Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Don't Copy a Design - Steal It! Final Blog Post.
Goodness... can I say this in school? From this website -
http://www.usabilitypost.com/2008/08/21/dont-copy-a-design-steal-it/
No — don’t copy that design. Steal it.
Wait… let me elaborate.
When you look at an inspirational design you should be inspired. Take your time to examine its aesthetic and construction in detail — look over all the nuances and intricacies of its structure. See how the creator did this and that — extract the essence of what makes this work great.
To steal a design you must collect all the pieces of the puzzle and figure out how it all works as a whole — why did the artist use this color, why these lines, why this typeface?
Stealing design is an intellectual activity — you must be able to digest and absorb the essence of an inspirational design. Stealing gives you the real gold — it gives you the knowledge to create the work in question. Expand your arsenal of design techniques through learning instead of copying.
Knowing the technique, knowing how to implement it, knowing why it works and where it works are all the things that will let you build on it. Take your inspirations and create something better — create something which works for your site or application. Adapt your inspirations to the function of your work.
There is a great method used by Cameron Moll to design websites, which he calls nodes of inspiration. It involves browsing the web, finding exceptional sites and picking an element from each that you really like and you think would work in your project. Of course you shouldn’t just copy these elements — you must implement them in a way that will work in your context, and add a flair of your own.
Much like the rest of everyone at this school I am shot. No really - completely shot. I knew I wanted to take this final HOD post and compile all of my images into a nice cohesive, easy to understand image. While I was searching the web for the images I needed I came across this little ditty and upon inspecting it - it was perfect. Here I had this brilliant interesting idea and someone has already gone and done it!
http://www.usabilitypost.com/2008/08/21/dont-copy-a-design-steal-it/
"Don't Copy a Design — Steal It
Good artists copy. Great artists steal.Copying someone else’s work will only give yours a chance to become as good as the one you’re copying — and that’s the best case scenario. A copy will usually never be as good as the original because it always remains one step behind. Even worse, at the hands of a novice designer a copy could end up looking like a cheap imitation, lacking the finesse and flair of the original.
Pablo Picasso
No — don’t copy that design. Steal it.
Wait… let me elaborate.
When you look at an inspirational design you should be inspired. Take your time to examine its aesthetic and construction in detail — look over all the nuances and intricacies of its structure. See how the creator did this and that — extract the essence of what makes this work great.
To steal a design you must collect all the pieces of the puzzle and figure out how it all works as a whole — why did the artist use this color, why these lines, why this typeface?
Stealing design is an intellectual activity — you must be able to digest and absorb the essence of an inspirational design. Stealing gives you the real gold — it gives you the knowledge to create the work in question. Expand your arsenal of design techniques through learning instead of copying.
Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different.Once you’ve assimilated the principles and ideas employed by a designer in their great piece, you can use those ideas in your own work. You’re not going to copy them — you will instead use these tools only where they make sense, and only where they will work well — that’s because you understand exactly why they were employed in the first place.
T. S. Eliot
Knowing the technique, knowing how to implement it, knowing why it works and where it works are all the things that will let you build on it. Take your inspirations and create something better — create something which works for your site or application. Adapt your inspirations to the function of your work.
There is a great method used by Cameron Moll to design websites, which he calls nodes of inspiration. It involves browsing the web, finding exceptional sites and picking an element from each that you really like and you think would work in your project. Of course you shouldn’t just copy these elements — you must implement them in a way that will work in your context, and add a flair of your own.
In the end, each of the inspired elements were reproduced with Authentic Boredom flavor and are unique in their own right.So in essence, what I’m advocating isn’t imitation or plagiarism, my version of stealing is one that expands your knowledge and understanding of design. Being inspired is a good thing, and being able to take on those ideas and build on them further with your own twist and perspective will produce great results that are unique to you."
Cameron Moll
Much like the rest of everyone at this school I am shot. No really - completely shot. I knew I wanted to take this final HOD post and compile all of my images into a nice cohesive, easy to understand image. While I was searching the web for the images I needed I came across this little ditty and upon inspecting it - it was perfect. Here I had this brilliant interesting idea and someone has already gone and done it!
