Articles about Design

1187. Now, I hope that you took the advice in the last chapter of Channel Surfing, pard'ner; got your chaps and spurs on? Good. We're going to take a little vacation out to a little place they call the Circle 7 Dude Ranch. Seems it's got branches all over...From LA on the west coast (KABC)....To Bangor, all the way over in Maine (WVII):Even them city slickers in Detroit like to get away to the ranch every now'n'then:With a fancy name like "WXYZ", I don't imagine they'd be forgettin the name terrible much.We got a lot of Circle 7's around. Just look at what we found:KATV, Little Rock:KETV, Omaha, has a variation on the theme, with a familiar angled line separatin' the call from the city:Then theres' San Fran:... Seattle ...... Tyler, TX ...KMGH, Denver, has a prettied-up version:And, if ya want to, you can put on your KOAT and head on into Albuquerque.There's a branch of the Ranch in Redding, CA ...... and Lawton, OK (they have a station in Lawton? Yep, they do) ...It's no s

The staff at A List Apart (quite honestly the best web design zine I know of) just recently released the results from their massive annual survey conducted amongst new media professionals (web designers, developers, webmasters, etc). There is a lot of data, and you can view their analysis here (pdf file, 1.6mb). I'll write a few posts about things that surprised me.Gender demographics83% of web professionals are men. Despite the fact that most computer related occupations share a similar statistic, I thought that it would be a little different in this field.First off, a good number of the respondents' job titles were: web designer (19.9%), designer (10.4%), or creative director (5.4%). Unlike other responses, such as developer, webmaster, information architect, these titles suggest a "left brain" approach to the web. Typically, women are well represented in other artistic or creative fields.Second, this industry has a very high rate of self-employed/freelance individuals (23.4%). Aga

1186. I finally got the chance to deliver a certain dear effort I'd done for someone. Ed is a good friend that we've go way back with and lives in Salem, so we don't see him and his family all the time, but we do keep up as we can. One of his boys, a really winsome fellow named Nathan, is passionate about acting, and he's played a few roles. He's just getting started in his career. Some time ago, Ed handed me a copy of Nathan's resume. He admits he's no designer, and I saw a chance to improve something, so I did. Tonight I finally got the chance to deliver the results of what I did. here's approximately what it looked like before (apologies to dialup customers–they're a little big):To Ed's credit, he used MS Excel to lay out the resume. That's someone I'd not of thought of.And here's what it looked like after I got through with it:Quite the difference. I know nothing of the acting world, but it seems to me that a resume for an actor ought to communicate in terms of a fam

1186. I finally got the chance to deliver a certain dear effort I'd done for someone. Ed is a good friend that we've go way back with and lives in Salem, so we don't see him and his family all the time, but we do keep up as we can. One of his boys, a really winsome fellow named Nathan, is passionate about acting, and he's played a few roles. He's just getting started in his career. Some time ago, Ed handed me a copy of Nathan's resume. He admits he's no designer, and I saw a chance to improve something, so I did. Tonight I finally got the chance to deliver the results of what I did. here's approximately what it looked like before (apologies to dialup customers–they're a little big):To Ed's credit, he used MS Excel to lay out the resume. That's someone I'd not of thought of.And here's what it looked like after I got through with it:Quite the difference. I know nothing of the acting world, but it seems to me that a resume for an actor ought to communicate in terms of a fam

Ubuntu (and its variants Kubuntu, Xubuntu and Fluxbuntu) have made Linux more accessible to the big public, as it has brought both ease of use and eye-candy as well as security and ease of installing programs.The users of Ubuntu have a big range of software to choose and install, but it's hard to choose what software is the best for your needs.This list hopes to help to choose the right software, and here follows what I think is the best Ubuntu software for designers and developers.Most of them are available with Synaptic, but anyway the links to their websites are provided.(Note: I've recently done a new list with more applications. You can find it here:50 More Ubuntu Apps For Design And Developing)2D Graphic DesignXara Xtreme, (package: xaralx) This is simply the easiest vector graphics drawing program. You just need to test it and will be using it in minutes, as it is very intuitive, which is not usual in this kind of applications.Ktoon, A very easy 2D animation tool specially ai

