luna

I love the idea of passing a book around to gather and generate ideas-it can be used as a scrap book or a stream of conscious journal that is passed along and supplemented. Jessica’s example was defintitely hands on proof of how powerful, meaningful, and sentimental they can be. This is an idea that has such tremendous potential. There’s is no telling what can happen from a collaborative effort of this sort…I found that Ze is thinking along the same lines… Ze Frank…

As a huge music lover, it is sad to me that tangible CDs are nearly obselete. There is no need or purpose for them anymore, but the art and the personal connection are sacrificed. I think that one way of addressing this and a remedy might be in the form of digital booklets. I hope that this becomes more of a trend and eventually an industry standard.
I have a few examples, and can’t wait to see more…

American Doll Posse digital-booklet-american-doll-posse.pdf

Lemonade digital-booklet-lemonade.pdf

Corinne Bailey Rae digital-booklet-corinne-bailey-rae.pdf

I came across this bottle today and thought it was very interesting and different. I didn’t buy it, but I’ve been thinking about it since, and may have to go back and grab a bottle for the collection. It’s a conversation piece if nothing else. It’s a cool cat shape with almost no noticable type.

I think that this BMW ad has a fresh angle and takes a different approach than we are used to. It relies on abstract concepts and images to sell cars which we never even see-we already know, trust, and respect their brand. We are drawn in and fascinated by the imagination and kinetic energy. There is a story and a deeper meaning. I guess it caters to the individual more interested in the design, performance, and technology rather than image or self-image enhanced through acquisition.

How cool do you have to be to have a car like this?! It’s a purple cow/ bumble bee- I don’t know what to say! I can’t imagine, but it did get my attention and make me smile.
It goes back to branding, marketing, and a sort of customization trend. I think that at the heart of it the consumer wants or needs whatever it is that they are purchasing, but they also want to further justify or validate it to others and have a more personal connection with it. It becomes a particular brand with an individual signature-which makes that emotional connection successful.

The good news is that I ran into one of the people that I wanted to do an interview with, and he agreed. I had no way of getting in touch with him before, so it was a great coincidence to see him. His name is Bob Pettitt and he lives here in Atlanta and has worked as a Creative Director in the past, but is now working for Turner in their cartoon department. I don’t know very much about what he does exactly, so I am excited to find out.
He made an interesting comment to me about designers and how when they get introduced to motion graphics, they are often drawn into it. I guess it adds yet another dimension and brings even more life into the design.
I think that he is a great contact for me to get to know better and to help start the networking process. Just from the conversations that we’ve had already, I know that he has been able to help other people.

When looking at and thinking about the layout and design of our web sites and blogs, I am interested more and more in the incorporation of more organic elements that can balance out the sense of a cold sterile space. I like the idea of actual art being captured and brought in. I think it can be yet another way to customize and personalize the sites. It provides the visual interest, but also has a deeper meaning.
Joseph Arthur is a musician that I have been interested in for awhile and I think that his site does a very cool job of using his extremely emotive work to create the layout and the feel he is going for.

So, the inspiration turned into a collage of leaves. I’ve wrapped them around blocks and created different patterns with the leaves. One side will be a solid green leaf with a message and the other side will be a colorful display of leaves. I applied Mod Podge to them to help adhere them and to give it more durability.

I am really interested in the site for the Encyclopedia of Life. I think that it is going to be a really remarkable resource. And it is something that will only grow and get better with the participation of the users.

The Portfolio Center education is very different from other institutions and I think that is what sets it apart. I’m pretty sure that I have experienced every possible human emotion, and seen the same with my classmates, in the short five months that we’ve been there. I guess that I’m realizing that this is the foundation for our work and that we can tap into all of this enery. The great philosopher Mason Poe once said that, “you’re not always going to be comfortable with what you’re doing, but you work through it”-or something like that, but you get the idea.
So anyway, I was having one of those frustrating (What the hell am I doing?) days and I got distracted by these leaves and they totally inspired me! I’m convinced that this school breeds ADD, but that’s another story. So, the leaves reminded me of the personality test that we took in Anne’s class which reiterated the fact that I have a strong connection with nature. I think that was a really cool thing to have us do and a beneficial exercise that gave us insight into who we are and why we act the way we do. The leaves stopped me, they were a personal purple cow and I think they have given me inspiration and a new direction for my Jacob’s ladder.