Color Transforms

In his book Interaction of Color, Josef Albers states that “color is the most relative medium in art.” From our studies of color theory, this statement holds true; color is subjective because the perception of color differs from each individual. This makes sense due to the fact that the physiology of the human eye is unique to the person. For instance, two people may characterize the color red differently, claiming that a certain shade is more red than another shade. Similarly, two people may interpret the color red differently, one arguing that it represents love while the other argues that it symbolizes anger. Even with all these differences in perception and interpretation of colors, people will often agree that color has the power to transform design, a power that can be easily seen in interior design.

Take the room shown above as an example. Although it may seem like a simple room, it shows a clever use of color to make a small room appear larger without any major renovation. By using the knowledge that light and cool colors make objects “recede” into the distance, the designers of this room took advantage of a light color palette for wall paint and furnishings, creating an airy and open atmosphere for the room. This can be contrasted with the restrictive feeling presented by the darkly painted room shown below, all due to the fact that dark and warm colors tend to “draw in” objects, making them appear larger.

In addition to the use of a light color palette, the designers also painted the moldings and borders a lighter shade than the main walls of the room. This technique creates a three-dimensional effect, characterized by the darker colored walls appearing to be pushed back, further enlarging the room.

Certainly, the actual proportions of the room did not change at all. However, due to the subjectivity and the interaction of the colors used, the light and cool shades and tints make us perceive the room as larger. Undoubtedly, color is a powerful tool when it comes to transforming designs for the better.  

*Images taken from School of Interior Design and Color; Credit to School of Interior Design and Home Decorating

Design is Dangerous

To some, plastic is the most ingenious invention ever made in human history. During the course of our everyday lives, plastic provides us with many useful items such as portable plastic bottles, durable plastic containers, and strong plastic grocery bags. Certainly, there are numerous advantages to having plastic as a readily available material for present and future designs. However, after years of use and reflection, we have begun to see the detrimental consequences resulting from the design of plastic.

From a scientific perspective, plastic harms the environment and poses a danger for the future of the human race. First of all, plastic is a material made from petroleum oil, a depleting natural resource that humans have grown highly dependent on. Also, certain plastic products contain toxins (such as Bisphenol-A) that are harmful to normal human development and increases the risk of genetic damage in babies and cancer. Additionally, most plastic used today are non-biodegradable. Although there are some exceptions to this fact, plastic still contributes to the increasing amount of waste building up in landfills due to their extremely slow decomposing rates. In fact, for plastic bags and plastic containers to fully decompose, it takes approximately 10-12 years and 50-80 years, respectively.

Plastic also harms wildlife, a fact that should not be taken lightly. Most plastic products, such as plastic grocery bags, end up in the ocean and on the beaches. Birds, dolphins, sea turtles, and other ocean animals may consume these foreign objects, mistaking them for food. Rather than getting a hearty meal, the pieces of plastic they swallow block their digestive tracts, leading them to starve. Moreoever, birds can get caught in plastic bags, potentially causing them to choke or suffocate.

Certainly, when plastic was first created and designed into different products, no one could have imagined the dangers it would pose to society in the future. Nevertheless, these unintentional consequences have surfaced over the years, presenting society with problems of waste control and global warming. Even so, the beauty of design is its ability to redesign old and inefficient designs into new and improved ones. Therefore, plastic and its harmful effects on society can be taken as a stepping stone for future designers to design more ecofriendly products and materials.

*Images taken from Chiriquí Chatter and RKS Plast Chem; Credit to Fake Plastic Fish and Keep Sevier Beautiful

Design in Society: Utopian Designs

Whether in the car or on the curb, everyone is bound to encounter a traffic signal system once in their lifetime. These designs are not meant to restrict an individual’s freedom to walk whenever they wish. Instead, these designs are meant to keep citizens and the society safe, especially for the blind and the deaf; they are essentially utopian designs invented to improve society.

