2009年8月29日土曜日

Graphic Designer

先日、東京の制作会社から連絡があり、内々定を頂きました。就職活動を始めた時から、色々と考えが変わったり、とても予定通りとは言えない就活だったけど、今は認めてもらえて嬉しい。なので、来年からは東京でグラフィックデザイナーとして働くことになりそうです。

高校から数えると、デザインに関わってるのは気付けばもう9年目。高校、大学に加えて、アメリカで2校の大学に行ったから、4校のデザイン科でデザインを学んだという変な経歴。その割にはやってることにあまり一貫性が無いけど。(笑)まぁ、それもオレらしいか。

色んな人にお世話になり、迷惑をかけて、人生の遠回りをさせてもらった。そして、その価値はあったと思う。ある程度仕事を経験してから大学に戻るという逆のプロセスで、目標がはっきりしたし、なによりデザインを勉強してる学生に多く会えたのは刺激になったな。語学に関しては、留学を決めなかったらここまで真剣に勉強してないだろうから、まったく違った人生になってただろうなと、よく思う。

今までは作品を作る際に、ポートフォリオに入れる事を考えてたけど、今はその必要性が無くなった。もちろん手は動かして作品を作っていくけど、残されたこの自由な半年は、もっとしっかり、深く考えてから、卒業制作の実制作に挑もうと思う。偶然見つけた、タイポグラファーであり、作家のEllen Luptonの言葉「Think more, design less.」(もっと考えて、デザインする事を減らせ。) という言葉は、短いけど、今の自分に響く言葉。まさにその通り。

今日貼った画像は、僕が日本で見た一番好きな広告。ACジャパン(旧公共広告機構)WFP(国連世界食糧計画 : World Food Programme)の活動支援で制作したもの。「学びたい…でもその前に食べたい。」というコピー、教科書とご飯のビジュアルと、広告の持つ雰囲気、ともに完璧で、個性的なアプローチで、そしてこれがビジネスの為じゃなくて本当に必要な広告というところがいい。ディレクションは電通だけど、ビジュアル制作を今回内々定を貰った会社がしてたということを最終面接で知った。とても嬉しい。なんだか偽善者のようでもあるけど、いつか自分のクリエイティブを生かして、誰かを救える、国際的な仕事ができたらいいな。

------------------------------

I have been informally promised employment from one of the biggest design firm located in Tokyo. Because of this economy crisis, job hunting wasn't easy at all and I struggled a lot, so I'm quite happy that they accepted me. Finally, I will be a graphic designer, officially.

My career is unusual, because I've been studying design about nine years at school, since when I was 15 years old. I attended four different design school, including both Japanese college and U.S. colleges. However, I liked new medium a lot, and always picked different topics, so my career doesn't have nice consistency. Haha. well, maybe "doesn't have consistency" is my style now ;P

In my life, I took a big detour, and now, I think that was valuable choice. I have to thank my family to support the finance, and my friends who helped my dream: study design abroad. Otherwise I couldn't do that. Now I think it's interesting idea to go back to institute, after experienced real job. Because usually people who experienced real design industry, they have nice skill and have quality to finish work quickly, but they don't have time to work their own stuff. So I think it's interesting way of studying. And, I also think that English changed my whole ideas, I can't imagine what am I look like now if I haven't decided to go the U.S and not started learning it.

When I was working on my design project, I often thought about put my piece into my portfolio. But now, I'm hired and it doesn't necessary anymore. Of course I will create my own stuff until next April, but I think this half year is the time to think deeply, more than just creating for my own pleasure. Now I'm thinking what I should do for my final thesis project. By a coincidence, I found the beautiful quotation: "Think more, design less." It is from Ellen Lupton, who is a typographer and writer. It's quite short, but strong one, that make sense. I like it a lot.

