Final

Social Design

Many groups such as the Rural Studio go about helping the community by changing the lives of people who are not able to help themselves. Through these events they are able to understand the people and bring forth a new life given to them. My idea is for stores such as GameStop, supermarkets and other big companies to stop using plastic bags since people have a tendency to liter. Instead of having plastic bags the stores can use stickers made by designers which has the store logo on it and facts about littering in general. These stickers will be helpful to the community since they will be placed onto the purchased item, instead of having a useless bag which people usually throw away. The use of stickers on products helps regulate the consumption of plastic around the world. After doing a little research about plastic bags and packaging goods, I found out that it makes up a large portion of waste today. Also plastic waste is one of the leading waste found on beaches, sidewalks and roads. Plastic bags are very hard to recycle due to the fact that they have very little value in recycling. Another negative fact about plastic bags is that they are very light and can easily be blown by wind and eventually float into oceans, rivers and lakes. Plastic bags can easily kill aquatic life by consuming these unknown objects. With the use of stickers being placed on bought goods it stays on the package until it is obsolete. Personally when I go to GameStop I always refuse the bag since it is easier to carry the game box. Plus the bag is more of a hindrance for me due to the fact I have no use after I get home.
Using stickers can also help designers show their talent and create a new image for the certain company/store. With stickers they can have different kinds for certain events or holidays. The use of stickers can allow designers to create many different kinds of unique logos that represent the store.
Having stickers instead of bags can help with the environment and begin a new trend of having people recycle more. Stickers may cost more to mass produce and distribute around the world but it will cause less harm to the environment. The environment will improve due to the fact that hazardous material will not be floating around. This will help with the increase of wildlife and lower the pollution level of the world. Without plastic bags is the first steps in converting the world into a safer and healthier place.

Resources:
http://www.earthresource.org/campaigns/capp/capp-background-info.html
http://www.reuseit.com/learn-more/top-facts/plastic-bag-facts

#8

Takashi Murakami

Takashi Murakami is a well known contemporary artist around the world. He was born on 1963 in Tokyo, Japan and attended The Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He came from an artistic family who all enjoyed the art art world.  Murakami is not just a designer but he also does paintings. At first Murakami was going to study Nihonga but he lost interest in it and became more interested in the otaku culture of anime. This lead him to start a movement called "superflat" which was influenced by manga and anime. This style "superflat" consists of flat planes and images which comes from the style of anime.
Murakami is not only an artist but also a businessman, he founded the KaiKai Kiki LLC which is a studio in which they produce his work. This studio holds biannual events which helps amatuer artists get exposed to the national and international art scene. He has had many exhibitions throughout the world from Serpentine Gallery in London to the Boston museum of Fine Arts. His art is very well known in the Japanese culture due to the never ending growth of the anime/manga population. Some critiques call his art childish and do not take him seriously but Murakami ignores the criticism, the style he choose to pursue has its own aesthetic qualities to them.
His art grasps the understandings of modernist culture in Japan through his cartoonist style of design. This style of his has given him much recognition around the world and he was listed in Time's Magazine as one the most influential people in the world of 2008. The use of color and the ways in which he develops his works is very unique. The colors are very vibrant and the use of imagery brings the art alive. His art has a reoccurring theme to it, from eyeballs to mushrooms and flowers his style is creepy yet intriguing. One of my favorite pieces he has done was Kanye West "Graduation" album cover. He gives the album cover his usual anime/manga feeling into the piece which was really interesting due to the fact that most album covers do not have this style. Also by incorporating the japanese culture into the album cover it helps describe the art he wishes to make. His style is also influenced by what Murakami calls it "Poku" which is pop and otaku culture. Poku reflects how otakus are fascinated by manga and anime through the character development. His career began through his fascination of otaku's and the way they acted.
Murakami is one of my favorite designers at the moment due to the fact that his art is much different than what is seen today. Also I am a fan of anime and manga i find myself enjoying his artistic talent more than other artists/designers. His art draws out the culture of Japan with images that create a sense of fast movement and cuteness that can be seen all around Japan. The piece below is Kanye West's album cover, Graduation:



resources:
http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2004-Ko-Pr/Murakami-Takashi.html
rogallery.com/Murakami_Takashi/murakami-biography.html
http://www.jca-online.com/murakami.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takashi_Murakami