To begin with, the deaf have the disadvantage of not being able to hear incoming traffic at busy intersections. One way of overcoming this obstacle is by following those around them, crossing whenever others cross. However, as many of us have experienced – or even done ourselves – people occassionally ignore traffic signals, risking their lives by racing across the street before unyielding cars reach the intersection. Even if the deaf turn to their vision for help, large vehicles parked in the streets can obstruct their view of speeding cars. Similarly, without their ability to see, the blind have to rely on their hearing in situations like these. With all the noises emitted from car engines, people talking, and the roaring wind, distinguishing sounds of cars passing in front from the sound of cars passing from the side can be a difficult task. These disadvantages of the blind and deaf are adequately alleviated with the newer design of the pedestrian traffic signals which incorporate visual and auditory elements.

The visual aspect of these traffic signals come in the form of familiar symbols. For instance, when pedestrians are supposed to stop and refrain from entering the crosswalk, the traffic signal on the opposite side of the street will signal a red open hand. The color red is often associated with warnings of danger and reminders for caution, and the open hand signal is frequently used by police officers and everyday individuals to tell others to stop or slow down. Additionally, when it is safe for people to cross streets, the iconic symbol of a person walking is displayed on the traffic signal screen. It is also important to note the use of symbols rather than words. Symbols can be easily learned through repeated encounters whereas words require more time especially for young children. Moreover, some traffic signals (like the one pictured above) feature a number countdown. This provides pedestrians with advance knowledge of how much time they have left for safe and priority crossing.

Adding to the visual aspect of the modern traffic signal for pedestrians is its auditory element. These devices emit clicking or chirping sounds to indicate to pedestrians when and when not to cross streets. If the "clicks" and "chirps" repeat at a high frequency and volume, this signals for people to cross. If the sounds are slower and softer, this signals for people to stay on the curb. Evidently, this particular feature benefits the blind tremendously.

Although the incorporation of visual and auditory elements seek to make traveling safer for the blind and deaf, the design of the modern traffic signal system ultimately improves society as a whole, making a progressive step towards a utopia.

*Image taken from Precision Solar Controls Inc.

New Economy-Class Seats for Cathay Pacific: Ergonomic or Not?

Ergonomics, the study of how well designed products are in relation to the ease of use and comfort for the consumer, has expanded beyond the boundaries of office equipment during the last few decades. Now, ergonomics serves as a main criteria for design criticism. From simple potato peelers to complex aircrafts, the success of a design relies on the five areas of ergonomics research: safety, comfort, ease of use, performance, and aesthetics. If one area is violated in some way, the current state of the design will not be ergonomic and will receive negative criticism from users of the product. Therefore, these designs will have to be redesigned for improvement. One such design is the new Cathay Pacific economy-class seats that were officially installed back in 2007.

The safety requirement refers to whether or not the design will malfunction or cause harm to the user upon use. In this respect, the new seats by Cathay Pacific pass the test. These seats are sturdy and do not fall apart when weight is placed on them. They are also bolted to the floor of the airplane, preventing them from sliding around during take off, landings, and on flight turbulences. Additionally, the tray tables and tv remote controls are securely fastened by manual knobs and buttons. This minimizes the chances of the tray table and remote control falling and inflicting physical injuries on the passengers during the flight.

However, the design of these new seats begins to show weaknesses when it comes to comfort. Comfort is directly related to the user’s body; a design is considered comfortable when the user is able to physically relax when using the product, and is not reluctant to use it for reasons related to pain. Compared to the older designs, the newer seats reduce discomfort for the passengers sitting behind you. Rather than reclining the seat backwards, passengers “lean back” by sliding out the seat cushions. Certainly, this is good news to the passengers around you who dislike intrusions into their personal space – especially for long-haul flights; however, the comfort of others comes at a cost to the individual passenger. For those who have back problems, these new seats can be a problem. After sliding the seat cushion out, there is little to no back support. In a sense, the passenger is left slouched over at a lower angle. Moreover, the fact that the seat cushion extends forward reduces the leg room between the passenger and the seat in front of him or her. Keeping in mind that the legroom space, or “seat pitch,” remained at 32 inches even after the design of the new seats, one can just imagine the discomfort one will feel having to sit in the same scrunched position for flights longer than twelve hours. (Coming from a family that frequently travels to Hong Kong, I have heard endless complaints about leg cramps and back pain, especially from my brother and father, due to these seats.)