1185. From Inside / Outside: From the Basics to the Practice of Design, Second Edition, by Malcolm Grear: (a logo is) a simple tool, like a hammer; it has a straightforward function. Anything that gets in the way of that function weakens the effectiveness of the tool. Keep it simple. Same for symbols. Simplicity, clarity, elegance. And by elegance I mean the sort of form that a wide diversity of viewers will find visually active and easily remembered. Being memorable matters a lot. If the form is ornate, it can't stick in memory. Simple and ugly is easy; simple and boring is easy; simple and vague is also easy.That's one reason I aspire to logo design. CreativePro.com has an excerpt from the above New Riders book (which is where the quote comes from) which you can download (it's a PDF) via the article at this link hyar.Highly recommended.Technorati Tags: design logo_design logo design Malcolm Grear

1185. From Inside / Outside: From the Basics to the Practice of Design, Second Edition, by Malcolm Grear: (a logo is) a simple tool, like a hammer; it has a straightforward function. Anything that gets in the way of that function weakens the effectiveness of the tool. Keep it simple. Same for symbols. Simplicity, clarity, elegance. And by elegance I mean the sort of form that a wide diversity of viewers will find visually active and easily remembered. Being memorable matters a lot. If the form is ornate, it can't stick in memory. Simple and ugly is easy; simple and boring is easy; simple and vague is also easy.That's one reason I aspire to logo design. CreativePro.com has an excerpt from the above New Riders book (which is where the quote comes from) which you can download (it's a PDF) via the article at this link hyar.Highly recommended.Technorati Tags: design logo_design logo design Malcolm Grear

1183. We dive back into the 2-13 world of the VHF dial; we have weather and traffic, on the 6's.KAUZ, Channel 6, Wichita Falls TX, has a free and fun 6 that has a kind of cool unexpected shadow under the ascender:Also, the CBS eye is in an interesting and unexpected place. Texoma, for what it's worth, is the name for the community around the Texas-Oklahoma border centering on Wichita Falls and named in the inimitable portmanteauish way those in the south-central part of the US seem to like naming some of their regional area regions.KBBL TV and radio broadcasts to the town of Springfield. We weren't able to find the logo, but here's what their radio transmission tower looks like:KCEN, channel 6 Waco TX, does a pretty creative trick with the 6 that makes it look like a Möbius strip being constructied. And, of course, the Lone Star, which by now needs no introduction:I kept wanting to call this one KMDFM-TV, Channel 6. Whatever you want to call it, it's localed in Beaumont TX:KIVI,

1183. We dive back into the 2-13 world of the VHF dial; we have weather and traffic, on the 6's.KAUZ, Channel 6, Wichita Falls TX, has a free and fun 6 that has a kind of cool unexpected shadow under the ascender:Also, the CBS eye is in an interesting and unexpected place. Texoma, for what it's worth, is the name for the community around the Texas-Oklahoma border centering on Wichita Falls and named in the inimitable portmanteauish way those in the south-central part of the US seem to like naming some of their regional area regions.KBBL TV and radio broadcasts to the town of Springfield. We weren't able to find the logo, but here's what their radio transmission tower looks like:KCEN, channel 6 Waco TX, does a pretty creative trick with the 6 that makes it look like a Möbius strip being constructied. And, of course, the Lone Star, which by now needs no introduction:I kept wanting to call this one KMDFM-TV, Channel 6. Whatever you want to call it, it's localed in Beaumont TX:KIVI,

