Digital Design Week #13: Journal entry – “Jaden Smith Launches Vegan Food Truck for L.A. Homeless”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jaden-smith-launches-vegan-food-truck-la-homeless-1223125

Well known singer Jaden Smith set up a vegan food truck in downtown Los Angeles on his birthday, Monday, July 8, to provide free meals to those experiencing homelessness. He kept it open for the entire day and passed out brown bags with “I Love You” bowls of carrots and kale to some of the estimated 8,000 people living in the area. Smith wrote on Instagram that the truck “is a movement that is all about giving people what they deserve, healthy, vegan food for free.” He said it was the first of many food trucks to come, teasing, “Keep a look out.” What an incredible way to celebrate a birthday! I feel that this was incredibly generous on his part and shows that he truly is a great person. I definitely drew a lot of inspiration from him because this is very similar to what I would hope to achieve with my Hungry Hearts idea, except I would like mine to be utilized on the East coast and on a much larger scale.

Digital Design Week #12 – Journal Entry: “Designers are now selling ‘digital clothes’ that don’t actually exist”

designers are now selling ‘digital clothes’ that don’t actually exist

A solution to one of the world’s major eco problems might involve creating clothes that don’t actually exist. Digital fashion, which refers to 3D-rendered garments that only exist virtually, is a very real idea that offers much greener, zero-waste alternatives in a world with growing fears over waste and concerns about the negative effects of manufacturing. Digital fashion can be dressed on a digital avatar or overlayed on an image of a person, but rarely actually exists in the real world (unless a digital copy of a real piece of clothing). and whilst it seems odd, it could have quite lucrative ‘real-world’ applications, especially within the heavily digitized world we are living in. A pop-up store in London is giving consumers a chance to try on digital garments to test their commercial potential, a chance to see the commercial validity of such an idea. Truthfully, this idea baffles me. It seems completely impossible to achieve. What interest could people possibly have in digital clothing? I don’t see how digital clothing could even begin to replace traditional fabric. There are MANY roadblocks this new industry would have to overcome to make this seemingly impossible idea successful.

Digital Design Week #11- Journal Entry: “Netflix counters Disney Plus with hand-drawn, ‘old school’ Christmas animation”

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/netflix-disney-plus-christmas-klaus

With the launch of Disney Plus streaming on Tuesday, the competition has grown thick.

Netflix, as an answer to Disney’s popularity in animation, is releasing an original, Christmas-themed animated film called “Klaus.” Director Sergio Pablos told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on Wednesday that the film is targeted toward families and aims to please as many people possible. Pablos has worked on older Disney films such as “Tarzan” and had chosen to revert back to old school animation methods by drawing it by hand. He said he did it this way because he loves to draw and it’s “who he is”. His team drew digitally on tablets, he said, but they still drew it, and that’s what counts. I was very excited to hear this news because I adore many classic traditionally animated films, and as many of us know, 2D animation has not been very popular or “profitable” for several years now. So to see a 2D, hand drawn film making a come up serves as a huge beacon of hope for the 2D animation industry. I hope this short film is successful and will inspire other studios to once again begin creating 2D animations and maybe even more traditionally hand drawn content. “Klaus” is expected to stream on Netflix Friday, November 15th. I’ll definitely be watching it!

Digital Design Week #10 – Journal Entry: “A huge, immersive digital art gallery is opening in Australia next year”

 

A huge, immersive digital art gallery is opening in Australia next year

The Lume is a brand new digital art gallery set to open in South Melbourne next year. The permanent gallery will span 2,000 square metres and will be open seven days a week, 365 days a year. The exhibition space will come complete with a whopping 150 projectors, tantalising aromas and musical soundscapes. Not much else is known about the gallery, specifically where it is going to be located and what works are going to be displayed. Although according to the website, it appears that Van Gogh’s art is going to be some of the first to be showcased. A digital art gallery of this scale is such a cool and innovative idea! I can only hope a similar exhibit will make its way to the states one day! If it were to be based in NYC, I’d be there in a heartbeat!

Digital Design Week #9 – Journal Entry: “Humanoid Robots need to alleviate human anxiety”

DDW Talk: Humanoid robots need to alleviate human anxiety

During the ‘Digital Design’ DDW Talk, Sony presented its vision on the future relationship between humans and robots. “When robots have evolved so far that we feel like they’re alive, then humans will begin to feel an affinity toward them,” says Rikke Gertsen Constein. “We really need to learn to coexist.” Constein is Global Art Director at the Sony Creative Center, where she has developed the Affinity in Autonomy design project. In this project, Sony doesn’t look at robotics from a functional perspective, as is customary at present, but from a human viewpoint instead. Sony realizes that the concept of artificial intelligence elicits anxiety in people. We are inherently terrified by a possible eventual “takeover” by these machines.

The result of this project is an interactive exhibition made up of five installations, and each installation depicts a step closer to an affinity with robots. The purpose is to start with the awakening of the robots’ intelligence, and then it learns how to respond to people and their environment. This ultimately leads to an emotional connection between the two beings.

