Learn to Play

We have learned that good designers also have to “play well” from many experienced designers or artist like Tom Friedman, which I believe is very true because design asks us to do so. “Play” is important, it gives designers inspiration, metaphorically like open a door for designers to seek which we normally can’t see in the books but many possibilities of making a design.

I have just experienced it with the candy I got for Halloween. First of all, if we could think carefully, the colored gummy bears are just ordinary objects, like table, chair, bike…etc. but when I try to play with and observe it, the gummy bear becomes a good material for a good design. Secondly, by puzzling the gummy bears around into shapes; I experienced much posibility of applying design principles. For instance, by putting the bears into different shapes and forms, I found out it could affect the whole composition; by gathering and separating the color spectrum, it changes the harmony and rhythm of the design. This “play” is verily like a lab, for me to learn and see how design develops in a process.

In conclusion, I think “play” provides a vast field of possibility and puritanical of creativity for designer to dive in, there is always new ideas and inspiration come to our mind when we play. Designers have to play and also play well.

by Resource Furniture. Design Content and From.

Furniture is an excellent example to interpret the interaction of form and content in a design. A piece of furniture is a completed form of its content (which is its functionality). Furniture plays a significant role in people’s lives, it helps people organize stuffs, provides them living environment in everywhere, from public to private. The list of furniture’s function is endless, but a good design would only use one piece to convey the unnumbered functions. In other words, a good design is a product of concept, idea and plan.

This video is about a series of conceptual furniture design by Resource Furniture. It shows how their furniture is designed with abilities to transform its forms and shapes into different usage in situations. The major point is to give a piece of furniture unlimited potential of functionality within a limited space. For instance, many of their furniture are designed as chair or couch in their regular form, then people can easily pull out the parts (which are normally as a wall shelf ) and fold them into a bed. This great idea helps many small house hoods rationally used the space. Meanwhile, these transformable furniture pieces also have numbers of function in one which recalled the idea of putting ideas into a form.

In short, this clip of conceptual furniture interprets both the process and results of putting design content: ideas, plans and concept, into objects (forms) which is the interaction of content and form.

Design as Conversation: the Signs

“Design as a Conversation.” I interpreted this idiom as saying that design is the bridge between the creator and the viewers. Without verbal language, a design should tell the viewers the story that the designer wants to deliver. In other words, I believe that design is a very strong tool for people to communicate with each other over the society.

The designs I’ve found which apply the usage as conversation are the signs and icons that appear almost everywhere in our lives. The design of signs is essential because the functional purpose. There is no verbal exchange between the sign and the reader, but there is still conversation between the designers and the receivers. The road signs and the restrooms signs are good everyday examples.

First, the function and responsibly of the road signs are to let the passengers and cars know their direction and warn them of environmental conditions. The design is usually very simple, with basic but representative shape and form of an object. For instance, when there is road construction, the sign may portray a pile of rocks and a shovel. Or, the curved lines always appear on the signs when warning the driver of upcoming loops or winding roads. Furthermore, the color choice for the signs is also a important element. Red and yellow are often used because they are highlighting colors and stand out from the surround environment, easily attracting people’s attention. To create conversation, designers use very basic elements to send out the message of importance so that the receivers can easily comprehend what the sign is communicating, and respond to it. This action in between is a well applied interaction and conversation. Without verbal language, the designer has successfully organized a dialogue

Another very useful design which hosts a conversation is the restroom sign. Apparently, the restroom signs convey gender. The importance of the restroom signs is that it helps people across the country. Although some frequent travelers may speak or have learned more than one language, there are still people traveling among countries for work, business or other propose, who don’t know another language well. Consequently, the restroom signs in the airports, restaurants, hotels or other public places are play a very important role in directing people. Pointing out a very simple and clear message, it saves people time, words, and is very convenient to foreigners. At this point, design becomes a globalized communication tool, and has a vast impact.

The design of signs is part of iconography; it looks simple but requires much social knowledge and design skills; it uses very basic elements to build up a very powerful and convinced concept. This concept will become a non-verbal conversation between almost every single person who lives on the earth. By experiencing this application of icons and signs frequently, the conversation of design will be passed on and on.

shoes.

This is an interesting design, I like the idea of combining feet and shoes in a transform way, it look very photorealistic. Besides the creative part of this pair of feet-shoes, they also make me think of a story behind.

People wear shoes when walking, this habit has been continuing until today since the civilizations. The shoe manufacturing has growing larger and larger. For instance, when you walk into a shoe store, you will probably brows more then hundred of shoes. Women love high hills for their dressing style, men take the sinning Leathers as their business essentials; and, there are also shoes for sports, for children…etc. although there is fashion needed, but if we think about it deeply and ask ourselves, do we really need that many shoes? Maybe the answer will be varying, but at least, some people would say “we don’t.” In addition, as the shoe manufactories found the value of their loyal costumers, there are many super expensive shoes begin to put on the market. I do not think this is a good idea to mark a pair of shoe with a lot zeros on the price tag because over all, the purpose of shoe is just for walking.

