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Recently finished this logo for the North American Coalition for Community Music. Thoughts?

FA 27...

is le done!



Thanks for the A, professor.

Essay: Stefan Sagmeister

STEFAN SAGMEISTER

To the casual outsider, the world of Stefan Sagmeister might seem like a dysfunctional pit of rock n' roll hobnobbing and nudity verging on the edge of what might be considerably more than just bad taste. However, a closer look at the man and the process reveals a sponge-like sensitivity to a variety of disciplines outside of design and a surprisingly regimented methodology of, essentially, creating creativity.

BACKGROUND & WORK

Stefan Sagmeister was born in 1962 in Austria. After completing his studies in Graphic Design at The University of Applied Arts in Vienna, Sagmeister studied at The Pratt Institute in New York City on a Fulbright scholarship. After a brief stint at the Hong Kong office of Leo Burnett, he returned to New York to work at M & Co. with Hungarian designer Tibor Kalman. When the company folded in 1993, Sagmeister formed his own firm, Sagmeister, Inc. Clientele have included AIGA, magazines, fashion designers, perfume manufactures, universities and a whole smattering of musical artists including Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones, OK Go, Talking Heads, David Byrne, Aerosmith, Pat Metheny and Brian Eno. (1) He won a Grammy Award for his work on the Talking Heads' box set, "Once In A Lifetime" and continues to design for a wide range of clients. (2)

IRREVERENCE & INGENUITY

The work Stefan Sagmeister has done so far is indeed thought provoking and some has even garnered him a certain amount of celebrity due to its controversial nature. One piece that earned him criticism and (unwanted) praise was an album cover for the hard-core metal band Pro-Pain that featured a simple black and white photograph of a naked autopsied female torso. Sagmeister has indicated that because of the unexpected "positive" reaction from some of the band's fan base, he would probably not design the CD cover the same, given the opportunity. (3)



Pro-Pain The Truth Hurts, 1994 (http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/pro_pain/the_truth_hurts/)

AIGA has commissioned several posters from Sagmeister and they have been equally as provocative as his other work. One poster featured a nude Sagmeister himself with information about a lecture actually carved into his skin, symbolizing the "pain" that comes with the production of each of his design projects. (1)



AIGA Lecture Poster, 1999 (http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/sagmeister.html)

An advertisement for a Hong Kong design awards show organized by the Southeast Asia Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4A's) further demonstrated Sagmeister's ability to pull inspiration from a variety of sources, utilizing factory painters who created art reproductions and an irreverence that was sure to rankle the generally reserved nature of Asian businesspeople.



Southeast Asia 4A's Design Awards Show, 1992 (http://designmuseum.org/design/stefan-sagmeister)

Since the painters could only reproduce existing art, Sagmeister himself became the model for the "rear view" panel. (3) The above listed designs are some of the more controversial ones that have come out of Sagmeister, Inc. The company has produced a number of more conventional designs, but all have the signature edge that goes along with Stefan Sagmeister's work.



AIGA Biennial Conference, New Orleans, 1997 (http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/sagmeister.html)



David Byrne, Feelings, 1997. (http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/sagmeister.html)

A UNIQUE WORK FOR A UNIQUE STYLE

Sagmeister, Inc. has become a leader in the creative industry. One of its most fascinating ongoing "projects" is the self-imposed sabbatical Sagmeister has implemented approximately every 7 years, his first in the early 2000's. He is currently taking his sabbatical in Bali. In interviews (5) and on his website, Sagmeister has indicated that the reasons for the sabbaticals are many, but most of all, he found himself coming up with the most creative ideas during periods of rest and that building creative time into your routine is the only way to really ensure that that "down time" will actually happen. The sabbatical periods tend to give way to a whole host of blog-worthy quips, including the title of this article.

Much of Sagmeister's work has featured creative use of typography and his own handwriting has appeared so often that some have remarked it has almost become a typeface of its own. Take for instance a 1996 poster for Lou Reed:



Lou Reed, Set The Twilight Reeling poster, 1996 (http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/sagmeister.html)

When asked about the overall "style" of his firm, Sagmeister responded, "For a long time we prided ourselves not to have a style which to uphold became impossible. This is because if you really switch your stylistic approach from project to project, it is impossible to come up with a new one on a weekly or monthly basis, without ripping-off either historical styles or a particular designers' style. Although it would not cover all of our work, I would say we are probably best known for our hand-made quality." (1)

It is this handmade quality and attention to detail that has made Stefan Sagmeister one of the leading designers in America (and certainly in Bali) today. Whether its album covers or tongue-in-cheek posters for stuffy advertising associations, it's easy to see the ingenuity and creativity that has given Sagmeister, Inc. a great measure of success. One can only hope that this year's sabbatical will yield even more interesting and innovative work from Stefan Sagmeister.

