I’ve seen these billboards all around town for the past couple of weeks. There is a large closed eye on the left and the script “open your eyes” on the right. They are just there, and that is all that is on them. And I wondered, “what sort of religious shenanigans be these?” Because a while back, they had the infamous Franklin Graham festival, which had, actually, very well-designed billboards. Though they contained messages like “There is a hell.” Uplifting, no?
Archives for the month of: June, 2008
Listen to the podcast here.
I just listened to a great NPR podcast with Steve Heller about what campaign materials say about candidates. Steve says these pieces say more about who is making the materials versus whose name is on them. But wouldn’t they also say which candidate has a better eye for design? Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know enough about campaigns to know who really has the last say in a candidate’s design. Though I’ve been looking for a great excuse to talk about how much I love Obama’s logo. And this is it.
My good friend Allie Osmar interviewed me a while back for her blog/website at thecreativecareer.com. This podcast discusses the advantages and disadvantages of working in a large corporate environment vs. a small design firm. I’m not sure I make complete sense while talking, and I think I could have said “um” and “uh” a little more, but you should check it out anyway.
The Grand Unified Theory of Nothing: Design, the Cult of Science, and the Lure of Big Ideas.
I have to admit that I have always been one that strives for deeper meaning in my work. I want my designs to have an impact on the viewer. Challenge their perceptions and make them think critically about my art and the world around them. I should have understood better when I was told my designs were too conceptual to be picked during my junior year Visual Communications class. I was so angry at the time. I didn’t want to assume the average person was as “stupid” as my teachers told me to think they were. I had more faith in the human mind.
This entry begins my book discussion series. I have recently bought a few design books and I’m finally going to sit down and take a critical look at my field. These entries will deal with the issues in these books and hopefully strike discussion among those who design and who look at design.
