Tag Archives: Design

Getting Creepy: Photo Shoot #2

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Sometimes perseverance really does work.  And it doesn’t hurt to have a little luck too.  Well for the latest chapter of the fashion shoot, both worked out wonderfully.  I got access to the Arboretum and the rain stayed away.  It was miserably hot, but this is the south.  Heat and humidity…  what’s new?

The arboretum is everything I hoped it would be and more.  We really could not have asked for a better place to shoot.  So I’d really like to take a moment and thank the owner.  The arboretum feels like a very personal project for him and I really appreciate his willingness to allow us to shoot.

Our goal for the whole shoot is to capture a darkness.  And what better place to capture it than an arboretum full of gargoyles and unique statues!  If you know the designer, it makes sense.  A Femme Fatale theme oozes from the whole collection.   I’m hoping my editing skills are up for the challenge!  Take a look at these ROUGH examples (click the photo and no… I’m nowhere near final edits!).  It’s kinda scary, kinda seductive, kinda… I like.  I can’t wait to work on this project more.  It’s totally bad ass.

What’s Brewin’ Today? Revisiting the Tea Card Idea

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Remember the Tea Card Idea from a few months ago? Well, I’ve been working on it and I’m looking at printing options right now. It’s dual layered with a black paper back and a white paper top layer. Not only does it add a nice effect, it makes printing much easier. I’ve looked around for info/pricing for white-on-black printing and it’s not cheap. BUT! I’ve got a better solution. I’ve found a place that does laser cutting and I think I can have them cut plastic templates that allow me to do the exact same thing myself. More on that to come… I’m waiting on their thoughts/estimate. And of course, if anyone has experience/ideas, please add a comment below/email me/etc. So here is the latest group of layouts.

The New North Carolina Museum of Art: Another Bull’s Eye

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"Tide" Kenneth Noland, 1958 http://www.kennethnoland.com/

Last weekend I visited the North Carolina Museum of Art for the “I lost count years ago” time.  Before the new building was up, I normally knew when something was moved.  It’s always been a hidden jewel and it’s only been in the last few years that people have started noticing the museum for what it really is.  The NC Museum of Art along with the Nasher at Duke are truly exceptional museums.  They aren’t huge like the National Gallery, but they contain great collections.

Part of NC Museum of Art’s recent popularity comes from a big time gamble they made about a decade ago: they brought in a world class exhibit of Rodin and not much later, they followed that up with a Ansel Adams show along with a string of other events.  It was a huge gamble, but it’s paid off well.

The only thing the museum seemed to be lacking was a better building.  The old building was rather dark and felt like a 1960′s Cold War era building.  Of course it was a 1960′s building.  Well sure enough, the museum made a new building the next goal.  Mission Accomplished.  It’s open and it’s a total bull’s eye. Here are some pictures from the building.

Problem: Solution!

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I don’t think I’ve introduced Pablo Jetskibar.  Pablo is my Sea-Doo.  The name comes from one of my friends claiming I would be better off with a drug habit.  I don’t think so, but when I describe what owning a Sea-Doo is like, it sounds pretty much like a drug habit.  It’s an exhilarating ride when it’s working, but like a drug habit, it inevitably stops. Then you spend all your time trying to get your next fix just like a drub habit.  And by finding your next fix, I literarily mean you are trying to find out what is wrong and fixing it.  Trust me, I rebuilt Pablo after I blew up the engine last year.  You also need a lot of $100 bills to keep your habit up.  Sea-Doos become Sea-Don’ts very quickly without a sea of cash.  Sea-Doos don’t really like water, they much prefer $100 bills.  Of course other names have been suggested (I wasn’t too happy with them… mike… you know who you are), but I’m a little partial to Pablo Jetskibar.

So now that Pablo is working nicely, it’s time to solve a new problem.  I drive a Honda Accord.  It tows Pablo just fine, but it has trouble with the enter/exit ramps into water.  Before anyone makes any wise-ass comment about towing with a Honda, I’ve seen every type of car/truck have trouble at my local ramp.  That is unless you have a working Deuce and a Half.  It’s super sandy and wet.  But once again, if you have a Deuce…

Well, I’m toying around with a solution, but I’m not sure if it’s totally feasible yet.  It’s an internally expandable modification to my trailer.  The inspiration for this idea stems from a talk I had about my issue with one of my friends.  We first thought about designing and building a removable extension piece to try and lenghthen the trailer, but I don’t think that sounds safe.  This version has the same goal, but it’s safe.  I think.  Anyone with some knowledge wanting to chime in… much appreciated.  By the way, Pablo weighs 585lbs+some baggage.

Packaging Change

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I’m a fan of innovative companies.  It’s partly what attracted me to studying German during my undergraduate years.  The German speaking world is full of them.  Unlike a lot of American companies, German companies think long term.  Companies take a lot of pride in their history and see their future as a reflection of their past.  Think of Porsche and the iconic design of the 911.  It really hasn’t changed that much in 40 years.  It just keeps getting faster, safer, environmentally friendlier… well just better.

If you have studied German Culture you know what I mean.  Otherwise, saying the future is a reflection of the past may seem confusing.  I know.  Think of it this way:  You are part of a company with a 100 year history of offering high quality innovative products.  The company obviously knows what it is doing and consumers have respect for that.  A German worker will take pride in that respect and will use their company’s legacy as motivation to help that company continue offering innovative products in the future.   In other words, they take a lot of pride in their work and the most successful companies are not normally the companies that offer cheap goods.  That doesn’t mean they don’t like cheap goods, they just don’t like companies with questionable ethics.  Wal-Mart tried to set up shop in Germany and failed.  Aldi, a German based discount retailer has survived for nearly a century.

Since the late 1960s Germans have been heavily interested in environmental issues.  The current Green Movement taking the US by storm: that’s been happening in Germany for almost 40 years.  When you buy a new car in Germany, you not only get information about gas milage, you get carbon emissions statistics.  They take conservation seriously.  And of course, that leads companies to embrace environmental issues.  Think BMW and its hydrogen 7-Series or German stores charging for plastic bags.  If you think that’s about saving money, it is, but it is a case of hitting two birds with one stone.  Environmental issues has also influenced retailers to rethink their packaging design.  Here is a great example from Puma, a German giant who Partnered with Yves Behar of Fuse Project.  And a fun fact while I’m at it… the founders of Puma and Adidas were brothers!