Good First Impressions

This week I found inspiration from another TED Talk.  The speaker was Chip Kidd and the title was 'Designing books is no laughing matter. OK, it is.'

 

Chip Kidd works for a book publishing company as a graphic designer.  He is responsible for the covers of many popular books.  He starts off the talk by focusing on making good first impressions.  The cover of a book needs to embody "what the story looks like".  So Kidd asks himself this question on a daily basis.  He focuses on giving the story a face that the reader will be intrigued by. 

One popular cover designed by Kidd was Jurassic Park:

 

It is a simple design, yet it tells a story while leaving the audience interested enough to open up the book.  The reason this design sparked my creativity was because the cover eventually got used for  many other things.

The next image is the design incorporated into the logo for the Jurassic Park movies.  The logo became a phenomenon in our culture.  Kidd said, "If you do your job right and get lucky, great art can be great business." The idea that a simple design from a small book cover designer can become such an extraordinary part of our culture really inspires me to dream big and have the confidence to pursue my ideas.

Kidd mentions that a book designer has an obligation to please the reader, the publisher, and the author.  A designer must create a cover that makes people say, "Wow! I want to read that."  This next cover designed by Kidd is so good, it looks real.

The cover really did fool people in the stores.  They thought the book was ruined due to the running ink.  It is interesting because although the title is 'Dry', the page looks wet.  Sometimes a designer must create something unexpected to spark a reader's interest.  This cover expands my creativity because it forces me to think outside the box and encourages me to design something unexpected.

Another way that the talk by Kidd strengthened my creativity was through the different uses that were developed for the covers.  Here is an example of a creative book cover designed by Kidd that has two uses:

This eight volume series not only has an attractive cover for each book, but when all the book are on a shelf, they come together to create a sort of poster and gives a face to the story.

The TED Talk not only focused on ways to develop creative designs, but stressed the importance of owning an actual book rather than using a Kindle or iPad.  There is an experience and comfort that is lost when using just the electronic copy of the book.  These ideas expanded my creativity by giving me a new appreciation for book covers and all the thought and detail that goes into each design.

More creativity

This week I was inspired by the following video from a blog at inspiredology.com:

It is a short film using only cardboard and human sounds to tell the story.  The blog post had several other handmade videos on display.

In the world of programs, applications, and plug-ins, it's almost easy to be creative with just a little basic knowledge of each.  The cardboard cartoon above shows me that awesome creativity is possible using just your hands.  I think that handmade designs are often the most detailed and thought out pieces that a person can produce.  The video expands my creativity because it opened my eyes to new and different possibilities.  Not just creating things by hand, but using unique materials like cardboard can really draw an audience into your design.

The above photograph is depicting a giant hand-drawn mural.  I found this awesome piece of art when I was on stumble.com.  The image is titled "Solitude" and is 8ft across and 5ft high. In the photo, the artist is only working in graphite. He later finished it with ink and acrylic.  He started the work of art in 2010.  


The image is another example of an intricate and creative design done by hand that can be powerful and inspiring to its audience.  My creativity was expanded after looking at this piece because the artist really took his time to complete such a large and complex designed.  I was inspired to never restrict myself when thinking of ideas.  I need to be limitless and unleash my creativity.

Creativity in Graphic Design and Basketball

Graphic Design meets basketball.  Perfect.  This past week it was refreshing to find new graphics being designed for basketball courts.  The following video is footage from the Toronto Raptors' basketball arena:

 

Television audiences may have noticed what appeared to be a huge sandwich board resting at each baseline. It looked like the players might go crashing through one of the signs at any moment.Then, early in the game, a referee walked straight through one of the signs, and TV viewers realized they were viewing an optical illusion. The Raptors are the first North American basketball team to use a 3-D graphic on its court.

These 3-D optical illusions gives me a look into the world of design that I have never seen before.  Innovation is necessary to keep up with the biggest competitors.  Striving to be the best and develop the newest "cool" addition to a basketball arena is something that really peaks my interest and my creativity.  I believe that combining two of my passions in one career will make for an amazing future. 

Now how do I go about obtaining a dream job like a developer of graphics for a basketball court? I suppose a good resume is a great place to start.  I read an article posted on March 28th about original resume design.  A simple resume is just not enough in this tough job market.  Below are some examples listed by the article:

This resume puts many graphics to use to describe their education, experience, skills, etc.  It looks like one big info-graphic.  These graphics are a simplistic and fun way to organize all the information on the resume.  Expanding my creativity with the idea of using graphics and illustrations will help me create a resume that impresses the employer.

