Color theory lends itself to several significant spatial properties.
It would seem that the "advanced" artist would use these theories to their greatest effect - using warm colors to depict closeness and cool colors to depict farness. But what of the work of David Hockney? David Hockney who seems to almost completely ignore these color theories of space works with color in a very unusual way.



The above painting seems to place color randomly. This technique is confusing to the eye that is naturally set to the Gestalt theory of seeking unity. The abstraction of reality combined with the color use forces the viewer to use their imagination. Perhaps the piece is just a depiction of random blobs of color. But what is it that makes us see a landscape in this painting? Although Hockney's use of color lends to a sense of flatness, he is sure to include other clues of space to guide the viewer. The proximity of textures and the size of the abstract shapes leads the eye to believe that it is seeing perspective in a landscape. The flat use of color makes the scene more ideal and dreamy, as if the colors actually refused to recede.



In this depiction of a pool, the importance of color is not so much ignored, but emphasized. There is definitely an unrealistic feeling to the work because of this flat use of color, but Hockney seems to be emphasizing the emotion of the piece more than anything else.
His use of single colored paper creates almost no shading and almost no color variation. It is not what Hockney actually observed. It is, however, how he felt. There is an emphasis on the thought, "the sky is blue, the grass is green". Neither of these statements are completely true but they are universally agreed upon nonetheless. The statements are not observant and not usually a motto for artistic value. Hockney is almost erasing the imperfections and creating what he feels. Perhaps he feels the world in flatness, where things do not become less important simply because they are further away. Perhaps he is simply unwilling to let go of the brilliant colors he perceives, even if they are not all perceived at the same point in time.

Hockney's work is a defiance against the "proper" rules of color. It seems, however, that Hockney is glad to live in his imaginary world of intense colors as a sort of escapism.

Indexed is a blog that posts daily diagrams and models depicting the unexplainable realities of life.
The creator of the blog remains mostly anonymous in the fact that there are no references made to the actual events of her life. The index cards depict musings that the average person can easily relate to, making the inciting event itself nearly obsolete as the reader creates meaning for themselves.

These postings are especially interesting to artists and designers who are constantly trying to put concrete visual representation to their thoughts. Indexed utilizes every diagram learned in early math - ven diagrams, plot graphs, line graphs, pie charts, etc. It is interesting to note the different choices in diagrams the poster picks to depict her various thoughts. In the form, she attempts to bring logic to what can only be considered illogical. She muses on love, on loss, on the stress of working life.

We are constantly trying to find a solution. For designers, this solution may be to create a better chair or a sleeker computer. For Indexed, the solution is to systematically understand emotion. Although the daily posts on Indexed are easy to consider obsolete, it is clear that we are all only asking the same question. Why is life the way it is, and how do we improve it? Indexed may be considered as a process in design. Indexed seeks a solution just as design does.

Ikea. The Swedish company founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad has become a household name for both designers and non-designers. For many, Ikea is a gift from God. Many applaud the sleek and stylish furniture store for it's combination of affordability and edginess.
To a designer familiar with whatever is "high-end" design, Ikea appears simultaneously appealing and odious.

For many designers, Ikea seems to be a "sellout". Can good design actually be affordable? Is design still good design if it is ubiquitous and accessible to everyone?
The logical answer is of course yes. Good design should be affordable and ubiquitous! Good design is not found at South Coast Mall in rather sparse Prada and Chanel stores. Perhaps good fashion, but not good design. Good design is found in all classes and cultures. It is important to remember that fashion and design are not synonymous as the former lends a sense of "trendiness". Trendy is normally seen to be expensive... and it is easy to assume that design is only good if only the elite can afford it.

Ikea has provided the world with several innovative designs. They are the go-to for newlyweds furnishing their first home.
Although Ikea was founded on the idea of providing good, sustainable design at an affordable price, is it possible that they have become tangled in the tentacles of the corporate world?
Is Ikea truly sustainable with it's 301 stores? With it's normally sprawling parking lots and vast warehouses?

It is this, not the trendy factor, that confuses my opinion of Ikea. The part of me that enjoys the convenience of super markets and coupons welcomes the affordability of fairly higher end designs. The part of me that is guilty for enjoying the convinience of supermarkets and coupons is also guilty for enjoying the perks of Ikea while we demolish classic architecture in favor of what is current and easy.

Nathan Shedroff attempts to explain what is considered mathematical and scientific to a designer. Shedroff addresses that designers must face the truth that they attempt to avoid throughout their career: to truly understand good and sustainable design, we must look beyond the visual field. How does Shedroff convince this to the visual designer? Why, through visual models and images of course!

Shedroff integrated words, statistics, charts, and pictograms throughout his presentation at UC Davis on November 18th, 2009. He posed 3 questions to his audience:

1. What's a more sustainable world look like?
2. What's a more meaningful world look like?
3. What's a post-consumer world look like?

He states that these unanswerable questions are vital in discovering what more sustainable design exactly is. Shedroff presented images of various cultures - Cuba, India, Brazil, etc. as examples of this unending attempt for answers. Are we approaching the answers? Are these cultures, noted for their sustainability and low consumerism, steps toward the sustainable good design we seek?

Shedroff can only provide the audience with an unsettling "perhaps." His presentation does not aim to provide all the answers for the designer seeking to create good design. Shedroff, while he has much more experience and knowledge than 98% of his audience, seeks the answers to his questions also. It is perhaps this selflessness that will lead us finally to good design. Shedroff puts aside the ego and shares nearly everything he knows about design. Shedroff shares his thoughts and findings because he does not seek to be a good designer, he seeks to create a world with good design. Shedroff gives his audience the tools. Good design takes more than one designer.

