15:
I began working on my tantra vision by replicating the one of the paintings in Processing.
I then chose the “historical” elements, both within the chosen painting and also from other paintings, that I wanted to include within the sketch and added those features. For mockup purposes, I used the keyPressed function to call each element method so I could get a rough idea of what the experience would be like. This all came together pretty easily. The challenge then was how to connect the Processing sketch to Arduino. How could I take this interaction beyond keyPressed? As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to capture the breath of the user and have that control the sketch. But how could I do that? I did not want to encumber or constrict the user with a bulky interface (like a helmet) or a chest strap. I wanted the physical interface to be as non-invasive as possible. So I set out researching several things: a C02 sensor, electret microphone, and a heart rate monitor.
Inevitably, all of the parts that I ordered from Sparkfun and Parallax took an obscene amount of time to arrive. Given the circumstances, I quickly ruled out the heart rate monitor and was able to borrow an electret microphone (from Scott, thank you) and a CO2 sensor (from Tom, thank you) to start experimenting. I had to figure out what type of values I could get out of these sensors and if they would be useful for me in this project. When I started mapping the values, I found that the range was very small. I realized that it would take a lot more work (a visit to Eric Rosenthal to learn about inverting the sound wave) and may not be the best way forward.
So I circled back to the breathing idea – if I couldn’t capture breath, maybe I could animate the sketch in a way to appear as if it was breathing. I could use variable resistors, a set of FSRs, to translate the pressure exerted by the user onto the sketch. But I still had a problem: where would I put the FSRs?
Since tantra paintings are used for meditation, I was perplexed by the idea of introducing some sort of physical element. I thought something small, intimate, might be appropriate. Perhaps a cup or a bell? Maybe even a singing bowl? It wouldn’t be the most visually appealing though to have a cup with FSRs mounted on it and wires dangling down. That’s when I thought about an instrument, a didgeridoo, to be specific.
I set about fabricating my five-foot long didgeridoo (out of PVC pipe and colorful tape) and mounted the FSRs like keys on the outside of the pipe. When I finally hooked it up to the Arduino and ran the sketch, I discovered an immediate problem. Scale. A five foot didgeridoo and a sketch running on a computer screen are not the most compatible. And if I was attempting to create some sort of intimate, personal experience having a physical distance so great between the user and the visualization just wouldn’t work. Back to the drawing board, I go.
Several residents suggested that I consider using the Kinect which now has the ability to measure the rise and fall of a user’s chest. So that’s my next step. Start playing around with the Kinect, see what I can get out of it and run with it. Additionally, I would like to make more of these paintings so that there’s are many options for the user to explore.
14:
Here is the first iteration in my business card design. I played around a bit with the position of the logo, layout of text, and font.
Feedback:
Change from horizontal to vertical orientation
Consider 4th iteration on the first slide
Highlight name in blue that matches icon
03:
In Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Dinosaurs, by Robert Sabuda & Matthew Reinhart, they employ a number of techniques we’ve learned in class: horizontal-v’s, pivots, floating layers, and crossovers. On each page a single dinosaur emerges from the central fold. There are smaller pieces enclosed on each page that capitalize fully on the range of motion one can get from a single flap. The technique is impeccable; the folds and layering of pieces make the dinosaurs so dynamic (e.g. the Tyrannosaurus Rex).
03:
For our assignment this week, we were asked to design a logo for ITP. I’ve always been passionate about typography (check out my pinterest boards!) and can spend hours messing around with letters. So that’s where I started – simply sketching out the letters. Uppercase, lowercase, serif and sans serif. The question quickly became, how to add a little more umph? Make it more than just letters?
I started thinking about shapes. The problem is that there’s no inherent balance between the letters. The “T” is a great divider but the “I” and “P” are not well matched. My first attempt with shapes didn’t work out so well. I racked my brain for examples of logos that use simple shapes and the MIT logo came to mind. That became my jumping off point for the next series of designs. All uppercase I found much easier to draw than the lowercase letters – again, it was an issue of balance. Where to put the dash across the “t” or the dot on the “i”?
For my last series, I wanted to incorporate Java language operators. I thought that would be a good way to refer to the tech/programming aspect of ITP in a subtle way.
03:
For the 2009-2010 season, the New York Philharmonic not only introduced a new music director (Alan Gilbert) but also a new logo and graphic identity. Paula Scher, from Pentagram, is the designer.
The new identity is more compact, succinct, and in my opinion, more compelling than the Philharmonic’s past identity. Shifting to a more graphic rather than text-based identity I think makes it easier to use across all communications, print and online.
Both identities employ clear musical referents that transect the New York Philharmonic name, a stylized staff in the old identity and a baton in the newest iteration. The baton creates a strong, somewhat severe, graphic line. I think it works though. The baton bisects the circular wordmark, set in Akzidenz Grotesk. The use of italics creates a sense of motion, dynamism that really captures the essence of the Philharmonic. It is moving, creative, modern, and impactful.
Paula Scher is one of the most renowned (and often imitated) designers working today. She’s worked for a wide range of clients, including The Public Theater, Citibank, and Tiffany & Co, on identity design, packaging design, publication design, and environmental graphics . Her designs are instantly recognizable and in 2001 she received an AIGA Medal. When talking about her work, they wrote: ”[it's] iconic, smart and unabashedly populist, her images have entered into the American vernacular.” I would agree.
Scher also created the graphic identities for two other Lincoln Center constituents: The Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Ballet. While each constituent has a unique identity, there is a level of cohesiveness in the design that brings them all together nicely.
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