Using a different layout style might be just enough to catch the eye of a perspective employer.  I feel that I have more freedom as a Graphic Designer to create an engaging resume.  This freedom gives me the creativity I need to develop an attractive resume that will assist me in obtaining a job.

The friendly style of this resume instantly draws in the eyes of the viewer.  This enhances my creativity because it gives me the idea to tell a story with my resume and communicate a message other than the dull basic information.

I realize that need to be creative at my future job to be successful and stay ahead of the competition.  But also, I have to make use of creativity to achieve my goals and obtain my dream job.

Appearance

 

Throughout our life we've been reminded not to read a book by its cover, but we do.  Most of us are visual creatures with a lust for pictures, photographs and images.  We can't help but judge things by their appearance. 

I keep that in mind as I look ahead to my future.  I'm not sure what I want to do after graduation.  One of my dreams is to design a product and start my own business.  I know that many things go into the success of a product.  One important factor, though, is marketing.  Because most people can be lured in by pretty colors and fancy typography, the packaging of a product could make all the difference in initial sales.  I understand that the product must have quality and value in order stay successful in the future.  However, the appearance is what can get people excited and interested about a product.

With this in mind I searched for creative inspiration in the field of packaging design.  Here's what I found...

Simplicity - This product simplifies the milk carton, however it remains interesting by the unique design.  Focusing on what the product is and nothing else may help me develop a creative design.

Functionality - These tea bags mimic clothes hanging in a closet but they are also very functional.  By hanging the "hangers" on the side of a mug, the consumer can brew the perfect cup of tea.  Combining the idea of two products together like tea bags and hangers can result in some pretty awesome design.

 

 

Playful - This gum packaging shaped like a dinosaurs jaw is a fun and playful to invite the consumer to try a piece.  Often times people buy things for the simple joy of interaction.  Incorporating a sense of fun into a design might be a way to get consumers interested.

 

 

 

Reversing Assumptions - This packaging design is for wine in a can.  Most people assume that wine comes in some sort of bottle.  The element of surprise might be what it takes to get people's attention.  Stepping out of stereotypes and assumption can be great inspiration when developing a design. 

I am quickly realizing that many of the concepts talked about in class really are useful in developing creativity.  I have observed that our classroom lessons are reflected in the most creative ideas, designs, and products in the market today.

Finding Creativity in Interactive Design

     I recently got turned on to a new website called TED.com.  The tag line on their home page is "Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world"  It is basically a site with a collection of 10-20 minute video lectures on about any imaginable subject.  With the search for creative inspiration in the field of Interactive Design in mind, I clicked on a video titled, "Design to Challenge Reality"by Kelli Anderson.  Here is a link to the talk:

http://www.ted.com/talks/kelli_anderson_design_to_challenge_reality.html

     It turned out that this lecture greatly affected my creativity.  Kelli Anderson starts the lecture off by describing herself as an artist who searches for hidden talents of everyday things.  Also she begins to describe why she designs certain things.  She mentions that things that are visual has great power over our brains.  Type, shape, color, and texture can come together to create just about anything.  To summarize her talk, she explains that thinking about everyday things in a new and creative way can lead to changing reality.  To use our class terms, the "P" in SCAMPER, which is put to other uses, is what she elaborates on.  "Doing something better by doing something more absurd" is her concept.

     

     In her talk she gives three examples of this.  One of those was a wedding invitation:

     This wedding invitation doubles as a record player.  She managed to uncover the hidden talent of the audio qualities of paper.  It was an actual working record player.  In her description of the invitation she explained that people have certain expectations about media that they should not always possess.  This ties into our classroom discussion about assumption.  Most people have the assumption that paper is quiet.  Because she challenged and reversed this assumption she created something totally different and interesting.

     The next example that she includes in her speech is more of an experiment.  She set out to challenge and reverse the assumption that all newspaper state facts.  Kelli and a team of designers successfully replicated a version of The New York Times.  They formatted it in the same way but filled in with all fake, yet positive and uplifting stories.  They created an alternate reality:

     Instilling the power of positive thinking might empower people to strive for a better future.  The designers created unexpected messages of hope as a result of their creative use of newspaper.  These ideas expand my creativity because they help me to remember to push things beyond their expected role and create the unexpected.  The unexpected will have more of an impact and make a difference in the world around me.

Faith and Creativity

Faith has provoked my creativity even before I was aware of it.  There are a number of opportunities where my creativity has grown through different ways that I worship and practice my faith.

