The forecast is not much better; cloudy until Friday when it will be partly cloudy. That’s real optimistic too. Why partly cloudy? How about partly sunny.

I’m not going to let my creativity dwindle, though. I will conquer the gloomy air.

But I might need a smidgen of help, so send some sunshine my way, if you have it. Post something in the comments (or your own blog and the trackback) that made you happy, chuckle, grin, or just motivated you to get through the day.

Last year I mentioned musical influence on a designer from a seemingly scientific study in How Magazine (I seem to have lost that link– if you find it please post the url). I think there is even more to music than just a nice beat, though. I like a story, parable, and the like. Sometimes the more unconventional tunes spark the unconventional idea. Perhaps you too could try turning off the radio and listen to some new music.

Just last year I picked up Jack Johnson’s album On and On and it quickly became one of my favorite an most played albums. The music is upbeat and the guitar is fluid. I also like the island-esque influence that appears in many of the songs. I highly recommend that album, take a listen on iTunes if you don’t know Jack.

Today I got his recent release In Between Dreams. It has a few well done songs that continue the quality of On and On, but the songs almost got a bit too light for my liking. There is more emphasis on the acoustic guitar with a casual approach, and this is still a very subtle difference. I would still recommend In Between Dreams for someone who likes a very light and smooth tune. In fact, this album is prime for a summertime sunday brunch.

Do you have any new music to share?

Designers are faced with the challenge of communicating through a visual medium.
In addition to having to communicate a message to the viewer– or target audience–
a designer wants his output to be unique, creative, and effective. Consistency
Design is not always being the most unique in what has been created; no, Consistency
Design is taking analyzing the strengths and weakness in a piece and continuing
to use those strengths in related work.

Corporate Identity is a perfect example of where a designer would benefit from
Consistency Design. The logo will (or should) appear on everything a company
creates, including internal documents. Attaining a consistent representation
of the company and effectively branding a company requires close attention to
Consistency Design. When viewed as a whole all of a company’s visual communications
should have Gestalt– unified and cohesive.

A Leg To Stand On

This might seem like a tangent, but it all comes back to Consistency Design.

The new iMac was released today, and, when seeing it for the first time, I
realized there was something vaguely familiar. The design is not the most unique,
there was something working for it.

The base, I realized, was almost exactly the same as the Cinema Displays. The
designers took a great way of attaching a screen to a base and incorporated
it in to an updated product. The products are also consistent in that they correlate
with the other products in their product line. The iMac is white, which identifies
it with the iPod and iBook, also know as the consumer line. The Cinema Display
is aluminum just like the PowerMac and PowerBook, also known as the professional
line.

This use of Consistency Design helps shoppers identify with the products. It
segregates them between the consumer electronics and professional equipment.
Consistency Design is visual organization through use of hierarchy. Consistency
Design aids in effective communication, and we should use it.

If any art form encompasses the ego culture and grandeur that is the American
dream it would be art deco. The art deco period has been extremely influential
on the twentieth century American culture. With its smooth flowing lines and
graceful forms the style was adapted in to many of the preceding art movements,
including pop art. Post World War I life and the industrial boom combined with
increased wealth creative an opulent style of art and design that is treasured
to this day.

After the First World War rations were lifted and the country as a
whole was flourishing. It is interesting to note that the movement
took its name from an exposition of decorative arts and modern industry in 1925.
Thus the name art deco and it started the modern age genre of design, which
was held popular through the sixties and has had an insurgence of retro design
in our modern time. After more and more artists, designers and architects were
influenced with the style it became a trademark of the twenties. Art Deco styling
appeared in a multitude of mediums. Ships had more streamlined elements. Buildings
were embellished with grand architectural elements crafted out of wood, steel,
or stone. Furniture took on a more stylized look with heavy construction bold
prints and earthen elements. Clothing reflected the grand style that was Art
Deco. Reflecting the style in the lines, colors, and accessories. Advertisements
during this time took on a unique feel. The illustrations were based mostly
upon smooth flowing figures, objects or abstract forms. Posters were a popular
form of Advertising in the beginning of the twentieth century, and they were
not left untouched. The typefaces used in posters in the Art Deco period tended
to be large and bold. Some unique typefaces were designed then and they conveyed
the streamlined style of the art and architecture. The influence was so strong
that Art Deco had an influence in just about every aspect of life.

