keoshi.com blog

Gaussian noise: what it is good for?

Filipe Varela — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:01:15 GMT

The biggest dilemma web designers face since the beginning of times is how to convey the message to its audience using this relatively new digital-only medium.

Visually speaking, while some designers take that difference and push it forward, many of today's web design is based on a real-world emulation with use of simulated light sources, shades, textures, reflections, refractions, embossing, etc.
But don't take my word for it, go check it for yourself.

Gaussian noise is a type of static noise generated through a Gaussian distribution — if you're into Math read on. Due to its random yet predictive properties it produces a visually neutral pattern that emulates the real world, in which there's no absolute solid colors but a mix of tones, textures and shades.

Many criticize the overuse of Gaussian noise, but in my opinion it's one of the very few trends that actually serve a purpose. Three of them, to be more precise:

Allows the user to more effectively focus on content, due to its masking effect. Think white noise
Content has more readability and impact when in contrast with a grainy background rather than a solid color, ergo causing less eye strain
Helps drastically reducing banding in gradients
*BONUS* A purely aesthetic factor: brings a layer of realism and user empathy

Sure, as many other web trends Gaussian noise may be overused, but if it works don't fix it.
Right, Helvetica? ;)

Demanding customers, mischievous community

Filipe Varela — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 03:33:08 GMT

After running wild for only 4 days, the infamous redesigned GAP logo pulled a Tropicana and was supplanted by the original one (official press release at Gap Inc.).
The new logo could have stood on its own if this was a new brand (we're seeing all kinds of generic logos these days, so why not?), but not when you have a such distinguishable worldwide brand like GAP.

The revolution started — as expected — on Twitter and Facebook.
Ironically, GAP tried to run a crowd-sourcing rebrand on the latter after the inital commotion.

The problem with such technologies is its novelty factor, they enable direct feedback with companies — something we're not used to, not in this fashion for sure — and people will use them. Sometimes well, but mostly very poorly, as pointed by Fred Yates.

A few will use them legitimately to reflect on the problem and engage in discussions while respectfully trying to come up with a better solution, but, honestly, most will make use of these technologies simply because they can.
I can't think of a better example to employ the following saying:

“With great power comes great responsibility.”

Three lessons I take from this:
1) people are very passionate about brands;
2) people will use social networks, most of the times unduly;
3) companies will now, more than ever, hear its customer base.

Saving all images in Photoshop

Filipe Varela — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:02:41 GMT

If I have one complaint about Photoshop it's the lack of a Save All option. It seems it's logical that Adobe would implement it, given the large photo consumer base.
Picture yourself coming from a photo shoot and there you have 16GB of files to edit. Would you also want to save one by one? We've all been there and I think not.

Photoshop makes up for that by supporting event-based scripts in several languages: Javascript, VBScript and AppleScript. These scripts will automatically instruct Photoshop what to do, you just have to press the button.

I've searched around and found this interesting topic on kirupa.com.
This snippet was originally written by mlk (mlkdesign -at -online.fr) with a few tweaks by yours truly. Here's the code for the Save All script, both in Windows and Mac flavors respectively.

Windows

var tempFolder = new Folder ("C:/Your_Temporary_Folder")
tempFolder.create();
var DL = documents.length;
for(a=1;a<=DL;a++){
   activeDocument = documents[a-1];
   var AD=activeDocument;
   var imgName= AD.name;
   imgName = imgName.substr(0, imgName.length -4);
   AD.flatten();
   saveFile = new File("C:/Your_Temporary_Folder/"+imgName+".jpg");
   saveOptions = new JPEGSaveOptions();
   saveOptions.embedColorProfile = true;
   saveOptions.formatOptions = FormatOptions.STANDARDBASELINE;
   saveOptions.matte = MatteType.NONE;
   saveOptions.quality = 12;
   AD.saveAs(saveFile, saveOptions, true,Extension.LOWERCASE);
}

