fairey

It’s always interesting to me to see fantastic pieces of design being brought to the forefront of social issues as was the case for Shepherd Fairy’s Hope poster. Speaking strictly as an appreciator of art, it’s a striking piece that I believe instills confidence, security and unity. Whether intentional or not, the use of red and blue, the colours of the two opposing political parties, is appreciated by me who is a Canadian and remembers that no matter his political affiliation, Obama is the president of the entire United States, and not just the Democrats.

This poster stirred up a lot of controversy for many reasons both good and bad, but the important thing is that it got people talking about the effectiveness and power of design, which I appreciate.

Here is a letter of thanks Obama sent to Fairy after he eventually did win the election:

I would like to thank you for using your talent in support of my campaign. The political messages involved in your work have encouraged Americans to believe they can change the status-quo. Your images have a profound effect on people, whether seen in a gallery or on a stop sign. I am privileged to be a part of your artwork and proud to have your support. I wish you continued success and creativity.– Barack Obama, February 22, 2008

I think that shepard fairy is an incredibly influential and amazingly socially conscious designer who strives to make a difference. Considering his work with the Kony initiative (whatever your opinion on the matter may be) he is one who is willing to step up and let his voice be heard, which in a field of professionals who's primary function is to communicate effectively, i find that extremely admirable.

my work

Here are some posters i have designed for my work. Let me know what you think

obama loves infographics

Although i am not a huge fan of the political machine or its deviant community of politicians, i do keep tabs on the goings-on of the world as it relates to me. 

Here is an article posted which i believe is a step in the right direction:

President Obama Appoints Edward Tufte--Big Victory for Data Visualization And Transparent Government

Posted by: Bruce Nussbaum on March 08, 2010

I just picked this up from my Twitter stream. It’s quite an amazing event. Edward Tufte helping the American public see where their $787 billion in economic stimulus tax money is going to help revive the US economy. Turning to Tufte is a brilliant move by Obama and a big win for innovation.

Here is what Tufte says:

“I will be serving on the Recovery Independent Advisory Panel. This Panel advises The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, whose job is to track and explain $787 billion in recovery stimulus funds:

“The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board was created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 with two goals:
To provide transparency in relation to the use of Recovery-related funds.
To prevent and detect fraud, waste, and mismanagement.
Earl E. Devaney was appointed by President Obama to serve as chairman of the Recovery Board. Twelve Inspectors General from various federal agencies serve with Chairman Devaney. The Board issues quarterly and annual reports to the President and Congress and, if necessary, “flash reports” on matters that require immediate attention. In addition, the Board maintains the Recovery.gov website so the American people can see how Recovery money is being distributed by federal agencies and how the funds are being used by the recipients.

Mission statement: To promote accountability by coordinating and conducting oversight of Recovery funds to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse and to foster transparency on Recovery spending by providing the public with accurate, user-friendly information.”

I’m doing this because I like accountability and transparency, and I believe in public service. And it is the complete opposite of everything else I do. Maybe I’ll learn something. The practical consequence is that I will probably go to Washington several days each month, in addition to whatever homework and phone meetings are necessary.”

We need more designers and design thinkers like Tufte in government.

enjoy incubus

I often feel as though the music industry has a better handle on good design than any other field. There is a tremendous amount of visual design that goes into selling music that it truly is overwhelming and most of it often goes unnoticed.

As i stated before, Incubus is my favourite band mostly because of their music, but they also have a distinct style, visual appeal and stylistic swagger that i personally don't believe any other band has. 

Their chosen typeface for their latest album  (although not my favourite) truly captures their essence of being a band that incorporates all that is good about music from influences of jazz, rap, rock and soft ballads. 

You go, Glenn Coco!

appropriate or inappropriate

What is good design?

I feel more and more often that there is no real answer to this question. My instructor said this statement at the beginning of the semester and it really stuck with me: “there is no such thing as good or bad design; there is only appropriate and inappropriate given the situation.”

This then means that there is a time and a place for everything, just that the the frequency of said appropriate imagery isn’t always equal.

In my job, I find more and more that what I consider to be good design isn’t always appropriate for the audience in which I am working for. Poster work must convey a tremendous amount of emotion, information, understanding and visual interest while keeping in mind that in most cases it won’t be looked at for longer than a quick glance as onlookers walk on by. Although maybe technically successful, a poster isn’t always effective based solely off of good design.

That’s the long and short of it. It may be a tough pill to swallow, but it’s a lesson that must be learned in order to survive in this field.

median calendar

Hello again old friend.

I love thedieline.com and everything that it is about. There’s not an article on there that I find to be uninteresting, unwarranted or unwanted. Of course the entire thing is unnecessary, that’s not the point. It is a celebration of what can be done in the field of package design. It is a forum in which talented individuals can display their feats of design proudly in a community of persons who are best suited to appreciate and enjoy it.

Here is an example of Sandi Grigoryan’s work: the median calendar.

"Median Calendar is about balancing your time and energy. Customize you calendar by charting anything in your day and you will see if you are too involved or not involved enough. If you haven't spent much time on what you are tracking, you will be slacking off but if you spend too much time you may be spreading yourself too thin. This calendar is a visual representation to show how balanced your life is." 

There is nothing about this submission that i do not find fascinating. It's not the most necessary product, nor the most practical, but i find the concept fascinating, i find the execution fantastic, even the medium a successful choice. 

I LOVE thedieline.com

10 famous graphic designers

Since I dream of being known for my graphic design, I thought it would be interesting to find out how these graphic designers became famous, and what made them different from anyone else. 
http://www.8womendream.com/5723/10-famous-graphic-designers/