The Happy Show

This past Tuesday an old graphic design friend and I went to see Stefan Sagmeister's The Happy Show at the Design Exchange. I received many emails prior to the show explaining what it was about, but I was still surprised by how much fun the exhibit was to visit. The first interactive asked visitors to take a gum ball from one of 10 machines representing how happy they were. This created an interesting visual that allowed you to see how happy other visitors were when they entered the exhibit (I kind of wish they had a second set at the end to see how the exhibit affected people). While my friend and I agreed that being with other people was likely to taint your decision, I was still excited to see that the 8, 9, and 10 machines had the most missing from them.

In lieu of panels, vinyl graphics and typography were applied directly to the wall with Sagmeister's hand written notes added below. The information presented was succinct and interesting, and I loved the streamlined illustrations accompanying the stats and stories. I thought that the interactives were a lot of fun and really enjoyed the personal touches such as Sagmeister's favourite candy and his stories that were added throughout the exhibit.

I would highly recommend this exhibit and am excited about the direction the Design Exchange is taking for the upcoming year.

The New and Improved

I've always found the phrase new and improved a bit odd, should it not be either new or improved? Regardless, I realized on Friday how much I take for granted with the design software I use. In my first year of college I was blissfully unaware of the capabilities of the Adobe Suite as I did everything, including typography, by hand. In second year I learned how to use Adobe CS3 and then in my final year transitioned to Adobe CS5.

Keeping up to date with all of the software upgrades is very expensive and many companies skip a version or two to save on costs. At my new job they mentioned in the interview that they use CS3, which I thought was no big deal. I originally learned using CS3 and figured there couldn't be much difference between that and the updated software. I have been happily working at my new job for a month now, and finally came upon an upgrade I am sad to live without. In Photoshop you can use the "stamp" tool to clone parts of an image and paste it over other areas, an incredibly diverse and useful tool. I hadn't done any photo manipulation until Friday but when I did I thought I had forgotten how to use the tool. In CS4 and newer the tool provides a preview so that you know exactly what the tool is cloning and how it will look in the new area you are placing it. After I checked with my co-worker I realized that older software didn't provide this handy preview and that I would have to guess how it would look. It seems like such a simple little thing, but software developers clearly understand what people want and work hard to make our lives easier.

I don't mind working with CS3 at all, but every once in a while you realize how good you have it with all of the new technology we have available to us.

Design School Didn't Tell You

Design Edge's new blog Design School Didn't Tell You is a blunt and humourous blog for newcomers to the graphic design industry. While I disagree with some of the things author Mark Busse writes, it is a fun, light read that reminds you others are in the same boat.

This week's article was about the importance of joining design associations, it offered great reasons to join and equally valid reasons to stay out. Busse urges young designers to join if they are committed to the industry, are looking for a mentor or inspiration, want to stand out against the crowd, or if they want to demonstrate their belief in the value of design. His reasons for not joining, stated with just a touch of sarcasm, include not being willing to place importance on your career and make time, as well as believing you have already learned everything you need to know. Busse wisely concludes that, "If being employed as a designer is all you seek, then you may never need to join an association. If you wish to achieve significance in your design career, you’ll need to understand we never stop learning. Those who engage fully in their community with the humble attitude of the perpetual student will benefit the most."

The Basics

The talk I went to last week at the Design Exchange reminded me of my start in art and graphic design for a few reasons. First, I ran into a classmate who I sat beside for the entirety of my first year. Next the speaker talked about using a grid to enlarge a drawing or painting and finally they brought up the odd things you learn when you become a designer or artist.

I enjoyed sitting beside this classmate during first year, he asked a lot of questions but was also incredibly supportive and creative. I remember him being the one to pick me up for class when I was sick, the one driving me crazy when he asked for the third time when a project was due, and also the one driving me home after a late night working at the school. Our first year of college was very stressful, but looking back, I can't believe how much we learned. At the talk we reminisced about how our teacher Vince used that Karate Kid method of teaching. You never knew why you were assigned the project until you had finished and started using the methods on other projects. I will never forget our first project, we had to cut up photos and splice them together, if any white showed on the edges of the photos you had to start over. While this seemed incredibly tedious at the time, I learned how to properly use an Exacto knife and continue to use that basic skill today.

I often think about how far I have come, from grade nine art, to working at an architectural firm as a graphic designer. Then I realize how much further I can go, it's hard to start new jobs but I am learning so much and enjoying the process of getting comfortable again.