Here it is, the final project... dun dun dun!
Making this short video was more enjoyable than I had anticipated, I learned a lot about myself and a new insight on the process of creativity.
I'm excited to see everyone's videos tomorrow :)
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
June 1 (really?)
My, my, time sure does fly!
The past ten weeks have been Mondays and Wednesdays 8am Concept Development with Jimmy Moss.
This class is probably the most interesting class I have taken in my college career. Looking back, I realize that all of our homework assignments were geared towards learning how to think differently, especially with design concepts.
I found the TED talks to be helpful and insightful because it gave me some perseverance.
Mind mapping was something I had never learned and I found it extremely helpful to get my thoughts and ideas out in a more effective way.
The textbook provided a lot of information, but I wasn't too into it.
What I will take most from the class is that it is what you make of it, which ties to everything, not just design. Jimmy gave us some very insightful words of wisdom in the design world, and in life in general.
My mind has been opened up, and I have a new set of eyes design. My approach on projects is more defined and organized, which is what I wanted most out of the class.
I didn't like that the class was so early because that meant me waking up at 5am and being stuck in traffic for one hour. My mind isn't even awake at that hour. But every time I attended class I always left with some food for thought.
I loved the dream homework and Game Day (who didn't?) I wish all my classes had that on the syllabus!
Summer is almost here, I can already taste it!
I wish all my classmates a fun, kick a$$ summer, good luck in all you do, and I'm sure I will see you all in the Fall!
Monday, May 23, 2011
May 23
Oh... a what!
Today's classroom was filled with fun and laughter. We played the icebreaker game of... I'm actually not sure what it is called, but it was comprised of the folling: us sitting in a circle, one person starts off by saying to the person next to them, "This is a what," while handing an item to them. Then that person asks, "A what?" and they respond, "A what." and the other person says, "Oh, a what!" Then the receiving person passes the item to the next person and again says, "This is what," then they ask, "A what?" the person that hands it to them, asks the person who handed it to them, "A what?" and the first person gives the answer, "A what." and the process repeats around the circle until it meets its way to the person that started it. Does this sound complicated?
It was a game that required concentration and communication. We didn't just have one item, but two going on at the same time, opposite directions. It wasn't really about what we were saying, but how we were saying it. There is a distinct way of saying "What," and "What?" and making that distinction to who were were communicating to was crucial.
Sir Ken Robinson
It was my first time hearing of Sir Ken Robinson and I'm glad Professor Jimmy showed him to us. Ken spoke of being in and finding your "element". He talked about "digital immigrants" vs. "digital natives"and I immediately thought of my parents. It took a while for my dad to move up to a smart phone, but he still doesn't really know how to use it, and my mom absolutely refuses to learn how to use one. My niece got her first cell phone when she was five years old! I got my first cell phone when I was nineteen!
What I took most from Ken was that being good at something isn't a good enough reason to do it. It about passion and your attitude towards it. More importantly, there are three things that will help you succeed: your ability to think differently, how welyl you work with others, and how well you can communicate.
What I took most from Ken was that being good at something isn't a good enough reason to do it. It about passion and your attitude towards it. More importantly, there are three things that will help you succeed: your ability to think differently, how welyl you work with others, and how well you can communicate.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Reading: Stage 7, Production
This is the final chapter of "The Design Process" by Karl Aspelund.
Feedback It is always a good idea to get feedback from others. In a design team, there are many people who can give feedback and opinion.
"Difficult as it may be to hear someone criticize your work, you must view this as positive."
But it is how you take that feedback that matters the most. Feedback, or constructive criticism is necessary because taking in other's opinions can help to better the design or make visible any problems that you have not overseen. It shouldn't be taken in a personal way. By being a student, having my work critiqued by professors and fellow students is perfect practice in taking in constructive criticism. It can be frustrating when your work has to go through constant change or tweaking but it's all a learning process. I like to ask my friends and family for their opinions as well, because since they are not exactly experts on design so they will give me their raw, honest, un-sugar-coated opinion.
"What exactly is being praised?" Positive feedback, like praise can sometimes be overlooked. Sometimes praise can be the result of something that was accidental, or "happy accidents". However, if what is being complimented about your project is going away from the goal or concept of your design, then changes may be necessary.
Scheduling Reading this section made me realize how important it is to make a schedule. Our final project is coming up and with less than two weeks to prepare, planning out the necessary task to complete the project is crucial. Procrastination is something I am guilty of. Nothing pains me more than wishing I had more time to do a project while knowing that I could have done better.
"...organize your planning si that it is always visible."
Ironically, I was just thinking about my calendar. I have it where I thought I could always see it, next to my mirror. I noticed it the other day and tripped out not only because it was May, but because finals are sooner than I had expected!
What I took the most from this final chapter in The Design Process was "Treat each project as a learning opportunity." I am a student, so I am constantly taking in knowledge and trying to learn as much as I can. I'm taking a mental note, sticking a post-it on my memory wall to never forget it.
Feedback It is always a good idea to get feedback from others. In a design team, there are many people who can give feedback and opinion.
"Difficult as it may be to hear someone criticize your work, you must view this as positive."
But it is how you take that feedback that matters the most. Feedback, or constructive criticism is necessary because taking in other's opinions can help to better the design or make visible any problems that you have not overseen. It shouldn't be taken in a personal way. By being a student, having my work critiqued by professors and fellow students is perfect practice in taking in constructive criticism. It can be frustrating when your work has to go through constant change or tweaking but it's all a learning process. I like to ask my friends and family for their opinions as well, because since they are not exactly experts on design so they will give me their raw, honest, un-sugar-coated opinion.
"What exactly is being praised?" Positive feedback, like praise can sometimes be overlooked. Sometimes praise can be the result of something that was accidental, or "happy accidents". However, if what is being complimented about your project is going away from the goal or concept of your design, then changes may be necessary.
Scheduling Reading this section made me realize how important it is to make a schedule. Our final project is coming up and with less than two weeks to prepare, planning out the necessary task to complete the project is crucial. Procrastination is something I am guilty of. Nothing pains me more than wishing I had more time to do a project while knowing that I could have done better.
"...organize your planning si that it is always visible."
Ironically, I was just thinking about my calendar. I have it where I thought I could always see it, next to my mirror. I noticed it the other day and tripped out not only because it was May, but because finals are sooner than I had expected!
What I took the most from this final chapter in The Design Process was "Treat each project as a learning opportunity." I am a student, so I am constantly taking in knowledge and trying to learn as much as I can. I'm taking a mental note, sticking a post-it on my memory wall to never forget it.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
May 18
Crystal... not so clear.
It was a lovely, rainy morning today because I made good use of my umbrella.
Our task was to come up with a logical, rational explanation that explains the sequence.
We were split up into two teams, men vs. women. Working with the other gals in my class was interesting. We all seemed to have come up with the same understanding of the sequence. In the end, our explanation was better communicated than the men.
It was a lovely, rainy morning today because I made good use of my umbrella.
Class didn't shoot off right away, I think Professor Jimmy did not want to stick with the agenda, so he had us solve a number sequence. On the chalkboard he wrote:
1
10
11
100
___?
Our task was to come up with a logical, rational explanation that explains the sequence.
We were split up into two teams, men vs. women. Working with the other gals in my class was interesting. We all seemed to have come up with the same understanding of the sequence. In the end, our explanation was better communicated than the men.