Another characteristic of a well designed product is its ease of use. Successful designs do not require new users to undergo extensive trial and error procedures to learn their functions. Their use should also be effortless. Unfortunately, through personal experience and observations, the reclining feature of these new seats violate the ease of use criteria. This flaw in design is especially disadvantageous for younger passengers. In order for the seat cushion to slide forward, the recliner button must be firmly pressed throughout the duration of the seat adjustment process. To make things more difficult, a certain degree of strength is needed to press the button. Additionally, one must manually slide the seat cushion out. Considering the limited amount of space between the rows of seats, this is easier said than done. It often involves attempts with scooting forward, using leg power and lower body strength to push the seat out, asking flight attendants for help, or annoying the passengers around you due to the extra movement. Overall, the simple task of reclining a seat is made into a complex task due to the poor design of this feature.

On a brighter note, the performance of this design, or how well it works in terms of its purpose, is sufficient. The main purpose for seats on an airplane is for the safe transportation of passengers from one place to another. Being a safe design, Cathay Pacific’s new economy-class seats perform well even when compared to older and current designs.

Lastly, aesthetic, or visual appeal, is considered to be the least important aspect out of the five areas of ergonomics research. However, the outward appearance of a designed product is what essentially attracts customers and invokes criticism. The new seats feature a blue monochromatic pattern. Although it may seem boring, this blue color scheme is well suited for the environment in which the design is used. If the designers decided to make the seat cushions and headrests multi-colored, the flight experience will not be as calming and relaxing as it is now. Not only is the color blue significant to the company of Cathay Pacific, it is also a soothing color that has the ability to calm the mind rather than distract it. Furthermore, the seat cushions are covered by a subtle striped fabric. Wistful circles or swirls can also be seen in addition to the stripes. This fabric offers variety to the design's dominant blue appearance.

In conclusion, despite adequate success in the areas of safety, performance, and aesthetics, Cathay Pacific’s new economy-class seats do not meet ergonomic standards in comfort and ease of use. Even so, partial success is evidence that improvements can be made to create complete success. After all, design is an ongoing conversation in which designs of today will inevitably be redesigned in the future with a common goal: the satisfaction of all five areas of ergonomics research.

*Images taken from Travel Snitch and FlightStory; Credit to Budget Travel and Sean O'Neill

Greeting Cards

Whether it comes to birthdays, thank-you's, holidays, or weddings, a gift accompanied by a greeting card can make a big difference. Greeting cards enable individuals to write personal messages inside, as well as act as an extra present to the gift recipient. How? Simply look at all the various designed greeting cards available in stores. Some are comedic, others seek to touch a person's heart, and still others attempt to attract child audiences, or audiences who still cherish their child-like innocence. No matter the genre, greeting cards have the capacity to surprise and brighten the days of those who receive them. The success of such products is due largely to the the card designers working behind the scenes.

One commercial company which specializes in the production of greeting cards and other gifting accessories is Papyrus. The effectiveness of their designs can be seen through their regular customers, such as my mother. My mother buys a lot of greeting cards from Papyrus, deeming their products “cute and special” compared to those sold in other stores, such as Hallmark and Target. I agree with her. The majority of the designs found in Papyrus are extremely creative and aesthetic. Their superior and fun designs are even capable of overshadowing the priceyness of their products.

Take the greeting card above as an example. Even without the words “Happy Birthday to You,” the various animals in bright colors against a vibrant red background create a festive feeling, a feeling suited for a birthday celebration. The party hats on the monkey and lion add to the idea of a party. The abstractly designed animals reflect familiar features seen in cartoons, images that easily attract the attention of children. Additionally, certain distinct features of the animals, such as the lion’s mane and the elephant’s ear, are elevated through the use of felt and layered pieces of cardstock. This uneven tactile texture on the card’s surface piques interest in individuals, and it invites them to use their haptic sense. Overall, the numerous details included in this particular greeting card succeeds in bringing out the liveliness and the child-like innocence and happiness that should be dominant on birthdays. (Having received this card myself from my mother on my 18^th birthday, I know exactly how joyful one can get upon seeing the “happy birthday animals.”)

