning. It's a great resource for those links you've seen before, but can't remember the url when you try finding it again. With thousands of links in categories like vector logotypes to job seeking, it's a good place to start.

Compass ring and the sun

Gothamist asks “How to Find Your Way When Leaving the Subway”. While a spray painted stencil idea is good, the credibility factor should probably be questioned. So design wise, what's the best way to figure out the direction you need to go after getting out of a train? If there isn't any sun in site, how about a compass ring? Seems pretty logical. If you scroll down a bit in the story, there are some other great suggestions. Read all about it HERE.

NanoPaint, NanoDirt

Here's an interesting idea to block unwanted cell phone conversations. It's a paint developed to “passively block specific radio frequency ranges”. Read about it at their corporate site at www.naturalnano.com With this paint, specific rooms could be dedicated for non phone conversations while other rooms would be available for cell phones. The paint acts as a barrier for people talking at inappropriate places.


via core77

Be back soon

Yearning, that's the ticket. Yearning and heartache. Yearning and heartache and longing and—well, you get it.

Leonard Cohen's Seven Immutable Laws of Business. BY KEN KRIMSTEIN

Personal DNA

Usually I avoid those online personality test b/c I don't have a lot of time. But for some reason I took the Personal DNA one. As I was taking the test, the designer in me couldn't help but notice the great use of flash with some of the questions. At times you'll be asked to move a slide, move a ball and empty cans. Very smooth transitions I thought. After the test, they spit out code to create a colour map of my traits that I then can blog about - smart thinking. Funny how the test figured me out to be a creator and animated. Go figure!

You can take the test at www.personaldna.com


Here are my vitals:

Animated Creator

Character Development

Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees

Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

Originally uploaded by Michael Surtees.

Having a story behind a product is nothing new. Try imagining Nike without “Just do it”. What's new to me is a simple story that has turned a pair of jeans, a bag of coffee and a pair of shoes into a story worth talking about. Within this script, each of these products are worthy characters. They've got a lot of quality behind them, from great design to nice materials. What becomes apparent quickly is the story by the character's. They're willing to tell you how special they are, but not in an infomercial kind of way. The method of delivery is subtle and inspirational, sometimes through divinity even. The jeans use the washing tag to encourage best results by living in them, “Vaya con Dios”. Within the packaging of the coffee, I learn how rare the beans are, and how there was no washing stations working just a couple years ago in Rwanda. A letter and a small packet came enclosed with the pair of shoes I want to talk about. Within the letter is an eight paragraph epic about "A little information to help you get the most enjoyment out of your shoes". It's an extremely well crafted message, and by the end of the story we know why we need the little packet.


What I've left out should be as interesting as what I've described. I haven't mentioned any brand-names nor the design of the logo. Two of the three items are names you're probably not familiar with. The coffee comes from that Seattle. The jeans and shoes are great example of showing how “attention needs to be earned not bought” philosophy. The Starbucks Black Apron Exclusives packaging is just a great example of design. For those companies that don't have huge budgets to communicate their message, a simple tag or letter should be enough inspiration to show how you can turn nothing into something.

Fingers Breakdance Clip

via goodexperience.com

Inspiration

look, flags!
Originally uploaded by swissmiss.


The Guardian has a wonderful article about inspiration titled: Divine inspiration


In our craving for something we can't count on we will often unwittingly do anything we can to destroy it. Inspiration may not belong to us, but it is only we who can be inspired. And by the same token it is only we who can spoil it.


and


Nick Broomfield
Documentary film-maker


Inspiration for me comes out of loneliness and a need to understand the times we live in. When I made Heidi Fleiss it was because I was feeling incredibly lonely in Los Angeles and wanted to find a story that would enable me to come to terms with this town which was so unlike anything I had encountered before. When I'm editing I like to be a bit removed, out in the country where you don't have to shave if you don't feel like it and people don't ask you about your work and you can hold a thought from one day to the next. I'm always building something, because editing is such a static process and you need to hold on to a certain momentum. Building is great for getting the blood going. I'm hopeless at all of this but it's a wonderful relief from the fact that you've got structural problems on your film.


It's all about persistence and doing 15 versions before finally getting the right one. Towards the end of a project I have big bright flashes and I realise how it will all come together, but a lot of it is just very plodding work. Desperation is often a big factor. You take the biggest risks when you have the least to lose. On Driving Me Crazy I decided to put the making of the film into the film. No one else had ever done this before, and it was the only way I could tell the story in a hopelessly out-of-control situation. It really worked and it opened a whole new area. I was amazed.


another great find via swissmiss

12 angles for a watch

Oliver at Noun reminds me about what makes design great. "I tried to design a watch which is as simple and as strong as possible. I wanted to eliminate all markings, even numbers, from the face. This inspired me to give the crystal itself twelve sides ["A-ha!" - oo]. With the twelve angles of the case serving as the hour markers, I only had to add the hour and minute hands, both having the same width equal to the diameter of the central post.


The result is a sharp face distinguished by the angular shape and wide hands. I feel that this strong, clear, and simple design is suitable for the brand of Isseye Miyake. – Naoto Fukasawa"

Yesterday’s tomorrow, today

Swissmiss shares this gem of a site with us. Modern Mechanix is all about yesterday’s tomorrow, today.

