The Last PC Critique.

Audrey and Mary (both are Texans at Portfolio Center) posted about their critiques yesterday and inspired me to post comments on their respective blogs (see sidebar for links). As I was leaving a rather lengthy comment on Mary's, I figured maybe I should write about it on mine as well.

It was my 7th and final critique at PC wednesday night, but it was the first one that was strangely different than the previous six. Maybe it was because 3 of the 4 panelists knew Lyndsey and I had a baby three weeks ago, maybe it was because I was the first presentation of the night, or maybe it was because of the work.

I have always completed all assigned work and only twice not finished a day early, the other time was when I had Hank's class 5th quarter. The biggest compliment they had was that it was amazing how I could complete the projects from 5 classes after such a demanding event in my life. First time I had heard that. The other thing was that they could tell I was passionate about my work and that I clearly stated the objectives, goals, concepts, and solutions for my pieces. That's the one thing I had heard everytime since first quarter, great presentation and communication of ideas. The thing that surprised me the most, which was my goal for the quarter, was that some of the projects actually worked! That I had good ideas AND good execution, craft included. I couldn't have been happier and this couldn't have come at a better time.

Then came all the bits and pieces about unreadable type on a dark background, and type cut across a spread, and maybe change this part of the poster or refocus some of these things. Ok, ok, fine, whatever, I understand, if I had another week I would have changed that. But the ideas actually worked? That's amazing.

With the 8th and final quarter looming, my previous projects quivering in the basement hoping to get revamped for my portfolio, I finally get the feeling I'm ready. That I've actually learned something and can put it to good use. Finally, after seven quarters, I have the critique I always wanted. It's constantly being said that Design is about the process, the plan for creating something. My entire experience at Portfolio Center has about the process. And they've created a monster.

Of course today I realize, my Phaidon Online Strategy Brief was just a presentation of my idea and not a fully functional website. The Coca-Cola/Beijing Systems book was researched and worked on by all 8 people in our class, the book itself laid out by Mr. Typography himself Brice Beasley. My Choice book wasn't even read by the panelists, just looked at, which is kind of good because I messed up the page numbers in the text bigtime! And I had some illustrations that a panel of designers really didn't care much for, only Michael Goodman, the bookmaker, mentioned an appreciation for my New Yorker cover. Really, it was my Typeface Design that was a good idea and a great execution. Which is fine because I spent 10 hours a week on that one...but, I digress. Onwards to 8th Quarter!

Seven Hours Till Critique.

Finished.
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

I mounted my last illustration this morning and now all is complete. Here's the place where I usually work, granted it's not always this messy. Printer/scanner in the back, my iBook, sketch paper, drawers of materials, wire racks for books and such. Note the tall 5 shelf stand in the foreground. Always had that upstairs in my bedroom until Ian moved in. Realized it would work great at my desk. I had one shelf for each class, making my notes, printouts, and handouts easy to separate.

There's a "New Yorker" cover I did for class taped to the wall, 3 books and some display boards piled underneath the stack of books on the top shelf. This keeps them tight and flat. Also, there's my promotional poster for the Typeface I designed. It's a 5' tall Doric Column, looks great from across the room. And just like any Portfolio Center student during studio/critique week, I've got my list posted of projects to finish and things to do. Thankfully, all tasks have been marked complete. Now if I can just figure out what to say...

To Write or Not to Write.

Choice
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

I've written my first book. At 10,000 words, it's more of a quarter-life memoir. In preparation for having a child, and then actually having the child, the book is about how choice builds character. I've taken five of the most character-building events in my life and written them out in the form of a choose your own adventure book. The intriguing aspect is that I only know the outcome of one of those choices. By going in the other direction, you end up reaching a blank page, allowing you the freedom to write in your own story to share with others.

