Blog12: Video Feedback 2

We watched another half of our classmates videos in the class, and some of them were brilliant and impressive. Everybody had a different thought about what is design and I have learned a lot from my classmates. Especially Nolan's video was interesting and impressed me.
I liked the way she approached what is 'not' design, which I did not think of. Also, she showed how design fulfills its requirement with detailed explanation and example so I understood clearly.


Here's her video link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BzvsOu6JTDw

Blog12: Label Project

For this label project, I designed a label for rice. This rice brand is East Asian oriented, and has a traditional Asian theme. The brand name is called “Rice 米”, which is pronounced rice “mi” or “mee”. “米” means rice in Asian language, so the brand is all about Asian rice. 

The primary target audience is people in North America, 27 to 60, who love exotic experiences, healthy Asian food, and are willing to pay more money on organic or high quality food. They mostly dwell in urban cities. The shape of the brand logo is from the shape of rice, and I used black as a colour to make it look high quality and fancy, which black represents. Also, I put orange as a colour on the bottom to show it is about food. For the brand name, I put the actual Chinese character “米”, and how to pronounce it so people can still read it and have an exotic experience when they buy the product. 

 Left - Front - Right - Back

The primary display panel shows the brand name, product information, and net weight. On the back panel, it shows nutritional facts, ingredients, the barcode, and there is a recipe inside of each bag explaining how to cook rice.

The design theme is all about Asian tradition. The rice products are in brown paper bags closed with labels, which has Asian writings with different colours for each product, for example, the label colour of brown rice is red, and fried rice is blue. The label has a string that wraps around the whole package so that it looks like a traditional Asian binding style. Because of this style of label, the packages look unique, more authentic, and exotic to North American customers.

Blog11: Video FeedBack

We watched a half of classmate's videos. Everybody tried to explain and visualize their own design theories with their videos and some of them were really impressed and fun! If I have to pick one that I think is the best, I would pick David's video. He explains his design theory with a story, which is easy to understand. Also, the video is very neat and clear, and funny. I enjoyed a lot while I was watching his video and thought it was the most understandable among others. That is why I picked David's video as my favourite. Good job, David!

My Design Theory Video

This is my design theory video!

Blog9: My Mentor

I have met a lot of great and inspiring people in my life, but I have never really met any mentor yet. If I have to pick someone who has played an influential role in my life, I would not hesitate to pick my mother. She is my motivation, inspiration, and the reason why I am into design and art. My mother was a painter herself (she does not really draw anymore). When I was a child, I always saw her drawing and that is how I started drawing and getting into art. My mother and me used to draw together and it was always fun.

She used to want to be an artist but because of no family support, financially and emotionally, she could not even be able to go to college to study art. Because of that, she was so happy when I got into university for design. One of the reasons I want to be successful as a designer is because of my mother, and that is actually my big inspiration. Whenever I get a hard time and feel frustrated I think about my mother. It reminds me of how much support I get from her and how lucky I am.

Since I came to Canada, I cant spend time with her much but she still gives me good advice for not only design and art but also life even though my mother and me are far apart.

Thanks to my mother, I grew up as a very independent and artistic person now.

Blog8: Command X

In the class, we watched Command X, and in the show, students were presenting their work. They presented their redesigned American Idol logos and Arizona tea packages. Each student had very different ideas and thoughts, and it was interesting.  As the show is a reality show, most contestants looked nervous. Also, some judges gave contestants a hard time to answer and sometimes, they made some contestants feel little bit embarrassed due to their criticism. Overall, the show was very entertaining, and I got inspired and made me think about what I really need to prepare for presentations.

The best five presentation techniques include

1. Explaining your design with logical thoughts.

2. Answering questions with wit and confidence.

3. Ability to give brief background information about your design.

4. Always having logic to your design elements, for example, shapes, typography, etc.

5. speak with proper gestures and attitude.

The five worst errors committed

1. Reading off something that you are going to say for your presentation.

2. Look at the audience, not the monitor or the show host.

3. Never say, “It didn’t export right.”

4. Research related information about your design. Some contestants seem to be not really aware of what their design is about, for example, colours he used.

5. Some contestants said too many of “..um, well…, I mean….” although they were not answering questions. It looked like they did not really practice or prepare the presentation professionally.

Blog7: My Incomplete Manifesto

1. Experience the world.

Be aware of what is going on in the world and appreciate the world. Learn different cultures and find where you stand. Then, you are going to realize what you need to do to improve for yourself.

2. Imagine everyday.

It sounds silly but a lot of people do not imagine. Imagining makes you creative and that is how you get inspired by your imagination.

