Art 124 Journal

Minha Khan 

[minhakhan]

Week Eleven - Graphic Design

This weeks reading was insightful because it gave me the opportunity to learn that a citizen designer is one who desires to express sociopolitical problems in artwork. Citizen designers are the type of designers that prioritize bringing awareness and desire a change. This specific type of artwork is meant to enact a positive advancement. Many people can easily misinterpret the benefits of artwork but citizen designers prefer using their designs to bring beneficial growth and improvement to society and change the perception people have of artists today. 

Citizen designers are perceived as liberalized artists who promote sociopolitical changes but unfortunately these designers are sometimes misunderstood, judged, and exploited. These designers crave inspiring others and alerting society about issues that are easily bypassed. The artwork can most likely be seen as vulgar or loud but in todays progressive day and age it’s important that these designers continue to reveal their voices through peaceful yet powerful artwork. 

These designers hold intense relevancy as there are numerous social issues that need concern. The United States is a country that will continue to flourish, progress, and transform as new ideas are introduced. This adaptable and emancipated country alters to its diverse citizens and the artwork these designers compose simply educates people in a peaceful soundless way. 

Design can activate individuals to keep the momentum going to fight against ideas like sexism, racism, and influence people in an optimistic sense. In a controversial society that is highly diverse, citizen designers are vital in helping civilians understand their own beliefs, desires, and political stance. I personally believe this specific form of artwork is highly appreciated and should be seen in a positive light. 

[minhakhan]

Week Ten - Typography

Typography has always been appealing and fascinating to me. Finding inspiration through quotes and analyzing the diverse typography designs used to portray them is amusing. After reading the given details about typography I was able to decipher how and what sorts of typography is used in my weekly basis. 

Living in the lower Eastside of Milwaukee, I witness typography in local essential businesses and the reading helped me fathom how important typography is in marketing and catching consumer attention. Local coffee shops like Colectivo, Stone Creek, and Starbucks each contrast each other from their exterior typography. Below are images of the three store fronts and how they use typography to catch customer attention. 

Starbucks uses a minimalistic approach to create and highlight their brand and expression through their logo. It’s simple, bolded, and mainly colorless. 

Whereas, Colectivo focuses on using a funky font, pastel colors, and bolded letters. Colectivo’s store fronts usually outline their logo in blue and yellow letters. This is eye-catching and diverse. 

Lastly, Stone Creek appears to have a minimalistic style as well. The store fronts are neutrally colored. The logo is black or white and always bolded. The exterior of the stores are always modernized and simple. The entire appearance of the store is dependent on catching attention through its clean and plain logo.

All three coffee shops are highly dependent on catching customer attention through their typography or logos. Each store has a different scheme and composition. Colectivo is vibrant, stone creek is plain, and starbucks is minimalistic. I see these stores and their differing typography on a daily basis and their typography motivates me to choose where I want to visit that day. 

(All images were found on Google and aren’t my personal images)

[minhakhan]

Week Seven - Architecture

For this weeks assignment I researched two universal design principles and chose to further discuss Equitable Use and Size and Space for Approach and Use. 

The following two images are what I captured in order to better illustrate these chosen principals. 

Equitable Use: After researching this principal I used a picture I took of a taxi in NYC. This is a solid example of Equitable Use. The design and concept of behind the creation of a taxi is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities. taxis or any public transportation provides all sorts of community members the same means. I specifically used this image of a taxi in NYC because they’re heavily appealing to users in compact and populated cities as such. 

The second image I chose to use for Size and Space for Approach and Use is of a bike. Bikes are a design concept that provides users comfortable seating and accommodates variations in hand and grip size. They’re useful for all ages and genders. A user is able to find a bike of any design of their liking and a bike that provides easy mobility for them. This bike was at the MOCA in NYC. It's a pastel blue bike that seems to be from a older time period. It has a vintage style that is appealing and clearly mobile. 

