Final post

When I started to write this blog, I thought I was going to write about graphic design.  I thought I was going to write about typography and different types of posters. I never thought I would write so much about 3-D printers. But it seemed like every week I would just happen to stumble across an article about it. And every article I read seemed to have a different use for application for this technology. It seems with this new technology you can do almost anything with. If you can think it, you can make it. As a designer that is very exciting. I didn’t write about this article but they are even considering making planes from 3-D printers. The possible are endless. I can’t wait to see what 3-D printers will be making in the next few years.

My persona was suppose to be talking about  graphic design. However it turned into learning a lot about 3-D printers and what they are capable of. I realized that design has endless possibilities. You see that from the 3-D printers because it can be used to make so many things. My plan to move forward is look at things in new ways. Design can be made out of anything. The 3-printer has proven that. I think if we think outside the box we can come up with more ideas that the 3-D printers can make.

social media campaign

Ben & Jerry did a social media campaign to get the word out about the newest ice cream flavors. They did this contest where they went around and if you tweeted where you wanted the truck to stop. If the truck stopped there you got free ice cream. Twitter played a big role. However I think they could have taken it further. Since they only did this in 5 cities to get more people to involved they could have used youtube also. They could have taken video of the people trying the new ice cream and see what they say. Then they could post it on youtube for people to see. 

Printing a Car

While surfing the internet I came across an article titled “New Zealand man creating Aston Martin Replica on desktop 3D printer. This caught my attention for two reasons, one I really like cars and its not just any car its an Aston Martin. The second reason is because it was being made by a 3D printer. I’ve written a most of my blogs on 3D printers so this would fit right in. 

Ivan Sentch is a programmer and lives in Auckland, New Zealand. He is printing a replica of a 1961 series II Aston Martin DB4. Unfortunately the article was very short and his blog didn’t have any good information. But it got me thinking. Could it be possible to use a 3D printer and print cars and have them work? When I started to think about this question I realized it is a lot harder then it sounds. Once you finished printing all of the parts you will need to put them together. So the person is going to need a lot of knowledge about putting the car together. Not only that they are going to need to know how to wire the car with all the electronics. That is just as difficult as putting the car together. So as far as the average person printing a car I don’t think it is practical. But for the overall idea of printing a car and make it drivable I think is possible. 

Storyboard

February 2014

While I was on Reddit I came across a title that caught my attention. The title of the article was “3D printing will explode in 2014, thanks to the expiration of key patents,” written by Christopher Mims. Many people think that 3D printing is going to revolutionize how we build things in the future and I feel the same way. Other people take it further and call it the next industrial revolution. “In February 2014, key patents that currently prevent competition in the market for the most advanced and functional 3D printers will expire. These patents cover a technology known as “laser sintering,” the lowest-cost 3D printing technology. Because of its high resolution in all three dimensions, laser sintering can produce goods that can be sold as finished products.”  The printers that have this technology cost a lot of money, but when the patent expires different companies will be able to use this in their machines. This should drop the cost of this advanced printers. Once the cost drops more people are going to be able to afford them. With more advanced printers on the market people are going to push them to the limit and build new things. So the idea is that cost of many products should drop due the the abundance of advanced 3D printers.

Presentation

Books

In the book No Plastic Sleeves by Larry Volk, and Danielle Currier they talk about how there are many different way of presenting your work. I never knew there were so many different ways. I only knew of the post and screw binders. I learn that there are many types, like glued back-to-back binding, Japanese or stab binding, spiral binding and more. Some of these don’t seem as effective as the post and screw binder. 

For my presentation book I got a post in screw Pina Zangro. The reason I do not think the others are as good is because they cant be changed easily. For example if you got a glued back-to-back binding book it may look nice but when the time comes to change the book you will have to make a new one. Same with the Japanese or stab binding which is held together by string. Depending on what you want out of your binder and how much your looking to spend will determine what you get. 

