sign for "SIGNS"

I've been working on numerous projects the past few weeks. There is one week left before the spring break and I've been spending a lot of time with my projects. They get a lot of my attention. I spoil them with my care. It's not fair to the other ones that need attention, projects that is, not people. I see projects as the best way for me to get to know myself. I see people as influence of thought and emotion.

I recently finished putting together a book for Graphic Design class. It was our first project of the year and we went through three sections begining with typographic systems while reading chapters from Robert Bringhurst's Elements of Typographic Style. Then we drew out concepts from one of the texts that we liked most and explored them typographically. Then finally we chose one concept and executed the passage it as a sequence on eight pages.

This was the text I chose and I spent weeks and weeks absorbed in it.

Language and writing are two different systems of signs;
the only purpose of the latter is to represent the former.
Linguistics is not concerned
with the connection between the written and spoken word–
its sole object is the latter: the spoken word.
But the written word is so closely bound up with the spoken, whose image it is, that it is increasingly arrogating
the main role to itself/
Ultimately the point is reached
where more importance is attached to representation
of the spoken sign than to this sign itself.
It’s like thinking that to know someone,
It is better to look at his photograph than his face.

by Ferdinand de Saussure

This became a personal project. I put myself in it by doing lots of hand writing and exploring it's potential as a spoken word concept. I'll post up the book soon when it's absolutely perfect like I want it to be.

TIG Impact in response to Bruce Mau

I caught Bruce Mau's essay in Walrus magazine back in December when I was still in Toronto.
I didn't buy the magazine but read the majority of the article and knew at some point I'd read it again. I have always been a fan of Mau and his work. I was introduced to him when I attended the Massive Change exhibition at the AGO in my first year of college. I read about him in my History of Graphic Design class and went to the library for both of his over-sized books: Life Styles and S,M,L,XL.
So upon reading that article I felt a true connection to what he had written.

My current project for my Advanced Typography class is to choose an essay relating to design of our choice and write a response to it. We then need to design them both on one page side by side to visually demonstrate the contrast with opposing or amending viewpoints.

I would suggest you read Mau's writing that I've put up here before you read my upcoming response.

38 in....Design

It's been 38 days since I've arrived in Sarasota Florida and have left my viciously frozen home in Toronto Canada.

Things are going well. I've adjusted to the work load—or rather have come to accept it. Ringling can be a good school if you're already on top of your work and come with a good foundation and strong mind to focus and do good work. The projects are very interesting and if you spend a lot of time perfecting your work, you will have a lot to show in the end. The class hours are definitely a lot but they keep you in the work mode constantly and remind you that you just cannot slack off because you have to do your homework for the next day.

I love all of my teachers. I have learned so much with just one month of study here. I've learned many tips on using Dreamweaver CSS, Image Ready Slices and InDesign typesetting, grids and styles that I had already taught myself to a good extent but I was assigned projects where I could explore these skills and apply them accordingly. They classes are designed in a way where you are shown how to do certain technical things and spend time producing work to show you understand how to do something.

I have three projects already completed that I believe are good enough for my portfolio just because I spent alot of time working on them with the tight time line. I will be having a lot more to add to my portfolio once I finish my semester here. It's great.

But don't get me wrong. All I do is homework, every day. Students are demanded to produce work here. If you are not dedicated enough to producing good work, all your work could easily end up as trash. And believe me, it's very easy for that to happen when you constantly have to produce. Your creativity gets sucked out of your brain and you become like your surroundings.

I'm an outsider so I see things differently.

I'll be posting up work along with their descriptions very soon.

Oh, and the AIGA group here is shining. Today we had a meeting and we are going to be going on 4 to 5 field trips around Florida: Orlando, St. Pete, Miami and one more place I forgot. I'm super excited. Unwillingly becoming an AIGA from a writing competition that I was not even eligible to enter because I was not in the US looks like is going to work to my benefit after all.

Brian Collins the Executive Creative Director of Oglivy and Mather Worldwide is speaking tomorrow at the school. He's also agreed to a smaller "meet and greet" later in the day with AIGA members. Let's see how much he talks about branding advertising and corporate culture.

I love how I...