For instance, being forced to participate in choir at a young age sparked my interest in music.  Choir made me aware of all that goes into a song and the melodies I heard everyday.  Before joining choir I thought there was no way I had any singing ability, but with each practice I began to realize that I was capable of holding a tune.  This was the first time I can remember that I actually accepted the fact that if I believed in myself and practiced hard, I could accomplish anything.  Also, it reminded me that doing activities that I don't always want to partake in may expand my creativity.

Sitting in a traditional Catholic church Sunday after Sunday was not the most enjoyable memory of my childhood.  Even though I don't remember all of the sermons of the priests' or all the lessons from the readings, I do remember my surroundings.  Aside from the stunning stained glass windows, our church was always beautifully decorated with flower arrangements and other fancy embellishments like small waterfall-streams.  I wish I had taken a photograph of one of the gorgeous scenes to help describe its beauty.  I can remember being in awe from all the colors and patterns that adorned the altar every weekend.

Faith continues to expand my creativity on a weekly basis.  The examples I have gathered from this past week are: a passage from the Bible, a Lenten prayer, and gospel music that I enjoy. 

Few will argue the fact that the Bible is the most beautifully written book in our history.  I strive to read at least a chapter of the Bible everyday and I strongly feel that this habit has not only strengthened my faith, but expanded my creativity as well.  I think it has made me a better writer; expanding my vocabulary and helping me to arrange my thoughts more elegantly on the page.  The follow is a passage Psalm 136 that I read last Thursday:

 ¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
            His love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods.
            His love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
            His love endures forever.
 ⁴ to him who alone does great wonders,
            His love endures forever.
⁵ who by his understanding made the heavens,
            His love endures forever.
⁶ who spread out the earth upon the waters,
            His love endures forever.
⁷ who made the great lights—
            His love endures forever.
⁸ the sun to govern the day,
            His love endures forever.
⁹ the moon and stars to govern the night;
            His love endures forever.

The style is different from anything I have ever read before.  I feel that after reading the beauty of each line, my creativity was enhanced because it displayed a different style of expressing thoughts that I may be able to incorporate in my future writing skills.

Since it is the season of Lent, I try to read as many prayers written about the subject as possible.  This year I decided to give up sweets.  Even though this sacrifice is nothing compared to the one of Jesus Christ, it is difficult for me nonetheless.  So, I need to read prayers to strengthen my faith and to help me to not give in to temptation.  Often the beauty of these prayers sparks my creativity.  Here is one I read by Cesar Chavez last Monday:

Show me the suffering of the most miserable;
So I will know my people's plight.
Free me to pray for others;
For you are present in every person.
Help me to take responsibility for my own life;
So that I can be free at last.
Give me honesty and patience;
So that I can work with other workers.
Bring forth song and celebration;
So that the Spirit will be alive among us.
Let the Spirit flourish and grow;
So that we will never tire of the struggle.
Let us remember those who have died for justice;
For they have given us life.
Help us love even those who hate us;
So we can change the world.
Amen.

The beautiful language of the prayer is not the only aspect that allows my creativity to grow.  It is the feeling of belief that it plants inside of me.  The words and sentences combine on the page to convert any negative energy I have into positive thoughts.  This frees my mind, body, and soul to believe anything, even that I am creative.

Another way that faith has stretched my creativity this past week is music.  Listening to gospel songs gives me the feeling of empowerment.  One group in particular known as Men of Standard is my favorite and a source of my growing creativity.  The following is one of my favorite songs from them and played in my headphones last Wednesday when I had my iPod Nano on shuffle.  It's called "In Your Will:

My creative juices flow after I listen to gospel music, especially Men of Standard for the same reason as prayers.  It's not just the beautiful melodies and lyrics, but the feeling of I-can-do-anything that it gives me.

Before we were assigned to blog about faith and creativity I never really thought about faith being a source of my creativity.  However, when I took a closer look it wasn't hard to see that many of my worshiping practices caused me to be more creative.  From the elegant chapters in the Bible, to the sophisticated lines of a prayer, to the graceful lyrics of a gospel song I am liberated to be the most creative person that I am capable of being.

Family and Creativity

When I think of family the first thing that comes to mind is food and all the time we spend together around the dinner table.  So as I thought of ways how the topic of family makes me more creative I kept coming back to food.

I quickly came to realize that by eating dinner with my family all those years and as I continue to do so, I am enhancing my creativity.  I decided that there are three fundamental ways that eating dinner as a family makes me more creative.  First, meals are about sharing.  Not just the food being served, but ideas, stories, and advice.  The sharing of ideas makes me more creative because it increases the number of ideas that I possess.  Even if everyone in the family would rather be some where else, for that hour of eating, the members of the family have to share their food, thoughts and ideas.  I read an online TIME magazine article this past week about eating dinner as a family.  The title of the article was The Magic of the Family Meal and it basically talked about all the benefits of eating dinner together.  The following is a quote that supports my point of sharing and family meals.

