Ludwig Hohlwein : Favorite Posters

I'm studying for my history of graphic design course and keep distracting myself with the endless amount of beautiful posters I am stumbling upon. While I create my flashcards and Google search thumbnails to cut and paste, I keep delving deeper and deeper into the works of the artists I'm studying. It appears, as usually is the case, that I have only hit the tip of the iceberg in the course.

Here are my favorite from Ludwig Hohlwein:

[slideshow]

The Fox and Riquetta posters are my favorite.

Bad Design

I've been reading a bit on bad design. If anything, I have been acting as a contrarian in class against the idea of "bad taste" or "bad design". I just can't imagine who becomes the authority in determining the definition of "good". Nonetheless, I stumbled upon a great quote that comforted my distraught state:

"I’m convinced that without bad design, the world would be a far less stimulating place; we would have nothing to marvel over and nothing to be nostalgic about."

— Carrie Phillips

Nice isn't it? Here is an IDEO article that I find relevant to this idea about Shanzhai design.

Design Quote

Design is in a great transition, thankfully. Traditionally, design has been practiced with a focus on appearance, whether it is represented in graphic, interior, industrial, fashion, furniture, automotive, marine or any other kind of design. In truth, design has never been merely about a appearance, although that's been the most prominent phenomenon throughout its history. In addition, other disciplines use the word "design" to describe other functions, such as structuring databases, systems, services, or organizations (further confusing its use and meaning). But there have been moments in design's past where truly great designers showed us that design was also connected with performance, understanding, communication, emotion, desire, meaning, and humanity itself, even though these haven't  been the most lasting movements.

Ultimately, this is the design that I want to speak about in this book - design that encompasses the synthesis of usefulness, usability, desirability, appropriateness, balance, and systems that lead to better solutions, more opportunities, and better conditions, no matter what the endeavor or domain.

-Nathan Shedroff, Design Is The Problem

 

 

Quotes

Last week Friday, I stopped by the "Designing for Billions" conference happening at Parsons. I was casually introduced to Neville Roy Singham while chit-chatting with some of my lovely professors. He is Vice President and Executive Chairman of ThoughtWorks and an islander himself.

While we didn't talk much, he left me with a really good quote that I have come to appreciate. He told me he was from Jamaica and was an Engineer attending this conference to see a new perspective. The design perspective. He was kinda on a quest it seems...

After identifying myself as an islander raised on Guam he told me, "The smaller the island, the bigger the thinker."

While this quote seems charming, I have mentally been digesting it while washing dishes (and I wash a lot of dishes) and realized there is an undeniable truth there. I'm pretty sure other islanders will realize that too.

"Luckily," I told him, "I'm from a really small island." We laughed.

Halloween Typography Challenge

Um yes: http://vimeo.com/632802

As some of you may know, I really enjoy making home-made Halloween costumes. I always make them night-of, but nonetheless, I enjoy my one-hour craft.

This year Professor Robinson is hosting a Halloween Typography Challenge. So please come! Find the info here.

 

I am already very excited about starting my creation and hope I can get something going in the coming week. If not, I will be cutting cardboard day-of.... And we'll just have to judge my Olfa knife cutting skillz.

Some costumes from the past. Exhibit A, B & C:

Here, a specialty costume made by a talented friend [Alana R.]:

If someone (or a lot of you) are interested in doing the whole alphabet. Hit me up.