the TREEHOUSE

Portfolio Preview

2010-03-06T23:06:00.000-08:00

Need to find a job soon, so here's where the portfolio's headed

Boredom is directly proportional to geekitude

2010-02-18T23:23:00.000-08:00

I've noticed that when I'm on co-op I get bored easily. Moving to a place where you literally have zero friends is not easy, especially for the first month so, and you find yourself with an absurd amount of down time. While I should be doing something constructive with my spare time (I currently have two huge school things looming over me) I find that I am watching movies and, gasp, reading comic books.

I've never been afraid to call myself a geek. I can quote a few lines of Shakespeare, I know what "ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny" means, I'll talk for hours about why Star Wars is my favorite movie of all time, I can recite Willow in its entirety and I saw both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight twice the day they opened. But comics? They were always that next level of geek I wouldn't cross. One step beyond random trivia and one before Dungeons and Dragons. Then, mostly because ign.com covers comics along with movies and video games, I became curious. I kept reading articles about the graphic novels that were more than just superhero stories, blurring the lines between comic and literature. I had to find out for myself.

I've always been attracted to the images. The human body is an incredible work of art, and nearly everyone in a comic is a perfectly sculpted human form placed in impossible poses that accentuate and highlight that artistic beauty. The ability of the artists to bring these characters to life in this way blows the artistic side of my mind.

But are they more than pretty pictures? Yes and no...mostly no. I still hold out on going anywhere near picking up the latest monthly issue of (insert name)-man as they don't even attempt anything more than an quick story and a few splash pages. But the graphic novels, those written as a single story over a collection of issues, are crafted with much more purpose. They are where the critical and literary acclaim comes into play. I will admit that they have the makings of great story telling, but simply lack the depth of a true novel.

Take the Batman. When viewed through a lens that encompasses the entire collection of bat-mythology, there are some fantastic literary elements: vengeance born from tragedy, skewed justification of morally grey acts, an invented persona eclipsing a real one...These are the things of modern storytelling. But individual works fall short of exploring these themes with any amount of depth. They touch on them, but the reader must assume quite a bit about the writer's intentions if they wish to fill in the gaps with any amount of analysis. It's as if the true comic fans want so desperately for their domain to be accepted as literary art that they try to wring every drop of meaning out of the fifteen words in each panel. I've seen people tout "The Dark Knight Returns" as a quintessential example of postmodern literature. It's got great art and a sweet story but is so concerned with plot that it is only able to skim the surface of its themes.

Plot, then, becomes the downfall of any attempt at literary excellence for many graphic novels. Born from simpler ideas of telling stories of super men and noble crime fighters, graphic novels struggle to break from their roots. With only so much room on a page, priorities must be set. Sadly, story wins all too often, leaving character exploration behind.

Recent works have really pushed the visual boundaries, utilizing fine artists to create each panel as individual paintings. Perhaps the storytelling boundaries aren't far behind.

All that said, good graphic novels are still a quick, interesting read. Here's some, that I've enjoyed:

Watchmen

The only comic on TIME's list of the best works of English literature since 1923 - some really cool elements that break the normal comic book formula (e.g. entire chapters of fake books) - just try to forget about the giant squid (you'll know when you get to it)

The Dark Knight Returns

Probably the best example of all of the qualities that make Batman so unique (i.e. darkness, master planner, unwillingness to kill, etc.)

Superman: Red Son

I'm not a Superman fan, but Red Son, set in a world where Superman crash lands in Soviet Russia rather than the US, is an interesting take on the character reminiscent of Animal Farm.

WIP

2009-09-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Got bored last night and started another character project, a snow sniper. Maybe I'll actually finish this one. I'm finished with the major values, but it still needs a ton of detail, some texturing, and a more dynamic lighting setup (I can hear Tony yelling "Warms and cools!")

Toys...

2009-09-05T12:21:00.001-07:00

I've needed a new camera for ages and have been forced into borrowing in the meantime (thanks Sam and Sally.) I finally found a good deal on a refurb Sony dslr and took the plunge. I love new toys.

It occurred to me that I usually wake up for work before sunrise, so to kick off the holiday weekend I strolled down to Piedmont Park here in Atlanta and took some picture of the sun coming up over the lake. Check our the rest on my Flickr page.

Note: If you ever plan on photographing a sunrise, be sure to remember to bring you sunglasses.

New Portfolio

2009-08-31T05:50:00.000-07:00

After working this weekend on an older project I wanted to put into the portfolio, I realized that I sucked more than I thought at sketching a year ago and need to put in quite a bit of work to get that project ready to show. I'll take those first couple of weeks in DesComm to work on it, but for now here is the newest compilation, complete with chair:

http://www.daapspace.daap.uc.edu/~engelhjs/Jeff_Engelhardt.pdf

My goal was to give it a little more personal style, and I think the new color palette helps. Once I complete my last project, I'll have a wide enough range of designs to be able to tailor the portfolio to specific employers.

Last shot at the dream co-op. Even though "In [Obi-Wan Kenobi's] experience there's no such thing as luck," I could use some.

What a difference style and design can make

2009-08-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

James Cameron hasn't made a movie since Titanic. Considering it made over a billion dollars, I guess he has an excuse. His next effort, Avatar (due out in December), has been one of the most widely anticipated movies among the wide circle of internet movie geeks. That is, it was until Friday and the debut of Avatar's first trailer. Since then tones have changed from giddy anticipation to increasing skepticism.

Initial buzz surrounded the film's radical use of CG and 3D, which Cameron says has been in development for over 10 years. 90 percent of the movie is [supposedly] computer generated to photo-realistic quality, and Cameron claims it will usher in a new era for 3D cinema. Everyone was on board until last week's trailer.

So why the drastic change? Unlike my fanboy counterparts, I really didn't have any bias for or against the film leading up to the trailer and went in with an open mind. Am I still curious about the movie? Yeah, but by no means am I excited. My problem is that the images I saw did not live up to Cameron's claims of "photo-realism." Characters and story are much more important than pretty pictures, though, and this could still be a great film. I don't believe this is where the majority of the negativity is coming from.

My completely uninformed opinion is that people were turned off by the fact that the aliens look like pussies. Seriously, they look like Thundercats with down syndrome, and they're supposed to battle giant beasts and robots? An audience can't be expected to buy into that when they look like they would get their asses kicked by a spray bottle wielding eight-year-old?

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe expectations were too high. Maybe Cameron will revolutionize the movies industry and go on to make another billion dollars. Who knows at this point. My money, though, is on the eight-year-old.

Been a while...

2009-08-25T03:38:00.001-07:00

Sadly, this is the second time I've written this message. It's been almost two months since my last post. It's not that I haven't had anything to say. I'm just really lazy. In the next few weeks, before school starts, I will attempt to make up for it. As a little preview, here's what I plan on throwing out there:

- Star Wars Design - The Art of Clunk (provoked by John Scalzi's Guide to the Most Epic FAILS in Star Wars Design)

- Becoming an Instant Expert - How Industrial Designers' Research Methods Create Everyday Obsessions

- Opinions on some of the movies I saw and the books I read this summer (possibly:Terminator 4, Up, Bruno, The Hangover, Funny People, District 9, Transformers 2, Star Trek, GI Joe, Inglorious Basterds - Scott Robertson's Start Your Engines and Lift Off, The Simpsons and Philosophy, Batman and Philosophy)

- An updated portfolio (nearly finished - just need to back sketch on one more project)

- My adoration for the three An Evening with Kevin Smith dvds

- More props to Crossfit and Crossfit Atlanta

Until then, I'll leave you with a small sample of the new portfolio

:)

2009-07-10T05:04:00.000-07:00

Did my first successful, non-assisted muscle-up yesterday. I got to put my name on a board and everything.

Muscle-up demo

I haven't felt like this since...