3. Read books.

Reading makes your brain flexible and fresh. It is not only just to get information but also to think more logically.

4. Don’t be judgmental.

It is not because of others, it is because of yourself. The more you are judgmental, the less you can see.

5. Be a good listener rather than a talker.

What moves people’s mind is not just talking. People follow a good listener, not talkers because everyone wants to talk and needs somebody who listens to them carefully.

6. Don’t make decisions with trend.

Sometime people make decisions with trend, but it is not really wise and sometimes it is dangerous to make decision in that way because trend could change anytime. Also, it doesn’t last long.

7. Be aware of what is your strength rather than weakness.

Being aware of my strength helps me much more to be confident than thinking about weakness. Also, it helps u find what you want and what you like to do. 

8. Get interested in something you are not interested in.

If you try to be interested in what you are not, you are going to experience a new world.

9. Don’t sleep and eat too much.

It makes you lazy, slow, not focus, and not creative. 

10. Make a plan and write it down.

Plan is very important for growth, but just making it is not enough. There is a huge difference between just thinking of a plan and physically writing it down. If you just think about it rather than writing it down on a paper, it will goes away easily. Also, when you achieve the goal, you have to check that you completed the plan. That makes you more organized and helps you not waste of time.

Blog6: My Process

Stefan’s process is relatively similar to my process. One of the key elements of my process is traveling. I get inspired by traveling to new places. When I travel, not necessarily far away like overseas, I always try to experience something that I have not done before, rather than something familiar such as shopping, and try to take pictures or notes of something that seems interesting as many things as I can. That is why I take a lot of pictures even though some of the pictures are silly such as a picture of a huge cockroach on the street when I went to Hong Kong last summer. I believe this type of attitude and habits keep me creative and curious about everything around me. Also, because of that, I try to see different and new things and think differently. Sometimes, it helps me when I am designing something.

In addition, I get many good ideas from brainstorming with other people. I am not a big fan of teamwork but I do think brainstorming is one of the most important things for design process because ideas can get developed further and designers can get more and various ideas. Also, brainstorming sometimes solves problem faster than if I would think by myself sitting on a chair with my laptop. 

So, this is my rough design process.

- Analyzing what the client wants and what I can do to make great result.

- Researching whatever relative information. Researching information does not  necessarily mean researching with a computer. It can be any form such as reading, talking, watching videos, traveling, discussing, brainstorming, etc.

- Recording anything interesting or inspiring with Notes or pictures.

- Doing a lot of sketches until I’m sure what my idea is.

- Starting the actual work with computer, paint, etc.

- Making the final design with appropriate form such as print.

- Presenting and getting feedback from clients and discuss what and how to develop.

-  Completing the design process.

Blog5: Reflections on Heidi's RGD Visit

As Heidi from RGD Ontario visited the design theory class and explained about what RGD is and what it does, I have got interesting information of it. RGD offers a lot of benefits for graphic designers with opportunities of attending several relevant events and advises for future career from community. For graphic design students, it is definitely helpful if they use it properly and follow what RGD offers. Students can get more information about preparing portfolio and some advise for finding jobs. Also, if registered as a member of RGD, it is easier to get found as a graphic designer by clients because RDG provides them information of ‘proper’ designers educated with design programs at schools.

Heidi mentioned that RGD is against ‘spec work’. As I have done few design work without being paid, I strongly agree with it. ‘Spec work’ devaluates all the graphic designers’ work and does not respect the rights of graphic designers at all because design is a business tool that is supposed to be paid by clients, and should not be free for any business purpose. It also spoils copyright issues and design process. ‘Spec work’ might be an opportunity for experience related to further career sometimes, however, designers can choose pro bono work instead, which has different purposes and views. Each design work has to be treated as valuable work.

Blog4: Values, Beliefs, Paul Rand & Me

Paul Rand 1914-1996

Paul Rand was one of the greatest graphic designers in the world, and he had designed a lot of famous work such as the IBM logo. He had a very straightforward and clear vision about his designs, which included, 'designer is like a doctor’ and  “I solve your problem, and you are going to pay me.”

Personally when I design something, I try to figure out what is exactly the root of the problem first. And then I think logically what is the solution and how it solves the problem. Researching a lot of information and references helps me  think of more options, and I try to take as many opinions from others to make sure if my solution is logical and appropriate.

I agree with Paul Rand saying; graphic designers are problem solvers like doctors. He believed people go to doctors to get a solution, not more options because doctors are expert, and so are designers. That is why he suggested one design solution to clients, without other options. However, in my opinion, designer should be a problem solver and adviser at the same time. That is why I have a doubt about what Paul Rand said that he suggested one design solution to a client if he thinks it works. 