-----
(1) DesignBoom, Stefan Sagmeister Interview, May 23rd, 2006. (http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/sagmeister.html)
(2) Sagmeister, Inc. (http://www.sagmeister.com/), Accessed 11/16/09.
(3) Harper, Laurel. Radical Graphics. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1999.
(4) DesignMuseum, "Stefan Sagmeister." (http://designmuseum.org/design/stefan-sagmeister) Accessed 11/17/09
(5) Heller, Steven. "Stefan Sagmeister: Designer on Sabbatical." Print Magazine, Feb. 2009, p. 34

Business Card Logo

You like?

Cohda RD Legs Chair

This is brilliant. And so.... "green." (eye roll)

Making the RD Legs chair from Cohda Design on Vimeo.

Watching this is fascinating. It's very old-world-craftsman-like. Who would have thought that a chair made of molten plastic waste would be made with a mold that could have been constructed by an Amish person.

via core77

MindMapping

So many "design inspiration" books talk about mapping the creative process and the mind. I love this representation of what they all really boil down to... (which is self-help slop).



via core77

"Who Shot Rock and Roll"

Gail Buckland has it right. The way we think about bands/artists is shaped by the photos we see (unless of course we see them in person). It is so important to choose the right photographer to make your band's image.



via NYT

"How To Protect Your Items In A Digital Age"

"If we're in the idea business, how to protect those ideas?

One way is to misuse trademark law. With the help of search engines, greedy lawyers who charge by the letter are busy sending claim letters to anyone who even comes close to using a word or phrase they believe their client 'owns'. News flash: trademark law is designed to make it clear who makes a good or a service. It's a mark we put on something we create to indicate the source of the thing, not the inventor of a word or even a symbol. They didn't invent trademark law to prevent me from putting a picture of your cricket team's logo on my blog. They invented it to make it clear who was selling you something (a mark for trade = trademark).

I'm now officially trademarking thank-you™. From now on, whenever you use this word, please be sure to send me a royalty check.

Another way to protect your ideas is to (mis)use copyright law. You might think that this is a federal law designed to allow you to sue people who steal your ideas. It's not. Ideas are free. Anyone can use them. Copyright protects the expression of ideas, the particular arrangement of words or sounds or images. Bob Marley's estate can't sue anyone who records a reggae song... only the people who use his precise expression of words or music. Sure, get very good at expressing yourself (like Dylan or Sarah Jones) and then no one can copy your expression. But your ideas? They're up for grabs, and its a good thing too.

The challenge for people who create content isn't to spend all the time looking for pirates. It's to build a platform for commerce, a way and a place to get paid for what they create. Without that, you've got no revenue stream and pirates are irrelevant anyway. Newspapers aren't in trouble because people are copying the news. They're in trouble because they forgot to build a scalable, profitable online model for commerce.

Patents are an option except they're really expensive and do nothing but give you the right to sue. And they're best when used to protect a particular physical manifestation of an idea. It's a real crapshoot to spend tens of thousands of dollars to patent an idea you thought up in the shower one day.

So, how to protect your ideas in a world where ideas spread?

Don't.

Instead, spread them. Build a reputation as someone who creates great ideas, sometimes on demand. Or as someone who can manipulate or build on your ideas better than a copycat can. Or use your ideas to earn a permission asset so you can build a relationship with people who are interested. Focus on being the best tailor with the sharpest scissors, not the litigant who sues any tailor who deigns to use a pair of scissors."

ATTENTION RECORD COMPANIES, FILM STUDIOS, NEWS MEDIA AND ALL OTHER LITIGIOUS INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS! READ THIS!!! !@#$^%^

It drives me nuts when I read about the insane lawsuits over copyright/trademark infringement that have sprung up lately. In essence, the majority of the plaintiffs failed to (as Seth says) "build a scalable, profitable online model for commerce." Quit clinging on to your old business models.

Change is difficult, I know, but the rewards are endless, the profits uncountable for those who will embrace the fact that we live in a vastly changed world of media. Many artists/businesses are still in the mode of believing they are the only people who own a CD burner/website/printing press. GET REAL! The rest of the world is just as savvy as you are. You have to create something so good that people will be falling over themselves to PAY you for it. Stop putting out drivel and people will stop treating it as such.

via Seth Godin

The 2%

Seth Godin talks about the 2% of people who, no matter what safe guards you put in place, no matter how clear your instructions, will manage to screw things up. He says that we either have to put in place resources to accomodate these faulty few or weed them out through trial and error.

Even in the context of the classroom (or even more so, depending on how you look at it), there are the 2% of people who will constantly ignore directions or doggedly avoid doing things correctly. I have very little patience with these kinds of people, but it is always a wake up call when you suddenly find yourself in the embarrassing situation of being THAT person who missed some important directive. Can we really fault people for being human? We can try to eliminate as much uncertainty as possible, but isn't there that simple law of life in our plane of existence that states that nothing is completely perfect?

