So, I’ve forgotten about this band for a while… 2 or 3 years to be exact. My ex (music partner in crime) had them on in her car when we were going out for a drink/dinner, and I felt a bit of a nostalgia coming on. Upon returning home I started to do some catching up and listened to their previous album “You Could Have It So Much Better.” Between the three albums, wow, obvious push for difference.

First one was quite a decent “post punk” indie attempt. After all, that’s what got them so popular to start with. The second one, “You Could Have It So Much Better,” was more complex and full. The sound, overall, implemented all of the little details from the last album and brought them to their fullest potential without killing the compositions. The album still felt like post-punk indie, but none-the-less still catchy and the songs were more involved and concerned with slightly less depressive content.

The current, and long awaited, album “Tonight, is a whole different story. The roll of the bass is pushed way upfront. Very nice bass lines, completely happy with the decision to let it almost overpower/stay on the same volume as guitars. Guitars are not used as the specifically main instruments. This album is very much about awesome and clever synth arrangements, involved drum lines, and of course as stated before, prominent and strong bass. The vocals are, as always, clean and very well placed. I can’t recommend any one song other than the single “Ulysses” to emphasize this, all of the compositions employ this. The sound is a lot more modern, mature, retains a 60’s funk feel (the trend lately, as it seems), and their best produced yet.

Go grab it when it’s released on January 26th, worth every penny. Don’t just settle with the leaked copy… seriously, it’s an excellent buy. I’m off, one of the cars outside my apartment is screaming for retribution with its last dying honk… feel bad for the owner, the law enforcement is out there getting it toed (it’s 2:30 at night here).

If it’s not organic, it’s shit.

It’s getting really ridiculous. I mean, look at this crap (image above).

Seriously, organic alcohol. I love the bottle: clean, slick, clever title, the design of the bottle plays off the name, trendy. So, I guess if you love the rainforest to a point of becoming ridden by pathetic diatribes about society and you also happen to be a hardcore party goer, this is the alcohol that is perfect for you and your granola friends.

I am generally not this brash and full of contempt, very few things really get to me. I usually tend to stay objective and view all sides of the situation… In this case, I cannot contain myself. Ever since Earth-saving cars by Toyota hit the market, things have gotten a little bit out of control. We have green cleaning supplies… because apparently they are better in some twisted way. Next time you take a stroll through your favorite grocery store, go down the cleaning isle. Target is a good example of such consumer driven mania. If you compare most products that claim to be green by displaying obvious and obnoxious earth-tone color palates and over use of THE color green, on top of adding happy animals prancing around the box because this specific damn product saved their basic functioning lives… with the generic products that have been around, you will notice something interesting. Read the contents, read the stuff that the products are made of, and if you don’t understand certain technical terms… look them up! Why? Because you’ll realize that the products are not merely identical, but in some cases are even worse (wether it may be the performance factor, or the very claim of the happy tree-hugging packaging). What does this little fun fact tell us? It tells us this: that this GO-GREEN fad is the worst fad since the 80’s.

Just now, I was setting up a new answering machine for the business that I work for. On the seemingly normal packaging of the VTech “phone of the future” (cheesy and outrageous claims also tickle my funny-bone), there’s a little taunting icon of a green phone with a little green leaf stemming from the antenna with the words “RoHS” (also in green). Apparently they claim to “support the initiatives… by reducing the content of Lead, Mercury…” You know why they “support”? Because they HAVE TO, by law, by the constant demands of quality control. What initiatives and what support? That’s a blatant way of exploiting the “green fad” by placing a lame green icon that usually involves a damn leaf in some way; then stating something that sort-of-kind-of close to the green “movement”; then adding a really ambiguous line of bullshit seemingly explaining it; and finally loosen their ties, unbutton their designer shirts, puff on a big fat Cuban, and call it a day.

Some of you might think that I’m taking this a little too far, I’m not really… I’m just fed up with the constant and obvious display of exploitation on the generally dumb consumer market. It’s not the fact that the consumers have become easy to impress in the past few years, it’s the fact that fads of this caliber and pie-in-the-sky problems have driven them so. Thus, they celebrate their victory over the general herd of the population, pack their products in Walmarts, and continuously reap the benefits. Sure, some of you might sit there and get offended. Go ahead, and give me some insight to this worldly paradox of a fad.

