Necessity is .......

As those of you in studio may know, I am currently compiling a journal of all the creative ways

people improvise cooling stands for their laptops. Here are a few I have spotted so far. Gee, do

you think there's a design opportunity here?

Nerf Gun - Matt Brown

Thumbtack box - James Lee

Spray paint can lids - Maggie Pine

Engineering ruler - author

If you're a sunglasses freak.... SOLARIS!!

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://solarisvintage.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/yoko-ono-porsche-5620.jpg&imgrefurl=http://solarisvintage.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/yoko-ono-porsche-5620-by-carrera/&usg=__v0cMjo1CH9n1D9Ci1Mtu9nTwuLQ=&h=500&w=500&sz=20&hl=en&start=40&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Ga4sL6BNcLHkfM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dopen%2Bbox%26start%3D36%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

DesComm ,oh DesComm

DesComm with Michael ... how was it? Pretty damn good I say.

Rework the portfolios with the insight of someone currently employed in ID...check.

Learn about the power of a grid...check.

Utilize the knowledge of two upperclassmen who have been through it before...check.

Learn how to develop and present product ideas in different phases of design....check.

Receive usable, detailed feedback about our work and our progress...check.

DesComm Winter quarter 2010.....success.

Thanks Mike, Nick, and Sam!

Time to self evaluate

How am I doing this quarter? Did i improve? Did i learn anything?

Of course, of course, doing great! Almost done all together for the quarter...oh yeah!

So what did I learn? A lot

Use a grid when laying out the portfolio.

More pictures, less wordy things.

Less is more.

Impact, contrast, push it, don't be scared.

You don't always have to stick to all the deadlines...

if it can be justified and is for a better result,

make it happen.

I still don't know as much as I think I might.

There are still no dumb questions you can ask.

All in all it's been a good quarter.

Goals for next quarter, co-op quarter that is.

Pay attention at the new job and learn what makes a product a

world beater. Understand why one product is more appealing than

another from a packaging and branding standpoint.

Sketching!

Explore more of Solidworks and its surfacing capabilities.

Soak it all in.

ummm...Chicago in the Spring. Time to break in the camera :)

Good to see everyone keeping on!

Jon-O!

http://jonmartindesign.blogspot.com/2010/02/architect-desk-review.html

V-Nessa!

http://vanessamelendez.blogspot.com/

A-Lex!

http://awa64.dreamhosters.com/2010/03/science-marches-on/

Design blogging

Is design an effective way to communicate about design? I think so, it's a great way to reach an

audience, FOR FREE , that you wouldn't be able to otherwise even if you paid for it. Right now

someone could be reading this, (other than you), anywhere they get internet in the world.

Anywhere.

Now, as you know, I'm older than most of you by about 13 or 14 years. It doesn't seem that huge

in terms of our relative ages but by the evolution of technology in the last 13 or 14 years it's

ginormous. I can remember when sending mail meant, well, sending an actual piece of paper in

an actual envelope. In turn receiving mail meant waiting...days, and days. Now we can share

ideas, specifically design ideas, immediately.

Is blogging an effective form of communication for designers...yes.

Favs

My three favorite, can't do without products. Man this is difficult!

OK,

1. My money clip.

Its' compact, doesn't bulge out in my pocket, fits in the front pocket where it's

less likely to be snatched up by a lazy ass thief, and because it only holds like 5

cards and some bills it self regulates the amount of shit that I carry around. Brilliant!

2. My cheap Meijer house brand "Sports" watch.

This thing is so understated it doesn't even have a brand lol. Keeps perfect time, universal sizing,

Electroluminescent display for night viewing, stopwatch, alarm to wake the dead,date, durable,

maintains body temperature in cold weather,and only $12. Not half bad looking either. And if I

lose it I won't cry about it. Success!

3. My GPS, absolutely.

Quite possibly the most rewarding $100 I have ever spent ...on anything. Out of the box it does

exactly what it's supposed to. No more driving and reading stupid directions and if i do happen

to miss an exit...it will turn me around and reroute me back to where I need to be. YES!

And I can upload my own GPS coordinates for when I go hiking offroad, etc. Love it.