Painting with Gum

Jason Kronenwald is an artist that uses gum as his medium of choice to create portraits of blondes. In his bio, Trident gum is mentioned as the preferred textured gum, though he does not chew the gum necessarily himself. Apparently he has a dedicated team of chewers that helps him out. The gum colours are mixed together in the mouth and are applied to a plywood backing. You can view his artworks at www.gumblondes.com


the idea for this post came from the photos of wacky doodler

Three in one

The fine folks over at amoebacorp.com are a pretty busy group. First there's the studio stuff, but there's also ArtLab™ and Newsprint. In their own words “ArtLab™ was born from the desire to help bridge the gap between art, design and corporate culture. ArtLab™ is about experimenting and collaborating with multi-disciplinary artists to create engaging art based projects and products to be delivered to the public.” Newsprint is their news portal. There's two sections, inside and outside. Inside is all about the work they're involved with while the outside section gives them the chance to share things that they're observing.

Compare Screen Type

http://typetester.maratz.com/ will bring joy to your life if you're into web based design, just look at the excitment that Running Map Randy above has for the site. You can compare typefaces with text and it will give you the css code for it.



via the GDC Listserv

EXP Design: The trippen letter

Next week I'm going to compare the letter that I received with a pair of shoes I bought with a tiny message sewn into a pair of jeans and talk about this type of experience design. I'm also thinking I'll bring the Starbucks Black Apron Exclusive coffee's into the story too.

But in the meantime click on the letter to find out how one can feel like Burt Bacharach and why trippen includes white powder packets.

design*notes featured in Applied Arts Magazine

One of the best parts of being a designer is seeing your work in action. I get a rush every-time I pass something that I've designed as a civilian. Today was even a bit better. Perusing my local magazine shop, I picked up the latest issue of Applied Arts magazine. design*notes was one of three Canadian design blogs featured in a story about blogs titled Let's Talk About It, Rapidly proliferating designer blogs serve as vehicles for self-expression, to share industry information, for soft-sell promos and to stir up controversy. The other two Canadian blogs featured were Industrial Brand Creative and brandingbranding.com. The NYC based Speak Up was the fourth blog mentioned.


I was sort of expecting to read something as I was contacted by the writer Frank Lenk for an interview a couple months ago. I just have to thank Frank for making me sound a bit smarter than I really am.


If you're in Canada you can pick up the April 2006 issue now at your favourite newsstand.

You can view the original flickr image at http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelsurtees/116615847

Hitting the streets

Taekwondo Institute posters via Billboardom via coloribus by DDB Worldwide Pte Limited / Singapore

Designer Trading cards

Now here is an idea that's time has come. My friend the meddler (aka, Chet Domanski) passed me on this great link to designer trading cards. The series has eight superstars (Eric Gill, Stanley Morison, Harry Beck, Reid Miles, Beatrice Warde, Jock Kinneir, Hans Schmoller and Roger Excoffon). The site does give you the chance to nominate future card people. If that wasn't enough, they're also developing a game - oh the fun to be had with that!

Why I heart NO!SPEC

I've been reading a lot of spec confessionals lately from blogs via NO!SPEC. The thing is, while I support the NO!SPEC site with everything I have, I don't have any spec bogeyman stories involving myself. I probably owe it to luck for not getting involved with those type of schemes, but I also think it has something to do with my design education. I spent five years in design school, three in college and two in University. That investment of time, money and commitment gave me a foundation to believe that I had something valuable to contribute to industry. One of the reason why I think the NO!SPEC site is such a big deal is because it is connecting with every conceivable designer background to value the work that they do. The design community is small, so if NO!SPEC can create a venue to share stories about who is exploiting designers and how to educate them, the better the chance there is to eliminate the practice.

A Questioning Toolkit

Here's some question notes I've copied for future reference via Communication Nation via A Questioning Toolkit

Essential Questions are at the heart of the search for truth. "What kind of person do I want to be?"

Subsidiary Questions are families of smaller questions which lead to insight about essential questions. "What's the best and worst that could happen?"

Hypothetical Questions explore possibilities and test relationships. They begin "what if..."

Telling Questions are highly focused and targeted, to provide sorting and sifting during the gathering or discovery process. "In similar situations, what has been the result?"

Planning Questions ask how you will structure your search. "Where should I look to find..."

Organizing Questions structure your findings into categories. "How should we structure this?"

Probing Questions are deep and exploratory, like archaeology tools. They are based on logic, intuition, and sometimes good old "trial and error."

Sorting & Sifting Questions filter out extraneous information to help you find what's meaningful and relevant. "Is this reliable? What's worth keeping?"

Clarification Questions convert fog into meaning. "What is meant by..."

Strategic Questions make meaning. "Am I asking the right questions?"

Elaborating Questions follow the trail. "What is the next step?"

Unanswerable Questions may never be answered, but they can illuminate in themselves. "What is friendship?"

Inventive Questions turn things upside-down or inside-out. "What if we looked at this from the opposit perspective?"

Provocative Questions challenge the status quo or conventional wisdom. "What if our assumptions are wrong?"

Irrelevant Questions divert us from the task at hand -- and that is their beauty! Truth almost never appears where logic would expect.

Divergent Questions kick off from a home base which is known. "If X is true, what implications can you draw? What about exploring Y?"

Irreverent Questions explore off-limits or taboo territory. "Does the emperor have any clothes on at all?"