All the reading I have had the time to do lately has been in Communication Arts. Right when I get the chance to get one done, another one comes in the mail. Of course, this lastest issue was the most article filled, so I had even more reading to do. As I read through this issue, I started to wish their articles were more about web design. I think this reaction was triggered because the web is where my passion lies, but it seems that even when they mention interactive design or the web it is very fundamental. I would even go as far as saying that many of the authors in Comm Arts seem out of touch with the web. I must search for a more web oriented periodical. I am not going to abandon my subscription with Comm Arts however, as it does have MUCH to offer a designer.

I was really intrigued this time by the fresh section that they put in every issue. They feature about 4 artists work every month, with a bio and some of the artist’s pieces of work. I love looking through this section because it features not just designer, but photographer and fine artists alike. I was really intrigued by David J. Turner, a professional photographer.

I was initially taken in by some pictures of dogs in the article and went searching on his website in hopes to find more. Sure enough, he had a whole gallery (he calls them web books) on his site dedicated to pictures of dogs that he has taken. What a great view of different dogs personalities. He not only captures these dogs from great angles, but he also captures a very unique personality of each one. From puppies to grown dogs, you will find great faces and moods in these pictures.

What I find most interesting about photography is how easy it has become to take a picture, but how their are still people that rise to the top. Yes, anyone can take a camera and click the button. They can even put it on their computer and do some amazing editing that would have not been possible ten years ago. However, you can still see the difference of a photographers thought out photo to an amateurs point and shoot or entry level camera.

It is great that as media is brought to the masses, people can appreciate all forms of art all the more, as they see how difficult it can be to get that good shot. I hope this happens with all forms of design. As it becomes easier to place elements on a page and print them out, I hope people will see that their is a lot more thought in that coke bottle design or even that grocery bag then what is seems on the surface. I think design is growing more important as people are taking the time to look at things more, and really gaining respect a good design as opposed to a bad one.

I finally had a break from all my work and I got to review some more eye candy, and no, I don’t mean watch a James Bond flick. I looked slowly through the November Design Annual of Communication arts and as always, I was impressed with the variety of work. They break it down into package, print, and other media. It is so much fun to compare the designs amongst each other and get inspired by the variety of work.

Designs ranged from the commonly seen Apple iPod nano package to bottles of wine and other liquid food products. I was most intrigued by a short article that appeared in the design section though. It was on Welch’s Grapes Jelly. The article explains how design goes beyond aesthetics. Design should take into account not only how the user sees the product, but how they interact with it.

I went camping 4 or 5 months ago (oh how i miss the warmth) and I bought a bottle of squeezable grape jelly for the connivance of it. Nothing says p-b-and-j like a low income camping trip. The bottle was great, even though I didn’t use it on the trip, I got back home and craved a sandwich the next week I was amazed at the innovation. I never though I could make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without cross contaminating my knife. The bottle not only solved this problem, but it made it easy to get that slippery jelly on the bread.

The article in Comm Arts referenced exactly the consumer experience I had. Welch’s redesigned this bottle and their sales went up. Just from a simple redesign of a bottle, the consumer was instantly more attached to their product. Not only is the bottle a good design, it is a functional design that increased sales. How many times do I design something that looks good on the outside, but on the inside the user experience just stinks. Go Welch’s. Thank you for inspiring functional design.

I just finished reading/looking through the latest interactive design annual from Communication Arts. This is the first one that I have really had a chance to sit down with and really read into. I was a bit surprised, or refreshed might be a better way of putting it. The interactive design annual was just that, design oriented. It did not focus on features of the sites or how the site operated as much the design of the site. I think there are many web applications that are great. Many of these, however, fall short in user experience; not by bad, but horrible design. Many articles and magazines highlights these sites with complete disregard to how horrible the design is. This annual did not miss a beat with the design.

It is interesting that in the world of computing user interfaces come to be of secondary importance with the majority of software on the web targeting the masses. After peeling through the first couple of pages, I instantly had to go to my computer and click away. That is what intrigues me so much about interactive design. You can look at a work and want to touch it and interact with it in a physical dynamic way. With the web this becomes possible. While other types or art (if I may call it that) reach a user in a different way, I think the web can trigger that same imagination that a painting by Salvador Daly can. I will review some of the highlights from each category below.

Adversiting ?Äì Coke

This one took some reading to enjoy. The fact that Coke-a-cola had the smarts to continue its long standing brand identity on the web enthralled me. Coke is Coke. You know the logo and you can recognize their color scheme from miles away. Their site, or sites, put customers all over the world in different places and gave them a different experience’s. Coke has done a wonderful job of unifying its sites into one universal entry point (in many languages). One place, one experience that can be universally enjoyed. Not only is this site great looking, but it is a fun house for all things Coke.

Business ?Äì Converse Shoes

What a fun look. A mix of old school images and vector art. Sound like anything? How about a perfect way to describe what Converse should do in a website. This site is fun, interactive, and a great way to find a pair of converse shoes. Not just any pair though, they make you feel like you are connecting with someone else who would wear the same shoes. Normally, I want my own unique pair, but this site makes you feel like the shoes that you are getting are attached to a club. A club of people that fit you, just like the shoe should.

Entertainment ?Äì Spam Recycling

This site takes your email spam and makes it into something useful…well at least something pretty. This site has converted over 340,000 pieces of spam into art. You can take your spam here and recycle it. It turns it into a vortex or color and spinning objects. While there is not a whole lot of function to this, some twisted group of people put a lot of time into something that was once thought to be worthless.

Info ?Äì What Noise

A creative organization. All I have to say is at the end of this site you almost are forced to have a heart. If you do not have empathy at after interacting with this site for 3 minutes, you probably need to go out to eat with someone and offer to pay, as hard as that may be. This is a simplistic design with an idea that works. This is how all organizations should be.

Self Promotion – Urban Silo

This is just a great looking presentation of a creative company. No, Alexander Calder was not a part of this team, though with this mobile like site, I wouldn’t put past that them that they may be fans of his. This is a great way to show off a company that does things in an interesting manner for other people.

The entire list of site from each category can be found here. I only described some of my favorites. There are plenty more to look though.