The whole point of us doing this was to learn how to communicate in an effective way. As designers communicating is what we do, so we must learn to master it. Working with clients or a design team demands open and clear communication. Just because you understand something, someone else is not going to understand it the same way you do. Thus calls for clarity on your part. You have to know something in and out, front and back, side to side, from all angles to be able to communicate effectively. One thing for sure, it's harder than one may think. It's also frustrating, especially when the other person doesn't get it.
I am constantly trying to improve my own communication skills. It ties into everything, not just design. We are beings that rely on and are in constant communication with one another. What would we do with out it?
I am constantly trying to improve my own communication skills. It ties into everything, not just design. We are beings that rely on and are in constant communication with one another. What would we do with out it?
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
May 16
"The interpretation of dreams is a royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind."
I don't always believe everything I read online, but dreams are always open to your own interpretation. Hence, they are what you make of them. Dreams have also given birth to new ideas, inventions, creations, paintings, etc. The fact that our mind allows us to dream is amazing. Dreams can take us to another world and do things we can't do in the waking life. Have you ever woken up crying? Those are the worst dreams, for me. But it amazes me that when your asleep your body is practically paralyzed, but your mind has full control over your emotions and even the images you see in your mind. I like it when my dreams are like movies: plot, setting, characters.
-Sigmund Freud
I had a bad case of the Mondays this morning, dragging myself out of bed, into the car, then to class. I blame my blankets for trapping me tight and warm. Note to self: Perseverance (finals are now in full effect!).
Today was movie day in class and we were given two choices: a documentary on dreams or a film by Akira Kurosawa based on his dreams. Truthfully I couldn't decide, but I always enjoy Japanese films so I chose the second one. I don't regret my decision but will definitely be watching the other one.
I like interpreting my dreams, when I can remember them, that is. I like the metaphors and symbolism tied to dreams. A struggle in your dreams can resemble a struggle your waking life. I always look up dream dictionaries online that give you symbolism for different things, animals, or actions in dreams, and it always amazes me how direct the comparisons can be. I've recorded some of my most memorable and shocking dreams because I don't want to forget them.
One morning, I tried explaining to my mom that I dreamt I was a strawberry and there was a lion whipping a turtle. She looked at me and laughed, but I will admit, speaking about dreams can be funny. Telling someone about my dreams has also made me realize situations in my waking life. About a year ago I used to wake up laughing hysterically. I read online that it might be the result of me either being overworked or my need for laughter in my waking life. It turned out to be very true.
One morning, I tried explaining to my mom that I dreamt I was a strawberry and there was a lion whipping a turtle. She looked at me and laughed, but I will admit, speaking about dreams can be funny. Telling someone about my dreams has also made me realize situations in my waking life. About a year ago I used to wake up laughing hysterically. I read online that it might be the result of me either being overworked or my need for laughter in my waking life. It turned out to be very true.
I don't always believe everything I read online, but dreams are always open to your own interpretation. Hence, they are what you make of them. Dreams have also given birth to new ideas, inventions, creations, paintings, etc. The fact that our mind allows us to dream is amazing. Dreams can take us to another world and do things we can't do in the waking life. Have you ever woken up crying? Those are the worst dreams, for me. But it amazes me that when your asleep your body is practically paralyzed, but your mind has full control over your emotions and even the images you see in your mind. I like it when my dreams are like movies: plot, setting, characters.
All eight of Kurosawa's dreams were portrayed in magnificent ways, all conceptual but left the door wide open for interpretation. The dreams went in the order depicted: Sunshine Through Rain, Peach Tree, The Blizzard, The Tunnel, Crows, Mt. Fuji in Red, The Weeping Demon, and Village of the Watermills. I enjoyed "Crows" the most because it brought many of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings to life, even Van Gogh was in the "dream" ear cut off, while painting in nature. As I watched the movie, I wondered what thoughts or events could have sparked such dreams like this.
I wonder what I will dream of tonight. Our homework is to plant our final project (a video on our Creative Process) in our mind before going to bed so that, hopefully, we dream about it. So planting I will do....
Good night, and happy dreaming to you!
I wonder what I will dream of tonight. Our homework is to plant our final project (a video on our Creative Process) in our mind before going to bed so that, hopefully, we dream about it. So planting I will do....
Good night, and happy dreaming to you!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Feel Good Talk with John Coy
John Coy was the first AIGA President for the Los Angeles chapter and has been a designer for decades, working with the Getty Center, UCLA, LACMA, CalArts, and many more.
Technical difficulties delayed the start of the talk, but soon enough we were let inside.
To me, John's advice was very zen, as he advised more than once to find our center and purpose in the universe.
For me, his words of wisdom and guidance are ones I took the most note on paper and mentally.
"There really is no competition."
I guess this relieved some stress of the unknown and unanswered questions in my mind. I always saw the graphic design industry as competitive, but my views are starting to change. I'm a young student in this game, an amateur so the fear of not being as good as everyone else has always scared me. This provided me with a new mindset on my journey.
"It's not one program fits all."
John gave this answer in response to a graduating student's question for advice. For me this was good advice, because I'm not traditional and I dislike following order. It's not so much about breaking rules, but I believe that everyone is different. Not one person is going to follow the same path. This has probably been evident for the longest time, but actually hearing it, from someone who loves what they do and has been successful at it, made me believe it more.
I'm taking life one day at a time, and not knowing the future is scary, especially an unplanned one, but at the same time, I am going where ever life takes me.
"Stay in a good mood."
There is nothing worse that trying to make something in a bad mood. Stress can definitely put you in a bad mood so it is essential to relieve stress in a positive way. John mentioned meditating, which is something I want to do more of. What good comes from a bad mood?
Technical difficulties delayed the start of the talk, but soon enough we were let inside.
To me, John's advice was very zen, as he advised more than once to find our center and purpose in the universe.
For me, his words of wisdom and guidance are ones I took the most note on paper and mentally.
"There really is no competition."
I guess this relieved some stress of the unknown and unanswered questions in my mind. I always saw the graphic design industry as competitive, but my views are starting to change. I'm a young student in this game, an amateur so the fear of not being as good as everyone else has always scared me. This provided me with a new mindset on my journey.
"It's not one program fits all."
John gave this answer in response to a graduating student's question for advice. For me this was good advice, because I'm not traditional and I dislike following order. It's not so much about breaking rules, but I believe that everyone is different. Not one person is going to follow the same path. This has probably been evident for the longest time, but actually hearing it, from someone who loves what they do and has been successful at it, made me believe it more.
I'm taking life one day at a time, and not knowing the future is scary, especially an unplanned one, but at the same time, I am going where ever life takes me.
"Stay in a good mood."
There is nothing worse that trying to make something in a bad mood. Stress can definitely put you in a bad mood so it is essential to relieve stress in a positive way. John mentioned meditating, which is something I want to do more of. What good comes from a bad mood?
Collage
I used to always to make collages out of magazine clippings for fun, but when life got busy I stopped. When John advised that we do this, I mentally added it to my ongoing to do list. Not that it is a chore, but because, like sketching collaging allows you to explore ideas with different, and sometimes random, compositions; it's almost as important as sketching. Collages also allow for happy accidents.
"Get out of your head."
I suffer frequently from creative blockage and I know well enough that it is because I'm over evaluating things. It's my first time in the quarter system, so I'm still getting used to having projects due every week. Having all these projects with only a week to do leaves no room for creative blockage, so being able to step away from the task at hand to clear my mind is crucial.