Image above is my most favorite poster that I found in Japan. I think it's more like propaganda poster than advertisement poster. It concept is created by AC Japan(Japan Advertising Council) and it's for WFP (World Food Programme). Tag line said " I want to study, but before that, I want to eat." I think it's perfect. Tag line, visual (textbook made with rice), and atmosphere, everything matched well, and I was shocked when I see this poster first time. And I like that this idea is very distinctive. This is not business, nobody get big profit from this design, but I think this is something we should see, and we should "advertise". Art direction of this poster is made by Dentsu, (the biggest ad agency in Japan), but visual creation itself is actually the company where I'm hired. I didn't know about it, and one of the worker told me during the final interview. So I was really happy to hear that. It sounds like hypocritical, but someday, I want to create an international poster design that can help people who is struggling somewhere in this world.

------------------------------

(追記)
今年のWFPの広告も、ACのサイトで見つけたので貼っておきます。コレは新聞広告。表現の面白さで「ごはんの教科書」にはかなわないけれど、HOPEのOがカップになっている事は、やっぱり深い意味を感じれて、いい、愛のある広告だと思う。

(postscript)
I found new version of WFP graphic design, so I uploaded an image. This one is for newspaper. It's not as interesting as textbook made with rice, however I liked the idea that O of HOPE is a cup of soup. I think this is also meaningful, nice design.

2009年8月22日土曜日

Belles & Whistles - Stamp & Business Card Design


前のBelles&Whistlesのプロジェクトで作りきれてなかった、ギターとキーボードのスタンプ(消しゴムはんこ)が完成しました!1度作っちゃえば、あとはいつでも量産できるってのが嬉しいね。スタンプは。さすがに後半はカッター使いも慣れてきたし、次は自分のロゴを作りたいなぁ。EmilyとJoeが喜んでくれるといいなぁ◎

下の写真はスタンプ自体のタイポがかっこ良かったのでなんとなく撮影。いい感じだから、この手法も次回のB&Wのプロモーションか何かに使えそう。たまに自分の汚い机が好きになるね。(笑)

I finished making Belles & Whistles stamp, this time I created Guitar and keyboard shape for their business card and other tools. I like the idea of creating stamp, because if I make them once, I can reprint anytime, and don't need to prepare so much things like silk screen. I think now I'm pretty good at using cutter knife, hehe. Maybe next time I'll create my own logo ;) I hope Emily & Joe (member of Belles & Whistles) would like them!

Image below is a photo of stamp itself, I just took it because it looked cool. Maybe I can use this idea fr next B&W project ;P


2009年8月21日金曜日

Cinema 4D - Abstract Shape

今日はGreyscale Gorillaのチュートリアルを見ながら、久しぶりにCinema 4Dの練習を再開。全然まだ機能がわからんけど、3Dソフトってスゲー!画像は丸の形と、ドーナツ形なんかをねじったりするとできる形。

コンピュータ上で、立体がねじれていく様子はなんだかおもろい。3Dのライティング方法とか、実際の撮影でも勉強になりそ。これは実験で沢山の長方形を周りに光らせてみた。お金貯めてちゃんと保存できるバージョンがを買いたくなってきたぞ。。お金ないのに。。

最近は作ってるものになんだか一貫性がありません。前から無いけど、なんだかマニアックなデジタルか、地味な手作業か、どちらかをしてる今日この頃。

-----------------------------

I was studying Cinema 4D today, as always I watched Greyscale Gorilla Tutorial. He is so awesome! I still have no idea about most of effects & functions of Cinema 4D, but I can see that software is so cool! This time I created abstract shapes using sphere and torus shapes. I used bending and twisting tools for those shapes.

It's tough but quite fun to work with 3D shapes, I hope if I could make whatever I imagine... It'll be so awesome. And I realized that learning lighting in 3D, would help real photo shoot lighting. (And of course otherwise.) This time I used bunch of flat rectangle shape lights. Maybe it's time to buy real software, instead of using free trial version... Hmm, I need some more money...!

Recently my designs doesn't have any consistency... I'm working with very hand-made designs or very computer based ones, well, kind of weird.

