A Personal Conclusion

At the start of this project, I thought more objectively. Was there something I could teach people, or give people that would make them change? But most of the solutions I thought of involved a middle-man and actually using more resources [whether they were eco-friendly or not]. I decided that anything that focused on objects was out of the question because it went against the creative brief: reduce impact! So I found myself a bit lost.
So I began my research by laying some foundations. I looked up and e-mailed some organizations and services. I mainly wanted their insight on how they motivated people to change, and what they found to be the most difficult in motivating change. I found a research article about motivating change through one of the organizations. Every hypothesis I had about changing behaviour was confirmed in the article. People have to have a reason to change. That reason has to be somewhat personal. And sometimes, change can be introduced for a person via an outside source.
Initially, I thought of a few objective campaigns. For instance, promoting bamboo products. Bamboo is a natural resource with a vast numbers of uses, all of which prove bamboo to be a more viable and useful option than resources we use now. But the current status of bamboo as a resource would mean promoting it not to the public, but to companies. I was confused and frustrated, because everything I could think of was objective, and thus far, objective campaigns have not produced any strong tangible change.
I’ve started keeping small notebooks with me at all times. So as a part of my research and mapping, I wrote down ideas and thoughts as they came to me, wherever they came to me. I first considered doing a motivational campaign about voting after discussing politics with a friend. She told me about a study where people were asked if they supported a policy and they said yes. When they were asked if the supported a conservative policy [the exact same policy], they said no. It occurred to me, people just don’t think.
We make so many choices without really thinking. By the time I got to writing ideas down, the idea had transformed from promoting thinking before voting to thinking about everything. There was never any doubt in my mind about the creative direction. There were very few thumbnails and sketches as a result. The visual language of the campaign came together after a tutorial. I had already created one in the first creative sample, and I just needed to expound on it.
The direction I was intended to represent the process of thought and cognition. In doing so, it allows a person to see and comprehend a train of thought as exactly that… a train of thought. So without telling someone the importance of an original thought, action or deed I can show them. My goal was to place the gravity of the subject upon an audience without directly telling them so that the choice to think would be their own and not a command they could mindlessly follow.
While I am proud of the campaign I designed, there are some things I would like to change. First, I am not very good at research or mapping. Much of my work in any case comes from a deep sense of intuition. I don’t like to test design or content. I believe that myself as well as my fellow designers are crowd enough to test on. Sometimes, we forget that we are an audience too. However, I realize that this could be a highly fatal flaw in commercial designing. Even when the answer is clear in any profession, clients like to see proof and reason. So while I could grow in execution of design and layout, I think my area of most needed growth is clear mapping of my research and design process.

And The People Said...

I decided last minute to go ahead and do a survey. I had been thinking about it from the beginning but I had a million reasons not to and why it wouldn't work. In the en,d I decided to do a short little online survey. I invited an array of people on facebook to just fill some things out. I wanted to just get some kind of feel for my hypotheses and the truth of the state of people's thinking.

 As far as the margin of error goes, I'm not giving a great deal of importance to the survey because it isn't the highest in quality. Good thing, because the site deleted a question and replaced it with a repeat question. Oops. BUT I did see some interesting things. 

People are thinking... just not enough. They aren't very critical thinkers. Few people are really mapping out their decisions. They are making them, but not cognitively. They have reasons, but they are more like excuses: tame and irrelevant. A few people REALLY thought things out. You can see it in just a few words. Others are only regurgitating what they've heard. And some even admit to not cognitively giving their choices a chance! 

So now my campaign is really motivated by getting people to CHOOSE to think cognitively. Not just a flashing whisper before it's gone to hardly ever be recalled again.

Think for yourself.

SO... I have been working like mad on my creative samples. After talking with Peter about the logo and ad pieces, I realized that I had already created a strong language, but I wasn't using it well. So after working on them, I finally re-worked the visual language. I think it's very strong and succinct. It has a natural hierarchy, and flows very well. Each piece does say a lot, but I think I have simplified them as best as I could. Let's face it, there's so much to say!