2009-07-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

There are very few things I get more satisfaction out of than physical exhaustion. If I'm sore, tired, limping...whatever, I feel incredibly fulfilled knowing I pushed myself beyond my limits. When I played football and baseball I took this feeling for granted. I am, however, no longer regularly beaten to a pulp and relish in any opportunity to regain this feeling. That being said, I feel like shit right now. My latest 3-day set of Crossfit was:

Monday-
Max weight back squat, shoulder press and deadlift (new PR at 140 kg/308 lbs)

Tuesday-
5 rounds for time: run 800m, 30 1.25 pood kettle bell swings, 30 pull ups

Wednesday-
Run 10k

I was obviously sore from Monday, Tuesday was aweful (it took almost an hour whereas most Crossfit workouts take 20 min or less), and the 10k was the icing.

I've got a massive blister on my foot, my hands are torn to shit, walking is a chore and I doubt I could do a single pull up right now. After my run today I realized that this is probably the most physically strained I've been since the aftermath of the Flying Pig last spring, which is fucking fantastic. Crossfit is not simply a workout plan; it's a sport. I'm starting to love it as much as any other.

Crossfit Atlanta - the best part of my day

Can I really force myself to do this?

2009-06-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

I hated Transformers. I hate Michael Bay. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a movie that perfectly made for stupid people - not to mention the fact that it was made by one of the most arrogant men in the world. In no way shape or form do I want to support Bay or his franchise by seeing Revenge of the Fallen.

That being said, not going to see it is tearing me apart. One of my earliest memories is my absolute devotion to Transformers: The Movie, the 1986 animated feature based on the original cartoon. I LOVED THE TRANSFORMERS. Whenever my mom would ask me at breakfast what I had dreamed about the night before and I didn't remember, I answered with "I met Optimus Prime." I had the toys. I watched the show. It was awesome.

I have also come to respect good animation and CGI, having had a small taste of how insanely difficult they are, and watch bad movies if only to see good CGI the same way I would watch a bad movie if it had stunning cinematography. Needless to say, the effects in Transformers were spectacular, and they promise to be even better in the sequel.

I fear there is some inescapable force pulling me to the movie theater. Can I resist it? Do I really want to? Maybe I can somehow arrange a way to go, beat the shit our of Michael Bay as I leave the theater and take back the $9.50 he'll owe me. If only...If only...

Just try and tell me you didn't cry when Optimus Prime died.

P.S. My little sis really needs your prayers. I'll explain when it's more appropriate, but please keep her in your thoughts.

In case of vampire...

2009-06-17T12:02:00.001-07:00

Ran across this online a couple of times. I thought it was appropriate seeing as how I've watched the entire first season of True Blood in my days of drug test boredom.

Sitting around because my co-op thinks I'm a drug addict

2009-06-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

Last week my co-op sent me a drug test. No big deal as I only participate in the satanic rituals that don't involve halucinogens. Oops, the Ivy State grads that work in Cincinnati said my hair was too short to test. Again, no big deal. I'll just call the HR department and explain the situation. Oops, that woman is on vacation this week, so I call my boss. Now it is a well-known fact that designers don't give a flying fuck about corporate bullshit, and I could tell he was annoyed when I called. That aside, he thought it wouldn't be a huge deal and that it wouldn't delay my start date, Monday. So I left town Friday morning. The HR woman calls me at four o'clock on Friday, 100 miles into Kentucky, telling me to go back to Cincinnati and take a piss test or something. Oh, you're on your way? Well then just call again Monday morning. Guess who doesn't show up to work until 11:30. She sends me some place in downtown Atlanta; they have no problem taking my hair. I call her up and am informed that I still can't start until my results come back in 72 hours. This all adds up to me sitting around until at least Thursday when I will likely be informed that I failed the test because I ate a poppy seed bagel or something. Awesome.

On a much better note, I found a gym in town that specializes in Crossfit. It's cheap, and I'll finally be taught to do all the movements the right way (I was told yesterday how terrible my deadlift form was.)

Things that were good - Things that were bad

2009-06-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

Been following a graphic design blog lately that has been writing a series of posts on things that are good (e.g. sharks and the fact that they are referred to as killing machines) and things that are bad (e.g. invisible force fields surrounding wastebaskets.) With that in mind, here is my run down of the quarter, in those things good and bad:

Thing that was bad - I have never been beaten down by school the way I was this quarter
Thing that was good - My chair turned out great and is by far my best project

Thing that was bad - Got a shitty co-op
Thing that was good - Got a shitty co-op in what should be a fun town

Thing that was bad - I was not as dedicated to Crossfit as I have been in the past
Thing that was good - I maxed out on deadlift today at 300 lbs, so I'm still progressing

Thing that was bad - Messed up one relationship
Thing that was good - Met a lot of new people, especially in the Greek community

Thing that was bad - Had a shit for brains new drawing prof
Thing that was good - He's great for the program as a whole

Thing that was bad - Going to get my first ever B in a normal class
Thing that was good - Though it was incredibly interesting...most of the time

Thing that was bad - Had to pull more all/late-nighters than ever before (stupid drawing prof)
Thing that was good - Learned to enjoy going out to bars

Thing that was bad - Ski season had to end
Thing that was good - Though it ended with two of the most enjoyable days I've had on the snow

Thing that was good - If anything it was a memorable quarter.

Making up for the fall

2009-06-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

:) Critique :) was :) awesome:)

SQUIRREL!

2009-06-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

Been watching Planet Earth a lot lately. Stumbled upon this baller squirrel painting. That is all.

Nice chair pics

2009-06-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Chair is finished. I am happy :)

Chair Bitches

2009-05-31T14:46:00.001-07:00

Chair is 99% finished. Just needs a little more sanding and some shellac for staining. Good pictures and process images to come.

I should be smiling, but it won't happen any time soon

2009-05-21T07:11:00.001-07:00

I'm going to accept a co-op. I should be happy, right? I just can't muster a smile. After the work I did in the fall and the recognition I received in the winter, I really thought I had turned the corner in terms of becoming the designer I hope to be. I wasn't worried at all about finding a job.

Then...nothing. No calls. Two interviews - one failed (fuck phone interviews), one with no chance of a job. Other students are getting the jobs I want, and all that's left are fucking blow driers and a place in town that seems sketchier than Barry Bonds' hat size. I mean, these are the jobs that we make fun of and let the sophomores take. People always talk about cutting your teeth as a designer, but what drew me to UC was the fact that co-op replaces that. I paid my dues last quarter, and shouldn't have to again.

I know I'm whining when I shouldn't. I know I'm lucky to have an offer at all. But I felt like the next great thing was just over the horizon and I missed it. FAIL.

Rojos!

2009-05-14T04:53:00.000-07:00

After last night't thumping of the D-Backs, the Reds are in first place...and it's not like that retarded year where everyone got excited when they won a bunch of walk-off games during the first half. They're actually playing first-place-worthy ball.

been gone...shoes

2009-05-13T21:57:00.000-07:00

Been gone a while because life sucks right now. Anyway, here's some shoes (There was a high heel, too, but the interweb is screwing it up - sketches will be up later)

2009-05-01T06:06:00.001-07:00

:(

2009-04-30T14:03:00.001-07:00

Didn't get Reebok.

Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.

What a terrible fucking day

2009-04-28T06:04:00.000-07:00

Turns out Nike was here without the intention of hiring anyone. $60 and 4 hours of portfolio making down the drain.

Awesome

Pretty sure I'm going to get a bad grade on my paper for music class. It was well written but completely off topic, and I thought I caught a disapproving remark in my professors' whisperings.

Awesome

Up until 4:30 doing foundations level bullshit for Design Communications. As awesome as Des Comm was in the fall, this quarter is the complete opposite. At this point I am completely apathetic toward it (a viewpoint shared by many of my classmates) and my work in all of my classes is suffering as a direct result.

Awesome

new pb

2009-04-23T04:21:00.000-07:00

Maxed out on deadlift yesterday at 275. I love crossfit.

Chair and Spaceships

2009-04-21T05:28:00.000-07:00

Had to draw some more chairs for des comm. Got bored and drew spaceships instead.

?

2009-04-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

I know what a pamphlet is.

WTF is a pamph?

Star Wars design and why it rocks

2009-04-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon this fantastic article about the design merits of the original Star Wars films. It's quick and to the point but easily gets its point accros.

Simpsons QOD

2009-04-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

A woman is a lot like a refrigerator. Six feet tall, three hundred pounds...it makes ice.

Awesome!

