BP: Designer Profile 1+2

Profile Number 1

Mark O'Bryan

Employment:

O'Bryan spends his time as a designer of his own work as well as an assistant designer to his wife who currently has her own interior design firm. While not working on his or his wife's design, O'Bryan makes use of his free time teaching students as a Professor here at the University of Kentucky.

Biography:

O'Bryan is a huge fan of sound systems and also has a love of photography. He attended and graduated from the University of Kentucky. He enjoys listening to jazz music and one of his best projects was working on the renovation of the St. Agnes church.

Current Position in Design:

O'Bryan is a Professor for the College of Design. He assists his students in learning more about design as well as teaching his students to ignore the pressure of others when it comes to their design. He preaches to his students that they should listen to their gut and design things the way they feel should be designed.

Speculation about where design will be heading:

O'Bryan enlightened us on the use of modern technology in the theater of design. He stated that technology is constantly changing but that does not always mean design will benefit from the change. He stated that designers need to utilize their senses of sight and hearing when approaching design and not fully rely on technology to do the work for them. Technology does have its benefits though as O'Bryan stated that he has and still does utilize different cameras to create renders of his projects.

Profile Number 2

Jennifer Tate

Employment:

Jennifer is currently an employee for LG Electronics. She is in charge of managing several projects simultaneously and she also does freelance design work.

Biography:

Tate graduated from the University of North Carolina with a major in architecture. One of her favorite social media applications is Instagram mainly due to its simplistic design. She also loves coffee and even has her own coffee mug that says "Big Ass Mug" on it. She attended graduate school and one of main takeaways of her attendance was the importance of understanding and supporting your gut feeling.

Current Position in Design:

As previously stated, Tate is currently an employee at LG Electronics. She is involved in the Maker Movement, the design of products, the integration of design as well as graphic design. She also is heavily involved in understanding the thought process of design which is basically the concept of this is what I made and explaining how I made it.

Speculation about where design will be heading:

Tate explained to us that design is not universal among designers. There is no formula for design, no right or wrong way. The only limits to design is the imagination of designers. Tate explained to us the importance of designers paying attention to society and designing objects based upon what society wants. The world we live in would not be the same without designers and it is important that designers take risks because if they don't they will never achieve any progress.

BP: Museum of You

Below you will find a list of ten artifacts that describe who I am and what I feel matter the most.

1. M1 Garand round casing: small, dirty, old and made of brass.
2. My GoPro: small, durable, advanced technology and easily customizable.
3. Crucifix hanging above my bedroom door: made with a mixture of metal and wood. Lightweight and easy to hang.
4. Adolph Rupp Makers Mark Bottle: Rare design, Kentucky Wildcats color scheme.
5. Picture frame with photo of my girlfriend and I: beach themed, made of wood as well as metal. Lightweight and can be placed anywhere.
6. Nikon DS3300 camera: advanced technology, customizable, can take photos anytime of day even at night. Small and lightweight. Constructed of plastic and glass.
7. Glock 21 pistol: made of metal and plastic, lightweight, durable and portable.
8. My hp envy laptop: sleek, smooth exterior design, customizable, enhanced Beats audio system, touch screen, lightweight and portable.
9. Bluetooth sound system: Bluetooth technology, small in size which allows system to be easily placed wherever I wish. Blue led lighting, made of wood and plastic.
10. Rupp arena canvas: made of canvas, wood frame, lightweight and durable.

Taking a step back and looking at this list makes me realize how I possess such an interesting variety of artifacts. They consist of the newest, advanced technology like a GoPro or a Nikon Camera but also sentimental artifacts like the picture frame with a photo of my girlfriend and I or my Crucifix. Basically the list can be broken into two categories, technology and sentiments.

The technology portion of my top ten artifacts helps me fulfill my passion of photography and amateur movie production. I use my GoPro and Nikon camera to capture video, then edit the video with my laptop while listening to music on Bluetooth sound system. These artifacts all connect and are used most often at the same time.