When you get your presentation book you can’t forget about the layout of the pages. This is just as critical as the binder and the artwork you are putting into it. Even here you need to utilize a grid structure. You have to design each page as if you were on the computer. Larry Volk, and Danielle Currier talk about the use of white space. They say it is very important and if used effectively it will make your work stand out. This might be even harder then creating the work. Making you work stand out and really pop is a new challenge that I need to learn.

Pitch

In today’s world the state is putting up more and more red light camera’s. I am not talking about intersections that have camera over them. I am talking about the ones that have the camera that flash. They have signs warning people that they have to come to a complete stop before the white line. If they cross the line while the light is changing from yellow to red you get a ticket. The tickets come in the mail with a picture of car and license plate.The tickets are like $90. They even have a website you can go to and watch a video of yourself not coming to a complete stop. There should be a way to avoid getting these tickets. Well my idea is to have an app that tells you where all the red light camera’s are. You type in where you are then it comes up on a map with red dots showing where the camera’s are. You can click on the red dot and it will show the directions of the camera’s. It will also let you know what the cost of the fine is. 

By knowing where the camera’s are will prevent you from a ticket. It will also keep people safe. Camera’s are usually put where there is a bad intersection. So if you know you could get a ticket your more likely to drive safer at that point. This will help everyone  out. You would also pay a small fee for the app. 

Wooden Skyscrapers

In todays world “going green” is a really big deal. A lot of companies are going green and try to make green products. But there is a misconception about building wooden structures. When we think about building things out of wood some of the concerns are that the structure is very flammable and not as strong as steel and concrete. The other concern is deforestation and green house gases. Michael Green did  a TED talk called “Why we should build wooden skyscrapers." He has come up with a way to make large pieces of wood by glueing smaller pieces together. That may sound like plywood to you but its different. These panels are 8 feet wide and 64 feet long. By making a the panels like this the building are as strong as steel and concrete skyscrapers. When people hear his idea, certain things come to mind. One big one is wood if its a wooden building it can catch fire very easily. He explains it like this, if you hold up a log and take a match to it, it wont burn. But if you have tiny pieces of wood it burns and eventually you can put the big log on. And when the big log catches fire it takes a long time for it to burn. 

If a wooden skyscraper where built it would hold a lot of carbon. A 20 story wooden building would make 3150 tones of carbon. But it store over 4,360 tones of carbon. 1000 tones carbon is like 900 cars on the road. So that would be like taking 900 cars of the road. Michael Green is planing on building a 30 story skyscraper in Canada.

Cybernetics

3-D printing has taken printing to the next level with cybernetics. The Philadelphia Inquirer recently reported that “Princeton research creates a bionic ear.” “The scientist send bovine cells mixed in a liquid gel through the printer, followed by tiny particles of sliver.”  Once the ear is printed they put it in a petri dish and let it cultivate for 10 weeks. By then the ear changes its color to a flesh color. The is able to retrieve radio signals and turn it into sound. The end product is not to replace the human ear just yet. It is a stepping stone in the right direction. It shows the capabilities and limitations the 3-D printer can do. They were able to push the 3-D to a new level. Eventually in the future maybe will see organs and ears being rebuilt by 3-D printers. I think that they can push this idea and many more like this a lot further.

Learning

When we are in the class room the teacher is usually lecturing about a certain subject. Then after they are done lecturing they ask if there is any questions. What if at the beginning of class they asked a questioned about the topic. By asking a question they are in gauging the class and make us think and get us interested. Ramsey Musallam recently did a ted talk on this topic called 3 rules to spark learning. His three rules are curiosity comes first, embrace the mess and reflect. He says “questions can be windows to great instruction, but not the other way around. When he says embrace the mess he is taking about trial and error and that its ok to make mistakes. Reflection is going back to what yo have learned and looking over it again. I feel like this is a good idea by getting your attention at the beginning makes learning less painful. Being curious is natural so why don’t we use that to our advantage.