Perhaps we need a little of that 2%?

via Seth Godin

Transplant

Transplant is a "design competence center" in Dale Sunnfjord, Norway. In addition to having some neat designs and a cool website, they have an amazing building that reminds me a lot of the Philip Johnson Glass House.



via core77

Seth Godin on Spammers

"You should be careful about headlines.

It's pretty easy to write a headline that will get someone to forgive your spam, and perhaps even to open your note (CyberMonday! 85% off...). It's pretty easy to write a headline that will get someone to click through on their RSS reader. It's even easy to write a tweet that will get a click through.

But is it better to get a click and then annoy someone, or better to only reach the people who care?

The mindset of the brazen copywriter is, "Well, even if only 1% of the people I trick are actually interested in the content, that's worthwhile. After all, there are a lot of people out there, and offending 99 to get one subscriber or one sale is good math."

The word I use for people like this is 'spammer'.

The mindset of the modern marketer is, "I can build a reputation in everything I do. If I teach people to trust me, then over time, I'll conserve their attention and build permission. That's priceless, particularly in a world that's getting more skeptical by the minute."

Of course, the best thing of all is to have content that deserves a great headline. If you can't do that, though, I think you should forgo the headline.

Fore!"

So very true. The internet is simply hyper saturated with people trying to tell you something. Or more often than not... people trying to sell you something. Long gone are the days (I would hope) when people would click through the obnoxious flash games that would pop up and lead you to some online store (or worse). Advertisers take heed! Make your content exciting and people will be excited about it.

via Seth Godin

Art By The Blind

I am supremely fascinated by "Insights," an exhibit featuring visual art by artists who are legally blind. From a design perspective, one might take this as impetus to find inspiration in the limitations of our senses and our abilities. I wonder what music by the deaf might sound like?



Check out the whole slideshow here.

via NYT

Logo Inspiration Ideas

Getting Meta

"Wikipedia contains facts about facts. It's a collection of facts from other places.

Facebook doesn't have your friends. It has facts about your friends.

Google is at its best when it gives you links to links, not the information itself.

Over and over, the Internet is allowing new levels of abstraction. Information about information might be worth more than the information itself. Which posts should I read? Which elements of the project are at risk? Who is making the biggest difference to the organization?

Right now, there's way too much stuff and far too little information about that stuff. Sounds like an opportunity."

Does all of this constitute a dilution of information? Are we so used to second hand internet materials that raw, unadulterated data would blind our sensitive eyes? Seth brings up a good point... the information about the information is becoming more and more important. Where is this data coming from? Does this source know what their talking about? Do I trust these web surveys when data can be so easily, and anonymously, falsified?

via Seth Godin

Spider Silk

"For its weight, spider silk is stronger than steel, but--unlike steel--it can stretch up to 40% of its normal length"

In my mind, the most effective new technologies are those that mimic or actually include the processes and designs of the world's most prolific and creative designer: Mother Nature. The applications for something like synthetic spider silk are endless, including some probably horrendously overpriced tapestries...



via core77

"How to lose an argument..."

Ooh, I like this. Especially the first rule. By making something into an argument when the other person has approached a situation as a discussion, you become the bull in the china shop. How does this apply to design? I'm not entirely sure, but I'm pretty sure it has everything to do with being a responsible human being and human beings have to work and there are some humans who's work is designing things. Got it? Or have I gone down the slippery slope of flawed logic?


1. Have an argument. Once you start an argument, not a discussion, you've already lost. Think about it: have you ever changed your mind because someone online started yelling at you? They might get you to shut up, but it's unlikely they've actually changed your opinion.
2. Forget the pitfalls of Godwin's law. Any time you mention Hitler or even Communist China or Bill O'Reilly, you've lost.
3. Use faulty analogies. If someone is trying to make a point about, say, health care, try to make an analogy to something conceptually unrelated, like the space shuttle program, and you've lost.
4. Question motives. The best way to get someone annoyed and then have them ignore you is to bypass any thoughtful discussion of facts and instead question what's in it for the person on the other end. Make assumptions about their motivations and lose their respect.
5. Act anonymously. What are the chances that heckled comments from the bleachers will have an impact?
6. Threaten to take action in another venue. Insist that this will come back to haunt the other person. Guarantee you will spread the word or stop purchasing.
7. Bring up the slippery slope. Actually, the slope isn't that slippery. People don't end up marrying dogs, becoming cannibals or harvesting organs because of changes in organization, technology or law.
8. Go to the edges. This is a variant of the slippery slope, in which you bring up extremes at either end of whatever spectrum is being discussed.


via Seth Godin

"Eloquent Ode to the Simple"

Konstantin Grcic's new exhibit at the Serpentine Gallery in London poses this to the visitor: What impact do boring, everyday (even "ugly") objects have on your everyday life and does this impact give them artistic value? Does functionality and ubiquity give objects weight without which, they would be meaningless?

