Monday, October 30, 2006

German Design by Professor Frank Grossman

GERMAN DESIGN
simple design objects - strict design less emotive

Peter Behrens
changing from cursive, floral to technical industry

Bauhaus
modernising artforms
influence of abstract forms
main influence for modern art in the first half of the 19th century
looking for universal solutions

Jan Tschichold
putting structure into design

HfG Ulm
Design as an engineering process
based on the communication, more abstract non-dependent on medium
Less is more
cheap and highly functional

Otl Aicher
whitespace concept of freeing space
system was important, unification of communication

SWISS
constructive art (minimal art) playing with very reduced elements, influenced by japanese wood cuts
see expression before you see the content

Twen
Red Yellow Blue colours representing the 80's

To combine art and technology - Karlsruhe

Posters - gallery on the street

Similiarities in German and Japanese design?

How does the heavy influence of product design affect / influence media design

Is it less important as we spend more and more time in environments where material objects are less important (fluid environments)?

MODERN TYPE
techno design - mixing of graphic elements, emotional design in response to the the technologic era of 90s

illustration trend in current era

ZURICH SWITZERLAND
playful design as opposed to social design of bauhaus
Ikea is cheap and available to many people

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Fluid realities

Perhaps the fluid reality we perceive is just a flimsy construct of individual puzzle pieces, any one of which could suddenly disappear.

"the brain may actually be a grouping of stand-alone computational machines that are wired together."

http://wired.com

Friday, October 27, 2006

Prison Break 03





Ali doing his moves Posted by Picasa

Prison Break 02





Shhh Posted by Picasa

Prison Break





Our tour of the old prison behind our apartment, creepy and cold, but beautiful colours inside. Posted by Picasa

Talk the talk

To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe. --Marilyn vos Savant

Notes on non-verbal communication
We unconsciously touch our bodies when emotions run high to comfort, relieve, or release stress. Lips are favorite places for fingertips to land and deliver reassuring body contact. Self-stimulating behaviors, e.g, a. holding an arm or wrist, b. massaging a hand, and c. scratching, rubbing, or pinching the skin, increase with anxiety and may signal deception, disagreement, fear, or uncertainty.

Their combined verbal and nonverbal IQs make hands our most expressive body parts. Hands have more to say even than faces, for not only do fingers show emotion, depict ideas, and point to butterflies on the wing--they can also read Braille, speak in sign languages, and write poetry. Our handsare such incredibly gifted communicators that they always bear watching.

According to Kent State University researchers Stanford W. Gregory, Jr. and Stephen Webster, people unconsciously adapt to each other's voice tones (a phenomenon studied by students of "communication accommodation theory"). "The researchers suggest that when two people converse, the person whose low-frequency [i.e., dominant] vocal characteristics change the least is perceived by both as having the higher social status" (Schwartz 1996:A4).

Salesmanship. "Deeper voices carry more authority for men and women. Everything you say somehow seems truer or more important" (Delmar 1984:39).

Monday, October 23, 2006

The Time Is Now

Why do we delay the things that we know should be done?
How come we procrastinate...can this word be a substitute for play, of wanting to prolong something that was left from childhood?

A valuable insight into the mechanics and possible solution to this action of inaction.

procrastination

So maybe we are avoiding to do what we deep down fear most? It makes sense that it is instinct that we are scared animals, trying to take flight even from the most seemlying non-threatening circumstances as a result.

Almost Famous

The most valuable commodity today is attention.

Friday, October 20, 2006

Stuttgarter


Jennifer(her name when they were learning english) and Melanie. It was Jennifer's birthday...which actually was on the same day as mine...so freaky to travel half way across the world and bump into someone born on the same day..meant to be? coincidence? synchronicity?

Anyway more on Melanie... She has travelled around the world from India (her favourite place) to Bali, Indonesia, Thailand and more. I met her through the hospitality club and spent the Saturday hanging out with her, at her friend's Birthday and a great club called Zapata in Stuttgart.
She currently is restless to travel again and doesn't mind the less developed destinations, being able to tolerate the dirt and grime.(..hmmmm I have yet to be able to do that) and loves the tropical weather. She knows French and Italian and so easy to talk to...seemed like we got to Stuttgart in no time as we talked. She spends most of her time looking after kids in a youth centre where her patience is sometimes pushed as it happens with boys in their teens.
I had a great time and going to visit again of course!


