2/17/12

Spatial Experience. The Great Unveil.





*The sound made from the monument will be similar to the singing ringing tree that uses the wind and hallow tubes to produce a calm, meditative noise.

The dock will hold a plaque that explains the monument as visitors are allowed to walk around the meaning of Ausdauer. The following text is what we plan on telling visitors. Obviously, this will be read in both German and English as they are the primary languages of the area (95% German, 51% English).
"Fraktur blackletter figures were first designed by Nuremberg native, Hieronymus Andreae for Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I (c. 1493–1519). The term Fraktur is derived from the Latin term "to break" and calligraphy from Greek meaning "beautiful writing". This calligraphic hand is made up of repetitive strokes of the same weight with broken lines and a consistent angle. The process of calligraphy emphasizes harmony, consistency and retains a meditative quality. After its creation, Fraktur soon became the primary typeface of Germany and the surrounding countries and was set until the 20th Century. Today, Fraktur remains a reminder of rich history and significance to the German culture."
Ausdauer

1/26/12

SX. Project 1, Poetic. Monument, Calligraphy.

Bethany and I would like to recognize the elegance and emotion of calligraphy. We have identified a few characteristics associated with calligraphy that will help direct our form. These include; motion, strokes, ink, texture, content, and special attention to curves and angles. The location should inform the history. Because there are a number of different histories (arabic, chinese, german, etc...) we would like to choose one and focus on it's individual the qualities and meaning.

We want to focus on the movement within the restriction of German Blackletter. Here, the characters are disciplined yet fluid and spontaneous (much like Rococo Architecture :) We also want to show the fragility and the importance of the paper. We're thinking Nuremberg, Germany for the installation location...

cal·lig·ra·phy  [kuh-lig-ruh-fee]
noun


3.
the art of writing beautifully: He studied calligraphy when he was a young man.
5.
Fine Artsline or a group of lines either derived from or-resembling letter forms andcharacterized by qualities usually associated with cursive writing, especially that produced with a brush or pen.

Here's What We Have Looked At











German architecture as influence for the structure of our monument.


Look over on Bethany's blog to see some imagery, and also this collection over on my Gimme Bar that doesn't have very many photos now, but will grow over time.

1/24/12

Pro Practice. Career Goals and Strategy for Getting There.

My passion is information architecture, user experience, and interaction design, and my ideal job would be designing for the digital space. I've known this for quite sometime without realizing it. In everything I do, I crave order and reason with a splash of flare, including my design. I appreciate design where the content is the main focus with the design supporting it and enhancing it. "Clean" or "minimal" isn't always the answer, but clarity is. Though it seems that I always default back to "clean and simple" (hell I'm typing this post in iA Writer, what's simpler than that?), it's clarity and understanding of content that I'm striving for.

How am I going to get to this type of job?
I plan on using networking, researching, writing, and quite honestly, Twitter(and other social media outlets).

            I've already been in direct contact with some bigger-ish names in the design/news field through Twitter. That's why twitter is so awesome, it's direct and fast connection to people that we never had that type of access to before. Use Twitter well, it can help open up doors and start conversations between you and people you admire and look up to. But no, Twitter isn't everything because not everyone has it, but it's a helpful tool to use and harness. There are also other social media outlets that work well, and for someone who is interested in social media, embracing them is smart.
            I've also started researching what companies and people are out there that are doing what I want to do. I don't know what setting I prefer yet, whether it's more of a design firm, or something more specific like an in-house team at a company, or even possibly a startup of some sort. But if I can find a place that is in the realm of my interests, contact will be made somehow.
            But something that will help me both get in contact with people and initiate conversation with them is writing. I've already been doing this over the winter break and really loved it. It was over social media, news, and design, topics that really intrigues me and gets my creativeness in overdrive. Thoughts and ideas are, at times, more important than actual design work. If you have interesting and thought-provoking ideas, people will take note. But ideas and writings don't have to be ground breaking, the fact that you are typing up your ideas and publishing them to a space that people can readily access is great in itself. It shows that you have ideas flowing in your brain and that you want to share them, plus it can also show off your mad writing skillz (but even if you don't have them yet, the more you write, the madder they'll become). So being articulate on the subjects that I'm interested in is important to me. It helps me talk about them easier and with more confidence, and helps break the nervousness I get when talking about my personal ideas and stances.
            All of these things together are how I plan on getting where I want to go. This is all coupled with putting myself out there and contacting/pursuing companies and people that I am interested in.

1/21/12

Degree Project + Other Updates.

I've started blogging for my Senior Degree Project over at ianarthurdp.blogspot.com. (Link also found up there at the top of my blog below the header labeled: degree project. Clever, I know.)

I also have a new, handy, personalized link shortener, ianarthur.info! Weeee! Now I don't have to worry about my blogpost titles being too long for twitter! Exclamation points abound! Whimsy and glee!

The redesign for this blog is, presumably, done. I can't say that I will have any more time to change it starting monday, so it is what it is. Don't like it? Ah well.

Oh yea, and school starts monday! 18 credit hours. Lots of projects. GRADUATION! Busy busy busy busy busy busy busy.

1/3/12

Blog Design Update.

'Scuze any awkwardness in the design of this here blog. it's well past due for an update. that update is happnin' now.