I walked into the room and was immediate struck by the enormity and completeness of the exhibit condensed into one space. At first I wondered why it wasn’t spaced out into several rooms, but the effect was exactly what I think they’d envisioned. It wasn’t about any particular individual piece, but about the idea as a whole (though I did have some favorites). Presenting the pieces all together allowed me to jump from piece to piece and notice the similarities between them. So many different styles were used, from illustration, photography, drawing, typographical – yet none of them felt out of place.

From the Tate Modern website:

The ideals and illusions of the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union are reflected in this display of street posters.

“Ten Days that Shook the World” was how the American journalist John Reed described the 1917 October Revolution. The disasters of the First World War had led to the collapse of the Tsar’s autocracy. Promising peace and the re-distribution of land, Lenin’s Bolshevik Party seized power. Supported by militant soldiers, workers and peasants, they declared the world’s first Communist state.

To win support for their ideas, the Bolsheviks took control of the printing presses. Despite a shortage of supplies and equipment, they rapidly produced newspapers, leaflets and posters. This proliferation of colourful propaganda posters transformed towns and cities, creating a street art available to all. The continual renewal of images, as well as multiple copies pasted up together, reinforced the fundamental messages of communal power and solidarity. Lenin and the Bolshevik leaders were portrayed as heroically unifying, while their enemies in the Civil War were reviled.

After Stalin became leader in 1927, the propaganda machine promoted the collectivisation of land and the drive for industrialisation, oblivious to the terrible hardships caused by these policies. Stalin’s benevolent image was everywhere, but it barely masked the terror of the show-trials and executions that blighted the 1930s. The revolutionary fervour conveyed through the early posters now enforced a repressive dictatorship.

The ideas and illusions conveyed in these posters were far from reality. However, the posters themselves became part of the texture of everyday life in the Soviet Union, and reflect the officially approved history as it was experienced by its citizens.

The posters featured the color red prominently, reinforcing the influence and power of “The Red Army”.

As a form of street art, these posters were designed to engage everyday citizens with powerful imagery and cultivate a certain perception of political leaders. The last decade or so has seen a resurgence of this style both for political propaganda and general art inspiration. What makes this form of art so powerful (if done correctly) is that you are influenced by it regardless of whether you know its purpose. It has both a psychological effect from repetition and consistency, and it transforms people and ideas into icons. Grassroots movements love icons, as they give supporters something visual and memorable to identify with. And there’s no denying that designers and artists love icons. Political propaganda is a communication artform, there’s no reason it needs to be crappy. In fact, there’s myriad reasons why it should be thoughtfully considered.

If you happen to be in London in the near future, be sure to stop by the Tate Modern. It won’t disappoint.

Obama posters (1 & 2) by Shepard Fairey

While browsing my netflix queue of standup comedy earlier this week, I got to thinking about how a comedian’s and a web designer’s job are similar on many different levels. Not only are both “artists” within a creative field, but they both require a certain level of communication finesse. It’s from these communication elements that parallels can really be drawn.

The Audience

Comedians are acutely aware of the audience to which they’re communicating. They have one job to do – entertain the group. It doesn’t matter if a routine has the funniest and most innovative humor in the world if the audience doesn’t appreciate it. It’s in a comic’s best interest to taylor their routine to specific venues and to constantly be adjusting it on the fly based on the audience’s reactions. Likewise, web designers must know their audience from the very beginning of a project. Who will be viewing or using this site? What do they appreciate and need the most? Delivering the best and most effective result requires researching your audience and communicating with them on their level. Plan for adjustments along the way to keep the site focused on what’s working with the audience, and eliminiate what isn’t working.

The Setup

The Comedy and Humor Blog has a perfect description of this element:

“This is the beginning of the joke. This is where you gain the audience’s trust. It’s just something that the punchline has to breathe off of. You couldn’t just walk onstage and say punchlines. The audience would think you were crazy. For some people, the least number of words you can get in your set-up, the better. If you can take your set-up and whittle it down by three words and still get the same or better response, you should do it. Sure, it means the joke will take up less time, but it will also allow for a quicker route to the punchline, which will set up a quicker response. The whole problem is that people, if the set-up is too long, may forget what you’re talking about before you get to the punchline. And that’s not good for comedy. However, the set-up is definitely relevant and it needs to be there for every joke.”

This relates to web design in so many ways. For example, take a website where the goal is to promote and sell a product. A person won’t simply buy the product because you tell them it’s the best solution for their needs. Earning a customer’s trust will go a long way towards making them feel comfortable about a purchase. The site should answer their questions and allow them to make the decision on their own. Logical content presented in a clever way will keep them engaged and hold their attention. Furthermore, concise content will get them to that decision faster. Eliminate distractions and simplify. People have limited attention spans and if they have to wait through your overly long setup in order to reach the punchline, you’re likely to lose a conversion.

