IDSA@SFSU: September 2008

Thursday, September 25, 2008

First ever SFSU IDSA Sketch-It design challenge!

Sorry for the late night post guys, I just wanted to make sure everybody got the details of the competition! The contest rules are as follows:

Topic: Handheld consumer electronics device

1: One file of an original sketch or drawing that is a presentation of your concept

2: A very short abstract explaining your concept

3: Must be an SFSU IDSA member to win!

4:Due by 12:00 pm Tuesday 30th
http://www.slashphone.com/media/data/796/56144_pdaplusphone.jpg

e-mil submissions to idsasfsu_officers@googlegroups.com

posted by Toast # 11:56 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

IDSKETCHING.COM has forums up and running!

IDSKETCHING.COM just today released their forums! These will be a great way to ask questions of the guys over there and hopefully be an integral tool to go hand in hand with the tutorial videos and help you develop some sick ID sketching skillz! P.S. it's free to register.

posted by Toast # 10:55 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

Monday, September 22, 2008

"PDF" and Design-Bytes release DESIGN GUIDES CD

Product Design Forums announced the release of a Product Design Guides CD in collaboration with Design-bites:

"The guides are a source of practical design help and essential data, describing features of real consumer products often overlooked by traditional design textbooks. Topics cover both industrial design and product engineering, in plastics, metals, wood and ceramics, and are presented in an easy-to-read style, of interest to student, professional and layman alike. "

– via Product Design Forums

I'd get it but I just shelled out ~$60 for the huge Manufacturing Processes Book. The design guides to appear more comprehensive.

Labels: cd, design-bytes, guide, pdf, product design forums

posted by Thomas Deckert # 2:58 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

Saturday, September 20, 2008

West Coast Green Conference

The West Coast Green conference is a huge event coming to our area this week. With speakers such as Al Gore and showrooms of the latest and greatest in sustainability innovation, it is definitely an event worth checking out! The event takes place in San Jose, which is easy to get to on public transportation (or carpool).

Labels: conference, sustainability

posted by Thomas Deckert # 1:11 PM 2 Comments Links to this post

Thursday, September 18, 2008

How to Get an Entry Level Job or Internship, v2.0 by Carl Alviani

Great read! This article is pretty helpful, although many of these tips are applicable to any field. I definitely recommend giving it a read. I do think that there is more to the process, if you do get called in for an interview I think it's very important to be prepared to ask questions yourself. It's not just their opportunity to find out about you, but you can get information about the company and even the industry as a whole! And DesignHire is another great resource to check out!!

What are your guys thoughts?

posted by Toast # 10:39 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Fliping solar lamp/Wi-fi energy consumption monitor

This is not only a really well done design but it's functionality is absolutely tantalizing! It's a solar power absorbing potted plant by day and lamp by night, at the same time it uses color changing lights to communicate energy consumption data about your household that has been gathered from the internet through Wi-Fi! Really cool idea, well executed.

designzen (via Gizmodo via Physorg via EcoGeek via Clean Technica)

posted by Toast # 2:48 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Firefox for Designers!

Here is a sweet post on 13 of Firefox's greatest Add-Ons for designers!
There is some cool stuff here, especially for help when designing a website and you want to see how it's looking/working. Check it:

smashingapps.com (via Digg)

posted by Toast # 2:23 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

1HDC!

Here's a chance to rep your skillz to the world! Starting today and going until Sunday you have the opportunity to get in on the Core77 1HDC. This is a great way to get your work seen even if you didn't win and then you also get to see your competition!

"Doors open:
Tuesday September 16, 2008
9 PM PST (4AM GMT)

Doors close:
Sunday, Sept 28, 2008
9 PM PST (4 AM GMT)

CRITERIA:
Judging will be based on quality of presentation and whether or not your work could have realistically been done in 1 Hour. The 1 hour does NOT include thinking in the shower, procrastinating, setting up the video camera, editing the video, uploading to Core77, or anything not related to creating the sick-assest rendering you can come up with. Use this Core77 4 minute sketch session as guidance for how to set-up your camera. If you're a digital hack, a screen capture will do nicely.

