139 | May 13, 2008 in Design | comments: 1

Drawing Circles

You wouldn’t believe how hard this was for me to figure out.

Now that I did figure it out, I’m trying to figure out why I even felt compelled to do so. Was a discussion about circles earlier today taken too far? Perhaps…

Code based circle drawing, colors inspired by 1971 Graphic Design. (click to refresh)

I’ve been trying to solve a circle drawing problem in flash. You’d think it would be a fairly simple thing to do, but getting the code right, flexible enough and having a circle that can be drawing at a specific rate, was not so easy, at least for me.

This functionality will appear in my thesis project in a very, un-ipressive way, and most people viewing it won’t even think twice about it. It’s just another example of lots of hours going into little things that most people won’t even notice.

138 | May 11, 2008 in Design

“A restricted view of the past creates an equally restricted view of the present.”

—Tibor Kalman

137 | May 04, 2008 in Journal | comments: 3

Horse Trailers

A few weeks ago on the bus ride home, we passed a horse trailer. As we moved by, we were at eye level with the horses, and happened to catch the gaze of one the horses. He was obviously peering into our bus. I wonder what his perceptions were?

134 | April 30, 2008 in Design | comments: 1

Graphic Design 1971

I’ve been deep in a historical survey of graphic design. Each week I’ve been gathering several examples of graphic design from different time periods (so far I’ve collected several hundred examples). This week, I was able to dig up some old Graphis design annuals from the library. I grabbed a couple volumes from 1971 (the year I was born).

It seems to have been the year of the “rainbow.”

133 | April 30, 2008 in Design | comments: 4

I just added a new article to northtemple.com, exploring the question: “What is the one skill that can make the most positive impacts in your profession?”

Give it a read and let me know what you think.

132 | April 29, 2008 in Home | comments: 2

A 180° panorama from our trip last week to Antelope Island:

131 | April 29, 2008 in Home | comments: 0

The More I Learn the Less I Know

Albrect Dürer wrote this about learning:

It is very necessary for a man to know some one thing by reason of the usefulness which ariseth therefrom. Wherefore we should all gladly learn, for the more we know so much more do we resemble the likeness of God who verily knoweth all things.

This seems like a very nobel task—”to learn all things”—and one would certainly be more like God if he did know everything. I’ve always loved the way this was stated, but I’m not sure that it is possible to learn everything. I’ve noticed in my own studies and learning that the more I learn and the harder I work, the less it seems like I actually know. There are times when I feel like I know quite a bit about what I do, and then there are times when I’m sure I don’t know anything.

Learning creates new opportunities to learn. “Not learning” eliminates opportunities. When you learn something new, you actually know less — relative to your new potential to learn — than you did before.

The most valuable result from learning isn’t necessarily the knowledge you will gain. The most valuable result is simply the opportunity you’ve created for yourself to learn even more.

129 | April 20, 2008 in Journal

“Mysticism is just tomorrow’s science dreamed today.”

—Marshall McLuhan

128 | April 18, 2008 in Design | comments: 0

One is Art, the Other is Not

I’m not planning to answer this question in a single entry, but I have always wanted to pursue this question in written form. There are many examples of art, and many examples of similar things which cannot be classified as Art. This seems like a good format to explore the question by providing examples.

Let me begin with the first example…

127 | April 17, 2008 in Journal | comments: 0

Another gem from my current favorite book of poetry, “Doubt and Other Things” by Elihu Vedder.

The Optimist

The Optimist asserts that Life
Is like a Persian rug unrolled,
Where all the rainbow hues he sees
Are lovely flowers picked out in gold.

The Pessimist in Life beholds
A poor rag-carpet Fate unfolds
Worn and soiled by the constant tread
Of those who sadly earn their bread.

Truth finds the vaunted Persian rug
Is a mere modern imitation,
And the rag-carpet not so bad,
Needing a little reparation.

—Elihu Vedder

I used to believe that the pessimistic viewpoint was always best, simply for the fact that I really think that the pessimist is disappointed less frequently than the optimist. However, pessimism which is void of hope, is not a good strategy for your overall well being.

This poem contains an important principle—that truth often lies somewhere in-between the pessimistic and optimistic viewpoint.