Market Analysis: Subway

It’s full of students! I stood outside subway for half an hour during the lunch time rush to observe the activity of its customers, and in that whole time only one non student entered the store. I have always known that subway was geared at students but it’s never appealed to me once. The whole vibe of the store screams the aim of the company, fast but fresh food, hence the slogan “eat fresh”. The school diner set up they have going on is clearly one of the reasons people “dine” there, I guess it gives the whole eating experience a like personal touch. People like personal touches in this day and age, everyone wants to be unique.

The company’s branding looks like it’s geared towards students, the primary yellow and green colours not only draw your eye but they give off the right message “fun, Fresh Food” the logo also gives off the impression of speedy delivery due to its arrowed appearance and emphasis on the word “way”. I don’t know if it’s just me or if its intentional but when I look at the word subway in this styling it makes my mind jump to the word Speedway, And that obviously has connotations of speed.

When I look at the layout of the Dundee branch and the system of food delivery I find that it just stresses me out. I don’t like the waiting, its tedious. I don’t like the bright colours, they make me feel inferior, and I don’t like the mass choice I have, its stresses me out. Subway to me is not a place I feel good in… but maybe that’s just me.

Requiem for a Dream: Emotional Rollercoaster

 
   I have just watched Darren Aronofsky's 'Requiem for a Dream', and I’m proud to add it to my list films that truly inspire me.
  Requiem for a Dream (based on the book by 'Hubert Selby Jr') follows the lives of four normal down to earth people as they live there life’s in urban New York. For some of the cast there recreational drug use soon becomes a life style, loosing control they all spiral off into different end games. The resultant pathways leave them regretting the past.
  Although the paths of the intentional drug abusers is an inspiring story they are all trumped by the path of the mother. Left lonely and depressed by her neglective son she focuses her attention rather unhealthily towards her television set. In her depression she finds serenity within some health pills obtained from her local GP. Slowly she deteriorates from these narcotics leading to a heart twisting conclusion.
  All of the feelings that are generated from this twisted storey are all made more personal by the exquisite cinematography throughout the picture. The feeling of personal involvement is breath-taking. I directly felt like I was part of the movie and that I shared the cast’s experiences. I feel that this form of cinematography is a dying art due to the CGI of today, and it’s a real treat to find a film that uses it so beautifully.
  The casting was also particularly well achieved. Having Jared Leto as the 'Hero' of the story was particularly fitting. I feel this is true due the physicality’s of Leto playing compliments to the character of Harry Goldfarb’s psyche. Leto plays the character of a loving son with troubles very well and has been known in the past to adapt this appearance to fit his roles, I’m glad to say that he did not let his reputation down in the picture.
  Ellen Burstyn plays the role of Sara Goldfarb (the troubled mother), and I have to say that I believe her portrayal to be one of the best visual acting I have seen in a long time. The raw emotion that is given off in every seen is incredible. Burstyn for me made this movie what it was and I’m pleased to say that I learned a lot from her performance.
  I sincerely urge all that have not seen this film to sit down and watch it but make Shure you are focused solely on it so you can be as much a part of the movie as I felt I was.

Skin Tight Color: Creating Sculpture Through Human Form

French advertising/still life photographer Julien Palast wrapped models in vibrant colors to eliminating details such as hair, skin and eye color to allow viewers to focus on the subject’s various shapes, curves and contours. As a result, looking at these portraits are more akin to looking at sculpture.

 I came across these images while I was researching human form; I find the concept and outcome of this collection to be extremely beautiful and very inspirational. The simple removal of hair and "personal detail" such as eye colour and skin tone allows the viewer to see past all the possible cultural differentiations and see the true human form in all its glory. Beautiful. 

Below is the collection in quistion, hope you enjoy as much as I do. 

An Inspirational Story

   As a film enthusiast I like to watch as many great films as possible. I have in fact got a 'Watch list' that I’m constantly adding to. 

   Today I sat down and watched what I believe to be one most beautiful films of my time. 'Into the Wild' is the story of a young man 'Christopher McCandless' that decided after collage to donate all his savings (24,000 USD) to Charity and to head out into the wilderness of America. It is a story of freedom and self-harmony that ends with an all-important realisation. 