I wanted to to inspire people to really think with this visual language. It may be an ad, but I'm not jsut telling you something or giving you a small fact. Don't just file it away. Think about it! There is something to be learned, and there is something you c

an implement into your life. I will definitely defend this creative work because my goal isn't to just load people up with information and make them do what I want. I really do want to incite some introspection. If anything, I'm telling them NOT to buy into anything just because I say so. Go ahead... think about it.

Without further ado, here is one of my creative samples. This one is for "Think for yourself." This branch is about people taking care of things in their personal life: emotional AND physical health.

Clarity

Perhaps I haven't been clear. I keep getting comments about the one logo for re-think, which is wonderful, however, there are three subcategories with different names. So each column is a group... I'm looking for comments on the cohesiveness and design of each of the 4 columns... Any other comments, suggestions, preferences, or ideas...

Re-think the Way You Waste

Here is a sample of my creative work. The idea behind it is that people who work for the campaign spend the Saturday collecting litter in a park. By Monday morning, it's been piled up and a sign is beside it showing just how much the public has littered and how much of it was salvageable but not biodegradable. The poster itself would be an edited picture of the actual event/trash heap. The idea is to make every ad piece relevant to the lives of those who see it. Because we don't just want them to stop and ponder only to walk off and forget. It's supposed to invade their space a bit to really make them think about the world that includes them every day. Once again, I know it isn't the best quality but all of the creative information had to be smushed up to fit into this blog. Comments, questions, concerns...

Logo Loco

At the request of some... I am posting some samples of my logotype work. I will post some creative pieces once I've refined them. But for the time being, just enjoy these tantalizing tasty tidbits. Mmmmm... 

Personally, I think I would like to go with the different colors for the subcategories. [It's got more flav-ah!] BUT feedback is always welcome...

P.S. I know the quality is a bit dodgy but they are a bit compressed. I promise I used more saturated colors and a much higher resolution :)

With One to Spare

The goal of my project is to motivate a shift in behaviour while having a minimal impact on the environment. I am designing a campaign called “think.” It will get young people [16-25] thinking… about everything. We make mall choices every day that have a major impact on our lives and the world around us but we don’t always realize it. So this campaign will use digital media as well as some very basic daily objects that will become their own voice to inspire earnest introspective thinking in young people. When that starts, their choices will begin to change.

I realize that I don't always speak clearly. Thus far, I'm not too sure if anyone has a clear vision as to where my project is headed. I know that someone must be wandering what ever happened to me "series of maps." Well... I stopped needing them. Things just started popping into my head. I know my notebook is going to be rather incoherent, but it all makes sense to me. I had considered a few different directions to take my campaign. 

1] The Feisty Lemming! [Playing on the common misconception that lemmings follow without thinking. So be different and mix things up by thinking for yourself.]

2] Looking Back: "The mistakes of history [Let's not repeat them!]"

3] Looking Back: "If they had[n't]... things would be different."/"What if they had..."

I have decided to go with number 3. The first was just coming out to goofy and childish and was more fun than it was thought-provoking. The second was a bit austere. It was starting to look like "When the people of Germany felt lost, they all supported the Nazis and Hitler for their visions of a better Germany. Unfortunately, they never really considered exactly what policies were coming into place..." You get the idea. It was just too harsh and painful. I would like to hope that unwittingly voting for the star candidate is NOT like a vote for Hitler. So the third seemed the best. Look at what has happened, and how relevant it is to you! Such great things happen in small numbers that we are a part of every day.

If you would like a hint of the tone/attitude of my campaign then take a look at the truth campaign website. This campaign is against the lies of the tobacco industry [they aren't actually against smoking, just against the propaganda of "big tobacco"]. The recently re-branded the campaign to "The Sunny Side of Truth." It's a rather satirical approach to what the tobacco industry tries to cover up about the effects of smoking such as expecting mothers who smoke. Their babies suffer from defects and life-long health issues. But a tobacco executive was quoted as saying that some women would prefer smaller babies. Granted, the actual birthing process might be less painful [the sunny side], but these children are born underweight and unhealthy setting them up for future health problems [the truth]. Of course my campaign will not be exactly alike, and I will not really employ much satire or sarcasm BUT I thought this might be a fun prelude to my work. Enjoy.