2009-04-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

Chris Welsch just referenced Snake Pliskin in his color commentary. Awesome.

Chairs and crazy guys

2009-04-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

In addition to the portfolio, the past two weeks have been dedicated to drawing chairs and fixing up my character project.

Chairs - I'm doing some kind of bent plywood stool...Sketches were done digitally, and I'm very happy with the outcome. I will go back and render those picked to move on, but probably not until the next portfolio

Reworked Sketches - not nearly as good as they need to be, but they're improving

Final Rendering - 90% inked - hopefully I'll have time to go in and actually render this to presentation quality

12 Angry Men and personal tests of will power

2009-04-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

I watched 12 Angry Men this morning, loving every second of it. At first glance it seems to be a rather simple story of justice, but if you look deeper you can see that it's really about the power wit and intellect can have over reason.

In the past, I used to give myself what I called "personal tests of will power." Take stairs two at a time, never loosen your tie, read something you don't understand, etc. Some have stuck around as personal habits, but after a while I began to forget about the little ones. Lately, however, I've gotten back to testing myself, mostly through school work. Henry Fonda's character seems to be doing something similar. The kid is guilty as hell, and he knows it. He also knows how he can talk. He walked into the deliberation room having taken it as a personal challenge to sway the jury in the opposite direction, and you can see the self-satisfaction on his face each time a member of the jury switches his vote.

While Fonda's "accomplishment" is impressive, it is not commendable. He has convinced 11 other men to let a murderer walk free. It's just interesting to see how similar my acts of self-improvement are to Fonda's slight of hand.

Porfolio is up

2009-04-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

http://daapspace.daap.uc.edu/~engelhjs/Jeff_Engelhardt.pdf

Fival effing rocks

2009-04-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

An American Tail is one of those movies from my childhood that I remember loving despite not remembering the movie itself. I got a chance to watch it again a couple of weeks ago, and it rocked my socks off.

This movie is simply gorgeous. The characters, the backgrounds, everything makes today's "stylish" animation look like amateur work. Every scene is placed in an environment with a unique, painterly look that perfectly captures the tone of American immigration in the late 19th century. Their level of complexity and detail are enough to make the movie a technical achievement by themselves.

But it doesn't stop there. The animation is top notch. The main characters are "Disneyified" to perfection while the humans are stunningly accurate in their movements. I'm tempted to believe that the animators traced over frames from actual film - it's that good. Take a look at the final shot (approx. 3 min into the video) as the camera pans around the statue of liberty. This was before the days of 3D models and cel shading and it was executed without any hiccups. Stunning.

Watch it; you'll be amazed.

Here we go again

2009-04-07T11:49:00.000-07:00

School is going to be a bitch this quarter. Oh well, I guess it's time to man up. Anyway, I've been reworking my portfolio (again.) The work is pretty much the same, but the graphics, text and layout are now much cleaner. Here's a taste.

Character project

2009-03-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

Never really got to work on digital sketching the way I had hoped, so I decided to do a small character design project. Did some sketching:

There's a whole story I have to go with this, but basically it's slave > rebel > leader > crazy leader > bat-shit crazy executee. Sketches aren't 100 percent finished, but I need to get working on a final concept render/painting. It will be of "crazy leader" looking ultra Jack-Nicholson-in-The-Shining crazy...hopefully.

:(

2009-03-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

Xavier lost last night. I just waxed my skis and put them away for the summer. Oh well. X will be even better next year, and baseball season, a suitable replacement for skiing, is right around the corner.

Still...sad face.

Core77

2009-03-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

Well, even more to make me smile this week. My portfolio was featured on Core77 today. Pretty huge to me.

60'

2009-03-23T20:48:00.001-07:00

This is not me; it is someone much better. But it gives a good impression of the size of the large hit at PFC this weekend, perhaps the best jump I've ever hit.

60 feet from the lip of the takeoff to the knuckle of the landing
70-75 feet to the sweet spot

The feeling of flying through the air with this much nothing beneath you is indescribable.

A weekend of skiing, friends and pink flamingos

2009-03-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

I'm sore all over but can't stop smiling.

Every year since 2004, after they have closed to the public, Perfect North Slopes has hosted the Pink Flamingo Camp. All the snow that is left is pushed around to turn the hill into one giant terrain park. Regrettably, due to money/timing issues, I was never able to attend.

After leaving straight from co-op for an 11-hour drive, I finally made it back for PFC 6 and the best weekend of skiing I may have ever had.

The atmosphere at Perfects' terrain park is unmatched. Go to a resort, and the parks are full of trash talking twelve-year-olds who snake you in line and give you shit for taking it easy. This is not, nor has it ever been, the case at Perfects. Everyone loves to ride and loves that you do, too. Can't figure something out? Chances are someone will offer up advice without being asked. And, even though they're doing switch 1080's, you'll get props for you first 540. It's a great vibe to experience, and, compounded with getting to see some old friends, it made for one of those rare times that will cause an involuntary smile everytime it pops into my head.

The setup was top notch. Though it may have lacked the mid-sized jumps (25-35 feet) that I prefer to learn on, everything was laid out to perfection. Rails everywhere, as couple of small hits, a 40-foot step up, and a 60-foot step down that, though I wasn't comfortable enough to spin over it, may have been the most well-built jump I've ever hit.

Despite my personal suckitude on the slopes, the level of talent of the rest of the skiers rivals anything I've seen in a mountain terrain park. 450 pretzels, switch 1080's, superman front flips, nasty 360 hand drags, rodeo 900's, and even a double-cork 1260. It's simply amazing the talent that Perfects breeds.

I was too busy to shoot anything, but I'll throw up some pics when others get them online.

The most influential thing I have ever learned

2009-03-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

While I'm on the subject of things I learned in high school:
If I've taken one thing away from the bastion of academia that is East Central High School (cough-horseshit-cough,) it came from my freshman english class.

NOTHING HAPPENS BY ACCIDENT IN A WORK OF FICTION

Take a minute to think about this. Life is very seldom random. More often than not, whatever happens happens for a reason. Apply this wherever you like, and you'll find it provides some interesting perspective.

Designers strive to be Plato's philosopher kings

2009-03-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

Back in high school, I learned about Plato's allegory of the cave and his concept of philosopher kings. Basically, PKs are able understand universal truths (Plato calls them "forms.") A PK, for example, knows true beauty whereas Joe-Toga-and-Sandals can only see instances of beauty.

This seems very similar my idea of the purpose of the design process. Let's say a company asks me to design product X. It isn't my job to just make it pretty, or appealing, or functional, or marketable, or profitable. A successful designer uses process as a method of problem solving to simultaneously fulfill all of these needs. Initially, there is no way to know what makes the best product X. But, through research, ideation, exploration, etc. designers can find rational, justifiable answers that lead to a complete understanding of product X. With that knowledge we are able to create the best product X possible.

It is impossible to find every truth in every (or possibly any) design problem, but we use process to get as close as we can. Since we aren't philosopher kings and can't just see them, the design process is our way of arriving at Plato's forms.

Movie Haiku

2009-03-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Finally put two and two together this weekend, realizing that my Plasystation can be used for watching movies online. I don't feel compelled to right real reviews or opinions, so here are some haiku.

The Wrestler
'Bout redemption? No.
You glossed over the real point.
A constructed life/lie.

Frost/Nixon
Nixon's funny voice
Just what you had expected...
...till the thoughtful end

Rachel Getting Married
Anne - complex addict
Deserved Oscar nod; hot, too
Was the end her choice?

Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Judd's hilarious.
Vampire musical fun.
Way too much penis.

Watchmen, meh

2009-03-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

The New York Times review said "[Watchmen's] ideal viewer ... would probably be a mid-’80s college sophomore with a smattering of Nietzsche, an extensive record collection and a comic-book nerd for a roommate." They got it mostly right. While perpetual adolescents (i.e. most guys) will enjoy the movie, the only viewer who will actually find it groundbreaking is the Times's "hypothetical young man."

My overall feelings about the movie are almost identical to those about the graphic novel. The themes are there: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes,deconstructing and rationalizing the idea of superheroes, does the end justify the means, etc. but there's not much else. The story becomes too mired in plot to transcend geek lore and become literature. Provoking thought is commendable, but providing insight, something Watchmen is short on, is artistic. While just the idea of putting these themes in a comic book may have been unique when Watchmen was originally published, it's just not enough.

