The Value of Anything
I previously mentioned that I’ve played banjo for many years. When I was first taking lessons I saw a very pretty Fender Concertone banjo at the music store. The asking price was $1,000. (This was around 1972). I remember saying to my dad I would never pay that much for banjo. It was a crazy amount of money. My banjo at that time had been paid for with S&H Green Stamps. (more…)
The Role of a Designer
Everything is design, everything! - Paul Rand
Graphic design can be many things. It can be a photograph, painting, drawing, type, digital, three dimensional. But its sole purpose is to communicate. In a world where you can buy a pre-made logo for $25 and where a graphic designer is considered anyone who has photoshop on their mac, good design is valuable, and good design is good communication, therefore, the job of a designer can be multidimensional. (more…)
Designing a Non-Profit Website
Designing a non-profit website is similar to designing any other corporate website. They need to communicate a message quickly to their audience, they have to be organized in a logical way, and they must use images, color, typography and other visual tools to reinforce that message. However, they do differ in one way that is important: They have to promote a cause and get people involved. This involvement converts people from interested party to active donator of time, money, and other resources.
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It’s All Greek to Me
What are the contextual inquiries in your UX like? Are we talking about back-end or front-end? Is the site static, or do you have a CMS? Do you want to review the mark-up or mock-ups? Is the layout flexible or responsive?
Are you lost yet? Does the paragraph above have the droning “Wah-Wah-Wah” drone of Charlie Brown’s teacher? If you are a web geek, probably not. (more…)
Design for Kids?
What is the best way to engage and educate “kids”? This is a big topic that comes up when designing exhibit spaces dealing with general content meant to speak to the community at large, not just a specified audience of a certain topic or demographic. We are currently working on a project just of this nature – a conservation/recreation park where the goal is to peak curiosity, celebrate discovery, and encourage stewardship of the history, ecology and wildlife of not only the park, but of the surrounding habitats as well. While we have done a fair amount of exhibit work, this particular project is the most (more…)
Sign of the Times
Lately, with all of the political woes in Arizona, SB1070, the recall election (today) of Senator Pearce, the redistricting personnel debacle, it seems that some little things have been ignored… or NOT. (more…)
Experts R Us
I’ve been playing the five string banjo for around 40 years. I’m pretty good, in fact I may be an expert on it. Certainly though, there are other players much more expert than I am. If I were to practice like I did many years ago, three to six hours a day, I’d be considered one of those experts as well. (more…)
I’ve been playing the five string banjo for around 40 years. I’m pretty good, in fact I may be an expert on it. Certainly though, there are other players much more expert than I am. If I were to practice like I did many years ago, three to six hours a day, I’d be considered one of those experts as well. (more…)
AM/PM Wall Clock
Through the magic of lenticular image production, the german design trio studio dreimann bring us a unique wall clack that shows both antemeridian and postmeridian depending on which angle the viewer is looking at the clock. The lenticular process makes it possible to print two images on one surface. (more…)
Topographic Map Coffee Cup
Israeli Designer Iohanna Pani created this topographic map coffee cup to represent the amount of coffee that she consumes every morning for a week. Interesting use of topography and three-dimensional design to display information. In this case the map is art.