This Year In Design

So... after our day trip to the museums I realized two things. 1] I do not like Alan Aldridge as his work reminds of everything I dislike about the 60's/70's. [Although his illustrations of The Beatles lyrics were conceptually wonderful.] 2] Everything you need to know about a period of time can be seen through design.

Alan's style is just too much for me. It's like he took my favorite elements of design and abused them. His sense of line is just too much. He takes something so simple and instead of making something complex he just repeats himself over and over in a million ways in ONE design. Also, he has taken Rousseau's sense of color and watered it down with accidental color mixings. And, no, I do not mean color combinations. I literally mean it's like he took a blue marker, colored over fresh ink of another color, or pencil, and continued to color as if nothing was wrong. For his lack of appealing to the eye, he certainly is a creative fellow. Conce

ptually, I love some of his work. He is truly a creative designer and I definitely respect his creative vision.

Surprised! Tiger In A Tropical Storm by Henri Rousseau 

[He is one of my favorite artisits, by the way. See how he blends his colors in a way that looks more based on a prism than anything else. Well, Alan just musses that whole blended prism up.]

What's funny is how everything I always envisioned disliking about the 60's and 70's was always something like and Alan Aldridge nightmare. IT might sound funny that I could have pinpointed everything I thought about a place and a time through the work of a designer, but it's true. No matter how forward and creative a design, it still reflects current culture. The Cold War Modern exhibit was a perfect demonstration of that. By comparing the USA and Russia, you could really see similarity in the differences. The work spoke of the times. Both countries were pushing new technological boundaries and trying to create a desireable new world from the ashes of depression and war. 

Both societies produced work that was the propaganda of hope. American work blossomed under the idea of expansion and free market, but all of it was based in a stretch for something greater and better than anything before. It was the first real step out of the unique singularities produced by antiquity into cold, hard, and shiny mass-produced modernity. Russian work showed a reformed old world. While there was a focus on objects, the work clearly reflected the new government... a new life for people of the old world. Even when Lenin recognized the Russian people's desire for products of the new world, the design still focused more on the life surrounding the objects and not the objects themselves. Between the two, you see a society moving forward through capitalism, and a society reaching for a future better than its past. At least that's what I saw...

Anyway, I guess what I really took the most was that whatever work I create as a designer will say far more about the world I live in-- the world I want to live in, than it will ever say about me alone. All design is a social commentary.

These Few Words

It's about time I defined my project and where I am headed. At this point, I think I've got it cleared up for the most part.

The goal of my project is to motivate a shift in public behaviour. The idea is to have maximum impact on my audience while making a minimum impact on the environment. My target audience is young adults 20-30: active people who notice things but don't always get deeply involved. My goal is not to motivate them to make a difference within themselves. They vote, they recycle, and they might even work out from time to time; but do they know why they do any of it? The focus of my campaign will be to get them to be more introspective. Todays choices change tomorrow's outcome... don't let it be a surprise. If we don't start thinking for ourselves now, we won't be able to later. 

I want a very simple campaign: mostly outdoor [they can be digital], and internet advertising. It will be highly visual to kickstart the cognitive process [sometimes we listen better to pictures than words]. I want it to be somewhat lighthearted- more like satire instead of blatant. If The goal is to get people thinking, ask them to think, make them think... don't think for them.

Schedule Goals:

15 November- solidify underlying theory

17 November- creative brainstorm

19 November- choose creative direction/begin creative work

27 November- refine creative work

01 December- final drafts

I'm actually really excited about this now that I've got a real sense of direction. I used to be so focused on the theory of behaviour motivation and concerned about people's laziness... but I think I am really going to come through the other side of this. 

Winnow: [v] Reduce Down To The Best

So I am beginning this week with a list. Thus far, I've come up with a few different topics for my RSA project. Time is running out and I need to figure out what it is that I want to focus on. You can't really create any kind of campaign if you have no focus. So I am going to list my ideas, and by the end of the week, I will have winnowed it down to the best of the best... in terms of what would be good for me to work on.

1] The Little Things: small ways that we can make an impact on our environment without going out of our way

2] Think Before You Do: being self-aware is the best way to contribute to society... know what you believe and what you want for yourself.