John's talk was an emphasis on the designer's journey with a focus on oneself. I found this not only informative but also helpful because of the advice that was given. A lot of the questioned asked were not specifically answered, as John believes that we are all geniuses with our own set of unique qualities or "hardware" that we must "tap into" or it's useless. We must find our purpose in the universe. I left the talk with much to think about, especially a necessary focus on my sense of self.
I used to always to make collages out of magazine clippings for fun, but when life got busy I stopped. When John advised that we do this, I mentally added it to my ongoing to do list. Not that it is a chore, but because, like sketching collaging allows you to explore ideas with different, and sometimes random, compositions; it's almost as important as sketching. Collages also allow for happy accidents.
"Get out of your head."
I suffer frequently from creative blockage and I know well enough that it is because I'm over evaluating things. It's my first time in the quarter system, so I'm still getting used to having projects due every week. Having all these projects with only a week to do leaves no room for creative blockage, so being able to step away from the task at hand to clear my mind is crucial.
John's talk was an emphasis on the designer's journey with a focus on oneself. I found this not only informative but also helpful because of the advice that was given. A lot of the questioned asked were not specifically answered, as John believes that we are all geniuses with our own set of unique qualities or "hardware" that we must "tap into" or it's useless. We must find our purpose in the universe. I left the talk with much to think about, especially a necessary focus on my sense of self.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
May 11
Professor Jimmy, wherefore art thou?
I got to school on time, found great parking, and came to class ready to learn, and Professor Jimmy was no where to be found? What?
The nice lady from the office came and told us that he was out sick and that we had to stay and discuss our final project. So that we did for about 20 minutes. Dustin gladly took notes on the board for us, we briefed the final project in the briefest way that we could. (Wow, no red underlining on briefest! )
We came to an agreement that we are to demonstrate our own creative process in a video within 3-5 minutes to an audience that consists of our peers and Professor Jimmy, and are to post the link on our blog and also email Jimmy the link.
Should we have been more specific?
I got to school on time, found great parking, and came to class ready to learn, and Professor Jimmy was no where to be found? What?
The nice lady from the office came and told us that he was out sick and that we had to stay and discuss our final project. So that we did for about 20 minutes. Dustin gladly took notes on the board for us, we briefed the final project in the briefest way that we could. (Wow, no red underlining on briefest! )
We came to an agreement that we are to demonstrate our own creative process in a video within 3-5 minutes to an audience that consists of our peers and Professor Jimmy, and are to post the link on our blog and also email Jimmy the link.
Should we have been more specific?
Monday, May 9, 2011
May 9
What an early morning it was. We were required to rearrange ourselves in order from shortest to tallest. It came to no surprise that my petite self was the shortest. I felt like I was in elementary school again. I still had a good seat though.. Front row, end seat.
Creative Briefs
Our goal for today's class was set to brief the final project. It went unaccomplished because now we have it for homework.
Our homework for the weekend was to brief the short film "Powers of Ten" by Charles and Ray Eames for IBM. I had seen this in high school in my favorite teacher's class so it brought back fond memories of her.
I had no idea what a creative brief actually is so I googled it. To my understanding it was basically a who, what, when, where, how of a creative project, or advertisement campaign. A lot of the information I read said that a creative brief is exactly what it is, BRIEF. It helped that Professor Jimmy brought in examples of briefs because although every brief is different they still have similarities.
Creative briefs although short take time to make because you are communicating the main message and goal of the project in the least amount of words. Briefs should be easy to understand, and most importantly, to the point. What is the one thing you want to communicate? What is the most important thing? Creative Briefs should include the client name, date, preparer, contact info, objective, project, background/history, and can may even a schedule of tasks.
Think... Feel... Do...
As designers our job entails many things. We not only have to be creative, but also be able to communicate effectively. Communication is key. We are artists who are also business(wo)men who educate and communicate effectively. All the good sh*t mixed into one.
Getting to know your client is important, especially establishing a relationship with them because you're going to be working with them. Understanding your client is important also because it is ultimately their message that you are communicating.
I learned a lot today, as we went into specifics about the role of the designer. It was important insightful information. My mind is yet again open and wandering.
Creative Briefs
Our goal for today's class was set to brief the final project. It went unaccomplished because now we have it for homework.
Our homework for the weekend was to brief the short film "Powers of Ten" by Charles and Ray Eames for IBM. I had seen this in high school in my favorite teacher's class so it brought back fond memories of her.
I had no idea what a creative brief actually is so I googled it. To my understanding it was basically a who, what, when, where, how of a creative project, or advertisement campaign. A lot of the information I read said that a creative brief is exactly what it is, BRIEF. It helped that Professor Jimmy brought in examples of briefs because although every brief is different they still have similarities.
Creative briefs although short take time to make because you are communicating the main message and goal of the project in the least amount of words. Briefs should be easy to understand, and most importantly, to the point. What is the one thing you want to communicate? What is the most important thing? Creative Briefs should include the client name, date, preparer, contact info, objective, project, background/history, and can may even a schedule of tasks.
Think... Feel... Do...
As designers our job entails many things. We not only have to be creative, but also be able to communicate effectively. Communication is key. We are artists who are also business(wo)men who educate and communicate effectively. All the good sh*t mixed into one.
Getting to know your client is important, especially establishing a relationship with them because you're going to be working with them. Understanding your client is important also because it is ultimately their message that you are communicating.
I learned a lot today, as we went into specifics about the role of the designer. It was important insightful information. My mind is yet again open and wandering.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Reading: Stage 5
My thoughts jumped around, while the analogies stuck in my brain causing my over active imagination to reawaken and spit out more comparisons.
While reading this section, I will have to admit, was a tad bit overwhelming. I'm all for being environmentally friendly, so I guess I fear creating something that will damage the environment. Sadly, this has already been done too many times.
You cannot assume that just because you, yourself find your design easily comprehensible, that others do as well. This chapter touches upon the definition and modeling of the design process.
Anatomy of an Idea Your design is your creation, it is your baby. You must know it front, back, side to side, inside and out. While reading this section i could not help but think these thoughts because they are true. When you create something you put so much work and thought into, like making a painting, but in design one must take it another step forward because your design will make it's way into the environment where the materials used to create it will have to e considered, along with its function and purpose. You design is like your baby because you have a say in all details and aspects of how it is made and why.
Scale I read this section and immediately thought of a five foot safety pin, versus a normal one inched sized safety pin. When making a model of your design scale is a major factor depending on it's function and purpose. A gigantic safety pin defeats it's purpose, unless your Paul Bunyan.
Does a designer have to be a jack of all traits? Does a designer have to not only know how but have to also be very good at drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.? I think in a design team, not really, because in a team you can have people with certain strengths and weaknesses, but if you're working alone it can work to your advantage.
An awareness of materials and how things are made along with their effect on the environment is also crucial. So a designer should be well informed of all the materials they are using along with having a creative mind, and also good will.
Creating models allows you to explore, and by comparing it to sketching, Aspelund helped me see it in a different light. With my own sketching processes I have to remind myself that it is changeable and that it isn't a final copy of what I am going to be making. The same goes for making a 3D model of your design. This stage is important because your model is tangible and actually exists in the universe.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
April 27
Games, games, games! Today was a lot of fun. I haven't played board games in years! I enjoyed every minute of it, because I was taken back to my childhood. I realized that I need to make more time for play. All work and no play make Cheryl a dull girl.
