-Has the idea of getting/ receiving things instantly brought a negative effect on society? Have we lost our patience because of all this fast paced media/ technology?

I feel that people are loosing more and more patience with the world and I think some of the fast pace of technology has caused that. Everyone has become accustom to the instant feedback that technology gives us. Things keep moving at a fast pace and people are having a hard time catching up. I think another part of it is that people are loosing more face time with actual people. Technology depended individuals are loosing people skills and want that instant safe feedback that technology gives us. It’s impact not only how we communicate but trickles down into other parts of our lives, like how we go about finding a job.

- How will graphic design change down the road because of this technology dependence that we seem to be heading toward?

I think we will see the continuing trend of advertisement going viral. I is the easiest way to reach a large amount of the population. Once it does become viral the design work is passed around by word of mouth. Companies seem to be focusing on this type of work because it costs less then putting out several billboards or posters that just start to blend in with all the others out there. The viral video or campaign seems to stick out in consumers minds because it is passed on by just posting a link or through a conversation. Companies can focus on quality instead of quantity since they are not so worried about try to get a large amount of posters on the street so they can try to get as much exposure as possible. 

Focus -

After the free write I narrowed down my focus to Inspiration. I want to see what inspires other designers in their work. I thick inspiration is a big key to what we do, and it’s interesting to see what drives each designer to their final design.

Questions-

1. Where do you find your inspiration, is it in people, places or things?

2. When designing a project off of an inspiration do you keep a piece of it around to continue to inspire you or are you basing it off of memories of the experience?

3. Do you bounce your ideas off of other people through the design process or do you like to work through the whole process alone?

4. When your project is finished can you see aspects of your inspiration within the design?

5. When, or it you get ‘designers block’ what do you do to get back in the creative mind-set or mood?

Contacts -

Malon Davis (freelancer and family friend)

Tom Chaney (freelancer and family friend)

REI

Oregon Zoo

Arcteryx

{nature}

Just being outside gives me a lot of my inspiration. I’m able to clear my head on not focus on all my problems and distractions. I love the colors, textures and shapes that can be found in nature. Especially during the spring and summer months.

{music}

When ever I need inspiration on a design or project I put on head phones and get lost in my music for a while. Certain types of music help inspire a mood or feeling I need. It also allows my brain to wonder while I try and work out design problems. The right kind of music can make a huge difference to my day.

{surfing the web}

I use this outlet a lot. It’s nice to see what other people have done in design. I find new color palettes that I never thought of using, and various solutions to design. I have several art sites I like to visit to see what people have created and it gives me inspiration to use in my design.

{photographs}

I love taking my own photos and see what other people have achieved with a camera. I find it a very freeing media. I love taking macro shots, there is something very cool about looking deeper into smaller objects like plants. The colors and textures that can be achieved through photography are amazing.

{friends}

My friends are great inspiration. They allow me to relax and be my self but they also challenge me. They are great people to bounce ideas off of. Also in just listening to their stories and ideas I find ideas that I can take into my own design.

{DIY projects}

I have been doing crafty things since I was little. I find it a great outlet for creativity. I like creating my own things like decorations for my house or furniture. Sometimes being stuck behind a computer bogs me down. So creating things with my own hands is a peaceful activity.

{used stores}

I like to find old objects and give them new life. This links back to my love for crafting and DIY projects. Lately I have enjoyed taking old furniture and repainting it so it’s better then when it started. It’s breathing life back into an old surface. I get so many ideas on what can be done to a lot of the things I see when browsing though a store like Goodwill.

{painting}

Painting allows me to escape into a different mindset. I don’t really have to think while doing it. But when I am done I feel renewed and ready to work on projects that need to be done. I love mixing colors and trying different styles. I like to work on different surfaces to see how color and texture interact.

{meeting artists}

Meeting an artists is a very interesting experience. You get to see their work and actually find out what drove them to create it. You learn so much from talking to them and it gives me inspiration to try even harder because I know success is possible. In hearing someone talk about their passion it reminds you why you enjoy yours so much.

{etsy}

I could spend a lot of time looking around that website. It sparks so many idea not only for craft like projects but also in design projects. It is such a large mix of ideas, that I can start putting them together to make new ones. It inspires color palettes, line use, composition, textures, and more. And the idea that it is all hand made.

