Design in Society: The Mac Experience

In my opinion, the Mac is better than the PC.
I walked into an Apple store a few days ago and was amazed by the number of people (particularly senior citizens) attending the beginners course there.

It controls user experience much more than the PC, which can be bad for computer geniuses who want to customize their computers down to the specifics. For the rest of the population, it makes it much easier for beginners to learn how to use computers and the more advanced to have a more organized experience.

The design of the Mac is simple.

From one sheet of aluminum, a solid, durable and long lasting notebook is created that can have a battery life up to ten hours. It has been stripped down to its bare necessities, which means no more multiple flashing lights. The configuration system within the Mac is all placed in one place, which makes it a cinch to customize settings and manage system wide settings.

Also, the Mac already comes with basic programs that most users need such as Mail, iTunes, and iPhoto. It does not overload the user with junk such as advertisements and end-of-trial warnings. Such problems seem to be more frequent in PCs. And the security on Macs is undeniably better than the PCs because it does not require users to purchase additional security software, which in turn does not slow down the computer. It does a very good job protecting the user from viruses and allows them to be worry free about it.

Aside from the many other reasons on why the Mac is so great, the overall design makes it easier for the user to become integrated with the computer. The simplicity of the design and the software allows any beginner to become oriented with the computer and provides a much more organized experienced for the advanced. As more and more people learn how to use the computer and the internet, the more communication improves. Communication is vital to any society because it connects people together and provides unlimited information for people. The design of the Mac helps improve society by making it much easier for people to communicate and gain knowledge.

Color Transforms: The Music Scene

The interaction of colors is similar to the way music plays in your ears.

Blockhead, an American hip hop producer based in Manhattan, employs color to create a psychedelic experience in the music video, "The Music Scene".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhheiPTdZCw

The video is feels like a walk through the subconscious of your dreams. The interlacing of colors combined with the beat and rhythm of the music creates a whole experience. With every clap of hands the figures all rise in rhythmic motion and the colors that constitute that figure explode in an array of complementary colors. There are pandas, rhinos, giraffes, and monkeys in the color of rainbows, but each color is placed adjacently either with the corresponding secondary, tertiary, or complementary color. 

Various shades of reds are placed together to create a fluting effect that makes the certain objects seem as though they were to emerge from the screen. The colors, or shapes are placed either in parallel or perpendicular arrangements, creating a harmonious flow with various effects. Adjacent shades of reds and oranges make the blues in the background standout and warmer. Also, the heavy use of contrasting colors further increases the psychedelic effect. The blues and reds, yellow and purples, green and orange produce an illusion of what seems like a vibration. 

Every organism and object displayed in the video is connected in some way through color.

Every color in the video interacts with its surroundings and produces an effect. The various colors interact with one another to create a unified effect upon the viewer. Of course, one must never forget that color perception is always subjective. The "after-image", or how an individual perceives and experiences the music video will vary.

Design is Dangerous: Propaganda

Vivid images come to mind at the mention of the word, "propaganda".

Visual propaganda is a form of communication that aims to inspire a community towards some action or unified goal. It is advertisement, but most of the information is selectively presented and in most cases may not be entirely true. They are often used during wartime to alter the viewers beliefs about a subject to serve a political agenda. Keep in mind that good, or neutral propaganda have no negative connotations to it and were originally used to encourage civilian participation in the community.

Propaganda has the power to install fear, hate, and anger. It can drive an entire society towards war based on the loaded message presented.

The image on the left is a World War 2 propaganda post card that shows the three Axis powers; Germany, Japan, and Italy (NSW Migration Heritage Centre). The three nations are represented by a samurai flinging a sword upon the submarine ships of the Allied nations. The heavy use of red on the Axial figures contrast with the grey and brown haze of the Allies,  implying blood, war, rage, and anarchy amongst viewers. This message of this image is very black and white; the Axial are the evil enemies and the good Allies must fight them. There are no grey areas or room to know the truth behind the message.