Delivery

Delivery of the message can be nearly as important as the message itself. Some comedians are spectacular at delivering their jokes – they tell interesting stories that connect with and entertain their listeners all the while leading up to the punchline. Their uniqueness of delivery gives them identity as well and defines their style of comedy (think Demetri Martin, Mitch Hedberg, Dave Chappelle). It immerses the audience in the experience so that they’re pleasantly surprised when the punchline is dropped on them. Even if the punchline is a bit weak, a strong delivery will help give it credibility. The audience feels like they should laugh because they’ve been entertained up until that point. A smart audience may feel betrayed by this, so the punchline should at least be as good as the delivery.

A user’s desired actions on a website should be supported by a strong delivery. Engaging, educational content presented in the right format will help the user feel like they are receiving something in return for the time they’re spending. Even if they leave the site, they’re more likely to return later because they remember the positive, useful experience. Whether it’s deciding between flash/html, mobile site/mobile app, or testimonial videos/case studies, the right means of delivering messages and presenting content should be used to enhance (or at least, not detract from) the experience. This creates credibility and shows that you know how to make good decisions regarding your users.

The Punchline

A joke is not a joke without a punchline. It’s what gives the joke a conclusion and draws the biggest response from the audience, releasing the built-up tension from the set-up. All the other elements of the joke exist to support the punchline. Various techniques exist for making the punchline as impactful as possible, such as careful placement of wording and the language used. A punchline also gives a certain joke an identity – it’s what you really remember when you’re trying to repeat the joke to someone else later on. You can improvise the set-up, even make up your own as it makes sense, but the punchline will always stay the same.

Not every website has as distinct of a “punchline” as others. Obviously, the punchline of a sales site is to present you with the option to buy the product. It’s strong and inviting, and your natural inclination will be to say yes (laugh) if the setup and delivery were of quality. But really, every site should have a goal in mind for it’s users. Whether it’s getting them to read more articles, download a sample of something, or learn about what your company’s capabilities, that goal is the punchline and it’s what you want to achieve most effectively. All the elements of your site should exist to support your most important goals first. Conversely, a site without a clear goal is simply a waste of time – it’s like sitting through a joke with no end or purpose.

Conclusion

People in creative fields really are very similar to one another. We can all learn from and apply each other’s most effective communication techniques. From this, new insight is generated and fresh styles and methods of communication are born.

Cool Infographics blog has a nice article about this trend that’s picked up over the last year or two. I’m impressed by the variety of different infographic styles that people have come up with, and some even contain humorous bits about the individual’s life history. It’s definitely refreshing to have influential life milestones woven into the employment timeline, as it provides additional context for career development and helps mitigate some of the stuffiness that can plague a formal resume. Especially in a creative field, influences and job compatibility can come from any number of outside sources, and work experience isn’t necessary indicative of a good potential hire. This style of resume provides the opportunity to integrate relevant life experiences and training in a way that would seem out of place in a normal format.

Michael Anderson’s infographic resume is one of the original concepts, and has influenced many subsequent unsuccessful attempts to duplicate the style

I have to admit, however, that I’m a bit disappointed at most of the efforts I’ve seen so far. Many only serve to complicate the information they present, trying to cram a certain type of data into a less-than-ideal representation. That’s ok if you’re simply using the graphic as accompaniment to a standard resume, but if you’re trying to do something new, it needs to be a step forward in communication, not a step backward. Think long and hard about what data you really want to present, and then think about the best and simplest way to communicate that information visually.

I like the way this graphic serves to enhance the more traditional presentation above it. The top information is very digestible, while the timeline below gives that information additional context. Colors are used well, and the 3d timeline adds just the right amount of eye candy.

Some of the problem lies in the fact that many try to cram too much information into one graphic, leading to a large cluster#$@% of information. Different colors, lines, and captions are scattered everywhere, and it’s really hard to distinguish the relationships between these datasets. I’d rather see them as individual graphs, labeled with distinct comparisons and relationships that the designer wants to make sure I understand. The appropriate type of graph should be used to convey the associated information most effectively.

I’m not a fan of the “subway map” style resumes. The format doesn’t effectively communicate any chronological or quantifiable information, and the angled text makes reading very difficult.

A simple search on flickr brings up a lot of examples of what people have done. Check them out, and pay attention to whether or not the graphic is actually effective at communicating the applicant’s important information. Do you look at it and know where to start? Are you led through the graphic in a logical way? Is the information being presented actually enhanced by the graphic, or would it be better served as a simple traditional resume? Could the information be separated out into smaller graphics to improve comprehension?