It seems that the designers in the first article were more concerned with just going in and making change rather then considering what the local people actually needed. Their ‘solutions’ were rejected because they did not communicate or take into account that areas culture and values. For instance the portable computer that connected kids all over the world to the internet. For the children in our area is makes sense because we have grown up with the internet and it’s a strongly connected to our culture. But in other areas of the world teaching is a big part of their culture and bringing in computers like the ones shown take away from the teaching aspect, they were afraid teacher wouldn’t be needed anymore.

The group in the second article went about this method in a much smarter way. They didn’t go in and just solve problems, they got together with the local community and a group that they had established to work on their own problems. The group just went in to work out ideas, and not finished solutions. This allows that community to come up with a solution that they can actually follow through with. Rather then an outside group coming in setting up a solution that that community can’t sustain on their own and just leaving.

A lot of the weight to help find solution falls into a graphic designer’s hands, but that is because we are taught various ways to communicate. So we have to be smarter about how we go through the process and not just jumping to a solution. We have to actually communicate with those we are trying to help so that a stronger solution can be found.

http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=9737

Although I had a hard time getting into this article at first it was a very interesting read by the end. It was interesting to see how current events of the time changed graphic design like it does on fine arts. Because of the war and other affairs, there was a call for detachment from ones work. And it stayed the same for quiet a long time because not many thought to reconsider why it had become that way.

Jessica Helfand’s writing style is closer to if she was talking to you about this subject. She is successful in the styles because she pulls in personal experiences and can debate both side which engages the reader.

We are so desensitized to ads and images today that designers have to resort to bigger and better ideas to even get our attention. And the best way to do that is to go through out emotions and feelings. Which the author touches on in her article. If ones work is diluted so much, then it is lost to most even though they are trying to make it understood by as many as possible.

Leave No Trace

http://www.lnt.org/

Leave No Trace is a organization that focuses on ways for outdoor enthusiast to leave less of an impact on the environment. These programs are set up for a large range of activities including camping,  rock climbing, horseback riding, skiing and more. Programs are taught at a community level so there is local involvement.

How can I help?

I have a close tie to this organization because I am an established trainer. A local campaign would help getting local members involved with this organization. They have such a simple message that can make a huge difference. The biggest challenge is spreading the program. I think a grant for a small local campaign would help spark interest in impact awareness. I can incorporate my personal story and find others with a similar connection. This would give it a strong community connection.

Adventures Without Limits

http://www.awloutdoors.com/

Adventures Without Limits is a local non-profit organization that provides outdoor activities for all types of abilities. They are all about empowering the individual to not only get out and experience new things about to also grow and learn new things in the process. They are an equal opportunity outfit so they have special equipment so that everyone has a chance to experience the great outdoors. They also provide great volunteer opportunity for locals who are interested.

How can I help?

I also have experience working with this organization. The people who are involved are amazing and are very enthusiastic about what they do. It is another program where local awareness of the program would help a great deal. This organization offers so many great opportunities very close to home. It also offers a great volunteer opportunity. Creating a campaign focusing on the community and how it impacts those who don’t normally get to go on these types of adventures allows for a personal feel.

I took a deep breath of the Tuesday morning air as I strolled up the small hill behind my house.  Finding the best spot on the hill I laid out the colorful quilt my grandmother had made many years ago.  I sat down the basket I was carrying beside the quilt and began pulling out the contents.  While unpacking the basket I took a moment to look around and began to daydream about the memories I had on this small hill.

For a moment I thought I could see grandma stooping down by the old willow reaching out to scoop me into her arms again.  To the left of the willow lay the remains of an old house were my friends and I would play for hours as kids.  It was an old house that had been abandoned years before I had even been born - at least according to grandma.

I was pulled out of my day dreaming by my boyfriend, asking about the food we had brought.

“I hope you remembered the jam this time, Jess.”

After a brief panic I rummaged through the basket to find the jam he was talking about. I was so sure I had packed it. In my last moment of rummaging my hand connected with the jar in question.

“I should have guessed you would forget, always daydreaming about the past.”

Just to prove him wrong I pulled the jar of jam in question. The meal went on very smoothly as we enjoyed the view from our small hill.

As the afternoon was coming to an end  I heard a crack of thunder in the distance, meaning our meal was coming to an end. We sat for a few minutes watching the lighting in the distance. But the dark clouds moved closer and we knew it was time to head home. We gathered the food and aimlessly threw it back into the basket, but as I began to head back to the house, the old barn caught my eye.