Pro Session: Design Remixed

Last Thursday I attended the pro session design remixed at the Apple Store. It was interesting to hear a designer share his insights into the changing landscape of design. Although the session did not interest me career wise, it was interesting. The speaker discussed the gaming industry, and how 38% of players are female, and 62% are male. Also the average player is not a teenager, or a young child, the average player is a 33 year old. In order to work in the industry you must love gaming, and be an avid gamer, because one game takes about 2 years to complete, and about a group of 200 people. What's next in the gaming world?--the wii has came out with an exercise console, due out May 19.

Grid System

I never really appreciated the grid system only because I felt too restricted by it. Now I'm realizing that grids help to organize all the elements, and make work visually attractive. It also helps create oder, and order can be emphasis by hierarchy. Hierarchy can be achieve as simply as making the most important information bigger,(changing the type size) help a viewer realize what is more important.

Not Fond of Font

Since I started attending Cal State L.A for a graphic design major, Ive found myself enjoying some classes (painting) while stressing out and doubting others. I used to believe that if my works of art needed letters, I would just paint them in any manner of my choosing. Now I'm learning that there is infinite possibilities of typography I can add to my artwork. Finding the right type, and font for a certain art piece is still a work in progress. I'm learning more and more each day, for example: I might like my first idea but it may not be the best, 50 tries later I start seeing something I really enjoy a lot more. I am also not fond of criticism, and no matter how hurt I get, in the end I find it helpful, because other people see things that I might have missed.

Gallery

Today I attended a gallery entitled LA vs. WAR on the corner of 7th and Sante Fe. The art depicted anti-war graphic propaganda. Several images integrated letters with the image; however most used nonverbal concepts to express their opinion about the war. The intense feelings about the president, and the war seemed to pull powerful communications from the graphic designers. They manage to address a broad spectrum of social issues worrying Americas: oil, jobs, war, weapons, money, etc, and incorporated into conventional and visual codes already established in mass culture. I enjoyed attending the gallery because my opinion on the war pretty much coincides with the art on the walls, plus it was interesting to see the array of graphic design work.

Typography

I used to think that in order to get viewers to look at a poster, geometric shapes where needed--I'm learning that letters are shapes themselves and are useful in making a poster attractive. Color is another factor, but a lot of colors are not necessary as well--colors come in tints, tones, and shades, and that really helps as well; especially if you could only use 1 or 2 colors.