Certainly, you may feel troubled when trying to find a suitable greeting card for a beloved friend or relative. However, if you visit the Papyrus store, you will definitely come across numerous fun and unique designs that fit perfectly with the occasion in mind. This is the beauty of well-designed products.

*Image taken from Papyrus Online

Form and Function

In the realm of modern interior design, aesthetic sense, as well as compactness and functionality, are important. These ideals in interior furniture are achieved when form lends itself to function in the most efficient way. An example of such designs are Ron Arad’s bookworm shelves.

Arad’s bookworm shelves can be configured in whichever way the individual chooses. This flexibility feature of Arad’s design enables users to put their own personal creativity into designing the orientation, the amount of curves, the length, and the width of their shelves. Personal variety of configuration is also accompanied by the variety of transparent colors offered for these designed shelves. Nevertheless, the most important aspect of Arad’s bookworm shelves is their amazing ability to work just as well as a conventional bookshelf – and more.

When configured, these bookshelves create playful organic sinuous shapes. The curves may not seem like they are able to hold books, but the bookend supports (the “spikes” that extend out from the main body) prevent books from sliding out of place or falling off. Additionally, these bookworm shelves can be installed on walls, freeing up floor space within homes. Moreover, even when used as a bookshelf, it is possible for individuals to use these designs as wall art or decorations. The flexible material of this design enables one to create visual delight in the form of whimsical curves, swirls, and/or waves.

Certainly, Arad’s bookworm shelves are aesthetic, compact, and functional; they provide users with a sense of visual fun and variety outside the average piece of furniture found commonly in homes, as well as a spacesaving and effective bookshelf. However, these functions of Arad’s design would not be possible without the flexible and durable form of the bookworm shelf.

*Images taken from: ronarad.co.uk and Design-Conscious; Credit to Lauer and Pentak and Design-Conscious

Word & Image: Advertisements

Advertisements can be seen everywhere around us. They could be about a house on sale, the newest fall collection in a department store, automobiles, and more. Although the focal point of many advertisements is the image displayed, an image alone will not immediately persuade a passerby to take a second look, and most importantly, purchase the product being advertised. Just like how words and images work together to convey a message or story in comics, words and images work together in advertisements to convince potential consumers to spend money on particular products.

One instance can be seen in the above advertisement. The product being advertised are Clorox cleaning wipes that are said to be “99% natural and biodegradable.” This particular phrase will capture the attention of many “green” consumers, playing on the fact that global warming awareness has increased tremendously in the past few decades, making it logical to include these words in the advertisement. The larger text at the top states that these cleaning wipes are “just what the world needs.” These words are accompanied by the background image of the grassy floor of a forest where small daisies – with all their petals intact – are flourishing. The image presents to viewers a feeling of a healthy Earth, complementing the claim that this product is ecofriendly.

Further analysis of this advertisement will lead to the discovery of a very subtle allusion to the “Aha!” lightbulb associated with new and bright ideas.

The container of the cleaning wipes serves as the screw thread on a lightbulb whereas the actual wipes sticking out on the top represents the filaments and other metal components included inside a bulb. The bright round light shining through the trees at the top of the advertisement is the glowing light emitted from an operating lightbulb. This inconspicuous image of the lightbulb corresponds to the words labeled on the container, “green works,” emphasizing that this product is a brilliant idea for those who wish to help the planet.

Evidently, the use of words and images in advertisements can accomplish a great amount. Images can instill certain emotions in viewers, such as the calmness invoked by the background of nature in the discussed advertisement. Nevertheless, without words, images can only say so much; the words included in this advertisement enabled viewers to access the difference between this particular product and others on a more cognitive level, essentially serving as the more persuasive factor to this design. Overall, words and images are necessary for successful advertisements.

*Images taken from: The Green Revolution and Who Wants Taters???

