Ideas

Ok so i did post this weekend but apparently it didnt work so here it goes again with my ideas… 1) i would like to put together a website that connects people for carpooling in major cities. but instead of it just being for regular cars i would want the car pool to match regular car drivers with people who drive hybrids so that it would cut down on fuel. this would help the environment in the long run and maybe even over time as new technologies become available people could car pool with those cars to (hydrogen electric ect.). 2) another idea i had was to connect volunteer organizations with people in need. this would be a more local website for town and states that would allow anyone from schools or the disabled to get in contact with organizations doing work in there community. im perosnally in a community service fraturnity and i know some times we feel that we are not reaching out enough because its hard to know what people need help with. 3) another idea i had has to do with a problem Im going through right now finding internships. i think there should be a site for each state that allows a student or who ever to search employers for internship opportunities and correspond online  

Chapter 13

 Typography in graphic design

 

The world of communication and design is ever changing. But one thing that remains constant is the need for great typography. “Not every digital designer will be a type designer-but typography is an essential art to anyone who answers to the title designer”. The written world has come a long way since the days of scribe’s hand written manuscripts. Typographic history has transitioned to movable type with the advent of hot metal typesetting and phototypesetting but these methods of printing kept creating printed documents constrained to an elite class of printers and typesetters. Typography was democratized with the advent of the computer, which allowed all people to move and position font on there desktops. Much like Guttenberg’s printed bible spread literacy to the masses the computer spreads typography. Although most computers are loaded with hundreds of fonts to choose from but this does not make every person a expert typographer. “ With the plethora of faces available it is necessary for designers to be acquainted with a range of functional forms, but also to be aware of the newbie’s coming on the market”. The computer had also broken type from a rigged mold; companies like Émigré fonts and T-26 have produced radical and lively typefaces that expand a designer’s creativity and palette to work from. A designer still has to consider many of the rules and theories of graphic design when creating work today as previous designers did, the difference today is there are more choices.

 

Marian Bantjes, type designer/vector artist gives her input on how she works with and sees typography and how she creates her work.  Bantjes work is very handcrafted and calligraphic, but she supplements her hand drawing with the use of vector computer images of her typographic work. Her work shows what can come from a marrying of hand drawn work and computer pen tool and vector. She states that even though her work is calligraphic in nature she herself is not a calligrapher because she does not get her line and designs perfect the first time like a calligraphers. She uses her pencils and erasers and then takes these drawing to the computer to refine the lines and curves of the imagery and typography. She states that she feels most comfortable starting her designs on paper because it allows her to be most creative; the computer is more a refining end product tool for her. Bantjes points out that she could have someone else do her vector work (or as she’s likes to call it her money work) for her but she chooses not to do this because it would take some of the fun out of designing for her. Some of their regrets with technologies are its lack of warmth and humanity. Colors and textures can be mute and flat in a digital environment and this is why sometimes she chooses to do her work by hand. Marian also teaches typography, but because of her background as a typesetter she teaches typography in a very traditional sense. She states that “its like writing: you have to learn your ABCs you have to learn to write according to the rules”. She does show her student her work with typography to show them how very far they can push typography once they understand the basics.

 

Richard Turtletaub was also interview to discuss his role as a illustration using motion graphics. Originally a Print/illustration Turtletaub made the transition into motion graphics because of a childhood love of animation stemming from Monty Python’s Flying Circus. His over all style has a very retro quality but he still wants his work to remain current and reaching toward the future. His motion work is a overall extension of his illustration background. Turtletaub has worked for prestigious client such as Wolfgang Hasterts in Germany and Macys.com.

 

Jonathan puckey is a tool and digital designer. He started out as an interactive designer and transitioned to graphic design and because of his coding back round designing digital tools was only natural. Puckey finds himself constantly questioning the digital world, the questions are usually simple and revolve around a core concept of making tools and software serve the user more effectively. He strives for people to be able to see the problem and question he was working with in the end product of the design. The tools he designs can go on to help hundreds of designers or they may only reach a select few who have a need for that tool. When creating a new tool it is most important that possible out come of the tools abilities rest in the hand of the designer not the tool itself. The tool should not automatically create interesting work rather It should aid the designer creativity. Puckey dreams of a world where design software tools are like font, one can interchange them and build their own to meet there personal needs. If the world spent more time creating great and functional tools for designing, designers could spend more time working on creative ideas rather than fighting with software and tool related problems.

 

Bobby Martin is the designer for jazz at Lincoln Center, he discusses how digital design plays a role in his work. He started his career as a assistant art director for a magazine where internet was not in use yet. He has moved through design jobs until he came to Lincoln Center. When designing for the web Martin often lays out his work in indesign or Photoshop and then will give his designs to a coder who will work with his to make his designs interactive and come to life. The design work for the Jazz at Lincoln Center has started to use digital elements such as digital photography, digital printing, and screen. Digital media has allowed them to branch out of younger lovers of jazz by creating a myspace page for Jazz at Lincoln Center. Martin also sees the ability to for the Center to branch out using digital media through creating online blogs or magazines. Even with the advent of all this digital technology Martin still sees himself as a graphic designers. He will still supplement different printing techniques that cannot be created through digital resources.

 

Patric King is a reformed design prankster who has become a digital designer. His firm The house of Pretty in Chicago is always a step ahead of mainstream communications so they end up being more technologically advanced then other firm. Because of this it was only natural that his firm transitioned so easily to web design. King feels than web design is more disciplined than print design. This is because with web design the creature has to be more connected with the program they are using to get the desired result. “Online everyone can see your mistakes, and they tell you”. According to King good design should work well, look good, and deliver surprise and delight.

 

Emily King discusses the language of type and how it has been changing rapidly over the past years with the advent of computers. Type design has been taken to the masses and de-professionalized through design software and the over abundance of type face to choose from.

 

 

 

Hello world!

first post!