Writing it was one challenge, designing the book was something else. The craziest bit about it was actually coming up with a title. When I thought of the idea last quarter, I was toying with a title of "Mathematical Birthdaycakes", hoping the story would be about the formula-led life I've lived. The story I wrote turned out much different. In fact, you've probably experienced the same stories I did, perhaps with different results. For a day, I had used "I Can't Decide on a Title, But I Can Setup A Projector." The title kind of made sense when you got to the last chapter of the book, but it just seemed like a cop out.

In the end, I really like the simplicity and power that comes with the main idea of my story, choice. I'm still working on the cover, but here is the right page of my Title Spread in the book. I'm sure the type treatment has been used before, but I'm happy to use it because in my case it actually means something.

Baby Steps.

First Footprint
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

It was good to see all ten toes when Ian was born. It was also cool to see how they printed his first steps. There wasn't just a stamp pad that got pulled out of an old drawer for Ian's baby feet to paint with. Technology has advanced even the most primitive printing methods. Instead, the nurse had what looked like a 5x7 inch plastic frame clasping around the edges of a thin transparent sheet over a layer of ink. She laid the frame onto a page and brought it to his feet. His feet pressed against the transparent layer, identity lines pushing through into the ink and onto the page. Voila! Instant footprint without all the inky mess. Very clever, I must say.

Silly Bilirubin.

Photo Therapy
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

So I mentioned the word 'jaundice' in an earlier post regarding the yellowing of Ian's skin. It was constantly brought up in every check-up by the neonatologist while at the hospital. His numbers had started average and slowly got higher throughout the week. When we visited the pediatrician for the first time yesterday, they grew into a high risk zone.

Jaundice is a common condition in newborns that causes the skin and whites of the eyes to become yellow, due to increased amounts of bilirubin. When bilirubin builds up faster than a newborn's liver can break it down, excrete it into the intestines, and out of the body through stool, a baby becomes jaundiced. If a baby's bilirubin level gets too high, it can cause permanent damage to the nervous system. You can treat jaundice by increasing the frequency of feedings, causing frequent bowel movements, therefore saying bye-bye to the bilirubin. If that doesn't work, say hello to Phototherapy.

Phototherapy uses fluorescent light to help transform bilirubin into a form the body can eliminate quickly. The equipment is a cross between a flatbed scanner and a mini-tanning bed that sits in a bassinet for the baby to lie on. Wearing only a diaper and a cap, he's wrapped in baby-scrubs that velcro shut to keep him in position. Flip the switch and on go the fluorescents. We started this last night, and over 12 hours, his bilirubin levels had already begun to decrease. Today at the pediatrician's office, 4 of the newborns that had come in today showed high levels of bilirubin, so it seems to be fairly common.

Interesting side note, Lyndsey went through this same process when she was a baby. As an adult, she has a bitter taste towards bright lights, especially fluorescents. Ian is taking after his mother more and more each day.

Lastly, how many times did I use the word 'bilirubin' in this post? Go back and count them all, then mulitply that number by a thousand; that's the number of times I've heard that word in my entire life. The first time I heard it was Tuesday.

Home on the Range.

Going Home
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

After four long days in Piedmont Hospital, we got the go ahead to go ahead and head home. So we got packed and packed up the car to pack up the highway for the journey home. It's time to be real parents. Real parents without nurses and lactation consultants at our bedside, without scheduled knocks on the door to check vitals, without remote controls that can call up a pint of prune juice and a bowl of cream of chicken soup at the push of a buton, and of course without a plastic slinky disguised as a lounger for dads to sleep the long nights on. Home, sweet pillowtop, home.

Sleeping Baby.

Sleeping Baby.
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

With just a tad bit of jaundice, Ian enjoys some rest after a great feeding (nice job, Lynds). Take a look at the grip on this guy. Taking charge with just one hand, and with his eyes closed! What do you think? Quarterback? Power Forward? Pitcher? Bowler? Ok, ok, Architect? Designer? In a few years, we'll see what this kid can do with a pencil.

A Family Gathering.

A Family Gathering.
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Sure we've got a thousand photos, and sure I could post all of them up on another photosharing site so you can spend some time at work scrolling through an Ian Slide Show; but I'd rather just tell you a bit about some of my favorites.

