Syd Mead and forward thinking.

Syd Mead, the great conceptual artist, is renowned for his incredibly innovative conceptual illustrations and designs. What many fail to realise is that people who move an industry forward are people who disable cultural influences. The ethos' of these people tend to be generative of an internal motivation. External influences are important when it comes to physically realising practical ideas, but only the soul can create visions which can be inspired by others.

As a design student, one area always crops up; morality and ethics. As a designer, should you empower people or reflect what they wish? In ruthless honesty, I think that mass markets are only rarely empowered through design. The iPhone is definitely one of those products. The uncomprehending are a mass market, and consume our planet with obvious and devastating actions. As a whole, the world consists of such imperfections. A minority still hold the type of conciousness which was mean't, whilst the rest simply dissolve into the boundary bearing, association clenching, authority derived sphere of morphed reality. Syd Mead is one of those people who can APPLY his internally derived concious thoughts towards his life.

Words to the wise; analyse from within, but understand from without. Here is an inspiring photo. Read, look and think:

Break Over.

I am back! It has been a lengthy summer, full of activities and inspiration. I like to leave the summer to some gentle design work, but mainly earning money and escaping the realms of boundary. - a tactical dissolution, something every designer should do. I usually do this via listening to UK underground Hip-Hop, theta brain waves and other spirit aiding tools. Spiritually, I have learn't to use what is known as the pineal gland, a gland located in between our two eyes (AKA Third eye) and about 4 inches deep. This gland is believed to produce and release DMT, or Demythyltriptamine (If spelt correctly). DMT is responsible for our true conciousness. It handles genetic memory and enables rational decision making. Creativity has been linked with the pineal gland since Mayan's, Mazatecs, Egyptians and Shamans. Arguably, all of these civilisations have contributed incomprehensibly to the world we now live in today. This has led me into the recent study of sacred geometry and fractal art, which if interpreted properly enhances the DMT production in the gland. Now that I have had my spiritual break, I am going to focus back into my work and use what I have learn't.

Surface modelling project:

This is a mood board which will influence a final alloy wheel design. Influenced by futurism and the economic/political situations around us, my final design will surely make an impact......

Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupe

Earlier on in the year I posted a blog about the Mercedes CLS and how ravishingly exciting and successful the production vehicle will prove to be. Maybe I was right? Mercedes-Benz have released a coupe in what seems to be a conceptual state. By conceptual I mean visually metaphorical. - an exaggeration of what and who Mercedes-Benz are. This approach is reminiscent of the original Mercedes-Benz. The company created great consistency and built strong brand values in the 80's and 90's but perhaps this was havoc for the target market. Elegance and success is even more of a visual definition when clarity is invoked, but the original brand values have been lost. For the best? As Steve Jobs always says, sales tell the truth.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dlz8aU1EXkBA&h=4AQEAU4phAQHfaF6X937WODGFtHtTSNZlLDr9DKGQ95JYRg

This is an interview with Steve Jobs on his visions of other companies with many brilliant questions, answered of course brilliantly. I Watched the full interview last night. Being half way through his biography I can say that Walter Isaacson is pretty accurate in how he portrays him. This guy has the most simple and basic morales which encompass a complex mind due to the complexity of us as people. He wanted to create the BEST possible solutions in technology and did everything he could to do that. One argument on a personal level is that he neglected his family yet he is so passionate about fulfilling peoples' lives. In my eyes he has given to society not only great, innovative products but a philosophy which should be followed. Seek perfection, be completely disciplined and hard working and always learn from everything in life. If you look at his life you can say that he understands a lot of different disciplines very well just because he could soak other peoples knowledge in, and if he didn't understand something he would hire someone who did and was brilliant and he would drive them in the right direction whilst learning from them. RIP Steve.

Steve Jobs Biography

I am about a quarter if the way through the biography of Steve Jobs, written by Walter Isaacson. So far I can say the following; I appreciate the positive and negative affects of LSD, I understand how selfishness can lead one to great things and how diversity can lead one in the right direction. The dogmatic and individualistic characteristics of Steve seem to be his most powerful weapons. He made a succinct expression on the fact that he was always the one in control, seeking peripheral knowledge and expertise to his own advantage by manipulation, always learning and consuming information he came across, usually dumping the source back where it came from.

From a philosophical viewpoint, I always feel strongly that the outcome is the most important vision to have. For me, Steve was a visionary guy. He could see the bigger picture as if it had already virtually happened in his mind (which it probably had).

The Italian Way: An Interview with Paolo Martin

On the 21st of February Car design news released an interview with Paolo Martin, an Ex-pininfarina styling director, famed for designing the Ferrari Modulo. I try to keep very up to date with all aspects of design and thankfully every now and then I indulge in a state of realisation with something. Here, Paolo highlights what I think may be an important observation. In one statement he explains the notions of traditional design cheifs;

'With Michelotti, everything was based on interpretation and personal fantasy. In that era, various designers (eg. Pietro Frua, Flaminio Bertoni and others) were totally individualistic, and critiques or modifications were not permitted or accepted. This way of working, even if it seems arcane, is the one that gave the best results in time, and has left us all with the strongest reference points'. 

Surely this point is valid and correct? Well I believe that it is more difficult to reach the levels of clarity expressed in such classics as the designers quoted, however possible to exceed with various input. I think that the importance of management and selection is what can create as much clarity and brilliance in a single design than if an individual were to create something. This also highlights one of the most important attributes of a designer in my eyes; the ability to communicate creatively in order to provide either greater creativity or analytical solution. The same principle applies throughout all industries to an extent. The more methodology involved the more complex the process becomes, there for creating a wider margin for error. However this can work to great effect with a great mind. Sometimes a democracy is the solution (more often than not) and other times an individual can be just as effective. On that note, I partially agree with Mr Martin, yet think that higher greatness can be achieved elsewhere.