Look, Listen, Analyze: Lamar Is Lost

Season 3, Episode 10 opening scenes with Brother Mouzone “Reformation” “We are in Baltimore, Lamar. Baltimore, Maryland.” I love Brother Mouzone’s intensity, and the clarity with which he delivers his lines.  Each consonant is as precise as the knot on his bow tie.  He is crisp, clean, and clear in …

Thoughts on Lang’s M

We know it’s a poor living situation because the walls are dirty, and the women are taking in laundry as their work. Well-dressed wealthy people are waiting outside the school for their kids.  People that take in laundry can’t take time off work to do that. We know there’s a …

Menagerie Inspiration

Jeremy Hillberry’s hybridized character/animal was really well done and I found it inspiring enough to try it out for one of my assignments as well.  Mine did not turn out as well as his, and I think it’s because he was much better at merging the two images.  He said …

Gaming Card Inspiration

David Mercer’s “They Wait Around Like We Didn’t Notice” is a really good use of graphic design to produce a believable card for gaming.  The icons are appropriate, and the chosen quotes paired with the characters summarize what the character is all about in “The Wire”. I avoided this assignment …

Triple Troll Inspiration

The first exposure I had to visual trolling, and it was even better because it was combined with the epigraphs from the start of “The Wire” episodes. Love the idea of taking a character in a scene and attributing someone else’s quote and then taking that last step and attributing …

Everyone Wants to be a Padawan

Season 3, Episodes 5, 6, 7   “I want to learn the ways of The Force and become a Jedi like my father.” – Luke Skywalker to Obi Wan Kenobi “Straight and True” I noticed several characters looking for role models to emulate, and mentors to follow.  It reminded me of …

“Everything Connects, It All Matters”

Episode Notes Season 2, Episode 12 with Commentary You see workman’s boots sticking out under the tarp as the body is removed on the Stokes from the water, so right away you know it’s probably who you think it is. Didn’t realize so many scenes were cut out.  Still, it’s …

Done on the Docks – Ziggy’s Goose is Cooked

Season 2: Episodes 9, 10, 11 Episode 9 I must’ve messed up last week and watched/summarized Episode 9 too early, so here is that summary, re-copied for convenience. New content for Episodes 10 and 11 follows. Stringer’s lecture to Bodie about “you gotta show some flex” for the give and …

Thingen Werken und Stuffen: The Design of Things Photoblitz

After reading The Vignelli Canon, Tim Owen’s “We Are All Artists” statement and links, and listening to the Groom/Owens interview + talk, I felt well-armed to tackle Design Week. Tim Owens’ statement “The Mozarts are over here and the factory workers are over here” really resonated with me. I’ve never …

Thoughts on The Vignelli Canon

I appreciated his insight into re-designing logos and branding for companies. His approach was to do a “light re-touch” or freshening up rather than throwing the baby out with the bath water.  Logos that have been in the public awareness for decades, if they’ve made a positive impression, should continue …