Mac OS

var tempFolder = new Folder ("/YOUR_VOLUME_NAME/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/Documents/temp")
tempFolder.create();
var DL = documents.length;
for(a=1;a<=DL;a++){
   activeDocument = documents[a-1];
   var AD=activeDocument;
   var imgName= AD.name;
   imgName = imgName.substr(0, imgName.length -4);
   AD.flatten();
   saveFile = new File("/YOUR_VOLUME_NAME/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/Documents/temp"+imgName+".jpg");
   saveOptions = new JPEGSaveOptions();
   saveOptions.embedColorProfile = true;
   saveOptions.formatOptions = FormatOptions.STANDARDBASELINE;
   saveOptions.matte = MatteType.NONE;
   saveOptions.quality = 12;
   AD.saveAs(saveFile, saveOptions, true,Extension.LOWERCASE);
}

Copy and paste the code above to your favorite text editor, edit the highlighted bits according to your system and preferences (both the path and JPEG quality) and save the file with a .js extension. To use it open the saved file on Photoshop through the menu File > Scripts.
This example saves JPEG files but you can change that as well to better suit your needs — perhaps PNG is your thing — but of course some of the parameters have to be re-written.

I use this script all the time and once you use it too you won't understand how you managed without it in the first place.

Banksy's Exit Through the Gift Shop

Filipe Varela — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 10:53:36 GMT

When I decided to watch Exit Through the Gift Shop I thought I was going to watch a documentary about Banksy, but I soon realized that was not the case. Instead it's a subliminal piece created by the master himself.

As Banksy puts it:

“The film is the story of what happened when this guy tried to make a documentary about me.”

The story revolves around a french guy named Thierry Guetta and his obsession about filming life. From normal things like the birth of his kids to the weirdest you can imagine—like his friends in the bathroom for no good reason—he shoots just about anything really (or rather: all of it).
In fact, more than a body extension, he uses the camera as a way to cope with his reality and past.

It just so happens that Thierry's cousin is Space Invader (the world known mosaic street artist) and in '99 he put his obsession to work: he followed Invader everywhere and soon enough, working his way up, he was filming every major player in the street art world.

Every attention was on Banksy when he made the big headlines all over the globe by painting on the West Bank Wall, and Thierry's obsession was now to meet the most secretive and famous of all street artists. And so he did. And became close friends/partners in crime.

Although it's not the main focus of this docu, for the first time ever we get to see Banksy's backstage: his working grounds, his unorthodox approach to every single piece he has created, even some of his work process (namely the “Dead Phonebox”). It's as fascinating as you might imagine and more.

Street artists spend years perfecting their art, creating innovative way of expressing themselves and exploring original concepts and ideas.
Thierry did none of that. Challenged and provoked by Banksy he hit the streets with his own art creating his new identity “Mr. Brainwash”, but once again that wasn't enough for Thierry. He went from that to renting a studio and employing a team to help him bring his ideas to life.
His art is nowhere near his friends': it feels like a careless cliché excessive mix of pop-art and street influenced visuals, like anyone with no serious vision would do. And in doing so, he subverted everything that was accepted as a standard in the industry ultimately costing him his fellows' respect.

Despite online controversy as whether Mr. Brainwash is a fictional character, created by Bansky for the sole purpose of this film, and the recent hype on mockumentaries, I highly doubt that. Thierry is as genuine as it gets, I don't believe such a character could be created out of thin air (although I secretly wish I'm wrong so I can rejoice over Banksy's genius once more).

It all can be just a big joke on us, a mockery of the system and a metaphorical play on the duality of street art vs. fine arts and its relative value on the contemporary arts market—which judging by Thierry's supposed 1 million dollars earnings on his debut exhibition (Life is Beautiful) is quite significant.

In my opinion Thierry a genius—an accidental one but nonetheless—because in a world where there are no rules Thierry managed to break them all.

Mobile blogging with TXPMobile 0.4a

Filipe Varela — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:04:20 GMT

Direct download of v0.3b