This design has leaded me back to the original purpose of shoes, when I see the naked human feet; I discovered that shoes are just a adding to our life, we walk with our feet but shoes. If we can really get rid of the complexity and the slicks，we will back to the origin and nature.

I also learned that when an object is being spoiled too much, it will lose its original function and purpose; instead, it would have some negative impacts to out life.

Comparison and Contrast: Mona Lisa.

This fat Mona Lisa shows that as a design element, scale is very important; it has the power to change the whole composition and meaning of a design. By changing the scale of Mona Lisa’s face, the picture has been given some sort of humor, and the aspect goes very far from classical. Apparently, the original Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci has a super powerful meaning on the art history; it represents the classical art even as an icon, and the accomplishment of its aesthetic has been lauding to a top level until today. On the other hand, when I look at the fat Mona Lisa, I fully get rid of the classical feeling of the original painting, instead, I want to laugh. Yet, the impact of the new design comes more obvious, by changing its scale; the new Mona Lisa leads the viewer to a very different way.

However, although scale changes the picture a lot from the original, but the dress, background and other element still makes the viewers to recognize the woman in the picture is (or transformed from) Mona Lisa. This shows that design is built by many elements, those elements work together to puzzle a whole. Depends on how much change a designer wants to make on the original, the much distance will be built. These changes will always create some new meaning.

Introducing the PlayStation®Move

As a design major student who is also a gamer, I always associate art and design with video games, also movies and music as well. I believe design is not about immobility: motion coexists as a part of design like always. Today, I am so excited about the new invention from Sony, the motion controller for Play-Station, the Play-Station Move!

The notion of a video game motion controller emerged back several years ago, when the world’s top gaming company, Nintendo, announced their Wii console, the revolution of a new age gaming experience began. And apparently, Sony is behind a little bit, but when it’s ready to join the revolution, it brings the world a new idealized gaming experience which I think is a lot better then Wii.

I like the design of the Play-Station Move because of many reasons: the major one is the light ball on the top of the stick controller. When the controller is powered on, the rubber ball on the top of the controller will light on, blinking slowly and transmitting colors. How cool the design is! I can even gaze at it and watch the colors change for a few minutes in dark.

Another cool fact of its design is that the gamer can see their self in the game. The idea of combining real live capture with the game is so fantastic. For instance, in the game “Start the Party,” the gamer’s movement and surroundings are captured by the camera. When it turns to the TV display, the game combines the real background and the gamer self with built scenes, and the controller will become different tools and weapons held by the gamer, it creates the illusion for feeling you are really placed in different scenes as what you can see on TV display. This is impossible for the gaming devices in the 90s. Of course, the motion controller still has many other cool functions beyond. However, the idea of its design is very creative and interesting, both the Wii and Play-Station Move give gaming a new distinct aspect compared to the traditional gaming experience.

From this example, I can see that design is really changing the world in different realms. The new gaming experience is leading the entertainment up to a higher level. And we all enjoy the change, the innovation that design “does” and “is doing.”

Stone Soup Activity

Today, we spent most of class time doing a very exciting activity- making a stone soup. This is an outdoor activity, taking place outside of our classroom, which has a more serious atmosphere.

First of all, I think the benefit of taking an activity outside of the classroom is being able to relax easily. While we were sitting on the grass and making our stone soup, we also enjoyed the nature: sunshine within an unlimited working space. Secondly, it also taught me that the working space is very important for an artist or designer to gathering their inspiration.

The piece we made today is a figure that has a bald ball head with funny face expression. Because of our ethnic materials, this figure has a very Asian look. It also gave us a sense of how to extend the design within the theme. Consequently, we added the surroundings and background included the traditional Asian fringe flags, Japanese bamboo umbrella, and bento lunch box with chopsticks, etc. to our lovely body. In the process of this design, I learned how to incorporate the design element into a specific theme, and choose the decorations to match it. Indeed, there are plenty of elements and materials we can pick to make a design, but how to use them effectively and correctly is the question for designers. To answer this question, I would say team work.

The stone soup activity taught me the importance of team work, the benefits we can get is a lot more then we think about. First, when a group of people works on a design project together, it means the team would have an infinite amount of inspiration. It would help the design be more successful. Next, advice and discussions would help every single person in the group to avoid getting stuck at a dead end. Finally, based on my experience, group work also helps to manage and organize design elements and materials. The very last point: this experience really conforms to what doctor Housefeld said in class earlier, “designers need to work in a team.”

Creativity from Without

One day, a friend asked me to go to an art supply store to get some paper for her class. And of course, I went with her.

After we returned to her apartment, she started to peel off the bar code tags which were sticky on the back of the sheets. She then put those tags one by one on the table. When I saw them, they were kind of connected and all rolled together with a certain height like a little structure. After she peeled off the last piece, she wanted to throw them away, but I stopped her.