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| A Graphic Design timeline - http://kalimnaonline.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/timeline.jpg |
I am now free to go back to our 18 page final design project...
Every designers’ dirty
little secret is that they copy other designers’ work. They see work
they like, and they imitate it. Rather cheekily, they call this
inspiration.
— Aaron Russell
Visual design is often the
polar opposite of engineering: trading hard edges for subjective
decisions based on gut feelings and personal experiences. It’s messy,
unpredictable, and notoriously hard to measure. The apparently erratic
behavior of artists drives engineers bananas. Their decisions seem
arbitrary and risk everything with no guaranteed benefit.
— Scott Stevenson
Design is the conscious effort to impose a meaningful order.
— Victor Papanek
You can’t do better design with a computer, but you can speed up your work enormously.
— Wim Crouwel
Good design is all about making other designers feel like idiots because that idea wasn’t theirs.
— Frank Chimero
The difference between a
Designer and Developer, when it comes to design skills, is the
difference between shooting a bullet and throwing it.
— Scott Hanselman
Design is easy. All you do is stare at the screen until drops of blood form on your forehead.
— Marty Neumeier
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Herbert Matter
I was equally impacted by the film on Herbert Matter, although in a more subtle way. The definition of Swiss Modernism and the inventor of crossing mediums when it comes to design. He ability to use the camera and incorporate photographic images into his posters with the various uses of scale and perspective define the modern poster of today. Really really cool stuff.
Notes:
Photographer - Infulential artist designer and photograher. Midcentury modern design and art. Unexplored missing link to art history of the 20th century.
Born in 1907 in Switzerland. His small remote swiss village transformed to a tourist destination for high society.
With new people coming to the village it triggered a longing to know what was beyond the mountains of their village.
Studied art in Geneva in the 1920's.
First posters were for his home town.
1927 go to Paris to further his artistic experience.
Goes away from pictorial and moves towards a constructivist and purist style - 1928
Gets a chance to work for Cassandra and influence is apparent in his work.
Devours books about visual communication and the Bauhaus.
Liked what the Russians were doing with photography within the poster.
Durign a raid in local cinema he is caught without the proper papers and sent back to switzerland. Decides to set up shop in zurich.
Photomontage in Zurich in the 30's. Ends the reign of pure illustration. They create a new graphic language. Radical and precise work created...
Gives the family tearoom a new look derived from the Bauhaus and constructivisim.
Trudy Hess - is the perfect model of the time. Young modern and free spirit. Why he returns to his home village all the time.
1931-1934 before color photography creates color brochures in the style photographic.
Most iconic works of the 20th century
He came up with a new medium, new scale and using graphic and photographic elements at the same time.
Posters - own body of style but can communicate to the masses even after decades.
Age of 28 career in full swing Matter leaves switerland and travels to NY. A dance CO. has hired him as a photographer for a dance tour. Correctly guessed that NY would become the new creative hub.
1936 - discovering NY through the viewfinder of his camera. So new and strange I completely forgot about Europe.
Nabs an interview with Harper's Bazaar.
Matters designs are clean calm and bring elements of the Swiss mountain in them.
Editor and Typographer of Plus
1939 workds fair "The world of tomorrow". Many designers brought into the fold and were told to do your best. Held in NY in the midst of War and political chaos. Matter creates the Switzerland pavilion.
Revolutionizes modern art in America
he created the photographers version of abstract expressionist painting - to paint or draw with light. Photography achieves an independent existance.
Jackson Polluck introduced. Inseparable.
1943 Eames invited matter to come to California to work on furniture designs. Again, Eames looking to steal someone elses (someone more brilliant) designs.
Also worked for arts and architecture magazine. Covers and layout.
1946 - mass exodus of the Eames office.
Alex contracts polio on the way back to NY.
Post war america is very successful and booming. Matter was very much in deman.
Alexander Liberman wants Matter to join Conde Nast
Shooting from above - he loved shooting from above.
Expressionistic potential of the photograph images and using them as a graphic element. The main thread that runs through all of his work.
The influence that the Polluck's and the Matters had on one another.
The idea of the image going beyond the frame - Matter preserved Polluck's work.
Mid-Century modern design - Knoll. Brought an energy. Relied on herbert to come up with copy, advertising, photography design and layout.