Please, the last thing that you should do is sit back and begin aimlessly pointing at me and telling me that I’m questioning or looking into it too much. I do believe that when one stops asking questions and examining the evidence thoroughly, that person becomes the worst enemy to man kind. You don’t even have to necessarily till over the information, just simply ask, because someone somewhere will be asking and examining the same issue and will hear your concerns.

That is all.

So, I’ve been sort of really really busy lately. Finals are next week, though all of my design courses decided to make everything due this week. I’ve been working night and day, drinking coffee like water, I don’t think it helps much anymore actually… So, to keep this place updated as much as I can during this time, I decided to post up my GD History work. Now that I’m practically done with the class, here are all of the designs that I had to do for this class. I know there are only three, but the rest of my classes are all traditional, with the exception of visual communications… Of which I only enjoyed one project, I’ll post that later.

This way, I can further stretch the content! YAY! And I’m going back to my work hole…

For the featured image:

“So, this is a magaz?ine sprea?d for GD Histo?ry.? The objec?tive was to desig?n a full two page sprea?d relat?ing to a speci?fic desig?ner in histo?ry,? I chose? Alexe?i Brodo?vitch?.? Inste?ad of putti?ng him in the actua?l desig?n,? I decid?ed to attem?pt his style? with a littl?e moder?n twist? (?same idea as his, but using? selec?tive color? and a coupl?e diffe?rent panto?ne color?s that weren?’?t used back then.?.?.? as far as I know)?.? Anyho?w,? it’s minim?alism?,? less is more,? the photo? is actua?lly docto?red quite? a bit. Shoul?d’?ve made the main type small?er,? oh well,? it’s alrea?dy mount?ed,? I’m DONE.?”

I realize that the time-span between my posts is growing wider and wider with every week… I’m sorry, to all (if any at all) that do read. I’ve kind of stretched myself thin, very thin. It’s gotten to the point where I’m sketching thumbnails for some of my favorite concepts yet (political illustration subjects), but to find no time to complete them all. Kind of like an inverse relationship of numeric values; “free” time shortens, solid concepts grow dramatically.

The work I’m posting here is a project from GD 135, History of Graphic Design course. We were given the criteria to chose from three historical movements of visual communication, and I chose the Illuminated Manuscripts time period. Thus my design reflects the ornate construction of the pages of illuminated books by describing the relationship between those illustrations and current trend in web design. The emphasis of the “current trend” is focused on one strong visual or several lesser images making up and/or complementing the layout of typographic elements that constitute web page layout, and successful design of modern information. Such “modern” tools of information transactions are ironically deeply rooted to blogs. Blogs, unlike specific illuminated manuscripts, are often personal newspapers (much like a Ziegette) of (often) very opinionated individuals. Such as myself, I do not take pride in this movement mainly due to the fact that I do not expect anyone to read my random babble, and much less hold it in high regard.

Anyways, the work was mounted on black core mat board of 1″ margin and covered. Also, the image had to be a cover page of the venerable Print Magazine, using the same logo (hunt down the type or trace… I wont give out my secret, hah!). There, I gave you a skewed view of the work in the image above. If you’d like to see the full image in itself, please let me know, and all of the comments and critiques are much appreciated. Odds of me receiving any on this forgotten realm of the “world-wide-web” are very slim, anything is appreciated. Of course, I do not appreciate random spam consisting of penis enlargers or links to your own selfish works, or lewd acts.

Thank you in advance, for your time and consideration.

Well… It has been a while since my last post!  I’ve been trying to adjust to the new semester at the uni.  Usual method of adjustment would have worked fine, but then some aspects of my life which I have no control over had to steam roll over my “straight ahead” approach to the beginning of the semester.  Now, some free time, and some new shots…. Read on!

The first image (header of the post, above), was taken on the streets as I was passing by looking for interesting citizens of San Francisco doing ordinary jobs/duties/things. I highlighted the shoe because in the original shot I thought that it was interesting, and by far the brightest portion of the boy’s outfit. So, to emphasize the bright colors and to cast a feeling of “memory” that the boy may be recording subconsciously as he looks at his red shoe, trying to tie it so he can get back on his scooter and play by the bay (It’s not a crime to rime…), I decided to desaturate the photo and bring out in color only the red shoe.