He’s one of the only arists I know that use Corel Painter for a majority of work, which just goes to show that Photoshop isn’t the only player in the game. I tried using Corel Painter awhile back and it just seemed quite a bit less polished and intuitive than I was used to. Granted, it caters to a bit different audience. He also uses Zbrush for 3d figures and manipulation. One of his signature techniques seems to be taking a shape/pattern/image of some sort and creating a brush out of it, which is then painted and manipulated into flowing strokes and wrapped textures.

Conceptually, it kind of reminds me of a photo mosaic. If you zoom in really close, you’ll see a whole lot of attention to detail that is interesting in itself – nearly every object in the piece is covered with painted textures of geometric shapes or flowing lines or some other detail. But the main image only really becomes apparent when you step back and view it as a whole. I’d love to have a massive detailed print of his covering a wall of my office – so much detail to explore.

Another interesting aspect of Jones’ work is the live music and live performance components. He creates entire pieces live in front of audiences using a tablet strapped around his body. It’s very fascinating to watch – you get to see exactly how he works and the process he uses, though how he achieves the final result is still magic. Music and art have always gone hand in hand, and we’re seeing more and more of the two being presented live simultaneously. You might catch him performing live art at a dj set, or melting faces as part of Phadroid, a combination of live painting and dance that aims to create a “physical and visual audio state of synaesthesia”. The visuals are very stimulating, and will no doubt continue to get even better and more absorbing the medium matures.

See more of Jones’ work at his portfolio.

All images © Andrew Jones.

Since I’ve been exploring origami lately, I wanted to do a photography piece that incorporated an origami prop of some sort. One of the reasons I like paperfolding is that you start with one square of paper and wind up with something incredibly different and more complex. You can really create anything out of nothing. Before I even knew exactly what I was going to create, I had decided to title the piece “Imagination” to reflect this quality. You can create anything in your mind using your imagination, and it really is the best “toy” a person can have.

Initially, my idea was to fold a paper boat that was floating in a puddle. I actually went through the process of hand-making the double-sided tissue folding paper (really nice to work with) and folding the model to use. I liked the model, but part of me wanted it to look more impressive, even though it had sails and everything. I started photographing it in several scenarios but wasn’t getting anything I was happy with because I wanted to control the lighting more. It also didn’t just float in the water because it was so topheavy, I had to rig up this suspension device that was pretty hack. At least it will make a nice shelf display piece…

In the end, I decided to scrap the boat idea and go with a bird theme instead. I really wanted to try my hand at folding a complex crane based on Robert Lang’s Dancing Crane, and I had on hand a really classy-looking birdcage from a rummage sale. The plan was to stage the bird on the open birdcage, like it had just escaped and was being set free. Like freeing your mind and imagination to explore unhindered.

Rather than folding from double-tissue paper, I used tracing paper which also works really well and gave the wings a translucent quality. Tracing paper holds a crease really well, and the final model holds its shape nicely after the shaping process. The whole thing took over 6 hours to fold. It wasn’t perfect but it was the hardest model I’ve folded yet and it was great for what I needed it to be.

After it was done, I staged up the birdcage and lighting, and rigged the bird to be standing on the lip of the birdcage. In retrospect, I wish I had made the bird facing the other direction to have more of an “escaping” feeling, though the way I set it up had a nice “conquering” feeling about it. I was also concerned that people wouldn’t be able to recognize it as a birdcage, but it’s all I had to work with.

My favorite photo of the shoot was taken into photoshop for photomanipulation, touching up, beautifying, adding texture, tweaking lighting, etc. When the final piece was ready, I made a fine art print on Photo Rag paper, which has really nice rich, deep tones, and treated it with UV protectant. The print was matted and framed, and the model mounted to a small handmade stand. Though having the model present at the exhibition wasn’t necessary, I felt it gave extra legitimacy to the piece. People could see it up close and touch it if they liked.

The photo was to be the main conceptual piece, with the model created to be a prop. I didn’t intend the focus to be on the complexity of the model itself, but rather combine two art forms into a pleasing concept. It would be interesting to expand this concept with the bird into several pieces, showing it evolving and taking shape, and breaking free from its cage.

Overall, the show went really well with over 350 people coming through. I got to meet some people I’ve been looking forward to meeting for a while and show alongside my friends Nathan Shinkle and Aaron Scamihorn. The show is still up until December 22 at Gallery 924. There are some amazing pieces displayed – stop by if you haven’t yet and you might find a piece you want to take home! To everyone that came through on opening night, thanks for supporting the art community!