3]Better Choices: things to look for to reduce the negative impact of our consumption without changing volume.

4] Know Before You Vote: don't accidentally change your future; learn about what you're choosing before you choose it.

5] Identity: be a factor of your environment- not a product.

I think in general you get the idea. I am trying to motivate young people to THINK FIRST. There are too many ignorant choices made in a day. How many of them are affected by what we really think and believe, and how many are just a product of what we have [or haven't, for that matter] been told? Also, we make choices that affect our future, and we say we don't care, then down the road we're upset with the outcome. Let's start using our minds ad change our future instead of becoming a victim of our own choices.

Get Motivated

It's about that time... for a new map! This one is very simple. It's not confusing by any means, but it is quite relevant in the evolution of this project. I have been thinking about the different ways people are motivated to action. Subjective and Objective. Subjective means that they need or want substance. These are your people who just need the information... they need to hear the word and a cause is good enough for them. Objective refers to people who need more than information, or little information at all. They are object driven people whether it is some goal to attain, or a prize. There has to be something tangible/relevant to them for them to get going. So what it really comes down to is I need to create a campaign that is highly informative without using millions of words. It needs to be simple and clear for the subjective people, but there has got to be some sort of splash for those who need something different. The people that I really want to reach are the ones who know little or simply aren't motivated.

So based on my subject, I may look to provide incentives from partners. Like for those who buy reusable plastic mugs and cups instead of buying bottled water, receive a discount every time they bring their cups in for a fill. Or perhaps the country's goal is to recycle a certain amount to beat the country next door. Of course it's an important cause, and many will join regardless of the prize, but some people are going to need a bit of fun. So now the question is content. What direction am I going to take this? What do I want people to get involved in? Time will be running short soon enough, so I should have an answer next week...

Ignorance Is Not Always Bliss

*Disclaimer: this post is intended to be an objective view on beahviour patterns in relation to subject v. object motivation... not a political commentary.

In light of all of the voting controversy going on, I have been privy to quite a few youtube videos, and other online articles. One in particular had me interested. Howard Stern [I am definitely not his biggest fan] discussed some research on his show. Someone [I'm not sure who] went out to Harlem to find evidence toward the hypothesis that black people would vote for Barack Obama just because he is black. Give it a listen...



So people who actually knew absolutely nothing about Barack's views, or choice of VP [his is Senator Joe Biden by the way], were adamant about voting for him because they agreed with "his" values. Aside from the obvious political implications, it piqued my interest in how people are motivated.

How is it that such a major decision could be made based on such little information? At the beginning of this project, it occurred to me that people may be objectively motivated, and important information and great detail may not work. People need something more simple to cling to. In my opinion, this small experiment definitely proved that theory. So if we can't reach people with the information, how do we bring them to a cause? The answer: connect with them on a basic level.

Once I've decided on the subjective focus of my project, the real challenge will be to connect people objectively to the cause. The people who want to know all of the information can get it and will find it. They will connect. But those hard to reach people are the ones who know very little, and won't try to know more... Just like the voters who don't know much about Barack Obama's stance, but feel they have connected with him and support him.

It does present another question though... how do we motivate AND educate people. In this case, the information these people apparently didn't know is rather easy to come by... so why didn't they know it? As a designer, we are responsible to the audience to motivate and educate... not just enlist lemmings to a cause.

Let's Get Political

I know. I know. Politics. Bleh. I hate them too, but as today is November the 4th, I only think it appropriate that I say SOMETHING about it all.  I probably won't know who my next president is until late Wednesday or early Thursday. But this is definitely a momentous occasion. We will either have our first non-caucasian president, or our first female vice president. In America, both are a big deal as we really tend to stick to our stereotypes and expectations. Unfortunately, people tend to see those physical markers as definitive political information. [Which is exactly why it's a big deal in the US. People have such a hard time looking beyond the physical.] But I'm not going to rant and rave about any of my political stances or beliefs. As a matter of fact, I prefer to not discuss them because most people prefer arguing. And arguing gets us nowhere as the sole intention is to shout without listening or understanding. No thank you. BUT having the right to vote is a big deal, and it's always wonderful to see children being taught an unbiased view on the importance of government and democracy. So without further ado, I give you: You Can Vote However You Like. [Cute AND funny.]

