links for 2010-06-22

• Background Pattern

Big Idea

Social Networking.

I wish I had invented to concept of Social Networking.

Social Networking is a relatively simple concept to someone who is educated on the dynamics and technicality of it.

With 300 million people using Facebook all over the world and most every aspect of marketing and advertising using various forms of social networking, the possibilities are endless as far as development.

We’re talking money here, and a LOT of it.

The greatest part of Social Networking is the fact that it grows and shrinks with its users.If the developers keep the users happy, they will continue to use the product and more will join.

Myspace.com for example is rapidly losing users due to its messy UI, whereas Facebook.com’s clean UI and easy to manage options are bringing more and more people in each day, some coming from rival Myspace’s website.

Every year more young people register on various Social Networking sites due to being “allowed to” by their parents as well.

The older demographic will stay connected, and more and more younger users will continue to jump on board.

We as humans have a need to stay connected with one another.

Because of Social Networking and the Internet this is no longer an issue to those with the proper equipment. With more and more developments in technology geared towards enabling Social Networking to be more accessible, and more and more companies jumping on board to either promote themselves or aid in this transition I see Social Networking as the future of the internet itself.

What about Facebook?

Deck Check: 3 Great Board Series

I’ve been collecting skateboards for the past 3 years.

A short time in contrast to how long I’ve been actually skateboarding for.

Certain companies and their art directors do an amazing job of continually producing great graphics and amazing series.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Creature Skateboards: Hesh Saints.

Not particularly sure on the artist, however Creature comes through with their signature green and yellow motif taken to a more dramatic level. The company subsided in the late nineties only to return triumphantly in 2006. Creature’s demented play on Christianity with their own amazing twists in my eyes is a throwback to graphic artist Pusshead’s work in the late eighties and early 90′s. I personally love the fact that Creature has moved from their monochromatic style and incorporated more color and depth into this series without losing the continuity and consistency that their products’ look has to offer.

Chocolate Skateboards: Hand Sign Series.

Simple and killer. 5 recognizable hand signs that work well alone but much more sucessfully as a series. The vibrancy and rigidity of the red, vector chocolate logo at the bottom of the decks cleans up the rough, photo-copied feel of the photos on the boards.

I can’t wait to buy these and hang them in my place.

Enjoi Skateboards: Mangled Animals Series.

Artist: Todd Bratrud

Todd Bratrud is an amazing artist, hands down. His collaborations with various clothing and skateboard companies are highly anticipated and sought after. I personally own this entire series. Evey deck has a personality and the primary colors make any wall stand out. This photo I found online does not do the series any justice. Check out Bratrud’s work in The Skateboard Mag on a monthly basis.

 

Recreation: A new beginning.

Based on some input from one of my professors, Michelle Ferrier, and some self realization, I will be taking the next few days to renovate my blog from a simple class diary and the shambles of random interactive media information, into my professional and personal reflections and opinions on art and the internet.

I will keep this blog seperate from my blogs on skateboarding, however, i’m certain that certain artists and artistic styles related to skateboarding and the skateboard industry will seep in.

I will host links, videos and other interactive components to help my readers enjoy my posts to their fullest, as well as allowing me to have a great beginning to a hopefully long lasting professional blog.

Please allow for time through the weekend for a new design and new voice and message to be spread throughout this source of communication.

I’m excited to get this going and hope that you, the reader will continue to follow my quest for education in all things creative and interactive.

 

Class Blog 11.6.09

Based on a communications model that a group of us created, I give you my thoughts on Design and Function.

I’m warning you, this is serious!

DESIGN AND FUNCTION AS IMPORTANT MEANS OF IMPROVING INTERACTIVITY AND WHAT THIS MEANS FOR FEEDBACK AS A WHOLE:

 

Although fairly obvious, something cannot function if it is not designed properly.

Unfortunately many of us, as well as many users and specticipants all over the world continue to use technology, both static and interactive that is poorly designed and does not function beneficially.

A website for displaying a product for example must first draw a user in (graphic design elements), allow the product to be seen and understood, (functionality), and keep them interested and coming back (interactivity) for a final pleasant experience (feedback)

Simply put: If one of these links in the chain to feedback is broken then positive feedback is not reached.

A designer must understand key elements and best practices in their specific situation in order to properly and effectively hinder their users’ experience a positive one.

Again, referencing the links in the chain, each link is created differently in different situations. There are no specific rules that govern all links in all situations except for a few very important key points:

*Allow a user a way out

*Allow the user options

If a designer keeps all of this information in mind, as well as keeps up with what is on the forefront of design and aesthetics than function and design will flourish and feedback will become positive if other aspects work correctly.



