9/07/2006
Frankenimagery
Well I'm finally settled but the new office just doesn't feel right yet – have yet to bang my head against the wall or have any profound design victories to make the place feel broken in. The spirit is growing however with lots of challenging projects and opportunities. Hope to share some of that work with you soon.
There’s been some interesting developments in regards to images on the web. Microsoft Live Labs has come up with a unique way to work with images. It’s called Photosynth (be sure to click the demo). A number of popular image based web sites are jumping on the bandwagon as well. Flickr.com recently added the ability to geo-tag images... in other words you drag them onto a yahoo map and mark them with a location. Over a million photos were geo-tagged in the first 24 hrs. Also, a Canadian Inventor has developed a clever way to use shapes as passwords or keys. Not sure yet where all this is leading but the web is beginning to feel more and more like a William Gibson novel.
Well I'm finally settled but the new office just doesn't feel right yet – have yet to bang my head against the wall or have any profound design victories to make the place feel broken in. The spirit is growing however with lots of challenging projects and opportunities. Hope to share some of that work with you soon.
There’s been some interesting developments in regards to images on the web. Microsoft Live Labs has come up with a unique way to work with images. It’s called Photosynth (be sure to click the demo). A number of popular image based web sites are jumping on the bandwagon as well. Flickr.com recently added the ability to geo-tag images... in other words you drag them onto a yahoo map and mark them with a location. Over a million photos were geo-tagged in the first 24 hrs. Also, a Canadian Inventor has developed a clever way to use shapes as passwords or keys. Not sure yet where all this is leading but the web is beginning to feel more and more like a William Gibson novel.
6/29/2006
I've Moved!
I'm now a resident of North Ogden Utah. It's a nice town north of Salt Lake about 50 miles. Still lots of unpacking to do but the extra space and the views are a sigh of relief. Unfortunately I've hit a snag with getting my internet connection so I'm driving miles to get my email and upload files... uhg. Anyway, here's the new office address; 461 E. 3600 N. Ogden, UT 84414.
I'm now a resident of North Ogden Utah. It's a nice town north of Salt Lake about 50 miles. Still lots of unpacking to do but the extra space and the views are a sigh of relief. Unfortunately I've hit a snag with getting my internet connection so I'm driving miles to get my email and upload files... uhg. Anyway, here's the new office address; 461 E. 3600 N. Ogden, UT 84414.
6/24/2005
Plein Air
Well the heat of summer has definitely arrived here in Utah. Work has been busy but it hasn’t stopped me from finding time to get out in the sunshine to do a little Plein Air painting. Creating fine art has always been a great way to balance out the stresses of design work. It’s been about nine years since I’ve painted with anything other than pixels so it’s been a refreshing and humbling experience so far. I’m hoping to post some noteworthy work in the months to come so stay tuned for that.
I did run across an interesting site a while back that’s worth mentioning. With all the issues the web has created surrounding copyrights, Creative Commons is providing an interesting option for all types of artists and authors. If successful it could have a large influence on how creative works are distributed and marketed to the public.
Well the heat of summer has definitely arrived here in Utah. Work has been busy but it hasn’t stopped me from finding time to get out in the sunshine to do a little Plein Air painting. Creating fine art has always been a great way to balance out the stresses of design work. It’s been about nine years since I’ve painted with anything other than pixels so it’s been a refreshing and humbling experience so far. I’m hoping to post some noteworthy work in the months to come so stay tuned for that.
I did run across an interesting site a while back that’s worth mentioning. With all the issues the web has created surrounding copyrights, Creative Commons is providing an interesting option for all types of artists and authors. If successful it could have a large influence on how creative works are distributed and marketed to the public.
11/09/2004
Organic Textures
If you’re a big fan of illustration like I am you’ll enjoy a visit to “100 Years of Illustration”. It’s a wonderful site put together by illustrator Paul Giambarba (thanks to xblog for the link). It’s nice to see work predating the computer possessing so much character and texture. Such texture typically requires a lot of memory to incorporate into web sites but now that broadband connections are becoming more available I hope to find more opportunities to incorporate hand done textures, typography and illustration into my work. A very inspiring site if you need a diversion.
As you may have noticed I’ve updated more of the portfolio section. Samples of Spillman Technologies interface design and some illustrations of my own are on display.
If you’re a big fan of illustration like I am you’ll enjoy a visit to “100 Years of Illustration”. It’s a wonderful site put together by illustrator Paul Giambarba (thanks to xblog for the link). It’s nice to see work predating the computer possessing so much character and texture. Such texture typically requires a lot of memory to incorporate into web sites but now that broadband connections are becoming more available I hope to find more opportunities to incorporate hand done textures, typography and illustration into my work. A very inspiring site if you need a diversion.