                  "happiness is not real unless shared"

 

 The film captures the essence of life as an adolescent growing up with parents that are grooming you to be part of society. McCandless was not afraid to say 'Fuck you society' and go his own direction. I respect this attitude to life and I respect the fact that McCandless was not afraid to Shape his own path rather than follow the linear life stile that is expected of us in this age. O and did I mention it’s a true story.

  

The Musical Organon

   

   The Musical Organon is an interactive performance piece that changes the way people interact with street performance, achieved through a series of sound interactions.

“Is there a way to make street performances more interactive?”

   For centuries, buskers and street performers have attempted to draw in crowds to view - and in some cases interact with - their performances.  Mimicking this relationship, we created a standalone interactive performance piece that we call “The Musical Organon.”

   This device tries to entice passers-by, giving them an opportunity to physically interact and create their own music. Similar to Chinese traditional peep shows, the “Musical Organon” uses musical sounds to draw the crowds in, once the crowd is interested they then go ahead with the real show. The “Musical Organon” blends both the traditional instruments and modern technology; wires and motors have replaced the traditional strings and hooks. The technology gives the machine its own mind and therefore removes the need for a performer. 

   The “Organon” drops balls from the top of the machine down a series of ramps and tubes, which then hit symbols and bells on the way, much like in a Rube Goldberg machine, dropping down different trap doors so each can creates a different sound. This gives the user a sense of personalisation as they can create their own music. 

 

   Our future hopes for “The Musical Organon” are to branch out to a permanent street slot. We would also like to fully automate the machine so that I can be left on the street and will awaken between the peek hours of the day. Much like the device “Cybraphon” by “FOUND” we would like to incorporate a sort of personality to the “Organon”.

User Interaction

Inspiration

Design is where science and art break even.

— Robin Mathew

Art is like masturbation. It is selfish and introverted and done for you and you alone. Design is like sex. There is someone else involved, their needs are just as important as your own, and if everything goes right, both parties are happy in the end.

— Colin Wright

It’s really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.

— Steve Jobs

I never design a building before I’ve seen the site and met the people who will be using it.

— Frank Lloyd Wright

The design process, at its best, integrates the aspirations of art, science, and culture.

— Jeff Smith

Never use white text on a black background and 50 other ridiculous design rules

These are 51 Design rules that are stated in the book "Never use white text on a black background... and 50 other ridiculous design rules" I believe that these rules are all very important tools to the design process.

1) Good designers copy, Great designers steal
2) Make it Pretty
3) Fashion is made to become unfashionable
4) Design is thinking made visual
5) A camel is a horse designed by a committee
6) Never use more than two typefaces 
7) Style is not to be trusted
8) Good design solves the right problems
9) Design isn't art
10) Minimalism is dead
11) Never use copy and paste
12) Make it new
13) Never photograph people eating
14) Always make the top left-hand logo of a website a home button
15) K.I.S.S (keep it simple, stupid)
16) Don't over accessorise 
17) Use a grid
18) A picture is worth a thousand words
19) Never stretch a font
20) Practice makes perfect
21) Form follows function
22) The logo must be recognisable
23) If you don't know what to do.... just do it big and red 
24) It is better to be good than it is to be original
25) Fashion can be bought, style one must possess 
26) Helvetica always works
27) Cleavage or legs, never both
28) Good design communicates 
29) Dress to impress
30) Never work with animals or children 
31) Never use white type on a black backgrounds 
32) Make the Logo bigger
33) Leave it to the last minute 
34) God is n the detail
35) Think outside of the box
36) Kill your darlings
37) Never sacrifice style for comfort 
38) Design is evolutionary, turn mistakes and accidents into opportunities 
39) The medium is the message
40) The client is always right 
41) Shoes and bags must always match 
42) Turn it upside down
43) Trust no one, all clients are bastards. Eat more fish 
44) Less is more
45) Good design is for life
46) Know your audience 
47) If you're image does not work, put a dog in it. If it still does not work, put a bandage on the dog
48) Don't let bad design hurt great content
49) [insert buzzword] is the new back
50) Dress your age (not your dress or shoe size)
51) Break the rules


All these design rules have been taken from multiple designers and design consultancy. I feel they are all very useful and I recommend reading the book they were all derived from.