Design and digital culture NEWS // December 2003
The
Decline of Fashion Photography 
an
argument in Pictures by Karen Lehrman (She is the author of The Lipstick
Proviso: Women, Sex, & Power in the Real World).
Better Photography Magazine, published in India
“Today, 30 years into feminism, we have models who look not just
weak and unsophisticated, but also dumb and victimized. Academic feminists
haven’t complained because the models are supposedly playing a
subversive role and subversion is inherently politically correct. Moreover,
many of the young photographers are female. But now we’ve moved
into “fashion vérité” and the models still
look stupid. Is this how women in fashion see themselves?”
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1: This
is something I have been longing to read for years... Finally someone
who has the guts to speak the truth and these pictures are explicit.
Thoughtfully written by one who has inside understanding, one can hardly
deny her assertions.
This is a 'caution' sign for any aspirant photographers. Like anything
else, but perhaps because of digital cameras being so cheap I feel the
urge to state this, it takes more than pushing a button to become a good
photographer.
_ _ _ _ _ _
via Pradeep
A
while ago I stumble on Rachel Cunliffe blog where she mentioned wanting
to start a Blog Design Showcase. It so happened that I had a small collections
of urls waiting for an opportune time to launch a blog design directory
on netdiver. So I shared my little collection with her and just received
word that she has launched it.
Check it out and contact Rachel via the site if there
are any good blogs that you think should be included. BTW it is amazing
how in the past couple of months - the elegance and refinement of designs
are now appearing in the blogosphere! This is great!
All
said in black & white pictures by Luca
Gilli.
Brace
yourself for a stunning experience! ::
Ledlounge :: new site of amazing lamps that uses those mini-bulbs
in a completely innovative way. Don't forget the superb 3D movies!
Brought to you by xtra talented industrial designer Tal E. Ben Shlomo
of Eldarinn design.
This
is probably one of the best flash site I have seen a long time. First
the
“load” animations are dot drawn and cute and prevails all
over the site. The individual storyboards and montages for displaying Designlab projects
(which are outstanding btw) are very personal and unique!
You will want to see it all!
From
the front of the new-avantgarde digitali: sites who are intense explorations
(navigation) and geared up with strong social statements.
Please: not for the faint of heart - some viewers may be offended.
/ Tinkin
/
Michael Moore personal site
A
flash site to discover: Dunun.
One with an intriguing opening frame and projects (lots of them) that
are as intriguing. No bad from an x 'science' graduate!
Recently
updated portfolios to visit:
/
valcasey
/
Geoffrey Hiller
\
Heidi Schmidt
\ k.e.l.g.a.n.29
Finally
some jazz is added to a corporate site. Recycling with class: Bruco
Containers
Newly
added portals: designaside <IT> +
StickerNation + ventilate <CA>
At
least they're not lying about it: [2Lazy4 /
Lomo - Grafik Extension] Version 2.0. Don't miss the gallery!
When
it says My Little Eskimo - “little”
is meant literally! Participation to high profile projects. Luv pixel
design.
Ah
when the geeks come marchin' in ! in a :
Coolpink site?!?! Why not!
Need
(to add) some daily insanity to laugh or to cry for? Client Quotes:
“I need more pesshht peesshht chuttt chutt papapapa on this animation”
that is a direct quote
“I just don't understand why this Flash cost so
much. I mean, I can do the same kind of animations in PowerPoint. Why
can't we do something like in PowerPoint. It seems pretty simple to me
...”
Why
your site should work on multiple browsers by Craig Cockburn
The
Pain and (half) Pleasures of Rejection. Getting past negative opinions
by Todd Pitock
“Fortune and fame may be uncommon, but rejection and failure are
almost universal for anyone who dares to try.”
An
industrial design marvel. Nevermindus the site is... well not the reason
you want to visit. Check the Dodown
Project exhibitions pictures to get a hang of this! Not science-fiction
but a working prototype.
The future has arrived!
