Entries from September 2007 ↓

I just read this post (with great comments) by Steven Heller on designobserver.com. So the premonition is that every book is going to become something like this? Or are we saying book, as a concept, is no more? Will the future generations be getting their non-fiction from the internet, as snippets from a blog or some other online source? And fiction will be solely visual; be it a movie, or some kind of a game, as in “interactive fiction”. Books, the original “readers” with their tactile interfaces, are going to linger around for a while as dusty objects, reminicent of a romantic past.

I guess I’ve already answered my original question.

In his 1971 movie THX 1138, director George Lucas tells us a story about a future society, where no one possesses anything. In one scene, the main character THX 1138 (Robert Duvall) purchases a functionless, red object that looks like a plastic polyhedron, and promptly disposes it when he gets home. Like everybody else in that society, THX 1138 is driven by an unseen force that creates the impulse in him to buy an object he doesn’t need or want. Continue reading →

My favorite suburb pastime. Feeding seagulls, and watching them taking a dive on the food, with your face only a few inches away from their beaks! Being such a Hitchcock fan, it’s no wonder I am into birds, so here you go, a fun activity which could turn your boring lunch break into a thrill ride. Instructions are simple, but you will need a car with a moonroof (or a transparent sunroof). A camera is optional but strongly recommended. Warning: The moonroof should be closed during this activity! Continue reading →

The beholder is an online art gallery that provides artists an opportunity to exhibit and sell their creations. Created by San Francisco based designer/curator Suzanne Shade, it has been serving the art community since 2005.

We felt that there were a lot of people who find it difficult to find and buy art outside of the gallery system. And knew there were many artists who wanted to connect with larger audiences. The web seemed a natural place for that to happen.

The design of the website is very simple and understated, allowing the exhibited artwork to shine. With hundreds of artists in its database including painters, illustrators, and photographers, the Beholder is a great resource for anyone looking to buy art online. And since they only ask for 20% commission, it’s also a great opportunity for artists looking for exposure and profit. Kudos to Suzanne et al. for making all this happen. Visit the beholder today and start browsing for your walls!

I just read a quote from Marc Gobé, who is a world-famous authority on Emotional Design and the author of Brandjam, along with some other branding related books:

Design is to branding as jazz is to music.

I love this statement! I am not sure I fully understand what it actually means, but I like the fact that someone finally observed the correlation between design and jazz, which is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. Being a devoted follower of both concepts, I’m pretty sure there are a lot of parallels one can draw—only not here or now, maybe in a future post. I do want to talk a little bit about the title of this post though. Continue reading →

Finally I got a chance to listen to Maria Schneider’s new album Sky Blue, which I purchased and downloaded from her website a few weeks ago. I know this is the type of music that requires many listenings before one can fully comment on, but I still wanted to share my first impressions here. Continue reading →

This is my first tuning slide post, and what could be a better topic than my art pencil, which just turned 20 this month? For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, the art pencil is a leadholder, manufactured by Rotring in Germany in the 80’s. It’s a close cousin of Rotring’s well-known art pen calligraphy fountain pen. I got mine in 1987, when I first started design school. It was one of the first drafting devices I have owned, and even though I have collected many pens and mechanical pencils throughout the years, the art pencil has always been a favorite of mine. Continue reading →