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Archive for the ‘Design’ Category
Thought of the Day
Friday, May 4th, 2012Good Design is both Artful and Utilitarian
Friday, May 27th, 2011“Everything in nature is the way it is by design; evolution has no aesthetic or personal opinion. Like art, some people find bugs to be quite beautiful while others cringe at the sight of them. But like them or not, their design is the way it is because of their environment and the obstacles they face trying to survive. In other words, it doesn’t matter what you think; it has to work, or they die.”
- Eric Fisher
Here’s a link to an excellent article about design, but more specifically about user experience design. It explains the difference between art and design, sometimes not very clear since the lines are continually blurred by both artists and designers. But the central tenet behind this article suggests something that I’ve been ruminating on for quite a while. It explains that the discipline of user experience design at its core is objective, not subjective. So I’ll add to this idea by making some basic distinctions. Yes, graphic design must be very artful and aesthetic, and I would venture to say that it’s probably the most artistically free expression of design along with motion graphics, where the only goal is to communicate and suggest an emotional response. But once you venture into architecture, product design, industrial design, application design, and web design, the stakes get higher. The goal is no longer limited to communication, but to guiding the action of the user. User design adds an additional layer of complexity to the work of design, and of course it must have an aesthetic appeal for it to work effectively.
But getting back to the issue at hand, designing objectively is very hard if you don’t know what your aim is, who the users are, or what your context is. This is why psychology, cognition, learned experience, and environment are such important points to explore when designing for successful user experience. As explained in the article there may be different routes to going about the same task. But if you design with the simplest and most efficient goal in mind, you save the users a lot of confusion. That’s Occam’s Razor at it’s finest. And nowadays the success of a product depends on it’s ease of use, which means intuitiveness. If you placed the button right where the user would have looked for it initially you’re on the right track. In order to know this you must get in your user’s head. And getting in people’s mind is no easy task. User design utilizes relevant and logical steps to guide experience. Art and aesthetic appeal don’t have a strict need for efficiency and logic. Although user experience design and graphic design are related, their aims are different. But both must work in conjunction for an experience (be it web, software, product, environment) to be completely effective.
On Short Deadlines
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009“If the anxiety is about the deadline, then the energy really focuses on the result. If there is not anxiety about a deadline, all of the anxiety goes right to the creative part.” -Christoph Niemann
I just read a great Behance interview with Christoph Niemann. While being a phenomenal illustrator his tips on workflow are spot on. The above quote I extracted from the interview is such a true concept. What we need as creative professionals is to find a happy medium where there’s enough of an urgency to get things done but not so much as to stifle creativity. If I had all the time in the world to build a site I wouldn’t know where to start and then I would get finicky about every single detail finally bursting into an OCD tantrum. I find that to build a simple website working in two-week to one-month sprints works best. Having more time than this makes me want to find distractions and I end up getting less done with my time. To be productive I need to be engaged in flow, not anxious. And having too little, as well as too much time, can be detrimental.
Business Card design featured in CardObserver.com
Monday, September 21st, 2009So this week just started off on a nice note. The first message in my inbox was a notification that Maquina Studio’s business card design is featured in CardObserver.com. Not too shabby for a clean and simple design that came about in 2 hours or so of sketching. If you’re not familiar with the design you can check it out here. CardObserver.com showcases the best designs in business cards from all over the world. A handy reference to have for a jolt of business card design inspiration.
The Fine Art of Wireframing
Monday, August 17th, 2009
Wireframing is the first step in the web design process. It is also the least known and talked about. Along with a sitemap, wireframes lay the groundwork for building a solid website. So, to give wireframes some much needed respect, in this post I’ll share my own process for designing wireframes and illustrate some examples. I’ll also talk a bit about the current trends and wireframing best practices. And finally I’ll mention some of the tools I use to produce rockin’ wireframes. (more…)
New Identity for Selene Suites
Monday, August 10th, 2009
I was recently contacted by a client who is heading the development of a boutique hotel in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. She needed an identity that was simple, elegant and carried an air of urban chic. The name of the hotel, Selene, originally means moon in Greek. I didn’t want to go with the Greek theme, although it may have been interesting also. The double S in the name of the hotel immediately gave me an opportunity to play with typography. The purple color came from the client’s choosing, since in feng-shui it translates to spiritual awareness and royalty. The final result made the client very happy and I was quite satisfied too.