But How?

As I await responses from some other sources and organizations, I have decided to take a more academic approach. I actually found a document written about motivation and behaviour and I'm really excited to get into it. Hopefully, this document will give me a more grounded approach to the relationship between the two. As I prepare for the next step in my series of maps, I have to get pat the question of how. How do I helpp people? How do I motivate them? By the end of this week, I hope to have a better more decisive course of action on how to motivate people. Am I really going to encourage people to DO something, BUY something, CREATE something, SHARE something, etc? So for now, my research is really focused on how. But by next week, I am really going to start looking at what... What is it I am trying to motivate people to do?
Clearly I did a bit of editing, but it's apiece of a photo in my backyard at home. We have alot of greenery and this is actually my least favourite. I hate Bogenvilla because those crazy pink flowers get everywhere, but not here. I just cropped it out of a photo because I thought it looked so rmoantic. I had a painting professor who once said that ina painting, you should be able to just crop out pieces, and each piece should still be visualy stimulating. So I've started to look at every design, and every image in that way. Well, I thought this piece was more than stimulating... it's lovely. It's like a bit of serendipity. An accidental moment of loveliness that hardly ever gets noticed. Now that the plant has been trimmed, and the umbrella thrown out, I'll never see it again. But it was there, and I almost missed it.

It's Not Over Yet

I noticed this weekend, that the Brits do Halloween just a bit different. In America... it's all about the build up. Decorations go up October 1st. There are haunted houses everywhere. The amusement parks get all decked out and pay actors dressed as ghouls and zombies running and hiding around the parks to give customers a proper fright. Comoe Halloween, it;s all about the parties and the trick-or-treating. People spend loads of money to get the best costume they can and party it out. But all of these activites have fixed dates. The fun starts October 1st, and people only where their costumes to trick-or-treat, or to attend the Halloween parties. There is no "Halloween Weekend." But here, I've noticed halloween-lovers Thursday to Saturday. There aren't very many decorations, but 2 nights in a row, I went out and saw people in costume!!! [I saw costumes on Saturday... November 1st!!!] So for all of the people who aren't ready for Halloween to end... here is a lovely mixtape from my favorite design blog. Enjoy!

Contacts [People-- Not Lenses]

So I've made a few contacts. As part of my research I was required to make contacts, which, of course I did. But when I first re-evaluated my map, I realized that my research was going to need some really basic background that wasn't based on an idea. So I looked at making contacts in a whole new light. I started thinking that I needed more than an organization or two that already accomplished something I was trying to do. It's not just about what they did and how they got there. There are other motivating factors. Why does their organization even matter? What about the people they affect? How can we really meet people on another level? Many organizations are affective in reaching people, but usually they affect those who are already interested, or friends of people who are interested. The idea of my RSA brief is to change behaviour. I'm not interested in minimal change a little bit of motivation. What can I really do to change? How can I get a better look at people? What are some of the observations of modern behviour, especially the behaviour and attitudes of those who are apathetic?

So I am hoping that the contacts I've made [and am still making] really give me some background... some insight into moving people. I don't want to just teach people something minor, and make it look bigger than what it is. I want change for good to REALLY BE CHANGE for good.

Explode That Dot

Legally, I have to say that "Exploding The Dot" is a registered trademark of Debbie Wideroe... because it is. But basically, that is what I am posting about today. Exploding the Dot, otherwise known as mapping, is a way to just get ideas down and find some sense of direction by asking lots of questions and looking for which way to go. As you can see, there are two different maps. One is messy, and one is not. The first map I created in class. To be honest, it left me feeling woozy and entirely directionless.

