Good Design vs. Bad Design

Throughout the course of this semester I will be analyzing good and bad designs found during my everyday adventures on the Internet and around the world.

[timjackson24]

Download this Font! (wk 10)

I just downloaded this typeface: Dense. After just watching the short film: Helvetica I believe my perspective has changed on how fonts are designed. I was searching for a font and this one caught my eye immediately. The edges are sharp creating a distinct contrast between the lines of the letters and the background making the font pop off the page. The other design element to this typeface I really like is the kerning between the letters. The space between them gives an individuality to each letter; nothing seems cluttered or out of place but rather nice, neat, and orderly. Overall, this is a very clean and nice typeface that I will be using in my upcoming projects. Download it here for your own use.

[timjackson24]

A Cameetah...! (wk 10)

Another car ad that I found really intriguing came from Kia. The first thing I saw on this ad was the camel with cheetah fur; definitely, unexpected. At first I was confused as to what they were tyring to say, but then reading the short caption on the bottom “Fast and Fuel efficient.” This message is credible; we all know cheetahs are fast and camels can store water for days and are able to live in desert conditions. Comparing the new forte to this hybrid of animals also relates to their tagline, “the first of its kind.” Reflecting on the physical elements of this design the black illustrates a very professional, clean, and efficient design complementing the car itself. Overall, this is a really powerful and captivating design.

[timjackson24]

A Trip to the Beach (wk 10)

Volkswagen’s ad for their new car definitely caught my eye. Avove you see it depicts little kids having fun at the beach, but the beach is actually in the car. The message, “the car ride is just as fun as the beach.” Volkswagen could have given many more specifics about how the car runs, but rather they focused on the family aspect of the car. The message is unexpected, its not everyday you see a car filled with sand and kids having a beach day in the back seat. This really appeals to parents with kids and familyies looking for a smooth fun car ride. Even the parent driving seems to be relaxing and enjoying the sun. Definitely a clever and very effective ad for the target audience.

[timjackson24]

We are all becoming Cyborgs! (wk 10)

Google Glass is allowing people to sign up and try these new glasses on April 15th. I personally think the design of these glasses could use some work. The function of wearing a piece of technology covering half on one eye just does not seem desirable to me. For the design, the white glasses are definitley appealing have a sleek, futuristic, and clean feel to them; however, I think overall they look a little too much like a cyborg for my taste. Having easy access to use functions through touch the side of the glasses and then it having voice control is pretty cool. Overall, these glasses seem to be very unappealing to wear, but I am curious to see how the first recipients of these glasses respond the interface and technology.

[timjackson24]

Red Chrome (wk 9)

Today I wanted to feature my friends website on my design blog just because I think he does amazing work. It is called Red Chrome Productions and he designs and makes just about anything to make your business or product look good. At first it reminds a lot of google chrome but I think he definitely perfected it. The red really draws you into the website and there really isn't any information on the home page, and yet you want to look for more. It is simple and excited and concrete, I want to see this guys other work. His website and actual work are both phenomenal and you should definitely check him out.

[timjackson24]

Like no other Studio Camera (wk 9)

Just yesterday Blackmagic announced there new Studio Camera coming out in June. At first glance this piece of equipment is nothing I have ever seen before. Who would have expected a 10 inch HD display on the back of a studio camera. At first glance the camera looked pretty odd, but the more I looked at it the more I loved it. The magnesium alloy chassis is both durable and professional looking giving the camera a sleek look and it can be used both inside and outside. Everything from the interface to the actual design just screams professional quality and user friendly for this camera making it such an enticing piece of equipment.

[timjackson24]

DNT TXT (wk 9)

So, I know what some of you maybe thinking. "Wow this is dumb, anyone could have made this poster." Yea that's the point, the message is simple Don't Text and Drive. We all text using abbreviations and if you don't then I apologize for insulting your intelligence. But this poster is clear, concrete, concise and gets the point across. The design is big, bold, easy to read, and it would definitely stand out in the crowd! The little splash of blue brings everything together and overall this is just a really nice and clean cut design.

[timjackson24]

World Environment Day (wk 8)

I never knew World Environment Day was on June 5th until seeing this poster. This poster is absolutely brilliant with its design. The blue gradient automatically makes us as the audience picture water and the cloud texture in the background gives the idea of rain. This design looks like an upside down umbrella with a faucet for the handle and wavy lines at the brim to show movement and give us even more of a sense of waves or water. This is a clever design that is simple, concrete, and it tells a story. Let’s all take this one day out of the year and conserve water either by using less water than we normally would. It immediately makes me think of the steps I can take, shutting off the water while brushing my teeth, doing dishes in a water basin instead of running the water, or taking a quicker shower. We all know these practical ways to conserve water and this poster prompts us to action by providing us with a date and reason to conserve water.

[timjackson24]

Speaking of Papyrus. (wk 8)

As a Digital Media Major at Valley Forge Christian College, I constantly hear this from my professors and friends. You could also add bleeding cowboys to the list. Although this is a comical poster, I feel as though the message is unclear because of how busy and close all the words are on the page. The “in your face” bold red text is not working for me either. It looks like someone just threw up cherries all over this page and barely put any time and effort into a design trying to get people to be better as design, ironic right. Sure they used different sizes to emphasize words, however, the lack of contrast doesn’t make anything stick and makes everything jumble together on the page. This designer needs to take a look at his or her own design before giving tips to others. Maybe they were trying to show people what not to do, anyway the point is this poster does not convey the message clearly because to me it is poorly designed and hypocritical.