Historically speaking, it is true that defeating the Axial powers saved the world. But looking at these propaganda posters now, we can clearly see that they were racist, biased to the extreme, and misleading. They merely create a hateful image that viewers can rely upon when justifying their cause for war against the "enemy". Also keep in mind that war is often a "rich man`s war and a poor man`s fight". One cannot help but wonder if the creators of these posters ever considered the lives of the civilians affected.

How would American society have reacted then had they seen the images from Hiroshima after the bomb had been dropped? How would they have reacted had they learned of the number of innocent children, teachers, artisans, and laborers who died instantaneously, slowly and painfully, or over time from leukemia? The bomb decimated an entire city and indiscriminately murdered a population.

The dangers of such propaganda is that it can create powerful emotions and motivations amongst its viewers that prevents them from thinking about the consequences of their actions. People can become blinded by their pursuit for justice or some form of goal that they lose sight of other important factors such as the value of human life. Society can forget that pain, suffering, and death is universal.

Walk Through The Flowers

Where do beautiful girl like to walk in their beautiful clothes?

In fields of daisies, carnations, and tulips, of course.

For their spring, 2011 fashion show, Finnish design firm Marimekko created a garden of spring flowers to complement the lovely models and their clothing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/14/tiptoe-through-the-tulips_n_783390.html

The video begins with the preparation scene before the show, quickly followed by an idyllic scene where a little boy and a little girl meet each other in the middle of the garden to exchange flowers.

Although the placement of the various colors of flowers seems random, it is well balanced with heavier colors mediated with more subtle colors. This allows the various flowers, or elements to create a Gestalt whole. The scene will remind any viewer of spring and give them a tingling of warmth.

The pieces are basic; few of the clothings presented are complicated in their shape or form. But the floral prints in an array of colors are befitting with the simple shapes and cuts. The use of yellows, reds, pinks, and soft blues reminds one of everything we love about spring; the blue sky, flowers, and sunshine. The bright colors on certain models are quickly followed by models wearing darker shades of color, preventing the show from being too overwhelming or blinding.

The show was a deviation from the traditional runway shows where lack of color is common in the design of the set. It was beautiful, fun and hard to look away. It makes one want to join in on the fun and be in those clothes enjoying the weather. Fashion that is relatable and wearable is what society ultimately calls for. In the end, it is not haute couture that consumers demand. Simple, comfortable, beautiful clothing that makes us feel good is what we all really want.

Sweet Cake

Cupcake wrappers are synonymous with, well, cupcakes. When we see the paper or plastic wrappers, most of us will immediately day dream about chocolate, red velvet, or lavender cupcakes with a buttercream frosting. Cupcakes are heavenly, but Beer van Stokkum, a product designer, has created a new product that embodies the shape of a cup cake case, but for entirely different uses.

"Sweet Cakes", made of synthetic material and available in 11 different colors, can be used as a baby`s bath, flower box for your garden, a basket for your dogs and cats, or a drink cooler at parties. In terms of functionality, the possibilities are endless. What makes this design so interesting is that it forces the user to rid themselves of their subjective views of the cup cake holder, alter their perceptions and find other means for it. The simplicity of the design allows the Sweet Cake to be functional as itself.

When applying the 5 concepts of ergonomic research however, Sweet Cakes may not be the most useful sort of design. Its basic shape as a cup cake holder does not give it much use other than as a place holder. Safety wise, unless you trip and hit your head on the corner of it, the product can be considered safe. Sweet babies and little children will not dare to try swallow it even if it reminds them of their favorite dessert.

Its level of performance and ease of use depends entirely on the user`s creativity. It can be made into a wonderful bed for herbs or vegetables or as a decorative accessory at parties that holds the alcohol. Sweet Cakes can also be used as a bath for babies or basket for holding your everyday materials. It is incredible easy to use for its shape and its usefulness as a product depends on how you use it.

Sweet Cakes is a design made for purely aesthetic purposes. It will stand out not only as a cup cake holder, but also for its size and color variation. Although its form is not naturalistic, its large size will catch any visitor`s attention and create an illusion of space or distance. Its level of comfort depends on how comfortable users are with branching out from their comfort zones and adding new and interesting objects into their interior lifestyle. It will add contrast and an interesting variation to your existing landscape.

