As a college student, I think one part of being a student is being broke--or close to it. This is, however, a good thing at times and a bad thing at other times. When I finally transfered to the University, I was confronted with the dilemma of living with a roommate and having half the living space. I knew I would need a desk, a bed, closet space and just room to move around. The entire room was around 14.5' x 11', my roommate had already moved in and took most of the space with his desk and bed. Long story shot, I got the shaft.
Annie's Blue Jeans
79" x 82"
Made from Annie Ruth Collin's old blue jeans tapestry fabric, cotton fabric, cotton velvet, hand dyed wide-wale cotton corduroy, cotton batting and muslin.
Hand quilted by Mensie Pettway of Gee Bend Alabama.
Looking at 'Annie's Blue Jeans' quilt, the usage of line, shape, value, and some rhythm are apparent. Initially, the inner square holds a sense of balance and scale. Each square within this inner square is a solid color which makes it stand out from the shades of blue. The inner square becomes a sort of focal point for the viewer.
Pettway makes good use of line and repetition. There is some rhythm to the entire peace, as each 'ring' of the quilt flows from one to the other, there are no abrupt stops. Shades of blue leading to the climax, the inner square.
The texture reflects the materials used--Blue Jeans.
Pettway takes an age old tradition of quilt making, and brings it back to its roots in a time where quilts are typically made from bought fabrics, not old unused clothing, fabric and other things.
If you would like to see the full gallery of quilt collections, and you are in the Davis, CA area, head over to the Nelson Art Gallery located in UC Davis.
Whether we like it or not everything around us was created or designed by someone. The keyboard I am typing on, the screen you are reading this on and even the mouse pad (if you have one) was designed by someone trying to solve a problem—combining functionality with aesthetics.
Generally, that is how design begins; finding a solution to a problem. Once the problem has been identified, research is done, if commissioned by a client then identifying their goals, budget and so on. Next the 'Ideation' stage or prelim sketches are created by using the information gathered in the research stage. When these are completed review and critique of the sketches are done and revised with the feedback receive. Generally, one should take a rest between this period and the next as to rest one's eyes and possibly bring fresh ideas to the table.
The next two steps in the design process are the comprehensives and implementation of the final copy. The comprehensive stage is similar to the prelim sketches, but in this stage sketches are enlarged to print size and critiqued. With the new data, we move to the final stage of production.
This is the ideal process of design, generally, the real world will have a more circular process as apposed to the linear process above. In the circular model, there are still seven stages but an anyone point, one may have to restart at research or prelim sketches. This is sounds more reasonable as there will be constant input from clients and even one's own self.
All of this is to ensure that the final product is, in fact, functional while still holding aesthetic values [either for the client or the designer]. Critique only serves to better designers' ability to do so.
Artists, Designers and the like are all inspired or moved by some ideal to create. But what happens when one has an off day, week, month, or even a year? If you're like me, or any graphic artist, you can't have any off days as income is tied directly to your ability to create.
Artists like Doze Green look to music as a form creative inspiration. The music speaks to him and he translates the beats with his paint brush. Not only does he use music as inspiration, he looks back to his cultural roots for symbols and styles to create.
Even type can inspire a generation of graphic artists. Referring to my previous blog, the font 'Helvetica' created an entire counter-culture to the modernist movement. David Carson, a graphic artist, was one such post-modernist battling the conformity of the modernists. Using free form text, and unconventional fonts to create works that both went against the grain and diverged to help create the grunge movement of the 90's
A great resource for inspiration is http://mashable.com/2009/03/16/design-inspiration/. They have a handfull of website, galleries, and portfolios the look through for inspiration from other artists. Even if you think the life of an artist is a solitude one, your ability can only go so far without learning from others.
and
The DVD 'Helvetica'
Since its inception into the designer's toolbox, it has grown to rockstar status. The font is used in almost everything we see today. The U.S. Government uses it on its tax forms, the EPA uses it, signs littering the streets use it, we see it everywhere we go. But how did Helvetica get ingrained into modern society around the world?
According to Hermann Zapf, the font Helvetica became popular with designers because the postwar attitude of idealism and social responsibility. It was just what designers were looking for, something that played with the figure ground relationship that made it functional.
Now almost 60 years since its creation, Helvetica still has a strong group of followers. Notably, Massimo Vignelli who sums up Helvetica as modern type, invented for modern times. And Manuel Krebs, who summed up Helvetica as its own design system. One designs around the type itself, even the layperson can design something just putting Helvetica in bold and typing something.
There hasn't, or at least seemingly hasn't, been a font with so much impact on society in the past 60 years like Helvetica. You can look at Arial and it's simply an adjusted version on Helvetica. The street signs are set to Helvetica. It has become standard, default, it has be come air.
For more on 'Helvetica' check out the DVD “Helvetica”