Wiki

History 

“The Fisker Karma was revealed at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.[16] It is the first car from Fisker Automotive, a new auto maker based in Anaheim, California, founded on 5 September 2007.[17]

Production began in July 2011,[5] and the first two deliveries took place in the United States on July 26, 2011.[8][18] In October 2011 the first Karma delivered in the UK was auctioned to benefit Pratham UK and raised a bid of GB£140,000 (around US$220,000).[19]”

Fisker Karma has not built a car since July 2012.[87] The company is heading towards bankruptcy and they have fired 3/4 of their workers. Originally the base model was starting at $102,000 USD. Today you can go on ebay and find the car going for $40,000 USD to $80,000 USD. The problem is if you buy one of them and they break down is, you will not be able to find anyone to fix them. The cars are not very reliable and tend to need some work. 

Henrik Fisker decided to leave the company when the company was going down hill. When another company showed interest in buying Fisker Henrik is now back with the company.[89] He wants the company thats interested in buying Fisker help him settle a 171 million dollar debt.[88]  

[86] ^ a b Jaynes, Nick (2013-05-28) Henrik Fisker – having his cake and eating it, too – wants to buy back sinking Fisker Automotive

[87] ^ a b Davies, Alex (2013-05-15) You Can Now Buy A Fisker Karma For 60% Off

[88]^ a b Seetharaman, Deepa (2013-05-24).Henrik Fisker joins Hong Kong tycoon to salvage Fisker -sources

Alternate Publishing Plan

For an alternate publishing plan I was thinking of using an article that i’ve posted. The article that I picked is the future of the design rewrite. However I would still need to do some editing to it. I also would have to rewrite certain parts. I would try to submit it to the  New York Times instead of This American Life. This American Life seems to be more about news. The  New York Times has an area where the post would be printed and that seems more like a discussion area. So its not only about news and whats going on in the world it can be about anything as long as the reader is engage. My article is more informational and tries to get the reader thinking. I think thats what the New York Times is looking for.

Midterm

Midterm Proposal

Find a few propaganda posters and go into detail as explaining why reason behind them. Where did they come from ? Why were they used? What type of style are they? Who was the artist? What else the artist did?

pagani huayra

Many people know about the Bugatti Veyron as the faster production car ever built. But what most people don’t know about is the small company call Pagani. Pagani builds some over the most expensive and powerful super cars ever made. They have been know for the Pagani Zonda but they recently made a new car to replace the Zonda. They are calling it the Huayra, named after the South American god of wind. This new car has the latest technology. It may not be as fast at the Bugatti Veyron but its top speed is 230 miles an hour. 0 - 60 in 3.2 seconds with 730 horse power. It cost 800 thousand pounds. They put so much detail into this car. Each nut and bolt is made out of titanium. The body is made out a new substance just for this car called carbotanium. A combination of carbon fiber and titanium which is stronger and lighter then carbon fiber and wont crack as easy. And if all thats not enough the car has tiny flaps on the font and rear of the car that deploy to make the car more stable around turns. 

Designing the car must have taken years and only a few people can afford such a car. This got me thinking is it worth it to build such a car? I think it is, this car is absolutely amazing. It pushes the engineering of cars today. People can learn from this car and make the future of car safer for the rest of us. 

To learn more click here.

Problem

I think a problem that sometimes happens in the design world is that designers forgets that they are designing for users. They focus on the aesthetic appearance of whatever they are designing more then the usability. I believe that happens for two reasons. One of the reasons being, that they have been working on the project for to long. They see it on a daily basis and they know all the ins and outs of it. So for them it is easy to understand and navigate. They forget that other people that have never used it before will be using it. The second reason is the designer, designs for to the aesthetic appearance. They sacrifice the usability for the project to look good. This is ok in certain situations, for example a website. If someone came up with a new code that gave a new advanced effect on website you wouldn’t expect it to be user friendly. The purpose of the new effect is just to prove that it can be done. 

When designers are first starting out they learn about the design process. Now there are a lot of design process charts but most have similar terms. Research, concept, design, development, prototype, and production are just a few terms that keep coming up again and again. I feel that there should be a new one added to the list. And that is usability. If this was added, there would be a lot more products in the world that actually work. It would remind you that your not just designing for the appearance of the product but how you use it.