As you may have noticed I’ve updated more of the portfolio section. Samples of Spillman Technologies interface design and some illustrations of my own are on display.
9/25/2004
Fall Is Upon Us
It’s been a good summer and I’m looking forward to a long fall before winter sets in. Typically the fall season brings a barrage of work and from the looks of things it’s beginning to heat up. I updated the portfolio section with some of my recent work. There will be more work posted in the next week or so. Stay tuned!
It’s been a good summer and I’m looking forward to a long fall before winter sets in. Typically the fall season brings a barrage of work and from the looks of things it’s beginning to heat up. I updated the portfolio section with some of my recent work. There will be more work posted in the next week or so. Stay tuned!
2/09/2004
Latest Work
Designtelic recently finished work on GiovanniExperiences.com. Giovanni is a charismatic creator of experiences who speaks and performs all over the world. Designtelic developed a new company identity and web site design for Giovanni Experiences. Flash was an obvious choice for much of the site design enabling the expression of the creativity and energy that Giovanni creates in his performances. Needless to say it was a very fun project. Be sure to check out the Programs and Biography sections.
Designtelic recently finished work on GiovanniExperiences.com. Giovanni is a charismatic creator of experiences who speaks and performs all over the world. Designtelic developed a new company identity and web site design for Giovanni Experiences. Flash was an obvious choice for much of the site design enabling the expression of the creativity and energy that Giovanni creates in his performances. Needless to say it was a very fun project. Be sure to check out the Programs and Biography sections.
1/20/2004
How We See
Recently I began work on an atypical interface design. It?s atypical in the sense that the user relies on the interface in a variety of lighting conditions and at times under a high degree of stress. The interface has to perform flawlessly in bright sunlight and the dark of night without negatively affecting the vision of its user or their timely ability to perform their job. While this is beginning to sound like I?m working for James Bond, the part I?m trying to get to is that this project required me to research visual optics in a way that is somewhat uncustomary for a visual designer.
Instead of being concerned with color theories and color psychology as it relates to design, I needed to understand HOW we see not just what we see. To my surprise I gained invaluable insight into not only how our eyes and brain work but also into that all important visual designer stuff. Every responsible designer should have this knowledge tucked away even if they?re not working for James Bond. I won?t bore you with the details of what I learned but I will allow you to enlighten yourself with a couple of the more helpful sites I found along the way. I?m sure you?ll find something of interest.
Hyper Physics ? contains a concise well organized section on light and vision
Color Vision ? how some of us see differently
Recently I began work on an atypical interface design. It?s atypical in the sense that the user relies on the interface in a variety of lighting conditions and at times under a high degree of stress. The interface has to perform flawlessly in bright sunlight and the dark of night without negatively affecting the vision of its user or their timely ability to perform their job. While this is beginning to sound like I?m working for James Bond, the part I?m trying to get to is that this project required me to research visual optics in a way that is somewhat uncustomary for a visual designer.
Instead of being concerned with color theories and color psychology as it relates to design, I needed to understand HOW we see not just what we see. To my surprise I gained invaluable insight into not only how our eyes and brain work but also into that all important visual designer stuff. Every responsible designer should have this knowledge tucked away even if they?re not working for James Bond. I won?t bore you with the details of what I learned but I will allow you to enlighten yourself with a couple of the more helpful sites I found along the way. I?m sure you?ll find something of interest.
Hyper Physics ? contains a concise well organized section on light and vision
Color Vision ? how some of us see differently
1/07/2004
Happy New Year
It's been a while since my last post. The holiday rush for me started in September with a stampede of work that didn't let up until... well, it still hasn't let up. There was some really fun work created in the last couple months of '03 and I hope to have the portfolio section updated soon.
My only resolution for the New Year is to keep current with this blog. On that note, Fontifier.com is a neat page that allows you to create a computer font out of your own handwriting. Great for designers or anyone that would like to personalize their correspondence. Thanks to XBlog for the link. Have a great year.
It's been a while since my last post. The holiday rush for me started in September with a stampede of work that didn't let up until... well, it still hasn't let up. There was some really fun work created in the last couple months of '03 and I hope to have the portfolio section updated soon.
My only resolution for the New Year is to keep current with this blog. On that note, Fontifier.com is a neat page that allows you to create a computer font out of your own handwriting. Great for designers or anyone that would like to personalize their correspondence. Thanks to XBlog for the link. Have a great year.
9/17/2003
Interactive Visual Explainers - A Simple Classification
"Interactives are one of the first experiments in interactive journalism. They are brief Web-based interactive visual explainers. They are designed to explain complex concepts or ideas. Of late, they are usually created in Macromedia Flash or Macromedia Director. Since the practice is new, different names are used to describe it -- "Flash Infographics", "Motion Graphics", and "Interaction Graphics" are some we've come across. We like "Interactives" because it embodies interaction--the building block of the Web--and thus does not bring across any preconceived notions from the print world."