Grcic asks this with shipping containers, car batteries and laptops. Grcic himself has brought these questions about functionality to his own design work, preferring to find inspiration in practical considerations.

i.e. Chair_One, which NYT describes as "unapologetically technocratic:"



Consider the objects in your daily life and what meaning they have because of the simple fact of their function.

via NYT

Catnapping

Besides the adorableness of this product, it raises a design question that I never really pondered...



The way we sleep is pretty boring. 'Round about the time one hits puberty, fun and exciting beds become oh so tween passe. Our mattresses and frames all have approximately the same shape, same functionality and often, the same color palette.

Let's ponder for a minute the space saving options that we often encounter: the bed risers. The lofted beds. Not exactly the most creative ways to riff on a classic.

Granted, there are a whole host of practical issues related to why we all seem to sleep the same (design of the room itself, portability, the geometric issues related to multiples in said bed, etc.), but when has practicality ever really stood in the way of visionaries?

For now, let's just imagine some human-sized versions of the kitty shelves above and all give a collective "awww."

via core77

FA 27: Love In The Time of Cholera

FA 27: Project #3 "Aspirational Goals"

1. Be successful as a freelancer or own my own business
2. Finish the musical I've been working on
3. Have some of my music licensed for film/by another artist
4. Do something creative every day
5. Make my job something I love

Spiral Jetty

I love BIG art. Scale of a piece can be a statement all in itself. Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty at Great Salt Lake in Utah is just such an piece. I love how he took something that was mostly a utilitarian object and turned it into a statement. The grand scale of it makes it all that more interesting (i.e. to truly see the whole thing, you have to be flying above the jetty). One of the other considerations of the piece is the corrosive nature of the lake. The basalt rocks are now white with salt crystals. Not only that, but the drought that brought the jetty back above the water line has allowed visitors the "opportunity" to leave their own mark on the piece (graffiti, carrying off actual pieces of rock). This raises a whole host of questions about preservation and curation that are addressed in this NYT article. One actually serious problem is that of silt buildup which, over time, might actually threaten to cover the piece entirely. Observers of art are, understandably, unused to the realities of art that changes.

Perhaps it's an entirely new way of thinking



via NYT

Breakthroughs and drips

"Breakthroughs and drips

There are only two ways to win in the market.

You can create a breakthrough. A promotion so powerful that people can't help but engage. An innovation so remarkable, people can't help but talk about it. A pricing strategy or ad campaign that breaks the mold and is worthy of attention. This takes huge guts and substantial investment.

Or you can win with consistent benefits, delivered over time. You win by incrementally earning share, attention and trust. This might take years.

Almost all marketing attempts to do neither of these, and of course, fail. Painless and quick are rarely associated with 'successful.'"

This makes complete sense. It's a concept that eludes a lot of people. While the most surefire way to win consumers and grow your business is to have something phenomenally innovative and attractive, another good way to build your legacy is by doing something that might not be extraordinary, but is done well and delivered perfectly over a long period of time. What a concept! Give people a good product or deliver a good service and they will pay you for it!

Shock and awe.

via Seth Godin

Corvette Stingray Concept

Check out this video about a new Stingray concept model. I'm no car junkie, but this one looks great. I've always been interested in the concept models car companies put out versus the actual cars that people will buy. While most people would be impressed by a futuristic design, the majority of people would not actually buy a car that looked like that. Why is that? What is it about ultra-sleek designs that turns the average consumer off?



Now, the obvious answer would be price. I would be curious to see what would happen if car manufacturers made a futuristic model like the Stingray a low-priced product. Would people then flock to purchase it? My guess is still no.

There's something in our collective consciousness that prevents us from moving too far into what many would call a "futuristic vision." It takes a slow and steady pace to enact big change. But what if it was a sea change in the way all manufacturers looked at cars?

via core77

Stefan Sagmeister: "Trying To Look Good Limits My Life"

STEFAN SAGMEISTER

To the casual outsider, the world of Stefan Sagmeister might seem like a dysfunctional pit of rock n' roll hobnobbing and nudity verging on the edge of what might be considerably more than just bad taste. However, a closer look at the man and the process reveals a sponge-like sensitivity to a variety of disciplines outside of design and a surprisingly regimented methodology of, essentially, creating creativity.