Word & Image: Brian Fies and Mom's Cancer

Last week, our design class was treated to an intriguing lecture by Brian Fies, an author and illustrator who rose to fame through his webcomic Mom's Cancer. Although the topic of cancer can be a sensitive subject for most individuals who have either experienced it or witnessed it, Fies takes his mom’s battle with metastatic lung cancer and creates a compelling personal autobiography that achieves to reveal and relieve with subtle humor the seriousness and the emotional and physical stress associated with illnesses within families. However, if one were to contemplate the effectiveness of Fies’ work, it would come down to the basics of comics, a medium in which words and images interact to form meaning and a story.

In the words of Brian Fies, “words convey half the meaning; pictures convey half the meaning. Neither has meaning without the other...Neither fully tells the story without the other.” Certainly, he makes this idea clear throughout Mom’s Cancer. Take the following page panels as examples.

Fies uses these images as metaphors for certain experiences his mother had to endure. For instance, the first panel above depicts a confined laboratory where a “mad” scientist is passing a strong electrical current through a patient bounded to a table. The black shadows cast on the bottom of the panel add to the sense of insanity and fear. The meaning behind this picture is clarified by the words included in the panel; Fies’ mother underwent radiation treatment for her cancer, a process that helps to destroy tumors while also inevitably destroying healthy tissues surrounding the area. The risk involved with treatments that seek to prolong patients’ lives is definitely insane, an idea that is clearly expressed through Fies’ combination of words and images in this single panel.

Similarly, in the second panel above, Fies portrays his mother as a tightrope walker, a metaphor that represents how fragile her health is and how dependent she is on balanced medications. Even when treatments seem to be beneficial, complications arise, causing all established stability and balance to cease to exist. In the picture, a vulture settles on his mom’s balancing pole and a crocodile tank appears below her; one extra medication can literally knock her off balance health-wise, requiring her to go through another round of painful and unpleasant treatments. “It’s a spectacular trial-and-error balancing act,” says Fies.

Overall, Brian Fies succeeds tremendously in Mom’s Cancer due to his mastery of the use of words and images. The combination of such basic tools allowed him to convey meaning that interacts with his audience’s minds and emotions. Certainly, Brian Fies is right - neither words nor images have meaning without the other.

*Images taken from: guardian.co.uk and Sequential Tart

The Industrial Design of iPods

In our modern society, we are constantly surrounded by millions of industrialized items. Such items include kitchen utensils, television, furniture, gaming systems, computers, and many other materialistic objects we have grown fond of and even dependent on over the years. However, the most iconic of industrialized items today is the iPod, one of Apple's numerous successful products. What makes iPods more preferrable over all the other music players out there? Is it because of the popularity surrounding the product? Or is it because of its simplistic yet effective design? Although some people may purchase the newest version of the iPod just to keep up with the ever-changing trends, we should not underestimate the power of clever designs.

When analyzing the features of the more recent "generations" of the iPod nano, we will notice that color variety is emphasized. The purpose of the wide selection of colors allows consumers to find the right one that fits their personality. The vibrant colors used also pop out at the consumers, calling for attention and creating a sense of liveliness that goes well with music lovers. Additionally, the body of the iPods have a smooth shiny texture. Aside from their chromatic aspects, iPod nanos have bilateral symmetry; if one were to draw a vertical line down the middle of the music device, one would find that the left side is a mirror image of the right side and vise versa. The click wheel of the iPod has continuity in the sense that an individual can find the “menu” option, then follow the line of the circle to find the other options such as “next,” “play/pause,” and “back.” A person’s eyes can simply follow the white or black circle to find all the functions he or she will need for a good music experience. When the iPod is turned off, the large rectangular screen contrasts with the usually white click wheel. This contrast serves as a color balance for the overall design, as well as the focal points. Moreover, the viewing screen is proportionally larger than the click wheel, making it easier for users to see titles of songs, play games, and more. Last but not least, the design of iPod nanos involves only features that are necessary for efficient functioning. Other than the screen, the click wheel, the plugs for earphones and the charger, and the “hold” switch, there are no extra buttons or slots. Just as Jonathan Ive said in Objectified, if something is not indicating something, it should not be incorporated in the design in the first place.

