Week 6A

For homework, we had to sketch 2 storyboards for our logo animation. Here are mine:

Week 5B

In class, we critiqued different classmates' logo choices on Blogger. Now we are being shown a After Effects demo.

My logo choices are:

1) The Sheetz Logo

2) The Panera Bread Logo

Real talk? I might animate both. 

Week 5 Outside of Class

New Project:

I already know what logo I'm going to animate. Picture below:

Sheetz! 

Why Sheetz? Because I've been working there since 2013, and so far, it has been one of the best jobs I've had. I get along with my coworkers, we all work together, and it's like we're a family.

PLUS -

Their graphic design is amazing. It's like they don't have any rules. They use different styles, colors, fonts...they go crazy, except it works. And it looks good. It sends the message, and their design is much different from other gas stations. Very colorful. I would love to design for Sheetz. I feel like it would be a blast. 

But -

We have to pick 3 logos. So here are a few more:

But I think I'm going to go with the Sheetz logo. It presents a challenge. And I found the vector file for it! I have the vector files for all of the other logos too, but I feel that the Sheetz one will work best.

Week 5A

I finished my Phrase Animation and uploaded it on Youtube.

I'm hoping we spend more time on this, because I'd really like to try more effects, if possible. This video is just me dipping my feet in the water (so to speak). 

My quote is: 

"Great design is all about details. With innovative material selection, sensible construction techniques and modern aesthetics one can craft a unique design language that sets a new standard."

Update:

Everyone who saw my video actually liked it. 

Week 4 Outside of Class

I finished my Phrase Animation and uploaded it on Youtube.

I'm hoping we spend more time on this, because I'd really like to try more effects, if possible. This video is just me dipping my feet in the water (so to speak). 

My quote is: 

"Great design is all about details. With innovative material selection, sensible construction techniques and modern aesthetics one can craft a unique design language that sets a new standard."

Week 4B

Phrase Animation

The phrases I decided to use for this project are:

1) “There's something disturbing about recalling a warm memory and feeling utterly cold.”

2) “You were never worth the chase, and I was always worth the effort.”

3) “Digital design is like painting, except the paint never dries.”

These are too short. The one below is better, but it needs to be longer.

4) “There are three responses to a piece of design – yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for.”

Trying 3 more: 

5) "Design, in its broadest sense, is the enabler of the digital era - it's a process that creates order out of chaos, that renders technology usable to business. Design means being good, not just looking good."

6) "Design is in everything we make, but it’s also between those things. It's a mix of craft, science, storytelling, propaganda, and philosophy."

7) "Great design is all about details. With innovative material selection, sensible construction techniques and modern aesthetics one can craft a unique design language that sets a new standard."

And the winner is...#7!

"Great design is all about details. With innovative material selection, sensible construction techniques and modern aesthetics one can craft a unique design language that sets a new standard."

Saving a website that I'm trying a cool effect on - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NATgpZNYPSY&t=20s

Week 4A

Worked on and finished my Rhythm assignment -

Week 3 Outside of Class

Worked on and finished my Rhythm assignment -

Week 3B

Edits were made to our Sound animations in class today. I displayed mine below. I believe it is much better than the first video.

Week 3A

Shapes Moving to Sound
In class, we messed with the different transform options in After Effects. I posted a video below of what I made in class.

Week 2B

Sequential Dreamscape

Homework: 
In 300 words (or more) write about a recent dream you've had or a dream you remember.

I had a dream one night, it was a long time ago. I remember waking up (in my dream) and going outside. It was sunny out and the sky was clear. It was summer time. The neighborhood consisted of just flat roads. It looked very cookie-cutter. The neighborhood was weirdly quiet..I don’t remembering noticing anyone else being outside. It was like I just woke up there. I remember stepping outside and noticing the flat roads before I noticed what was in the sky. When I looked up, I saw houses, cars, etc. They were all upside down, just floating. It wasn't a reflection of the neighborhood I was in. It was a completely different neighborhood, or just a street, upside down in the sky. It was really weird because it made me think that a UFO was floating in the sky. But it wasn't a UFO. I don't know why I would have a dream like that, but I thought it was really cool. I wanted to illustrate it at one point (I still do). I can still picture the scene in my head and what stuff looks like, but it's not a clear cut picture. If given a lot of time, I could probably illustrate it to a point where it would look like what I’m picturing.

Day of Design

Day of Design
9:15am | 12:15pm | 3:15pm

9:15am - Alexander Reyna, Creative Director of Major League Baseball

The first speaker for the Day of Design event was Alexander Reyna. He's the Creative Director of Major League Baseball. He describes himself as a "cabinet maker" which is a blend of artistry and craft. 
He has been working in design for 25 years. Four of those years have been for Major League Baseball. He does everything except game design and is 100% self-taught.

A short list of what he does:

• Making Stuff
• Tinkering
• Motion - intersection of all these different forms of design
• Interactivity / UX / UI / Experience and more
• Product Design

Make The Future

He made something with Real Time 3D visualization that allowed people to have more engagement with baseball. (seeing where the ball goes, speed of the throw and hit, etc.) 

People have great ideas but they are too afraid to create them. You need an Idea and Willpower, which is creating something out of nothing. 

His Process

• Are they using it on the couch or on the subway? 
• Thngs like this are important because it effects the design

• Collaboration and feedback is key
• We iterate solutions until they delight the user
• They buy it when they feel they are a part of the solution

Honesty Is Obvious

• UX does not hide the truth
• Avoid the dark patterns (http://www.darkpatterns.org)

L.A. Fitness - If you want to cancel your membership, you can't do it online. 

Create Delight

Make products that work "right" and surprise the user

Something He Learned

• New form factors require new ways to interact

12:15pm - George Hakim, Creative Project Manager of Toyota North America

The second speaker for the Day of Design event was George Hakim. He's the Creative Project Manager of Toyota North America. He background was mainly in Graphic Design.

Engineering The Art of Storytelling

Safety Commitment: Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

• Stories convey experience and wisdom
• Stories excite sympathetic reactions

Expanding Audience

Over the years, storytelling's audience has expanded to:

• Books
• Radio
• Film
• Video Games - Interactive / you being part of the journey
• Music Videos
• Internet
• Videos that go viral 
• iPhones / smartphones
• Social media

At Toyota, they use Virtual Reality as Storytelling for training purposes. 

The Golden Circle

Simon Sinek

• People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it.
• Do business with people who believe what you believe.
• Talk to people from the inside out, because that influences action, that's where gut feelings come from.

Ask Why 5 Times

    Root Cause         Pay Attention to the Big Picture        Explain it to a Nontechnical Person

What's the problem?                                    HOSHIN                                                                                   MUDA

Learn The History

Genchi Genbutsu - Go to the source

Know Your Audience

Toyota's Mentality: Customer FIRST

Plan, Do, Check, Act

Idea (define / plan) → → → → Create (do)
           ↑                                             ↓ 
           ↑                    Ⓞ                       ↓ 
           ↑              Empathy                ↓  
           ↑          (customer first)         ↓  
Refine (act) ← ← ← ← ← ← ← Test (check)  


*People retain 58% more information when both visual and auditory senses are stimulated.

More Meanings 
KAIZEN - continuous improvement
MIERUKA - visualization

Key Points 

• Root Cause - Why
• Mieruka - visual storytelling
• Kaizen - continuous improvement

Kiki / Bouba Effect

• We can match names with objects.

Advice

1. Travel - helps with visual communication, global experience
2. Don't be afraid to take a job where the experience intimidates you