As a piece of design, Sweet Cakes challenges conventional ideas of certain shapes. It makes us question our perception of everyday objects that we associate with specific uses. Any form or shape can be redesigned for entirely different uses and does not have to conform to whatever purpose it was originally created for. The writing utensil that we call a pencil can be used as a hair piece to hold a bun. The telephone that we call the IPhone can also function as a cookbook, music player, and financial planner. Design is limitless. Design can be anything. Design is about everything.

For the Chronic Phone Losers...

Did you lose your phone today?

At some point in your short life you have lost your phone, whether in drunken rage or accidentally down the toilet hole, I do not know or care. But I would like to share with you a very helpful website;

http://www.icantfindmyphone.com/

The design of the website is simple. With the heading on the top, the bold letters are balanced by the image two large circular speakers attached together by a light grey rectangle. "I CAN`T" and "PHONE" are capitalized, creating variety within the text. The sequence of characters all fit in the same parameter, allowing the viewers eyes to naturally flow down to the three boxes in the telephone image where you type in your phone number.
The interaction of words and image is playful. The typography used in the heading and the "HELLO" in blue at the bottom of the page adds varied interest. There are no annoying advertisements to distract viewers and aside from the Twitter and Facebook icons, the only other link on the page is the "Buy me a cup of coffee" page.
As I have said in my previous post, simple but functional designs seem to express the zeitgeist of the times.

PIG. SPEAKERS.

Do you like piggies?

I like piggies. In fact, they are my favorite kind of animal next to koala bears.

They come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from cuddly alive to tasty bacon.

But modern technology has taken these little piggies to a whole new level of appetizing functionality; speakers.

These pig speakers are made of ceramic and are produced by a company from Japan called I.D.E.A.

The design of the pig is clean and simple. They all come in the same design with monotone colors with the dock connector located at the tail end of the pig. There is nothing extravagant or outlandish about this pig which allows this pig to blend into every kind of interior setting. The design makes this pig a quiet, subtle accessory with tons of functionality.
The trend amongst product design these days seem to call back to simpler times when lavish details and extravagant accessories were unnecessary. Like these pig speakers, products are being stripped to the bare necessities, making them seem natural, or "blending" in with the users behavior. Perhaps this is the zeitgeist of our generation.

ASIAN KUNG FU GENERATION: Word & Image

Asian Kung Fu Generation. Repeat after me; Asian Kung Fu Generation.

It sounds like a greasy delicious dish on a Chinese menu. Or a cultural revolution that took place somewhere in Asia that ended like Kung Fu Hustle.

Contrary to what you think, it is none of those.
Asian Kung Fu Generation is a full blown rock band from Japan whose name is synonymous with Kings of Leon and The Foo Fighters. They have nothing to do with kung fu, revolutions, or Hustle but they are worth listening to for anyone with a taste for the quirky or awesome.

In their 3rd single, " Kimi to Iu Hana",  they created an image of a young teenage girl who seemed to have been smashing guitars to beats of disco rock. The band employs the same artist in all of their album and single cover art and the style is consistently the same. This creates a continuity that allows the band to be instantly recognized by listeners.

The typography used in this album cover is homemade; it looks as if it was cut out from a woodblock with its sharp edges and jagged lines. This seems fitting with the general message presented by the girl in teenage angst, rock `n roll guitars, disco ball, and mass of flowers. The words interact with the image to give viewers a sense of the restless energy and pounding strings that this EP begs the listeners to tune into.

Form & Content in "Objectified"

The main concepts in the movie, "Objectified", are that industrial design is meant for mass production and the importance of design that dissolves into our behavior. Good design is sustainable, timeless, and seemingly "natural" in its form. Natural in the sense that the the product is simple and does not look as though it underwent a complex design process.