Our homework was to bring a game to class. The games that were brought to class were Sponge Bob Monopoly, Scrabble, Taboo, Mad Gab, Perfection, Connect 4, Uno, Trivial Pursuit, Boggle, and a game that involved communicating through drawing. I had never heard of Mad Gab but it seemed like fun becasue the student who got to play it were laughing a lot. Come to think of it, everyone was laughing a lot.
What made the game fun? Scrabble is easy to understand but challenges the mind because not only do have to think about words but you have work with what you have and all the while trying to earn the most points by arranging your tiles carefully on the board. I personally like Scrabble because I love words and learning new words, and maybe becasue I'm not too bad at it.
What was the theme? I learned that Monopoly is about greed and capitalism and can turn friends against one another. HAHA! Just kidding, sort of. Sponge Bob Monopoly was interesting because of the whole involvement of money, buying property, owing rent, going to jail and such. We laughed a lot. The property names made it all the more interesting becasue we were saying wait, who owns Bikini Water? Also, the game pieces were the characters of the cartoon, I was Squidworm and Jessica was SpongeBob, but Sandy who's game piece was actually Sandy Squirrel owned both of our homes, haha!
Monopoly and Scrabble both require strategy, some sort of strategic plan to win, the most points, or everyone's money, Monopoly money, that is. For any game to be interesting there needs to be a challenge mixed with fun.
Homework is fun, HOMEWORK is fun, homework is FUN! I think it was vital that Professor Jimmy mention this to class, to me especially, because I forget this. I forget that the assignments are more about the learning process than to just earn credit. What is my creative process, again? It is always about the experience and what can you take from it. I realize I am most happy when I feel the most creative. Which leads me to question my purpose in life. Was I born to create? I think I am but, of course I always find the urge and need to become better at whatever I am set out to do in this life. I'm almost a mid-twenty year old and I already feel like I need to get the ball rolling.
Our homework was to bring a game to class. The games that were brought to class were Sponge Bob Monopoly, Scrabble, Taboo, Mad Gab, Perfection, Connect 4, Uno, Trivial Pursuit, Boggle, and a game that involved communicating through drawing. I had never heard of Mad Gab but it seemed like fun becasue the student who got to play it were laughing a lot. Come to think of it, everyone was laughing a lot.
What made the game fun? Scrabble is easy to understand but challenges the mind because not only do have to think about words but you have work with what you have and all the while trying to earn the most points by arranging your tiles carefully on the board. I personally like Scrabble because I love words and learning new words, and maybe becasue I'm not too bad at it.
What was the theme? I learned that Monopoly is about greed and capitalism and can turn friends against one another. HAHA! Just kidding, sort of. Sponge Bob Monopoly was interesting because of the whole involvement of money, buying property, owing rent, going to jail and such. We laughed a lot. The property names made it all the more interesting becasue we were saying wait, who owns Bikini Water? Also, the game pieces were the characters of the cartoon, I was Squidworm and Jessica was SpongeBob, but Sandy who's game piece was actually Sandy Squirrel owned both of our homes, haha!
Monopoly and Scrabble both require strategy, some sort of strategic plan to win, the most points, or everyone's money, Monopoly money, that is. For any game to be interesting there needs to be a challenge mixed with fun.
Homework is fun, HOMEWORK is fun, homework is FUN! I think it was vital that Professor Jimmy mention this to class, to me especially, because I forget this. I forget that the assignments are more about the learning process than to just earn credit. What is my creative process, again? It is always about the experience and what can you take from it. I realize I am most happy when I feel the most creative. Which leads me to question my purpose in life. Was I born to create? I think I am but, of course I always find the urge and need to become better at whatever I am set out to do in this life. I'm almost a mid-twenty year old and I already feel like I need to get the ball rolling.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
April 25
I like the view of the classroom better when we face the windows; the beautiful bright, natural light woke me from a futile morning state. I had a wonderful holiday weekend with my family so it was somewhat difficult to return to the student life, away from family. But I always try and remind myself of why I am here and that is to better myself.
Games Growing up as a child, my siblings, cousins and I would always play boards games, from Scrabble, to Life, to Twister, Badminton, to Hide and Seek. Games played a large part of my childhood, and I think it also does for many people's childhoods. (I was so good at hiding that once it i I didn't come out till sunset becasue they couldn't find me). Come to think of it, a lot of my favorite memories are playing games. Games teach you strategy, and for children to learn games, I think it teaches them also about life. I think everything we learn about anything can be ultimately tied to life. Parents like to get their children into sports so that they may learn about working and participating with others, or so I would like to think.
I have never put much thought into how games were made and why. As a child I loved our games that were vibrantly colored like Hungry-Hungry-Hippos and Candyland, and even Monopoly. But of course, different games are aimed towards a particular age range. But I think designing a game is very interesting because you have to consider many things like what is the theme or goal, and why? Why should people invest their time in this game? What are the players going to get out of this? Is it fun?
Google "Ask and you shall receive!" But as I learned today, especially when searching for images, it strips you of any creativity. Think about it: you type in palm tree and it gives you thousands of images of palm trees! I also learned that there are good and generic images.
Personally, I wish the assignment was for us to photograph the Seven Deadly Sins. The assignment seemed simple at first, almost too simple, but pride and envy were the hardest for me to find an image that depicted that, but I liked that they were difficult becasue I really had to think about it. I googled, "Greed" but the images seemed too generic, so I tried to think of someone greedy. I loved watching Ducktales when I was younger and I immediately remembered Uncle Scrooge. So I asked Google and received.
On a side note, it's kind of weird, creepy, amazing, that Google is now in our vocabulary. I asked my brother, "What the hell are you talking about?" and he told me to "Google it." I use Google almost everyday. Again, I am reminded of our culture's need for immediacy. It's everywhere! Fast food restaurants, Starbucks drive through, if I don't get my pizza within the 45 minute time frame, it's free, , I can now check my email, facebook, twitter, etc on my phone, this internet is slow, faster, faster, faster! Wait, am I on the late train? My eyes are opened.
Games Growing up as a child, my siblings, cousins and I would always play boards games, from Scrabble, to Life, to Twister, Badminton, to Hide and Seek. Games played a large part of my childhood, and I think it also does for many people's childhoods. (I was so good at hiding that once it i I didn't come out till sunset becasue they couldn't find me). Come to think of it, a lot of my favorite memories are playing games. Games teach you strategy, and for children to learn games, I think it teaches them also about life. I think everything we learn about anything can be ultimately tied to life. Parents like to get their children into sports so that they may learn about working and participating with others, or so I would like to think.
I have never put much thought into how games were made and why. As a child I loved our games that were vibrantly colored like Hungry-Hungry-Hippos and Candyland, and even Monopoly. But of course, different games are aimed towards a particular age range. But I think designing a game is very interesting because you have to consider many things like what is the theme or goal, and why? Why should people invest their time in this game? What are the players going to get out of this? Is it fun?
Google "Ask and you shall receive!" But as I learned today, especially when searching for images, it strips you of any creativity. Think about it: you type in palm tree and it gives you thousands of images of palm trees! I also learned that there are good and generic images.
