Born in Amsterdam...

First practice for type 3. Very bad. >.>

Architecture for Humanity

After rethinking ideas and the class discussion last Wednesday, I have a better idea of my organization and audience. So first, audience information. It's aimed towards high school kids, college bound kids, and just out of college, so around about 16 to 25 years old. These kids aren't for sure if architecture is their calling so this organization is a good way to get their foot in the door. It could also be used as a vehicle to starting a new career. Right now, it seems like this will be more web based because I want younger kids to see it and they tend to be online or watching TV more than checking the mail that is sent to their house. Visual symbolic codes? I'm thinking like pencil and grid paper? Just something simple that comes across as, "That's definitely architecture based."

A little low down on Architecture for Humanity if you want to read more about it.

10 Signs for Vasandani

Here are my 10 signs for Vasandani's poster:

1. light bulbs (like those that line a dressing room mirror)
2. spotlights
3. piano
4. skyscrapers (sleek ones...to get the city feel)
5. microphone/microphone stand
6. hills/mountains/trees
7. doves (peacefulness of the songs)
8. lakes/rivers/water
9. moon/moonlight
10. pen/paper

Sachal Vasandani

Sachal Vasandani is still pretty new to the whole jazz scene. He has only released 2 albums with the first one being in 2007. Aside from what Brandon and I presented in class last Friday, a lot of his reviews speaks to who he is as a person.

Link to his website. Most of our information is pulled from his biography there as well as the following reviews. There are also snippets of his songs from his "We Move" album.

"He's far from the contrived neo-Sinatra but a cool customer nonetheless, with strong standard-repertoire chops as well as an ear for unerring pop melody." - Philadelphia Weekly

"On (We Move) he contributes several of his own tunes, pays homage to Hendricks and Murphy, and interacts sure-footedly with a dynamic working band. His take on the standard 'Don't Worry About Me' involves a lilting 'Poinciana' groove, over which he phrases in long arcs..." - Jazz Times

"Young singer...has a voice that is calm, deep and, for this tune, light." - NPR

"Vasandani favors control over ornamentation, and many of the songs own the refined nocturnal hush that comes from unhurried exposition and impeccable piano-trio arrangements, Vasandani's keen intimacy with his core group...shows throughout, and the guest contributions...are just as fluid and easy." - The Boston Globe

"...rich, deep voice that surfs the vivid nuances of jazz while flirting with pop and blues." - Minneapolis City Pages

"It's a sophisticated but non esoteric palette of tunes." - Minneapolis Star-Tribune

In general, he's a pretty cool, chill guy. He writes his own lyrics to songs that he produced with his band members. He also does covers of famous jazz songs like Shirley Horn's. The mood board I made with Brandon sums him up nicely.

F+S

Both of these advertisements I got from a website called Presidia Creative. They blog a lot of designs and these were just found under here and here.

So the first one I chose was this ad for Dunkin Donuts.

They used personification of the candy to convey the message that other snacks look scary and that the Dunkin Donuts smoothie is not. I rather like this one because it's so simple yet the message is pretty strong.

The next one raises awareness for child abuse I'm assuming. The really small text at the bottom is for a good parenting website so I figured it's something family related.
Either way, I automatically thought allegory because the broken arms and legs symbolizes the idea of abuse. It also has a more moral significance so it's a stronger meaning than a metaphor. Having the child's body be like porcelain and easily broken also helps convey the message much more clearly.

Readings 08.27.10

Type + Image

Language is a systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings through signs having understood meaning. The whole section that we were suppose to read reiterate what was lectured on Friday. I got a better understanding of each rhetoric trope and how to effectively use them. Towards the end, it says that graphic designers "have an ethical responsibility to the audience and should not knowingly create or manipulate signs and symbols to falsely distort truth". That sentence made me more conscious about my signs and how I convey them.

Bonsiepe

In this article, he talks a lot about rhetoric figures. He had three main categories, like syntactic figures, semantic figures, and pragmatic figures. Most of the ones we learned are under the semantic figures. I felt like I have been aware of all these tropes but never really realized it until now, when we are studying more in depth. Especially like irony or when we were doing semiotics with our icons. Everything seems to be falling into place now that I know a lot more than I did when I first started.

Semester Topic Choice

First project of the year! In class yesterday, we listed three topics that we were interested in and I put food/cooking, web design, and something like independent youtube artists...and then we got our assignment. And I rethought things. I learned from past experiences, that too much of a good thing makes its bad so I didn't want to take something that I'm liking right now and revolve, what seems to be, a full semester project around it. So I thought and thought and I ended up with architecture.

I've always been into buildings and the designs of them and it seems like this project would be a good way to get myself more comfortable with it. I researched around and was leaning towards creating a brand based narrative about luxury, beach cottages? But then I found this non profit organization called Architecture for Humanities and got really interested in it. Basically, its an organization with multiple chapters, with one based in KC, that builds various kinds of buildings for humanitarian crisis and brings professional design services to communities in need. Their website has a ton of information on what they do and who and what is involved and I'm really interested in it so that's the path I will follow.

So I guess I will be doing a brand based narrative targeting a new audience. It seems that Architecture for Humanities is kind of targeting everyone right now? I can't find like the general range of people but I'm going to guess like 25 to 50 years old with an architectural background in building or designing. Therefore, I want to aim at an 18 to 30 years old group. The group I have in mind are obviously a bit younger and are still in college. These are the type of people that is really in architectural design and they are more eccentric and lively. They love life and they have a passion for helping out people. Since I'm aiming at "out of high school, into college" age range as well, these are people that are unsure of what to do in life. They are lost and it's my job to be like "you WANT to do this because of how amazing it looks". The person I have in my mind is just an out of college graduate with an architecture degree that has no idea what to do. He/she loves to travel and explore new places. He's from a better financial background than most people. Anything he wanted, he could get. So let's assume he doesn't know the hardship of third world countries and he lives a pretty comfortable life. He is eccentric and "different", "typical" artist I guess. Well kept, maybe has OCD, girls want to be with him, guys want to be him. Yeah...or vice versa if it's a girl. I think I want to keep it attracting to both genders. Um, nicest person ever, kindest heart, naive most would say. Loves children, loves interaction, a people person. Likes to buy average products, occasionally buys name brand things, drives a nice car. Pretty well set I think. But then he likes to get involved in community work. I guess it could also gear towards just out of high school kids and it could be a stepping stone to an interest they have, something to "test the waters".

Hopefully that gives a clear picture of what my target audience is like. Basically it boils down to a group of people not knowing what to do with their lives but they have almost everything in the world and they seem like they would be successful and they just want to do something different. And then they hear about this organization.

Sounds good? :D