New Argument

In my senior seminar class at Quinnipiac University we had to design our own brand. We had to start off by doing research about what makes a brand a brand. Once I had looked at a few companies I realized I need to come up with a logo or something that represents me. My teacher gave us an assignment to come up with 20  different logos. I started off making a few sketches. I thought I found the logo that I wanted. I was so excited to show my teacher and ask her what she thought. Right before class started I only had 18 logos. So I quickly sketched out two more 5 minutes before class. When she looked at my work she didn’t like the logo that I really liked. She said there was one that stood out to her. It happened to be one of the logos that I just sketched out right before class. I was surprised and I was not sure how I felt about it. But working with it I really started to enjoy my character that is on my resume. 

By doing this assignment I’ve realized as a designer each person creates their own style.  Jarrett J. Krosoczka: How a boy became and artist talks about how he came up with his own style. I think its very important to find your style and make it your own. I also think over the years your styles change but there are characteristics that never change in your pieces. 

How To

How to Make a Cheese Roll Up

You are probably wondering what is a cheese roll up? A cheese roll up is a little, on the go snack. Or if your just a little hungry and don’t know what you want. But basically it is a tortilla rolled up with cheese and pepperoni inside.

Things that you will need

Plate

Cheese

Pepperoni

Tortilla (any size)

Microwave

Step 1

Get all of the things you need out.

Step 2

Take the plate and put it in front of you.

Step 3

Take the tortilla out of the bag and put in on your plate.

Step 4

Depending on the size of you tortilla will determine how much cheese you will need. If you have a small tortilla you will only need two slices of cheese. If you have a large tortilla then you will need a three slices of cheese. 

Lay the pieces of cheese horizontally across the tortilla so they all fit.

Step 5

Place the pepperoni only on the area where the cheese is. You can add as much pepperoni as you like. Six pieces is usually a good amount.

Step 6

Place the plate with everything on it, into the microwave. Set the microwave for twenty-four seconds. After the twenty-four seconds are up check to see if its done. The cheese should be melted evenly. If not put back in for five seconds.

Step 7

With the cheese being horizontal, carefully roll up the tortilla vertically. 

Imagination

Today in design I feel like we use the same material and techniques over and over again. There are many different variations of design but the principles and basic fundamentals are the same. Janet Echelman did a talk on Taking imagination seriously. Janet had never studied sculpture, engineering or architecture. She went to india and was walking on the beach when she noticed fisherman with there fishing nets. She came up with the idea of using fishing nets and turning them into sculptures.  The sculptures she makes are colorful and huge. They move in the wind, which changes what the sculpture looks like slightly. Only if we used our imagination in graphic design as she did I think graphic design could be even more interesting. To create anything in graphic design or design in general you have to use your imagination. But what if we used our imagination with different materials and not just the design itself?.  

Kelli Anderson realized that paper has audio properties. Certain paper has better audio properties then other. She was able to make a record player from paper. By taking what we already know and pushing the boundaries with our imagination I think more creative projects can be made, if we just use our imagination more.

4-D Printing

3-D printing lately has made a few headlines, and shows a lot of promise for the future of design. But what most people are not talking about is 4-D printing. Skylar Tibbits did a   TED Talk on “The emergence of “4-D printing.” What is 4-D printing you may ask? 4-D printing is when you print an object from a 3-D printer yet it assembles itself. “Self-Assembly is a process by which disordered parts build an ordered structure through only local interaction.” The parts are printed with multi-material properties that can transform into an object. There is no human interactions. So one example he gives is pipes under ground that control water. In todays world if the pipes need to be changed you have to dig up the pipes and change them. But what if the pipe could change shape, that way you don’t have put new pipes in. Skylar also gave another example by using this technique to build in space. I came up with the idea that maybe furniture could be built this way. But besides these examples I am not sure what we could use this new technology for. Maybe I am not thinking outside the box enough but I’ve tried to come up with other real world applications for it. And I don’t see the need for it. The idea is really interesting and should definitely be pushed. 