Personally, I wish the assignment was for us to photograph the Seven Deadly Sins. The assignment seemed simple at first, almost too simple, but pride and envy were the hardest for me to find an image that depicted that, but I liked that they were difficult becasue I really had to think about it. I googled, "Greed" but the images seemed too generic, so I tried to think of someone greedy. I loved watching Ducktales when I was younger and I immediately remembered Uncle Scrooge. So I asked Google and received.
On a side note, it's kind of weird, creepy, amazing, that Google is now in our vocabulary. I asked my brother, "What the hell are you talking about?" and he told me to "Google it." I use Google almost everyday. Again, I am reminded of our culture's need for immediacy. It's everywhere! Fast food restaurants, Starbucks drive through, if I don't get my pizza within the 45 minute time frame, it's free, , I can now check my email, facebook, twitter, etc on my phone, this internet is slow, faster, faster, faster! Wait, am I on the late train? My eyes are opened.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
April 11
I want a refund for the RedBull I drank this morning because it did not give me wings.
Today in Concept Development Class:
Disney Parodies. I had never put much thought into Disney, particularly their message in the stories they tell in the movies and such. I mean, I was aware of the high dose of fantasy and morals, and lessons learned and inspiration juice in the mix, but I hadn't really thought of why they do this. Jimmy made a point that Disney employs the most creative people in the whole world. They're everywhere, and I haven't met someone who hasn't heard of Disney. So, back to what I realized in class. I realized that Disney is all about exhibiting a positive message, lessons learned, about life, so that children can learn from this, and relate in their own way, and to never forget so when they grow up, they can pass this on to their children. They have a durable concept to their creations, because the movies, theme parks, merchandise, etc. have entered the homes and histories of many families, and after all, Disneyland is the "Happiest place one Earth." But is Disney secretly evil? I don't think so, but growing up I started hearing people talking about hidden, controversial, erotic messages planted into their movies, so all in all, who knows!
I googled images of Disney parody and the visual irony is entertaining to me. As an adult, I can now appreciate it. But if I was younger I think I wouldn't see it the same way.
Creativity Professor Jimmy showed us two TED talks by writers Amy Tan and Elizabeth Gilbert.
I knew who Amy Tan was at first glance of her name, she is a writer who wrote several books like the Joy Luck Club, and I specifically remember her for her short story/essays like "Broken English". Amy's talk was amusing and her sort of literal humor made it all the more interesting.
"Hints from the universe" I can't remember when exactly I figured this out, but I remember my mom always telling me that everything happens for a reason, good or bad. And I never really understood what she was talking about until after I graduated high school. "Creating something out of nothing"
"With everything in life, there is a place of balance." Everyone has a different muse for creation and her's was her Yorkshire terrier, which was calmly hidden inside the bag the entire talk.
Elizabeth Gilbert is known for writing "Eat, Pray, Love" which I regrettably have yet to see, but it is on my Netflix queue so I will be watching it soon. I also found many things that Elizabeth said to be very useful. I think that talking about the creative process and what inspires us in the world today will always be a topic of interest to me, probably becasue there is no definite answer and everyone's creative process is different. I think it's interesting for me as a young artist/designer/student to hear creative, inspired people talk about this experience that they go through when they are in the moment, in the presence of their muse. It inspires me. She brought up muses form the ancients Greeks, "Damons" and "Geniuses" from the Romans. I think of the word genius differently now, because I don't necessarily see it only as someone who is highly intelligent but also someone who is high creative. "Don't be afraid, don't be daunted, continue to show up and do your job."
Today in Concept Development Class:
Disney Parodies. I had never put much thought into Disney, particularly their message in the stories they tell in the movies and such. I mean, I was aware of the high dose of fantasy and morals, and lessons learned and inspiration juice in the mix, but I hadn't really thought of why they do this. Jimmy made a point that Disney employs the most creative people in the whole world. They're everywhere, and I haven't met someone who hasn't heard of Disney. So, back to what I realized in class. I realized that Disney is all about exhibiting a positive message, lessons learned, about life, so that children can learn from this, and relate in their own way, and to never forget so when they grow up, they can pass this on to their children. They have a durable concept to their creations, because the movies, theme parks, merchandise, etc. have entered the homes and histories of many families, and after all, Disneyland is the "Happiest place one Earth." But is Disney secretly evil? I don't think so, but growing up I started hearing people talking about hidden, controversial, erotic messages planted into their movies, so all in all, who knows!
I googled images of Disney parody and the visual irony is entertaining to me. As an adult, I can now appreciate it. But if I was younger I think I wouldn't see it the same way.
Creativity Professor Jimmy showed us two TED talks by writers Amy Tan and Elizabeth Gilbert.
I knew who Amy Tan was at first glance of her name, she is a writer who wrote several books like the Joy Luck Club, and I specifically remember her for her short story/essays like "Broken English". Amy's talk was amusing and her sort of literal humor made it all the more interesting.
"Hints from the universe" I can't remember when exactly I figured this out, but I remember my mom always telling me that everything happens for a reason, good or bad. And I never really understood what she was talking about until after I graduated high school. "Creating something out of nothing"
"With everything in life, there is a place of balance." Everyone has a different muse for creation and her's was her Yorkshire terrier, which was calmly hidden inside the bag the entire talk.
Elizabeth Gilbert is known for writing "Eat, Pray, Love" which I regrettably have yet to see, but it is on my Netflix queue so I will be watching it soon. I also found many things that Elizabeth said to be very useful. I think that talking about the creative process and what inspires us in the world today will always be a topic of interest to me, probably becasue there is no definite answer and everyone's creative process is different. I think it's interesting for me as a young artist/designer/student to hear creative, inspired people talk about this experience that they go through when they are in the moment, in the presence of their muse. It inspires me. She brought up muses form the ancients Greeks, "Damons" and "Geniuses" from the Romans. I think of the word genius differently now, because I don't necessarily see it only as someone who is highly intelligent but also someone who is high creative. "Don't be afraid, don't be daunted, continue to show up and do your job."
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Stage 1: Inspiration
I, as a young artist, have been inspired by many things but I never really put much thought into the very act of inspiration and the technicalities of it, or even the history.
"Inspiration is something that cannot be waited for--- designers should always actively seek it." Well, what do you know? I have always done the opposite, until recently of course. My usual ways to get started on a project were to wait for it to fall out of the sky. It wasted so much time. To get inspired, you have to actually search for it, becasue it can come in any shape or form like someone's shirt, or a leaf blowing in the wind or even a mandarin orange. I liked how Aspelund referenced Greek myths and how "inspiration was bestowed by one of the nine Muses." I love the feeling of inspiration, becasue whatever it may be it actually feels like a presence is with you when you feel it, it's an actual thing that allows you to explore, broaden your horizons, be in the zone. But as said in the book, "Genies don't return to bottles".
Taking the Momentum to the right heights. While inspired you have to be careful to take it in the right direction, always, because a lot of time can be wasted. I have often found inspiration by looking at other artists' and designers' work, and I was reminded of the positive and negative effects this can have on the finished product. Getting inspiration from other people's work can be toxic if you copy everything that they did and don't even bother to put any of your own creativity to it. I think what makes an art piece, invention, design, or any creation is that it is a part of the person who created it. And, I believe, creativity shows.
All work and no play doesn't work. While reading this i was reminded of being young and the ability to see something for something else. My older siblings and cousins used to pretend that a box was our barn on our ranch when we played roles on the Nickelodeon show "Hey Dude!" I remember making my paper dolls and actually envisioning them coming to life. I looked at them this weekend when I went home and they looked so simple and non life-like. So in the sense, I need to come back to that imagination, only this time, making by visions come true.