I observed them arbitrarily in different angles and asked myself if this can be considered as a design, and I am sure to say, why not. I think this is an example of creativity from without, just like Andy Goldsworthy did with the track lines on the onion leaves. The similarity I found is that both of the designs are innovative. They used not only very ordinary but also very cheap materials which we normally do not associate with art. It teaches me the unlimited possibility of design: everything can be transforming to an art work by design. This is the fascination of design, and it convinces people in its own way.

Furthermore, I discovered that designer should observe the world frequently, because everything around us can be use to make a design. Like mentioned in the article “The Etymology of Design,” design is not only about “novelty” or “trendiness”; in the process of designing an existence into a new form, there is always an innovation or a new life emerged.

funny- little- finger- bodies.

Many of us have played this: drawing on the fingers. But the very interesting part of this series of pictures is the combination with the background. I really like this idea.

First, it is a smart way to extend spaces for a design, and even recreates the shapes and forms. In the pictures, the arms and hands of those little bodies are drawn on the background paper, which have perfectly connected to the actual objects. It is a great applying which I want to keep in mind when I design. In fact, more then 90% of time, we separate an object and the background in a work. But art works are unnecessary to be in this way. This design has taught me to try something new, and not too boring.

Secondly, this is a good example that reflects the reading “the Etymology of Design” by Kostas Terzidis. I think the analyzing of design and creation about novelty in here is interpreted very well. Basically, the finger is a frequent design that appears in a lot of places. In this piece, it is the "origin" of the design. Then the creative part is the drawing on the background added to the finger bodies. I unscramble that is kind of novelty which is based on an existing, original design.

In conclusion, I think design is a fixable job. A design can be an base, and also could be an addition to an origin. It is hard to define it philosophically; in comparison, artists can always have their own definition of design.

我认为这一组图片真的很有意思，它吸引人的地方，完全在于创意，利用了物件本身和背景的结合。这样有趣的想法，是一个很好的应用，利用好玩的设计，逗笑了观赏者。

DES01是我来到UC DAVIS上的第一堂课，它并不像以往我所上过的课那样靠近STUDIO ART的范围，而是用概念的形式，让我思考，到底什么才是DESIGN, 设计的创意？设计的概念？设计的应用？…etc. 这也是我自己，第一次，花这么多时间，去想，去思考，深层的东西，关于我的科目。

第一个星期结束了，3堂课的学习经验，是我慢慢了解到了，DESIGN是一个很大很大的题目，是我以前并没有认识到的一个程度。这样的概念，是我觉得刺激，好奇，想更深入的了解，我们的思维，创意，设计到底能给我们自己以及这个世界带来什么样的改变。同时，也让我感受到压力，其实DESIGN是一个很严肃，很需要责任的功课，是一个严禁，认真的态度。

作为一个设计人，我还需要去做很多的功课，DEEPLY，探索，学习，研究，体验，经验。DESIGN不仅仅是艺术，它还是一门学问，是魔法，是改变。

COOKIE.

Cookie, with design! This picture inspired me not only because the special design of its form, but also the color scheme and the picture quality. Many thoughts come to me when I see it. I first start with the heart shape in the middle that is very recognizable. Then the sand sugar surrounding it has creates the illusion of clear crystal snow, with those shinny dots. I get the sense of fairytale, an innocent world built by pure love. Going further, the dark blue background could be read as sea. Then there is an icy world floating on the sea. At this point, the composition of the picture is becoming very important and successful, because the object feels raised out of the picture, visually making the viewer feel that the picture is a zoomed part of the entire space. The unlimited space tells the viewer there is more going on around the picture, even it is not physically portrayed. Consequently, back into my understanding, the sea would be a lot huger then what we have in the picture; I can even imagine it stretching as far as my eye can’t see.

Moving away from imagination, what do I see here? A cookie. It is still a piece of cookie. But the point is, when I think about the design, and look at it deeply, I start to explore ideas and travel into them farther and farther, this is the magic of design. And of course, this magic is everywhere rather than on a piece of cookie. Design is a world of imagination, and everyone can experience it as well.

Childhood Favorite!

The pinwheel is the design from my childhood that impressed me a lot. It’s hard to think of it like this in modern times because the idea and design of the pinwheel is so simple, but at the same time, it’s a lot of fun.

Technically, the toy windmill is an artificial object which utilizes physics. It implies the wind force as we know. As a child, I did not know this much about physics. Instead, all that interested me was the design and novelty of it. In addition, I believe that children who were born in the 80s might all experience the magic of this toy pinwheel because of several reasons. First, it is very easy to find the materials to make a toy pinwheel. You may use any kind of paper as well. For me, I remember that glossy magazine pages were my favorite. The process of making the stick by rolling the paper is very fun too. Finally, in addition to the paper, you just need a pin for finishing the pinwheel.

Another great thing about this toy is that it is simple to make, especially for children. Not much technical skill is required, and the construction process is quick. After a couple of easy steps of cutting and pinning, it’s done.

Overall, I think the design of the toy pinwheel is very great. Although, it is hard to make a comparison between this old fashion toy with what children are playing today, the idea and the concept of this design brings impact to the society. It has been brought children a lot of happiness in their childhood. Personally, I love the design just because it’s simple and fun.