A really tall bottle of wine that we drank.
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Stuttgarter


Sunday morning waiting for the tram


Zapata - clubbing the German way


Birthday dinner with great strangers hehe BANANA!


Pix from a birthday party and chekn a kickass club Zapata Posted by Picasa

Stuttgarter


Me and Melanie's Bro (I was bending my knees...though german guys are quite tall) Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Naruto addiction

"When a person has something precious to protect, then they become stronger"

Monday, October 16, 2006

Say Hello


Me and Michael who was stopping by Schwaebisch Hall on his travels along Germany. We hung out for a couple of days and talked about the ups and downs, the sights and sounds, it was cool.
I smoked way too many cigarettes and found out Michael has been through a lot of horror accommodations, sleeping one time near a leaky toilet, in a basement and other crazy stories.
Well until you meet people who have suffered and still can put on smile than you haven't lived.

I took him out to our local club Bartheusa or something like that where they had 1 euro beers and shots til 12.30am......and these shots are like double the size of Australia's pissy little things.
As you can imagine we all took advantage of that and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly!

A shame I didn't bring my camera, man i feel so touristy...but the pictures are so priceless and soo funny so i think i dun care nmore I am going to shoot everything so World Watch out!!!

P.S it seems like I am having so much fun so reality check - most of the time I am spending hours in front of the computer job hunting and learning code.

Michael, named after St Michael, comes from Melbourne as well and know some of my friends from back home coincidental, so big surprise! asian community is well connected and he is a physiotherapist, giving good tips on working without damaging my posture.
*I need to buy a cushion. * Very easy going and independent, he adjusted really well, as we went to 2 parties and I went to say hello to some of the students, which was great, made friends with strangers as well.
NOTE when you travel it is a skill that come in real handy "the ability to engage in interesting conversation with people you would never probably approach." He heads off roundn somewhere, I remember he is stopping by in Japan before coming back to AU.
Good luck mate, great times r a coming Posted by Picasa

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Haller Herbst


The Autumn festival in Schwaebisch Hall
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Autumn Festival


Jolly old men in traditional costume and musical instruments
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Autumn Festival


Balloons lots of balloons
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night SHA


Streets of SHA
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night SHA


St Michaels nightscape
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night SHA


St Michaels Church nightscape
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Thursday, October 05, 2006

foto Shootn' SHA style


The fountain next to a place in SHA where they used to chain people up as punishment for crime, to be gawked, spat and stoned at ..as I recall Guido (our esteemed Professor and town historian) telling us.. though have to say sometimes my recollection is similiar to the colours of the water, free-flowing and open to embelishment depending on the angle of enlightment.

Exchange Tip:
Professor Guido does not like students coming late to class, especially ones from Australia and Poland. Posted by Picasa

foto shootn' SHA style


View from the top of the walls of that Castle/Church ...not sure ...it seems everywhere I go I see big churches, must be a European thing and seem to be huge and wonderfully detailed, you feel the amount of time and dedication put forth in the construction back in the era where time moved with the rhythm of birds and the bees. Posted by Picasa

Foto shootn' SHA stayle


Andre standing in between 2 fort walls where enimity raged between 2 townships for centuries over trade and taxes Posted by Picasa

Foto shootn' Schwaebian style


Building styles of SHA
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Wednesday, October 04, 2006

foto shootn' SHA style


Andre looking at various angles for a shot of the Castle or another humongous church on top of another hill close to the fringes of the town. We were thinking all these castles would be really good paint ball arenas...such a untapped resource! Posted by Picasa

The healthiest midnite snack i ever had


Well I'm working on a flyer at 3am so maybe a couple hours later than midnight, and I had the munchies BADDDDD so, looked in the fridge and came out with this (the perks of being a creative) as you can see it looks very appetising and tastes even better... spiced olives, REAL mozzarella cheese and fresh rocket ( it's called Rauke or something in german, darn I must bring a notebook for my german..)
I bought the fresh ingredients from the farmer's market happening on Weds and Sat's..... a lot of smiling and nodding and saying Ja Ja... although I can say Ein hundert Gramm bitte (100 grams please)
Not much meat in my fridge as it is quite dear....I think it may b quite efficient eating vegan... hmm i think I will try it for 1 week starting next week *must not walk pass kebab shop* Posted by Picasa