Category design

Entries 17 Total

OFFF.ws Barcelona June 2011

Feb 1, ’11 9:48 PM

Back in 2007, I went to OFFF.ws (archive link here). OFFF is a design conference which inspired me more then any other. I have gone to tech conferences such as PC Expo and Internet World at the Javits, BD4D before it moved to Europe only. OFFF.ws has been mostly Europe but did make a stop in New York at BMCC.

The crazy part about this conference that makes it stand out against the rest is their ego doesn’t raise the price beyond $100 (euro, but still). When I went it was $70 USD. Unbelievable value.

What sold me was that they always get a lineup that is full of my design heroes. To name a few – Rob Chiu (aka the Ronin), Joshua Davis, Chris Hewitt, GMUNK, ISO50, Kyle Cooper (from se7en and Tron legacy fame), Hillman Curtis, Motion Theory, Psyop, Buck, Stardust, Takagi Maskatsu (see youtube video above), Tronic Studio, and Troika.

It was a coldddddd few days when I trekked out there. They took up a couple of auditoriums and the entire outdoor area was for sponsors and for some of the artists hawking their warez.

I happened upon Rob Chiu (video after the break) whose 2007 Reel  (not the updated one) used to be my “break out of my funk get motivated and do something reel”.  Maybe he will see this in his analytics or something and send me the link because it is no longer live. I even searched vimeo and youtube but nada.

Anyway, Rob is a really talented and ultra humble guy. I had told him that I watch his reel for inspiration and he was a bit shocked.

Here is the opening titles for OFFF NYC 2007

OFFF New York Titles from Rob Chiu on Vimeo.

This year the conference is being held in Barcelona. I made a promise to myself this year to blog more but not only just to write about things I find but about challenging myself and writing about my experiences. I am casting down my own gauntlet.Time to brush up on my Spanish. ;-)

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Project: Tweets of the Union

Jan 26, ’11 6:56 PM


Introducing, Tweets of the Union, a twitter political meme streaming site. We are following #hashtags and people such as, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, State of the Union, Republican, and Democrat and a bunch of others. We will be adding all political figures with Twitter accounts as we find them.

I finally found a minute to breathe and actually cranked out a fun project. From concept to completion it took about a day. With some help from Nathan Lebovic and some GPL and Twitter API code we were able to turn this around quickly. Nathan works crazy fast

I hope Huffington Post sees this or one of my readers might send them a ping if they know them.

We have some other quick memes that we want to put together.

I really have no rhyme or reason as to why I did this. There is no defined ROI except personal satisfaction of completing a project. I have been feeling a creatively stale lately. While I am doing a lot of great work at the USTA some of my favorite work gets delayed or priorities change. Sometimes the pitch work we do is more exciting then the final result.

I have a few other projects I am trying to launch (see right rail). Hopefully, this is the year I break the barrier and through some fancy time management I am able to crank through them.

I think some of the ideas have potential but most are just for fun. Time will tell.

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Nike Better World – Congrats Duane

Jan 7, ’11 11:51 AM

http://nikebetterworld.com/lib/img/logo_sml.jpg
Nike Better World

I asked Duane King (my good friend) what’s the motivation behind the not so traditional framework.

His reply – “Eh, I just like to make things that people explore.”

And we love exploring it, Duane. Keep up the awesome work.

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Jesse Schell talks about the future of games @ DICE 2010

Mar 15, ’10 11:43 AM
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Change is brewing…..

Dec 21, ’09 4:40 PM

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A clip from the documentary “Objectified” – Jonathan Ive – Senior VP Industrial Design, Apple

Nov 12, ’09 1:57 PM

A clip from the 2009 documentary “Objectified” which is all about industrial design. Since 1997 Jonathan has had his hands on just about everything that has contributed to Apple’s success.

Ives approaches design with a minimalism that requires tons of thought. I would love to say something intelligent about the man beyond the words “sheer genius”. I am amazed at his capacity to create each iteration by combining and minimizing the impact on the user.

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I want to go to the dentist…

Nov 11, ’09 9:23 AM

Imagen de 3 estados de una tarjeta de visita de una dentista. Una caries se convierte en teléfono.
via kottke.org

Now this is a dentist I actually may want to visit. The fact that they actually took the time to work with a designer on their brand tells me they may actually care about me. I love the fact that the phone icon creates the cavity or blemish on the tooth. It also signifies the action you need to take to get rid of the blemish when you pull the card out. After pulling out the card the tooth is perfect again signifying the result of calling the dentist. Absolutely brilliant!

