J09

      For the Coleman project, I worked with my teammates Audra, Payton and David. I had a wonderful time working each week with them, brainstorming and bouncing ideas off one another. I felt like we were all extremely open and not shy to put any idea on the table when trying to think of a successful product for the Coleman Home Goods line. We knew we wanted a product that would be fit for someone our age, 19-23, who was living in tight quarters and going through some sort of transition in life. We all shared how living in either a dorm or a small apartment can be difficult with storage and on our wallets. I think we all thought something in the kitchen would be Coleman's best transition product, and the first tool that came to mind was the Swiss Army knife. It is an object that many Coleman campers commonly use because it is compact, portable, usable in multiple ways and affordable. After Payton came up with the name, Ustemsils, we knew we could get pretty creative with out product.
        We wanted the packaging to be 100% reusable so we decided to make the top and bottom pieces magnetic hooks that would store our product, and then outer "box" part would be a foldable cutting board. Each package would come with one main "stem" or handle, and 5 separate attachment heads. We brainstormed many different useful kitchen utensil heads, but settled on a ladle/cup measure, sauce spoon, whisk, spatula, and pasta strainer/drainer. Our Kiosk and logo sort of went hand in hand. We changed our logo form a lantern to a house so that Coleman users would still recognize and be familiar with the logo, but realize without the lantern it was the home goods side to the company. Our kiosk had a house shape as well, with branches to represent the light beams, coming off the side where our product was placed on display.
        I decided to take on the role of sketching and pulling the entire project together and creating a Presi. I had the easiest time envisioning the attachment heads and how they would store on the hook which would be attached to the fridge. I drew the spatula, sauce spoon, ladle/cup measure and then a picture of them all togther on a hook hanging. The Presi presentation was my first ever, and although it was extremely cool and way better than powerpoint, it took me quite some time to get used to! I also realized after watching the other presentations there are many more effects I could have used I didn't know about. I am happy I decided to do the presentation on Presi though, because it creates a cleaner, more hi-tech presentation and gives you a lot more creative freedom than a typical powerpoint.

       When we decided we wanted to make the packaging all reusable, I mentioned the hook and cutting board idea and didn't think it would fly. When the group liked it, I was both surprised and pleased! I basically laid out any and all ideas that came to my head, so I think that helped in making the others more comfortable about just saying what they felt. With group projects I feel it works best to keep the environment very comfortable, someone could have a great idea but does not have the nerve to bring it up. I also liked to not let an idea die. If someone brought something to the table, I tried to work with it or rework it until we had something that would be a good contribution to our project. The only thing I think I could have done better is maybe elaborate more on our product. When we finally got it down, we could have talked more about materials, drawn maybe more intricate sketches, and also talked about colors. Other than that, I liked that our group kept it simple yet practical so Coleman users could have an affordable and easy to use home goods product. 

Coleman Presentation - Ustemsils

ustemsils on Prezi

CR 04

The past two weeks in Design 200, we have been working strictly on our Coleman projects. It has been very challenging but also very fun and inspiring. The design our group came up with really got us all excited and brainstorming like crazy. I think we came up with so many ideas we hardly knew what to do with all of them and how to incorporate each one. Once we decided on our final result, at times it was difficult to throw away ideas and stick to the simple ones that we actually needed. I truly like our product and how it relates to a product that Coleman consumers probably already use in the camping world. For me, Coleman is so synonomous with camping and the simplistic nature of the outdoors, that I knew our product had to be similiar to this mindset. Our product the ustemsil, is extremely similar to the Swiss-Army knife. The idea behind the Swiss-Army knife is that within one compact little unit you get multiple uses. That is the same thought process we had with the ustemsil. I liked how my group had the ability to create packaging that reusable and smart, yet still small in size. The Coleman project as a whole has been a fun and intriguing topic. I like that our indoor product has to be transformed for the indoors, yet keep the same audience. Throughout Design 200 we have been learning about product design and how to make things better and how to make packaging reusable; now that we had the opportunity to actually create something with a group was awesome. I think our product is innovative and unique and I am very excited to present it to the class!

J08

Design and the Environment 


I have always been a nature buff. I love to camp, bike, run, hike and do anything outside at all times. When deciding on a major at Ohio State, I always wanted to combine something with the environment. I never knew how much design could have an effect on our earth ecological system. After learning more about nature and how it effects design through the videos we watched in class on biomimicry, I have realized how much these two aspects of art and science can intermix. Although our environment is spuratic and natural, with design we can help create more sustainable products, create a more livable earth, and help the nature that exists flourish. 


