Sticker Project

I used the issue of parking in Baltimore for my project. I wanted to address the fact that there is very free limited free parking in the city and there also a lot of meters/pay stations around. I wanted to try to make people aware of how much they spend on the meter and other forms of transportation that is cheap and also free. I ended up putting stickers on the meters and pay stations the had facts and comments about parking.

 Here are some pictures of the stickers i used and how I put them on the meters. I made sure I didn't cover anything that was important like writing and the pay slot. I also made it easy for them to be taken off in need be.

Results:

I wanted to see some immediate responses to my project but the time that I did it kind of inhibited that. I did see a few people checking out and reading my stickers but when I stopped to take a pic they were either done or stopped reading and walked away. I was also asked what i was doing and if I was giving out tickets to people. I want to go back down and see if my stickers are still there or if people are actually looking at them.

Guerrilla Project

Social Issue:

The social issue I am going to base my first project off of is parking in the city. Parking is a very big issue every time I go into the city. There is never anywhere to park and you always waste a good amount of gas driving around trying to find a spot. Once you find one you have to put money in the meter so you not only waste gas but money too. There are a lot of spots where you cant park at all or you can only park between certain hours. So I am planning on making stickers to go around and put on meters and pay stations. These stickers will have facts and different comments on them about parking in cities and gas.

Some of the facts and comments would include:

• The average person spends $368 on gas a month.
• The money spent on this meter goes to help pay the salary of the person who would write you a ticket.
• That change would look a lot better going in a coinstar machine.
• No meter needed for a bike.
• This meter costs the same amount as a bus fare.

things of this nature to get peoples attention and spark interest in other means of transportation. I would use typography to make the stickers appealing so people will want to read them.

http://www.taphilo.com/tom/parkingmeters.shtml

http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/05/news/economy/gas_prices_income_spending/index.htm

Guerilla Art. What is it?!

What is it?

Guerilla art is often considered street art. It is a form of art where an anonymous artist leaves their piece in a public place as a way to express their views on certain topics and make an overt public statement. It started as an "underground" movement in the 80's. It doesn't use just one medium, it could use whatever type of expression that you want. It is often highly controversial and is meant to be very thought provoking to who every comes across it. Common forms of guerilla art are:

• Chalking
• Sculptures 
• Stickers
• Posters
• Graffiti 

http://guerilla-art.wikidot.com/what-is-guerilla-art

http://www.concepttshirts.co.uk/guerilla-art.php

http://www.squidoo.com/guerilla-art-crafts-gallery-cool-street-artwork-and-installations

"Its good for people to remember that public space is a battleground, with the government, advertisers and artists all mixing and mashing, and even now the cross-pollination taking place as street artists become brands, and brands camouflaging as street art creating complex hybrids or impersonators." 

- Mark Jenkins

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1911799_1912679,00.html

Top Ten Social Issues

1. Parking 
2. Instant Gratification
3. Trash on the streets
4. Profiling
5. Neglected Neighborhoods
6. Harbor Water Quality
7. Need for Monetary Exchange
8. Abandoned Houses 
9. Safe Places for Kids
10. Homeless

Design Thinking

There are many different ways to define what design thinking is, but i feel these two fit it best. Design thinking is the process of practical, creative resolution of problems or issues that looks for an improved future result.  A discipline that uses designers sensibility and methods to match peoples needs with what is technologically feasible and what a viable business can convert into customer value and market opportunity.
http://designthinking.ideo.com/?p=49
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_thinking

Here is a list of others ways to define design thinking : http://mootee.typepad.com/innovation_playground/2012/02/design-thinking-is-a-cognitive-and-intellectual-process-that-balances-the-rational-and-emotional-not.html

My understanding of "design skills" is that it is a way to measure the creative and personal abilities of a person when it comes to design. It doesn't have to be just with artistic design. It could lend itself to businesses, sports, journalism, television, and many other things. It can measure the ability of a persons way of communication an idea to someone as well.

Creativity, to me, is when someone puts their own spin and personality on something to make it unique and interesting to a large group of people. Creativity is something that comes naturally to every person. It's how we access that part of the brain and utilize that style of thinking that makes it more noticeable in certain people. Creativity is important to the success of a person because it is something that will set them apart from the rest of the people in their specific field. The webster style definition of the word is: the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns,relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful newideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality,progressiveness, or imagination.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/creativity

Social Issues of Baltimore

What Is Social Design?

 Social design, in my opinion, is a design with the objective to raise awareness and potentially make a difference in certain issues in a creative and appealing way.  It could be a highly publicized form of design that many people get to experience. Social designers can come from anywhere. An activist with a creative approach to getting their information out to people could easily be considered a social designer.
Available resources for social design could be any type of social media or news. These things could help fuel inspiration and motivation to stress social problems in creative ways. The best and most interesting part about social design is that as long as there are social problems then there will be a need for social designers to produce their work and broadcast their opinions and stands.

Erin Lucas Design for "Save the Music"
http://socialdesigner.com/products/erin-lucas-tee-for-save-the-music
Cameron Tonkinwise Amplify Creative Communities
http://www.core77.com/blog/featured_items/politics_please_were_social_designers_by_cameron_tonkinwise__17284.asp

http://gliving.com/lightweight-emergency-shelter-no-dreaded-ikea-moments/

http://blogs.nd.edu/social-design/industrial-design-projects/revolution-wheelchair/

http://inhabitat.com/jointhepipe-brilliant-water-bottle-wins-2010-dutch-design-award/

http://inhabitat.com/artist-jan-vormann-uses-legos-to-repair-war-damaged-buildings/