Secondly, family meals involve interacting and creating.  The dinner table is a platform for bouncing ideas off an audience and working together to solve problems.  Making dinner for my family was the first time I was really trying to please the audience with something I created.  I do the same things today as I create designs for much larger audiences.  Developing a meal for a family that pleases everyone requires use of a creative mind.  Cooking meals that are colorful is a way to add nutrition to meals as well as appealing to our other senses.  The following picture is of a colorful meal complete with most of the necessary food groups.  I become more creative as I plan similar meals for my family.

Finally, eating dinner as a family makes me more creative because of all the different point of views.  I come from a family of six and even though we were all raised similarly, no two members of the family think alike.  Communicating our own views sparks my creativity because it gives me a different angle of looking at things.  Even now as I eat dinner in the cafe with the family I am apart of here at school everyone has their on way of thinking and if we weren't stuck eating together every night a lot of the ideas might never be expressed.  The following is a YouTube link to a humorous clip from the movie, The Break-Up.  Although they might not all want to be there they are interacting and receiving points of views that they would have not experienced if they were not sitting together as a family.  In this way creativity is being increased.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdrHecN3ZhI

Sharing ideas, interacting with one another, and collecting different points of view are all ways that increase my creativity.  Through spending time with my family during meals I have done all these things.

Freedom and Creativity

As I walked through The Stover Center yesterday on Waynesburg University's campus I found my inspiration for this week's blog post.  A group of students and faculty are helping to promote the "End Child Slavery" campaign.  They have raised awareness of passer-byers with posters, chains made out of paper and other booths and tables set up with additional information.

I began to realize just how powerful advertising materials can be.  For example, if a movie is partnered with a cool and exciting movie poster, the chances are greater of viewers choosing to watch that one.  There are many iconic posters of our time that have stood for powerful messages and led people to take action.  For instance, the HOPE poster used in Obama's campaign. 

 

 

This single poster gave hope to the entire nation and was part of the reason of his election into office as President of The Untied States. Another iconic poster displaying Rosie the Riveter represented American women who entered the workforce. 

 

The image of Rosie empowered women to not only survive, but thrive and contribute while the men were away fighting.

I wanted to show these iconic posters to demonstrate my fundamental point that posters, especially creative ones have the potential to be extremely powerful promotional pieces.  They are not simply created for entertainment, but to communicate and stimulate action for a cause, unite a nation, empower folks, or simply to inform the audience.

The following two posters are very informative pieces of information about slavery in the world today.  The subject of freedom sparks my creativity because it shows me how powerful my designs can be.

 

A design that clearly and creatively communicates a message will reach the audience and more likely affect them in ways that a boring design would not.  These two posters both employ a mix of images, typography and vibrant color schemes to capture attention and thus the compassion of the audience.

I found a few more examples of powerful posters that employ creativity to demonstrate its message.  This time, though, the examples are all related to freedom, the theme of this week.

This poster was created in hopes that the audience will take the time to honor the many fallen soldiers throughout our history who died to preserve freedom in America and abroad. Raising awareness about the supreme sacrifice for the cause of liberty helps us treat others with respect and truly appreciate the life we lead. The poster impacts my creativity because it shows me how a simple yet creative design can tell such a powerful story.

The last example I found that sparked my creativity is a photograph of street art relating to freedom.

Using unique mediums such a a concrete wall in a city might be a way to really capture the views eye.  I need to keep this in mind the next time I want to creatively present a design with an important message.  Also, using images like soldiers, that people already attach meaning to will help in effectively communicating the content.

All in all, freedom affects my creativity.  Because it is such a powerful concept, and the audience is extremely large the pressure is on to develop a design that really affects people.  The way to impact the lives of the audience is to develop a creative design that they won't be able to forget.

Creativity and the Environment.

     I am really interested in packaging design.  So, I often look at blogs that post new and innovative types of packaging.  When I found out the theme for this week's post would be nature I decided to search for types of packaging design that integrate creative techniques and eco-friendly materials.  Design can truly reflect nature.  The following examples show how this reflection is helping to save the environment.

     The above image (source: www.packagingoftheworld.com) is of a sustainable CD case.  Transforming something that is normally plastic into something made of recycled and recyclable cardboard is a push in the right direction.  This package contains no adhesive as well.  Conceptualizing products such as this expands my creativity because it shows how an idea that has been the norm for years can be changed for the better if imagination is utilized.