BACKGROUND & WORK

Stefan Sagmeister was born in 1962 in Austria. After completing his studies in Graphic Design at The University of Applied Arts in Vienna, Sagmeister studied at The Pratt Institute in New York City on a Fulbright scholarship. After a brief stint at the Hong Kong office of Leo Burnett, he returned to New York to work at M & Co. with Hungarian designer Tibor Kalman. When the company folded in 1993, Sagmeister formed his own firm, Sagmeister, Inc. Clientele have included AIGA, magazines, fashion designers, perfume manufactures, universities and a whole smattering of musical artists including Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones, OK Go, Talking Heads, David Byrne, Aerosmith, Pat Metheny and Brian Eno. (1) He won a Grammy Award for his work on the Talking Heads' box set, "Once In A Lifetime" and continues to design for a wide range of clients. (2)

IRREVERENCE & INGENUITY

The work Stefan Sagmeister has done so far is indeed thought provoking and some has even garnered him a certain amount of celebrity due to its controversial nature. One piece that earned him criticism and (unwanted) praise was an album cover for the hard-core metal band Pro-Pain that featured a simple black and white photograph of a naked autopsied female torso. Sagmeister has indicated that because of the unexpected "positive" reaction from some of the band's fan base, he would probably not design the CD cover the same, given the opportunity. (3)



Pro-Pain The Truth Hurts, 1994 (http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/pro_pain/the_truth_hurts/)

AIGA has commissioned several posters from Sagmeister and they have been equally as provocative as his other work. One poster featured a nude Sagmeister himself with information about a lecture actually carved into his skin, symbolizing the "pain" that comes with the production of each of his design projects. (1)



AIGA Lecture Poster, 1999 (http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/sagmeister.html)

An advertisement for a Hong Kong design awards show organized by the Southeast Asia Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4A's) further demonstrated Sagmeister's ability to pull inspiration from a variety of sources, utilizing factory painters who created art reproductions and an irreverence that was sure to rankle the generally reserved nature of Asian businesspeople.



Southeast Asia 4A's Design Awards Show, 1992 (http://designmuseum.org/design/stefan-sagmeister)

Since the painters could only reproduce existing art, Sagmeister himself became the model for the "rear view" panel. (3) The above listed designs are some of the more controversial ones that have come out of Sagmeister, Inc. The company has produced a number of more conventional designs, but all have the signature edge that goes along with Stefan Sagmeister's work.



AIGA Biennial Conference, New Orleans, 1997 (http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/sagmeister.html)



David Byrne, Feelings, 1997. (http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/sagmeister.html)

A UNIQUE WORK FOR A UNIQUE STYLE

Sagmeister, Inc. has become a leader in the creative industry. One of its most fascinating ongoing "projects" is the self-imposed sabbatical Sagmeister has implemented approximately every 7 years, his first in the early 2000's. He is currently taking his sabbatical in Bali. In interviews (5) and on his website, Sagmeister has indicated that the reasons for the sabbaticals are many, but most of all, he found himself coming up with the most creative ideas during periods of rest and that building creative time into your routine is the only way to really ensure that that "down time" will actually happen. The sabbatical periods tend to give way to a whole host of blog-worthy quips, including the title of this article.

Much of Sagmeister's work has featured creative use of typography and his own handwriting has appeared so often that some have remarked it has almost become a typeface of its own. Take for instance a 1996 poster for Lou Reed:



Lou Reed, Set The Twilight Reeling poster, 1996 (http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/sagmeister.html)

When asked about the overall "style" of his firm, Sagmeister responded, "For a long time we prided ourselves not to have a style which to uphold became impossible. This is because if you really switch your stylistic approach from project to project, it is impossible to come up with a new one on a weekly or monthly basis, without ripping-off either historical styles or a particular designers' style. Although it would not cover all of our work, I would say we are probably best known for our hand-made quality." (1)

It is this handmade quality and attention to detail that has made Stefan Sagmeister one of the leading designers in America (and certainly in Bali) today. Whether its album covers or tongue-in-cheek posters for stuffy advertising associations, it's easy to see the ingenuity and creativity that has given Sagmeister, Inc. a great measure of success. One can only hope that this year's sabbatical will yield even more interesting and innovative work from Stefan Sagmeister.

-----
(1) DesignBoom, Stefan Sagmeister Interview, May 23rd, 2006. (http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/sagmeister.html)
(2) Sagmeister, Inc. (http://www.sagmeister.com/), Accessed 11/16/09.
(3) Harper, Laurel. Radical Graphics. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1999.
(4) DesignMuseum, "Stefan Sagmeister." (http://designmuseum.org/design/stefan-sagmeister) Accessed 11/17/09
(5) Heller, Steven. "Stefan Sagmeister: Designer on Sabbatical." Print Magazine, Feb. 2009, p. 34

Future Languages

"When talking about making the future tangible, many people expect visual information, projections aimed at the mind’s and the physical eye that ’show’ how the world around us might look different physically. Yet of course the future has many less physically tangible, yet nevertheless experience related aspects that render it a whole new world. Subtlety in bringing those to life is an art.