2009年8月20日木曜日

Exhibition - ON AIR Season.2

少し話が遅くなりましたが、現在長久手文化の家で、愛知県立芸術大学、メディア専攻16人の展覧会「ON AIR season.2」に参加してます。就活と時期が重なってるから、個人の作品は前回制作した「Belles and Whistles」の映像だけだけど、今回はしっかりとした大きなホールでの上映なので、なかなかいい感じに見れて嬉しい。展覧会メンバーは、イラスト、web、映像、紙芝居、テキスタイル等、色んなメディアで出品してるから、こじんまりとした展示だけど、楽しめると思います◎

以下、少しだけ展示の写真を貼っておきます。興味のある方はぜひ覗きに来て下さいな。


ON AIR SEASON.2
8月19日(水)〜8月23日(日)
長久手文化の家
〒480-1131
愛知県愛知郡長久手町大字長湫字野田農94番地1
Tel:0561ー61−3411
http://md.aichi-fam-u.ac.jp/~onair/

------------------------------

We are holding an exhibition now! 16 media class students of Aichi Prefectural University of fine Arts and Music, worked together and having group show called "ON AIR Season.2" at Nagakute Cultural Center. I'm presenting my "Belles & Whistle" music video this time. It's actually quite hard to work both job hunting and exhibition at the same time, so I couldn't exhibit my other works... hmm. However, this space have nice hall with big screen to show movie works, so I'm hapy about it. ;P Other member have various type of works, including, website, textile design, movie, painting, illustration, picture cards, and so on. It's not big exhibition, but since we have variety of works, I think you can enjoy it. Please come, if you like art & design and living in Nagoya!


ON AIR SEASON.2
8/19(wed)-8/23(Sun)
Nagakute Cultural Center (Japanese only)
480-1131
94-1 NOTANO. NAGAKUTE T. AICHI PREF. 480-1131 JAPAN
Tel.81-561-61-3411

http://md.aichi-fam-u.ac.jp/~onair/

------------------------------

cool doodle textile work(copyright - 宮崎智恵/Tomoe Miyazaki)

hanging scroll with bewitching painting(copyright - 坂口真耶/Maya Sakaguchi)

playing golf shoes(copyright - 大畑蘭/Ran Ohata)

beautiful dragon sketch(copyright - 大藤あゆか/Ayuka Ofuji)

My Belles & Whistle movie on the Big Screen.

2009年8月17日月曜日

Doodles in Spanish



実は去年末辺りから、ひっそりと1人でスペイン語がブーム。ただ、本買ったり、NHK講座見たりはしたものの、全然わからん…。やっぱ最初くらいは教室とか行った方がいいんかなー。だれかやってる人いませんか?良い勉強法を教えとくれ!

参考書を読んでたのに、途中で飽きて例文使って落書きしてたときの絵を載せときまーす。勉強になるかも?個人的にはメキシコに行きたがってるDritosが好き。(笑)

------------------------------

Actually I've been trying to learn Spanish since last winter. But, it is really harder than I expected and I'm kinda stuck right now... Even though I bought textbooks and read them, and watched Spanish learning TV programs, it comes from my right ear and goes out from my left year.. hmm. Maybe I should go to the class, paying a little money? Since I'm completely beginner? I donno. If you know good way of studying it, let me know your way.

I drew doodles when I was reading my textbook, I used some example sentences. I like that Dritos guy says "I want to travel in Mexico!" haha, hope they are fun for you.


とても暑いです。It's very hot.

他になにか? Anything else?

メキシコに旅行したい! I want to travel in Mexico!

助けて! Help!

A: 君は何をしているの?学生なの? B: はい、学生です。スペイン語を勉強しています。ところで、一緒に食事しない?
A: What do you do? Are you a student? B: Yes, I'm a student, studying Spanish. By the way, shall we eat out together?

テレビが動きません!TV doesn't work!

私は胃が痛いです。I have a stomachache

A: すみません、キレイな人。一緒に踊らない?B: 無理です。まさか。
A: Excuse me beauty, would you like to dance with me?
B: No, no way.