For a creative person... I really do enjoy structure. So I created the second map. I tried to leave me preconceived notions behind, which I failed to do in the first map. I have decided that instead of showing a "growing" map I'm going to show a series of maps. This is mostly due to the fact that looking at old thoughts confuses me, and I need structure. I have noticed that no matter how I begin a project, I always end up in a better albeit different direction. So the best way for me to work is to get things down, work them out, and move on. So the more structured map shows exactly where I am at right now.

as you can see, my biggest question is HOW? How do people change? How do I help them get there? How do I motivate them based on where they are at? I began with the idea that this campaign does not have to objectively or subjectively focused. My biggest concern is that the purpose is to change behaviour... So that is wher eI started. I looked at it in two ways. Easy, would be people who are definitely conscious of their behaviour and it's only engrained as a choice, not necesarrily because of cultural factors. Then there is hard. Hard would be people who jsut do it. They may be conscious of it, but they are more like worker bees. It's less than a thought. How did either of these types get there and where do we go from here? How do you motivate the different types?

After reaching this point, I have refocused my research not on things, but just on behaviour. How do other organizations motivate people, and what difficulties have they found? How are attitude and behaviour linked... do i have to change one inorder to change the other or can behaviour be shifted regardless of what someone thinks or believes? Can I introduce something that will make change for someone, or do I really jsut need to motivate the person? Interesting...

Make Up Your Mind

Today's images are from Olimpia Zagnoli. I love it because it's simple... SO simple but intriguing. It's fun and interesting. I'm not the biggest fan of her work, but she does have a few pieces that I love, and this is one of them. They are called Anatomy of Tissue Paper. Clever, right?

So I was thinking about the research design process, and how it pertains to me. In class, we worked on a research process for a group of people. We each did our own, but as I work on this RSA project, I am realizing that the process is FAR different than what we discussed. So here is what I've settled on in terms of my own research process.

First- figure out the question.
*so long as you've got a genereal idea of the project, you've got a starting point. Put down everything you know, or think you know about the subject. Try to find other things you may are may not heard of that already exist.
Second- go through your research to begin research.
*start researching the things you know. Chances are, you only know topical things. The more you find out about what you already know, you'll begin to discover things you don't know and find your direction.
Third- choose a direction!
*enough researching and digging around in space, it's time to pick something and run with it. Find some key points and work on narrowing down and choose a direction that you know you can work but also one that is interesting and has great creative potential.
Fourth- start designing.
*sketch things. Make thumbnails, just pour out ideas on things you want to do. And don't be afraid to carry around a notebook to put something down when you randomly think of it. [You never know when inspiration will hit you!]
Next [I'm tired of numbering]- refine!
*choose an artistic direction and go with it. Work on ideas that can be evolved together to create something cohesive, but keep an open mind because you may find that the direction you've chosen isn't quite right. In that case, just work on it! Make changes when necesarry.
TIME OUT!!! Don't forget that when you are working wiht a client, keep them informed. This is about the point you would share your work with the client. Show them mark-ups, and elt tem in on the direction you've chosen [be advised, some clients like feeling as though they have an option, so let them feel that way.]
Moving On- perfect it.
*I am thinking this step as rather self-explanatory. Just perfect your work. Work on final looks... we're a bit past mark-ups now. The client should be able to see more realistic work at this point. They need a real feel for what's happening.
Finally- end it!
*Get it done. Fulfill your promise. The funniest thing about this, hoenstly, is that you wil more than likely be researching things until the day you present it with final packaging. Great fun.

That being said, I am at stage... two! I've been going through the project I've chosen and I've been ahving trouble finding direction, so I've just been doing somehwat aimless research. As such, I've been constantly asking myself questions.
Exactly what is elegant frugality... how can I really make it apply in a way that matters to me?
I think it's really more about being functionally responsible, and not jsut gimmicky. Reusable bags are a nice idea, but are we really using them? I mean hybrid cars are actually a bit of a joke, unless everyone switches because of all of the other implications like mechanics and new qualifications, and other such things.
What have other people, groups, done?
Reusable bags. Water bottles made with less plastic but the same capacity. Hybrid/electric cars. Computers with recyclable and easy-to-replace parts.
Should I come up with something new, or should I work on promoting/developing a new idea?
I'm not exactly an inventor an engineer, but there are some really good concepts out there. I think maybe I want to do both. Run with a newer concept and evolve it.
How far can I take this? Is this about developing my skill in design, or about the overall process?
I'm thinking that I want to develop my skill in the overall process. So I'm going to challenge myself. I will choose something thtat I have vision for, but something that I feel is currently underplayed or unnoticed.
From what I've seen and gathered, what am I most interested in and how can I best tailor it to the brief?
I REALLY like eco-friendly electronics. Bamboo casing, recyclable parts, lower energy needs. But most of all, I like functionality that's attractive.

