Ads that sell

This will be my last post for the class, and I just wanted to sum it up by digging deeper into our "power of persuasion" study on advertisements. After watching "The Persuaders" I went on a little google adventure to see what ads were out there and came across some that were just too good to not share.

It really makes you realize how incredibly creative advertisement designers are. I am so impressed by these ads and I hope you are, too. I think as time goes on, companies are forced to find newer, better, and bigger ways to draw our attention to their products, and this is exactly what they accomplish when they come up with genius ads like these. I can tell you right now, I want to go out and buy these products just to support the pay of the designers. Enjoy!

Eternity

So I recently came across this picture in an internet add for an art school, and I was so intrigued that I wanted to share it with everyone. I'm not sure what message it is trying to send, exactly, but my first thought was "The Tree of Life." As most of you may know, the biblical tree of life represented eternal life. Anyone who drank its sap was able to life forever. I recently saw a movie called The Fountain, in which a man was in search for this tree. He feared death, but once he found the tree hidden deep in Eden, his idea of eternal life was not what he imagined. He drank the sap and from him sprouted plants and nature. He was granted eternal life, but he was now living as a part of Earth and nature for eternity. I wonder if the artist of this sculpture was trying to represent a similar concept: We are all linked in a circle of life. Maybe the artist was going for a more simple concept, such as a family tree. Either way, it is a very captivating creation.

Go Green.

I find it amazing that the world of design is so greatly influenced by what problems we are dealing with at that moment. When we needed more efficient products at affordable prices, modernism was formed. When we had efficiency and needed more spice to our lives, post-modernism and aesthetics emerged. Now, we are facing a worldwide dilemma: Global warming. As a result a new genre of design is forming called "Green Design." It is a way of re-establishing oxygen levels that are being extinguished by high amounts of CO2 from the industrial age. I found these picture and they fascinated me. They are obviously not realist, but design is being used in advertisements and persuasive pieces to urge people to focus on preservation of our Earth. It makes me wonder if the future of design will revolve around nature and using plants and trees as decor. Foreshadowing? Possibly!

Design in dance

Mia's

Manifesto of Growth

1. Allow events to change you.

3. Process is more important than outcome.

37. break it, stretch it, bend it, crush it, crack it, fold it.


These are some key points made by Bruce Mau in his article "Incomplete Manifesto for Growth" that stood out to me. I was so captured by this reading and the inspirational hints to being a great designer. In all of my creativity, these ideas will stay with me the most. The first, "allow events to change you." Feeling defeat, heartbreak, failure, and all other negative emotions is such a fear of mine. But in reality, all of the negative experiences in my life have changed me. All unexpected life experiences (things we never wished for ourselves) inspire us to express ourselves through the beauty that is art. The second point I enjoyed was "Process is more important than outcome." SO true. Designers so often set a standard for themselves that does not allow them to leave that self-made box. Thinking outside the box is when great design occurs. And the third point I enjoyed goes along with the second. Breaking down a creation and rebuilding it only makes it stronger.

Bruce Mau is a genius.

The professionals

I have found two very fascinating designers that blog online...


The first is David Airey, originally from Ireland. He is a famous graphic designer that has created amazing logos and images for all sorts of companies. Some of his most famous works are with Berthier Associates (Japan), Henri Ehrhart Wine (France), VISSUMO (U.S.), Ecometrica (Scotland), Hilcon (Norway), etc. What I love about Airey's blog the most is his discussions on design inspiration. For him, a logo is an identifier and everyone deserves to shine through their logo. What inspires him in his creations, as stated, is the world around him, the people around him, the actual design process, and all other beautiful things. "Every visual object can be interpreted into graphic design." David Airey's blog is inspirational in itself and is used to address design as a creative art.
Here's the link: http://www.davidairey.com



The second designer blog I have been keeping track of is music cover designer David Carson's. As covered in the video "Helvetica," Carson helped create the 'post-modern' typography trend with creative album covers. He believes that a design should bring forth an emotional connection between artist and viewer. His philosophy is to be as creative as possible and break the mold of everyday social norms in order to further the expanding world of design. He talks about experiences, critiques those that don't think out of the box and inspires others to do so, and recognizes creative design to share with the rest of us.
http://www.davidcarsondesign.com
http://blogs.imediaconnection.com/DAVID-CARSON