Source 1: Landscape Architecture 
http://knowlton.osu.edu/?content=18


The video on this website is the source that I particularly was interested in. Landscape architecture is not simply designing the backyards of wealthy homeowners; it is a sustainable and "green" occupation that helps create highways, cities and park landscapes so that they are more environmental. I was amazed with the work landscape architects do. They design things such as green roofs, which are rooftops on buildings that are made of grass so that the rain collects in the soil and in turn helps keep the building cool while prevents run off. They create highways so the chemicals and residue from cars do not build up in our ecosystem. They design neighborhoods and specifically place trees in areas surrounding the houses that will help save the homeowners energy. Landscape architecture is a specific career that incorporates both the environment and design in every aspect. 


Source 2: Green Design Furniture
http://www.greendesigns.com/

Green design furniture is an awesome company. Not only are their pieces of furniture gorgeous and extremely appealing, they leave a very small environment footprint. They selectively cut the trees they use for their wood so that the rebirth of younger trees is faster and more easier for the forests. They make sure their products are durable and last for generations, yet the design is fairly simple and not extreme so that the style is also timeless. All of their products are derived from reused material and they generate hardly any "waste" in their factories. They care so much about the quality and ecological well being of each one of their products that they produces less than 1,000 pieces of furniture each year. 


Source 3: Design By Nature
http://www.designbynature.org/main.php


Design By Nature is a very unique graphic design firm. They understand that in general, graphic design is not the most eco-friendly specialization. It involves a lot of printing, ink, paper and material waste. Their goal is to make their graphic designs more sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint. They do so by using environmentally responsible paper, reusable packaging and bio-friendly ink. Their company is based in Australia and is the only graphic design firm known in that country. They understand that in today's world, a graphic designer has the capability of designing a well thought out, and creative design, while also using less material, causing less environmental impact and while costing less. If everyone supported this type of idea with graphic design firms, there would be more publicity for going green and more support for designers who understand and care for sustainability and our ecosystem. 




Source 4: Mama's Earth
http://www.mamasearth.com/


Mama's earth is the one of the main "green general stores" on the internet. It provides consumers with all sorts of organic and environmentally safe products. All of their house ware products such as glass plates and bowls are made from 100% recyclable glass, while their linens and bed throws are 100% organic cotton. The more heavy-duty products such as wallets or tote bags are made of all natural hemp. This was the only store online that seemed to have products across the board from kids products to accessories to items for the home. It is affordable and good for the environment. These type of products (shirts, socks, etc..) could be easily bought or produced more affordably for stores such as wal-mart or target, but the design of Mama's Earth products are specifically created to help keep all their inventory more eco-friendly and durable. 


Source 5: Environment Design
http://www.environmentdesign.com/


I thought this company was very cool. Although it may seem childish, I know as a kid I was outside from the early morning until dinner time. I truly believe being in nature as a kid helps you appreciate and care for the outdoors exponentially more than the kids who are stuck inside playing video games. The fact that this company not only creates playgrounds for youngsters that fit in the environment more naturally and comfortably than the stereotypical bright plastic pieces, but they are also made of 100% recyclable materials. Their products can take the wear and tear of the changing seasons' weather, and are able to last up to 15 years longer than the standard leading brand with barely any upkeep. These products not only are safe and reliable, but help teach children how important nature is through imagination and play. 

J07

Wow! My classmates had some very original and cool found letters. I particularly liked David and Erica's letters.  David's descriptions and letters were unique and quirky. I liked that he found letters that were much more difficult (like S) compared to the typical O and T. Erica's were from objects I could have used myself, such as headphones, but did not even think of! Also the way she took the picture, cropped it, and put it in black and white made it really easy to actually see the letter instead of having to look for it within the photograph. When discussing the past few classes, I liked Corey's take on the subject of Girl Talk. I completely agree with her and the fact that Gregg is creating a collage of music from the past. Although he is using other pieces, his work is still innovative and new. Payton's point on copyrights and infringement was interesting when she discussed Michael Jackson's dance moves. To audiences and fans alike, his moves seemed unique and strictly his own. Little did we all know some choreographer actually created them for him and was upset and MJ was getting all the credit. When does the copyrighting battle go too far? It seems like this will remain a difficult and somewhat unanswered question. On the other hand, Audra brought up a great point when comparing plagiarism to copyrighting. If we all think what Girl Talk is doing is allowable, then how come we have to cite so many sources in our papers and can not just copy and paste? But still, I think there is a fine line there. Gregg Gillis is not simply copy and pasting, he is reusing and creating.