One such element is language. Although the dynamics of linguistic evolution differ per language as well as geographically, it only takes a brief look back in history to realize that language evolves over time, influenced by accelerating societal change – also spurred by new media and communication technologies. What will language be like in 50 years time? There are many ways in which language can be futurized: neologisms (futurespeak), subtle references to societal changes (e.g. mass migration leading to mixing of words and sounds, new technologies leading to different behaviours), different rythm or length of sentences, new typographical signs, new ways of naming old things, etc.

Director Michael Winterbottom did a great job in turning language into a core ingredient of his subtle way to bring the future to life in Code 46. Now, Dutch National Poet (dichter des vaderlands) Ramsey Nasr wrote ‘Mi have een droom’ (I have a dream), a poem set in Rotterdam in the year 2059, written in a future language, with elements of urban rap and melting pot slang."

How long will it be before "text speak" becomes the norm in business situations? In international politics? I agree that so much focus is placed on the gadgetry and overall "look" of the future." What about the way we act? What will change about how we think, interact with each other?

via Pantopicon

Choosing your customers

"Choose your customers, choose your future

Marketers rarely think about choosing customers... like a sailor on shore leave, we're not so picky. Huge mistake.

Your customers define what you make, how you make it, where you sell it, what you charge, who you hire and even how you fund your business. If your customer base changes over time but you fail to make changes in the rest of your organization, stress and failure will follow.

Sell to angry cheapskates and your business will reflect that. On the other hand, when you find great customers, they will eagerly co-create with you. They will engage and invent and spread the word.

It takes vision and guts to turn someone down and focus on a different segment, on people who might be more difficult to sell at first, but will lead you where you want to go over time."

Oooh, this is something I've never heard of. In my fairly educated view of business, I would think that one should never balk at ANYONE who wants to give you their money. Perhaps a better way for Seth to say this is that you should always be aware of your target market (that, I understand).

Finding great customers is harder than he's making it sound, I think. Most business will fall into the above mentioned category of pandering to all comers. Sure, marketers talk about those elusive trend setting customers, but how do you actually go out and find them? That's what I want to know. Do you hire some lowly design graduate (or an unpaid intern) and make them scour blogs for people who seem like they know what they're talking about?

via Seth Godin

Stair Solutions

Core77 has been doing a series on solving the various engineering and design conundrums that come out of the necessity of stairs. One of the posts covered making use of the space between and under one's staircase. My favorite idea (conceived by London-based Levitate Architects):



If my current living situation didn't require that I throw out anything non-essential, I would be a ridiculous pack rat when it comes to books. The unfortunate part of this... I dislike bookshelves. Ta-da! Perfect solution.

via core77

A side project...

The Hofstra Chamber Singers are giving a concert of the "Liebeslieder Walzer" by Johannes Brahms. The posters lacked a little something... So, taking my cue from the by-line "and other Choral Delights," I did a quick mock up of my version of the poster.

You like?

FA 27 is certainly improving my Photoshop skills.

The Linz Hocker

Not only is this a great example of environmentally conscious, future-inspired design, it's an art installation! The product launch features a room filled with Linz Hocker stools. Visitors are able to take away a stool from the piece, thereby slowly dismantling the installation and disseminating the stools all around the city.

In a way, it's representative of the way information spreads. You start with one idea, tell 20 of your best friends and eventually it's everywhere; a part of the collective consciousness of a community.

(click)

via core77

"Fabulous" from Seth Godin

Just an exceptionally inspiring post from Seth:

"Fabulous"

This is so cool: because we only look at things we want to look at, only talk about things worth talking about, the amount of fabulous in the world continues to rise exponentially.

Even though we're at the tail end of the great recession, think about all the cool stuff in your life. Not just stuff you can buy, but experiences, works of art, innovations of all kinds... the bar has been raised for what you need to do to be noticed, and the market is responding.

Not only do I notice more fabulous, but it sure seems as though the creators of it are more engaged, dedicated and yes, joyful, than I can remember. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do work that matters, this is it. You can't say, "but I need to make a fortune instead," because that's not happening right now. So you might as well join the people who can say, "I love doing this."

There is certainly something to be said for seeing more "fabulous" in the design world today. It's very true that in this market, you can't simply put out a mediocre product and expect to reap fantastic fortunes. You have to be innovative. You have to be visually striking. You have to have something so unique that it is simply impossible for people NOT to want what you have to offer.

Words to live by even in a normal economic climate...

via Seth Godin

"Don't treat people the same, find the ones that matter more to you, and hug them"

From "Some people are better than others" by Seth Godin

"1. Kindle readers buy two or three times as many books as book readers. Why? I don't think it's necessarily because using a Kindle leads someone to read more books. I think it's because the kind of person who buys a lot of books is the most likely person to pony up and buy a Kindle. I know that sounds obvious, but once you see it this way, you understand why book publishers should be killing themselves to appeal to this group. After all, the group voted with their dollars to show that they're better.
2. Walmart and other mass marketers are now offering top bestsellers for $9 or less each, about $5 less than their cost. Why? Why not offer toasters or socks as a loss leader to get people in the store? I think the answer is pretty clear: people who buy hardcover books buy other stuff too. A hardcover book is a luxury item, it's new and it's buzzable. This sort of person is exactly who you want in your store."