Eventually, robots will be given essential roles in our society. A project such as this is necessary to build a genuine relationship between robots and humanity, as robots will eventually be helping us perform essential functions in our lives. I think that an experiment such as this is not only necessary but invaluable to humanity as a whole, as robots will eventually become very intertwined in our lives. I feel like at some point in the near future, everyone should be made to take part in an experiment like this, not only to relieve anxiety of the possibility of things going wrong, but to help us build genuine bonds with these beings and adjust to these major changes in society. How will we learn to make that adjustment if we are not given proper information and communication on the matter? I foresee these projects being very beneficial to humanity as a whole.

Digital Design Week #8 – Journal Entry: “An ode to Japan’s vibrant influential graphic design culture”

https://www.fastcompany.com/90415424/an-ode-to-japans-vibrant-influential-graphic-design-culture

Nearly a century of branding, advertising and graphic art are showcased in a new exhibit celebrating talented graphic designers. Japanese media has long been celebrated for its uniquely graphic visual language. For example, take the work of Shigeru Watano, the Japanese graphic designer known for his vibrant approach to advertising. He also brought his native Japanese design sensibilities to the Netherlands, where he lived. In celebration of Watano, who died in 2012, Amsterdam’s Stedelijk museum recently opened an exhibit called Colorful Japan, a creatively curated display of Japanese branding and poster culture. There are currently over 800 posters in Stedelijk’s collection on display! These posters showcase incredible talent, creativity and often wild, popping colors. I have always appreciated the level of detail, surrealism and intricacy put into these works. I wish I had the opportunity to see all of them in person!!!

Digital Design Week #7 Journal Entry – Swiss Graphic Designer displays 61 Years of Art at CMU

http://www.cm-life.com/article/2019/10/rosemarie-tissi-graphic-design-exhibit

Rosmarie Tissi is an 83 year old Swiss graphic designer who is still practicing her craft. The Central Michigan University Art Gallery will have an exhibition of Tissi’s work from October 16th- November 16th. It is highly recommended for students to attend. She is a prominent designer. It is free and open to the public. 61 years worth of art is absolutely incredible to me, if I had the opportunity I would go see it in a heartbeat. I can’t even imagine the amount of art she created in such a long period of time. She must have such a wide variety of different works, one could gain a lot of insight and inspiration from viewing them!!

Digital Design Week #6 Journal Entry -Graphic Design Major at ENMU Aims to inspire with art

https://www.enmu.edu/about/news-and-events/enmu-news/success-spotlight/2886-graphic-design-major-at-enmu-aims-to-inspire-with-art

Rajamia “Jamie” Drain is a senior at Eastern New Mexico University majoring in graphic design with a minor in communications. She is also an artist, and draws and paints in her free time and regularly submits her works to local art shows. She is pursuing a career as a graphic designer in a design firm under a brand, saying that she “wants to create strong concepts for companies. I want to help them communicate who they are and what their goals are.”. She wants to use art to inform, inspire and captivate the attention of possible customers. All in all, I think her level of creativity an work ethic is very inspiring. I feel that she will do great things not only for herself but hopefully for major companies in the coming years.

 

Digital Design Week #5 Journal Entry – New Digital Arts studio to feature workshop by Disney animator

New Digital Arts Studio To Feature Workshop By Disney Animator

Muncie, IN—Cornerstone Center for the Arts is excited to announce the grand opening of the Muncie Altrusa Foundation Beulah Frogge Digital Arts Studio on Saturday, August 24 with a stop motion animation workshop led by Disney artist and animator Brad Condie.  This workshop is free and open to the public, but does require pre-registration. Anyone aged 8-15 years old can participate!

Brad Condie has worked in the film and animation industry for 17+ years. He teaches 2D animation and character design at Ball State University, and has worked on six feature length films with Disney. This is an excellent opportunity for these children. I would have killed to be able to learn from an actual Disney animator. Imagine the skill set he must have!! Learning from a pro like that must be a real treat. Maybe one day I’ll get an opportunity like that myself, LOL.

Digital Design Week #4 Journal Entry – Why Disney doesn’t make 2D animated movies anymore

https://screenrant.com/disney-no-2d-animated-movies-future/

This article discusses an issue that I myself have wondered about for YEARS, WHY DOESN’T DISNEY MAKE 2D ANIMATED FILMS ANYMORE?! This is kind of a sore subject for me because I adored the various movies that were created by them in this style. When I noticed their shift to entirely 3D animated films and live action remakes of older 2D classics, I was heartbroken. The most successful period in Disney animation was the late-80s and early-mid-90s, which brought about the Disney Renaissance, a boom period of creativity and quality after many years of drift following Walt Disney’s death. And guess what, these productions were all almost entirely 2D.

Not to say these 3D movies aren’t good, there are a lot of gems like Brave, Coco, and of course, Frozen. I just personally have a soft spot for their 2D works. So the question is, why?!?!?

Well, in the early 2000s, Disney had started to turn away from 2D animation to begin with. 2009’s The Princess and the Frog proved to be not as successful as it 3D counterparts. Disney ended up closing their 2D animation studio in 2013. A big reason for this was rise of computer animation, led by Pixar, who is now owned by Disney. 1995’s Toy Story changed the game and redefined what an animated movie should be. Pixar’s movies made more money and were just better all around. There were also some declines that 2D animated projects just couldn’t sustain.

And so, the situation looks grim, and I doubt we’ll see another 2D animated film from Disney for a long, long time, if not ever. Well, at least we can always binge the classics!