Meditative exercise. I found the exercises proposed by Aspelund at the end of the chapter to be very helpful. The questions we must ask ourselves in order to help creative thinking sparked light in my mind becasue some of these things I had already been introduced years ago had been reawakened.
9. Be completely quiet. I worry about my dependence on my earphones and iPod. I wear them to zone out background noise becasue I dislike it. But I'm starting to realize that maybe I'm just zoning out my own thoughts. "If you cannot be still, you will not see clearly. By quieting all this mental fidgeting, you can focus on the present and tap into thoughts and impules." For mental health reasons, I think it's a good idea for everyone to be able to just sit, be completely quiet, and involved in their own present thoughts.
Reading: The Design Process, by Karl Aspelund
Alas, alas, it has arrived!
The cover reminds me of a string project in did in the 6th grade, I can't remember what it's called but it looks like this. (And if someone knows what it's called, PLEASE tell me! I would like to make it again).
Looking through the book, I saw a lot of pictures, so I thought, "This is a GREAT book!" haha
I noticed the table of contents is polychromatic, with colors following the next in a harmonious way. The chapters in the book correspond to these colors as well. Each chapter being a stage of the design process.
Exercise: Design Journal
I miss keeping a journal. I used to keep one where I would frequently write and doodle in it, but I haven't been keeping up with it ever since school started, which I think is ironic in a way because school has always spawned interesting thought processes. I think lazy, is a better reason. I looked through my old Sketchbooks and journals and I can't help but miss that mindset of "Anything goes." The Design Process: A Relationship
I found it to be very effective to my learning and perspective when Aspelund compared the design process to a relationship.Inspiration
Identification
Conceptualization
Exploration/Refinement
Definition/Modeling
Communication
Production
Friday, April 8, 2011
Scott McCloud
Jimmy introduced T.E.D., which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design and the website to us on Wednesday, April 6th. Scott McCloud gave a talk on Comics, which was very interesting.
Scott McCloud on TED
I watched Scott's talk on Comics on the TED website three times just so I could take in everything he said and jot down several of the references he made. I loved how he opened the talk with his family. I enjoy learning about people's history and roots. His father being blind and
Charles Babbage Who was the first the ever think of the computer's invention? Charles Babbage. This was something I did not know, so I googled him. Babbage was an inventor, philosopher, and a mathmetical engineer. He is known as "the father of the computer."
Moore's Law
At the end of his talk, Scott said, "Media, all media, provide us a window back into our world." He later explained that media allows us see the world in different ways, therefore allowing us to reshape it. I think this tied in well with his idea of using the monitor as a window to view comics because virtually we can now view comics in all directions, which makes them more appealing to the viewer. Since newspaper are going digital, why not comics? I think it makes them so much more interesting.
Durable Mutation Scott brought up durable durable mutation and at first I did not understand what he was talking about, but I thought about it and to me I think he meant that with the ever growing and changing technological advances, especially with the computer, we as designers, creators and inventors, have to find ways to make things "adaptable to it's environment". Technology will always have to be proven functional for us because it's supposed to make life easier, and sometimes more interesting. So, any idea or creation that doesn't stick will not last, and therefore is not durable.
Scott McCloud on TED
I watched Scott's talk on Comics on the TED website three times just so I could take in everything he said and jot down several of the references he made. I loved how he opened the talk with his family. I enjoy learning about people's history and roots. His father being blind and
Charles Babbage Who was the first the ever think of the computer's invention? Charles Babbage. This was something I did not know, so I googled him. Babbage was an inventor, philosopher, and a mathmetical engineer. He is known as "the father of the computer."
Moore's Law
"The observation made in 1965 by Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel, that the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since the integrated circuit was invented. Moore predicted that this trend would continue for the foreseeable future. In subsequent years, the pace slowed down a bit, but data density has doubled approximately every 18 months, and this is the current definition of Moore's Law, which Moore himself has blessed. Most experts, including Moore himself, expect Moore's Law to hold for at least another two decades."
(http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/M/Moores_Law.html)
Infinite Canvas I found his idea of having comics on the computer screen, but "looking at the monitor as a window." I thought this was a clever idea and I had a chance to look at some of the comics on his website. I found the presentation of "Mimi's Last Coffee" to be great. It was totally interactive in that you, the user, had to click to the next comic scene, and there were even different directions in which the story could go. The story, however, was a bit morbid for. I guess it was also the use of the color red, black, and white that got me, too. Visit his website if you haven't at http://scottmccloud.com/Look for patterns I had taken an art history class last quarter and learned about Egyptian hieroglyphics and Roman Columns of Marcus Aurelius and Trajan but I had never made the comparison between those and comics. They are very much alike in the directional storytelling of images.
Roman Column of Trajan
At the end of his talk, Scott said, "Media, all media, provide us a window back into our world." He later explained that media allows us see the world in different ways, therefore allowing us to reshape it. I think this tied in well with his idea of using the monitor as a window to view comics because virtually we can now view comics in all directions, which makes them more appealing to the viewer. Since newspaper are going digital, why not comics? I think it makes them so much more interesting.
Durable Mutation Scott brought up durable durable mutation and at first I did not understand what he was talking about, but I thought about it and to me I think he meant that with the ever growing and changing technological advances, especially with the computer, we as designers, creators and inventors, have to find ways to make things "adaptable to it's environment". Technology will always have to be proven functional for us because it's supposed to make life easier, and sometimes more interesting. So, any idea or creation that doesn't stick will not last, and therefore is not durable.
Attack of the RadioActive Carrots!
April 6 marks the last class day of the second week of Spring Quarter at Cal State Los Angeles. Waking up early enough for class depends on how much sleep I get. I'm working on it, though, and so far I have not been late to class, which is a big improvement compared to my 8a.m class last quarter.
Mind Maps. Professor Moss introduced us to Mind Maps. Mind maps are diagrams that allow the mind to explore and excrete all ideas and possibilities we can think of. He showed us examples of mind maps and I was particularly drawn to the one with the animated, violent looking carrot because it reminded me of a carrot I had drawn who was about to get chopped up, he had an "OH NO!" expression on his face. The thought of it still makes me laugh.
We were given 30 minutes to make our own mind maps, I chose to start with the idea of "What if sleep wasn't necessary?" mainly becasue I sometimes wish sleep really wasn't necessary. It's amazing how the mind travels from one thought to another very quickly. I feel like my sleepy mind chose a boring topic, so I think I'll change it up for our homework, which is a full out Mind Map on 14" x 17" board.
Scott McCloud. Scott McCloud gave a talk on Comics at a T.E.D. Conference. It was my first time learning about T.E.D. which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and is a "nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading". Scott's talk was very fast pace, and as early in the day as it was, I tried my best to keep up. In my next blog I will write more on my thoughts on this.
Mind Maps. Professor Moss introduced us to Mind Maps. Mind maps are diagrams that allow the mind to explore and excrete all ideas and possibilities we can think of. He showed us examples of mind maps and I was particularly drawn to the one with the animated, violent looking carrot because it reminded me of a carrot I had drawn who was about to get chopped up, he had an "OH NO!" expression on his face. The thought of it still makes me laugh.
