Category Archives: Art

#instameaning Day 2: Eye Refresh

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The designing of graphics relies on manipulating colors and shape, sometimes with a computer or just in my head, thinking through the possibilities. But as the day ends my eyes and mind need a rest. That’s where the subway, particularly a corner much like this one, provides the perfect neutral resting spot for my brain and eyes.

 

The designer Apryl Miller has a homedecorated in thousands of expressively vibrant and eclectic fabric swatches. It’s a breathtaking kaleidoscope of color and shape.

 

Her New York home studio, when I was there, was a small room in the family’s apartment, it was filled with an enormous amount color and materials floor to ceiling, DENSE is the only way to describe it. It couldn’t be visually grasped in one quick glance, the room actually made me feel off-balance and dizzy.

 

Most everyone on the tour gasped because of the color onslaught, at which point Apryl came to our aid and pointed out a 1’x1′ grey square on the wall. She gave a wry smile and said “This is where I come to reset my brain.”

 

Exactly.

 

/
Van

 

A Color Wireframe Experiment

Artwork
I love planning, testing and being educated about a concept before I start executing on it.

I also try very hard to be original and not follow the pack when it comes to typography and color.
In a recent project I had a unique color palette that I wasn’t completely sure about.

I recalled in my advertising days that when I questioned a layout, I would take my prescription glasses off and look at it to see if it was balanced, if it flowed and if the shapes held there own as a unit. I wanted to remove myself from the context and content and just look at the forms, let my naturally blurry vision obscure the details I was so use to being hung up on-and it worked!

I was able to see straggling pieces and odd color choices. I would even turn the page layout upside down to see how that worked. If the magazine or newspaper were to be flipped..would it still be interesting? Does it balance in every possible way?

None of these ideas were my own I’m sure. I stand on the shoulders of giants as many do thankfully.

But in remembering these techniques for web design, I decided to make the “color wireframe” shown here. I wanted to see how the color values fell together, if the colors achieved the feeling I was going for, while still helping the viewer move through the page content.

As I mentioned on Forrst: “Most of the blocks are symbols of text content but the ugly gradient on the right is a color symbol for media such as photography or video.” I wanted that color area to be able to be horrible in that section as a worse case scenario.

So, I’d love to know your thoughts on this color experiment.

I’m Not A Logo #branding #self

For me to sum up who I am is difficult. “I’m just me.” this Winnie-the -Pooh-like voice in my head whispers.
“Fuck off you imbecile, that attitude will never sell!” yells the cold bean counter in me.

I didn’t like the bean counter’s attitude, so I fired him. I am just me; and quite frankly that’s a lot.

I’ve had an amazing life: I’ve learned more than I can believe, seen more than I can remember and experienced joys and sorrows beyond anything I’ve ever planned for.

So all I can every focus on with clarity is the moment. When it comes to a logo, all I am is where I am in that moment in time.

So how do capture an instance of me?

I guess it’s my signature-that’s the graphical representation of my statement:
“I’m just me.”

In trying to define my redesign for my portfolio site, I went to someone I sincerely trust in the industry.

I came away feeling very humbled, exposed and realigned, in a way, much more grounded by the summary statement that was offered:

“[You’re intimidating..] ..no one knows what to make of you Van, you’re either a genius or totally full of shit.”

At the end of the day I don’t want to be either of those things, but that assessment let me know I still had a bit of refining to do around how I best defend a creative direction and ultimately a solution.

And that’s just fine, it feels right, it feels honest, and it feels human.

/
Van

Posted via email from Van’s Posterous