ひどい吐き気があります… 頭にズキズキした痛みがあります。
I feel bad nauseated... And I have a splitting headache.

2009年8月15日土曜日

Helvetica

最近見た映画の1つ、「Helvetica」。言わずと知れた、この世界で今一番有名なフォント、Helveticaの歴史と、それにまつわる人々のドキュメンタリー映画。個人的には勉強にもなって、とても良かった。アメリカの大学にいたときから話題になってたのだけど、なかなか見れる機会が無くて、1年経ってやっと見れた。特にオレの好きなデザイナー達、雑誌「Raygun」を作ったDavid Carson、新時代のタイポグラフィーを作ったWim Crouwel、タイポ界の異端児Stefan Sagmeister等の生の声が聞けて、しかもHelveticaに対する良い意見ばかりじゃなくて、反対意見も多くて、グラフィックデザイナーとしては、必須の一本。昔の話だけじゃなのもいいしね。まぁ、デザインに関わってない人には、少しマニアックだからあまりお勧めできないけど…。面白い、という映画ではないけど、とてもキレイにまとまってると思う。El Ten ElevenのBGMもなんだか素敵で、それは今聞いてます。(笑)

下には、彼らのインタビューで好きだった引用文を載せておきます。

[Helvetica - Official Site]

------------------------------

I saw the typography documentary movie "Helvetica" which is the most popular font in the world. And it was pretty good for me. I was able to learn nice histories about the typography and founder, and good to hear well-known designer's opinion about Helvetica. My art college teachers and classmate had been talking about this movie about a year ago, but I was not able to see at that moment, so I was happy to check this out finally! Especially I was happy to see interviews of some of my favorite designers, such as David Carson who made Raygun magazine, Wim Crouwel, and Stefan Sagmaister. They were a lot for me. good thing about this documentary is they don't just captured positive opinions about Helvetica, but negative opinions. And it's not just about old history. So I think it's a must watch film for all of graphic designers, even though they are not type nerds! I personally liked background music by El Ten Eleven, so I downloaded some songs and listening now, hehe.

I wrote my favorite quotes from movie below.

[Helvetica - Official Site]


------------------------------

Good typographer always had sensitivity distance between letters. Within typography is black and white. Typography is really white. It's not even black. It is the space between the blacks, there really makes it. In the senses like music, it's not the notes, it's the space between the notes and makes the music.
-Massimo Vignelli
良いタイポグラファーは、いつも文字と文字の空間に気を配っている。白と黒で言うならば、タイポグラフィーとは、実は白の部分で、黒ではないのです。黒と黒の間の空間こそが大事であり、そこが雰囲気を作るのです。音楽でも楽譜の音符ではなく、本当はそれらの間の空間が、曲を作っているように。
-Massimo Vignelli

Neutralism is the word be loved. The meaning in the content of the texts and not in the typeface. That's why we loved Helvetica very much.
-Wim Crouwel
ナチュラル、とは愛される言葉ですね。意味は、文字で書き記されていて、それはこの文字の形の中には存在していません。だから私たちはHelveticaが好きなんでしょうね。
-Wim Crouwel

Don't confuse legibility with communication, and just because something is legible, doesn't mean it communicates. And more importantly doesn't mean communicates the right thing.
-David Carson
「読みやすさ(読める事)」と、「コミュニケーションする事」を混同しないでください。たとえそれが読みやすいからと言って、それがあなたの意志を伝達しているとは限りません。そしてそれ以上に、それが正しい方向であるかどうかという事のほうが大事なのです。
-David Carson

It's a very thin line between simple and clean and powerful, and simple and clean and boring.
-David Carson
「シンプルで、クリーンで、力強いデザイン」と、「シンプルで、クリーンで、つまらないデザイン」とは紙一重です。
-David Carson

2009年8月14日金曜日

Summer Sonic '09

Live! Live! Live!

In front of the mist making machine.

Cool shoes ad & rocker Emily.

Photo with Gogol Bordello!

Emily, Chisato, her boyfriend and elephant water pistol.