We were given 30 minutes to make our own mind maps, I chose to start with the idea of "What if sleep wasn't necessary?" mainly becasue I sometimes wish sleep really wasn't necessary. It's amazing how the mind travels from one thought to another very quickly. I feel like my sleepy mind chose a boring topic, so I think I'll change it up for our homework, which is a full out Mind Map on 14" x 17" board.
Scott McCloud. Scott McCloud gave a talk on Comics at a T.E.D. Conference. It was my first time learning about T.E.D. which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and is a "nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading". Scott's talk was very fast pace, and as early in the day as it was, I tried my best to keep up. In my next blog I will write more on my thoughts on this.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
April 4
Different perspectives. We are all individual with unique perspectives, as Professor Jimmy Moss said today in our Concept Development class. Not one person has the same point of view or experiences.
Homework: Comic strip on how we got to college.
I'm not going to lie, and I will admit that I waited last minute to do the homework simply because I did not know how I was going to portray my journey to Cal State Los Angeles, and because I got a new puppy, but that's a different story. I had pondered for two days what I wanted to include and by Monday morning at 3a.m. I finished it. When I finished it, I looked at it and remembered everything I had gone through, especially how I wanted to get out of my hometown, Oxnard. Doing the homework reminded me of why I am in college, why I am majoring in Graphic Design.
Experience. I remember realizing one day while taking my transfer classes at a community college that homework, projects, and research papers are not punishments that teachers assign to students. It's all a learning experience and I think that goes a long way, especially when it comes to life. Jimmy had asked us how we approached the homework assignment "Did you welcome it with open arms, or did you reject it, kicking and screaming?" I rejected it at first, but then told myself that there has to be a reason why we are doing this. And I think it was about the experience. I had to find a way into the assignment, I had to find something it that excited me, and I did.
Class Exercise. Jimmy had asked us to sort the class's comic strips from most likeable to least likeable. He gave us only 15 minutes and we able to complete it with the allotted time. What we did was first go through all of them and voted for the 3 we liked the most. Then for the one's that had a tie or no vote at all, we voted between them to give them a rank. After 15 minutes was up, Jimmy asked if anyone disagreed with the order and 5 students did, so he asked them to put it in the order which they liked. It took some debate. And I think we all realized, as Jimmy had said, that there really was no discussion. We just wanted to finish the exercise in the amount of time he had given us. But when the 5 individuals were discussing the order, not everyone agreed. They each had different reasons why they liked so and so's or why this one over that one. They each ranked them in different ways, whether it was clarity or creativity. In the end, they had to agree to disagree on some things, but came up with some changes to the order.
The exercise magnified the topic of individual perspective. Everyone has their own point of view. When working in a large group there will always be debate because people will have different insights and preferences on whatever the task or project may be.
Seth Johnson. The students who attended Graphic Designer, Seth Johnson's talk (on Friday, April 1st) led a discussion of what they thought of the lecture series. Again, everyone had a different perspective, but they provided a lot of insight. I found Seth's "6 Points" to be most helpful. They went as follows:
1.It is your job to tell your clients what they need
2. Make your own work
3. Do a lot with a little
4. Shut up and listen
5. You have an obligation to make things better.
6. Be curious and never be satisfied
Homework: Comic strip on how we got to college.
I'm not going to lie, and I will admit that I waited last minute to do the homework simply because I did not know how I was going to portray my journey to Cal State Los Angeles, and because I got a new puppy, but that's a different story. I had pondered for two days what I wanted to include and by Monday morning at 3a.m. I finished it. When I finished it, I looked at it and remembered everything I had gone through, especially how I wanted to get out of my hometown, Oxnard. Doing the homework reminded me of why I am in college, why I am majoring in Graphic Design.
Experience. I remember realizing one day while taking my transfer classes at a community college that homework, projects, and research papers are not punishments that teachers assign to students. It's all a learning experience and I think that goes a long way, especially when it comes to life. Jimmy had asked us how we approached the homework assignment "Did you welcome it with open arms, or did you reject it, kicking and screaming?" I rejected it at first, but then told myself that there has to be a reason why we are doing this. And I think it was about the experience. I had to find a way into the assignment, I had to find something it that excited me, and I did.
Class Exercise. Jimmy had asked us to sort the class's comic strips from most likeable to least likeable. He gave us only 15 minutes and we able to complete it with the allotted time. What we did was first go through all of them and voted for the 3 we liked the most. Then for the one's that had a tie or no vote at all, we voted between them to give them a rank. After 15 minutes was up, Jimmy asked if anyone disagreed with the order and 5 students did, so he asked them to put it in the order which they liked. It took some debate. And I think we all realized, as Jimmy had said, that there really was no discussion. We just wanted to finish the exercise in the amount of time he had given us. But when the 5 individuals were discussing the order, not everyone agreed. They each had different reasons why they liked so and so's or why this one over that one. They each ranked them in different ways, whether it was clarity or creativity. In the end, they had to agree to disagree on some things, but came up with some changes to the order.
The exercise magnified the topic of individual perspective. Everyone has their own point of view. When working in a large group there will always be debate because people will have different insights and preferences on whatever the task or project may be.
Seth Johnson. The students who attended Graphic Designer, Seth Johnson's talk (on Friday, April 1st) led a discussion of what they thought of the lecture series. Again, everyone had a different perspective, but they provided a lot of insight. I found Seth's "6 Points" to be most helpful. They went as follows:
1.It is your job to tell your clients what they need
2. Make your own work
3. Do a lot with a little
4. Shut up and listen
5. You have an obligation to make things better.
6. Be curious and never be satisfied
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Look ALIVE
Note to self: COFFEE before class.
Why I am nonfunctional before the hour of 10am is beyond me, but I will have to make due.
My Concept Development that begins at the beautiful hour of 8am was moved to a new location that was down the hall to wider, less claustrophobic classroom, with more comfortable chairs and a temperature more to the liking.
Today Jimmy asked us to organize ourselves in alphabetical order by our first names. Being at the beginning of the alphabet, A-G figured it out faster than the rest of the alphabet. We watched others struggle but why we did nothing to help them is what I do not know, but it was entertaining. The goal of the exercise was to be aware of the problem and solve it. It was a group effort that took longer that it should have, but we did it. The creative concept in caparison can be seen as the same concept because when creating, one must have a concept, approach it, identify the problem, and attempt to solve it however many times it takes to solve it. When creating I have always found myself stuck, and it was through problem solving that expanded my ideas, and gave me new perception of my original idea.
"What if...?" I always like to believe that possibilities are endless, but I think that the "What if..." saying puts a limit to possbility, that is, unless it is followed by a "Si se puede!" Ideas are also formed by "What if..." thoughts.
Concept vs. Thought The dictionary defines a concept as "an idea of something formed by mentally combining all its characteristics or particulars; a construct", and a thought is defined as "an idea or opinion produced by thinking or occurring suddenly in the mind". To me, a thought is the initial stage of a concept and a concept is a highly developed, planned out thought. A thought can be as simple as, "I'm hungry" or "What is she wearing?" but a concept goes beyond the initial thought, it builds upon it. Creations are developed by concepts.
Albert Einstein and his concept of relativity that time slows down when "you" go fast was also brought up in class. I already knew about Albert Einstein, but this topic seems to always boggle my mind. Does time exist? Is time linear or is it static?