PRIZE:
Publicity in the October Core77 Newsletter, publicity on the Core77 Blog, bragging rights that Ralph Gilles, VP of Design at Chrysler chose your design!"

1HDC (via Core77)

posted by Toast # 11:58 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

Keep the shops open!

Hey guys, the department is in serious need of lab monitors to be able to keep the shops open outside of class. It took a long time to get them open and I'd hate to see them get closed now.

Here are the tentative hours the lab is looking for:

[FA170]: Designated lab/shop* hours would be:

Mon/Wed between (12:00 - 2:00 PM; 6:00 - 9:00 PM)
Tues/Thurs: (12:00 - 2:00 PM; 2:00 - 5:00 PM; 6:00 - 9:00 PM)
Fri. between (10:30 am – 4:30 PM)

* (Minimum of 8 hours need to be scheduled for Independent Study Credit

If anyone is seriously interested, please email Micheal Kim at: mswkim@gmail.com

posted by Toast # 11:33 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Single piece desk of sheet metal?

Sound like a larger version of an assignment close to many of our hearts? Well it's damn close! Its a single cut, using CAD/CAM tech, piece of sheet metal with what is claimed to be less than %4 material waste per linear meter and it's then hand formed! too bad it starts at £3,851. . .Ouch.

Formtank via (BoingBoing)

posted by Toast # 2:08 AM 1 Comments Links to this post

Thursday, September 11, 2008

I think these books are rad! They're 999 of the ultimate classic designs as hand picked through consultation with designers worldwide and design industry insiders. The page spreads are fascinating and give some background to the beautiful pictures. You can check out the books and see some page spreads here.

What do you guys think? Shout it out in the comments!

posted by Toast # 4:19 PM 3 Comments Links to this post

ProofHQ

So I've been checking out this online collaborative tool called ProofHQ that was created specifically for designers. It's really cool and you can use it's most basic features for free! It's really cool because it uses a workflow that creates a heirarchy for drafting, proofing, and approval. Check it out!

"ProofHQ is a smarter, easier way to manage review and approval of designs, artwork and documents. It is an online collaboration, proofing and approval tool built specifically for brands, agencies, designers, print and production.

Starting a proof is as easy as sending an email. Create proofs from PDFs, Photoshop, Word, Powerpoint, JPGs, and a wide range of image files. Upload multipage files and files up to 75 MB. Try sending those as an email attachment!

ProofHQ converts your file into a web-optimised proof to share with your reviewers. Send a proof link to your reviewers using the ProofHQ workflow. Embed a “Miniproof” in a blog or wiki. Integrate your proof in a project management or digital asset management system like Basecamp.

Your reviewers then collaboratively review the proof online. They add mark-ups and comments, discuss comments together and decide whether to approve the proof. ProofHQ includes version control so that users can quickly refer to comments on each revision of a proof."

ProofHQ

Labels: colaboration, productivity, proofing, software

posted by Toast # 12:40 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Public group sketching

I've never been to one of these... just stumbled upon it through Google.

-Eugene

Drawing Space
a Public Open Space Project
55 Second Street, San Francisco, CA
(a lunchtime escape for downtown doodleful worker bees)

Tuesday, Sep 2, 2008 ~ 1pm to 2pm
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2008 ~ 1pm to 2pm
Tuesday, Oct 7, 2008 ~ 1pm to 2pm (drain will be absent)
Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008 ~ 1pm to 2pm

WHAT IS IT ABOUT:
Hanging out with other folks in as you draw and sketch your lunch away.

WHAT YOU NEED:
Pen, pencil or drawing instrument
Paper (I will have extras on hand)
BYOL = Bring Your Own Lunch
Any old item to draw as a still life

This will be a bi-weekly event, every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. You can invite yourself below.

Link

posted by alwayswong # 11:40 AM 2 Comments Links to this post

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Welcome Back

Hey IDSAers,

Our first meeting of the semester will be Wednesday, September 17th, 1-2pm in the Fine Arts Building, room 163 (between the metal and wood labs).

Meetings will continue through the semester, every Wednesday, 1-2pm, FA 163.

Check back soon for further details...

- Thomas Deckert

Labels: first, meeting

posted by Thomas Deckert # 9:10 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Welcome Back!!!