Big Shot Companies and their Meaningless logos

We see this many times; the meaningless design logos of big shot companies. The problem with these meaningless logos is that it brings no attraction to the company. What aspect about this logo makes a consumer go with this company than the other? More importantly, what makes this company different from the other? So basically the next company with the meaningless logo just falls in line with the rest. Now don't get me wrong logos are not what makes a company, but it is supposed to be a symbol of all they believe in and it's an essential marketing technique.
Companies of the Logos( in the picture):
1. Bell, 1969
2. AT&T, 1984
3. United Airlines, 1973
4. Avery International, 1990
5. Continental Airlines, 1968
6. United Way, 1972

Article Link:http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

Innovation to Blame For Dow Jones Plummit?

In a recent post by Bruce Nussbaum, he proclaims that innovation is the one to blame for the recent over 500 point drop in the Dow Jones. Apparantly hundreds of products that solved complex mathematical models for finances were sold without being tested first. By means of creating a innovative way to improve the economy, there lied a flaw in the innovation. This flaw in innovation could be a major reason of the steep point drop in the stock market.

Article Link: http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/nussbaumondesign/

Internet Lists, an Obsession

Everyone loves lists. It's a genius way to present information in an organized and appealing fashion. Lists on the internet range from the popular top 10's to movie listings. A popular type of list is a music playlist. You can find these on your favorite radio station website or other music websites. Furthermore you can create your own playlists with media applications (itunes etc.)The list on the net has endless possibilities. There's even lists of lists!
Here are some examples
Top 10 Ways to Save Money on Food
Top 10 Ultimate Rivalries
Twenty Fantastically Named People
List Universe
Phobia List

article link: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

Classnotes

The Grid - organizing tool

Sketch Site Map

cross hair
view high guides
style shade 10 %
items step and repeat
click and drag

Hands Free Underwater Camera

Imagine swimming, whether you are at the beach, your friends pool, or on a tropical island. There's always that one instance when you wish you had a camera to capture a moment but couldn't. Recently, Hammacher Schlemmer released the world's first digital camera swim mask. This great device give you the freedom to take those awesome/goofball underwater shots you always wanted to. As a scuba diver I find this device to be quite handy. Lugging a camera around underwater can be quite annoying; dropping it, trying to swim, making sure the lens cover is off which i tend to forget to do etc. The camera is 5 mega pixels and can also record video! It requires AAA bateries and includes a 15 megabyte memory stick (which you can upgrade for more space), and software for both pc and mac. Normally decent underwater digital cameras cost a couple of hundred bucks. The digital camera swim mask costs a jaw dropping $99. High quality and affordable the underwater camera enthusiast's dream. It is a revolutionary invention which allows one to savor those precious underwater memories.
Video:
Article Link:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/technology/personaltech/11mask.html?ref=personaltech

Class Notes

First draft of Brochure is due thursday

Blog Presentations:
innovation:
1. the use of imagination in engagement : imaginative approach
2. pragmatic application
Data Mining- looking for unexpected trends and truths in large amounts of data.
Typography
Times New Roman- two thousand years old, made with a chisel
used in newspapers because they are small letters.
most fonts come in light medium and bold.
Gill Sans- used in London subway
Have to use Sans Serif type font for Brochure.
pref sans seriff- cover title and subtitle
Futura- 19th century used by Volkswagen
Serif Fonts text
Century schoolbook- easy to read

eps is the best file format for color printer
Quark Notes:
file new project> 8.5 by 11> hold mouse down keep dragging to 5 1/2

Class Notes

Class Notes:
-Have photos scanned. ( 7-9 photos)
-text should be edited in final condition
-write a title/ subhead (one to three words) for the brochure cover
-include an image of architect
Sharing Blogs
- we discussed the idea of hypocrisy in the consumer world.
- the shift in women's place in society.
-nanoart: picture size measured by microns( a millionth) nano(billionth) - this reminded me of an artist I read about who drew detailed pictures on individual grains of rice.
PSD DPI- Dots Per Inch
"Pladin"- scanner glass surface
morei effect- wavy floaty appearance when printing an already printed picture.
"God is in the details"
Scanner Notes: scan picture into photoshop make box around picture so you're make sure the resolution is set at 300, which it usually is by default.
Click image, rotate canvas, use arrow tool hold mouse click on image, rotate canvas, arbitrary croppingtool make certain that the width and the height are symmetric to get rid of morei lines: filter blur, blur
save it: file save as

Aldo Rossi: Visionary Architect

On May 3rd 1931 in Milan Italy, a man by the name of Aldo Rossi was born. Aldo Rossi grew up to become a great architect. He is well known for his creative mind and his extraordinary vision. He is internationally respected as both a theorist and architect. Rossi earned his degree at Polytechnic University in Milan in 1959. In 1961 he became editor of Italian magazine “Casabella-Continuita” and held that position until 1964. In 1965 Rossi was an assistant to architect Ludovico Quaroni. He also became a professor in the School of Architecture in Milan in 1965 and the University in Venice in 1975. In 1966 Rossi published his first book called The Architecture of the City. In this book he criticized formal architecture applied to cities. Rossi believed that one must consider the culture and history of a city in order to understand it correctly. He also belived that monuments give the city it’s structural form.

Rossi’s greatest works have been said to be throughout the eighties. Three great works constructed during this time were the Carlo Felice Theater, the Centro Torri Shopping Center, and the Hotel Il Pilazzo. The Carlo Felice Theater in Genoa, Italy was constructed in 1983. It is a reconstructed theater that was originally built in 1828. Rossi restored several parts of the original structure to incorporate them into the new structure. In this piece one can see how Rossi interweaves old and modern design. The inside of the theater is as breathtaking as the outside. The side balconies are beautifully finished, held by spectacular granite walls. The main foyer in the theater is another grand feature. A Lantern hangs from the ceiling. The Centro Torri Shopping Center in Parma, Italy, was constructed in 1985. It is one of the largest shopping centers in northern Italy. When looking at this structure one would never look at it as if it were an ordinary shopping center. This design is most unique. On the roof there stand six rectangular shaped towers with a triangular glass skylight located in the center. Each tower is made of brick with marble tiles surrounding the upper portion of them, reading “Centro Torri”. The Hotel Il Palazzo in Fukuoka, Japan, was constructed in 1987. The Hotel Il Palazzo stands seven stories tall and rests on a stone base with steps leading up to the entrance. The face of the building is windowless. Rows of travertine columns are built within the face all the way to the top and sit on aged copper beams. It is truly a breathtaking sight.


In 1990 Rossi was awarded the Pritzker Prize. It is an award that is very prestigious and honorable in the architect world. He was given this award in recognition of his unique style to capture the history of a city in a single piece while incorporating his revolutionary design. In 1997 Aldo Rossi died in a fatal car accident. A theorist, an artist, an architect, Aldo Rossi is a visionary. His bold passion for architecture reflects in every single structure he has created. The Carlo Felice Theater, the Centro Torri Shopping Center, and the Hotel Il Pilazzo are prime examples of how Rossi was able to give structures a modern age design without taking away the integrity from the traditional elegance. He has designed many masterpieces and his works stand majestically all over the world.

A qoute to begin with

Whatever you can do or dream you can be, begin it; boldness has genius, power, and magic in it". -Goethe