The film also misses out on one of the novel's most impressive and intellectual facets. At the end of each installment the story is supplemented with some "fake" literature. This includes a chapter from the superhero tell-all Under the Hood, as well as a psychiatric profile of Rorschach. These do a great deal to bring the reader into the alternate reality of the novel, and were probably a major factor in making Watchmen the only comic named to Time Magazine's 100 best English language novels since 1923. Regretfully, they cannot be translated to the silver screen.

As for the movie, it's probably as good as it could have been without pissing off the loyal fan base. It follows the comic like a storyboard, often going shot for shot, line for line. The visuals are impressive and not nearly as self-indulgent as 300, director Zach Snyder's previous work, and the soundtrack, though distracting at times, is appropriate. The altered ending is actually an improvement from the novel, which was a little on the silly side.

There is some fat that could have been trimmed. The movie is too long, and certain elements, like the Dr. Seussed white tiger, make no sense without their counterparts, which were not included. The movie is also plagued by some terrible CGI. Dr. Manhattan looks increbile, but he clods around like that soccer playing robot from Honda, and said tiger looks and moves like shit, plain and simple.

Watchmen boils down to a novel and movie made by people who are smart - but not too smart, artistic - but not too artistic. They're both fun too look at and may provoke some thought. Don't expect anything more, and you'll have a good time.

3 out of 5 stars

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-03-13T13:20:00.001-07:00

I won't bother repeating what just about every critic in the world has said. Let it suffice to say that this movie is spectacular.

But why? There's nothing here I haven't seen before. The visuals, soundtrack and story are everything for which you could hope, as they combine to reaffirm any faith you may have lost in humanity. Normally, I hate that. It's too idealistic for my uber-postmodern views. I even thought this as I was watching the film. I have a terrible habit of trying to dissect movies as I'm watching, but I can't help it. Near the end, I caught myself thinking, "Everything's going to end up happy. Damn, this was just okay." Then, as the film did a quick recap of itself (a technique for which I would also normally have a distaste), I realized I didn't care about all my snobby crap. I loved these characters and wanted them to be happy.

As the films ended with the quintessential spinning camera kiss, I couldn't help but smile. Very few films have this effect on me, and I really have no idea why this one did. But who cares? If something makes me feel this way, I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Holy shit Sam

2009-03-12T14:24:00.001-07:00

Amis, your portfolio looks amazing. My inferiority complex is kicking into high gear.
http://www.daapspace.daap.uc.edu/~amissj/Sam_Amis_Portfolio.pdf

so...

2009-03-12T04:24:00.001-07:00

I haven't been around for a while, so I have a few things to come including my thoughts on Slumdog Millionaire, Watchmen and how co-op went this quarter.

Things that I love to hate and hate that everyone loves

2009-03-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

Non-ski vacations
Not to say they aren't fun, but they pale in comparison to becoming pale (except for goggle tan) at a world class mountain. Between the two, everything's the same - drinking, nice restaurants, etc. - except when you ski you burn 900 calories per hour. When you sit your ass on the beach you burn your skin.

Transformers
Take away every human but that creepy kid from Even Stevens and you have the exact same movie. Wait, the movie's about those people? Shit. Watching giant fighting robots, awesome. Watching John Turturro in the worst performance of his career, not awesome. I've never seen another movie more meant for stupid people.

CSI
I've never seen a TV show more meant for stupid people.

The Yankees
Why is baseball so messed up these days? Exhibit A. I don't hate them because they win all the time; I hate the way they've done it in the last 15 years, buying championships.

and finally...

Celery
One of the very few foods I just can't stand the taste of. Nothing against 99% of the world liking it, but do you really have to throw it in every time you make a casserole?

Awesome footwear blog

2009-03-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

Just ran across this great footwear blog today. Info like industry terms and how to create lasts. Click the logo to check it.

The guy's company, The Directive Collective, is also pretty nice.

Good weekend, can't wait to get home

2009-03-02T06:48:00.000-08:00

Took a trip to Whiteface Mountain this weekend (Lake Placid, NY.) Ever though the skiing was pretty terrible I had a great time. I haven't gone out much this quarter as it is just a huge hassel to go back into the city after I get home from work, so this was a welcome change of pace. Counting the days until I get home for PFC, Perfect North's annual newschool camp that I've never been able to attend for one reason or another.

More Yanko

2009-02-27T06:34:00.000-08:00

My teapot was featured this week, and my computer was included in their Best of February 2009.

Reebok project finished

2009-02-26T20:59:00.001-08:00

I wish I had gotten to all of this sooner, as this project is really lacking on both the front and back ends. It needed more research, inspiration and ideation up front and more things like colorways and detail refinement at the end. All in all, though, for about a week and a half of work in my free time I'm pretty happy with the result. A special thanks to John Ariosa for the great advice you had regarding my original rendering. Sorry about the shitty image quality, but I really don't feel like uploading better copies.

Shoe Render

2009-02-24T19:46:00.000-08:00

Still need to do some tweaking, but here's my final design for my Reebok project. It's a low-profile cross-trainer meant for sprint and agility workouts rathter than distance. Other details include the outsole being brought high in the front to give traction to the sides for activities like rock climbing and dance. Rendered in Illustrator CS4.

Quick Illustrator

2009-02-22T12:51:00.001-08:00

Quick Illustrator drrawings of the two concepts I decided to go with. Both are low profile trainers. Final concept will be a combination of the two.

Shoe sketching

2009-02-21T17:35:00.000-08:00

Finished the sketching (done in Painter X) for my Reebok project, now on to Illustrator.

I'm in a bookstore, wishing it was the internet

2009-02-20T12:59:00.000-08:00

I had to work late yesterday, and, since my firm isn't big on overtime, my boss told me to come in late today. So as not to alter with my normal morning routine and consequently tear a hole in the space-time continuum, I left at my usual time and spent an hour in a Barnes and Noble.

People, as Steve Jobs says, don't read anymore. Constant scoldings from publishers and scholars inform us that too often we accept internet headlines and succinct blog entries in place of tradtional print. Today, however, as I crooked my neck to scan the titles on hundreds of spines, I realized that I would much rather be doing this from a computer. While there is something to be said about the surprises I will inevitably come across by randomly browsing the shelves, I'll trade them any day for a search bar.

As my mind bounces from subject to subject, writer to writer, I find my feet can't keep up. I'll open up a book and instantly forget what I have decided to look for next. Oh shit...I forget if this one was to the left or the right of that big blue one...which looks interesting...but wasn't I headed over there...for a big blue book, right...fuck. But, in the wonderful world of the interweb, I can simultaneously divide my conscious between a dozen different tabs and windows, opening, closing and searching at will.

While staying out of bookstores may keep me somewhat detached from the experience of reading for pleasure, I can't deny the simple pleasure I get from browsing through 184 titles...all without incurring the dreaded Taco Neck Syndrome.

Been busy

2009-02-18T06:37:00.001-08:00

Been busy. Lots of skiing, and Reebok is requiring a shoe project in order to apply for summer co-op. That will be consuming my time until the end of next week. I'll try to post progess shots.

Simpsons QOD

2009-02-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

My Homer is not a communist. He may be a liar, a pig, an idiot, a communist, but he is not a porn star.

NR4 picked up by Flylyf.com

2009-02-05T05:56:00.000-08:00

Flylyf, where "you will be exposed to the latest news in the world of Style, Tech, Design, and Flicks," has picked up Yanko's coverage of my running apparel design. Check it out.

:)

2009-02-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

http://www.yankodesign.com/

Props

2009-01-30T05:54:00.001-08:00

While working on my portfolio over the last two weeks, I had a feeling that it was turning out much better than previous versions. Guess I was right. I just received word that two of my designs, my recent HP project and my illuminated running apparel, will be featured on Yanko Design. For those of you who don't know, Yanko is a website dedicated to showcasing the latest and greatest in the field of industrial design. It is well known throughout the design community, and it is quite an honor to be featured on their site.