Class Blog 11.4.09

I, like many artists, am often unmotivated to create.

Well, I can rephrase that, I’m motivated, yet un inspired.

Inspiration comes from all around; nature, technology, people.

I often leave art museums yearning to put something on paper.

I watch skateboard videos and immediately want to go either film skateboarding or go skateboarding.

Inspiration. It’s the mustard to the motivation hotdog. You need both for a successful final product.

Lately we, the students of the iMedia program, have been chin deep in creative assignments.

As I have mentioned, most likely in every blog post I have written, I have other creative side projects besides the ones I am working on in class.

Sometimes I feel as though I put forth so much of my creative energy into one project that I lose momentum for the next handful.

I do have a folder of images and a few websites I visit for inspiration, but I had seen nothing as organized or well rounded as Deliciouscss.com before I was introduced to it.

This website is an array of well designed, cream-of-the-crop HTML and flash based sites that represent businesses, agencies and individuals.

A user visiting Deliciouscss.com can sort through the types of websites based on prominent color, type of site, or a combination of both.

A small preview is available with a roll over description of the site, giving the user yet another choice as to whether or not they want to delve deeper into opening up the site itself.

With so many well-maintained and beautiful sites on Deliciouscss.com, when my inspiration is fading, I skim through the site and feel recharged, feeding off of amazing ideas from web artists and designers from all over the world.

By no means do I steal ideas from these hard working artists, but I see the great contrasts in design elements or colors that they chose, and see if it is applicable to the design work that I myself am taking on.

I recommend any artists or web user to check them out, it’s a great site and I’m a regular. Hopefully one day one of my sites will make it on inspiring others!

http://www.deliciouscss.com

Class Blog 10.28.09 WTFB??

WTFB???

 

Facebook changed its user interface and proclaimed ‘News Feed’ 5 days ago, and by God, I’m not gonna stand fer it!

You see, Facebook is a fan of changing its UI relatively often. I guess this is to keep things fresh and interesting to its users. Most often, a large portion of Facebookers protest the changes whole-heartedly, and then calmly, bow their heads in submission to the higher powers at large.

Honestly, I was opposed to the first few instances of change that Facebook decided to implement; I guess I was just scared of change, and not the Obama kind, (that I still haven’t seen after my vote, but that’s another story all together).

After a while, I realized that these changes kept me better connected with all of my friends, acquaintances, and people I don’t really know, but felt too bad to deny their Internet companionship.

My favorite of the layouts was the most recent before the change that rocked the favored of the Social Community world. I mean it was perfect! Links, status updates, stupid application happenings, wall photos, important links and photos on the right hand side, an easy way to share video and pictures, all in one place? Come on! What could be better than that?

Well, Facebook designers thought that this new design was.

As soon as I logged on I felt nauseated. Well, not really, but I was really confused at first. Where was I? Was this my old friend anymore? I felt betrayed.

Facebook decided to add a Live Feed option to the newly revamped News Feed. The Live Feed stays active as long as the user is logged in, and not only does it update you on everything I mentioned before which was great, but it showers you with second by second updates on useless facts about ALL of your friends, ,(including the one’s you’re not really friends with) that feels more like spam than information. Digital diarrhea.

But it’s cool, the we still have our beloved News Feed right? Wrong. The Newsfeed, at it’s default setting, lets Facebook decide who and what you get to see over the course of a day. Yes, you heard correctly, FACEBOOK decides. This algorithm chooses 250 people from your friends list, and get this, in NON-chronological order, displays stories about those people. (in the settings, one can change this setting to 5000 friends, the maximum number, still utterly confusing and still in non-chronological order.)

In most situations, I would kindly adapt to the changes, but Im disappointed on two levels. The first is the fact that Facebook is making decisions, not me, the second is the non-linear display of information. It used to be so easy, the great part about Social Networks is their chronological display, this helps one stay ‘up to date’ with all of their friends. In this case, the only way to do this is to follow the Live Feed, which is too cluttered for easy sifting! Facebook is making us work!

Sure, one can keep up with Status Updates in one of the side tabs, but the great links, and photos friends share get lost in the confusion of the Live Feed.

One group decided to stand up against this change, and is now over one million users strong.

Hopefully Facebook designers can apply basic best practices that we are learning in the iMedia program and return to an easy to use, easy to understand and all around better way to use the device. Maybe this large group will make a difference and Facebook will listen to its users before it loses some.

Class Blog 10.21.09

You are currently reading one of  5 blogs I contribute to; 3 of which I started, one of which is strictly photos. 5 blogs. Why? What makes a man do such things? Well, it’s simple. I enjoy sharing my creations with the world. With so many friends and family members all over the world, it is an easy way for me to pass on what I’ve been doing to others in a free and fun way.