These two universal design principals provide users easy mobility. They are useful to people with diverse abilities. Taxis provide a mode of transportation to those who are unable to drive or unable to commute from one place to another. In NYC this is a common inability with heavy traffic. In addition the concept of a bike provides users the ability to commute to one place from another by avoiding cars, buses or trains that all take away from exercising and an active mode of commute. 

[minhakhan]

Week Six

Below are my favorite pieces of architecture and my favorite part of Milwaukee, WI.

The first picture I took was in January. It is in the midst of the Third Ward. Around Christmas time this specific area in Milwaukee always has a decorated tree and I make it a priority to check how they diversify it each year. This view clearly shows various different condominiums that sit in the midst of the Third Ward as well.

The second photograph is of the Milwaukee Ale House. It’s one of my favorite hotspots in Milwaukee. This building sits on the river and has a classic view of all of Downtown. It is a building that combines with a condominium. The entrance requires a walk up; it’s rustic and dark staircase shows that it sits at a higher level.

The third image is inside of the Milwaukee Public Market. I visit this infamous market several times a week for my fresh cheese and chocolates and midday snacks. I like the Milwaukee Public Market because of its interior and exterior designs. The Milwaukee Public Market is noticeable from afar due to it's large red neon sign. It is a box building with dark aesthetics. The inside of the market is divided to give customers various options to eat from a dozen different restaurants. My favorite part of the market is the upstairs. The picture I took is the upstairs. It visibly shows the entire setup of the market and has a clean and organized design again with dark aesthetics. This space is private and you're able to see how lit up and populated the market is at all times.

I would say my top favorite space in Milwaukee is the Third Ward. It is the most tourist visited space of Milwaukee and has the newest and upcoming restaurants. This part of the city is always chaotic, loud, and heavily populated.

[minhakhan]

Week Five - History Of Design

For this assignment I tried to compare each element of design I found at local businesses I visit on a weekly basis or near my home. 

For my first observation I chose to take a picture inside Serenitea in Milwaukee. This bubble tea bar is local and located in the midst of Marquette University’s campus. The location is prime as it receives a high customer volume at all times of the day from both students and local community members. The interior of this small business is decorated with neon signs as such to create an optimistic environment and a “positive message that is reinforced by the image” ensures a happier customer (Eskilson 277). I noticed that the business is designed to be quiet and provides free wifi for students as well. They have comfortable seating and dim lighting to create a welcoming atmosphere. This place definitely “spreads the positiviTEA”. 

Another element in my town that caught my eye for this assignment is right outside my favorite local nail salon on Downer. This nail salon offers quite a similar experience for customers like Serenitea does. I drive past this sign and come across it every time I visit the nail salon. It is a showstopper. I wasn’t the only community member who had to stop and snap a photo of this adorable sign. As stated above “a positive message that is reinforced by the image” ensures a happier customer (Eskilson 277) and this sign definitely convinces people to stop in for a quick “set of perfect nails”. The sign says that life isn’t perfect but this local business is promising customers that they can make sure your nails can be. This screams positivity and screams a beneficial tactic of good marketing. I’m sure this nail salon experiences a high volume of satisfied customers and also receives a higher altitude of customers compared to other nail salons in close proximity. 

The last example of design that I can compare to my previous two elements is this doormat in my apartment building. It’s a packer mat that screams football fanatics are everywhere! Wisconsin is a heavily populated state full of football fanatics and I noticed residents in my building are devoted to the packers. They portray their admiration by decorating their homes in and out of green and yellow everything. The reading continued to educate me on the importance of catching attention in little details such as font, color, and size. This packer mat is a showstopper as well as it has bolded font and vivid colors. The design of this mat is easily noticeable from afar. This mat is an eye catcher as the neon sign at Serenitea is and sign at Nail Bar is. All three chosen elements have bold creative fonts and vivid colors. 

[minhakhan]

Week Four - Found Object

I chose to take a walk around my neighborhood for this assignment. I live on the east side of Milwaukee near the lake so it was a pretty scenic route for me. This assignment wasn’t difficult as I’m not very attached to my phone and frequently take walks in complete solitude. During my walk I decided to analyze the various buildings on my street. 