Ian was born as week 8 of the quarter was about to start. Hank, the PC prez, was thankful enough to offer some excused absences from class, and Borders said 'do what you gotta do.' Luckily, a couple of projects I'm working on don't require space to cut, paint, draw, or use the internet for. Take for example, Typeface Design. I've got my alphabet pretty much sketched out and scanned in, so it's all in my iBook. It's just a matter of tracing letterforms in Illustrator and working with their details. As the Puckett family gathers at the dining table in Room 250, we all get to do something we love.

A New Mother.

New Mother.
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Can you believe this little lady gave birth 48 hours from this picture? God Bless her. Lyndsey is one tough chick. I don't know if it's her 10 years of softball or what, but when she sets her mind on something...nothing can stop her. Not even contractions, incisions, or needles; 85 RN's, CP's, or BP's serving chills, pills and apple juice fills; or even all-night feedings, mid-day greetings, and tender breasts heaving.

Ok, so that perhaps that last one was a little out there. But believe-you-me, after bearing witness to everything 'labor'-intensive, any form of modesty gets thrown right out the window.

Lyndsey, you're beautiful, and I thank you for bringing little Ian into our lives. I still don't know how you did it.

Behind the Curtain

Behind the Curtain
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Shielded by this blue wall of danger, I sit pondering the special effects in progress on the other side. Staring at Lyndsey scares me (and her) as her body shakes from numbness. Who is the man behind the curtain? What will he look like? How will his entrance into this world change our lives? We're not in Kansas anymore.

Elements of a Story.

The Introduction.

What started at 5:30am Sunday morning and ended at 10:56pm that same night, was the most unbelievable experience of my life. I'd like to introduce you to a new creative.

Contractions.

Contractions.
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Rising Action.

Cesarean Prep

Daddy C-Prep
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Conflict.

Fresh from the Womb.

Fresh from the Womb.
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Falling Action.

Post Surgery Family

Post Surgery Family
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Resolution.

Birth Announcement

Birth Announcement
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

The Conclusion.

iBaby Update.

Well, Lyndsey completed her 38th week of pregnancy on Thursday with a weekly checkup. It appears that iBaby, Ian, is bigger than we all expected. "Not 10 pounds big, but big," said the doctor. Lyndsey was still only 1 cm. dilated, her blood pressure good, and Ian's heart rate good, but he didn't seem to be dropped into her pelvis. That's where he needs to be in order to make his way out of the tunnel. The doctor thinks he might be too big for Lyndsey's small frame. So next week we'll have another ultrasound to get a better feel for his size and location. If he hasn't dropped any further, we'll have to schedule an appointment for a Caesarean Delivery.

They suggested the possibility of simply scheduling an induction to get labor started, but that they wouldn't let Lyndsey try for very long before administering the C-section. So if they seem pretty sure about his size, we'd rather just schedule it and let it be, we're ready to love this little guy!

A Caesarean had always been on Lyndsey's mind ever since we first started talking about children. She's built like her mom, who also had troubles delivering her first girl and ended up with a C-section...which resulted in the same cut when Lyndsey was born. It's in the genes. Although you may not see it in myself or my brother, tall strong bones are in the Puckett genes. All my cousins on the Puckett side are 6' plus and played either Basketball or Football in high school. Maybe Lyndsey and I will end up being the little people in the crowd cheering for the 6' power forward who averages 10 rebounds a game.

Words of Wisdom.

"I believe you can go to school to learn to be an accountant, a doctor, a physicist, an engineer, an astronaut. I am not sure you can learn to be an artist. Artists are born, not made, and the real reason to study the arts is to have fun, learn technical skills, network with other creative types, fall in love with people who are not boring, and do the work you probably would have done anyway."

"...as a teacher of film appreciation, I believe faculties in the arts are sainted. They must guide, advise, moderate, encourage, teach methods, provide a context, share secrets and declare an informed opinion on the worth of the work. They create a world within which such work is possible and valued. What they cannot do, I suspect, is teach a student how to be original and creative."