Fanning the Creative Flame
Sunday, July 19th, 2009
As a web designer who runs his own design studio I find it very easy to get caught up in the flurry of day-to-day work and the business dealings of design. Anything from client meetings, project deadlines, answering emails, and managing project tasks can be a sure fire way to derail any bout of inspiration and sap all creative attention. Not that these activities aren’t important. They are vital to the proper functioning of any design business. But what I’m considering in this post is the critical importance of another often overlooked aspect of the design professional’s life. A principle that fails to get credit but one that is so powerful that it can make or break a design project, or any creative project for that matter. It’s the difference between attacking a new project with creative fury and facing the same project with trepidation and no ideas in sight. I’m referring to the cultivation and nurturing of my own creative muse. (more…)
Milton Glaser’s 10 Rules for Design and Life
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009Continuing on the topic of Milton Glaser, I thought it proper to write about the ten rules he lives by as a design professional. These rules encompass his attitude towards work and life, which he picked up during the course of his prolific career as a masterful graphic designer. They can be found in his book Short Talks. As I perused the list I thought of how important these ten rules are. If applied they can have a positive impact on any design career, so here they are. (more…)
I Heart Milton Glaser
Saturday, May 16th, 2009
I was fortunate enough to be invited to the screening of Milton Glaser’s biographical documentary. The film was profoundly fascinating covering the life and work of this American graphic design icon. I knew very little about Milton Glaser to start, but after leaving Village Cinema I felt a profound admiration for the man. His work is ubiquitous and can be found, among other examples, in covers for the New York magazine, and in the famous I Love NY logo. Besides being a genius in the art of design, he possesses a tremendous humanity that permeates all his work, and which can be seen in his involvement with movements for social justice, such as Save Darfur. If you’re into graphic design this movie is sure to be an inspiration and offers great insight into the life and mind of a true design master. The documentary is titled Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight and is distributed by Art House Films. Be sure to check it out.
Being a Green Web Designer
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009As a big fan of eco design and green architecture, I thought it proper to come up with some ways in which web designers can help better mother nature’s state of affairs. This is a bit difficult because the very nature of web design is completely digital and paper free. I mean when was the last time any web designer analyzed his workflow’s carbon footprint? There’s very little that comes to mind in terms of developing greener habits in this profession. As a web designer I can’t really waste less ink, or make less photocopies, or print less emails. I hardly ever use these archaic devices! (What is a fax?! ) Even my handwriting skills have been deteriorating consistently since my keyboard took over. So very little paper comes across my desk in work related activities, except for sketching of course.
But is web design really earth friendly? Maybe if we dig a little deeper we can find some places where we can improve our ecological quotient as web designers and developers. Here are six ideas to start your mind on a greener path.
1. Turn off the computer when the day’s work is done
This is a quick and simple way to conserve energy that anyone can apply, but most people don’t really do it thinking that the energy savings is miniscule. Well, if you consider all the days the computer is on, even in sleep mode you start to get a snowball effect in kilowatt usage. And multiply this effect by thousands of computers on the grid and you accumulate a hefty number. It’s really easy to flick the switch folks.
2. Go Paperless
This one goes without saying. If you haven’t done so already, instead of printing and mailing information use PDF and other digital formats for all business related documents. Not only are you saving trees but it’s also a huge convenience. Emailing documents like proposals and invoices saves time, money, and mother earth. And there are a few handy invoicing services online, and more are sure to come. I recommend Freshbooks or Blinksale for invoicing and billing.
3. Recycle old technology
Since in this profession we’re all one part geek (or super geek, depending on your area of focus) we have an addiction to gadgets and the latest technology. I know most people simply throw away their old mobile phones or old computer equipment. If you do this you need to stop and take it to a recycling facility. Every major computer and electronics manufacturer has a recycling program. For example, Samsung recently came up with an eCycling solution to recycle used mobile devices. Just send the old mobile phones their way and they’ll take care of the rest. They even pay for shipping. You can learn more by visiting the manufacturer’s website or calling their customer service department.
4. Ride a bike to work or use mass transit
If you’re lucky enough to live in a city with a solid public transportation system like New York, take the metro or bus, don’t drive. If you’re even luckier and you live in a city with a warm microclimate, bike to work. And if you really hit the jackpot you won’t even need to commute that far to get to work. Just work from your home office and make the earth proud.
5. Get rid of CRT monitors
Cathode ray tube monitors consume three to five times as much energy as their LCD counterparts, and worse off, they’re detrimental for your eyes. So if you’re one of the few people who still own this puppy, get rid of it by recycling. Isn’t it about time to upgrade?
And as a final note, if you want to score big with the environment, bring a plant to work. Besides advancing green life on earth plants are good for your health. And studies have shown that they have a positive effect on mood and shield you from electromagnetic radiation transmitted in the environment. So besides being pretty things and oxygenating your workspace, they also save your life. And practicing some feng shui couldn’t hurt either. What’s your green strategy?
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