The film interviews some of the most well known designers in the industry and the products they created to deliver content to the viewers. Most of the designers stressed the importance of simplicity in design or design through subtraction. Both IKEA and Apple share this concept. They create products that are stripped to its bare necessities. This also allows consumers to relate to the products, or establish a relationship that is personal which relates to McCloud`s theory about the simple, relatable faces of comic figures.

As Michael Beirut claimed, "design is about everything". "Objectified" teaches us how nearly everything in our lives is designed in someway and that design is all around us. The film delivers this content in the form of interviews and the example products presented are the signifiers. The film talks about the design process and the important factors that designers have to take into consideration, such as sustainability and functionality. It talks about how consumers have a tendency to look for the new, even though the products that we already own can continued to be used for a while. When designers create a design that is timeless, it transcends the ideas of the fashionable or new and becomes a sustainable design. The Apple computer is a product that can be considered a timeless design through its simplicity and functionality.

さくらん : Sakuran

Mika Ninagawa is one of the most famous photographers in Japan today. Her photographs, such as "Acid Bloom" (2004) above, are highly stylized and distinguishable with their vibrant colors, vivid contrast, and close perspective. She presents women, goldfish, flowers, and landscapes in a way that highlights their best features and accentuates their beauty to the extreme. Her most popular works are portraits of young women  surrounded by lush flowers and colorful backgrounds, which not only emphasize their beauty but also their femininity and mystique.

Her style is never more obvious than in her first feature film, Sakuran (2006), which was originally based on a popular comic by Moyoco Anno.

The movie follows the geisha, Kiyoha, in Edo era Japan as she falls into a taboo love affair with a merchant and her climb to be to become the most notorious "Oiran", or reigning geisha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAmnZqbh9mA

The trailer opens with a stream of images with cherry blossoms and gold fish, most of which are in red. The color red is in nearly every scene throughout the movie, symbolizing love, passion, lust, and representing the rich, hedonistic culture in 18th century Edo. The geishas often have painting of birds, flowers, fish, and landscapes in the background, and the repetition of these images give the highly dense scenes a sense of unity and balance. Every scene is decorated with details of peonies, goldfish, silk kimonos, and reds, which makes them a piece of art by itself. Every character adorns a specific color; the main character always wearing red kimono offset with blacks. Reference to the characters` pasts are all in grey and any scene in which the character feels an intense emotion is followed by photos of cherry blossoms in full bloom. The emphasis through color and repetition not only balances and unifies the movie, but also builds on the emotions felt throughout the movie.
"Sakuran" is a lush, gorgeous, hedonistic movie that is candy to the eyes.

UNIQLO is UNIQUE. GAP is GENERAL.

Gap is like a common infectious disease; http://www.gap.com/.

New styles remain "new" only for a split second before every other person on the block seems to have already purchased it. The simplicity of the blue, square logo is universal but when traveling overseas, the label is instantly recognized as "the American clothing line'. Hence its huge success in Asia, where anything American is worth purchasing and striving for. In a society that encourages individuality, it is quite embarrassing to see three other girls in class wearing the same sweat shirt with the same logo.

UNIQLO is similar to the Gap in their production of everyday basics and simple designs. A clothing brand from Japan that has recently gained international success for their affordability, quality, and versatility of their clothing, UNIQLO may as well be dubbed as the new Gap; http://www.uniqlo.com/us/. Despite the similarities, the target customers of the two companies are different.

The design of the two company`s websites show the two brand`s character. The use of blues and greys on Gap`s website evoke coolness and a sense of maturity and conformity. Compared to the web design of UNIQLO, Gap`s website may be easier to navigate for shoppers for its basic layout with a large photo in the middle to catch the viewers eye. It is basic in the sense that there is nothing edgy or exciting about it; the brand is mainly marketed for the mature adult audience. It is the design label for grown ups.