Well
executed projects and a clean and lean portfolio site for Marcus Wertz
EYEBALL
NYC is
a shop ran by a powagirrrl which
has launched a true innovative way to present their company projects
using quicktime! Indulge!
Don't miss their recent
work section.
Ryan
Robinson catches light with his camera in either a dreamy or realistic
way. Excellent work!
murphy
design _v2 is now available! Luv the mini-book logo. Get your eyefull.
What
is an illustrator extraordinaire? Someone that can render a complex issue
or topic and while looking at their drawing - you get it. Salute Dushan
Milic!
An
excellent interview in which Kevin Airgid Uncovers
a Web Design Trend: Monkey See Monkey Do
“Ever wonder what happened to the wonderful days
when you could find a site that was truly original. I’m not trying
to imply that everything’s already been done and that inventive
sites don’t still exist. They do. But it’s becoming harder
and harder to find sites that are truly original.”
Another
impressive illustrator Martin Laksman -
I just luv his style! Excellent work!
Isak
Johnsen has completely redesigned his portfolio Njuu no° 10
//// Design. What a great designer!
Tasty
Bits from the Technology Front -- Historical Archive. Compilation
of an era that was.
Creative
Behavior new issue is
out! Interesting interview with Media Monks. And a new article I wrote:
Ideas! A
closer look at creativity - illustrated by mucho talented Patrick
Boyer (tx for always being there in our crazy projects!)
Some
will never grow up! --- manbaby --- original talent with a high dose
of cyniscism. Careful content is for grown-ups!
Get
your eyefull! What imagination and talent! Electricheat by Nigel Dennis.
New
powagirrrl and promising talent: Jigaram
At
the recent Visualogue in Japan,
Neville Brody delivered a powerful speech, in which he criticized our
world, and inspired us all to make a change, NOW!
“No matter how much we try to make things come out right, something
will be wrong. Nothing is as we plan it...”
“Some of the best ideas come from mistakes.” Brody said
that acting against the rules breaking the rules, breaks thought patterns,
making the audience see things in a different light. “Designers
are middle-men between the raw information and the public... As designers
we can shape the opinions of our audience.”
“I live in a world in which I'm forgetting how to be intuitive,
instinctive, artistic or natural... Today I calculate more than I create
. I've forgotten to work with my hands, to make things like clay... We
live in a world in which revolution is a GAP advertising campaign....
We've created a society of a limited pallette. It's as if we see the
world through 256 colors, we've eliminated all the rest. We've moved
from high-resolution to no-resolution. From Infinite possibilities to
72 dpi... We've forgotten that we can break the rules, I mean really
break the rules.We just vary what we already have. We live in fear of
failure. And if we don't tear up the plans we'll never find out.”
Read the complete
commentary by Erika Saca
Another
site using the cmyk feel. Minimalist and clean. Excellent graphics. Luv
the mouseover effect on links: Indien Sthlm.
+ They designed the slick Stick
magazine site as well.
Tekko
= design / design / design. Need I say more.
For
those in the US you may want to read this: Copyright
Notice / Introduction
“The use of a copyright notice is no longer required
under U.S. law, although it is often beneficial. Because prior law did
contain such a requirement, however, the use of notice is still relevant
to the copyright status of older works.”
For
people who make websites:
Finally!!! At last! CSS
Design: Creating Custom Corners & Borders by Søren Madsen
Middle
of the road mix of tag design and comic illustration for Projekt
Alpha site; a project to watch for.
When
a picture is worth a thousand words. Get a book full on Yookando.
With Dots,
you'll read short articles and reviews by clinically-diagnosed attention
deficit disorder victims; just enough info to make you laugh, cry, and
think before those elevator doors open! For hand-held devices - interesting
concept!
Though
it may look as if we're taking advantage of the 'season' to promote social
awereness event,
competition and causes... it is not so. After this 'season' has passed
- the problems we are taking heart into - won't go away. These problems
will only improve - if we all pitch and do our share... no matter how
little. NEVER underestimate the power of ONE!