Let's celebrate in due fashion.

New Portfolio is up!

2009-01-29T22:07:00.000-08:00

Finally got it up and going. Though I'll be doing some back work on some of these projects, I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. I think it's a big improvement from the last iteration. Check it at:

http://daapspace.daap.uc.edu/~engelhjs/Jeff_Engelhardt.pdf

Sketchin' Spaceships

2009-01-29T14:10:00.000-08:00

There wasn't a whole lot to do today at work, so I spent an hour or two sketching little thumbnails of planes and spaceships. It was, sadly, the first time in while that I have just drawn for fun. Much like reading novels, I rarely make time to do it. Hopefully when I finish my portfolio, which should be online tonight or tomorrow, I can start my snowmobile project with the same enthusiasm I had today.

I just now realized that this is the n-th time I've written a "hopefully" post. I need to get off my ass and get this shit done.

Dylan Thomas - famous last words

2009-01-27T17:16:00.000-08:00

I've stumbled upon this twice now. I can't think of a better way to go.
"I've had eighteen straight whiskies, I think that's the record."

Five films to put a smile on your face

2009-01-26T13:42:00.000-08:00

People are always complaining that the winter depresses them (though, due to the orgasmosity of snow, I don't really understand it.) But, if you're feeling low, these flicks are sure to brighten your day.

Amelie
It's weird, French and weirdly-French, but Jean-Pierre Jeunet's gorgeous story of a dreamer will reaffirm any faith you've lost in the human race.

Stranger Than Fiction
Turns out Will Ferrell is great when he's not being Will Ferrell. Witty, cute and insightful all at the same time.

Big Fish
I've always looked at life as if it was a movie. Edward Bloom saw it as his story to tell, and his is one that's worthy of the silver screen. Also, Billy Crudup is a tool.

Babe
The Citizen Kane of talking pig movies.

Wall-E
You've got to give it to Pixar, they know how to tell a story. A breathtakingly beautiful film, beginning to end.

Two and counting

2009-01-22T08:50:00.000-08:00

It's not even February and I've already had two skiing-related broken bones this season. I dislocated my thumb a few weeks ago, though I popped it back, and I'm pretty sure I cracked a rib on Sunday. Now, normally I wouldn't be happy about these injuries, but since they're the result of skiing I'm okay with them. I actually feel a small sense of accomplishment. Weird.

Snow, Fire and Barack Obama

2009-01-20T14:02:00.000-08:00

Driving home last night in a snowstorm reminded me of something - SNOW IS FREAKING AWESOME. My commute may have been dangerous, but I was smiling the entire way. Falling snow is nature at its most beatiful, and it makes me happy whenever I see it.

That got me thinking, what else is like that? Natural, random, beautiful...Fire, of course. I now have a better understanding of why I'm a pyro.

Finally, Barack Obamba was inaugurated today, in case you hadn't heard. At 11:30 everyone in the office dropped what they were doing and went to watch the ceremonies on the projector in our conference room. I honestly don't know how to describe how I felt. Elated, relieved, hopeful...It was just a great moment, one I will never forget.

A quick review: Kung Fu Panda - Fun start to finish, but it's no Pixar

2009-01-19T20:11:00.000-08:00

Kung Fu Panda
I'm really not sure how this one slipped through my radar. I'm a sucker for animated movies, but somehow I missed out on Dreamworks' Kung Fu Panda last summer. Do I ever regret it. Though it lacks some of the polish of the better Pixar films, it's an hour and a half of beautiful fun.

This movie is just plain enjoyable. It's funny, and the story is deep enough to keep an adult audience entertained (though it's not without its holes.) The final hour is nearly non-stop, beautifully animated action only heightened by wonderful cinematography. The characters and environments are superbly simplistic, and the choreography of the fight sequences rivals anything I've seen.

I only wish it could have lasted longer. The plot progresses fast enough to make the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs, and, as a result, a few things fall by the wayside. The dynamic between Po (Jack Black) and his master, Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), is played out well, but the other characters could use more screen time. The Furious Five, Shifu's other students, barely fit into the plot. They're there, they leave, and they come back for the end. Not to mention that if not for a couple of karate kicks two of the five wouldn't even be in the movie.

There are finer points, too, that could have used some finesseing. Black, though okay, is a miscast. His voice just doesn't fit Po's look and mannerisms. I never really believed that Po was speaking. Rather, Black was speaking through him. The sound design could have also used work as some sounds get repetitive to the point of annoyance. These issues, though minor, are not problems found in works from Pixar and Disney (old Disney, that is) and sadly relegate Kung Fu Panda to the crowded group of good but not great.

Want ninety minutes of fun? Whatch Kung Fu Panda. Even thought it's not the best I've seen, I smiled the whole way through. I bet you will, too.

3.5 of 5 stars

New portfolio coming soon

2009-01-19T19:53:00.000-08:00

Been cranking out an update to my portfolio. No major changes, just adding and subtracting projects and tweaking the look. Graphics and cover pages will change, but here's a taste:

So I've decided two things

2009-01-16T19:21:00.000-08:00

1. I randomly decided yesterday that I wan't to work on my digital sketching this quarter. Below is my first real attempt at pure digital sketching, just a couple of car sketches. Despite their lack of refinement, I would be happy with them as a first attempt, but they were done on a Cintiq. I need to be faster and cleaner, all while using a my tablet (unless anyone out there wants to give me two grand for a Cintiq.) We'll see...

B. The catalyst for said desision is the fact that I have also made the preliminary choice of a snowmobile for my senior thesis. I know, I know - we need to use design to help the world. More humanitarian ideas have crossed my mind, but one thing I know for sure (mostly through co-op) is that I become incredibly bored and frustrated when I'm designing things in which I have little personal interest. Don't get me wrong, though. I would love to be the one to revolutionize water distribution for refugees; it's just not a fun project. Besides, maybe this will turn into an avalanche rescue sled. Who knows? I can be sure, though, that doing something related to both snow and sports will hold my interest.

Anyway, the plan this quarter is to start doing research while I pump out a quick sketch and render portfolio piece. Research and redesigns will continue until I graduate. Chances are it won't happen this way (after all it did take me two co-op quarters just to do a ski boot), but we'll see...

Geeking out

2009-01-15T20:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am the type that can recite the Star Wars Trilogy beginning to end without shame. On that note, this is great.

Note: I'm not being condescending in a "look how stupid this person is" kind of way. I just think her version is fun:

Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

Christmas, Miami and a Thirteen-Foot-Tall Christmas Tree

2009-01-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

You know how everyone sends those annoying Christmas letters detailing their family's entire year? Well this post was intended to be like a shorter version of that covering my holidays. I wrote half of it, decided that even I was getting bored and scrapped it. Here are some bullet points:

- Great improvement with skis in the area of sliding rails, can't wait to jib myself to death at Mountian Creek

- Cut down what ended up being a thirteen-foot-tall Christmas tree (I'll try to find a picture)-Awesome

- Wall-E and The Dark Knight were presents, and watching them again was pure joy

- As per tradition, I got drunk on Christmas Eve

- Not as per tradition, we went to midnight mass. Avoid getting hammered before sitting through a bad priest's sermon at all costs.

- Saw some old friends, always fun to rehash the days of yesteryore (that's right - fuck our language - I make my own words)

- Went to Miami for New Year's Eve and the Orange Bowl - Tony Pike choked donkey dick, but South Beach was fun

- Living in NJ (for co-op) with my sister and her three kids. Hmm, how corrupted can three children become in ten weeks?

I would promise that the posts to come will be more interesting, but I have a hard time believing anyone besides my brother actually reads this...and he does it out of a strange mix of curiosity and pity.

2009-01-04T08:21:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted for a while, so coming some time this week will be a full recap of my holidays. Until then, try not to fall off the edge of your seat.

Simpsons QOD

2008-12-21T19:46:00.000-08:00

-Sir, I think you've gone mad with power.
-Of course I have. Ever tried going mad without power? It's boring; no one listens to you.

Simpsons QOD

2008-12-13T13:21:00.000-08:00

-Unfortunately the Ribwich will no longer be available. The animal it was made out of is now extinct.
-The cow?
-Close, but you're way off. Think more legs.

