Pictocons.

What I gathered from the readings was a greater outlook on how big of a role clarity and context plays on the success of a pictogram.  Also a look into the early history of representative image making was nice to keep in the back of my mind whilst learning about modern pictograms.  Unfortunately the video seemed to be corrupted and started over once it got half way through.


The clarity of the pictogram depends on several factors.  The pictogram must be in formal alignment with other pictograms of a set.  They should be un ambiguous in form and should not be weighed upon by the stylistic choices of the designer (something I have had a hard time with).  Also the pictogram is highly influenced by its surroundings and the norms of the culture in which it is represented.  I'm wondering if we will be exploring placement in some way.

Sushi... Not Bad.

For as nervous as I usually am giving presentations, I felt I was the most comfortable during this last one.  This could have simply been due to the slightly informal format and the fact that I did not have to stand.  I've learned allot about sushi culture which I was not aware of, that I hope to tastefully put into practice.  My book did not receive to many comments overall but I am really happy with the way it turned out.  The craft is decent even though the paper I used may be slightly unforgiving.  As I've already seen how the book has helped inform the more expressive icon exercise, I'm pretty confident that I've chosen good images.

Jim Croce Progress

As of now I have the overall warm and quiet mood that I believe works well with Jim Croce's persona.  The headless body of Croce is sending off all the wrong signals so I will have to edit that as well as the overly neutral type choice.  The time in a bottle reference is now finally under control since I've been more selective with what I put into the composition.

Type Campaign

Promoting cohesion between the functionality of design and the consumer's/user's ability to access that functionality.

"Design is the conscious effort to impose a meaningful order." -Victor Papanek

"The function of design is letting design function." -Micha Commeren

"If the users can't find it, the function's not there." -Human Factors International

Making the Smithsonian Visible

In the reading, Making the Invisible Visible, I understood two important things. One being that when working with a client or partner, the input whether constructive, negative, or otherwise can be whatever you make it whether constructive, negative, or otherwise.
The second thing is that the most basic theme should be at the center of every project in every matter.  The values listed at the beginning of our culture project influenced what the style or mood the project would take.  It will also continue to do so through whatever future stages our project takes us.


As for the other reading... I am not entirely sure how it relates other than the fact that the Smithsonian has a very elaborate and focused method for collecting and documenting, making it possible for them to keep track of their expansive collection, and for them to paint a fully encompassing portrait of many cultures.

Experiment?

After going through the experimental type reading I was fairly confused.  After going through it again there was a little light at the end of the tunnel.  Out of the handful of definitions of experiment and experimental type, I think that I understand one at least a little bit.  Experiment in type or design of any kind is simply the act of creating something.  At its infancy a project is still an experiment so long as there is openness to whatever turns the project takes.  The inspiration from the form and natural progression of the project carries the experiment up to the refining stages.  This is where the experimental nature ceases and the focus turns towards whatever needs the project's results suit best.  Therefor, experimenting is the means of unfocused and natural process to inform later experiments and commercial projects.

Thirty-seven Years Dead.

     I've had a really hard time choosing my dead person to explore (that sounds creepy).  Maybe I've been just putting too much thought into the next phase of the project, but I've finally found who I'd like to go with.  While slightly morbid, I knew that many interesting people have died in plane crashes, so I actually did a search on people who died in plane crashes prior to 1984.  The list was very long and I didn't know any of the names except for a handful of musicians.  Thats when I hit Jim Croce.  Recognizing the name I looked him up to confirm who I thought he was.  I can say honestly that all of that listening to oldies music as a kid is finally paying off.  Granted I don't know many of his lesser played songs, but singles like Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, You Don't Mess Around With Jim, Time in a Bottle, and Operator are still classics in my book.

     James Joseph Croce was born January 10, 1943 to Jim (Sr.) and Flora Croce in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.  His early career consisted mostly of playing at parties with a number of small bands until he met his wife and they performed together performing blues, country, rock and roll, and folk.


     In the 1970s Jim experienced most of his success when pianist/guitar player and singer /songwriter Maury Muehleisen backed him up playing lead guitar for his feel good, down to earth, all American music.


     At the age of thirty, Croce died in a plane crash on September 20, 1973 along with Muehleisen and several others.  He was flying on a commercial flight between concerts and just before his last single was released.


Quotes-


"If I had time in a bottle,
If words could make wishes come true,
I'd save everyday for eternity passes,
And then I would spend them with you."


"I was searching all the time for something that I'd never lost or left behind."


"I've overcome the blow, I've learned to take it well. I only wish my words could just convince myself that it just wasn't real. But that's not the way it feels."

Sushi Exploration

Here are my mock up book layouts.  I've added more images than the ones that I took myself.  This should give it more variety.  The printed version of this needs to be toned down considerably when it comes to color, and I'm still trying to find the magical balance of reds and yellows so that the printer doesn't give me an extra spoonful of each.  I really want sushi now... all the time... even when I'm not hungry.  If only it weren't so expensive and wouldn't fill me with mercury.  In that light I think the title "RAW INDULGENCE, luxury necessity desire" works well.  While sushi is delicious, it is a luxury (in my case at least) to have, and while I  often feel that it is a must have, it is definitely more of a want than a need.  I think that reflects well on sushi culture and what inspires its members to eat copious amounts of raw fish.

7 Type Explorations

 Anomaly

Concentration 

Direction 

Texture 

Repetition

Gradation 

Space