Time is... everything? I myself do not like to think that I am a slave to time, but it's true. I have to plan my day out by the hour, sometimes even the minute to fit all that I have to do in one day, which I think is kind of ridiculous. As a designer I think that it is important to grasp the concept of time management because when working with clients, projects will be done on their time schedule, most of the time.
"A picture is worth a thousand words." Later in the class, Jimmy showed several images. I learned how to better read an image, because although they do not have words, body language, facial expression, and setting can say a lot about the mood of it.
Having this class at such an early time (for me) isn't such a bad thing because the rest of the day I am left with a lot of food for thought.
Why I am nonfunctional before the hour of 10am is beyond me, but I will have to make due.
My Concept Development that begins at the beautiful hour of 8am was moved to a new location that was down the hall to wider, less claustrophobic classroom, with more comfortable chairs and a temperature more to the liking.
Today Jimmy asked us to organize ourselves in alphabetical order by our first names. Being at the beginning of the alphabet, A-G figured it out faster than the rest of the alphabet. We watched others struggle but why we did nothing to help them is what I do not know, but it was entertaining. The goal of the exercise was to be aware of the problem and solve it. It was a group effort that took longer that it should have, but we did it. The creative concept in caparison can be seen as the same concept because when creating, one must have a concept, approach it, identify the problem, and attempt to solve it however many times it takes to solve it. When creating I have always found myself stuck, and it was through problem solving that expanded my ideas, and gave me new perception of my original idea.
"What if...?" I always like to believe that possibilities are endless, but I think that the "What if..." saying puts a limit to possbility, that is, unless it is followed by a "Si se puede!" Ideas are also formed by "What if..." thoughts.
Concept vs. Thought The dictionary defines a concept as "an idea of something formed by mentally combining all its characteristics or particulars; a construct", and a thought is defined as "an idea or opinion produced by thinking or occurring suddenly in the mind". To me, a thought is the initial stage of a concept and a concept is a highly developed, planned out thought. A thought can be as simple as, "I'm hungry" or "What is she wearing?" but a concept goes beyond the initial thought, it builds upon it. Creations are developed by concepts.
Albert Einstein and his concept of relativity that time slows down when "you" go fast was also brought up in class. I already knew about Albert Einstein, but this topic seems to always boggle my mind. Does time exist? Is time linear or is it static?
Time is... everything? I myself do not like to think that I am a slave to time, but it's true. I have to plan my day out by the hour, sometimes even the minute to fit all that I have to do in one day, which I think is kind of ridiculous. As a designer I think that it is important to grasp the concept of time management because when working with clients, projects will be done on their time schedule, most of the time.
"A picture is worth a thousand words." Later in the class, Jimmy showed several images. I learned how to better read an image, because although they do not have words, body language, facial expression, and setting can say a lot about the mood of it.
Having this class at such an early time (for me) isn't such a bad thing because the rest of the day I am left with a lot of food for thought.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
March 28, 2011
Today was the first day of Spring Quarter at California State University Los Angeles. For me, the day started at 4:30a.m. so that I could make it on time to my 8 a.m Concept Development class.
The classroom itself was very warm, too warm to a point where at times it was quite uncomfortable, but the topics on hand helped cool my nerves.
On a flash card, our professor, Jimmy Moss, asked us to answer questions about our expectations of the class. I don't remember exactly what I put but I know that what I do want to learn is how to effectively brainstorm my ideas and to effectively communicate them so that they appear well thought out and have purpose. In the past, brainstorming is either a hit or miss for me because I either procrastinate to a point where I am rushed to pick an idea that I have no time to altar, or I completely change ideas multiple times without trying to build upon what I had thought of originally. And so the old saying seems evident, "Old habits die hard."
We then looked up what concept was on the dictionaries of our smartphones. According to the Dictionary.com app on my iPhone, a concept is "a general notion or idea" and Wikipedia defined it as "a mental idea". Everything really does start with an idea, such a the telephone, as discussed in class was not a finished idea becasue up until today its evolution is still ongoing. Today, it's texting on mobile devices which allows for immediate communication, to a generation where instant gratification is what we demand.
What is communication? As mentioned in class, "information that is transported from A to B." But what if B does not fully understand the information received? Does that still count as communication? Does there have to be an assurance that the message was received in the way we wanted it to? In affective communication, I think it does. I think it's important for the message or idea to come across clear so that there is no misunderstanding.
Emotional commitment. Jimmy had talked about the busy schedules many of us students have and how ineffective our study habits are because there was no emotional attachment. With cramming, I have found that the information only sticks in my brain until the test is over, then my mind just throws it out, or only remembers some part. I think emotional attachment is necessary in order for information to stick in our brains. Emotional attachment means having a deep interest in anything you are learning or are working on so that your mind can envelope everything you observe or feel about it which allows you to remember things much easily. For me, repetition and constant reminders help for ideas and information to stick.
I am a graphic design student who is just barely getting my feet wet, and I am reminded almost every day that in order to better myself and my skill I must fully emerge myself in all that is design, I must "become a fan of graphic design" as teacher, Joe Bautista said to us my first quarter at Cal State L.A.
I can only learn so much but if no action is applied i.e. experiential learning, then I am not really learning and fully understanding and experiencing. So it's time to get in there, and get excited about graphic design.
The classroom itself was very warm, too warm to a point where at times it was quite uncomfortable, but the topics on hand helped cool my nerves.
On a flash card, our professor, Jimmy Moss, asked us to answer questions about our expectations of the class. I don't remember exactly what I put but I know that what I do want to learn is how to effectively brainstorm my ideas and to effectively communicate them so that they appear well thought out and have purpose. In the past, brainstorming is either a hit or miss for me because I either procrastinate to a point where I am rushed to pick an idea that I have no time to altar, or I completely change ideas multiple times without trying to build upon what I had thought of originally. And so the old saying seems evident, "Old habits die hard."
We then looked up what concept was on the dictionaries of our smartphones. According to the Dictionary.com app on my iPhone, a concept is "a general notion or idea" and Wikipedia defined it as "a mental idea". Everything really does start with an idea, such a the telephone, as discussed in class was not a finished idea becasue up until today its evolution is still ongoing. Today, it's texting on mobile devices which allows for immediate communication, to a generation where instant gratification is what we demand.
What is communication? As mentioned in class, "information that is transported from A to B." But what if B does not fully understand the information received? Does that still count as communication? Does there have to be an assurance that the message was received in the way we wanted it to? In affective communication, I think it does. I think it's important for the message or idea to come across clear so that there is no misunderstanding.
Emotional commitment. Jimmy had talked about the busy schedules many of us students have and how ineffective our study habits are because there was no emotional attachment. With cramming, I have found that the information only sticks in my brain until the test is over, then my mind just throws it out, or only remembers some part. I think emotional attachment is necessary in order for information to stick in our brains. Emotional attachment means having a deep interest in anything you are learning or are working on so that your mind can envelope everything you observe or feel about it which allows you to remember things much easily. For me, repetition and constant reminders help for ideas and information to stick.
I am a graphic design student who is just barely getting my feet wet, and I am reminded almost every day that in order to better myself and my skill I must fully emerge myself in all that is design, I must "become a fan of graphic design" as teacher, Joe Bautista said to us my first quarter at Cal State L.A.
I can only learn so much but if no action is applied i.e. experiential learning, then I am not really learning and fully understanding and experiencing. So it's time to get in there, and get excited about graphic design.
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