I was surfing the ‘net and ran across something that brought back a ton of design school memories. It’s a site that was set-up for a book put out by Princeton Architectural Press and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Spring 2008. It’s a guide to basic design principles:Graphic Design the New Basics.
The site itself is a bit frustrating since not all of the links are active but if you can bare through it there’s some solid info on the basic principles of design. There’s also some exercises that brought me straight back to my foundation year. So if your a design student or just someone looking to get back to the basics, check it out.
Got any good resources for basic design principles? I’d love to hear about them.
Welcome to the second installment of Peeps I Dig. If you’re new to this series, you can read about the birth of Peeps I Dighere. This month is all about inspiration from animated characters.
“Really?”, you might ask. Well being the mother of a 2 year old, a large portion of my tv viewing ends up being cartoons. It’s interesting to me how the cartoon world has evolved since my childhood. This got me thinking about the lessons and inspiration I took away from the animated shows of my childhood as well as the tidbits I’m getting from the shows that my son watches. So here it is, animated characters that inspire and have inspired me:
Daria
As sarcastic as they come, Daria was a high school girl who didn’t buy into the crap of high school life.
Inspirations from Daria:
1. Don’t buy into trends.
2. No matter how weird, sarcastic, or non-mainstream you are, there’s always that one friend who can relate.
3. Being misunderstood by your family sucks, but they still love you even if they don’t get you.
4. Having a witty comeback is always cool.
5. Being smart is not a downfall.
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Team Umizoomi
Premiered in 2010 for kids ages 2 to 8, Nickelodeon’s show Team Umizoomi is a blend of animation and live-action that focuses on math skills.
Inspirations from Team Umizoomi:
1. Math is everywhere you look.
2. It’s good to lend a helping hand.
3. Being tiny doesn’t mean that you can’t do big things.
4. Simple shapes are the building blocks of complex objects.
5. Each of us has a unique talent.
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ThunderCats
Thundercats is a cartoon that ran in the mid-80′s who’s human-cat hybrid characters flee their dying world and end-up on Third Earth.
Inspirations from ThunderCats:
1. Home is where you make it.
2. When you’re faced with challenge, lean on your friends for support.
3. Being a girl doesn’t mean that you can’t run with the boys (Cheetara).
4. Treat others with the dignity, patience, and respect that you’d want for yourself.
5. Violence is a last resort.
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Dora the Explorer
Premiered in the late 90′s, Dora is an educational cartoon that teaches children Spanish amongst other life lessons.
Inspirations from Dora:
1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
2. Always know where you are going (a talking map helps aka GPS).
3. Being bilingual is awesome.
4. Always be prepared.
5. Keep trying and you’ll get there in the end.
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GI Joe: A Real American Hero
Based on a Hasbro action-figure line, GI Joe was a cartoon that ran in the mid 80′s which was basically a bunch of military dudes kicking ass and taking names.
Inspirations from GI Joe:
1. Knowing is half the battle.
2. Every story has a moral.
3. Teamwork.
4. I’m an American hero.
5. Strategy helps.
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Be sure to check back monthly for more Peeps I Dig. Next month’s theme for Halloween: creepy artists that inspire me. Who inspires you?
Welcome to the birth of Peeps I Dig, a monthly series of people who inspire me past, present, and future. Who knows, maybe they’ll inspire you too. This months theme is go, go girls! Just a little sampling of the large pool of strong, intellectual women who have taught me how to be one.
MOM1 and MOM2
The adorable, Japanese lady on the right is Mom 1 (the one who birthed me) and the red head on the left is Mom 2, my mother-in-law. Now I know it’s a bit cliche to state that my moms are an awesome inspiration, but seriously, they’re totally awesome and inspire me daily.
Inspirations from Mom1:
1. Whatever you do, just make sure you’re happy.
2. Your home is where you make it.
3. You create the definition of success.
4. Organization is a lifestyle not just a skill.
5. You’re never too old to learn something new.
Inspirations from Mom2:
1. The wisdom of Sesame Street is all you need, “if you want to play the saxophone, then you have to put your rubber ducky down” aka “life’s about choices”.
2. There’s good in every situation, even having cancer. It’s all about perspective. Her daily saying, “Thank you God for giving me cancer and the strength to survive it”.
3. The Universe will give back what you put out.
4. Worrying is a waste of time and energy.
5. Your child will teach you how to parent him. You just have to pay attention to the cues.
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MARIKO
Mariko Mori is a Japanese, multi-media artist who through the mediums of photography and technology melds Eastern and Western mythology and culture.
Inspirations from Mariko Mori:
1. Art and technology are not exclusive of each other.
2. Be bold.
3. Challenge cultural norms.
4. If you can dream it up, it can be done.
5. Explore.
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XENA
Xena, The Princess Warrior is a fantasy series from the late ’90′s in which Xena, aka Lucy Lawless, kicked some serious butt for the greater good for redemption of her former sins.
Inspirations from Xena:
1. Kick ass when necessary.
2. It’s never too late to be a better person.
3. Go into battle in style.
4. Do good.
5. Be a loyal friend.
Inspirations from Paula:
1. Be prolific.
2. Don’t be bound by one medium.
3. Be inspired and never limit the sources of your inspiration.
4. Break boundaries and then break them again and again.
5. Be a rock star in whatever you do.
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Be sure to check back monthly for more Peeps I Dig. Next month’s theme: Animated characters that inspire me. Who inspires you?
