Monthly Archives: February 2012

…with glasses

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What mobile means is an ever-growing list.

Google to Sell Heads-Up Display Glasses by Year’s End – NYTimes

Boy, more flashbacks to CHI 92. In those days there were these geeks that showed up at conferences with purple and orange hair and wearable computers with these heads up displays.  The mystique of this cyborg species was far greater than the genuine impact.  The reality was that such computers were so very lame in those days that the usefulness of being assimilated into the Borg was pretty much nil.

Today, on the other hand, ordinary human beings have become assimilated in the mobile world – or maybe rather they have assimilated it into their own world (hmmm. maybe that difference is part of the key to success?).  The glasses at this time seem like a normal step.

Purple and Orange hair is optional.

- roger

Frampton’s Favorite Machine Comes Back Alive

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Peter Frampton's "favorite machine"
Frampton guitar interview

Peter Frampton’s “favorite machine” is back after being thirty years lost.  See in this interview on CBS Sunday Morning how he feels about this guitar that came back to him  thirty years after it was lost and presumed destroyed in a cargo plane crash.

Somehow it was rescued from the burnt plane wreckage and traveled a mysterious journey, like a pet in a Disney movie, until finally returning back to its true owner.  So, how does he feel about it now?

“Its not the best Les Paul in the world. It’s just MY Less Paul.   For ten years I had it and my style of guitar playing developed once I got it. So it’s very very important to me”.

So, what’s your own favorite machine?  Do you feel like Peter Frampton does?

- roger

Totally Tubular!

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Designing user experiences for business intelligence applications is intellectually challenging. Communicating the design can also be a lot of work.

Now it’s the weekend and designing a complex piece of art work that celebrates user interaction and that sort of thing is interesting and challenging in another way. I don’t have to explain it, I just have to design something that is compelling that I can also build. Fortunately, I have a lot of tools, methods, and materials in my repertoire. Exploring alternatives until I visualize something that I myself find exciting, then working out the details. This is the creative part of the design process.

Now I’m done sketching for the moment and manually bending one inch conduit is challenging again in a completely different way. Ugh.  This is the hard work part of the design process.

- roger

 

The Digital World and its Platform

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Just because we live in the digital world doesn’t mean that we no longer live in the other one.  I’m pondering the subject matter of the art that I am producing for BIG(D)ESIGN 2012.  This sequel to the art centerpiece I created for BIG(D)ESIGN 2011 is a big undertaking for one artist, not just in terms of the scale, but also the complexity of form, function, and theme.

Like its predecessor, the art for BigD12 connects a whole lotta dots from many different places on multiple levels and dimensions, quite literally.  So, bringing it all together is going to take a substantial amount of time, energy, and thought.  Now that I have this blogsite, you are likely to see my musings here as I think through some of these concepts and challenges.  This is like a window into the mind of the geek art guy.  Are you scared yet?

I began with the big picture of what I wanted to say that expands on the My Favorite Machine theme and images.  I’m not ready to give it all away here yet, though some of my friends and colleagues have heard me talking about it.  I’m not really much of a secret-keeper.  Let me just summarize the concept in one key word – “Community”.

Like before, there are other sub-themes.  And the one that I am fixating on at the moment as I work out some of the technical and structural challenges, is related to my opening sentence.  We live in a physical world that integrates the digital world into it.  As individuals and as a culture we have to reconcile these daily. There is no all one or the other.  And part of this process is acknowledging the layer upon layer of culture, civilization, and technology that has served as the foundation and many tiered platform leading up to and supporting this digital world that seems to be our primary focus today, certainly at least for the audience attending the BIG(D)ESIGN 2012.

That notion of multiple tiers of civilization and technology will be reflected in the art in a really extroverted manner.  When you see it, you will understand what I am talking about, I’m pretty sure!  This is but one of several sub-themes you’ll be hearing about from me as I work through this stuff.   More later.  ; )

- roger

Art for BIG(D)ESIGN 2012

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I spent much of the day sketching and visualizing the art for BIG(D)ESIGN 2012.  Yes, I am creating another centerpiece for the conference, displayed in the center of the main hallway, like before, except this time, even BIGGER!!!

The conference is in the same place, Crown Plaza hotel in Addison, TX.   This year it is happening earlier, Memorial Day weekend.  That is not so long from now. Man I have a lot to do!   But I just have to tell you that I’m getting excited. It’s gonna be amazingly cool!

You may have heard me say that my meter for my art is that I only make stuff that I personally find interesting to look at.  And if you like it too, that’s all the better!  So far, that seems to be working.

