One of the points he made was about being happy while you are designing. This seems obvious, but I have found that while I am stressed out working on certain projects I sometimes forget to enjoy what I am doing rather then just trying to get it done like a normal assignment. Our coursework is much different then a typical assignment for a class and should be much more enjoyable. I am going to try harder to take a moment to remember how much I like what I am doing; not only will this help me get what I need done, but will also greatly benefit the outcome of my projects. He also mentioned how beneficial working without distractions is, being happy while I am designing will definitely take away a stress distraction.
He also talked about how important it is to incorporate variation into your designs. He mentioned tools and techniques; I need to expand my horizons and follow this advice. I really want to become more comfortable with photoshop and bringing myself out of my element to give me more experience.
I really liked two things he said;
"Everything I do always comes back to me"
"Having guts always works out for me"
I also listened to JJ Abrams talk. This was especially enjoyable for me because I am a die hard LOST fan and have been watching it from the beginning. As much as I have talked about the show with friends I loved the insight on what the producers put into their ideas for the show. He showed a clip from the pilot to make a point about how far technology has come. He said, "If we would have wanted to do this 20 years ago we would have had to kill a stunt man." He was making a point about how far technology has come; he said people have to know they have the potential to make anything. He then related it to another topic he covered; he said that the blank page is like a magic box. Abrams talked about how much he loved and learned from his grandfather. He loved to take things apart to see how they were designed. He has also had a mystery magic box for years and has kept it unopened because he loves what it represents. It not only reminds him of his grandfather but also the infinite possibilities it holds, potential, and hope.
Paula Scher's video was also very inspiring. The most important thing I took from this talk was about how sometimes its best to not know absolutely everything about a new project or concept because you will have too many preconceived conceptions about what you're suppose to produce. May be best to be "unqualified." She talked about how it may not always be the best way to go by always doing what is expected. I was really interested on her work for the New York Public Theatre identity. What a great opportunity to be the "visual voice" for the place without a format or an in house department she would need to work with. She used it as an example of serious play because she was able express herself and grow from it. But it was interesting to hear about how popular it became and how it was copied by other organizations forcing her to re-create an identity. I'm curious if there would have been anyway to protect her work with copyrights?
The How Good is Good reading raised a lot of valid points about the potential of good design. Sagmeister wrote about how he wants a part of his studio to focus on doing designs for significant reasons opposed to just doing cool things. He also talked about how strong designs for bad causes can be very harmful. Some of the important points he brought up for good design for good causes were that it can unify, help us remember, raise money, inform and teach, and lastly make people feel better. After watching Sagmesiter's talk and reading his article it is no surprise that he is popular in the design world. Even with all of his success he seems down to earth and has the desire to help others through his work and by being a teacher himself.
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