The sentiments are all artifacts that remind me of an special event in my life. The crucifix is a reminder of the day I was baptized and I placed it above my door so I see it every time I leave my house which reminds me how blessed I am in life. The M1 Garand round casing is from my Uncle’s funeral and the 21 gun salute that took place. It may seem like a plain old round casing but I look at it and it reminds me of him and how brave he was.

The life we live we don't get to get back, we only live it once. Society tells us that we need to strictly focus on being successful. While that is important it is also important to stop and pay attention to the little things in life too. A healthy life consists of doing things and experiencing things that you enjoy. Take a break from your busy life of being successful and just enjoy the little things life has to offer.

I take photos and make videos for fun. It is relaxing and allows me to escape the daily stress of life. We all need to escape once in a while and not forget to have fun and be happy. You only live one life, make it a good one!

These artifacts create a museum of me by telling others what my hobbies are as well as how I believe life should be lived. Take care of others and schedule time just for yourself. Life can be stressful but it can be an adventure as well. Don't forget the small things that make you who you are.

BP: Movie Review

            Over the span of a week I watched the movies Helvetica, Everything is Illuminated and Wall-E. I took the time to watch these movies to look for different aspects of design that were incorporated into these movies. After I successfully watched these three movies I noticed a common theme. Each one of these movies has its main subjects embarking on a journey to accomplish a goal while witnessing the evolution of the world around them. The purpose of this blog post is to breakdown each of the three movies and explain how the subjects evolved throughout their journey to accomplish their goal.  

            I will begin with Helvetica which is a documentary that explains the story of the now famous font of the same name. Throughout the movie you witness the journey and transformation the Helvetica font goes through. The font was originally designed in both Germany and Switzerland but now is known and used all over the world. The original design of the font had a slight flair to it with the hanging edges that had slight curves. The font was then changed by the designers cutting those edges off which made the font clean, simple and uniform. The font was initially unpopular, not anymore. Helvetica can be seen all around us. It has become one of the most well-known and most used typeface in the world. It all started with an idea and that idea took off. The next film I will discuss is Everything is Illuminated.

            Everything is Illuminated is about a man by the name of Johnathan who is a collector of random artifacts he comes across while on his various journey’s. He travels to Ukraine to learn of his families past. His objective is to locate a village in which the answer to what occurred in his families past is located. Upon arrival he discovers that the village is actually a woman who also is a collector. She discusses with Johnathan what happened when the Nazi’s came and wiped out the Jewish men who were living near her. She then gives him a photo for his collection that is believed to be a relative of Johnathan. Just like the theme for Helvetica, Johnathan evolved throughout movie and finally discovered the truth about his families past. Last but not least I will discuss Wall-E.

            Wall-E is about a small trash compactor robot who is assigned with the task to clean up all the garbage on Earth left behind by humans in an attempt to make Earth habitable once again by humans who are residing aboard a spacecraft far away. All his other companions have perished; Earth is a wasteland with garbage skyscrapers and frequent sandstorms. Eve drones are eventually sent to Earth with the task of searching for signs of life. Wall-E befriends one of the Eve drones and together they find a plant which indicates that Earth can once again sustain life. The humans begin to prepare their return to Earth to recolonize. Their journey was tough one but in the end the humans return to Earth and bring the planet back to life all thanks to Wall-E and Eve. Now to explain how design was incorporated into the movies.

            All three movies seemed to have the design concept of old mixed with new. This is evident in Everything is Illuminated by means of Johnathan wearing a suit, arriving in Ukraine by plane and then entering a world where older technology is used. He is used to living in a nice house and while in Ukraine lives in an old dreary building with a door that doesn’t lock. Also he is used to riding in new American cars and while in Ukraine has to ride in an extremely small vehicle that barely runs. Helvetica follows this theme by its evolution from an old font with flared edges that resembles a calligraphy type to a new modern font with clean edges and type that is done by a computer or other technological device. Wall-E follows this by Wall-E who is an old rusty robot living on the ruins of Earth befriending Eve who is a sleek, bright white drone who lives on a clean, modern spaceship. So, once again all three movies included both old technology/ways of life mixed with new modern technology/ways of life.

