a word of advice from stefan sagmeister

I think Sagmeister is a genius, as does pretty much everyone in the design world. I'm certain that I've chosen the right field - definitely going to read the first book he recommends below.

Q: Do you read a lot?

A: Yes. The two books I could recommend to my students are both not graphic design books. One book was extremely helpful to me was written by Edward DeBono called Thinking Course. Edward DeBono is a philosopher from Malta, - he wrote a lot of books about thinking. And he shows many exercises about how you can improve your thinking. There are a good number of tricks in there that I use all the time that help me come up with ideas. He says our brain is an incredibly sophisticated computer which is best in thinking in repetition. It has to be that way, otherwise, if you want to pick up, - say, a business card, if the brain would be creative all the time, I would have to think: oh, hands go forward, go down, fingers, move, now lift it up. It would be too complicated. The brain, by necessity, is very good at thinking automatically. But when it comes to creative ideas, the brain also wants to think in repetition. So DeBono shows you some ways to trick the brain out of thinking in repetitions, to throw it out of its regular paths.

The other book is written by Brian Eno. He is a very important electronic musician, who had invented ambient music and produced the Talking Heads and U2.And he wrote a diary for One Year. The way he goes about making his music and thinking about music is very helpful for graphic designers.

labyrinth final

As promised earlier, I had planned to make a 3d version of a typographical comp i did last week. well .... to refresh your memories:


this was the original comp









....it happened! I will post a better picture of the solution (not in a pizza box), but, all in all, the whole project took me the time it would take a normal person to go to dinner, come home, get ready for bed, go to bed, sleep in, then get dressed to go to work. I'm happy with the result as was my professor despite the fact that I almost keeled over in class of exhaustion. The last photo is a picture of the sun coming up as I was still working feverishly at this time. The form is made out of illustration board and 100lb bristol and neon construction paper. Let me tell you, gluing paper together is pretty much the most painstaking thing you can ever do (or attempt to do).

I've been documenting many of my processes, mostly because they're always so chaotic but often make great, spontaneous images. I have a few more, but this was captured fairly often throughout the night, so I thought I'd post before I get too busy again. xo, T

in these past 2 hours, i saw a dead rat on the subway platform (and nearly fainted...still traumatized), had to wait 20 minutes for the train in its presence, got sprayed with water by the lady hosing down the 8th ave/14th st stop only to find out that the L was not running until 14th st, then sat across from a hipster yelling and banging his head against the wall of the subway car for 20 minutes. gotta love this city.

photoshoot

I realize these are a TAD morbid for most's tastes, but, hey, that's sometimes editorial for ya. These are some photos I took in my photostyling class of an assortment of accessories. The assignment was to come up with some concepts for a three page spread in a catalog. Ours was Barney's Coop. After flipping through the catalog, we decided that one of the themes of the Spring 10 women's mailer was undoubtedly: "a wee bit off." And we took that to mean that if they could push the envelope just a little bit more, they would likely do a death-themed photoshoot. Maybe. Probably not.

Anyway, these are the shots we produced. Shoes on chain nooses, an Alex Wang (knockoff) sitting in a pool of blood, vintage baubles hanging from a knife. Edgy, no? We all got a little bit carried away with the fake blood and performed many a dangerous stunt to get the frame fixed correctly, but after everything, I must say ...

the results are to die for muahahaha

p.s. despite the innocuous lighting of the last shot, I think it is the creepiest of them all, as those lovely chains do appear they are levitating, no?

photos by: tamara eve jerardo

styling by: tamara eve jerardo, abdiel ortega, and gopika topriani

more here

"art does not represent things falsely, but truly as they appear to mankind."

- Rusking, Stones of Venice: The Fall, Ch.2



With the purpose of fostering intellectual, personal, and creative growth, I've been consciously working on familiarization with my own internal mental processing. Once you know what is forever a part of you, with the right amount of will, you can work with or around that to arrive at something miraculous.

It's astounding the associations you make as a child and carry with you - my most positive memories are those from whence I was discovering something new or learning how to do something new, how to create something beautiful, how to simplify a monotonous process. Additionally, exploring the unfamiliar was (and still is) one of my favorite pasttimes. I think it's so important to remember what came to us naturally as children, for this all took place during a time when we had had minimal exposure to society's mores which are forever with us now and influence our every decision whether we like it or not. Our talents as children are our talents now, and what we should be cultivating, if only in our spare time.

