Blog #7- Photo Analysis

Principles of Design

The photo I chose for my photo analysis had many design principles such as unity, variety, harmony, balance, scale, emphasis, and rhythm. I chose this picture because of the fact that it has so many design principles, that the room itself seems very proportional.

            When you first look at this picture you see the picture frames above the bed which creates an enormous amount of emphasis with the bright greens, and dark greens going against the white wall. Another object that creates emphasis is the piece that is sitting in the front of the bed and the chair that is on the side of the bed. The main focus of this picture is the unity, harmony and variety. These three design elements stand out the most when you actually take a good look at what is going on in the picture.

            In this interior, I believe that the designer decided to go with a lot of variety with different scales of the pictures. When you look at the frames the largest frame stands out the most and it takes your eye all the way across to your left, as you look the frames get smaller as well as the picture. This in fact brings in harmony and unity to these picture frames in the room.

The unity and harmony in the room is brought about in the picture that is being used over and over again in the variety of scales picture frames. There is also unity and harmony in the rectangular and square shapes like the designs on the pillow, the picture frames, the shelves, the rectangular boards above the picture frames, and the rectangular bed.

There is also balance in the room as well with the bed being in the center of the room with the head of the bed against the wall, and in between the shelves. The room is so well proportioned, and it creates a rhythm with the help of the picture frames.

This picture is considered good design, in the simplest way of doing so. Just with the unity, variety, harmony, balance, scale, emphasis, and rhythm in the interior, especially with the frames is so simple, but it is such a great design, and it is pleasing to the eye. The main focus of the interior is doing something similar to this piece, and making it as simple as can be to consider it good design.

Blog #6- Unusual Materials

The Use of an Eco-Friendly Garden Hose

We were given an assignment to look for an unusual material that was used in a unique way, and I came across a chair, which my first impression was, it was made out of romen noodles. As I read up on what the chair was made out of, I couldn’t believe that someone actually made a chair out of recycled garden hoses. This eco- chair is considered to be green design and sustainable development.

Society today is trying their best to stay eco-friendly or staying green, designer Kwangho Lee is doing just that, as he noticed that these garden hoses as well as electrical wires were being thrown away, and he thought that these materials could be put into great use, since we are trying to save the planet from situations like this. However, this chair that Kwangho Lee designed was made out of thrown away garden hoses to create a very useful eco-friendly chair.

This chair can be uses indoors or outdoors. When using this chair indoors it can create a unique artistic look. Kwangho Lee has designed other sets of furniture as well as lighting that can definitely look great indoors. When looking at this chair, I see its use being used more outside, because when I think garden hose, I think of vintage, and I think of the outdoors or my great-grandmothers garden.

As I said in the previous paragraph, Kwangho Lee has designed many other furniture and accessories using recycled materials as far as metal, sockets, copper, wood, felt, candle lights, teacups, styrofoam, garden hoses, phone cords, electrical wires. Lee has also designed jewelry made out of barbed wire, and automobile parts. Kwangho Lee got his inspiration from his childhood memories, by watching his mother who knitted all his clothing when he was young, and from watching his grandfather, a farmer, who would make his own tools, and doing everything else with his hands.

Kwangho Lee developed these ideas by going by two things “One is about the search for possible changes and new meanings in the most ordinary objects of our daily lives. I believe that many of the mundane objects have boudless capabilities of transforming into something else. Second is to express the symphony of design and craft. My projects never undergo machinery process. Therefore only small quantities are 'crafted' out of my hands.” (Lee). Lee does something that is meaningful and that has an effect on the world by staying green.

This eco-friendly chair is a very great design and it will soon decrease dumping into the land fill and it will do less harm to the environment. Kwangho Lee has a great website with all his work and great ideas, it is www.kwangholee.com. Ideas like these should be taken into consideration and developed, and green design should be a main focus and it has taught me to not just design with the usual, but design with the unusual, and make something your own.

 Lee, Kwangho. Kwangho Lee Official Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct 2011.             http://www.kwangholee.com/.