Herbert Matter Teaches photography at Yale
Photography of Giacometti's works.
Workaholic
He was only happy working.
4/19/1984 died in S. Hampton NY. Self e vowed graphic designer was also a photographer.
A good design stays there forever - modesty is needed to achieve depth. An artists work is their voice. If you want to know who I am look at my work...
Notes:
Photographer - Infulential artist designer and photograher. Midcentury modern design and art. Unexplored missing link to art history of the 20th century.
Born in 1907 in Switzerland. His small remote swiss village transformed to a tourist destination for high society.
With new people coming to the village it triggered a longing to know what was beyond the mountains of their village.
Studied art in Geneva in the 1920's.
First posters were for his home town.
1927 go to Paris to further his artistic experience.
Goes away from pictorial and moves towards a constructivist and purist style - 1928
Gets a chance to work for Cassandra and influence is apparent in his work.
Devours books about visual communication and the Bauhaus.
Liked what the Russians were doing with photography within the poster.
Durign a raid in local cinema he is caught without the proper papers and sent back to switzerland. Decides to set up shop in zurich.
Photomontage in Zurich in the 30's. Ends the reign of pure illustration. They create a new graphic language. Radical and precise work created...
Gives the family tearoom a new look derived from the Bauhaus and constructivisim.
Trudy Hess - is the perfect model of the time. Young modern and free spirit. Why he returns to his home village all the time.
1931-1934 before color photography creates color brochures in the style photographic.
Most iconic works of the 20th century
He came up with a new medium, new scale and using graphic and photographic elements at the same time.
Posters - own body of style but can communicate to the masses even after decades.
Age of 28 career in full swing Matter leaves switerland and travels to NY. A dance CO. has hired him as a photographer for a dance tour. Correctly guessed that NY would become the new creative hub.
1936 - discovering NY through the viewfinder of his camera. So new and strange I completely forgot about Europe.
Nabs an interview with Harper's Bazaar.
Matters designs are clean calm and bring elements of the Swiss mountain in them.
Editor and Typographer of Plus
1939 workds fair "The world of tomorrow". Many designers brought into the fold and were told to do your best. Held in NY in the midst of War and political chaos. Matter creates the Switzerland pavilion.
Revolutionizes modern art in America
he created the photographers version of abstract expressionist painting - to paint or draw with light. Photography achieves an independent existance.
Jackson Polluck introduced. Inseparable.
1943 Eames invited matter to come to California to work on furniture designs. Again, Eames looking to steal someone elses (someone more brilliant) designs.
Also worked for arts and architecture magazine. Covers and layout.
1946 - mass exodus of the Eames office.
Alex contracts polio on the way back to NY.
Post war america is very successful and booming. Matter was very much in deman.
Alexander Liberman wants Matter to join Conde Nast
Shooting from above - he loved shooting from above.
Expressionistic potential of the photograph images and using them as a graphic element. The main thread that runs through all of his work.
The influence that the Polluck's and the Matters had on one another.
The idea of the image going beyond the frame - Matter preserved Polluck's work.
Mid-Century modern design - Knoll. Brought an energy. Relied on herbert to come up with copy, advertising, photography design and layout.
Herbert Matter Teaches photography at Yale
Photography of Giacometti's works.
Workaholic
He was only happy working.
4/19/1984 died in S. Hampton NY. Self e vowed graphic designer was also a photographer.
A good design stays there forever - modesty is needed to achieve depth. An artists work is their voice. If you want to know who I am look at my work...
 | |
| Photograph of Giacometti's work for a book produced in the last two decades of Matters life |
 | |
| Cover of Giacometti's book with photograph taken by Herbert Matter |
 | |
| 1935 - exquisite demonstration of Matter's use of perspective, photographs and tinting of film for this poster |
 | |
| 1950's - Matter photograph for Conde Nast |
 | |
| 1940's photograph of Mercedes Matter |
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| I love the use of light and perspective in this photograph - also | Mercedes Matter |
I'd Like to be an Intern...Please? Pretty Please.
Talent, playfulness and intelligence.