I noticed a few apartment buildings that possessed pleasing elements of design. The first building I came across was an apartment building on Prospect Ave called The Contour Apartments. This apartment seemed like it was recently constructed as a few parts of the building were still undone. It has a unique design to it and is neutrally colored. The building is built to satisfy a luxurious appeal. It’s high rise and looks high end too with its floor to ceiling windows and heavily marble interior. 

The second building I came across was right across The Contour Apartments. The building is also an apartment building and is called The Overlook. I really admired this building because below the lobby the building has a local coffee shop, Colectivo, and Potbelly Sandwich Shop. This creates a conveniency for local residents in both buildings. In addition, this building was constructed to have a unique shape to it as well. Apparently it lives by its name and has an overlook full view to most of the east side. It has a bold red color and seems to have floor to ceiling windows giving it a modern appearance. 

The last building that possessed appealing elements of design was also on Prospect Ave. This building is the Whole Foods grocery market. This local market is located at a prime spot as it has a hospital across it and is at the end of the street from a dozen apartment buildings. Whole Foods Market has floor to ceiling windows and a bold green sign that stands out from afar. The interior of the store is organized and clean living up to its organic and healthy pillars. The market uses bright and calming colors like yellow and green to market their latest products. This building was assembled to sit right below a hospital and be a “lobby” for this hospital. This tactic is significantly beneficial for their sales as I noticed countless doctors and hospital staff come to this market for lunch or dinner. 

The Eastside of Milwaukee is organized, clean, calm, and filled with aesthetically pleasing and modern living for community members. Convenient coffee shops, restaurants, and local markets are at a short distance from some of the newest and luxurious apartment buildings in this part of the city. This part of Milwaukee consists of some of the newest pieces of architecture built and is full of serene condominiums and apartments. 

[minhakhan]

Week Three - History of Design

Above is a collection of 10 photographs I’ve taken during my short trips to NYC and Chicago. 

The first photograph was taken in the Dolce and Gabanna store on fifth avenue in NYC. I chose to take this picture as it emphasizes marketing the items in a  pattern. This specific table in the store captured my attention as it showcased Dolce and Gabanna’s Spring collection. By strategically setting up the same bag in multiple colors, customers are given the option to purchase an item they like as it comes in a variety of colors. This ensures the product will sell at a faster rate. 

The second photograph was captured in Chicago at the Virgil Abloh Exhibit in the Museum of Contemporary Art. I took this picture because the vivid color and showcasing of Kanye Wests album portrays a collaboration. It is a massive display which was hard to bypass. Most visitors in the museum were intrigued and gathered around this display which proves its versatility. 

The third photograph was taken again in NYC at the color factory popup. I took this picture in the bathroom because the toilet was far from ordinary. It was a glitter toilet in a gender neutral bathroom. This was significant because the color factory popup was filled with fun and diverse designs and art work and the manufacturers were able to keep visitors mesmerized even in the bathroom. 

 The fourth photograph is of the ceiling at the Chanel store on fifth avenue as well. This caught my eye because of its elegance and minimalistic details. Chanel is an elegant brand that creates minimalistic and timeless pieces so I admired the fact that they were able to portray the brands pillars in the design of their stores. 

The fifth photograph is of my “cookie shot” at the Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC. I thought that this bakery was beyond creative. The items on their menu were out of the ordinary and this brought in a lot of business for the owners. This cookie shot is all eatable as its just a cookie in the shape of shot glass filled with milk to the top. This design and innovative thinking ensures a tasty and creative experience. 

The sixth photograph is in front of a condo building in the upper east side in NYC. I took this picture because it inspired me. The doors are gold and have a leaflike design. It is a beautiful entrance for an ordinary and old fashioned building in one of the busiest parts of New York City. 

The seventh picture is of a display at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. I admired this design because it caught a lot of attention. Visitors were able to stand in front of the glass balls and in front of the projector screen to capture pictures of themselves. The creative design of this artwork ensured a lot of heads to turn. 