            The key lesson I learned from watching these three movies is to never give up on something you truly want. All three movies featured a goal, the hurdles standing in the way of accomplishing that goal, and the characters or actors working hard to accomplish that goal. The designers in Helvetica worked hard to get their font well known and now it is. Johnathan didn’t stop until he found out the answers to his questions about his families past and he ended up learning more about his families past than he thought he would. Wall-E and Eve worked hard to get the humans back to Earth so they could bring it back to life and they accomplished their goal. The only obstacle in your way of accomplishing a goal is yourself, that is the lesson I took away from these three movies.

BP: Movie Review 9/10

Informance Movie by Riley Balogh

Riley made her informance movie about the city of Chicago. The first thing I noticed right off the bat is how distracting the background music was at certain times. Yes, it was recessed but Riley's narration was hard to hear due to her speaking at the same time the music was playing. It was too much going on at once. The text was way too fast. I had to press pause and play really fast just to catch what some of the text said. I would definitely leave the text on there a little bit longer because I really couldn't tell if she discussed all five principles of design. I really like the end of your movie. Some of the views those filmmakers captured were breathtaking and truly captured what the City of Chicago truly is. Also the pictures could have stayed on screen a little longer too. These are small mistakes, but they would make the video so much better. In its current state I feel as if the video was rushed and because of that it was hard to follow along with the information provided.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/photo-tours.mi?marshaCode=chiax&pageID=HWARI&imageID=2

Informance Movie by Taylor Agathen

Taylor made her informance movie about the greatest place in Lexington, Rupp Arena! The video was well laid out, the font and pictures were displayed on screen for the appropriate amount of time for the viewer to read and gander at the photos. Taylor identified and explained all five principles of design. I really enjoyed her selection of music. I also like how she included video of concerts held at Rupp Arena to illustrate that basketball games are not the only events that Rupp houses. She also included videos of Big Blue Madness which is one of the most popular times of year at Rupp. I also thought it was good that Taylor pointed out how present Rupp Arena is on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I also thought it was good that Taylor pointed out that the Lexington Convention Center as well as the Hyatt Hotel are connected to Rupp Arena to make it easy for guests to enjoy what Rupp Arena has to offer. Taylor's movie was extremely well laid out and did an excellent job of informing the viewer about Rupp Arena.

http://www.lexingtondowntownhotel.com/rupp-arena

BP: it's FONT-amental

Verizon Wireless Sign: Versailles

I think that the marketing board for Verizon Wireless chose this design for the sign on their buildings to hint at how powerful their cellular service is. The red check mark and the "z" in Verizon both share the same design. The check mark could be used to illustrate that Verizon receives a check mark for quality of their service. The "on" in Verizon is underlined by the red of the "z". This could indicate that their service is on no matter where the user is located. Also the "Verizon" is in what appears to be be bold while the wireless is not. This could be done to draw detail to Verizon's name. I do indeed think that the design of Verizon'a font does provide onlookers a sense of approval mainly due to the red check mark indicating that they have a strong cellular network.

http://ackermannpr.com/cellular-sales-opens-new-locations-in-nashville-tennessee-and-versailles-kentucky/

 Lowe's Home Improvement Sign: Nichols Park Drive

I think that the marketing board for Lowe's chose this design for the sign on their buildings to illustrate that they are a home improvement company. The background of the sign is a resemblance of a house or some type of building. The perimeter of the sign is outlined red which looks similar to painters tape. The letters are also in all caps with equal spacing between them. The sign is also symmetrical. I do indeed think that the design of Lowe's font does provide onlookers a sense of creativity because of the building like design of the Lowe's sign.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/lowes-of-south-lexington-lexington

Tolly-Ho Sign: Bolivar Street

I think that the marketing board for Tolly Ho chose this design for their sign because of its simplicity. Tolly-Ho is a well known establishment to students at the University of Kentucky and this shows in the design of the sign. The canvas is blue and the letters are white which are the same colors of the Kentucky Wildcats. The text is also written in a script font to make the restaurant seem fancy. The slogan of Tolly-Ho is "a UK tradition since 1971". Even though the sign is simplistic it shows onlookers that this is a must visit for old and new students of the University of Kentucky alike.