It is common for many designers to ignore what is popular in today's culture because we believe we are too good to like what everyone else is liking. Designers like to be on the cutting edge of everything, what everybody else loves today is whatever we loved a year ago.

I, however, try to explore both what is popular and what is, for lack of better word, indie. Lady Gaga is currently ubiquitous as one of the reining queens of pop but I, as a designer, am incredibly intrigued by her. I am especially intrigued by her new music video, "Bad Romance".

Musicians often use music videos as a promotion for their music, an experience that is ultimately not visual. The concept of music videos is therefore not always put into emphasis as a medium because it it easy to create cliche shots of alternately serenading the camera and spending happy long-forgotten memories with a loved one. It is clear, however, that Lady Gaga identifies the music video as a medium just as essential to her art as the lyrics of her songs.

"Bad Romance", as depicted in the stills above, creates several rather striking images. It is important to recognize how Lady Gaga presses deliberate emphasis not only on the music but also on the clothes, set design, lighting and overall styling and direction. The scenes in her music video are undoubtedly strange but I find that this is what makes Lady Gaga incredibly intriguing and unique. Her outfits and dispositions make the viewer question the symbolism and representations of Lady Gaga's image - a feat that "normal" music videos would not venture to attempt.

I believe Lady Gaga is successful because she makes every action and every choice one of importance. Although she remains vague on her true reasons, every setting and styling decision clearly carries heavy underlying meanings. "Bad Romance" is both a visual and auditory treat and reminds the viewer of the power of good design. Lady Gaga, although extravagant, always suggests to the viewer that there is a reason for everything superfluous.

Gary Hustwit's documentary, "Objectified", explores the world of industrial design and the relation of form and function in our everyday lives.
Through interviewing several key players in the design field, Hustwit successfully motivates the designer to ignore the pressures of creating the newest, most innovative world and focus back on the root of it all.

Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec state, "Often our hardest job is to remove remove remove."
The title itself, "Objectified", reflects precisely the point that the Bouroullecs, their fellow designers, and Hustwit try to emphasize: in order to truly analyze the design of "objects", we must take a step back and view design "objectively".
The Bouroullecs points to the process of removing the unnecessary things that make a design bad design but they are also pointing to the process of removing everything the designer thinks he or she knows about design.

Huswit's film points to the essential flaw and assumption of design: the trendy factor. It is easy to assume that design is about creating what is new and cutting edge without a true relation between form and function. It is also easy to continue down a path that previous designers have cut for you - expanding upon designs that may be good but are more than likely bad.
To be a good designer, we must assume we know nothing. We must remember what it is that makes humans design in the first place. We desire to make life easier, and much of the design in today's world fails to do that (especially in the long run).

As Jonathon Ive (of Apple) states so simply in the above quote, the consumer should not even be able to detect the presence of design. Good design should not be questioned because the user will feel as though there is simply no other way an object should be created. Designers must remember not to seek being recognized for creating the trendy. Designers must remember to be forgotten... only then will good design become only the present, without a history (as far as the consumer is concerned). Good design is forever.

There are many things that I miss about Southern California. Currently missing: LA concerts.
Since this February I have admittedly become a regular concert attender. I miss the small intimate venues of LA where the sweet strummings of a girl and her guitar (and little else) seem to be acoustically magnificent. Then what am I here to complain about? UC Davis Freeborn Hall.

This Friday, I attended a concert at Freeborn Hall featuring the music of Art Brut and Princeton. I am a huge supporter and fan of live music. I believe there is nothing like that feeling of being so close to real instruments and real vocal chords that you feel like you are being serenaded at the back of the room.

So it was to my great dismay that I was incredibly disappointed by Friday's concert.
Perhaps Davis is not exactly the prime spot for the music scene but I find it to be a problem of our own creation.

The venue itself is huge. I was surprised by the size of the interior and was originally excited by the endless possibilities a large venue holds. Large venues have the capability of holding large crowds and thus supports the weight of more well-known artists. The size of the venue, however, seemed to be its greatest flaw on the night of the concert. There were perhaps no more than 100 kids in attendance. The effect of such a large room with such a small crowd was frankly embarrassing. Indie acts such as Art Brut and Princeton do not necessarily have the ability to fill such large venues. Sometimes it is better to sell out at a small and intimate venue than to play to a dwindling audience.

The hall interior is furnished with extreme contradiction. The lobby seems legitimate and almost too professional for a venue hosting events like electronic ravers and indie concerts. The inside, however leads to a large high-school-auditorium-like room. There are bleachers (although the seats are admittedly classier) lining the sides and a wood-floor reminiscent of a basketball stadium. Space is divided using large black curtains. These elements combined create a venue much more unprofessional than the lobby leads a person to believe.

Freeborn Hall would have been better off as a venue if it had been built smaller and with the extra money spent on a better interior for the venue has the lighting and audio capabilities of being a great concert space. Before solid musical acts can be booked, however, I think we need to go back to the design drawing board. The venue has an altogether too "multi-purpose room" look to it which is its major drawback. Freeborn Hall needs to decide on what it is - an indie concert venue, a lecture hall, a dance floor, etc. - in order for it to truly succeed at being any one of these things. Perhaps then Freeborn will attract the bigger acts it was originally intended to host.

jamielew

18
april 13, 1991
design @ uc davis
jamielew@gmail.com

October 2009
November 2009