#7

The two films Monterey Pop directed by DA Pennebaker and Playtime directed by Jacques Tati are both very similar yet at the same time shows different aspects of modernism. Playtime uses the setting to show their view on modernism with buildings being very structured and linear. Also the colors are all gradations of black and white. The setting of Playtime uses very simple structures and colors to show the modernistic views of the 20th century. Monterey Pop has a different way of showing their views on modernism, and that is through the music. The concert being held has many different kinds of genres playing from rock to Indian music. The other aspects Pennebaker uses to show modernism are the people, the way they dress and act. The clothes seen in pennebakers film are differs from Tatie film. The hippies wore loose comfortable clothes which showed their feelings of freedom. Whereas the clothes worn by the actor in Tatis film were machine-like and bland. Different views of modernist

#6

Museum Piece - Todd Hays

The article talks about April Greiman and her success in the graphic world. She was one of the first designers to use technology when developing her designs. Greiman pioneered a process of hybrid imagery by making the posters three-fold. This process made the static images into dynamic ones, creating a sort of 'moving poster' which Greiman created. Not only did she pioneer this process, she also used typography in a different way which created space and movement in her designs. Her new methods of designing threw her into fame within the design world. People were very intrigued by her unconventional ways of designing which involved computers and changing how her posters are viewed.

http://www.idsgn.org/posts/design-discussions-april-greiman-on-technology/#interview
This interview on April talks about her first computer experience, at first she did not see computers as something to do with design. She was very optimistic about them at first but when Mac developed a stronger system it developed her style of design. She may not consider herself a graphic designer but much of her work is in the category of a designer. Her newer pieces and pieces she is doing at the moment reflect that of multi media. Not only does she use design but she also incorporates photography, typography, and much more. Greiman uses her own photos which she does not change, she uses the originals to keep the originality of things.

# 5

Art's Little Brother by Rick Poyner

Poyner describes in his article how designers have an inferiority complex when it comes to artists and art. This is due to the influence of wealth and fame artists receive that designers hope to gain. Many think that design does not stand on equal ground with art, but through the years design is not part of the world and can be seen everywhere. Poyner also writes about the different views of artists, they are free to pursue their goals however they like. Designers go about their work mechanically using digital tools similar to those used by artists. Poyner describes how some art is not art but furniture. These pieces are too similar to things in which people use to decorate their houses and their is no distinction between them. Many different artists/designers Poyner interviewed have come to understand the difference in forms that they have created art with. They know that without art there is no design and vise versa. Art and design stand on equal grounds, even though some might believe that design is the new art of the twentieth century. People may never see the original art form perfected over the hundreds of years but they see art everywhere due to design. Designers and their works will always be around people even if they do not know it.

• Art and design are equal in term of being "art"
• Design is the new form of art in the twentieth century. 
• Design is a means of personal and cultural expression in which artists/designers can show the world. 

But, is it Art? by Kees Dorst

Kees writes about how goals formed by a designer is partly formed by others. Unlike artists who have their own goals and ideals designers are influenced by others. He also writes how these goals set by artists determine whether or not the artist can become successful. Even though artist and designers are different they can also be similar in the way they think. To become successful in each category one must think like the other. The goals of artists and designers can be limitless, but that also depends on the person.

• Artists thinks like designers while designers also think like artists. 
• Projects can have unlimited potential in the way they go about it. 
• Different things influence the thought process of artists and designers. 

Discussion by M/M

In the discussion with Mathias he describes what it is to be a specialist in each field is like. After mastering one field can an artist/designer move onto the next field. He then describes how artists have become detached from the world and live in a space of their own. This can be very true at times, artists have a unique way of thinking that others may not be able to comprehend making them seem detached from society. The article also talks about how artists and designers treat one another. In some instances there is a lack of respect for designers while at other times it is vise versa. Most of the people interviewed do not discriminate between art and design.

• Similar views between the interviewees about art and design. No negative thoughts about the difference in design and art.
• Many of them believe in equality and quality between art and design. 

10 things paper is used for....

1. Recycle paper that is trash
2. Use recycle paper for posters, flyers and other forms of advertisement.  
3. Use printers which uses less paper.
4. Create work through the internet and stop using paper overall.
5. Find an alternative source to print on. 
6. Do not print drafts, only print out final products.
7. Make the designs smaller and more compact so that each sheet of paper will have multiple designs. 
8. A designer can become more technology based when sketching and use a tablet of some sort. 
9. Use any scraps to form a new piece of paper which can be used to print. 
10. Promote use of recycled paper or an alternative source to other designers. 