So here's what happened...

2008-12-11T21:15:00.001-08:00

My last post was a tad brief, so, even though "brevity is the soul of all wit," here's a better explanation of what happened.

I was extremely confident coming into critique on Tuesday. I felt like I had a unique design and a unique rationale for the decisions I made. Anyone from studio who reads this, please do not take offense. In no way am I trying to say that other projects were bad, because they weren't. I simply feel that my concept stood out in that its sustainability was not something that you could only talk about or just slapped on for decoration. I did not present a computer that happened to be part of a sustainable system or had regular materials replaced by recyclable ones. Sustainability was the at the soul of my project and was instantly recognizable by the consumer.

I have always been comfortable presenting my work and, due to what I felt was a unique perspective on a computer's sustainability, this project was no different. I feel like I was clear and succinct in my delivery, and was well prepared for the questions to come. When they did come, however, I was not given a fair opportunity to justify my decisions. Granted, because I knew these questions were coming I could have tried to illustrate them more clearly, but I felt confident in my ability to explain them.

Such was not the case. I spent the majority of my critique time going back and forth, courteously, with one person. He misunderstood what I had said; thus, I misunderstood what he had asked. Once it was cleared up and I began to answer his questions, he interrupted me. Not once or twice but three separate times. In the past I have fallen into the trap of becoming defensive during my critiques, and I took extra care to make sure that it did not happen this time. I had justifications ready, and for some reason he was not interested in hearing them.

This went on for most of my allotted time, leaving roughly 30 seconds for the other four critics to speak. I felt cheated not only out of a genuine critique, but also out of my entire presentation. I was not able to expound on my major talking points due to the disrespect of one individual. It is one thing to do poor work and be called out on it. It is quite another to be well prepared and made to look as if I did poor work.

We soon took a break. I went for a walk. The best way to describe my emotional state was "rage pissed." I was punching walls, swearing under my breath and completely devastated. What I didn't realize until later was that "my" critic was not from HP. I missed introduction because my model, which had been completed four days earlier, decided to break three times that morning. I was relieved that our sponsors were not the ones responsible for debasing my presentation, but, again, I felt cheated out of the opinions I really cared about.

Shit happens. This is last round of bitching you will hear from me. I hate to lose, and this project now looms as a large mark in that column.

Tomorrow, now yesterday, was indeed another day, and some of the pain has lifted. As with all deep wounds, however, I'm not sure this will ever heal completely.

You have got to be fucking kidding me

2008-12-09T07:17:00.001-08:00

Critique went very bad this morning. I have no problem with someone challenging my solutions; it's why I'm in school. But when I have an answer prepared and am interrupted while delivering it, I lose all respect for my critics. I knew what they were going to ask, prepared justifications and wasn't allowed to present them. BULLSHIT.

Challenging the designer's Hippocratic oath

2008-12-04T05:36:00.000-08:00

What will happen when I have to design something that I morally oppose. Here's the situation: I am doing branding work for a consultancy and am given the task of rebranding Phillip Morris cigarettes. The goal, obviously, is to capture market share by creating a fresh, positive brand image. How can I justify doing this work? Moreover, how can I even do a good job? As a professional designer it is my duty to provide my clients with the best solution possible. But what if I don't? What if I give them a solution that they like, but that is designed to fail? It sounds like sabotage, and it is. Call me an idealist, but I cannot find any honest rationale for effectively completing this type of work. I cannot sell a brand that I believe to be evil.

What if I have to design for a product or brand that is only a little evil? Where do I draw the line? I guess it is a question that can only be answered when the moment arrives, but I dread the idea of abandoning my principles for a paycheck.

Doctors swear an oath to heal all people, good or bad, to the best of their ability. I am glad that I, as a designer, have no Hippocratic oath because I can see myself breaking it.

Roger Ebert explains the degredation of American society

2008-12-01T04:46:00.000-08:00

As you could have guessed from my earlier posts, I love movies. Watching them, thinking about them, remembering them. In the process of acquiring my current taste in film, I have become an admirer of Roger Ebert. Though he tends more towards the center of my love/hate scale, his wrinting is always succint and insightful, exploring the true values of a film. Ebert provides his readers with more than a plot synopsis and a thumbs up or down. His reviews often include commentaries on our society and a film's place in it. He invokes a consideration for film as art, a notion that seems to have been forgotten by the studios and the public alike.

Roger Ebert recently posted an article on his blog expounding upon his disdain for the contemporary movie review. Moreover, he expands this into a critique on American writing and culture. I constantly complain about the ignorance and downright stupidity that is invading the minds of Americans today; I'm just glad someone with actual writing talent has put it down in words.

Sometimes, it all just works out

2008-11-27T06:17:00.000-08:00

I have had some awful days this quarter, more than usual, but yesterday was just splendiferous. Perfect North Slopes, the small ski area near my house in Indiana, had it's official opening day. I felt great ripping turns, forward and switch, and even threw down a few switch tricks on the smallest, strangest jump of all time. I also decided I need to learn to snowboard. In an hour and a half I went from not being able to go 20 feet without falling to making it down the easy lift (and being able to turn, mind you.) Granted, I am still a danger to myself and others, but I'm pretty proud of figuring it out by myself in less than two hours.

Upon leaving Perfects my car went over 100,000 miles. Yay.

Finally, I went out with my friends from home. I always hate the idea of trying the relive the "glory days" of high school, but with my school schedule (no vacations due to co-op) I hardly every get to see them. It was nothing special. We went out to a bar, shot the shit and had a good time. I'm the type to go a little crazy without friends around, and these are my oldest and best. Though I'm not the one to say this kind of thing in person, I hope they realize how much they all mean to me.

Happy Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to not sleeping next week.

It's all part of the plan

2008-11-22T06:26:00.000-08:00

Will I be bored in 20 years if things go my way? When life works out just how you plan it, simply the fact that it was planned lessens its impact. The unexpected is what makes life worth living. What if I never lose my job and become a ski bum for a year? What if I never have to live abroad? As much as I want steady work and my 2.2 kids, I want to be a starving artist. This is not to say that I'm bored by my career path. I love what I'm doing and have a passion for design. I just hope that at some point there's some adventure. A great love, a terrible tradgedy, a quest...All great stories have conflict, and I hope something, anything comes along that makes mine worth telling.

Do it for her (don't worry, it's a super obscure reference)

2008-11-20T11:12:00.000-08:00

I started this thing about a year ago and really got into it over the summer. My blog is a great place for me to throw out what's going on in my head since I don't write much for school anymore. Sometimes it's a stress release; other times I really try to have something to say. And, of course, I supplement it all with the knowledge of Homer J. Simpson.

I was excited when I learned that we would be blogging for class. My posts were lacking structure, and this seemed to be just what I needed to form a cohesive set of musings. After a few posts, however, they became homework. This is not to say that it hasn't been fun or useful as I enjoy reading other students' posts and thought the critique-by-blog was a great help. Somewhere along the way it stopped being about what I wanted to say and began to be simply answering a prompt.

I never really cared if people read my blog. It was for me, like a journal. I've gotten away from that, and I hope to get it back. I scare myself when I'm alone with my thoughts, and it's kind of fun.

P.S. Here's my final presentation board for the tea kettle competition

Interview/Simpsons QOD

2008-11-18T10:11:00.000-08:00

My friend in New York hasn't gotten back to me with the email interview. I'll post as soon as it comes. For now, another word from our good friend Homer:

"You see, the thing is there's five of us: Marge, Bart, girl Bart, the one who doesn't talk and the fat guy. How I loathe him."

Franz Kafka and classical music

2008-11-16T21:54:00.000-08:00

I've been reading a lot of Kafka lately, some short stories and The Metamorphosis, and have come to the conclusion that he had to have had a blast writing the way he did. His style leaves the reader not just unsure of what they've read, but often completely baffled. Was there an underlying theme? Was one deliberately omitted? Is the message that there is no message? Shit, I guess I'll have to read it again. Even my mind isn't made up. Sometimes I think he's insightful; other times I'm pretty pissed that I don't have a clue about what I just read. Any way you take it, I can just see him sitting down and chuckling himself, knowing that people the world over will think this hard about the bullshit he's putting down on paper.