The architecture designed with Art Deco styling might be the most notable of
all Art Deco influences. Many of those buildings still exist and stand as a
vintage example of the movement that changed the design world. Supreme examples
of Art Deco architecture include the Chrysler
Building, Empire
State Building, and many of the hotels
lining South Beach in Miami, Florida. The steel structures of that time
were crafted to be seamless and streamlined representations of masculinity and
power. The architectural elements that were Art Deco never seemed casual. They
shouted power, strength and quality. The interiors were not too ornate, but
they were not minimalist.
Everything seemed to have such a sense of balance and integrity that such gilding
was quite unnecessary. Many of the buildings that represented the epitome of
the Art Deco style were commercial in purpose. They attracted people with money
and those working to earn it. The furniture of the period utilized expensive
and rare wood, making a piece that was only available to the wealthy. Some was
imported in to the country from France and others used fabric from the far corners
of the Earth.

The art pieces during the Art Deco period evolved with the change of
American Industry. The nation became more commercialized until the
Great Depression and then the commercial sector grew enormously after the Second
World War. The American car became the canvas for postwar Art Deco design. The
use of streamlined elements became commonplace and the grandeur of Art Deco
was emphasized, if not exaggerated. Bold, bright colors were used as accents
and the metallic look of polished metal was captured in many paintings and illustrations.
The crisp lines and painted planes almost looked photo realistic, even though
they were still quite stylized. Geometric forms were always part of an Art deco
design. The masters of the period could use shapes to create drama in such amazing
an ingenious ways. The period had a simple and complex side. They balanced each
other in all of the Art Deco period designs.

All in all, the Art Deco period was the beginning of an era. American artists
took the beginning of a French art movement and expounded upon the ideas and
style. Most notable and widely recognizable is the architecture that was inspired
by the Art Deco movement. The basis of Art Deco design was continued through
the Modern and Space Age designs of the sixties. Not every aspect of art benefited
from the Art Deco movement. However, it changed the way this nation views commerce,
achievement, and greatness. Art Deco is almost like a visual satire, with its
exaggeration, and stylization. Nevertheless, this opulent style was essential
for the variety and opulence of the past that we can study and learn from now,
perhaps incorporating it in to a new art movement and having a renaissance of
Art Deco.

It seems that some really have a
passion for music. Others are talented
musicians. And yet some are not
so. Yes, I’m not a musician, and don’t seem to have the capacity
to be one.

Although I’ve never really perused learning a musical instrument to any
degree, I enjoy listening to music and feel the creative
vibes it gives me. It seems that a good portion of the blogs I frequent
seem to mention music once and a while, some more than others. Although I don’t
have a passion for music as I would define passion, I do spend a fair amount
of time listening to it; if I get my free iPod, I will be listening to a bit
more, but I digress.

I would like to share a few of my favorite songs for everyone to criticize.
But before I do, I want to mention that my interests in music are quite diverse.
Seldom do I go more than an hour listening to music from the same genre. Am
I obsessive compulsive? I’m not sure, but I do like the right music to
fit my mood and I have just about all those moods covered.

Creativity is never a constant in one’s soul. I have found my creativity
to be very fluid. Simple things, like an overcast gloom, can dampen my creativity.
Hungry? If I am, creative juice is extremely hard to come by and I’ll
be in a bad mood to boot. I find that there are three major contributing factors
that affect creativity, mental state, physical condition, and environment.

It’s In Your Head

Creativity only exists in the human world. Animals don’t have the need,
or capability to be creative. Although every person has the ability to be creative,
it is refined through continuous learning and practice. As time passes and creativity
refined, one can try to harness that creativity by beginning with a creative
exercise. Some enjoy drawing, taking photographs, or writing. A brief period
of creative exploration helps to “awaken” your creativity.

Sometimes other things that weigh heavily on our mind can stifle creativity,
such as trying to work out the family budget. Many times, trying to get rid
of those mental distractions can be quite difficult. I find exercise to be a
great way to rid the mind of mental distractions. For some that may not be possible
at the current moment. Maybe focusing on the issue for a brief period of time
will help extinguish the distraction.