Overall, Apple is known for many of its industrialized products. The iPod nano is just one. However, due to its functional and appealing design, iPod nanos remain popular out of all the other music players being produced, continually becoming a material want for most music lovers.

*Photo taken from TechFresh

Signare

In Terzidis' article about the etymology of design, he describes the ancient Greek and Latin roots of the word design. Although the modern interpretation of design is of something for the future, the word design actually came from the Greek word schedon which means "approximately, nearly, almost," and has a rough translation as something that we once had but have no more. However, the Latin root for design, signare, impacted me the most. Signare means mark-making, a concept that many past, present, and future designers dream about doing through their works. As humans, we have a limited amount of time to make ourselves known, to leave a mark on this world as proof of our existence. Sometimes, inner turmoil caused by the injustice in society or the desire for freedom can amplify this desire even more, such as the time when Germany was split into the West and East by the infamous Berlin Wall post-World War II.

Even after the dismantling of the Berlin Wall in 1989, there exists a striking contrast between the West side and the East side of the wall. On the West side, which was controlled by democratric nations, the wall is covered by colorful art and graffiti that “expressed the politics of the cold war and made fun of the absurdity of [the wall’s] being.” However, on the East side, which was controlled by the communist Soviet Union, the wall remains blank and free of expression. Those who lived in East Germany were repressed from behaving as freely as the inhabitants in West Germany. Nevertheless, the strong hope for the reunification of West and East Germany was shared by the people from both sides, invoking the need to express their bottled up emotions. Therefore, certain West Germans used the Berlin Wall as a painting canvas, documenting the fear, anger, and hope felt during this historic period, essentially leaving their mark for future generations to look back and reflect on.

Undoubtedly, their art was and is evidence of their existence, a true practice of signare in the direst of times.

*Photo taken from here ; Credit to Berlin Wall Art: Wall Words

Interaction of Content and Form in Objectified

The ideas of form - how things are said - and content - what is being said - may seem simple and easy to understand. However, the application of form and content can be a little trickier. A person cannot just throw in random pictures that have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Even when the used pictures are relevant, it is usually insufficient when dealing with greater and bigger purposes that seek to make a difference or impact.

Take Gary Hustwit's documentary Objectified as an example. In his film, every detail is carefully thought out, ensuring that what he wants to say about design and the design process is actually being expressed in the clearest way. In order to do so, Hustwit took advantage of the power of the interaction of form and content.

For instance, the first minute of the beginning sequence of the documentary is entirely absent of verbal dialogue. The audience first sees a black screen which is later accompanied by the whirring and buzzing sounds of working machines. Following this is a series of visuals that reveal different aspects inside a factory, such as the intricate white swirl shavings of material on the floor, chains hanging from the ceiling, a metal funnel with a tube that springs to life after being operated, and a line of white industrialized chairs. All these elements create a form that addresses one aspect of the documentary’s content about the mechanics behind designs, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in the magic of designer dreams transforming into reality, a process that consumers rarely get to witness or experience. This successful introduction is followed by a narration that summarizes Hustwit’s main point that “every object, intentional or not, speaks the who for today,” effectively capturing the attention and admiration of the audience.

Hustwit also implements interviews with designers, such as Jonathan Ive, Dieter Rams, and Marc Newson, to reveal the thoughts and ideas that go through the minds of designers and how they solve the many problems associated with new designs. These interviews are also combined with scenes that illustrate what is being said, such as when Ive talks about the purpose for indicators on a product while the camera focuses on the glowing “on”  light located inconspicuously on the side of a MacBook. This technique of showing examples makes the major concepts in the documentary easier to follow. Furthermore, Hustwit occasionally films from an observer’s point-of-view, such as when the designers discussed about how hand tools (i.e. the pinchers) can be made more ergonomic. This enables viewers to feel like they are a part of the creative design process, further emphasizing the work and thoughts that go into every designed object we encounter in our lives.

[Jonathan Ive talking about the design of the MacBook]

Certainly, form and content require a very clear and well organized relationship to make a successful project like Hustwit’s Objectified.

*Photo taken from Objectifiedfilm.com