My Angle

Clock II

In Clcok_Time is Money, I mentioned two clocks which design idea is about "time" and "money". Here is a watch by normal TIMEPIECES using the same design concept. I really like this company because the product they have are just simple and elegant. Just back and white with stainless steel as basic material. It's not shouting in your face but when you look closer you will just fall in love with it.

They also have a wall clock I like. Basically they just cut a rectangular and the whole background, as the first later, turns while time goes. There is another layer with numbers on it underneath the first layer. So the rectangular will reveal the time when it hits the time. From far away you will just think this is just a wall clock which couldn't be any simpler, However, when you get closer, you will just get a bit of fun out of it. 

But when talking about revealing, I think these following two clocks do awesome jobs. This first one is a LED clock called Vice Versa by Yiran Qian from China. This clock only has hands but no dial plate. From the designer, he said "Dial plate serve as a foil to clock hands,we read time from contrast.But this design idea reverse the relationship between hands and dial,use the hand as a dial.You don't have to worry about the colour of the dial plate does not match the circumstance,and it save the dial plate,save the most material of a clock. Plus,now you can set your clock wherever you want,on the top of the peak,or a pillar,you just need a point then you can set it up." 

 

The second clock is more like decoding. It's from designer Duncan Shotton from UK. Numbers are printed on vertical sliders. Those sliders will go up and down and "only reveal themselves when shifted into perfect alignment with the 'display box'. When not aligned they look like random, alien forms". Also it's very dynamic, the clock is not just siting there as a box.

Website: The Future is Awesome

Recently I am in my freest moment in my life probably. But of course I am not free free. I am just pretending I have nothing to be busy at. Well, that's why I decide to fill this blog a bit. I keep thinking about changing the layout and this and that. Come down to the names of categories, I was going to use "The Future is Awesome"  to new stuff or awesome design. And then I found this website called The Future is awesome.

Okay, he not only uses the name I want to use, but also delicates whole website to cool stuff and does an awesome job. After reading his website, I have to admit that his future is more awesome then mine. So I decide to leave the name to him. I guess I have to figure out a new categories name.

Movie: My Blueberry Night

Today is a movie day! Not just one but two I saw. First one is My Blueberry Night; the second is Son of Rambow. I had to do this, otherwise they were going to be out from the closest theater soon. But I am glad I made it to both films. Son of Rambow is just pure fun and cute to watch. Sometimes we need this kind of pure pleasure and laugh out loud.

My Blueberry Night is different. I expected more out from it because of the director Kar Wai Wong. Even the review said it's not a good one, I was sure at least it would be a beautiful one.

Don't compare the story to 2046 too much, otherwise you will just think My Blueberry Night is plan and poor edited. That's true that the story is easier and even you can say it's "straight". Not much to surprise or deviate you to different directions, even the story did develop more along Elizabeth's (Norah Jones) journey. It just develops but  you don't have to think too much about it. Some scripts are really good, but not as many as and as fascinating as you can get from 2046.

Indeed, it's really beautiful. Every scene is just like a perfect photo shot. Probably not many photographers can do better job than Kar Wai Wong. Also the actors and actress are GREAT! Especially David Strathairn and Rachel Weisz. It's worthy to watch the film just because them. Natalie Portman also surprises me with Texas accent and poker scene. But, come on, why Norah Jones? There are thousands out there but you have to get her. I feel it was just a thought "it would be cute and fresh to have Norah Jones in my movie" while Wong casted the movie. Anyway, she is not terribly bad, just doesn't convince me. Or simply because others are way too better. But is it totally a mistake to have Norah Jones in this film? Well, it's true that it could be better if someone replaced her. However, I don't know if this is Wong's intention, she does put me into different perspective.

"I am the minor character of my own story" from one of the movie I watched before.

Norah Jones doesn't outshine others. But the way she does it, whatever on purpose or not, does make Elizabeth become the supporting character. I think in real life, some people does tell their own story in this way. Isn't it?

3D Modeling: Living Room

Clock_Time is Money!

Everyone knows the cliche "Time is Money." But how will you interpret it into a product? Here are two versions:

The first one is by the French design team called ATYPYK. By the way, they are so creative and have tons of interesting products. They definitely have something that will make you smile while seeing it. So it's perfect for the gift choices.

And the seconde one is from a Japanese company ビーモールド研究開発センター. It seems nothing special when you first see it. But wait, close up. That greenish material is made of recycled old Japanese bills. Does this make the clock sound more valuable and closer to the cliche?

Of course time costs money, so does clock. The French version costs $77; the Japanese version costs around $20 USD (1,995円).

watercolor

One of my work in color rendering class. It maybe look not very hard to do. But it's definitely not easy at all. It takes lots of patience to do all the details and layers of gradations. Well, i hope i can accomplish more.

Hanami vs Klein Dytham Architecture

Hanami, well known as cherry blossoms, is the Japanese traditional custom of appreciating the beauty of sakura from late March to early May. I've never been to a REAL cheery blossoms in Japan. But all I have in mind is the image of lots of drinking and laughing with bunch of good friends. Of course, some stupid drunk man in their suits, tightening their ties on heads and dancing funny, are also inevitable in this image.

Klein Dytham architecture have created the outdoor furniture called Sakura Cafe for a cherry blossom party in Tokyo  Mid-Town. The seating or table is just giant pink flowers. So simple and obvious. When spreading around the lawn, they just look like they are floating down from the trees.

Now there is one more thing in my image for cherry blossoms in Japan. This design furniture makes the picture less crowded and more about the joy.

 

Jean Nouvel of France is Named 2008 Pritzker Laureate

Jean Nouvel is the 2008 winner of The Pritzker Architecture Prize. For me, the best about his design is that he doesn't settle into one style. His projects are all based on some simple principles, open and airy, but fit into the environment. You never get bored by looking through his design.

Here are pictures of my favorite project from him: Louvre Abu Dhabi, on Saadiyat Island, which lies just off the shore of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. 

They say the cultural district projects on the Abu Dhabi  will be mostly completed by 2012. By then, people can see all the masters' architectures, from Frank Gehry, Tadao Ando and Zaha Hadid, at once. What a dream place for people who are into it. I hope i can be there someday.

eight months ago

last post was on 8/2/07. i almost forget i have this blog. recently i urgently feel that i need a space to talk to myself and organize some links for school. i guess i will start blogging again, even i couldn't say i did it before.

useless?

I believe lots of people have read a book called "101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions" There is another invention, a pair of wine glasses called My Other Half by Jim Rokos should totally be counted into the British version. The design idea is very simple but impressive. Even useless but pretty interesting actually. After all, ideas sometimes are more important than purposes. Talking about idea, I like his another design better: 'til death do us part". It's a device to share cigarette. But what special about sharing cigarette? People do that all the time. But the whole design idea of this one is "you can't use it without a friend." Ha!