1182. A little experiment last night reminded me (of course) about thoroughly checking out something before going through with it-at the very least, making sure that I've read every link. In my defense, I'll say that the blog that I found it on has a slightly different format, but that makes it a learning experience. In my TV Logo Library exploration (which I've given the continuing title Channel Surfing to) I noticed I got a link from the esteemable Brittney Gilbert (she of http://brittneygilbert.com), a very fascinating person. My Channel 5's entry was linked from a class on her blog called "itty bitty"; in a sidebar I noticed a link to a cool neighborhood map. Clicking on it, I was taken directly to a quite cool neighborhood map of San Francisco, which was only neighborhood boundary lines with DIN Engschrift type filling the 'hoods in completely adventurous ways (view that map here).Now, I thought Hey, that's cool; wonder what it would look like if I did such a thing, then I'

1182. A little experiment last night reminded me (of course) about thoroughly checking out something before going through with it-at the very least, making sure that I've read every link. In my defense, I'll say that the blog that I found it on has a slightly different format, but that makes it a learning experience. In my TV Logo Library exploration (which I've given the continuing title Channel Surfing to) I noticed I got a link from the esteemable Brittney Gilbert (she of http://brittneygilbert.com), a very fascinating person. My Channel 5's entry was linked from a class on her blog called "itty bitty"; in a sidebar I noticed a link to a cool neighborhood map. Clicking on it, I was taken directly to a quite cool neighborhood map of San Francisco, which was only neighborhood boundary lines with DIN Engschrift type filling the 'hoods in completely adventurous ways (view that map here).Now, I thought Hey, that's cool; wonder what it would look like if I did such a thing, then I'

We're not certain why anyone treats the inevitable arrival of a second-gen iPhone sometime next year as earth-shattering news, but Goldman Sachs released a note to clients yesterday saying that the rumored 3G version is in its "final design phase." The investment firm's David Bailey says he got the info from the usual assortment of moderately-reliable Asian component suppliers, and that he expects the new model to have "similar form factor" with a "different look." Rounding out his list of obvious predictions, Bailey also said the existing model will get a capacity bump sometime next year as well, which makes sense given the proliferation of 32GB flash devices we've seen pop up lately.MORE...

Sam Abuelsamid of Autobloggreen, out in Detroit, had the chance to tour the GM wind tunnel and E-Flex Design studio the othe day and heard from Frank Weber, E-Flex vehicle line executive. Sam has written a post about it: (LINK) He talks about why aerodynamics are so important in this car, more so than mass. He also goes through a bit of the styling changes that have to and are taking place. Well worth a read.  Thanks Sam.

(Either JavaScript is not active or you are using an old version of Adobe Flash Player. Please install the newest Flash Player.) Back in early October when I interviewed Bob Boniface (post), the Volt’s Chief designer, he told us about GM’s new E-Flex design center, which he happened to be moving into that day. He described it as a grand and extensive facility. Now GM has opened its doors to a few members of the press, as the video above illustrates. The facility is under the direction of Mr. Boniface and he will lead a team of approximately 45 creative designers, sculptors, design engineers, scientists and administrative staff. It will be their charge to produce the future portfolio of E-Flex extended-range electric vehicles. Bob says: We handpicked a team of both young and experienced designers who are enthusiastic, eager and believe in the cause as I do They want to find a better way, a solution to our dependency on petroleum, and that’s what this car is about. As we&r

1180. Inexorable in our progress, we march up the VHF dial.Watch out, Channel 5's, its your turn now, whether you want it or not! Let's go...Our first stop is KALB Channel 5, Alexandria LA, right smack in the center of the state.Big, wide-bodied 5, slickly silver, with an arc suggesting a supporting disc. What's notable here is that while KALB is considered the NBC affiliate for that market, it carries CBS on a digital subchannel, thus the double-network marks.I'm quite frankly starting to flinch every time I'm seeing the words NewsChannel, News Channel, or any combination (camel capped or no). But you can't fight fashion, it's said. True that is. Further into the wilds with gun and camera, then:KCTV Channel 5, Kansas City–aptly chosen call, jauntily obliqued (but still-ready-for-action) 5, and the clever move of coloring the background along the lines of the character. Pretty nifty touch.KENS, Channel 5, San Antonio, is KGW's sister station (both are Belo properties), and ha