As an adult, it's easy to get caught up in other less fulfilling parts of your life, especially whilst working and simply trying to please everyone. With work, social lives, school, obligations, I think other things seem to have to take priority, pushing other things to the wayside. I believe the challenge and the goal in professional life is to function as an integral part of society doing what you loved to do as a child.

I've been challenging myself to step up my game as an artist/designer by doing much of the following - I think your abilities can be improved by a) garnering as much knowledge as possible b) as stated earlier, really, truly figuring yourself out so you can be honest with yourself in your work c) knowing your priorities d) having experience to draw from e) establishing legitimacy with relation to the rest of society, because, let's face it, without it, you won't get anywhere.

recording
reading
research
brainstorming
thinking
observing
experiencing
exploring
experimenting

Some brainstorming I was doing on my walk home that I quickly jotted down upon getting home:

more mongolia

I drew and designed these masks today - they are based on actual mongolian tribal masks, but I recombined/simplified/made up elements here and there to get to these. They are just a portion of a part, and the book will be the sum of all parts. Will post the color version when I've completed it.

Haha, my work this past week has seemed to veer towards the ultra-grotesque/morbid. It started out with one concept for a photoshoot and led to a slew of things (such as this). Guess that's just a natural part of being an artist.

labyrinth

Designed this last night. going to build it in 3d ... it'll be painstaking, but will happen.

ELLE editors visit FIT-> mayhem. nuff said.

fauve = wild beast

Le bonheur de vivre by Matisse

In my survey of graphic design class, I always endure some sort of epiphany. The other day, I realized that my natural painting style (maybe subconsciously) mimics artists of a period I hadn't really studied too much somehow - Fauvism. I actually have always gravitated towards Fauvist paintings while at museum bookstores picking up postcards, just didn't realize that all were from the same movement.

The following statement sums up my favorite painting technique since high school. According to Wikipedia,

In 1888 Gauguin had said to Paul Sérusier:

"How do you see these trees? They are yellow. So, put in yellow; this shadow, rather blue, paint it with pure ultramarine; these red leaves? Put in vermilion."

pennsive

Last week, a few FIT friends and I modeled in a photoshoot for a photography major friend. The intention of the shoot was to create images similar to those of the legendary Irving Penn. I helped mainly with the styling - those mounds of vintage and secondhand clothes do come in handy now and then, especially these days. There are many more images but these are the ones I had access to today, and since I'm on the lovely speedy school computer churning out schoolwork, I thought I'd write this entry now. Victor's a great photographer - I believe these were taken with a Hasselblad. Hope you enjoy these too!

cheddar cheese

Today is one of those days that makes life just look so good. Like viewing something from the perfect angle that seems to make all its features radiate seamless beauty.

I like to make note of such days, because just reading entries after I've spent all night on a project, haven't gone to bed, am in class sans coffee and experiencing a bad case of designer's block, really takes me back to these moments of realization where I feel utterly energized/inspired and free of cynicism.

Sunshine, delicious Vietnamese food, happy people everywhere, free musical productions, friends throwing parties (even if they are not Goonies themed as I suggested), good books, good friends, good fro-yo (a must-have of any brilliantly good day).

It may be overload sometimes, but I love my life, and I love this city.

assortment

I had to take some pictures for my styling and illustrator classes ... so, I set up a mini-studio with mini-seamless on a table in our living room with a couple of IKEA lights, fabric, and foamcore. Results below!

sassiness

I came across this somewhere on the internet. Love it - sassy and references one of my favorite artists.

probably the strangest, most random thing i've ever created .. or just ever created

...but i'm damn proud of it nonetheless

a quintessential favorite

adele is so talented - this is such a great, expressive song :)

closing time

No cancun/aruba for me this spring break, but ...


"Hello, spring!" (Brooklyn and D.C.)


saw a friend's band ...


... saw some art


... bowled on a military base




... consumed copious amounts of sweets in adorable old town alexandria


... toured artist studios


... thrifted on a gorgeous day


... conducted a bus stop photoshoot (no shame, no shame)


... staged an official spring in nyc kickoff/picnic in central park

Not gonna lie, student life can be pretty good sometimes ;)