     This image (source: www.behance.net) of the colorless Coca-Cola is another futuristic idea that strives to help the current damage being done to nature and our surroundings.  The design of the can limits air and water pollution that usually occurs during the coloring of the product.  A red can has been the staple of this company for years but one small change and a brilliant use of imagination can help save the planet.  Using my brain power to think of ideas such as the colorless Coca-Cola greatly strengthens my creativity.

     Probably the most interesting and inspiring example of eco-friendly packaging design that I found is this paper water bottle (source: www.thedieline.com).  The litter that accumulates from plastic bottles is a huge problem in the world today.  The 360 Paper Bottle is the first totally recyclable paper container made from 100% renewable resources.  Designers were inspired by resources in nature and the problems in the environment to develop this product.  In the future, I will strive to put my creativity to use for good causes like this paper bottle.

     The products developed to help the environment was the first thing that came to mind when I thought of a post on nature and creativity.  However, the textures in nature, like the one pictured above (source: forums.steves-digicams.com) really inspire me and expand my creativity.  Whether using them as a background texture or mimicking the patterns, some great pieces of design can be created. If I remember to take a closer look at the patterns and natural designs created in nature then I know my creativity will grow.

     The above image (source: www.smashingmagazine.com) is a poster created by reflecting curved lines that are visible in nature.  Nature inspired the artist to design this brilliant poster.  Consequently, I know that nature has the potential to have the same effect on my creativity. My design ability will without a doubt expand as my creativity grows by observing nature.

Solving Problems

For the past couple weeks I have been listening to the audio book version of Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson.  I am really enjoying it and have learned many great lessons.  I am at the point in the book where Apple is asking Jobs to return to their company as CEO and help them turn things around.  Since his exit many years earlier, Apple failed to develop any new and innovative ideas that the consumer wanted, thus making them relatively unsuccessful.  There were many problems within the company and the people at Apple slowly came to the conclusion that the only thing that could fix the mess they were in was Steve Jobs.

When we started talking about problems during our lessons in class and how to solve them, I immediately thought of this book.  First Jobs recognized the source of the problem then took the steps he deemed necessary to develop a solution and ultimately be successful.  The following are the steps that Jobs took to put Apple back on track and transform them into the profitable company they are today:

Step One: Identify the source of the problem.

In one of the first meetings he held after he began assisting Apple again he asked the people what was wrong with the company.  When no one responded correctly Jobs answered by shouting, "The products!"  Next Jobs asked, "And what's wrong with the products?"  Again no one gave a correct answer.  When Jobs answered for them, he said bluntly, "They suck!"

Even though at times it may be difficult, admitting to oneself and others of the problems and challenges faced is the first step.  Once this is learned, a solution can begin to be developed.

Step Two:  Surround yourself with the right people.

When Jobs returns to Apple one of the first things he does is fire numerous current employees.  He needed to be surrounded by people he trusted to produce successful products and ideas.  With the right team in place Jobs could accomplish the things he needed to, so Apple could be successful again.  (This is as far as I got in the book...)

Keeping these lessons from Steve Jobs in mind, I realized some important information necessary for creativity and solving problems.  Identifying the problem and surrounding myself with positive people may be the keys to success.

Between class discussion and listening to Steve Jobs, my creativity has been increased this past week.  In class I learned to break down my problems for easier ways to solve them.  From the book I learned valuable lessons about how to break down the issues that I face from day to day that may hinder my creativity.

Be More Observant

How to be more creative...

Getting Tone - Paying close attention to whats happening around you.

Tiny Truths - Focus on the details.

Observing things more closely helps me to appreciate the world around.  It sparks my creativity because I see things that I might have missed if I would have not looked so closely.

After a few of the lectures on creativity this past week I have been listening to some of my favorite songs more closely and focusing on the small details of my surroundings.

The following are a few examples of artwork that I found that make use of details.  The samples that I have chosen require the audience to actively study the piece to fully understand the message.  As I look at them I feel inspired to focus on all of the details of not only pieces of art but everything in the world around me.  This makes me more creative!

My Bucket List.

My Bucket List. 

 

1.  start a granola bar company

2.  beat Thomas More

3.  go sky diving

4.  complete a triathlon

5.  travel to as many places as possible

6.  learn how to walk on my hands

7.  run a marathon

8.  go scuba diving

9.  ride a jet ski

10.  go skiing/snowboarding

11.  join a boxing club

12.  meet Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant or Rajon Rondo

13.  go surfing