1180. Inexorable in our progress, we march up the VHF dial.Watch out, Channel 5's, its your turn now, whether you want it or not! Let's go...Our first stop is KALB Channel 5, Alexandria LA, right smack in the center of the state.Big, wide-bodied 5, slickly silver, with an arc suggesting a supporting disc. What's notable here is that while KALB is considered the NBC affiliate for that market, it carries CBS on a digital subchannel, thus the double-network marks.I'm quite frankly starting to flinch every time I'm seeing the words NewsChannel, News Channel, or any combination (camel capped or no). But you can't fight fashion, it's said. True that is. Further into the wilds with gun and camera, then:KCTV Channel 5, Kansas City–aptly chosen call, jauntily obliqued (but still-ready-for-action) 5, and the clever move of coloring the background along the lines of the character. Pretty nifty touch.KENS, Channel 5, San Antonio, is KGW's sister station (both are Belo properties), and ha

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1178. And now, the next chapter in our cavalcade of TV Station Logos, in order; Channel 4.Another cable channel with some slick artistry about it: the San Diego Channel, 4SD ... Check out the Zardoz-like 4 and the Coca-Colaish stripe:KPSD KAID 4, Boise, is the flagship station of Idaho's public television fleet:KARK, Channel 4, Little Rock, with the NBC peacock once again providing coverage you can count on:KCNC, Channel 4, Denver, eyes you with this CBS mandated logo:KFOR, Channel 4, Oklahoma City, channeling news with an origami 4:Judging by some of the news lately, with all this news channeling going on, we wish someone would channel Ed Murrow. Anyhow, moving on...KGBT Channel 4 is taking action for me in Harlingen TX, which is good for me, because I'm not going to be there any time soon, which is bad for them, because they need some design help here:KITV Channel 4 Honolulu scores points here for making it abstract and interesting without making it unintelligible:A little design g

1178. And now, the next chapter in our cavalcade of TV Station Logos, in order; Channel 4.Another cable channel with some slick artistry about it: the San Diego Channel, 4SD ... Check out the Zardoz-like 4 and the Coca-Colaish stripe:KPSD KAID 4, Boise, is the flagship station of Idaho's public television fleet:KARK, Channel 4, Little Rock, with the NBC peacock once again providing coverage you can count on:KCNC, Channel 4, Denver, eyes you with this CBS mandated logo:KFOR, Channel 4, Oklahoma City, channeling news with an origami 4:Judging by some of the news lately, with all this news channeling going on, we wish someone would channel Ed Murrow. Anyhow, moving on...KGBT Channel 4 is taking action for me in Harlingen TX, which is good for me, because I'm not going to be there any time soon, which is bad for them, because they need some design help here:KITV Channel 4 Honolulu scores points here for making it abstract and interesting without making it unintelligible:A little design g

1177. Another despatch from Electric Logoland. This is a polishing of the KVDO logo we just presented:We've cleaned up the typography quite a bit here, and extended the type treatment into the station's call-sign. The call-letters align with the letterforms TV, leading the eye across and through. The 3 calls attention to itself through sheer size, leading the eye to the type, where we naturally reset to the left end of that string, reading back rightward to encode the information.The majuscule T and V letterforms formed the basis for almost all the rest of the type; the D was created from the stem stroke of the T and a clipped O, which was simply composed of two ellipses. The stem was again borrowed as the basis of the K, and the hairline and leg strokes for the K were kept simple so it could all be augured in by sight.To cap off this trip down Oregon broadcast memory lane, the studio building for KVDO still stands, only, of course, it hasn't been used as a TV studio since the day i