#4

Bad

The article describes how designers should think. They are the ones to pull the strings when designing, instead of listening the the company make the rules. The author describes designers as outsiders, who act indepently but also listen to the voices of the people. It also describes what the main points of being a designer is, to be able to change a product without changing the product itself. Through this process designers become too involved wit the company and become insiders. The article also goes into the processes of design firms. One part are the designers who design everything while the other hustle's companies into buying the posters, ads, etc. As time goes by we find that designers are not as needed as the design themselves. The last part of the article was the most interesting for me. The author writes that being different is the best thing a designer can do, following all the rules that were taught does not create good works. Instead being "bad" and breaking away from the norms is what design is all about.

• Designers should be different and not become too attached to the company they work at. 
• Once sucked into a company the designer becomes any other worker there, they become insiders.
• Being different is how we can separate the good from the bad.
• Be "bad".

William-Morris

The design poster was very interesting in the fact that the typography was all the same but the color of the text were all different. This create an effect of the words being stronger. Especially the last one with the black background it really emphasized the idea he was getting at. As the color change in the words the message becomes stronger and more full of emotions. Although each poster is the same, it feels different as you look through them. The method of creating emphasis not only comes from the size of each word but also the placement and form. William-Morris was able to create it just by changing color in each piece. 

• Change of color helps emphasize the words.
• The typography he used really works with the sentence. 

Professionalism, Amateurism and the Boundaries of Design by Gerry Beegan and Paul Atkinson

Beegan and Atkinson get at the point of how the relationship of amateurs and professionals always change through modernism. The difference between the two is the reputation they get, being a professional has many perks in which amateurs strive for. Profession was different back in the sixteenth century compared to now. It was a title used only for upper class work like law, medicine and divinity, but now profession can be referred to many different kinds of jobs. Amateurism can be seen in a positive way since it is the splitting image of an average person. There jobs relate back to regular people and the designs they make go with DIY. Vernacular modernism is a pure and more authentic than other pieces due to the fact that they are made by hand compared to machine. Vernacular design was more for amateurs due to the fact that they are able to experiment and have fun with designing. The worries of being a professional is not present.

• Many differences between being professional and an amateur. 
• Different movements through the decades help form a new road for designers. 
• more advance technology.

#3

Speculative Prehistory of Humanity by Buckminster Fuller

Fuller writes about the advances of technology from people having planes made out of wood and being man powered, to metal satellites in space. These advances have helped people live easier and has given them things that they could not have dreamed of before. These advances were made possible by the wealth of people around the world. Money is not wealth as Fuller describes it, money is more of a tool for trading to comprehend the needs of a person. Another force that played a role in the advances are computers and there power to be able to do anything. Computers are the strongest and intellectual things on the planet. Computers are able to produce and create anything as long as it is given a command. After reading this article I was very confused at what Fuller was trying to get at. She gives many facts about how technology advanced but the point of the essay did not get through to me. It was very interesting but most of the time Fuller seemed to be ranting on and on.

A Question of Design by William McDonough and Michael Braungart

This article also describes how much we have achieved in the last decades. From building ships out of wood to the Titanic the so called indestructible ship. All this was due to the industrial revolution which happened due to the engineers, industrialists and designer wanting to solve the problems at hand. There curiosity and will to solve problems. This revolution also brought about the assembly line which was the main factor in the 1900's of mass production. This increased the profits and efficiency of factories. Many of the designers created the new products which can be seen around the world today. Although designers may seem as though they do not play much of a role in the production of products they help create back up plans just in case. Without these plans company products will fall. The industries of today have a new strategy to help the world. Creating places to be eco friendly and help the world helps with the selling of products. These strategies help both the company and the world.

The Sincerest Form of Flattery by David Kupfer

This article by Kupfer interviews Janine Benyus about biomimicry. "Biomimicry is the practice of borrowing nature's design principlesto create more-sustainable products and processes," Benyus quotes. This form of design is a way in which people can create good behavior and can become one with nature.  This study of nature helps create a better world by using the natural resources one is given. Through this others have come to help Benyus with their own studies of photosynthesis or the process in which spiders create their webs. The article also goes into the life of Benyus before she found biomimicry. She was a naturalist even at a young age and through there she began her love for nature. Kupfer's article also goes into the the faults of humans and how we may or may not adapt to the problems for the future.