I love how I...

show my surface
and hide what's under;
i'm so shallow
but think i'm deep

look small
but do large;
i think i'm so big
yet i'm nowhere near

look fragile
when i'm unbreakable;
i show strength
but cry inside

appear young
but feel old;
i am mature
yet so juvenile

stay so sure
yet have no idea;
i question myself
but always have plans

who am i anyway?
i haven't a clue so don't ask me;
just blame it on the world's complexity

Time, work, design, brain, overload

Tired
New
Out of place

I've transformed
grown and developed

I'm attached to my computer
to the internet,
emails,
stupid Facebook

I work hard on my projects
but I spend the majority of my time
just sitting in front of my computer
surfing, just surfing, repeating,
read
browse
it's not non-sese but it's not my project!

I love the projects
but I'm draining myself
I heard that if you're going to be any good at what you do
you have to be obsessed

So I am,
but it's also dangerous

Because you get absorbed
Lose sense of other atmospheres

I have so many things to do
all at once
think, design, execute, quantity, quick, fast, produce

I feel like a machine!

Why can I not have more TIME to develop each assignment?
I can't question
need to just do what everyone has to do

Maybe I just don't know how to manage my time
I could be wasting too much of it
Even with not going out or doing anything with any spare time

It's been a month in

I hate to feel like this
feeling like I'm always behind
even when I work hard

It wasn't like this
I used to work hard but do it because I had a lot of time
That way it felt better
I wasn't in a rush
I had my time to breathe, think, SKETCH, then do

I have not been asked to SKETCH anything here
I have an issue with that

Graphic design has transformed
it's become a need for speed and aesthetics
getting the job done
is good?

Please,
I'm in school;
School me!

Full course load (at Ringling) is overload

Florida is nice but my eyes would feel nicer with covers

Adjusting...

It's been a while since I've had a chance to sleep well let alone write. I went to bed at 8 (pm) last night and woke up at 11. Then went to bed again and woke up at 8. So, that shows you how fatigued my body is. I think I'm adjusted finally and I've realized that all I can do with time is spend it doing work. I don't have a choice to work or not work because if I choose not to, I'll be behind. I'm doing my best to produce good work while I'm here. I always put a lot into every project I do, however doing that here at Ringling is like suicide. You just don't have enough time to make everything just like you want it. Well you do, but it means you can't go out, can't waste time and can't relax. It's not quite what I expected coming down here to Florida for the winter.

Everyone up north is totally jealous of me right now. I would be too. But, hey, being me down here while I'm in school doesn't mean party party. To me it means, I'm in my third year trying to make some good pieces to put in my portfolio. It all comes down to being a designer. You need to make your project your baby. That's your mission. Own your work. Work hard and take advantage of the fact that you're not designing for a client but you have the freedom to be creative, experimental and free with what you create. It's for you, not for anyone else.

I like it here. I like the classes. I think it took me a couple weeks to adjust to the new environment. I take back what I said about the "not learning as much as I would if I were at OCAD" comment I made in my last post. I've already learnt a lot within the short three week period that I've been down here. Maybe it's due to the school hours and the fact that we meet twice a week. Maybe it's because we're expected to do a lot of work here. Maybe it's because I'm growing as a designer and you learn more as you grow.

I'm very happy with all the teachers. I think they're great. I have nothing negative to say. They all know their stuff. They're cool people. There's good projects that you can put right in your portfolio if you work hard on them and make them look good. Lots of potential here if you're a hard worker.

Today we had an AIGA (a Student Group meeting. I'm a member of the AIGA because I was forced to become one when I wanted to enter one of their writing competitions. Then I was told that I couldn't enter due to the fact that I don't live in the US. So my writing wasn't even eligible and... I paid $75. I just left it and didn't bother getting a refund and just thought that maybe I'll get something out of being a member. So now that I'm down here, I can actually use that membership.
We discussed some of the things we can do with the group, planning potential dates to visit studios and events. It was our first meeting but I think if enough people show to each one, we can actually get it going and start going to places, which should be really fun. We don't have anything like that up in Toronto so I'm glad I can somehow join some group here, even though I have so little time.