I think one of the worst things imaginable in this life is visiting the dentist. I don’t think I have ever had a pleasant experience. They always tell me something is wrong and how I am not flossing enough.  In actuality they should just record themselves and play it as soon as I walk into the office but with a twist – honesty.

“Hi, this is Joe, your dentist. While you are sitting and relaxing to elevator music, your tension will begin building. You will wonder, what could he possibly tell me this time? Yes, I am going to tell you that you have a root canal and that you have a cavity that needs filling. You will also wonder, does he have to use the pointy pick all the time? Yes, I always use the pointy pick that will claw at your gums and hurt terribly. I am going to poke and prod and needle you until you really don’t want to eat for a week. Those are the facts and the pleasantries. Let’s get down to the real business.

Why does he hire all those hot dental assistants? a) You are less likely to scream like a little bitch while this hot woman is sucking your spit from your mouth and wiping your drool and b) This is also to distract you from getting terribly upset at your tremendous bill that insurance probably won’t cover when you leave. You wouldn’t possibly act like a complete asshole in front of a hot woman. You will also wonder, is he actually cheating with his wife with one of these assistants? OF COURSE I AM! You think I am an idiot?”

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It’s All About the Hustle: Redesign the Dollar

Nov 10, ’09 8:38 AM


Redesign the dollar

I find this project highly hysterical.  There are certainly some great artistic versions of the dollar as seen below.


We’re a culture not a government


Better Late Than Never – LOL ‘ode to sans serif


From ‘Russia’ With Love


Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness


In Jack We Trust – ‘Here’s Johnny’

The next one has the most thought behind it and actually has a bit of reasoning if you check out the blog post.  Everyone else just submitted pretty designs while this designer actually came up with a good ideology.  Check it out.
Dollar ReDe$ign: Michael Tyznik

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Calcedonia opens as an Etsy Shop

Apr 17, ’09 6:05 PM


I would like to introduce a new business that my family (mom and nan) has recently started.  After a little bit of gentle coaxing, a little internet guidance, and a few months of nothing but yarn everywhere – I proudly announce Calcedonia. A new Etsy shop available at www.calcedoniadesign.com – crocheted and knitted scarfs, hoodies, baby shoes and blankets, hats, necklaces, and shawls. 

I really can’t explain it better other then to tell you to go check it out yourself.

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USOpen.org is a Webby Awards Nominee!

Apr 15, ’09 8:44 AM

Finally, after a year of getting honoree (top 15% of entrants) for different sites at the USTA, 2008 USOpen.org was selected as a Webby Nominee. Last year we overhauled the site completely from top to bottom.  Tons of personalization features and we had an all time high of traffic, visits, time on site, and 200+ million pageviews. I am super excited as this is one of my first awards working at the USTA.

The first year I was at the USTA the 2007 project timeline only allowed for minor tweaks to the previous years site. Last year I was able to work with IBM’s team and work from concept to completion on creating a new design from scratch.

The Webby’s is basically the Oscar’s for the Internet. It is a 13 year old show that brings out the best and brightest of the industry. Hollywood even gets in on the mix as last year saw Stephen Colbert and Will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas) make an appearance at the show. We are currently up for an award in the Event category against Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Online Series, YouTube LIVE, Sony CES 2009, and Yahoo! Upcoming. So how we are going to beat the most trafficked site on the Internet AND models in lingerie is up to God in heaven. However, being selected as even top 5 nominee is an extreme honor and I already feel like we won.  A lot of hours and hard work goes into the US Open each year by hundreds of people. All of us should be proud of this accomplishment.  I always wanted to win a slinky for an award.

Here is the official email from the Webby Awards –

Dear Ken:

It is our pleasure to inform you that The Official Website of the 2008 US Open has been nominated for The 13th Annual Webby Awards in the Events category.

As one of only five nominees in its category, your work and the team behind it are eligible for the Internet industry’s two most sought-after awards: The Webby Award and The Webby People’s Voice Award.

David-Michel Davies
Executive Director

The Webby Awards | Int’l Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences
http://www.webbyawards.com | http://www.iadas.net

So the voting has already started – Please vote for USOpen.org for the People’s Voice Awards.

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