chrisgiarmo.com

posts tagged ‘digital design’

flash! typography!

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

i created this typographic animation for prof. christie shin’s digital design i class at pratt.

the assignment was to create an animation in flash primarily using typography, representing a neighborhood in new york city. we also had to create a brand identity for the neighborhood. i chose stuyvesant heights - my neighborhood! my intention with this animation was to brand stuyvesant heights historic district as a destination for anyone who appreciates brooklyn history and is interested in the culture, community and architecture of this extremely well preserved, turn of the century neighborhood.

our next assignment is to create an image-based animation using after effects.

i’m excited about the second assignment, as i’ve never used after effects before. this assignment wasn’t necessarily easy (although i do have ample experience creating websites in flash) but it’ll be interesting to see if i’m savvy enough to be able to translate the images in my head to the screen.

ps - grad school rocks.

I.O.U.S.A. hits home with great motion graphics

Monday, September 14th, 2009

just watched this amazing movie called I.O.U.S.A.. i actually watched the 30-minute version on youtube as soon as it came out because i had heard that i was in it! a few years ago, the film makers, indeed, interviewed me on the street showcasing my ineptitude about american economics. in the 30-minute version, there’s only a short clip of me looking stupefied by as simple question, but if you rent the DVD, you not only get more witty commetary from me, but a bonus reel of street interviews where i actually perform a dance from big dance theater’s 2005 production the other here.

what i found most successful about this film was the use of motion graphics to depict otherwise mind-numbingly boring statistics. the film is about the financial crisis facing the american economy today - how we got here, what we have to do to get out - and amazing graphic sequences by graphic designer brian oakes make it all understandable.

i highly suggest watching this movie (and the bonus material!) to get a grasp on how we got to where we got in this economic mess. and for anyone interested in motion graphics, this film is a must to see how simple, efficient design can make even the most mundane subject matter exquisite and interpretable.

it’s begun…

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

the above is a snapshot taken on an iMac in room 515 of Pratt Institute’s Manhattan building using an awesome free photobooth clone netapp called cameroid (don’t worry, she asked us to do it!).

professor Christie Shin is asking us to keep tabs on our development over the course of the semester, in her Digital Design class, on a blog, so hooray! you’re in on it too.

you may also notice that there links (to the left of this post, on the sidebar) to other student’s blogs from the class (labeled “des. blog links,” should you be so inclined to compare and contrast our educational experiences.

awes.