From the producer of Miniature Earth and founder of Lucca|Co,
here are new sites commissioned by the UN: + WAIDS Clockomen War Health
These sites talk about the fate of brothers and sisters. We don't know
them personally. They are next of kins since our family is the human
race. Our family includes everyone on planet earth. We are called to
do something personally! Share, give and support.
You've
gotta see this 'tutorial' developed by Plotdev! The graphics are awesome,
the storyboard funny and a job well done to help a client promote its
services.
Ninedots
has a strong branding presence. Watch out for the red dots to navigate!
Not
familiar with designing with css??? Well Mike Slone and company have
designed Layoutomatic.
Input the fields and get your free css file on the fly.
Now how cool is that?
Nice
reflections and flash transitions for Designplastik portfolio.
Chris
Gloag says: “How do you display a large number of images
stylishly (without horrid thumbnails) whilst keeping file sizes small
and leaving some control in the site visitors hands! Oh and still keeping
it simple.”
Well I think he met most of his own challenge! Excellent photography!
Reminescence
on an event that has shaped a whole generation. It is known as the most
visited World Fair ever! Have a look at Expo
67 held in Montreal. Then was the time when floated in the air a
new determination (hippies, activism, students revolts) at changing the
world and a profound aspiration for peace.
This was written in the 'passport': “Our theme 'Man and his World'
portrays the growing interdependence between men in our time. We hope
you will share our faith in a common destiny”. What a powerful
thought! 36 years later, it holds even more truth!
_ _ _ _ _ _
via Coudal
Well
it's official Razorfish is no more... For those
of you who were not around - they were one of the biggest dotcom agency
with a roaster of projects.
The agency was part of the 'top' movers. They were reported
charging 350,000$ to maintain a client site at the highest of the pre-bust
era and ended up in a turmoil of bad press and unhappy clients.
I
hope someone scouts ° grégorygerme
° who is an industrial design student! Gosh due to graduate in
2004 - you've just gotta see his ideas; his site is smartly designed
as well. By the way Grégory - I luv that watch!
Whence
the studio specializes in marketing efforts and they are behind
NBNO community site.
Interesting
twist of fate. We have a bot that roams netdiver checking for 404. A
while ago I reported a company who had snitched the netdiver 'toolbox'
and all it's content (at that time the 'book' section was still available
and they were caught because they didn't remove link back to us.) After
sending 'desist' mails - heard none of the them.
Surprise surprise they have finally taken down the section.
Advice: never steal content. Ask permission.
The
Atelier by Aparna Banerjee. Excellent layout design skills in portfolio.
She is a new powagirrrl!
Sites
that were recently updated. Time to visit again.
/
LIA....///7
/
Decibel Dragon _2
\ Kuuudesign
/
2c photographic agency
/
FREEware-DELAware_v 3
Talking
about Coudal, host to Photoshop Tennis, while looking to sponsor the
event, they came up with their own jewell
idea! Especially that we use these all the time (the ugly black plastic
ones, I mean) so how about designing our very own?
This is another FUBU initiative! Now you go support! LUV it!
From
The Edge: From
Jeffrey Zeldman on coding for easier redesigns.
By
popular demand, since I have been asked many times about creative business
related resources - here is one which offers a good sample of free .pdf
files and others for a fee.
I highly recommend “Why we don't make speculative presentations.”
Be generous, let them know about your appreciation. (site was redesigned
and the article is no longer available :(
“The main product of our business is ideas... we
make money mostly by selling our time... developing creativity is labor
intensive...”
We
have got a new powagirrrl: Carrie Bickner aka The
Rogue Librarian
Because a girl can: Web
Design On A Shoestring by James McNally.
ok
there are some - let's say - unusual concepts out there and Kalenderblatt is
one of them. Honest - I hate bugs - but I have to admit that the craft
and ingenuity and... well down right originality of the photographic
work and layouts are... making bugs look good?!?!?
Tom
says there are 30 illustrators portfolios to view. 3 recently signed
to the agency: Andy Potts, Elliott Golden and Christiane Engel.