#2

Innovation and exploitation- A Critique of American Apparel

This article critiques the effectiveness and efficiency of American Apparel. Unlike like majority of clothes companies, American Apparel promotes the fact that they are made in the U.S. and are vertically integrated. By treating the workers better than that of sweat shops they are able to get the most amount of work in the factories. This is due to the fact that the CEO runs a company where workers come first, giving them many benefits that most other companies do not provide. Some of these benefits include health insurance, living space near the factory and a salary much higher than that of regular companies. Many of the brand's logo inquire about the 1970's in a way that is acceptable. Not only are the companies work habits acceptable their factories are green, using eco friendly tool they help the planet and at the same time save a good profit using natural power. This company has had much success through these methods but also by using sex as an imagery to help sell there product. Some pieces may seem unsuitable but it helps promotes the eco friendly company they are. American Apparel has had huge success with their way of marketing and is only going to get more through the companies choices.

Ethical Design Education Confessions of a Sixties Idealist by Susan S. Szenasy

Susan Szenasy writes about the new generation of students that are graphic designers. The class in which she teaches describes the ethics of design and how design is compared to a sixties idealist. Being a sixties idealist herself she teaches her ways to the students. Believing that the world will change from the ugly state it is now she talks about companies that have interest in not just themselves but also the environment. Design is not only a tool for image but also a way for people to reshape their lives. Later in the article she begins to write about human nature and the destruction of the earth just to satisfy the needs of some people. Materials are being wasted everyday just so a few can have things they want. Many of her arguments is backed by lots of knowledge about how it affects the world and people. Being a sixties idealist her views on the world is much different than others.

#1

 No Logo by Naomi Klein

This article describes the companies of the 21st century and the way they run things. Companies such as Nike, Levi's, Adidas and many other companies around the world have changed the way they run things. Instead of the traditional way of having many factories and mass producing the product. They changed it to focusing on the products image, creating a "soul" for the item they are selling. As the article states, "Image is everything" (Klein 202). Due to the vast amounts of money they spend on advertisement they had to close many factories and lay off thousands of people. Using this new method companies are able to have a markup of almost 400 percent instead of the traditional 100. The closure of the factories is not the only factor in the increase of profit, using a contractor they place companies in areas where labor conditions are cheap. This creates a space between the people at the top and the workers hundreds of miles away. Only thinking about revenue corporate employees only goal is how to make the brand sell through advertising. Companies not following this new logic eventually fall prey, due to the never-ending evolution of society. In the 21st century consumers rely on images, commercials and other forms of advertising to find the products they wish to purchase. Having read this article I find that our society and the world of marketing has become a place of greed. Companies have changed just to increase the income it gets annually by laying off many workers and violating labor laws.

Bing! It's Fabien! by John Seabrook

John Seabrook article is a detailed look into the life of Fabien Baron, an influential artist in the advertising world. Fabien has worked for many big named companies known throughout the world and changed the way they advertise their products. The way Seabrook views Fabien's work as if oxygen had been implanted into them. Fabien's work changed the way advertising is seen nowadays, from having many words and objects bunch together to having one word ads. His style is very modernized and refreshing compared to his predecessors. After reading Seabrook's article his in depth description of Fabien shows that he is a easy going and open person much like the work he makes. Not only does Seabrook describe Fabien, but also his co-workers who are all also very talented. When working Fabien makes very precise choices to create an ad that would be seen everywhere. Being one of the biggest ad designers of the 21st century Fabien creates pieces that can last for years. He has a unique way of thinking in terms of breathing life into his product.

Branding the Individual by Jane Pavitt

This article describes how the people give products their "life" but at the same time how the products people wear and use make who we are as a person. Pavitt writes about how products wear a person and the objects we use and buy are the voices of our personalities. The way one shops for these things, their wealth and the sex of a person also affect the image as a whole. Being wealthy can change the way a person views different materials than another, using these assumptions the wealthier one will shop at a higher class area compared to that of an average consumer. Not only does a person's background shape their own image but also advertisement bombarding the consumers mind. The meaning of an object to a person can differ depending on the need and emotional attachment to the product. Pavitt describes the different kinds of relationships to the goods companies offer to people. Some consumers may be seeking a pleasure to buying an object while others have a need to buy the product. All this consumption relates back to society and their norms it holds for consumers. All these points Pavitt writes about is what shapes a person's identity and how other view them in society.

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