This sort of research has always interested me. The way in which certain people's specific behaviors will dictate a thousand other set behaviors. Some of these seem like the golden key for marketers. I also love that quote... "Don't treat people the same, find the ones that matter more to you, and hug them."

Applies just about everywhere in life.

via Seth Godin

DEATH BY POSTERIOR PAPERCUT.

This is an awful idea. And so totally not "green."



Yes. This is like a giant Post-It chair.

via core77

Bauhaus

I've always heard the term "Bauhaus" thrown around and never really known what it means. This NYT article on Margarete Heymann piqued my interest and sort of led me down an interesting path.

(From Wikipedia) Staatliches Bauhaus was a craft/fine arts school in Germany founded by Walter Gropius. Protoges of Gropius would go on to define "Modernism" in the 20th century, especially when it came to architecture (Mies van der Rohe led the Bauhaus for a time. See earlier posts on Philip Johnson and van der Rohe). One driving concept behind the "Bauhaus style" was the desire to unify craft, art and technology. One need only look at the skyscrapers of the 20th century to see the extensions of this concept.


Now I know!

via NYT

Amazing Wine Cellars!

As an aspiring oenophile, these make my palette water. I am in complete agreement with the original blogger on this one... I don't care that they're indulgent, I would want one if I had enough cash! They also bring up some interesting points about use of basements in the human race's imminent space problem.

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via core77

Unstated Statements

Things like this make me a little angry sometimes... I understand the need to make a statement, but sometimes creations simply for the sake of irony really get my goat.

Femke DeVries' "Unstated Staments 02"



(Yes, these are blank gold and silver plated name tags.)

via core77

Obit: Lawrence Halperin

Here's the NYT Obit for Landscape Architect for Lawrence Halperin. I've always been interested in what a landscape architect does. This reminds of a book I read over the summer called, "The Devil In The White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that changed America" about the Chicago World's Fair. It was interesting to read about Frederick Olmsted and the design of NYC's Central Park.

Lawrence Halperin: Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial



via NYT

Verb

Multi-function? Amazing. It's a chair, a lamp, a bookshelf, a table and a modern sculpture.



via core77

Image Qualities

Highlights-Brights
Shadows-Darks
Midtones-Gradation of tones

*all looking for DETAIL.

RGB
CMY

Red filter absorbs cyan- makes daytime look like night.

"Distressed Peasant"

I am fascinated by the way in which artists and designers will take existing art and turn into an entirely new piece of art. (See previous post on Carla Gannis. She spoke about "appropriation art" in her lecture.) E.V. Day has taken costume pieces from the City Opera's archives and turned them into suspended sculpture, representative of the characters and her own interpretations of their grand stage personas. This article in the New York Times speaks about the power of taking pieces that might not have seen the light of day ever again have been imbued with new life. (Also, see previous post of Philip Johnson and his collaboration on the design of the -now- David A. Koch theater where the exhibit will be on display.)



via NYT

Headphones

I've seen quite a few different versions of designer headphones pop up over the last few years. Of course, this always raises the question in my mind... are they listening devices or style accessories? Can you have both? The answer the manufacturers would give is, of course, yes. Does fashion appropriate from other walks of life? All the time. Check out the "Beats" headphones that have appeared on a number of celebrities here.

These "Pick-up" headphones designed by Swedish ID firm Norra Norr are collapsable and based on the shape and mechanism of a turntable.



Fashion appropriates design appropriating design.

via core77

"Fear of Apples"

"At the farmer's market the other day, not one but three people (perfect strangers) asked me what sort of apple to buy. What do I look like, some sort of apple expert? Apparently.

In our industrialized world, people are now afraid of apples. Afraid of buying the wrong kind. Afraid of making a purchasing mistake or some sort of pie mistake.

And they're afraid of your product and your service. Whatever you sell, there are two big reasons people aren't buying it:

1. They don't know about it.

2. They're afraid of it.

If you can get over those two, then you get the chance to prove that they need it and it's a good value. But as long as people are afraid of what you sell, you're stuck.

People are afraid of tax accountants, iPods, chiropractors, non-profits, insurance brokers and fancy hotels. They're afraid of anything with too many choices, too many opportunities to look foolish or to waste time or money.

Hey, they're even afraid of apples."

