Digging Deeper: review

I chose to review Jenna Hammond's infographic on Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. 

I was first drawn to this infographic because of the color palette, I like that she didn't go with the typical forest greens that one would expect on an infographic on this topic. 

Jenna's infographic had lots of information on the topic, but the fact that resonated most with me was that scientists estimate that within 100 years, there will be no rainforests, which is startling because of how much we depend on the rainforests for little things that people don't usually think about. 

This is supported by the other facts that Jenna includes, like the fact that 1/4 of the western medicine used today comes from the Amazon, which is something we take for granted. Without the rainforests, where would we source these ingredients from? 

This infographic is inspiring in that it makes me want to learn what steps I can take to reduce the problem, since so many people and animals alike all depend so deeply on the rainforests. 

Digging Deeper: Thesis Statement

In the year 2015, 42 percent of Americans reported experiencing mental health related symptoms of stress. Those who struggle with stress management need simple, everyday remedies in order to keep stress levels down. Drinking tea is a natural way to relieve stress and anxiety, along with it's many other health benefits.


SOURCES:

http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2015/snapshot.aspx

https://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/green-tea-can-relieve-stress/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/6015821/A-cup-of-tea-really-can-help-reduce-stress-at-times-of-crisis-claim-scientists.html

http://www.teausa.com/14655/tea-fact-sheethttp://www.teausa.com/14655/tea-fact-sheet

https://www.tea.co.uk/health

Ettore Sottsass

Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck, Austria in 1917, but he grew up in Milan, Italy. He was friends with many great artists such as Picasso and Hemingway, and his designs are intensely unique. His works are, for the most part, geometric, and although they are seemingly shallow, Sottsass was known for creating strong emotional reactions in the viewers of his designs through his use of color, shape, and material. Sottsass once stated, "When I began designing machines I also began to think that these objects, which sit next to each other and around people, can influence not only the physical conditions but also emotions. They can touch the nerves, the blood, the muscles, the eyes, and the moods of people." 

In 1980, Sottsass ran an extremely popular design consulting firm called Sottsass Associati, which hired architects, interior designers, industrial designers, and furniture designers. Sottsass Associati is still active today and is based out of London and Milan. 

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/may/18/ettore-sottsass-review-godfather-italian-cool-memphis-collective
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ettore-sottsass-designer-dossier-176806

Pentagram's Abbott Miller: "Branding Has Become Oppressive"

Abbot Miller, a partner at Pentagram Design, believes that design is about telling a story and creating narratives. He has made books for photographers like Ansel Adams and and artists like Matthew Barney, which he described as "movies you hold in your hand." He has designed exhibition spaces which he thinks of as "a room with a plot." When asked how the graphic design industry has changed since Miller began his career, he stated that the importance of design has grown, and graphic designers no longer have to argue the importance of appearance and branding to their clients. 

"As 'Brand' colonizes more and more experiences and places, you get a zombie-like effect, a placelessness and overdetermined experiences."

Miller stated that he believes that branding has become "oppressive," and that he prefers the term "identity" to "brand." This is because he believes identities are more about a sense of personality and sensibility and can be more muted, whereas brands can sometimes become smothering.

When asked about his creative process, Abbott Miller stated that he always starts by immersing himself in the material, that way he can respond in a way that is informed by the content. He then likes to be extremely collaborative with his team and believes in the social aspect of design.

http://www.fastcodesign.com/3035300/pentagrams-abbott-miller-branding-has-become-oppressive/3

The Letter, Text, and the Grid

What are the advantages of having a multiple column grid? 

Multicolumn grids are more flexible than a single-column grid, and become more and more flexible with each column. This flexibility can help the designer to articulate the hierarchy of each element in a publication by creating different zones for different things. Text and images can span a single column or they can spread out through multiple, and not every inch of space has to be occupied. 

How many characters is optimal for line length? Words per line?

45-75 characters is optimal for line length, or about 12 words per line.
Why is the baseline grid used in design?

Baseline grids serve to anchor the layout elements and create a common rhythm. 