The eighth and ninth pictures both were taken in NYC as well. The first picture is someones graffiti art on the streets in Soho. I loved the message it is trying to get across and I’m sure it caught a lot of attention. The ninth picture is  the ceiling at the color factory popup. Its filled with vivid colors and made the environment fun and friendly. 

The final picture is in Soho in NYC. I took this picture outside of a hotel as it is the entrance and leads to the doorway to the hotel. I admired the creativity and elegance that went into the exterior of this hotel building. The design of the exterior created excitement to enter the building. By creating this eye catching entrance the hotel is marketing their ambience to tourists walking past the street. 

Both NYC and Chicago are the top cities known for overall design. From architecture, clothing stores, and museums, these two cities have shaped and transformed the idea of design as a whole in the midst of their streets. 

[minhakhan]

Week Two - Design Thinking?

After reading Design Thinking, I believe that the coined term Design has a multitude of definitions and can not be easily defined. Design consists of ideas, work, production, function, and aesthetics. Design is a “process of generating, developing, and testing ideas” which requires inspiration and creativity (Design Thinking, 89).  

A few products that took inspiration and creativity in their production that I use on a daily basis are my Quip Toothbrush and my Revlon Blowdryer. Quip is a new, upcoming, and ADA (American Dental Association) approved toothbrush. The company is a NYC based startup. The modern brand produced this toothbrush and marketed it for its simplicity, chic appearance, and how technology savvy it is. Quip designers took a “people first approach” in producing this toothbrush (Design Thinking, 87). They were able to comprehend that people lack knowledge about dental hygiene and lack the resources to visit their dentists frequently. This toothbrush gives them the opportunity to have a thorough cleaning twice a day and includes a timer set to two minutes. The brush shuts off after two minutes of brushing ensuring every tooth was given attention. This innovative company reached 10 million dollars in revenue in 2017. The toothbrushes are sold in various colors and customers are able to choose between a metal or plastic toothbrush depending on their style. In addition, my Revlon Blowdryer was also developed using creativity and innovation. This blowdryer does not have the appearance of a normal or stereotypical blowdryer. In fact it was designed to look like a mixed bristle brush. Salons use mixed bristle brushes on their clients to achieve an effortless, smooth, and fast blow-dry. The designers of this product were able to combine the mixed bristle brush and a blowdryer in order to create efficiency and ensure a quicker blow-dry. This brush also gives customers the opportunity to avoid a pricey salon blowout and achieve one affordably and quickly at home. This article in the Harvard Business Review teaches that we see these successful products and “they do the job and we love them” (Design Thinking, 92). Both products that I discussed “were not necessarily the first to market” but they were the first that I found were generated, developed, and designed with creativity and brilliance (Design Thinking, 92). 

[minhakhan]

Week One - About Me

Hello hello! I’m Minha, a current sophomore at UWM. I grew up in the outskirts of Hartland and attended Arrowhead High School. I’m majoring in psychology and minoring in biology to hopefully pursue dental school after graduation. I enjoy running, spin classes, all things fashion, and traveling. 

Although, I’m not pursuing fashion in my potential career, I have always had a huge admiration for design and top tier fashion. I don’t have much relevant experience and haven’t made any recent purchases where design was the deciding factor but I stand by making large purchases based on quality and timelessness! Although, my most recent purchase that was compelling due to design was my apartment. My apartment fits my aesthetics and the open floor plan makes it more spacious. It’s in the city but faces the lake and greenery making it peaceful and muted. The wood floors and granite counter tops match. The walls are mainly bare covered with an off white paint. I chose neutral colored furniture to fill the space. I have a love for minimalistic styles and trends. I took this class in order to expand my knowledge and educate myself further about the world of design. I personally believe this course will benefit me as dental health is intricate and requires creativity and my passion for style and fashion does as well. I’m sure the world of design offers a lot for many people regardless of their career paths, and future employers seek individuals that acquire creative mindsets. The mainstream world of fashion and style continues to inspire me and being in this course will ensure I learn new and diverse concepts of design. I also think that this course will benefit my future pre-dental endeavors, as dental health is also cosmetic and design plays a huge role in ensuring an appealing smile!