http://www.kentucky.com/news/article43928088.html

Goodfella's Pizzeria/Two Keys Tavern Signs: South Limestone

First Goodfella's Pizerria. I think that the marketing board wanted to capture an Italian theme while designing their sign. The font is simplistic with a block design. Also the colors of the Italian Flag are present under the font. Also I noticed that there is the hand of a puppet master above the "fellas" portion of the text possibly indicating that once you are inside the staff is at your control. I believe that the sign attracts onlookers due to its indication of authentic Italian Pizza.

Second is the Two Keys Sign. I think the marketing board wanted to create a rustic look and feel. I say this because the sign looks like it is made of wood with two old style keys at the top of sign. "Two Keys" looks like a type of calligraphy which is an older style of writing. The "Tavern" portion of the sign is written in a modern font similar to Helvetica. These two fonts could indicate that Two Keys design theme features a mix of old and new. I believe that this sign attracts on lookers due to its phrase "The World Famous" and because of how the sign is mounted which has the sign hanging by two chains just like old shops would have. The design of the sign represents the theme of Two Keys exceptionally well.

http://www.aceweekly.com/2012/06/where-to-eat-in-lexington-kentucky-campus-university-of-kentucky/

BP: Movie Discussion Summary

            The movie discussion in class helped me further understand and ensure that I was on the right track with explaining how the three movies connected with design. My group discussed Wall-E. We said that it was interesting how there were two different spectrums of design featured in the movie. One was the Wall-E class robots who were square, clunky and rustic. On the other hand, there was Eve and her fellow robots who were sleek, shiny and extremely high tech.

            Also we found that it was interesting how technology could make our lives better while slowly destroying it at the same time. The movie illustrated this by showing Earth covered with garbage and completely devoid of life which caused the human population to live in space aboard a spacecraft. While onboard that spacecraft the humans were waited on hand and foot by robots. The humans didn’t have to lift a finger and this eventually made them extremely overweight and helpless. 

            The main takeaway I received from this movie and its connection to design is that technology can be and is extremely useful but we have to be careful because it can take over our lives and destroy the world around us. We have to find that fine balance between the use of technology and preserving the world that we live in. Wall-E connected to the other two movies (Helvetica and Everything is Illuminated) by eventually finding a resolve to our journey through life and its hurdles.

BP Movie Review 7/8

DES 100 Informance Movie by Nathan Allen

This video looks like it was professionally created. I love how the video includes people having a great time at Copper Mountain. The video clips that Nathan used in his informance fit perfectly but at times could be distracting while you are trying to read the text. The text is easy to read but it comes and goes very quickly. I think it would help by keeping the text on the screen a little bit longer so that all the information that is trying to be conveyed can be read. Also I noticed a single spelling error but other than that and the duration the text aspect of the video was perfect. The video laid out the five principles of design in a unique format which I really enjoyed. Also the music fit very well with the theme of the movie. Overall the video was designed extremely well. Good job!

http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/cities/copper-mountain

DES 100 Informance Movie by Rebekah Schertzinger 

Rebekah made her informance movie about Pointe Shoes used for ballet performances. I enjoyed that she included video of the shoes flexibility right at the beginning of the video. She did a great job narrating her video, her voice is clear and easy to understand. She provided extremely in depth detail of the shoes and the associating diagrams of the shoes were also very useful in explaining design. She provided clear transitions which helped me keep track of what aspect of the artifact she was discussing. The video of professional ballet dancers explaining what they do also made the video great! She highlighted and explained all the principles of design. I would focus on proofreading the text, the Consumerism portion of the video was labeled Communism. The video was overall well put together, easy to follow and understand and interesting to watch! Just make sure that you proofread before calling it complete. It will help you in tremendously in the end! Good Job!

http://www.theballerinabirthday.com/blog/category/pointe-shoes