Thorogood ... thick full with
talents!
Just
watching the 'unveiling' sequence is worth going to the site... and yet,
well XM2, they really-really know their
stuff!
En
encore for LA GRAPHICA! Their graphic
work is stunning!
Alive
again and kicking: rokkan.com -
update your bookmarks dns has changed.
New
design agency on the block which is Mending its
way towards success. Cheers to Lars and company!
Are
they trying to reinvent the wheel? cool panning flash web site. Perhaps! Markee.
This
is nuts! No it is NOT a 3D rendering of a science-fi idea of the bath
of the future... La
Scala gosh go jogging or something!
Flash
+ XML + CMS + consulting engineers = KMM!
Somebody did a good job at convincing this client!
Using
a litteral metaphor: lunch at
noon! Recipes included. Well done!
Time
for a museum exhibition? Visit the
Changing of the Avant-garde: visionary architectural drawings from
the Howard Gilman collection.
Why
Linux Is Wealthier Than Microsoft by Russ Roberts
“Linus Torvalds can muster more creativity from his far-flung
rank and file than Bill Gates can from his corporate monolith.
CREATIVE CHAOS. Being disorganized can actually leverage
that knowledge more effectively than a command-and-control hierarchy.
Innovation must rely on creativity generated by the mass of folks underneath.
In a dynamic system, trial and error is a powerful force for change.”
DNA for
3D design luvers! Section transitions and design are quite impressive.
Please,
please, please - I luv flash sites and design and flash designers luv
to do flash BUT please review information in ref with the use of fonts.
Read this article and
get flash safe fonts. Fonts
in flash should NOT be antialiased!!! It's not only great to be vavoom
by the slick actionscripts and transitions - important that content be
legible too!
Never
too late to have fun. StickerNation shares a similar direction as netdiver:
'Go out and be creative!'
BTW I bought some Pinpops; the
one in the thumbnail I gave to a very close collaborator because I think
he's an Ace designer! I think these are handy cool little widgets that
you can give to show appreciation to clients, colleagues and friends.
Talking
about fun Miguel sent me this kidzie game (well I had a ball too :)) En
Busca del Trigo Perdido based on one of the characters much beloved
in Mexico. The bimbo bear interacts with characters in an original story
that test the hability and knowledge of player. Completely developed
in Flash Mx, php/my SQL.
A
staggering black&white visual fx exploration on Unit-1391! Careful
lots of blinking.
Powagirrrls
design unlimited to wear has been updated >>cybellegear<<
_ _ _ _ _ _
Two
Creative Minds, One Goal by Iman Saadiqa Abdul-Majid
“Cybelle Gear aims to support female artists and raise the public's
awareness of issues affect women globally. You may not have heard about
Cybelle Gear clothing line, and the names Gabriella Davi and Emily Goodwin
may not ring a bell, but to some, Cybelle, Davi and Goodwin are names
of heroes.”
Some
myths debunked in From
pots and pans to polygons - Women in CG by Leigh van der Byl
“...gender really shouldn't be an issue at all,
stating that, I hope my skills will speak for themselves...”
Intense
and extreme design explorations from talented namebureau.
The
Hub, a blog and resource site created by the Interaction Design Institute
Ivrea to explore interaction design.
“Interaction design takes place at the connection of technology
and personal interaction with products, environments, spaces, platforms,
services, social networks. Each of these areas has its own way of talking
about interaction design, and too frequently, they don't cross over.
The purpose of this site is to find common language, to look at the intersections,
and to energize collaboration across existing boundaries.”
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle:
Check the resources! Wow!
Ah!
Following-up on the last survey and recent editorial,
you've gotta read The
Pricing Problem by Andy Budd.
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle:
... grrr... reminds me of...
Illustration
portfolio for Beto Alvarez.
Talented and unique signature.
Innovative
flash transitions to present content at Hull Film.
Another
young and promising talent wonder indeed what he will do after growing
up?
-> more
news
^