For the young and restless college student however, Gap may be a little too boring for our highly imaginative minds. Although the brand offers basic clothing styles like T-shirts and work pants, it offers viewers a wide variety of different styles that is accessible to everyone from the urban hipster to the casual nerd. Both pages use similar fonts with little variation in color. And yet UNIQLO`s site seems so much more exciting and inspiring for the fashion forward. Their website is also much more simpler than Gap because it lacks the excessive lines, blocks, and extreme bold letters, allowing them to put more emphasis on their clothing.

Another important point that is less design-related is that Gap has the word "SALE" posted in almost every corner of their site. It makes one wonder whether Gap is trying to market their clothing or their "sales" pitch.

And although UNIQLO`s website is less structured and organized compared to GAP, I like it that way. The more fun, chaotic, and crazier the better. I can figure my way out and create a look that is truly my own.

奈良 美智; Nara Yoshimoto

At first glance, the child looks comical and cute. 

("Too Young to Die", Nara)

But the menacing glare and the burning cigarette tell a different story. The infant child, as cute, cuddly and adorable as she may seem, holds an expression of boredom, passivity, and unrest. The particular dullness of the colors, particularly the offset yellow, adds to the effect.

The stark expression contrasts with the simplicity of the work. The smooth lines, simples shapes, and lack of depth and detail that is inherent in most Japanese mangas and anime make this piece familiar and relevant with the manga style. The simplicity of her face also makes her relatable in some ways. The placement of her rather dominant figure to the left also gives a slight sense of off-balance. It confuses viewers at first glance because such styles are usually supposed to evoke utopian ideas of happy children in happy-land.

The artist, Nara Yoshimoto`s work share a common theme of irony displayed in the painting above. He is one of the leading pop artists from Japan famous for his depiction of children, dogs, and houses in paintings, sculptures and installations. His paintings of children depict the isolation, pubescent awkwardness, and general unrest felt amongst the youth today. Dogs remind us of the quiet submission that is also common amongst children. Houses evoke isolation, loneliness, and also the freedom of imagination that results from being alone. Nara molds the influences of simplistic manga that was popular in post-war Japan with his own style, allowing his work to be void of any details that may inhibit communication between the subject matter and the viewer. The images make the wide range of emotions expressed relatable to the general audience but also sympathizes and converses with the youth of today.

("Fuckin Politics", Nara)

NANOKA

I recently came across an article called "Masturbation Smasturbation" in The California Aggie by local author Alison Stevenson. It shunned social stigma towards female masturbation and mens` idea that "girls only poop rainbows and butterflies". Society expects women to remain "pure" (Stevenson, 2010) and the idea of a female pleasuring herself seems to be inappropriate, taboo, and wrong.

Such misconceptions should immediately be thrown away because we live in a time when feminism is the new black and women have the power to exercise their freedom and sexuality to the fullest extent.

The latest publication from blogger Katie West, "Nanoka", celebrates the beauty of the female figure and the power that women have to be who they want to be. With Canadian photographer Jack Scoresby, West traveled across Japan over a span of 7 days "shooting eachother, staying in some hotels they didn`t belong in ( and some they did), wandering around, drinking and getting tattoos" (Magcloud, 2010).

(image: Jack Scoresby for Nanoka)

The photo book follows the two as they enjoy various Japanese cuisines, subcultures, and places that makes Japan such a culturally unique country. The design of the book is simple with a few pages of writing from both West and Scoresby. But the simplicity of the book allows viewers to relive and enjoy the ride along with them. But in between such shots are the intimate photos taken of each other. It is sensual, beautiful, raw, gritty, and sometimes comical. 

The pictures seem to tell us that it is okay to be naked in front of a camera. That it is alright if you pleasure yourself in front of the window in a hotel room while the city bursts with life at midnight. There is nothing strange, taboo, or wrong about anything that you do because you are a man, woman, or both. 

You are human.

Stevenson`s article and Nanoka screams to the world what most people still do not seem to hear. In a society where sexism is still alive and glass ceilings remain unbroken, we are constantly pressured to abide by their rules. 

But to find your own voice and be mentally free from such binders is liberation. And it may be the greatest feeling besides love.