Sonic stage with full of audience.

We love playing with our silhouette.

Beautiful sunset sky.

Outside stage at night.

Awesome Shimizu sisters, and B-day cake for Yoshiko!

Cool stuffed monster at the living room.

最近はいくつか制作があって忙しかったけど、今はなんとか一段落。今日は映画見たりしてお盆をだらだら過ごしてしまった。一日に3本も!でもどれも良かったので、とても満足。また書きまーす。

さて、ちょっと遅れながら、今年は人生初の夏フェス、サマソニに行ってきたので、その時の写真をアップしときます!(とは言っても、写真禁止だったからライブの写真は自分じゃ撮れなかったけど…。)チケットを誕生日にEmilyに貰って、大阪ではSFで一緒だったユキちゃんのパンクなアパートに泊めてもらい、なんだか色んな人にお世話になったサマソニでした。ありがとう!

ライブのほうは、オレは正直あまりRockを聞かないし知らないんだけど、今年は色んなジャンルが混ざってたこともあって、かなり楽しかった!特にBeyoncéのライブはヤバかったー!スタイルも、歌唱力も、ダンスも、どれを取ってもなんだか人間じゃないような存在で、話し方や人間性もかなり素敵だと思えた。今回ばかりは、かなり海外アーティストが来てたし、英語やっといて良かった!

あと、個人的な感想として、ステージの演出が進化してるのが面白かった。ステージ背景の超巨大スクリーンなんかは、もうその瞬間に何でも流せるようにセットされてて、海や空の背景映像から、PVなんかも流せる上に、それをスポットライトに見立てたり、ズームカメラの映像をそこに加工しながら投影したり、もう本当にその瞬間瞬間に色んな事が展開してて、メディア専攻としては、かなり興味深かった。特に感動したのは、Beyoncéのバックダンサーの手に付いてるカメラの映像もそこで流れたこと。もちろん小型カメラで画質は悪いし、手ブレしまくりなんだけど、それも含めて「リアル」で、ステージの上に自分がいるかのように思える映像だった。コンサートとか全然行かないけど、今回はかなり感動でした。

どんなライブになるか、一番期待してたAphex Twinは、正直ちょっと期待はずれだったけど、それでもいくつかのVJの実験的な映像はヤバかった。これに関してはうまく伝えれないかな…。(笑)なんというか、プログラミング的で、バッチ処理みたいに、きっと莫大なビジュアルを一気に処理して作ってあるんだけど、それがとても有機的な動きをしてて、ヤバかった。線で作れるモアレが、かなり変な風に動いてる感じって言えばいいかな。

あと簡単な感想としては、Nine Inch Nailsはオレが普段聴くような曲ではないんだけど、ライブはとても熱くてカッコ良かった!Ne-Yoは変な日本語しか喋んなかったけど、生でも歌唱力があって聞いてて気持ちいい。バックダンサーもヤバかったな。Beyoncéもそうだけど、やっぱり本場の踊りは見応えある。Grizzy Bearは、そんなに楽器使うの?ってくらい意外な楽器持ってきてて、それに加えて、音として使ってた声が、かなりキレイだった。Jenny Lewisは少しレトロな雰囲気が楽しくて、聞きやすいRock。Wurlitzerピアノの、レトロな音色もマッチしてて良かった。Dadarockは、なんだか謎だったけど、背景の映像もPOPで楽しくてそれなりに良かった。音ってよりか、見た感じが好きだっただけかも。笑

今回見たバンドで気になったのは、そんなところ。偶然Gogol Bordelloのメンバーに会えて写真を撮ってもらえたのはなんだか素敵だった!でも他のステージとかぶっててライブは見に行けず…。それがちょっと残念なことかな。でもとてもいいヒゲです。

「音楽」×「青空」×「仲間」×「ビール」は最高ですね。大阪自体もかなり楽しめたし、また行きたい!