-Seth Godin

We are so motivated by fear in our lives. There are two types of marketing; those motivated by fear and those that aren't. So many advertisements and marketing campaigns play on people's anxieties, or make people aware of anxieties they didn't even know they had! This brings up a whole host of ethical questions. Is it right to motivate fear to sell products? How far is too far when marketers alleviate fears? (i.e. can you alleviate fears to such an extent that you eliminate the normal, essential fears that keep us alive?)

I don't have an answer for these questions, but it's something for us, as residents of the 21st century to consider.

via Seth Godin

"Upcycling"

Ah, the Swedes. Such wonderful innovative people. It's always nice to see something coming out of Sweden that ISN'T Ikea. I had a rocking stool when I was a small child (though I think it may have been a child-size rocking chair with the back broken off). The "upcycling" part of this project... the stool is made from pieces of an old sofa frame.

via core77

Guest Presenter: Carla Gannis

"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination...And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to."

-Jim Jarmusch

This is the quote with which Carla Gannis opened her presentation for our class. She spent much of the lecture talking about her career and the many directions it has gone. Some of the points I found particularly interesting were her takes on Appropriation Art, "Post-Human" effects and the "Fetish Finish."

The idea of a "Fetish Finish" is interesting because it starts to cross the boundaries between art and commercial production. It reminded me of the Takashi Murakami exhibit I attended at the Brooklyn Museum of Art last summer.



Her own personal work was very interesting. I like the way in which she blurs the lines between fantasy and reality through technology, the same way our everyday lives are injected with an element of science fiction/fantasy through the ubiquitous nature of technology.

Overall, I enjoyed her presentation, however, her interest in "non-linear narrative" made it hard to follow sometimes. Her voice was very clear and, at times, almost theatrical in nature.

Love In The Time Of Cholera: Florentino Ariza

Florentino Ariza is the epitome of the Romantic lover; he suffers for love. At the beginning of "Love In The Time Of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Florentino proclaims that he is still in love with Fermina Daza after many years and the novel then proceeds to explain the events that lead from their initial flirtations to her eventual marriage to Juvenal Urbino, a prominent doctor and social patron, and his promiscuous wanderings in search of solace for his unrequited affections for his beloved. Florentino's romantic gestures are wild and, at times, frightening. His devotion is unending and his "lovesickness" often manifests itself as actual physical illness. He has a masochistic streak which is evidenced in his obstinate refusal to move from his hometown to a place with a better job (and also away from Fermina and her new husband). While he has countless sexual encounters with other women throughout his life, he maintains that he is still a "virgin" when it comes to his eternal beloved. The book describes him as dressing like a poet, in all black with a hat and an old fashioned tie, even in the dead of summer.

Philip Johnson Brochure (Original Layout Sketches)

Apparent vs. Actual Risk

This is a great post from Seth Godin. It talks about the way most of us perceive the world around us and how every action is influenced by the risk we perceive, rather than the actual risk. (i.e. fear of flying, even though driving is more dangerous) I think marketers have to be hyper-conscious of this effect when analyzing how to position their product or service. People will gravitate away from something they are even remotely fearful of, even if that fear is totally unfounded or is simply based on the fact that we, as humans, are apt to seek out the familiar in our environment.

The vast majority of us are creatures of habit.

HAGA Photoshop Workshop Project

Dell Adamo XPS

Holy breakable laptop, Batman! This thing is insanely thin! I guess it's only to be expected that the PC world would be right on the heels of Apple's MacBook Air. How far can developers extend this trend before I can break a laptop in half with one hand?

via core77

Philip Johnson Inside

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Philip Johnson Cover

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"Rethinking the Shape of Everyday Life"

This article from the New York Times has some great projections for the way life will operate in the not-so-distant future. I especially love the idea of turning telephone booths into charging stations for the next generation of electric cars and to feed the increasing demand for power sources for personal electronics. This also plays into the ultimate buzzword of the last few years ("green," of course) by transforming something old into something new.

"Hammer Time or Miller Time?"

A classic case of mistaken identity... Is this promoting drinking whilst carpentering? Or is it in fact what it proclaims; a hammer for breaking up beer cooler ice that happens to have a bottle opener on the other end? I'm not sure. But it sure is snazzy.

via core77

Taking Education Into the Future

I took the summer off from interning/working and just stayed home. Some of the most interesting changes I witnessed going back to my hometown were the improvements to and constructions of the schools in town. The high school had major renovations with an entire new wing and lots of "smart classrooms." Down the street was a brand new elementary school that, frankly, looked more like a prison than a school. No doubt this design choice was purposeful, but I still felt it missed the brick & mortar feel of the schools of my childhood.

Check out this blog post from Allison Arieff from the New York Times. Solving the space problem and the issue of integrating new pedagogical technologies is something that everyone should be interested in. Designing sustainable and energy efficient schools is also a huge issue. Overcrowding will eventually cripple our classrooms if we don't take action and intelligent classroom design is the key.