http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/index/ en ndempewolf@yahoo.com Copyright 2010 2010-04-30T06:01:50+00:00 http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/values/ http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/values/#When:06:01:50Z Once again I've fallen for the easy-going, yet elegant grace of Vancouver. Such a wonderful setting for an incredibly diverse and at times intense two and a half day discussion about the value of design.I have so many notes from the presentations that it’s going to take at least a week to properly digest and distill. My personal thoughts/reactions and note posting is coming soon. In the meantime I direct you to an interesting web site that will hopefully keep the dialogue from this conference going. Design 2010-04-30T06:01:50+00:00 http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/so_stylo/ http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/so_stylo/#When:05:03:03Z One of my favorite bands just released a preview of their new album. Sonic seduction can be found on their web site. Music 2010-01-22T05:03:03+00:00 http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/absence/ http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/absence/#When:06:20:15Z San Diego >> Vancouver (BC and Washington) >> Seattle >> Portland…Apologies for the lack of content. I’ve been inundated with a ton of new work (some of which I’ll be posting within the coming weeks). Unfortunately I’m not quite allowed to share some of the goodies just quite yet, but I’ll be posting concepts and sketches soon. In addition, my wife and I have managed a couple of holidays through the lovely cities listed above. To our gracious hosts in each location, thank you for your generosity and aloha. As the year winds down I wish you all the very best and remember, as you look up into the night sky with dreams of holiday cheer, watch out for reindeer dookie. Happy Festivus! Personal 2009-12-18T06:20:15+00:00 http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/if/ http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/if/#When:01:59:46Z I just picked up my first IF Shirt over the weekend. Ever since my first OP, T&C and Freshjive pieces, I’ve been hooked on well-designed t-shirts. With so many companies and designers boosting their own lines and designs it’s hard to find work that successfully merges concept with execution. Thus, I present Information Fashion and their Obscure Cities line. Check-out their web site for the full low-down. One last note, you can’t really see it in the photographs, but the shirts feature raised printing on the location names and other subtle details that showcases the thoughtfulness the designers put into their work. Apparel 2009-10-27T01:59:46+00:00 http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/propaganda/ http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/propaganda/#When:01:25:16Z To all the bold warriors of the Empire I shout,“KAPLA!!!” Denizens of the interweb have yet to decipher who is behind this piece of galactic propaganda, some have postulated that this could be a viral promotion for the upcoming Star Trek MMO. No matter the purpose, Kahless would be proud. For The Nerds 2009-10-27T01:25:16+00:00 http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/drawing/ http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/drawing/#When:01:46:49Z “I’m astonished by drawing.” - Milton Glaser The first drawing I remember completing was a set of monsters with one eye each. I cut them out and formed an flimsy, yet terrifying army. From that moment forward I have yet to put down my pencil. It is one of my longest-held dreams that when I come to an end, I have a pencil in my hand and some paper to scratch upon. I love drawing. In the above video, Milton Glaser talks about his lifelong passion for drawing and the affect it has had upon his career as a creative professional. The video is simple, elegant and captivatingly digestible. It also reinforces the sentiment I hear time and time again from well-respected creatives, one of the best ways to become a better designer is to learn how to draw. Great advice, because I feel drawing forces one to not only visualize, but also consider. Drawing also hones instinct and as I stated in a previous post, for myself, it can also serve as excellent stress relief. Although I hated it when I was in school, my long-time design professor used to make us draw at least 50-100 concepts before we were allowed to touch a computer. In the middle of these sketching sessions he would stop us, then ask us to draw a map of the United States from memory. At the time I thought these exercises were pointless, but as a working designer I now sing their benefits. One of the reasons why I love design is the level of personal investment and engagement it demands. Although I hesitate to label design a sport, there is a strong element of preparation and training that it requires. My professor realized and taught me that to be a better designer I need to constantly maintain a certain level of creative and mental fitness. For myself, drawing and doodling accomplishes this. In a large dusty box I’ve managed to keep samples of notes from courses I enjoyed while in college. It’s rare that you’ll find a page in these books free of a scratching or doodle. Last spring NPR sung the praises of doodling and enumerated upon the benefits this practice produces such as aiding in concentration during moments when the mind seeks to wander. In the end, I know many designers who have never sketched out a concept before they’ve started a project. In my humble opinion, there is definitely nothing wrong with this. Everyone has a different creative process and if you find something that works, you should stick with it. For myself, drawing and sketching allows me the freedom to dream big, then gradually refine a concept into a workable form. Drawing unplugs my thought process from the limitations of hardware and software which can (if unchecked) stifle a potentially killer idea. At the beginning of the above video Mr. Glaser describes drawing as “…the most fundamental way of engaging the world.” Coming from a master of design, I see this quote as a powerful reminder why I should always keep my pen supply full and a roll of tissue paper close at hand. Knowledge 2009-10-20T01:46:49+00:00 http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/machinarium/ http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/machinarium/#When:06:26:33Z A beautiful new game called Machinarium is now available for download. Playing the demo reminds me of point-and-click adventure/puzzle games of old. The art direction and overall execution are stunning. According to the game’s site, the art is all hand-drawn with over an hour of original animation. Another incredible reason to support independent gaming studios. Source: Joystiq Interactive 2009-10-19T06:26:33+00:00 http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/hot_air/ http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/hot_air/#When:06:02:26Z Why process sketching is always a good idea…I apologize for adding to the circus, but I doodled the above to remind me no matter how grand I think my ideas and concepts are, there’s a stunning clarity that’s revealed when laying everything out on paper.  We shall return to less sensational matters in future posts, thank you for the indulgence. News 2009-10-19T06:02:26+00:00 http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/fresh_young_minds/ http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/fresh_young_minds/#When:05:43:20Z If your mind is running on empty and you have an iPhone handy, I’d like to suggest a couple of downloads to help jump start your creativity. The first is a nice little time killer called Infinity Gene. Based on Space Invaders, I wish I could sum up how much this app has helped me unwind during the moments I want to face punch my lcd. Although many people prefer to “push through the pain” when they’re stuck deciphering the next step for a project, I’ve found that walking away from the desk and gaming for a bit allows me to hit the reset (excuse the pun), then move on to the next level. I definitely have moments when I want to wrestle a concept or project into submission, but sometimes it’s nice to temporarily lose myself in a game that’s so far the best 600 yen I’ve spent all year. Next up is an app called TiltShift Generator. I downloaded this gem after reading about it over on one of my favorite design blogs BECAUSE WE LIKE TO. In short, this app provides editing tools that can simulate the look of photos taken with a toy camera. The interface is very simple and intuitive and you can produce some pretty incredible results with just a few gestures. I love this app because it’s an easy way to indulge your creative impulses when you’re feeling completely mind humped. The graphic for this post was produced with TiltShift during a particularly nasty bout of writer’s block. I wish I was immune to blocks. They suck, literally all life and vitality from me when they occur. I’ve found that having a strategy helps see me through these moments when the cranial black holes darken my creative horizons. If nary a pen and paper can be found it’s nice to have apps as sound back-ups. If you my fine reader(s) have any other tips for staving off creative head blocks, please share. Interactive 2009-10-12T05:43:20+00:00 http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/life_is_better/ http://www.menacingpanda.com/index.php/site/life_is_better/#When:16:58:19Z New video from Q-Tip (featuring Norah Jones) off one of my favorite albums from 2008, The Renaissance. Source:  Hypebeast Music 2009-10-06T16:58:19+00:00