The Sartorialist: I Like Your Style

The term, "style", seems to be as broad and complex as "design". There are no limitations or definitions to style because its value depends on individual experience and perception. Style can express your inner character and be your own personal advertisement.

Style is whatever you may wish it to be.

In the blog, "The Sartorialist", photographer Scott Schuman shoots photos of on the streets whom he believes has great style. Although most of his photos are based from the streets of New York city, he also takes snaps in places such as Japan, Milan and Paris.

http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

The people he photographs are of course, fashionable. But fashionable in the sense that they carry themselves in a timeless manner and not be distracted by what is "new" or what is "out". Looking through the photos from past years, figures from five years ago still seem to be fashionable in todays terms.

The man on Rue St. Honore, Paris (Oct. 2009) is a classic example of The Sartorialist`s talent to find good style. The man`s outfit, which may seem random and slightly uncoordinated, works. It seems to project his character as the jolly but sophisticated man who can smoke a pipe and dress well. The hat, the glasses, the feminine red scarf, and the classic khaki jacket makes this man stand out from the crowd. It makes viewers wonder about rich history and yearn to become friends with him or at least bond over a cup of coffee.

Perhaps that is why the Sartorialist chose to take a photo of him that day.

The fashion world, or the media, always seems to stress the importance of being fashion-forward, skinny, and pursuing your own look through fashion magazines. Society these days seems to be bent on defining beauty for the masses; hence the repetitive advertisements of men and women who all seem the same.

Browsing through the Sartorialist, viewers can be inspired by the photos and draw tips for their upcoming outfit. But more importantly, it also encourages viewers to wear what they like and carry themselves with confidence.

Bliss; Jill Bliss

Anyone from Santa Cruz County would know we barely had a summer. We spent our summer days hiding under the sheets from the cold, then running to the rivers and beaches when the sun came out. The few summery days we had can be characterized with record temperatures and inhabitants resembling sloths.

It was either too hot or too cold to garden, pick flowers in the forest, or enjoy the bounties of summer.

But Jill Bliss can fix your post-summer blues.

Her recent Garden Series prints had been inspired by the lack of summer she had also experienced in her own neck of the woods. It was created as a homage to the summer of 2009 and her love for gardening and sustainable lifestyles.

Bliss infuses her work with a do-it-yourself spirit through a medium of everyday objects such as ball point pens, scrap paper, and threads. Her work is inspired by nature and she seems to permeate her appreciation for it through the use of simple lines and soft colors. She uses dots, lines, and circles to create beautifully organic images of nature. Her work is friendly, lovely, lush, and approachable.

The simplicity of Bliss art makes her a popular artist for indie-related designs such as Ucommon and blissen. Her work seems to reach out to the D.I.Y-loving indie hipsters who listen to She&;Him and Charlotte Gainsbourge.

                
The content of Bliss`s work comes from her interest in environmental studies ecology as well as from her upbringing on a farm. She emphasizes the beauty and ephemeral qualities of nature and seems to encourage an appreciation for it amongst her fans.

Bliss`s work is cute with a purpose. She will cure your summer blues with her evocative designs and inspire you to garden, hike, or just take a long walk at the Arboretum.

Stone Soup for Everyone

"What are we supposed to make with all this sh*t?!"

That was the first thought I had as my group and I gathered around our "loot". The ingredients that we had scavenged for our soup were random, inconsistent, and perhaps useless even in our daily lives. 

We had bags of blue and silver Christmas ornaments, a few small bottles of paint, empty plastic bottles, and duct tape. Our group seemed to be filled with a bit of skepticism because we did not know what to do with the materials and we did not know each other so well. The awkward politeness was ever present. The best mindset to have in such situations is to "just do it" (Nike, 1988). 

We created a somewhat unstable base that could have easily been blown away by the winds that day but we quickly secured it with my "ribbon of bubbles, or ornaments tied to a scarf. Kevin, a fellow group member then taped crushed water bottles around the center of the base. The protruding bottles, with the Kirkland label still on it, created a bursting, or explosive effects. We then continued by wrapping the object with thin craft paper and other random articles that added color and more texture. It was turning out to be a lot more interesting and creative than I had expected. Best of all, I was starting to really enjoy the Stone Soup creation process.