To solve problems more logically, designer should interact with clients with more options. The way Paul Rand works with clients is effective only when the design is perfect, not all designs are perfect. I think it is not really a realistic design process. Designers have to solve problem, persuade clients, and make them understand. I tend to believe one solution is not enough to interact with clients. 

Paul Rand mentioned some business people do not appreciate what graphic designers do, and what they think graphic designers are is just decorators making their products look better and fancier so that they can sell more. However, the reality is, design is actually so ubiquitous that people do not even realize that they surround all designed stuff, not necessarily fancy looking. Design has been solving not only visual appearance problem but also physical functions. Even though design is all around us, people might not realize design because living with designed things feels so natural and necessary, like eating food.

-Always think logically when you solve problems.

-Try to figure out what the problem is first when I design.

- Rather than one solution, provide more options for clients.

-Designers should interact with clients and make them understand the process.

-Design is ubiquitous and necessary in our life.

Blog3: "Design is..." Take One

 Literally, design is "..." because it makes me think. It's just lots of thinking..... I mean, there's no limit to define what design is in my mind.

As a graphic design student, I think design  consists of a lot of ideas and thoughts. If there is not any ideas, then the design does not even exist. No matter which design field people are in, for example, fashion design, interior design, or industrial design, it makes all the designers think and come up with some ideas. Also, design is "..." because design itself could be anything. It is just like design that does not have a limit for thinking about ideas, which means all the designers should be creative without any bias or prejudice.

At this moment how I defined what design is, is very subjective and not really rational enough I think. To develop my own design theory, I'll try to think what logically design is not only to myself but people in general, and look for other designers' thoughts and ideas to understand more about design theory.

Blog2: Creativity & Innovation: Nam Joon Paik

Nam Joon Paik

For my second blog post, I want to introduce the great artist Nam Joon Paik. I saw him in my text book for art class when I was 10 years old.

Nam Joon  Paik was a Korean American, a video artist, and a creator of video art genre. He was born in 1932 in Seoul, Korea and passed away in 2006. In his early life, he got trained as a pianist. In 1950s, because of Korean war, his family and him had to migrate to Japan. He studied art and music history in university of Tokyo in Japan, and then he went to Germany and studied The History of Music in Munich University. In addition, he participated in the art movement Fluxus, which was inspired by the musician John Cage. He created a lot of video artwork from 1960s to 90s such as ‘a cello’ and ‘TV garden’, and ‘Dadaiksun’, which means the more the better, appearing to be one of his most famous work, which was a huge tower made of 1003 monitors for the Olympic Games being held at Seoul in 1988. Also, the exhibition ‘the Worlds of Nam Joon Paik’, which was his work collection, was held at Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2000, and although he passed away in 2006, he was on the list of world’s 100 artists of the decade.

'Dadaiksun' The more the better

"Our life is half natural and half technological. Half-and-half is good. You cannot deny that high-tech is progress. We need it for jobs. Yet if you make only high-tech, you make war. So we must have a strong human element to keep modesty and natural life."

“On the one hand, a thing called art: on the other hand, a thing called communication. Sometimes, their curbs overlap. At their intersection, there is like an apple seed. This will be our theme… maybe our dream as well.”

I chose to write about Nam Joon Paik because he is one of my favourite artists and he is from Korea. (and I'm Korean.) Also, what he had done inspires me a lot and I admire how he lived his life with art. He tried to combine art, technology, and humanism. I think that is what all the artists and designers are supposed to be, these days. His work effects my design process as well because I had grown up with technology, and art around me that was inspired by him.




Image sources from:
http://www.paikstudios.com/ 


Article reference:
http://navercast.naver.com/contents.nhn?contents_id=5774&category_type=series

Blog1:Introduction

Hello everyone. I'm Eunji Jung, from South Korea, and have been in Canada for about 4 years now.

I've been drawing since I was ... a kid (I don't even remember when I started drawing). I used to draw my own comic books and that's how I learned how to draw by myself and how I started getting into design and art. Also, I was in the visual communication design program in Dongeui university in Korea, and I took a design workshop with Japanese and Taiwanese students in Nihon university in Tokyo, 2007.

Now, I'm a student of graphic design program in Humber college in Canada! I guess that is going to make me an internationally experienced designer in few years! I can't even think anything else I can do as my career.

So,  I created this blog to share and express my ideas and opinions with people around the world. Also, this blog is going to be a big contribution for my own design theory. As a graphic design student, I want to develop my own design theory and make it unique.

I hope you enjoy my blog!

Let's get started :D