#identity-design

[t-cypionate]

machine-design

an identity-design term for individuals whose experience of self feels inherently mechanical-- it’s simply how you exist. a machine-design is the recognition that your self runs like a system, or a construct that feels naturally precise or structured -- in the way a computer, robot, or any machine would. you are mechanical by nature, and shape yourself to your machine desires, however that looks for you. edit: hey guys i realized literally 24 hours after posting that i had the header wrong pleas ignore im not very smart

[t-cypionate]

identity-design (id-design, blank-design)

this self is built from the inside out, a design of my own.

this is the blank flag, feel free to make your own terms (i will probably post some myself soon id-design is a term for individuals whose experience of self comes from an internal making theyve grown into or created over time. it's not necessarily chosen, not spiritual, and not assigned at birth. id-design is the state of being a certain way. it does not shift majorly with time or with influence, it is just the way you are.

id-design is a way of existing that can be human or nonhuman, or something else entirely. it is always outside of the default of being a human person. it isnt about "relating to" something, it's about simply being something as your natural self, even if that self was only something you came to understand gradually.

you design the way you present your otherhumanly identity, you craft it with your own hand, you mold it into what you are now, and what you desire to be. it is about embracing the self that came to be. you dont need to have a soul to be what you are now, and you can always design it yourself, whatever that means for you. you choose to embrace this.

(symptoms may include: realizing over time you are more comfortable conceptualizing yourself as something that is not "just human," recognizing that your selfhood is self authored, but not chosen, that it is your design, but not fully a decision. can also come with atypical dysphoria) identity-design can be really anything but pre-existing characters, YOU are supposed to craft yourself into your OWN design. unlike otherkin, it does not shift majorly with time, and cannot be a character or anything like that, its more related to concepts of things. it falls under the alterhuman umbrella, yes, but it does not have to be seen that way, and was not my intent to. you can be: human, on your own terms ("im human, but only because i made myself this way") nonhuman (machine, animal, angel, etc etc) anything in between

notes: explaining this one is kind of hard because it seems like alterhuman but i swear it isnt guys its similar to it but it is completely unrelated to kinning like completely fetatched. no this isnt a transid or delusional thing either its just like. you are like that because you are! who knows why! but with my freedom, i will explore this! i will mold it with my own hands! also yeah the flag is boring and basic considering what it is but i had no other ideas so if anyone has ideas ermm. Tell me. ok thats all cypionate out

[andreamcnett]

My Summer

But first, some background.

tenKsolar originally hired me to be a graphic and web design intern. The basic job description listed updating web content, creating trade show materials, drawing technical diagrams and revising printed materials as responsibilities. I saw the position as a opportunity to try a lot of different things related to design and dip my toes into some marketing. Add that to steady hours and a short commute and I was sold.

Within the first week, my manager asked me if I was up to completely redesigning the website. It was a daunting task, but I was game. The old website (pictured below) was a mess. One of my coworkers lovingly described it as a "choose-your-own-adventure" website, as the code was broken, the organization was illogical and content was unstructured. I started from scratch.

I started with a lot of wireframes. So. Many. Wireframes. I was fresh out of art school and my brain needed something to bridge between art and design. Drawing was just the thing. As I mentioned in a previous post, I displayed my work so my coworkers would provide feedback.

About partway through the wireframe process, my manager asked me to explore the redesign of a new logo. The existing logo was okay at best and hard to work with. Marketing materials were described as "heavy" and "unfriendly." I believed that the success of the website hinged on the success of the brand as a whole. So a new indentity was created.

More sketching ensued. I presented 3 almost final concepts that were whittled down from 135 sketches. One was chosen to go through weeks of revisions until the final was solidified.

The new logo and new website made it easy to completely redo the entire identity. Printed materials, letterhead, PowerPoint templates (the hardest part) and a brand book were developed. The website remained my focus, though. I greatly improved my coding skills (thanks to Ben and a helluva lot of googling ) and became engrossed in the nuances of interactive design and development.

The new logo and website represent tenKsolar's innovative product and customer service, respectively. The new logo is bolder, more flexible and system oriented to reflect tenKsolar's innovations in solar technology. It also will allow the company to evolve and grow with minor modifications. During my internship, tenK Energy was established as subsidiary of the larger tenKsolar. Their logo is nearly the same, allowing for further brand equity development.

tenKsolar is a manufacturer that does not sell its products directly to customers, but they market to installers, end customers, investors and financiers, to name a few. This posed a challenge. There are a range of users--with varying solar expertise--that would be visiting this site. The content architecture and navigation reflects this. It's easy to scan with the use of headings, but contains more detailed information for experts. A variety of content--ranging from technical papers, illustrations, photographs and paragraphs--suits a variety of users with different learning types and knowledge of solar.

This was an amazing opportunity and I'm so happy to have this project in use. I welcome any and all feedback so feel free to comment below or email me ([email protected]). This project has taken on a life of its own and will continue to evolve as tenKsolar evolves. I can't wait to see it grow up.

[andreamcnett]

Graphic Design 1: Final Project

I knew from the onset that fitting all of the information on the page was going to be a challenge. A few of my early drafts were even more type-driven than the final result. I usually come up with a great visual first and then fit the type around it. This time, I worked in reverse. Once I had a solid typographical vision, I then created my image.

The image is really simple. I cut-out a human chain and taped it to my kitchen wall (thus the texture). I originally did this for draft purposes only and intended to make a trip the imaging lab to shoot a high quality image with professional lighting. However, this image was very well-received and fit perfectly with the type. Why mess with a good thing?

Here's my final solution, with all of the various pieces:

We present to the client tomorrow morning, and after that, I'll be done with the semester!

[andreamcnett]

Twelve

"Twelve" is the title of the upcoming Apparel Design Senior Fashion Show. Our client (students from the senior apparel design class) pitched their idea to the class back in September and we've been working on the project ever since. On Tuesday, we showed our final designs to the students. Here's mine:

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Of course, there are small things I would change after I've already printed it. The client (the students) were particularly receptive to my choice of color, which I really spent a lot of time on.