Blog #5- Design Day

The Future

            Attending the Texas Tech, 2011Design Expo, where we were able to visit with sponsors and learn new things about design, and on the plus side we got FREE STUFF! As I was walking up to most of the tables where the sponsors showed off their products, I noticed that the sponsors didn’t have good presentations, and they didn’t quite show off what they had, so they never really grabbed my attention. For me to be interested, I have to be given a good presentation, or they should have interest in showing off their product, or they should show that they love what they do with some sort of emotion. A lot of these so called “presentations” that some of these sponsors presented didn’t have much an effect on me, and I can honestly say that the food was way better than some of these designer’s presentations.

            While walking past some of these sponsors, I saw a sponsor that had no one there to show off the products to. I decided to see what he had to say about the products he sold. His name was Bart Turner, associated with Bart Turner and Associates, and he grabbed my attention with his great presentations and I was there for at least 30 minutes, because he was so interested in telling me all the projects he has done all over the world.

            When I came up to the sponsor of Bart Turner and Associates, he started to talk about the products of Takeform Architectural Graphics. He talked about the new signage collections that are being used in interior and exterior buildings, such as hospitals and businesses. They also design letters and logos that fit the company’s they design for and the design of customized name palettes. He also asked us if we think that objects on the walls were plain such as the clear magazine nests and sanitizer stations. That’s when he began to tell us that they designed additions to wall accessories so that the wall wouldn’t have to look so plain, and it can be customized. He then moved on to talking about the KI Healthcare solutions for patients, family, and staff. The KI Healthcare is designed to work the same way you do, it’s a way to make furniture accustomed to your needs.

            He saved the best for last and before he got to it, he had my attention directly drawn to him, as he started talking about T1Visions. T1Visions is a connection screen that is a durable multi-user touchscreen, which is integrated into tables, walls, and kiosks. He started to go on about how it can be used, which they can be used in classrooms, conference and meeting rooms, media-centers, and restaurants. He then brought out his ipad and showed a commercial of how these touch screens are used. What shocked me was that these touchscreens can be used in restaurants, but customers can order from it, without the waiters and waitresses asking for your order, you can just order when you’re ready. You can also play games while waiting, and two people can use it, all you have to do is divide it.

I was really impressed by this product, and the sponsor’s presentation. He was so excited with it, and he also enjoyed giving his presentation. No sponsor in the Design Expo grabbed my attention, except for the sponsor for Bart Turner and Associates, and I was very pleased with it. I hope to see them again next year at the Design Expo and hopefully I will find more sponsors that might give just as a better presentation than Bart Turner and Associates, but for now Bart Turner and Associates have me sold.

T1Visions Social Touch Screen Solutions." t1visions. Stormlab, 2011. Web. 17 Oct 2011. <http://www.t1visions.com/gallery/customers/>.

Blog Post #4- Learning Lunch

Featuring Brian Graham

One of the greatest, hilarious, presentations, Brian Graham gave at the Design Expo in Lubbock, Texas. As freshman, sophomores, juniors, and senior, sign up to attend the lecture lunch, little do they know what they have in store for them. As the presentation was being set up, interior design majors as well as professors all lined up to the tables and served themselves to the catered lunch of sandwiches, chips, and dessert. As everyone was trying to get settled to their seats for the presentation, the lights were dimmed, and standing before everyone was Brian Graham.

Brian Graham talked about his adventures and his success as an interior designer, mainly furniture designer. His presentation was both inspirational and meaningful to the interior design and architecture world. Graham’s had a sense of humor, which was a sign of relief that the design world does not always have to be so serious, but to have fun with what you do, which will then make you progress as a designer.

It was reminded to everybody that everything is designed, even the simplest things. Graham drilled into every single, young interior designer that we need to jot down our ideas, even if it does not make sense to you, but it could make sense to everyone else. His idea of trying multiple ways of designing furniture was unbelievable, especially with all the possibilities that were available. His way of thinking, was unique, designing miniature furniture of the life size piece of furniture, to give him an idea what his design was going to look like.

Brian Graham’s presentation was very entertaining, meaningful, and it gave every designer some sort of inspiration that might help them become successful in their careers. Everything is designed, even the simplest things, which will make something become more than it really is, if you put the effort into it.