What are reasons to set type justified? ragged (unjustified)?

Justified text creates a clean shape on the page and uses the space efficiently, but sometimes ugly gaps can occur within the lines, so designers have to be careful to use a line length that is long enough in relation to the size of the type. Ragged text (unjustified text), respects the organic flow of language and avoids the uneven spaces that can sometimes happen when using justified text.
What is a typographic river?

In typography, rivers of white, are gaps in typesetting, which appear to run through a paragraph of text, due to a coincidental alignment of spaces.

What does clothesline, hang-line, or flow line mean?

A "hang-line" is a line that divides the page horizontally and becomes a place for body text to "hang" from. Elements within the publication will gravitate towards this line and provide internal structure for the page.  

What does type color/texture mean?

Type color/texture refers to the space between letters, words, and lines of text as well as the weight of the font. Typographic color can be used to control the hierarchy of the text.
How does x-height effect type color?

Typefaces with larger x-heights (such as verdana) help reduce type color and make by making large bodies of text less dense and therefore easier to read. 
What are some ways to indicate a new paragraph? Are there any rules?

Using an indent accompanied by a line length has become the standard for indicating a new paragraph, but designers have come up with some other alternatives, which include:

• paragraph spacing
• outdent and line break
• extra space inside line, without line break
• symbol, without indent or line break

One rule that designers follow when indicating a new paragraph is to make sure not to combine too many signals. Using paragraph spacing and indents together, for example, gives the text block an indefinite and unpleasant shape. 

Gregory Crewdson Presentation

6 influential designers

Fred Woodward

Most known for his work at Rolling Stone Magazine, Fred Woodward developed an eclectic visual language for the magazine between the years of 1987 and 2001. His dramatic couplings of typography and photography have become the magazine's signature. in 1996, Woodward was inducted into the Art Directors Hall of Fame as the youngest inductee, which was due to his energy and innovation that kept the magazine fresh for over 400 issues. 
http://www.aiga.org/medalist-fredwoodward/

Gail Anderson 

Gail Anderson also worked for Rolling Stone Magazine, side-by-side with Fred Woodward. She was praised for her "theatrical typography" and would often slave over the smallest typographic details. This hard work and dedication did pay off because she is well known for her ability to make letterforms "preform dramatic and comic feats," and is now teaching a class on choreographing type to popular and alternative music. 

http://www.aiga.org/medalist-gailanderson/

Tibor Kalman

According to AIGA, Tibor Kalman was one of the most influential people in the design world as far as his sway over how designers think. In the late 1980's, he became known as the "bad boy" of graphic design, as he was always prodding other designers to take responsibility for their work as "designer-citizens." He is most known for his work for Colors magazine, which was racy and dramatic. 

http://www.aiga.org/medalist-tiborkalman/

Alexi Brodovitch

Alexi Brodovitch is widely known for his work with what is considered America's first fashion magazine, Harper's Bazaar. He was hired on by the magazine in 1934 by its editor, Carmel Snow, in hopes that Brodovitch could "invigorate the magazine with the modern spirit." He insisted on using the entire double page spread as one piece, combining dynamic photography with unique type arrangements and elegant use of white space. 
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexey-Brodovitch#ref844876

Neville Brody

Born in London, Neville Brody was most known for his work produced between 1980 and 1993 as art director for "The Face" magazine. This magazine became very influential among designers as well as the general public, and it was often referred to as a "fashion bible." It set many of the design trends that were successful during this period. Designing over 20 different typefaces during his career, he is one of the founding members of the London based type foundry called Fontworks.

http://designishistory.com/1980/neville-brody/

David Carson

David Carson's work gained the most momentum during the late 90's, the height of the grunge period. Known for breaking the rules, Carson has been both praised and criticized for his typographic approach, which has been described as both illegible and influential. His first job as an art director was for Transworld Snowboarding, followed by Transworld Skateboarding, which offered and ideal arena for experimentation and rule-breaking. 

http://www.aiga.org/medalist-david-carson/