That's all I've got so far. I'll be sure to question further. To be honest, it's really as far as I've gotten. I'm having trouble narrowing things down. But the more I question myself about the direction I want to go, the clearer answers will become.

The First Task of Many

I had previously discussed two designers I'm a fan of on another blog... but it got spammed! So I'm re-writing it and putting it here. The first I chose was actually a group of designers.

Target is an American store that is a bit like ASDA, but for them, design is everything. It's hard to find names for their creative team as they use an in-house agency, but they do partner with other designers for their ads/campaigns every now and again... such as the wonderful Ryan Cox! They consistently empower the brand by respecting customers and audiences as creative individuals. Their latest campaign, "Hello Good-buy" is a play on a top Beatles song. It's another example of how they are always reinventing the classic. Their goal isn't to be edgy, and I think that makes for gret design. Because TRYING to be edgy, always looks forced. And Target ads are just naturally fun and inviting.

Next, we have Meg Hunt. She has a much more artistic look. In general, she uses a rather interesting colour palette. Her work has such a flow to it, and it isn't because she has a great use of line. When you pick it apart, there is nothing about her work that is smooth. But her ability to use interesting colors, patterns, and motions makes for the most brilliant design work. Her illustrations have a much more natural artistic look to them then alot of the current and newer work. In my opinion, I think it is the direction of future design. Artistic and stylized work are definitely the direction of future design... which, interestingly enough, was how it started. The era of stark solids and basic forms for advertising is over. Designers are definitely coming back. And it's nice to see advertisers, and brands really recognizing the power of design and image.

RSA pt.1

So, I think I have chosen my design project. Elegant Frugality. It almost sounds frou frou, but the exciting thing is that it doesn't have to be. The aim of this brief is to, "Create and produce an original, persuasive and behaviour changing strategy for the issue you feel it is important to address." There are two sides to how I'm feeling on this. The first is that I am excited. I come from California. All we talk about is being green and ways to have less impact on this earth [as far as your carbon footprint is concerned]. The negative side, and what I am most concerned about, is that I am not British. Yes, I want to cover something important to me like the brief states, but I also want to do something relevant to more than myself and my own life. So I am setting forth a battery of questions to move myself beyond... myself.

What IS important to me?

What do I really care about?

What issues does my hometown face?

What issues does Britain face?

Are any of these alike?

How has each approached the issue?

What is the difference in style?

What is Britain facing that I find important?

How can I best approach any issue from a British point of view?

Are there any cultural differences that must be noted?

Is it important that I come from a British point of view... or is it time for something different?

I know that I will have more questions as time goes on, as this design process moves forward, and I will also answer these questions. I'm really excited to see where this will lead. Hopefully I find a pattern of design/design research that works for me, personally. Something better than the four years of text books [ALL the same] have offered.

I would like to start a little tradition. Hopefully, I will keep it up. But for now... with every post I want to put some piece of design that I find interesting, or simply enjoy. Because the more I look at design, the more I'm actually studying it and processing it in my mind. Without further ado... I give you "monster" [located above] by Ryan Cox. I love... LOVE his design work. His work resembles every element that I adore and I work to employ. His design are bright simple and fun, and as basic as they may seem each is unique. There is just something special about his design, whether it is intuitive, or just a little fun. It's design that doesn't take itself too seriously, and I love that. I chose this particular piece because it's just a whole lot of fun. And also because it reminds me of the Fire Gang from The Labrynth starring David Bowie. [Throughout the course of this blog, you will more than likely discover my love for the 80's.] Just check out his work... doesn't it just put a smile on your face? I think that's one of the gifts of good design. Good design moves you in some kind of direction. Ryan Cox moves me to happiness. Without a doubt, I will include more of his work in this blog at some point.