[Summer Sonic 09]

------------------------------

Beyoncé

Beyoncé

Nine Inch Nails

Aphex Twin

Grizzly Bear

Ne-Yo

Jenny Lewis

Dadarock

Report and photos from Summer Sonic Music Festival 2009, and Osaka trip! It was absolutely fun time! Actually I've never been music festival like that, so it's a first time, and now I think I should go, from now on. This time, I got ticket from Emily, as a birthday gift, and we stayed at my cool friends Yuki and Yoshiko's punk rock apartment, so, I should thank you guys a lot! It was not gonna happen without you! ;)

About the live concert, I should say many of them were pretty awesome, and I enjoyed a bunch. Especially, Beyoncé was outstandingly gorgeous. Her live concert was crazy. You know, I'm not the guy who usually likes TV idols, but because of her powerful voice, figure, dance, and way of speaking, I thought she is not even a human, but something special creature made to perform. haha.

And personaly, I enjoyed the stage arts a lot, maybe because I'm a designer. Massive background liquid crystal screen monitor was amazing, it showed us background images, such as sky and ocean, music clips, 3D graphics, live camera movies, and it was also able to pretend the spotlights. I especially surprised that one of Beyoncé's support dancers held the small video camera and its image was also projected on that screen. Of course it's bad quality and had a lot of handshakes, but that was something I wanted to see, and that movie made me feel like I'm also on the stage, so it was so interesting and cool idea, i thought.

I expected more from Aphex Twin's performance, so it was a little disappointed, however some VJ visuals were pretty rad. I don't think I can explain well, but I try. haha. It was more like "programming" than "motion graphics", so I think it was something like "batch processing", made with the special software, and it looked like moving multiple moiré patterns. That was pretty cool, and i got some idea, so I'll try to figure out how he did it.

And some comments about other bands. First, Nine Inch Nails. I usually not listen their kind of strong rock music, but the performance was really cool! He is totally bad ass, and I liked it. Second, Ne-Yo. I was a little sad because he had never spoke anything, but silly Japanese like "Aishiteru" which means I love you in Japanese. Well, but he was quite nice singer and had nice voice, so I was feeling good listening his singing. And watching their real dance moves. Third, Grizzy Bear. They were really cool, and surprised me using so many amount of unusual instruments, and the songs were really beautiful. I especially interested in the base guy, how he used his voice as a background sound, that was amazing. Fourth, Jenny Lewis, I enjoyed their retro atmosphere, including their fashion. I liked that kind of relaxed, easy-to-listen rock music. And her retro Wurlitzer piano matched well with their songs. Fifth, Dadarock. Ah, I couldn't really understand them. haha. But I liked their costumes and atmosphere, and bright red background movies. It was fun too.

Those are the main groups that i checked this time. We were able to meet Gogol Bodello members and took photo together, it was really cool. (But I couldn't see their persormance.. which is a little sad.)

Music + Outdoor + Friends + Beer = Priceless!
I wanna join music festival again! Maybe next year.

[Summer Sonic 09]

2009年8月6日木曜日

Stranger than Fiction

今日はインフォメーショングラフィックの参考になるかとも思って、前から気になってた映画「Stranger than Fiction」(2006)を見た。調べたら、邦題だと「主人公は僕だった」になっててダサイのが残念だけど。。グラフィックはかなりクリーンでかっこ良かったけど、それよりも単純に面白かったからオススメです。全体のコンセプトが映画ならではというか、突拍子無いんだけど、うまくまとめられてて頭がいい。そんでもってヒロインのMaggie Gyllenhaalがカワイイ(笑)別にデザインの話じゃ無いけど、グラフィック好きな子とかは好きなんじゃないかな?下の公式ホームページ、[Enter the Site]から入ると見れるFlashもなかなかの出来。あと、前にも書いたけど、これのオープニングのタイトルシークエンスは逸品。見てない人は下側のリンクから。

[Stranger than Fiction / Sony Pictures Official Site]
[The Art of the Title Sequence / Stranger than Fiction]