To highlight his business, YDG skatepark and ratStar skateshop, in Burlinton and Graham NC,  my good friend and employer started two of the five blogs I contribute to.

Being the team manager and art director for the shop and park as well as the staff filmer for the team members, anything I see fit to promote the shop (small videos displaying the team, product reviews for items we carry at the shop, or anything interesting that will draw the viewer in) I will go ahead and post to these blogs.

I also have a photo blog on one of my websites, I post photos of recent things I have been up to outside of the professional or school world.  A few captions here and there to describe the photos, but I moved away from heavy text and let the photos do the talking.

Another reason why I like blogging and think certain elements of the technique are effective is that blogging is keeping one of my projects alive.

As I have mentioned numerous times before, I am working on a video called NOCAPTIVITY displaying the skateboarding talents of many of my friends from all over North Carolina.

I have been filming NOCAPTIVITY for over a year now, yet posting small quotes, videos, and links, keep viewers coming back, hence keeping them interested in the video itself.

For instance, there is a total of 9 people’s skateboarding being documented in the video. Each of these people have their own group of friends who check the website. In order to keep these people happy and interested, I have allowed most of the people in the video to post things on the blog themselves. Therefore, their specific friends can see what those particular people have to say. I also try to post short videos of clips I won’t be using in the video not only to entertain, but to show people who visit the blog and anticipate the video’s release, that I am in fact working.

I have also used one of the widgets on blogger.com to incorporate my Twitter account into the blog as well. This way, the viewers can follow my filming habits through the blog for the video, also, letting them know where I am filming and skating, allowing them to use their imagination as to what is happening in the video.

The point to this madness? Blogs are a great way to share various aspects of ones personal and professional lives. In my opinion, an effective blog is a concise blog, restricted to a specific subject matter. Blogs are also an easy way to keep an audience involved in a project or a business because of the easy ways a user can update it.
I have no doubt that in the future I may be working on more blogs, but not until I can handle all of these first.

www.ratstarskateshop.blogspot.com

www.yourdailygrindscafe.blogspot.com

www.nocaptivityfilm.blogspot.com

Class Blog 10.12.09

We’ve all seen our fair share of viral videos

I usually find myself in a room with friends, when someone starts what I like to call the ‘viral spiral’.

The viral spiral starts when one person wants to show off a video his or her friends showed them on youtube or a similar website. The crowd gathers, laughs, screams, squeels or gasps, and then the next person wants to show the group a video they’ve been introduced to. Depending on how tech and pop culture savvy and large the group is, the viral spiral could go on for hours.

Just recently my girlfriend, her brothers and I watched videos of people popping insanely large zits and cysts on youtube, laughing and gagging for over 2 hours.

Yes, two hours of watching various average people with above average pimples being burst by their friends or family. Seem disgusting? Well, yeah I guess it is.

Putting the pimple videos aside, we need to start understand what makes a video ‘viral’? What makes the average person want to watch a short video again and again and again, telling their friends about it and keeping it in heavy rotation and in the internet limelight for months, even years?

In class today we broke into groups to try to find the fundamentals of this question by breaking down viral videos into six important qualities also touching on content and attributes.

Viral video attributes:

Not included in the list, but definitely prevalent throughout many of the most viral videos is the notion that anyone can create and post them.

Qualities:

1. Humor

2. Shock value

3. Inherent talent

4. Candid moments caught on tape

5. Extreme natural occurrences

6. Remixes and mash-ups

7. Good pacing

Viral content:

1. Children
2. Groups of people
3. Original music
4. Celebrities

Obviously we all want to see something we don’t see every day, something that is going to invoke an emotion that is usually distant from our day to day activity. We characterized Humor as the most important quality attributed to viral videos. Funny stuff gets people going, it also allows for more people to spread it around.

For example, I think that watching gigantic pimples popping is amazing, but I would show more people something funny than something gross. There is a large demographic for disgusting and shocking videos (moi), but this comes second to drop dead hilarities found in so many of the videos that populate video sites n the web.

Although at the end of our list of qualities, falling out of the key 6 elements, good pace in a video holds a strong role. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started a video and if nothing is going down within the first 30 seconds, I’m immediately off of it. I know, 30 seconds! Our forefathers would be horrified! It’s hyperlife baby, everybody needs to keep up or shut up. We want info fast, the only time I’ll hold on to something that starts slow is if the payoff is extraordinary, and I need to feel that it’s coming on.

With more people jumping online every day, viral videos are going to be the substitute for a popular cable tv show, and the viral spiral is going to grow deeper.
Oh yeah, go on Youtube and search ‘world’s biggest zit’, you may or may not regret it.