The second image, “Got Soul,” was another fleeting moment during which I was so happy to have captured such an expressive pose by this young street performer. It was actually kind of sureal. When we passed by again, in place of the little boy say a grown man wearing exactly the same outfit, playing the same instrument. I’m sure this is some sort of coincidence or just “father son” activity.

The third image is one of my favorite landscapes/nature shots that I have ever taken. The composition is simple but bold and strong, exactly how it was intended. I could not have asked for better contrast. Overall, this is one of my most favorite shots that I have taken thus far.

Lastly, the only color shot that I kept from the trip. I was in a car, so I had to act fast. I particularly like this shot due to the colors which reflect a monochromatic theme that I have been on lately. I also enjoy the sign, the title of the shot, which serves as a reminder that some things you may only see in San Francisco, and no where else.

I hope that you enjoyed these shots, and if you have any comments I’d love to hear from you!

Unfortunately I have succumbed to the ever looming and dreary “creative block” (art block, crap shoot, etc.). Usually, when this situation happens, I kick back in frustration and drink a beer, clean the apartment, watch some TV, sleep… or, if deadline is an inconvenient issue, I run around like a chicken with my head cut off and FORCE the creative out. Much like if you used laxatives during a constipated position… though much more painful. I know, graphic! So, in this case, I thought it would be best to design it out. So, here is my visual interpretation of the idea of “creative block.” Hope you enjoy.

I was browsing the latest edition of desktopography.net, and was simply blown away by the featured artists. All of the released were just fantastic, as usual, but one in particular got my interest a little further. The work was “Pieces of Life” by Jaxe, which caught my attention mainly by how clever and elegant he uses 3D rendering and further additions. Now, I don’t have 3D rendering software, so this makes me a little sad, but I do have Illustrator…

So, basically I decided to attempt at mimicking that effect through Illustrator and further develop it in Photoshop. Instead of being completely precise with the shapes I went for a more “illustrative” feel for the overall composition. The cropping of the largest puzzle piece was intentional. Anyways, if you like my “version,” you can download it from the resources section. Or to make things easier: Pixel Logic, I hope you enjoy.

Yesterday, I was fulfilling my regular rounds through various design sites that I cannot oust out of my daily readings and came across a really interesting interview. I spotted the interview on Core77 first, which took me right to Coroflot where the interview was originally posted. The interview was with Jason Bacon, co-founder of Big-Giant and UNKL. Jason Bacon interviews potential designers very frequently, and gave his input as follows:


1. What do you look for when hiring a designer?
Balance and diversity. Obviously the work has to be great, but so often we meet designers who are very one-dimensional, and don't have the ability to talk about their work or sell themselves. In the end, being a designer is about selling your ideas, whether you are selling your ideas to clients, your peers internally, or to a creative director.

If I had to pick between someone who is an unbelievable designer but can't interact with people or talk about their work, and a designer who is good, but incredible with people and can sell, I'd pick the latter. In the end the work needs to be absolutely solid; however in a studio our size we need a highly versatile staff, and because we spend so much time together, chemistry is very high on the list.

2. Is there a particular "tell" that signals a good or bad fit?
I think the biggest tell for a bad fit is when a designer piles on a ton of excuses while running us through their work, or frames up a project with a comment about how bad or difficult the client was, or how stupid the project itself was. It happens a lot more than it should. I think you can identify challenges within a project, but good designers know how to turn negatives into positives. Sometimes limitations can be a blessing, and showing you have the ability to turn a less than ideal situation into a success is very valuable. We often see people showing work that they don't believe in, only because it was produced. I'm impressed with people who show that work and then follow it up with what their ideas are.

As for a good fit, I love it when people show us personal work. I enjoy seeing who they are as a designer beyond work, and how passionate they are about a creative endeavor that is simply a labor of love. It shows me that they are more than a nine to five designer. We always say that if you are truly a designer it's who you are, not what you do.

Our studio encourages all of our designers to take time at work to create for themselves. It keeps everyone fresh and ultimately it shows up in the work. Some of the coolest work I've seen has been personal. They had a great idea and created something completely amazing because they had to get it out of their head, and it takes a different level of dedication to follow through on a personal project.

