The New Basics
I recently finished reading a new book I received for my birthday a few weeks ago, Graphic Design: The New Basics by Ellen Lupton and Jennifer Cole Phillips. What a great read! As its title expresses this book is focused on the basic principles that designers use every day. Each chapter focuses on one principle, such as pattern, transparency, point/line/plane, and layers. Using examples from professionals as well as many student projects from MICA, including one from my friend Meghana Khandekar, the book illustrates how these established elements of design are used in contemporary design practice. I really enjoyed how the book featured media that I frankly did not know much about in its examples. The book showcased several design pieces that were created using computer code, usually using the open source Java program Processing. The New Basics takes the model of teaching teaching design by principle and practice from the Bauhaus updates the principles to reflect current design practice. If I were taking a Design Basics class again I would definitely want this book at my side.
Stroller Concerns
I recently watched Gary Hustwit’s latest film Objectified and have been looking for a chance to write something about industrial design. In the extra interviews on the Objectified DVD Mark Newson spoke about the deplorable state of baby product design. My wife and I have a ten month old and although baby products are not particularly attractive in an aesthetic sense I haven’t had much cause to complain until today. Norah, our baby, is pretty close to walking so Sierra, my wife, got her a stroller that she could push to start making some steps. After struggling to put the thing together and leaving some screws only half screwed in because they are in an impossible to get to part of the stroller, we were ready to let Norah give it a go. Now babies only have one direction and typically one speed when using a toy like this so they go until the run into something. When Norah ran into something the stroller immediately tipped forward and sent her toppling over. Luckily she’s a trooper and was fine, but it just seemed like such an oversight that I can’t help but think that there was not much usability testing put into the stroller.
Graphic Design Theory: Grid
In Helen Armstrong’s Graphic Design Theory Karl Gerstner’s Design Programmes and Josef Müller-Brockmann’s Grid and Design Philosophy essays represent an effort to codify design practice. The designers discuss using considered systems in order to solve the problems in their projects.
The Unspectacular Things are the Important Things
I first became familiar with Dieter Rams when I recently watched Objectified. His design sensibilities really resonate with me and today I found out about two online interviews with him from some timely tweets. He has a lot to teach when it comes to the objects that make up our lives. After watching these videos I was struck with how much Dieter’s ideas apply to interactive design as well. Check them out, if you’re anything like me, you’ll really enjoy them.