What is it?  Well, I can say it is absolutely the logical sequel to My Favorite Machine, though maybe not one you’d expect.  Like its predecessor, it will be Intense, yet whimsical, simultaneously celebratory of technology’s impact on our culture and shamelessly irreverent!  It’s going to be serious and fun, slick and jagged, earthy and advanced, contradictory and harmonious. haha!

What does all that mean?  You’re just going to have to be there!

- roger

A Favorite Machine: The Typewriter!

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Interesting spot on CBS Sunday Morning last week about the love of typewriters for the sensory experience they provide. Many writers feel it gives them a boost to creativity.  Some say setting aside the computer for a while in favor of the noisy old obsolete typewriter with all of its clicks, dings, and kinetic feedback has been prescribed by their therapist as a cure or writers block.  Hmmm.  Maybe there is something here to be learned about user experience design.

Typewriter Renaissance

Of course, I have been saying for some time now that IT people as a lot are sensory-deprived.  This condition, once afflicting mainly IT professionals, now appears to be plaguing this entire generation.  In spite of all the rich media we enjoy, partaking in the virtual leaves a gap in our sensory experience.  Some sensory cravings for touch, sight, and sound simply cannot be satisfied in the world behind the glass. Here is more evidence to that effect. Seems like there’s a product or product enhancement in there somewhere.

I created a Facebook page title My Favorite Machine just for collecting stories and images of great Favorite Machines.  This example definitely qualifies as one!

- roger

Gravity Centre IPhone Workshop: Perfect Venue for My Favorite Machine!

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The Gravity Centre will be hosting a 3-day iPhone Developers workshop February 15-17th. In this hands on workshop, you’ll learn how to sketch, develop, test and deploy an iOS application. Register and receive $200 off.

Bring Your Mobile App Idea to Life

The Gravity Centre has been a favorite showcase place for “My Favorite Machine”.  it is there right now to serve as a mascott for this crowd of IPhone enthusiasts.  It will be fun!  Photo of PodCasts being filmed wit hMFM backdrop.

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“Wow, the response from the Gravity Centre residents and people from the AT&T Foundry when they see My Favorite Machine has been awesome. We are truly honored to be showcasing your piece here at the Gravity Centre.” – Jennifer Conley, Operations Manager at Gravity Centre

- roger

My Favorite Machine 2011 -2012

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Thanks everyone whose enthusiasm has made “My Favorite Machine” such a huge hit.  The art, produced initially for the BIG(D)ESIGN 2011 conference, has enjoyed a nice tour since then, being showcased in several different venues, each one a great location with wonderful audience attention.  It’s been a blast getting to see the positive responses from different audiences. Follow the list of links below to photos and videos from many of these events and venues.

You+Plus Dallas Video spot of the BIG(D)ESIGN 2011Conference

Fort Worth ArtsGoggle Video

World usability Day Video (of stills)

This multidimensional art piece celebrates the affection people have for a favorite object that serves them well and is particularly well designed.  Of course, this is the Holy Grail for designers who aim to hit that sweet spot of making something that users love.  I know it is for me anyway, being a software user interface designer myself for 20+ years. To get the whole run down on the thinking behind the art, check out my article on the BigDesign site.

Or for the movie see the video of my interview at BigD11

The MFM Sequel!

Now its 2012 and BIG(D)ESIGN 2012 planning has been underway for some time.  It’s going to be a great conference, BIGGER and better than ever.  And I am especially excited to be invited back to again create the Art centerpiece!  And the art concept this time is going to be even more spectacular than before.  In fact, I am very confident that you’re going love it!  Bringing it to you is going to be a blast! More on this in coming blog entries!

- roger

Introduction

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Greetings!

Considering the dynamic nature of the online experience and the amount of interest that has emerged from my recent art that blends my sculpture work with my day job of designing great user experiences for business, it seemed incomprehensible that I could leave my art site as a static, seldom-changing, traditional gallery site. www.belveal.com has served its purpose very well. I’ll be leaving it up just long enough to get the primary content up on this one, then www.belveal.net and  www.belveal.com will be directed to this same place.

Besides, I have too much to say about art, design, business process, culture, and everything to not have a blog somewhere.  Facebook is fine, but insufficient.  Twitter is just a place to stick one’s head inside the door of a crowded room and suddenly shout something clever, then pop right back out again just as quickly leaving everyone to chuckle, say what?, or instantly follow you somewhere else.  And unless one has a somewhere else to lead them to, it almost makes one ask, what’s the Point?

So, now I have a place.  And as I move into it, and furnish it with thoughts and images, I hope you find a connection with something in it that you find inspiring and interesting.  I know I will.

-          roger