RR03

       Cradle to Cradle is such a unique and innovative book that continues to amaze me. To compare what our civilization has done over the past hundred or so years to today environmentally and ecologically is amazing and at times, even disturbing. I liked the point McDonough made about reusing our products. The idea that during the Great Depression and WWI, as a nation humans saved and reused objects such a jars, jugs and aluminum foil. This concept of reusing everyday, ordinary objects seems so far fetched from the plastic and tupperware products we use today. My take is that during the war or the depression we were so concerned about reusing these items because of the thought of saving our dollar. We did not do this because it was environmentally sound, or helped keep the waste in our landfills to a minimum. We did it because a jar made of glass was so expensive, we kept the jar washed it out and reused it instead. Today this concept seems ridiculous. The boom of the industrial revolution made these products much cheaper to produce, it became less profitable to save something compared to buying something new. In this day and age, if something durable, such as a toaster or oven were to break, we would simply throw it "away". I think about this and it makes me sick to my stomach. Why do we all have this backwards way of thinking? Why do we as a society only think about convenience or affordability before the environment? Will our ways of thinking ever change or reverse order?
     Which brings me to my next interesting observation. There is no away. Humans do not have the capability to actually throw their waste somewhere, it must go some place. And the only scary part about all of this waste is not the growing amount of it in the landfills, but rather the valuable material in the landfills that is completely lost. I think the concept of "waste equals food" to be extremely interesting and one hundred percent true. If we are just throwing away products and materials that could easily be turned into something new or refurbished there is no point to just be adding to the already monstrous landfill and creating more. Another fact I found astonishing was the number of chemicals in normal household products. For example McDonough mentioned the television having 4,360 chemicals, some of those chemicals even being toxic. Yet it is amazing to read that innovators as far back as Henry Ford thought to reuse their shipping containers for their product. I was shocked to read that the crates that shipped the Model A trucks became the vehicle's floor boards. How innovative! Especially for his time. Today, only a few producers are just now getting back into the groove of reusing products like Ford did in his shipping equipment. What took so long and why did innovative and ecological design ever stop? The nomadic cultures had it right. Once you use a bit of land, you need to re-cultivate it and let it regrow. They barely ever wasted. Whatever designers or producers create in today's world, needs to somehow be able to give back. It needs to be reused, recreated or refurbished. We need to stop believing that there is a place called "away".

CR03

These past two weeks, I have really enjoyed the material being covered in class. First and for most, I love love loved the Girl Talk video. I thought it was incredibly interesting and so, unbelievably cool. I have been a fan of Girl Talk for awhile now and to see Gregg in his natural environment and teaching his audience how he creates his music and where he gets his ideas from was amazing. On top of that, the whole world of copyrighting and stealing music was a topic that I kind of understood but had always wanted to learn more about. It completely shocked me. All the restrictions put on not only musicians but illustrators and other artists as well is unreal. It seems like in today's society it is nearly impossibly to come up with something original without having to copyright someone else's work. One of my favorite artists, Radiohead, was also brought up in the video. Their album, In Rainbows, was released to the public essentially for free, and consumers were allowed to say how much they wanted to pay for it. I remember "buying" this album and wondering why they would ever do such a thing. After watching this video on copyrights and legal issues within the music business it all makes sense. Both Gregg Gillis and the creator of the video prove a great point, we are all constantly remixing and reworking old pieces of work to recreate something new. The last shocking part of this film for me was the restrictions Disney put on all creations after his own. I was a huge Disney fan, but that type of ownership seems not only unfair but illegal.

Besides the video, the speakers from Design Circle and Cobego were awesome! Even though I am only thinking about minoring in design and they mainly talked about getting through the design major, it was still such a help to hear what they had to say. The most inspiring part for me was actually the fact how many times they changed their mind. I feel like I wake up everyday with a new idea or career path that feels better for me, and when I heard them all talk about how many years it took for them to decide and how many different majors they switched out of I felt a huge feeling of relief. I enjoyed Design Circle's discussion of trying again until you get what you want, and going with your first instinct. The guys from Cobego made me realize your first idea is not always the best and your first instinct may always be wrong. After hearing from these speakers, I feel a lot better (and less stressed) about my decisions within the Design Minor and even with my other academics in school.