I thought this was a noteworthy article about the growing trend of information graphics used in online news media. While the article is mainly focused on interactive journalism, "interactives" are being used in a variety of ways on the web. Designtelic recently designed an interactive on hot-air-balloons. See it here.
"Interactives are one of the first experiments in interactive journalism. They are brief Web-based interactive visual explainers. They are designed to explain complex concepts or ideas. Of late, they are usually created in Macromedia Flash or Macromedia Director. Since the practice is new, different names are used to describe it -- "Flash Infographics", "Motion Graphics", and "Interaction Graphics" are some we've come across. We like "Interactives" because it embodies interaction--the building block of the Web--and thus does not bring across any preconceived notions from the print world."
I thought this was a noteworthy article about the growing trend of information graphics used in online news media. While the article is mainly focused on interactive journalism, "interactives" are being used in a variety of ways on the web. Designtelic recently designed an interactive on hot-air-balloons. See it here.
8/13/2003
Web Credibility
The Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab is doing important research for anyone involved in technology design. Their Web Credibility Project found that well-designed and well-organized sites are critical for earning peoples trust.
Peter Morville, author of, "Information Architecture for the World Wide Web", provides an excellent blog centered on the practice of information architecture design. If you're new to IA or a long-time supporter, I promise you'll find something of interest.
The Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab is doing important research for anyone involved in technology design. Their Web Credibility Project found that well-designed and well-organized sites are critical for earning peoples trust.
Peter Morville, author of, "Information Architecture for the World Wide Web", provides an excellent blog centered on the practice of information architecture design. If you're new to IA or a long-time supporter, I promise you'll find something of interest.
8/11/2003
User Research
July was an enjoyable month. I spent a majority of my time doing research for a beginning fly-fisherman's Fly-Selection-Guide. Basically that means I've been doing a lot of fly-fishing to understand trout behaviors first hand. It's been instructive considering that my ultimate "users" for this project are North American species of trout. I'm finding they are like any other user.
Trout have been around in present form for fifty million years and in that time have obviously developed very successful tactics for surviving - they are very unlikely to change their behavior anytime soon. Trout's needs are simple; they must eat one percent of their body weight per day to stay alive - a compelling motivation. At a minimum successful fly-fisherman know what trout are feeding on, where they are feeding and how the food is presented. A beginner usually selects a fly that "looks good" based on arbitrary criteria and presents it in a manner that is foreign to the trout. Generally speaking the beginner selects a fly based on their own instincts and not the trout's. Sound familiar?
You guessed it. Here it comes. Interactive development can be just like trout fishing. Unless a fly is presented to a trout in a manner they're familiar with, it's unlikely they'll even know it's there. It probably won't even register in their consciousness. And that's not just because their brains are small. A trout is like any other user, client or customer. Each has their existing behaviors and subsequent perceptions that help them survive and live successfully. And it's critical to understand their world and their methods of survival to present anything of value. Every project requires a clear understanding of user's successful behaviors and survival tactics. Speaking to and supporting those needs are what make interactive design effective and worthwhile. And as I experienced a few times over the last month, without it you're just spending another lovely day standing in a trout stream wondering why your users aren't biting.
July was an enjoyable month. I spent a majority of my time doing research for a beginning fly-fisherman's Fly-Selection-Guide. Basically that means I've been doing a lot of fly-fishing to understand trout behaviors first hand. It's been instructive considering that my ultimate "users" for this project are North American species of trout. I'm finding they are like any other user.
Trout have been around in present form for fifty million years and in that time have obviously developed very successful tactics for surviving - they are very unlikely to change their behavior anytime soon. Trout's needs are simple; they must eat one percent of their body weight per day to stay alive - a compelling motivation. At a minimum successful fly-fisherman know what trout are feeding on, where they are feeding and how the food is presented. A beginner usually selects a fly that "looks good" based on arbitrary criteria and presents it in a manner that is foreign to the trout. Generally speaking the beginner selects a fly based on their own instincts and not the trout's. Sound familiar?
You guessed it. Here it comes. Interactive development can be just like trout fishing. Unless a fly is presented to a trout in a manner they're familiar with, it's unlikely they'll even know it's there. It probably won't even register in their consciousness. And that's not just because their brains are small. A trout is like any other user, client or customer. Each has their existing behaviors and subsequent perceptions that help them survive and live successfully. And it's critical to understand their world and their methods of survival to present anything of value. Every project requires a clear understanding of user's successful behaviors and survival tactics. Speaking to and supporting those needs are what make interactive design effective and worthwhile. And as I experienced a few times over the last month, without it you're just spending another lovely day standing in a trout stream wondering why your users aren't biting.
6/30/2003
Designtelic web site launches!