[timjackson24]

A Cinema Camera in Your Pocket! (wk 8)

I know I have already taken a look at the Blackmagic Cinema Camera in a previous post, but with the new software upgrade allowing their Pocket Camera to capture Raw video I just thought it was the right time to take a look at another one of Blackmagic Design’s cameras. This tiny Pocket Cinema Camera really packs a punch with a Super 16 size sensor and MFT mount. I absolutely love the design of this tiny but powerful machine. The camera features a magnesium alloy chassis that is both incredibly light and extremely strong, so you get protection of the camera’s internal electronics in a unit that can be handheld for long periods of time. Not too mention the silver and black suggesting the pristine and professional quality of this item. Marked at such a low price ($995.00) this camera has definitely been seen to deliver. Design, technology, and function is all there to make this a great addition to any low budget film maker’s tool kit.

[timjackson24]

The Next Big Thing... (wk 8)

With all the news of these Google smartwatches coming out in the near future, I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and write my thoughts on this product. Although I do not own a phone made by Google or Android I must admit that this watch looks pretty cool. Unlike many other company designs of these smartwatches, which are usually square, Google has made their version a circle maybe suggesting some sort of completeness to the user-friendly experience. The interface is very clean being able to swipe up or down in order to reveal new content. The main purpose of this watch is not to replace your phone but rather save you time from doing everyday almost constant actions, eliminating the need to take your phone out of your pocket. The colors seems to be very vibrant and match Google’s current brand look all of these design features pointing back to a unified experience, which is what I believe the company was going for.

[timjackson24]

Car for the Handicapped (wk 7)

I stumbled upon this unique little car today and my what a neat little invention. The smart car craze seems to have not really caught on as rapidly as the car companies have expected, but this little vehicle is not meant for just anyone: it is for the handicapped. Right off the bats, a few of the downsides are it is only for one person, it only travels up to 25 mph, and can only go 60 miles on a charge. Its main purpose is to help handicapped individuals get to the store or nearby places. Improvements for the future will come, but this is all it is right now. The design is pretty neat if you ask me. A little ramp folds down from the back and the hatch goes up giving an individual in a wheelchair easy access and ability to drive from one place to another. It is very energy efficient and the curves of the car seem to give excellent visibility for driving. A great invention for the disabled and a great design to go along with it. Check out the article here:

[timjackson24]

This is What Luck Looks Like (wk 7)

This poster design is a public service announcement to warn pedestrians about using their cell phones while walking. The simplicity of this design really drives the point home that you should not walk and text. Unexpectedness also plays a huge part in the idea in that we think this is a terrible accident, when in reality this guy was lucky that he did not lose his life. Being able to take one quick glance and immediately capture the intended message is definitely a positive for this design. Since the picture is in black and white, the poster almost forces you to look at the bright yellow text at the bottom, that is where the deeper message is and tells the public why they should care. A great design and I am sure it was effective in portraying the message to the public.

[timjackson24]

CD Light Show (wk 7)

Instead of recycling their old CDs, the architects of Bignatov Studio were inspired to turn their old electronics into a community art project in Varna, Bulgaria. Entitled, Mirror Culture volunteers put together 6000 CDs in order to create this amazing and creative mural between the poles of the Seaside Garden entrance. One of the main elements this design brings to the table is unexpectedness. Who would think to use old CD’s to create such a magnificent display. The repetition of the cds creates a very cool light effect when hit with a beam of light. It produces a rainbow effect with both warm and cool colors creating an interesting and almost entrancing effect. Such a creative and well-executed feat in order to give the community something they can be proud of.

[timjackson24]

Full House Buffet? (wk 7)

I went to Wal-Mart yesterday and as I was coming out of the store I stumbled upon this gem. Full House Buffet All You Can Eat, plastered onto the side of a big white van. My initial thoughts were, I have to take a picture of this just because there were so many things wrong with it. The contrast of the white van, tinted windows and red text makes it really hard to read. The red color although is known to strike up hunger certainly did not appease my appetite. The smaller sign on the front door, although, readable is not even put on straight. I personally would not go to eat at this restaurant after seeing this display. Although the may have good food, the lack of care put into this advertisement just portrays a negative message about their restaurant.

[timjackson24]

Wheels 4 Water (wk 6)

In June of this year, two individuals will be cycling from Boston to Chicago in order to raise money for a lifetime of water and sanitation to a Uganda community in need. This is such a great cause and after seeing their logo, I am really impressed with the creativity and design put into the mission. Wheels for Water is the phrase and this logo features a this phrase and a bicycle made with the number 4 and two blue circles with 3 horizontal lines on both sides of the bike. The horizontal lines look like a rode and also give a sense of movement as the bike travels along. Then to top everything off the entire logo is encompassed in a while of its own bringing the entire design together. From the blue color to symbolize peace as well as water, to the outer wheel giving a sense of unity and completeness this is an excellent design to support a great cause.

[timjackson24]

Come Together (wk 6)

Everyone loves The Beatles and if you don’t well…I’m sorry. This is a poster designed by Warhol and features the faces of John, Paul, George, and Ringo repeated using different hues. Although very different with the uses of repetition Warhol was able to create a unity within the variation bringing the group together in this one design. By using contrast on all of the members of the band repeatedly, the designer was able to highlight every single person equally. For me personally, looking at this poster I am almost lost until I look down from the chaos at the bottom of the poster to the all-familiar Beatles band name text. Using the bold brownish rectangle with the name centered certainly gives the viewer a point of reference and stability with all of the other elements at the top. Overall, I really enjoy this design it is certainly unique.