J06

Links to 5 sites that specialize in camping equipment:
http://www.coleman.com/
http://www.cabelas.com/
http://www.rei.com/
http://www.theglamcampingcompany.com/
http://www.llbean.com/


3 Images of exhibition/trade show booths from the outdoor and recreational sporting industry:

Links to 5 manufacturers or retailers who specialize in indoor home goods products:

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/

http://www.thegreatindoors.com/

http://www.potterybarn.com/

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/

http://www.kirklands.com/

3 images of trade show / exhibition booths from the indoor home goods market

What is an Indoor Home Good?
-A home good is a product that is not a always a necessity, but an appealing object bought for the home that is functional, fits well within the interior of the home and is sometimes stylish. For example a home good could be a couch, utensils, or a lamp. 


3 Images of Home Goods

A04

H- Found in the fence in the side of my yard.

(lowercase) r- found on a pipe attached to my house in the backyard

Z- Found in the elastic binding to a lounge chair in my front yard

E- Found in a shutter on the back of my house

S- Found in a desk lamp on my computer desk

P- Found in a metal, wire holder for my mother's dishes that are on display

A- Found in a basket in my family room

Y- Found in a huge painting that hangs in our hallway

X- I found this one in the legs to a side table on my back patio

L- This letter is formed by the arm and back to the rocking chair on my front porch

F- I found this letter in the windowpanes to a door on my garage

T- This letter I found on the little lamp that sits on top of our piano. 

V- This last one is simple, and I found it in a tree in my yard!

RR02

In chapter seven of John Heskett's book, Design, I was intrigued by the importance of global design amongst nations throughout the world. We all see items or flags that represent countries or cultures but we never stop to think why is it that this certain product makes me think of the UK? For example, I loved the story on the bright red telephone kiosks. I know I have seen these growing up, and automatically think of London or Paris, but definitely not a city in the United States. Eventually these kiosks got replaced with more efficient, plain glass phone kiosks and the UK became outraged. The nostalgia of the old, red kiosks had held so much symbolism and were some sort of identity for the UK that their disappearance caused an uproar. The original creator of the red kiosk never thought his initial design would hold so much power and identity, but that is magnitude of success design can have. BP's logo change was another fascinating topic. I can remember the old BP logo, and passing it everyday in the middle of my hometown. Yet sometime in the past ten years, the simple image for BP changed to one that involved a little green and yellow sun like design. This was all a move to prove that BP was becoming more "sustainable" and eco-friendly. With the changing times come changing logos, companies will do what they have to do to make consumers believe their products are changing for the better. I think it is so bizarre that I did not even realize the BP logo has changed, yet before I was completely used to the old sign. As a consumer, I had allowed the company to change its look and I have accepted the change in appearance easily.

Cradle to Cradle is already a very intriguing book. Right off the bat I was intrigued by the way he mentioned everything in a common household that is full of toxins and chemicals. Although it made me a little disturbed and uncomfortable to know the chair I was sitting on could be housing many unhealthy ingredients, it was amazing to understand that the materials in our daily lives contain so many unnatural components. Even the "recyclable environmental" carpet had ended up using more energy to create, by forcing odd materials together that normally do not mesh, than the standard "non environmental" carpet. Environmental design in the '70s and '80s was a shocking subject as well. It is funny to think back then the only environmental design known to our culture was adding some solar panels to an already fairly ugly and poorly laid out design. The pages of the book also struck me. Right away I felt how they were thicker and harder to turn. I knew the topic of what they were made from would be brought up, and I was shocked to learn they were more reusable than typical paper from the trees. Their hard, plastic-y feel was actually more sustainable and reusable than the thin, brittle paper we are normally used to.

J05

When going through my peer's blogs this past week, I have noticed many interesting and similar points in all of their responses. Audra brought up a great point when comparing our design lecture to a story she read in her Women's Studies class that was written by a disabled woman. I liked how she realized the design aspects we were learning about in the video to make life easier for disabled people were crucial and necessary for many disabled citizens. I loved how Payton brought up the reusable water bottle. I had almost completely forgot about it! I also loved that design and thought it seemed so straight forward that I was shocked it had taken this long to invent. I agree with Patyon in wondering where all the toxins and dirt go? The water was obviously clean and filtered but the dirt could not possibly just disappear...right? David and I had a lot of similar faces. We both noticed knobs or buttons on objects that could create eyes, drawer type things that pop out of shelves, but many of his faces were so creative! I loved his belt smile, and the washer machine one. I would never think to turn my camera and take a picture sideways, lining it up with the side panel of a doorway to create a smiley. How creative!