On another note, one of my friends is taking a class called "Music and Architecture." He has to listen to samples each week, and I often do so with him. As a result I've been listening to classical music more often, including going to the symphony yesterday, and would just like to say two things:

- 90 percent of my knowledge of classical music has come from elementary school music class. The other 10 percent can be attributed to watching Jeopardy. I really did learn a ton, and I feel like I need to give a shout out to our teacher, Dick McNutt (that was seriously the name he went by.)

- Fantasia is spectacular. It's amazing that an animated film featuring nothing but basically cartoon ballet can be so entertaining for kids and adults alike. It has exposed millions to the delights of classical music, something rarely seen in a culture whose intelligence is being retarded by CSI and Paris Hilton. Mass props to Walt.

Simpsons QOD

2008-11-14T06:07:00.000-08:00

Homer, regarding Mardis Gras:
-Besides, it's an excuse to get drunk on a Tuesday.
-It is Tuesday and you've had seven beers.
-But I'm not drunk.

Beginning to see the light

2008-11-13T09:58:00.000-08:00

From September 30:
"In the interest of creating SMART goals: By the end of the quarter, I will learn and utilize at least one new method for design visualization in Photoshop, Illustrator, Rhino and by hand."

How am I doing with this? The USB project was a big eye opener for me. Quick but effective marker rendering, using Illustrator for more that solid colors, combining quick Rhino and Photoshop to get some lively images. I have never really used those tools this way, and I found it to be incredibly effective. I am still struggling with marker techniques, as evident by my teapots, but it's getting better.

I regret that I was not able to use all of these tools for our current project. At the time I wasn't comfortable enough with them and used my old, ignorant method of sketch to 3D. We are at the point now where we need final geometry in less than a week, and time does not exist for perfecting the designs by these new methods. I will however, back sketch the shit out of this project using what I have learned. I feel confident that, with these techniques, I will be able to make my HP project the highlight of my next portfolio.

So, I feel confident in what I have learned, but I have not yet repeated the success I had with the USB project. Future prospects look good, but I must develop these new skills through practice.

One of my personal, non-design goals this quarter has been Crossfit. It's a workout plan that was passed along to me by one of my good friends fighting in Afghanistan. Each day, a new workout is posted online, and I am proud to say that after seven weeks I have not missed a single day. These are intense exercises that are normally done "for time," i.e. no breaks between sets. As a result each day's work normally only takes 20-25 minutes, but it kicks your ass. I can already tell how much stronger and more in shape I am, and I look forward to the workouts each day. I would recommend it to anyone, now matter how in or out of shape you may be (scaled versions are posted each day due to the fact that the full workouts are nearly impossible.) Thank you Mason for introducing me to Crossfit.

The same thing goes for Crossfit as design: I'm beginning to see the light, but must force myself to keep at it.

How to make the best of an inferiority complex

2008-11-12T07:09:00.000-08:00

I hate losing; I hate being worse than anyone at anything. I become agitated, often to the point of anger. While this gets me in trouble socially (this is something I've wanted to write about for a while and will try to get to this week), I have learned to use it to my advantage professionally.

Throughout my entire design process, I am constantly evaluating myself and my work. Is it good enough? Am I working hard enough? Is someone's project better than mine? This has pushed me to strive to design products that stand out from my peers. Do not believe, however, that my work is far and away the best the world has ever seen. It is, in fact, rarely the best in our studio. I simply force myself into a competitive mindset that will not accept failure.

I can see two obvious examples in my light design and our current studio with HP.

For our light, we were given very little in terms of problem statement and direction. It was basically, make a cool looking light that you can pretend relates to a movie character. In terms of doing something that would challenge and enhance my design skill set, I didn't see much point in this. I couldn't accept doing something that, though it may have looked unique, was in no way set apart from the rest of the projects. This drove me to a design that I feel was successful in being both a light and a unique, original product. Check it out in my portfolio (links are to the right.)

During our HP project, we were to define three concepts with "B" level drawings and present them to the HP staff. I was struggling with my concepts at the time, and for the first time, in my opinion, I presented bad work. Being the second student to present, I had a over two hours to dwell on what had just taken place. Frankly, I got pissed. I spent the majority of studio doodling, making lists, anything to help me figure out where to go. The concepts I produced from those two hours were more promising than anything I had created over the past week. I attribute all of this my inferiority complex. I was so upset that I was doing worse than the rest of the studio, and much more importantly worse than what I was capable of, that I could not get my mind away from my work until I improved it.

I grew up with a strange combination of winning losing. I was smart and relatively athletic, but I always felt like I was playing second fiddle to someone. Be it my older brother, who I've admired my entire life, or my own potential, I've developed a personality that doesn't accept failure. While I may not always end up at the top, I'll sure as hell be driven to get there.

Update

2008-11-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

So...I'm behind. I've been focusing on my ID project this past week and haven't gotten very far on the tea kettle. Basically I have a few forms (which I haven't scanned and the CGC is closed) for two concepts. Here was the problem statement from my design brief:

Create a tea kettle the brings the serenity of the chado Japanese tea ritual into the modern home. The kettle will function as the boiling mixing and pouring device; it must be elegant, functional, easy to use and create an emotional connection with its users.

My two basic concepts involve boiling the water so that it rises through the leaves and into the upper part of the kettle for pouring (this is a process common to coffees and espressos.) The first concept is a simplified, anthropomorphic form that seems to bow to the users. I have been exploring different types and placements for the handle that accentuate the form and emotional impact of the kettle.

The second concept involves either bowl or cup-like forms that seem to be stacked precariously. The water/tea may rise and fall to different levels as it fills and overflows the bowls

Where I really feel like I need help is with my HP Computer. Here is what I turned in as my final "C" concept:

The frame is a single sheet of aluminum that has been die cut and pressed with bamboo fabric covering the rest of the case area. My design focuses on overtly selling the actual computer as sustainable. Bamboo fabric is instantly recognized as sustainable due to bamboo's incredibly fast rate of growth. Also, Aluminum is highly recyclable, and by using only an "exoskeleton" rather than a full case, there is a material savings of over 60% (not to mention the advantages over molded pieces.)

Other than the styling of the monitor and keyboard, the only feature I am struggling with is the connection between the monitor and the unit. The screen is a 22"transparent touch OLED that slides from an upright to a lowered position to facilitate using the touch feature (reduces arm fatigue.) OLEDs are incredibly light while remaining strong, and see no problem in the monitor being attached on only one side (in the rectangular cutout on the left of the front of the frame) as it is always resting on the desktop. Tony disagrees...strongly.

After talking with Sam last week, I proposed that the bottom of the screen be beefed up visually by widening and thickening the bezel at the bottom to give it more visual weight. Still no good for Tony. I then proceeded to show Tony Sony's new OLED tv which uses a hinge that is incredibly similar to mine:

He still wasn't buying it. I love the idea of giving the consumer something that looks a little fantastic, and I am convinced it will work. Tony's suggestion of adding a leg to the other side takes too much energy away from the main unit, which must be the focus of the computer. I'm thoroughly stumped.

Simpsons QOD

2008-11-06T15:09:00.000-08:00

Homer, walking by a homeless man sleeping in a dumpster:
"Heh. Just like Oscar the Grouch."

2008-11-05T04:48:00.000-08:00

Upon telling my roommate that Wednesdays are ID nights at Murphy's, he became extremely apprehensive about going. I love how threatened my frat friends are by DAAPers.

Story board from the new Rob Zombie movie - Pysch-Robo-Emo Killer Death Bunnies

2008-11-04T14:38:00.001-08:00

I voted today

2008-11-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

Without any clue as to who I voted for, OBAMA, I voted today; it was awesome. It was the second time I voted in a presidential election, but somehow there was much more energy this time. I went home this morning to go with my mom. Of course, we talked politics on the way there. Here are a few of my politcal thoughts over the last few weeks:

- It's been amazing to see how UC's campus, one of the more apathetic I've seen, has been energized by the election. Every day since I've been back there have been students on campus campaigning, protesting, registering, etc. For a place whose student body usually does nothing outside of go to school, this has been an exciting thing to see.