------------------------------

I watched the film, "Stranger than Fiction" (2006) today, and it was good. I watched it because I thought I can see the good example of moving information graphics, but actually I just enjoyed the film itself. haha. Of course it's quite strange, but I liked the entire concept. Film itself isn't about design at all, but I guess graphic design lover woutld like it. It's a smart film with nice plot. And Maggie Gyllenhaal is pretty. haha. You can check trailers and get some more info from official website link below. And as I wrote about it before, its title sequence is one of the coolest, you can watch it from another link below ;P

[Stranger than Fiction / Sony Pictures Official Site]
[The Art of the Title Sequence / Stranger than Fiction]

Planetary Journey

今日は宇宙の話。最近JSTバーチャル科学館というサイトで作られてる「惑星の旅」というサイトを発見して見てたんだけど、これがなかなかわくわくする。おそらく結構前ので、映像自体も科学館なんかでよく見るものに近いんだけど、とてもFlashのサイトがよくできてる。この歳になっても宇宙にはやっぱりロマンを感じるなぁ。

単純に写真もすごく奇麗。とてもこの世に存在するものじゃないみたい。海王星まで12年もかけて行った人工衛星があったこととか、知らなかったことも沢山あって、特に宇宙好き男子にはオススメかな。(笑)映像が早送りできないのが難点だけど、英語字幕が出るから、オレは英語の勉強しながら見れて、丁度良かったかな。時間がある宇宙好きの人はどうぞ。いつか宇宙に行けたらいいなぁ。。。

Recently I found this website called "Planetary Journey". It is created by "JST Virtual Science Center", the online Science Museum. I guess this site is created years ago, but still it is fresh and easy to understand for me. I've been interested in the space and planet, since I was a child, just like other boys.

Simply each photographs are beautiful, and breathtaking. I can't believe that they are existing this world. Some stories are also interesting, like, one of the man-made satellite was traveled to Neptune, and that took 12 years... English subtitles are available for this site, so if you like space and planet, and have some spare time this site is for you.

[Planetary Journey]
[JST Virtual Science Center]

2009年8月5日水曜日

SILAS AMOS TOYS

誕生日にトミーにもらったSILASのフィギュアを、パソコンで背景つくって写真撮ってみた。パソコンで作ってんのにそれをそのまま写真に撮るってのはけっこう面白いぞ。なんか色々できそ。映像作品とかね。ちなみにこいつはJames JarvisデザインのAMOS TOYSというシリーズみたい。笑ってないとこが憎めなくってカワイイんだ。トミーありがとうね。ちなみに下はお返しで送ったグラフィック。かなりシンプルだけど気に入ってるかな。

I took photo of the toy that I got as my birthday present from Tomi, who is my college classmate. This time I shot the photo in front of laptop screen, and I think it worked well. And it was simply fun to create background by Illustrator, I feel more possibility of this techniques. (Because it would be nice mix of both analog and digital techniques.) By the way, this is SILAS toy designed by James Jarvis, and it's from one of his project AMOS TOYS. I like that it's not laughing, and it's not made to look cute. Thanks Tomi! And graphic below is Thank you graphic that I sent to her ;P


The Art of Shoutengai Festival

写真は、先日Emilyと行った円頓寺商店街の七夕祭りから。国際センターを北に行った辺りの、普段は結構さびれた商店街なんだけど、七夕祭りは賑わってて面白かった。まぁ、普段も日本独特の「味」があって面白いんだけどね。祭りでは、特に色んな吊るされてるキャラクターが手作り感あふれてて、なんだか気が抜けてしまうこの良さ。(笑)「商店街」って小さなコミュニティーで、みんなで一緒になってこれを作ってるのを考えると嬉しくなっちゃうね。

Photos from Endouji Shoutengai (Shopping District) Festival. This place isn't located in downtown, so usually pretty calm and not so many people, but it was bustling because of this big festival. Especially big characters which are hung from the roofs, were so funny. They looked nicely hand-made, and made me happy to look at. Characters are made by local inhabitants, so I guess people living around there get along well with neighbors, and I think that's cool. And that's something city-dweller missing.