I'm completely blown away by Milton Glaser and if there is ever any way that I can get myself to NY to intern or take on of his workshops I will be there. He is a brilliant brilliant man who was very humble about the impact that he had on graphic design. I really enjoyed his philosophy on graphic design - he described himself (on a couple of occasions in the film) as 'having a talent to communicate through design.' Sure, just a little bit of talent.
I'll be studying Milton Glaser more...
Notes:
Loved doing posters - loved the enormity of the landscape. Loves music and loves to dance. Create the same kind of emotional response that music has in graphics. Closeness to culture allowed him to change the design field. Response to culture. Very articulate. "Milton speaks the esperanto well."
He created I heart NY. Understanding communication - The creation of a puzzle is one of the tools to understand things. When they activate the mind to try to figure something out they will respond to what they see rather than what they are told. Activating the problem solving impulse of the brain caused the I heart NY to sick.
Humble. Very humble and realizes that the well being of all is worth more than money. Lived in the same place/worked since 1965. Sits with everyone else in the office. We should always operate by interruption. "The New Yorker". Service journalism - be on the readers side.
NY Magazine is a current affairs magazine from the readers perspective - developed by Glaser. Likes the scale of smaller work. Is happier in a more intimate setting. People have to work to understand what you are showing them.
Can create illusions on the computer but you can't stumble upon it physically. Typography - decorative and novelty. Spoke for hours with a man and they didn't speak the same language.
Has the most internatioal reputation of anyone living today. Center of culturally diverse explosion. Non swiss version of design happening in the US. Works that are too preconceived tend to go dead. Everything is related to its opposite - both require exploration. Most of his work comes from drawing.
Drawing as a way of understanding of the world. Looking for a definition of what Art is - looked up several references - horres "The purpose of art is to inform and delight". Louis Hyde "The Gift".
"Do good work"Laguardia arts - the only logo that can be sung.
PushPin was fun in design. Loves to teach. Designing supermarkets fundamental in totally understanding communication. Perception of the world.
I'm completely blown away by Milton Glaser and if there is ever any way that I can get myself to NY to intern or take on of his workshops I will be there. He is a brilliant brilliant man who was very humble about the impact that he had on graphic design. I really enjoyed his philosophy on graphic design - he described himself (on a couple of occasions in the film) as 'having a talent to communicate through design.' Sure, just a little bit of talent.
I'll be studying Milton Glaser more...
Notes:
Loved doing posters - loved the enormity of the landscape. Loves music and loves to dance. Create the same kind of emotional response that music has in graphics. Closeness to culture allowed him to change the design field. Response to culture. Very articulate. "Milton speaks the esperanto well."
He created I heart NY. Understanding communication - The creation of a puzzle is one of the tools to understand things. When they activate the mind to try to figure something out they will respond to what they see rather than what they are told. Activating the problem solving impulse of the brain caused the I heart NY to sick.
Humble. Very humble and realizes that the well being of all is worth more than money. Lived in the same place/worked since 1965. Sits with everyone else in the office. We should always operate by interruption. "The New Yorker". Service journalism - be on the readers side.
NY Magazine is a current affairs magazine from the readers perspective - developed by Glaser. Likes the scale of smaller work. Is happier in a more intimate setting. People have to work to understand what you are showing them.
Can create illusions on the computer but you can't stumble upon it physically. Typography - decorative and novelty. Spoke for hours with a man and they didn't speak the same language.
Has the most internatioal reputation of anyone living today. Center of culturally diverse explosion. Non swiss version of design happening in the US. Works that are too preconceived tend to go dead. Everything is related to its opposite - both require exploration. Most of his work comes from drawing.
Drawing as a way of understanding of the world. Looking for a definition of what Art is - looked up several references - horres "The purpose of art is to inform and delight". Louis Hyde "The Gift".
"Do good work"Laguardia arts - the only logo that can be sung.
PushPin was fun in design. Loves to teach. Designing supermarkets fundamental in totally understanding communication. Perception of the world.
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| Massive gilded copper wall panel inspired by his drawings of Tibetan clouds |
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| The man himself - in his studo. Milton Glaser |
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| Milton Glaser logo for Lapchi at the Santa Monica Museum of Art |
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| TIbetian Buddhism carpet |
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