I went to a Native American pow wow last weekend with my roommate Sarah. It was pretty interesting. I got a chance to just hang out with her and we had a great time. Later we went out with a couple of her good friends to a Thai restaurant and I really enjoyed that as well. I like meeting people outside of school. It takes you away from your daily schedule and you talk about subjects totally unrelated to design. I'm also starting to get used to the kids at school. Hopefully I'll get a chance to hang out. It's so great not having a car. You become handicapped. I like being handicapped because I like to stay home and work. Maybe because I've already been doing that before I got here, so it doesn't feel like I'm handicapped. The only difference is that I chose to lock myself and not relax, but here it's really not a choice. Not having a car really limits you with what you can do and where you can go and when you can go. I've never had an urge to get my license because I just love the Toronto Transit (See my Typography project last semester on redesigning the map and logo) I never needed to get a car, now I realize how important it is when you're in city's like Sarasota, or pretty much anywhere else that's not a metropolitan city. First thing on my TO DO list when I go back home: GET LICENSE AND LEARN HOW TO DRIVE!

Ringling vs. OCAD

Things I like about being at Ringling:

- weather!
- the pretty and luxurious campus
- laser color printers in labs with money in account
- the various types of paper you can choose to print on
- having studio classes where you make websites
- the IT department and their services including communications
- having web-space and network easily accessible
- great use of labs and G5s with classrooms
- cafeteria, dining hall
- library: one of the best I've seen with amazing art and design book collections
- class dynamic, more exciting people with a lot to say (very good, but to an extent)
-studio web-design classes (not at the level I was expecting however)
- Chinese culture class: I am loving this course! It's a liberal studies but small scale, not in a lecture hall


Things I like about being at OCAD:

- Toronto! Downtown! Culture! City life! Diversity!
- Having briefs that clearly outline projects, due dates, requirements, specs, marking breakdown,
- Teacher feedbacks, one on ones
- Once a week classes rather than TWO!
- Longer time to develop ideas, concepts and design: focus on process
- THINK TANK! I love Keith, Lewis and Bruce etc... teachers that change your life, make you see a new light, inspire you, break you away from anything you ever knew
- Typography classes
- The Advertising crowd, I miss you kids! There's no ad department here.
- Teachers in general (even though I have two web classes which I haven't had at all at OCAD, I still prefer OCAD education) this is still undecided but I'm sure all the teachers will help me a lot and I will learn from every single class I have at Ringling. But OCAD has some very amazing teachers with very high level of teaching and background that will have significant impact on your development as designers and thinkers. I'm not saying I don't like the teachers here, but judging from the full course load that I have here versus the full course load that I would have had at OCAD, I know I would have definitely learnt a lot more at OCAD and used my brain a lot more and felt more like an intellectual than just a designer that has to constantly produce without even having time to think.
- Creative, conceptual projects
- Doing something for a cause, being more than just "designers" but rather thinkers.
- I actually enjoyed that Research class, I don't know about all you other OCAD kids, but that Research and Methodologies class really makes you see how how important it is to know how to write and read and research and present. I liked how that class proved me that I am more than just someone who can make things look pretty to look at. I am a problem solver. We all are, we just need to spend time figuring out what the problem is and take more time to figure out how to solve it with exploring many solutions.
- I enjoy that there is more time to do your projects and having less projects per semester. I don't think as a student you should feel overwhelmed as soon as you are assigned a project. OCAD is less demanding in time sense, slower paced and a lot more focused on quality than quantity. I think portfolio pieces are important and need more time than one week for great layouts and concepts. Three or 4 projects per semester sound about right to me. At least I can breathe, think, design and not produce crap that I'll just want to get over with and never see again.
-Graphic Design curriculum is a lot different than Graphic and Interactive Communication curriculum. I thought I'd come here for some really advanced web design, which is very basic for me, leaving me with more knowledge than my classmates in my web design classes, which is something I really did not expect. I am not complaining though, I enjoy having classes that are only for web design and again I am sure I will be learning tricks here and there that I did not know before. I already have. However, I'm more about concept, cause and impact. Those are things I want to develop upon more and more while I'm a student. Fourth year is going to be awesome. OCAD I'm ready for ya!
-Oh yea, OCAD kids, don't complain about the laptop program. Get a little more money from OSAP (the government) and pay it back. It's really well worth it, compared to more than double your tuition in the States, and a good education on top of it. Use it effectively, be wise and don't complain. Yea, we could be better, but so could other schools, in different ways. Laptops are a genius idea. Well worth the few extra grands. Who doesn't love their powerbooks and notebooks that they can take anywhere with fonts and software?
More to come, hopefully more likes about Ringling.