3. What is your best interview "horror story"?
I don't know that there is one that stands out, but there have been a few interesting characters roll though. One of my favorites was the person who never opened their eyes except when they looked away; little tough to connect with them. There have been a few interviews where the designer trash-talked every teacher, client and former employer: those make for short interviews. I think the hardest interviews are when the person looks like they are about to collapse from nerves. They're sweating, shaking and have their hopes and dreams pinned on becoming a designer. That is hard to watch because I'm pulling for everyone.

4. Do you have any specific advice for recent graduates, or people just starting straight out from school?
Keep creating. Expand on your good ideas and improve on the work that isn't up to par. Never stop improving your work and then share it with everyone you can. Get their thoughts on your work. Gauge their reactions. Sharing helps refine the work, but it's also important because word of mouth is very powerful.

The other thing is that getting a foot in the door of someplace you'd like to be is ridiculously valuable. If you have to take the crappiest job they have to offer, it's worth it; everyone that I know who is successful started at the bottom. There's nothing better than paying your dues to get the respect of others, as well as fully understanding the entire food chain in the creative world. It's important however to make your intentions known so that you don't get pigeonholed. Then follow that up with some very hard work. You'll learn a ton and probably meet the people that unlock the next door for you.

5. What is the single, most valuable piece of advice you could give to those on the hunt?
Be prepared. Know what you want to say about your work beyond the basic project description. When someone is interviewing they should think of it as a client presentation. If they struggle showing their work to us, then they will probably struggle when presenting to one of our clients or to our internal team. If you feel great about what you have to offer because it is as good as it can possibly be, you have thought through every detail and are ready to talk about any aspect of your work, you can't go wrong. That confidence will come through and make it much viable to hire you.

6. Regarding creative employment, what do you know now that you wished you knew then?
People want you to do well and they want to hire great people. Every interview I've helped conduct for my own business, or in other positions I've held, we always walk into it hoping to be blown away. It makes your day when you are and disappoints you when aren't. When you impress someone you might not open the door at that very moment, but down the road a new opportunity may present itself. In addition, it's often such a small, interconnected community that you may have opened a door somewhere else.

- - - - -

Jason is co-founder with Derek Welch of urban vinyl supergroup UNKL, as well as the design consultancy Big-Giant. From their base in Portland, Oregon, UNKL has created some of the most celebrated characters in the urban vinyl genre, including UniPo, HazMaPo, and Sug, while Big-Giant has created print, identity and packaging for clients ranging from Lego and Sega to Starbucks and the U.S. Olympics.

Originally posted by Carl Alviani.
TrackBack:
http://www.core77.com/blogsquad/mt320/mt-tb.cgi/91

Personally, I believe that this interview and obviously an insight in the design industry is also very helpful and could be applied to almost any other industry. I hope that it was as interesting and educational as it was for myself. And if it hasn’t, you must already have some sort of experience dealing in such matters, so please feel free to share them with the rest of us.

Unfortunately, I had the day off. Internet wasn’t complying, Olympics coverage was off air; So, I jumped in my car and took off to Borders with a friend of mine. While reading Metal Hammer magazine, I ran across the “best metal album of the year.” Reading that it was indeed “The Formation of Damnation,” the new Testament album, I had to go find it and purchase or else my world would be shattered.

God, am I so happy I bought it, the album just plowed and surpassed all of my high hopes. Words cannot describe how intense the feeling of salvation and hope for the future washed over me as the blazing thrash riffs and tight structure of the NEW compositions pounded away. The album definitely showcases Testament as Testament. No lame renditions of old songs, no strive to “fit in” the new metal scene, just pure bay area thrash. The influences of the new metal sounds are there, but not as intense. Especially, considering that Testament sounded on the verge of the new styles back in the day before they stopped writing. The vocals, fantastic, just like the old days and with a touch of new innovation! Guitars, do not get me started on how I missed original and clever thrashy riffs and blazing solos. Drums, tight, and perfectly structured. Bass, as good as it ever was. If you haven’t bought this album yet, and you claim to be a metal fan through and through: put down that bong, finish that beer later, get off the couch, and buy it as soon as you can!