Devils Advocate

I found an article in the The Philadelphia Inquirer about 3-D printing, a recently new way of being able to produce almost anything without going to a retailer. “Invisalign, a San Jose company, uses 3-D printing to make each mouthful of customized transparent braces. Mackenzies Chocolates, a confectioner in Santa Cruz, uses a 3-D printer to pump out chocolate molds. and this year, Cornell University researchers used a 3-D printer along with injections of a special collagen gel, to create a human shaped ear.” Many people that love this machine feel that this is the way of the future, the new industrial revolution. They also say this will benefit us so much, by enabling us to download blueprints of anything and being able to print them in our own homes. I am not so sure if the benefits out way the cons. 

Yes the average person will be able to make complex things that they would never have been able to before. But thats going to hurt companies who were the only people making the product. This would destroy many companies financially. Not only because they are not selling enough products but because of the competitive market. If someone decides to make their own company with the same product they can now do it cheaper with 3-D printing. There would be no way the original company would be able to match the price without taking a loss.

Another reason this is not a good idea to mass market 3-D printing, is because there are blueprints for guns and ammo. That means if someone wanted to hurt people they no longer need to buy ammo they can make as much as they want to in their own house. That would mean all the new laws about how much ammo can be sold is pointless. It would be very hard to regulate this new threat. The idea of weapons and ammo are so promising from the 3-D printing “The Obama administration has launched a $30 million pilot program that includes researching how to use 3-D printing to build weapons parts.” 

This is all happening on todays 3-D printers imagine what we will be able to make in a few years when these machines become even more complex then they are now. We will literally be able to make whatever we want, when we want it. No one will be able to stop us. Besides that this machine will hurt our economy so much. I don’t think we realize the impact it is going to have on us.

Repost of Future of Design

I recently watch two TED Talks and I think they related to each other. They propose interesting questions about design and where it is heading in the future. The first one that I watched was Michael Hansmeyer: Building unimaginable Shapes. He talks about creating new forms in architecture that have never been made before. My favorite quote from his talk was “What kind of forms could we design if we wouldn’t work with references anymore. If we had no bias, if we had no preconceptions. What kind of forms could we design if we could free of ourselves from our experiences. If we could free ourselves from our education. What would this unseen forms look like? How can we go about creating something that is truly new?” This got me thinking, what will the future of design look like? Will it just be another small step in the evolution of design? Or will someone come up with a truly new idea that has never been created before? 

I then watched Jarrett J. Krosoczka: How a boy became and artist. He talks about how he becomes writer and illustrator for his own children's books. The best piece of advice he ever got was from his art teacher. One day Jarrett walked into class with a book that taught you how to draw comic book super heros. His teacher told him “forget everything you learned. You have a great style, celebrate your own style. Don’t draw the way you are being told to draw.”

For a new style to be created that has never been seen before, someone is going to have to forget everything they have been taught. This new style would not have any rules or structure that we have seen before. I have a feeling that at first many people will not except the new style. People are going to hate it and discourage people following this new style. All because the new rules are going to conflict with everything we know about design today. Maybe in the future there will be a person that can invent a new style of design. I will be definitely excited to see what the future holds for design.

Ted Talk

Alastair Parvin recently did a TED Talk called Architecture for the people by the people. He starts of saying that “Almost everything we call architecture today is actually the business of designing for the richest one percent of the worlds population.” He goes on to say “ The times in history when architecture did the most to transform society, were those times when actually the one percent would build on behalf of the 99 percent for various different reasons.” When I started to think about what he said I realized he was right. Average people can’t afford to build there own skyscraper. It is usually someone from the one percent for a corporation. His goal is to design projects for people that are not the one percent. He believes the 99 percent should be able to design architecture projects for themselves. Alastair goes further and talks about the idea where anyone can download creative common blueprints to anything and make it for themselves. His example was a CNC machine which cuts wood so you can build your own house with just two people. Alastair says its like a big Ikea kit and the house can be built in a day. My favorite quote from his talk is “Don’t reinvent the wheel every time. Take what already works, and adapt it for your own needs.” I feel like that can apply to anyone. This idea if it became popular would mean a new industrial revolution which would change the way we look at design.