When I get back from a photo shoot, the first thing I want to do is load up the photos on the computer and take a look at them, and start editing. I don’t want to worry about backing up my files or organizing them perfectly yet, I just want to get to work. If you shoot in RAW most of the time, and these large files aren’t delivered to the client, why not archive them right away when you bring them in from your camera cards? It’s always good to keep these files around as backups in case your finished JPEGs get lost or damaged. Plus, you never know if you’ll revisit some of those photos a year or two later because you learned a new trick or gotten better at editing. In that case, it’s always nice to have a clean slate to work with. I’ve set up a folder on my internal backup storage drive called “Archived RAW photos” where I dump all the raw files all into a single folder labeled with the date and project upon import.

Lightroom makes working with batches of RAW files both extremely fast and non-destructive, and I just do my editing right from the archive. Rather than importing every single photo into one catalog in Lightroom (which can get slow and cumbersome), I create a separate catalog for each project and then place it into a “cat” folder alongside the RAW photos. Once my photos are imported into that catalog, the basic editing begins. I like to get the photos to a sort of “baseline” level in Lightroom with color correction and levels adjustments first. While I’m editing, I’ll mark my favorites with a red label and other ones I like with a yellow label. This helps to sort the images so I’m only exporting the ones I want to deliver.

Once complete, the photos are exported my projects folder and labeled with the date and name of shoot. I can then take these photos and continue processing them individually or batch in Photoshop, where my creative vision isn’t limited by available tools. If there are any especially outstanding photos, I’ll place copies of them in a “Portfolio” folder where I can have quick access to my best work. The simple goal at the end is to have the RAW files backed up in a place where they won’t be touched, and the final JPEG files neatly catalogued in my photo projects folder where they are easy to find and share, without any extraneous files scattered about. This is especially useful when it comes time to backup your computer or find a shot from a specific shoot.

I guess this method of organization could be considered somewhat old-school… Programs like lightroom have built-in ways of tagging and organizing your photos for you. I find these systems inconsistent and untrustworthy – what happens when you lose all that information? Much like what happens when your iTunes library has to be redone, you lose all that hard work and time you spent organizing and tagging, etc. A logical and optimized system of folders is pretty bulletproof, and won’t change with new software or operating sytems.

Anyone else use lightroom for processing photos? What does your workflow look like – do you only use one catalog? Any other simple systems out there you’ve come up with?

More on organizational systems for designers in a future article.

Those of you who know me probably recognize the name “SeventhSTR1NG” from somewhere. It’s been my alias for years now on various internet locales, but I’d never thought of incorporating it in my design work. Maybe because it seemed too imperfect, too ambiguous, too lacking of some clever design metaphor or pun. And why is there a 1 in there anyway? That may or may not have something to do with the fact that SeventhSTRING was already taken by someone on AIM like 6 years ago. Such is life. I even briefly contemplated changing myself to something like “ntrospekt” (which was promptly made fun of by my peers). People don’t like unnecessary change. So rather than wringing my brain for more hours on end on how I could perfectly brand myself, I just decided to roll with it. It really didn’t even matter. What did matter was that I was wasting valuable time that could have been spent creating new content and evolving my space on the web.

Enter the new SeventhSTR1NG.com, my new home on the web to display my design and photography work and share interesting or relevant thoughts with those who would care to hear. Surprisingly, after looking at it for months, I’m not sick of it yet, which is a good sign. Off and on over the past 6 months or so I’ve been toying with my new site, and it’s actually been a very enjoyable process. I’ve learned a lot about wordpress and got to really dig into some fun web development because I could experiment with whatever I wanted. I’m not by trade a web developer – I spend a majority of my time as a designer online and offline. But the two are so interconnected nowadays; It’s almost a must that designers have a continually growing knowledge of coding. It can only benefit you in the long run.

I wanted to do something a little bit different than the usual design blog, something that was simple and uncluttered and polished, but not boring. Most of all, I just wanted something fun that would hold my interest and I could continue to build on. Among the things I’ve chosen to incorporate are a custom image for all blog posts, a simple custom sharing button, a branded URL shortener (str1ng.me), a flickr feed on both the design and photo pages for single portfolio pieces, Custom post types for articles, photosets, & inspiration posts, a music player to share some tunes I’m into at any given time, and other behind-the-scenes stuff. There are plans for other things too in the next revision, like an improved jukebox that doesn’t have a perma-broke scrollbar (not my fault…), more custom post types, and whatever else tickles my fancy. There’s still optimization to be done, so if you have any feedback for me, I’d love some comments! If anything is broken, let me know.

Oh, and I made no attempt to try to get things to work in IE6.