- It's amazing how divided people can become. My first day back from co-op I got into a screaming argument with my roommate. Granted we were drunk, but that doesn't negate the fact that I was yelling in the face of one of my best friends. Also, my mother's reply to a conservative email was misconstrued as calling my uncle a bigot. Crazy.

- Upon exiting the polls an older man walked up to me, shook my hand asking me if it was my first time. I told him it was my second, his face lit up and he thanked me.

- My mom's last comment before we voted was how different things were this year. Importance, voter turnout, political enthusiasm...everything this year was on a different level than it has ever been before. I cannot fully realize the gravity of the situation on account of my age, but I am grateful to have been a part of something incredible.

The way I design gets me in trouble

2008-11-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

Ideate, refine, finalize, create. That's the way it's supposed to go, but, for me, it is rarely that linear.

I often find myself looking for a singular answer to a problem. While this method motivates me to do a great job with my final design, it hurts the intermediate steps. If I sketch something out that doesn't have obvious potential I throw it out (often literally.) Once I find "the one" I take that to final concept quite quickly. It would be much more helpful to attempt to develop multiple concepts before giving the bad ones the axe, leaving my mind open to possibilities throughout the whole process. This method of leapfrogging to the start to the finish probably arose from my first co-op, where I was critiqued for spending too much time exploring ideas.

Take my computer project for example: 200 ideations, 30 refinements, 3 further refinements - all thrown out the door for for my final concept, which was completed in three days. Though a part of it is still related to my early ideas, the main focus of my concept has no previous documentation. There aren't any sketches or explorative renderings. I'm fine with this, as I am confident that it's a good concept, but there is no proof of my thought process leading to my final design. It is hard to justify an idea that just came to me, even though that's what happened. It will probably come down to back sketching on an ongoing project. Weird, huh?

My only solution to this problem is to get much faster at the refinement stage so it is a much more useful design tool. If I am able to quickly refine concepts, I won't be worried about not having time the find "the one."

Simpsons QOD

2008-11-02T21:35:00.000-08:00

Look at those poor saps back on land with their laws and ethics! They'll never know the simple joys of a monkey knife fight.

Storyboards are fun

2008-10-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for animation. Naturally, I love looking at things like model sheets and storyboards. Today I ran across Bill Peet, a former storyboard illustrator for Disney. While his style may seem a little old school (i.e. not as flashy as today's concept artists) it does exactly what it needs to. He quickly and simply captures the movements and emotions of characters and scenes through his rough snapshots. What strikes me as most impressive is how close many of his storyboard designs, which come at the first stages of pre-production, are to the final designs seen in the films. It just goes to show how, if you are successful in capturing the basic qualities of a character, which Peet's illustrations do very well, the aesthetics just fall in place.

Storyboards are cool, and they can be really helpful in describing the use of a product. They kind of suck to do, though.

On my way

2008-10-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

One of my goals for the quarter was to learn new methods of vizualization in Illustrator, Photoshop and by hand. The recent USB project has really helped with this goal. Marker rendering and Illustrator techniques will help my front end work, but the best technique I've learned with this project has been painting over 3d models in photoshop. Not only did this come out sweet looking, but it helped me finalize materials, colors and forms.

We're beyond the point that I would normally do this for ID studio, but I think I'll go back and do this type of rendering for my computer project. If it helped this much for a flash drive, it's bound to work for a whole computer system.

Here's a link to the project pdf to look at the other work that went into this project.

Blogging our lives away

2008-10-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

A portion of our work for our design communications class has been bloggin about various design related topics. This has put a serious hurt on my Simpsons QODs, but it's been interesting. Here are my opinions on a few of my classmates' posts:

Alison Knaack
Her recent post regarding Viktor Schreckengost received two comments...from his wife and stepson! It's pretty amazing how far-reaching this interweb of ours is. This was just a journal entry that ten years ago would probably been read by no more than two people, Alison and our professor. Now anyone anywhere has access to her random thoughts and opinions.

Alex Aeschbury
Alex really stepped out for his first inspiring designer. Dali is not know for his products, but produced some of the most interesting objects of his time. Kudos for digging a little deeper.

John Ariosa
His posts are just hilarious. Clever titles, pictures, etc. just remind me how to take some time to laugh at life, the universe and eeverything.

2008-10-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

I love watching movies, but I hate most movies that have come out in the last 10 years. Elitist, weird or tasteful?

Zhu vs. Shinkawa

2008-10-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

So, since my "inspiring designer" was Feng Zhu, I thought it was only appropriate to compare him with another concept artist - in this case Yoji Shinkawa. I was exposed through Yoji's work through Metal Gear Solid, a game for the orginal Playstation.

As stylized as Zhu's work is, Shinkawa's is that much more. He often leaves work at the sketch phase, only sometimes adding small bits of color and shading that do more to pop the image than actually show form. Drawing with a brush pen, his lines vary dramtically, at times splitting in two. His characters appear to move through the page.

This method is incredibly effective for concept work in the video game market as so much depends on visual style. It is not very effective, however, for communincating finalized designs. Even his model sheets are sparse on detail. I give a lot of credit to Konami's 3D modelers and animators for bringing Yoji's designs to life. He doesn't give them a ton to work with, but I guess it works. While his style is not particularly helpful with my professional work (at least not more than rembering to give my sketches as much life as possible), I have to say I could look at his images all day. They are simply gorgeous.

If I could draw like this...

2008-10-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

I've always been drawn to concept art as it often combines two of my passions, art and film.
Feng Zhu has uncanny style. After watching several of Zhu's instructional videos, I was blown away by his methods of visual communication. From quick ink sketches, to sillouhetted explorations of form to final renderings, his work is always full of life and emotion.

Drawings are purposefully ambiguous. Much like a novel, they allowe the audience to fill in the gaps they cannot see. Zhu's work is a perfect example of this. His work flow blends rough sketch into finished rendering, producing a result that uniquely combines the movement of a sketch with the precise detail of a rendering.

While effective for concept art, I hope to bring some of this technique to my own product design. A large aspect of product design is controlling the emotions of the user. If I can progress to the point where my products have as much vitality of one of Zhu's characters or environments, I will be a much more effective designer aesthetically.

What does the future hold?

2008-10-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

Just as the industrial revolution swept through the world of the 19th century, so will the technological innovations of the 21st...

...Wow, I didn't think it was possible to write something that tacky. Anyway, with the speed at which our technology is evolving, our world is bound to change. At the forefront of these changes, I see the emergence of nanotechnology, genetic engineering and sustainable innovation.

Nanotechnology, the control of matter at molecular and atomic levels, has the potential to create materials and processes previously thought to be impossible. My interest in it lies in the controversy surrounding it. On one hand, we have the potential for incredible breakthroughs in fields like medicine, electronics and energy production - breakthroughs that could greatly benefit the human race and our world. On the other hand, there is the potential for disaster. Undetectable nanoweapons, manufactured microbes that can destroy an entire city, and the devastation of our environment are just a few of the reasons that there is an air of apprehension surrounding nanotech. Science has not yet destroyed the earth, though some have tried, and I trust that we will be cautious enough to keep it from happening. Nanotechnology is, at the same time, full of hope and despair.

Human evolution no longer exists. Take me for example. I have asthma. If nature had its way I would have suffocated as an infant and died. I did not, and my debilitating mutation will be passed on to future generations. Genetic engineering could potentially fix this problem. Altering, and hopefully improving, what makes us human has the potential to artificially revive our evolution. As with nanotech, there are potential dangers. If perfected someone could create an army of super-soldiers (all of which would be named Ivan Drago,) but this is an area of science where I believe the benefits far outweigh the risks.

In the last few years, I have seen a drastic change in the world's awareness of environmental issues. Going green is hip, and many are becoming truly committed to living, and helping others to live, sustainable lifestyles. Sustainability is less technology and more mindset. The world is coming around the realize that we have a responsibility keep the earth a beautiful, hospitable place. With this new way of thinking will come innovation at the highest level. We are already seeing the big guns of pollution, the automotive industry, try to save face with hybrid and electric cars. Seeing a company like GM take environmental initiative, even if it's just to help their image, gives me hope for our world's future.