Yooky's Ironman

Here is the design Yooky Min created in Entertainment Design with Jeff Aguila that got her to the semi-finals in the 38th Annual Key Art Awards. I really like the glow.

Congratulations again, Yooky!

Jon Stewart on Font Choice

Elizabeth Edwards was on The Daily Show last night and the six minute excerpt is here. In the first minute, Jon Stewart comments on the font choice of her book design. I agreed with his analysis.

Paula Scher and High School Essays

Design by Paula Scher

I'm not a fan of using quotations, generally. The former English teacher in me believes that adding a quotation is a little bit like starting an essay with the dictionary definition of love, or whatever. I feel like it's akin to stock photography in design, a piece you don't own in your own work.

To clarify, for any fifteen year-old working on a paper who may be reading this blog (okay, the odds are low, but I can dream, as that's a fun demographic), I'm not talking about quotations that support an argument. You've got to have those. I'm talking about decoration, or a place to start when you don't know where to start and so you let someone else's words do it for you.

I suppose I can concede that there is a universality to quotations, that it is nice way to get outside voices to support your claim and to use those famous names as a sort of education. Like someone may think, Who's that? They must be important if they're quoted here. I think I'll Google them...

This relates to Paula Scher because I was asked to find a quotation for a new brochure we're working on. I went looking for something that came out of her mouth or pen or keyboard or whatever, because I like her populist ways and design.

Here are three things she said that I like:

“Be culturally literate, because if you don't have any understanding of the world you live in and the culture you live in, you're not going to express anything to anybody else.”

“It took me a few seconds to draw it, but it took me 34 years to learn how to draw it in a few seconds.”

"The thing that's most to be feared, is doing the same thing over and over again."

Also, in the course of this research, I found this inspiring albeit brief article about Paula.

I suppose this post is full of mixed messages: Don't use quotations! Here are three quotations!

Ah, such is life.

I Wish Ralph Goldstein Was My Grandpa

Not that I don't love my living and dead grandpas, because I do. But there is something so warm and lovely about this man. Also, more relevant here, he's an awesome jewelry instructor with a long history of jewelry design and making.

He teaches in the winter and spring quarters at UCLA Extension.

Also, the filming and all post production was done by Brian Bell, often in his spare time, and the music was done by Don Garbe and Jon Saxon.

No stock photography! Let that philosophy live on in all your creative endeavors.

Congratulations and Fingers Crossed!

Jeff Aguila emailed to let us know a DCA certificate student, Yooky Min, who took Entertainment Design with him this past winter, is a semi-finalist in the 38th Annual Key Art Awards!

Congratulations Yooky and Congratulations Jeff!

I'll try and get the image to share... The reception is tonight, so maybe we'll have more good news tomorrow.

Title Design by James Fish

James made the titles for a short film called Walter Ate A Peanut. Until May 21, it is being considered by The National Film Board of Canada, in association with the Cannes Short Film Corner. Votes are being counted on YouTube, although after having searched the site for a place to vote, I'm not exactly sure how. Let me know if you figure it out.

I'm not going to embed the video, because then it's too small to see his work. Check it out here.

Steve Jobs Talks About Paul Rand

Steve explains how Paul (yeah, I'm feeling a first-name basis here) solves design problems. He also calls Paul "a gem" with a "heart of gold" which sounds sort of grandfatherly.