Physically Fit

Sickness and other health related problems detract from creativity. Of course,
these aren’t things we can typically foresee, so I we want to be in top
condition creatively, we need to take care of our bodies. A good vacation might
help alleviate some stress. One’s physical condition and mental state
are very much affected by each other, so a good self-evaluation wouldn’t
hurt. The workload of creatives these days seems to be overwhelming at times,
but being physically healthy will help one to be successful in working with
a lot of projects at one time.

It’s What’s Around You

I like cartoons, so I have got some posters, drawings, and other material posted
on a bulletin board in front of my desk. Change your environment. Lighting can
affect one’s mood. Is your office a cave or bright and sunny? Go for a
walk somewhere you haven’t been before.

Your environment doesn’t always have to be inspirational. I does have
to be conducive to creativity, however, and conducive to creativity means different
things to different people; learn more about yourself and how you create. Be
introspective.

This modern world is filled with diversity, diversity in our background, lifestyle,
and interests. Incredibly, many people like to do many different things for
pleasure. Some businessmen noticed that fact not too long ago. Shortly there
after, magazines targeted towards peoples varying interests were being published
and cable channels dedicated to relatively narrow subjects were brought into
the home.

By doing some creative thinking, certain establishments can target these interest
niches. Billiards night at the boardwalk emporium, chess players convention
in the High Sierras, are just a few different examples of filling a niche. Aren’t
they kind of weird parings of activities, though?

A Sports & Amusement Park Mix

It’s the ultimate fanfest! Be a part of this first-ever, one-of-a-kind
ESPN event featuring unique entertainment and interactive experiences for sports
fans and sports families at the Disney-MGM Studios Saturday, July 31 and Sunday,
August 1, 2004. — Disneyworld.com

How can you get a sports fan out of his lazy-boy and away from the TV? Seems
impossible, right? Well the folks at Disney, the parent company of ESPN, want
sports fans to meet their ESPN personalities. They will be taping the shows
there as well. Maybe people that wouldn’t normally consider going to Disney-MGM
Studios would now do so.

I’m not a real big sports fan, but it seems that they would be targeting
the niche (not a small niche) quite effectively. The downfall of targeting a
niche is making a profit from those in the niche. There are plenty of sports
fans, and most of them wont hesitate to spend money on what they enjoy watching,
or participating in, so much.

What do you think about targeting an interest niche? What interests have yet
to be addressed by a magazine or cable channel?

I call to converse,
“She is not here.
I’ll let her know you called.”
Does she get the message?

I invite to associate,
“I am doing something,
that day. Sorry.”
Does she want to know me?

I pause to think,
“Shall I take a break?
What do I have to loose?
Did I miss the message?”

Wow. Spider-Man 2 was an amazing
movie. Fantastic story. Beautiful everything. If you haven’t seen it, what are
you waiting for?

The title sequence in Spider-Man 2 is now my favorite, as mentioned in Graphic
Design In Title Sequences. It is a much more stylized sequence than that
of the first movie. I think that the choice to imply a web was extremely effective
because the sequence also revealed watercolor paintings of important moments
from the first Spider-Man. In doing so they were visually retelling and/or reminding
the audience what led up to the events soon to be seen. Not necessarily a breakthrough,
but an appropriate and well-executed decision. It didn’t dumb down the audience.
“Ok. Everyone, here is where we left off.” I’m no Spider-Man fanatic, but that
would have ticked me off, and that’s why most sequel title sequences don’t even
approach a visual retelling. The forethought and planning of the details were
clearly apparent throughout the opening sequence.

Despite the changes, there still was a lot of consistency, including the colors,
typographical treatment, and, yes, even the soundtrack. Although graphic designers
don’t typically work with audio or video, the basic rules and design principles
are upheld.

I enjoyed going into the theater and specifically focusing on the title sequence
for the simple pleasure of digesting gorgeous elements of design. They are everywhere.
So pick something you enjoy, and analyze its design with a goal to insight inspiration.
I guarantee you will find something you never saw before.