We continued to add, paste and hang. The final touches came when Maggie plotted a stem of fake rose and everyone dripped grey and fuchsia pink all over. The grey paint dripping over the sepia colored rose seemed to add a touch of nostalgia and the whole drip effect of the paint gave our work an organic feel.

It was then that I realized that we did not start with any conceptual ideas. Many artists seem to start on a project with some idea or concept in their minds. We, on the other hand, did not. 

But that was what made our soup so fantastic. From a pile of what I would usually call junk, we created an object, or abstract garden of torn paper, crushed bottles, bursting molecules, and flowers dripping with greys and pinks. I believe that in projects similar to Stone Soup, artists have the freedom of developing concepts after the creative process. They may not even need a conceptual idea because the whole point of the project was to create something out of whatever we had.

And the best part? It was so much fun!

What. Just. Happened.

What just happend?

To say that I had a whirlwind experience this past weekend may not suffice for what actually happened. It started with the Black Keys at the Fox Theater in Oakland and reached its peak at the Shpongle and Infected Mushroom show at the Warfield in San Francisco.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_PrT25o8Vs&playnext=1&videos=wI_JqhRH7pk&feature=artistob
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwdkexdiHh8&feature=related

In the midst of the flashing lights, thumping beats, and my psychedelic trance, a homework assignment suddenly popped into my mind out of no where. A homework question is the last thing you should be thinking about in such a state but this one was different and it came with the answer I was looking for.

Design is an illusion.

It is our reinterpretation of reality. We look to design to understand the world around us and try to make a deeper connection with our surroundings by shedding new light onto it.
That does not mean design is fake or a fabric of our imagination. It comes from a wide variety of experience and knowledge, all of which are real.
Kostas Terzidis mentions in his essay, "The Etymology of Design:Pre-Socratic Perspective", that design cannot be created out of nothing and that it cannot simply disappear. Its process of creation is based on reduction and regression; "reduction... can be associated with abstraction, simplification, and idealization. Similarly, reversion is about... return, reassessment, and reconsideration."

In other words, design is a mental process in which we dig through our memory box, use what we have, and create something extraordinary.
Furthermore, our memories and imaginations are limited. We cannot recall every data, information or sensation that we have experienced in our lives. And although this may seem problematic at first, I find myself more creative under such limitations, or design restraints, than when I am given a free-for-all assignment.

Sailormoon, Sexy Boys & Short Skirts

It all started with Sailormoon. Of course.

Living in Japan as a toddler, I was just like any other Japanese girl with the inherent qualities of a constant daydreamer. It was inevitable that I would find Sailormoon (Kodansha, 1992) dancing around in her short school girl skirts while shooting alien enemies of outer space.

The way the images flowed with the words and the strange relativity with the characters made me fall in love with the anime. Every cover design had a rainbow of colors that could catch anyones eyes and the art on every page compelled you to start drawing.

My first impression of Sailormoon would be similar to a first contact with an alien. She had unusually large eyes with unusually long lashes. She had golden blonde hair, which is extremely rare for a Japanese person and seemed anorexic. She also had no contours or shadows or color that could make her seem realistic. But she was relatable. As Scott McCloud mentioned in his comic, "Understanding Comics" (Harper Collins, 1994) the simplicity of the drawings allowed Sailormoon to become a "vacuum into which our identity and awareness are pulled" and allowed viewers to explore a different world in which we could become Sailormoon ourselves.

But it was also the powerful message of femininity that the TV show and comic series projected that drew such a large number of young girls. Us girls with some level of ballsiness were getting tired of teenage ninja turtles and G.I. Joes because we wanted to join in on the action and kick some butt as well. Sailormoon possessed the qualities of a fine Japanese woman and yet was also a rebel. She was beautiful and powerful.

Although Sailormoon may be a thing of the past, she is an icon that has allowed me to dream of the possibilities that art and design could create.