- Roger Ebert
rogerebert.com
taken from a review of "Art School Confidential"
directed by Terry Zwigoff

One of the reasons why I love Portfolio Center is because the instructors believe this too...most of them anyway.

We're Gonna Need A Bigger Summer.

I know, I know, so I quickly posted about M-I:3, subtley announcing my extreme excitement over the new film; but what I really wanted to announce was the start of the summer movie season. There is a lot of hype over the releases (Da Vinci Code, The Break-Up, X3) and a lot of worry about potential box office struggles like last year. I'm hear to say that there is no need to fear. Who cares if M-I:3 opens up quieter than expected, I believe this summer will be about longevity; and it will be clear who the winners are. I believe audiences aren't as dumb as studios think they are. This summer, we want to be thrilled, moved, sucked into the worlds brought to the screen. Our hearts MUST race. Our laughter MUST echo through the AMC hallways. And most importantly for the sake of studios, our voices MUST communicate to each other the power of what we experienced. Longevity through word of mouth will bring success to the films that make us soar. A good trailer doesn't hurt...

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you SUPERMAN RETURNS.

Two Words.

Mission

Impossible

(iii)

Stick It.

There are two things I love about a movie theatre experience. One of them is not the popcorn. I'm talking about the certain steroids that can juice up an audience like a rock concert. Amazingly enough, the new gymnastics film, STICK IT, is pumped with those drugs.

Of course, this film was not my choice since yesterday was Lyndsey's birthday. The only thing I was expecting was a great performance by Jeff Bridges, and what I got was something more. I was involved. I was rooting for the girls. I was laughing with the guys. Sure I was turned off by the cheese and the formula, but the film's challenge at gymnastics scoring was too cool for school. A great twist in an otherwise standard fish out of water sports film. The most magical moment was at the apex of conflict in the story when Haley Graham (Missy Peregrym), after being confronted with some old challenges, lets her emotions take over in the middle of a balance beam routine. We can tell she's hurting as she almost loses her balance. She goes into a hand stand, stretches her legs out, and then, the camera takes her perspective, looking down onto the beam. In dramatic slow motion (and formula foreshadowing a fall), we see a single tear drop onto the beam; cut to a medium shot of the bar, the tear so heavy it splashes chalk off the beam...I'm squeezing the armrest as we go back in full motion. Haley flips back onto her feet struggling for composure and we see she's just wrecked by the past. It's a beautiful moment that makes a 'who cares' guy like me care for gymnastics. She finishes her routine, and walking out of the arena were told about the past.

The two things I love about a movie theatre experience are:
1. Audience Participation--When a film hits you right where you weren't expecting and you react in the 3rd dimension. For me it was squeezing the armrest. For everyone else, it was clapping with excitement during the final act of the film.
2. Audience Inspiration--When a film hits you right where you weren't expecting and in the end makes you want to tell someone you love them, or apologize for what you did wrong, or research a topic you thought you weren't interested in, or question yourself and others. For me is was about wanting to FLOOR IT with my school work. For everyone else, it was getting on their feet and dancing in their seat after the final act of the film. Or the guy who stuck it to the theatre by offering ROCK! fingers in the form of a shadow puppet over the projector. For Lyndsey, it was saying, "If I weren't pregnant, I'd do a cartwheel down the aisle."

Although, after rereading this, they could be combined into the one thing I love about a movie theatre experience: the audience.

More Short Films.

I was telling a classmate of mine how I was reminded of a particular animated short film when looking at his character drawings. Quite unique. As far as most of MY sketches; well, they remind me a lot of the animated shorts by Don Hertzfeldt. And that's not exactly negative. It's amazing just how much story and emotion this guy can pack into his 2-6 minute films with little or no dialogue and the most elementary of drawing techniques. Pure genius...alas, I guess I'm not that good.

Genre. Don's first film.
Ah L'amour.

Funny, funny stuff.

Balancing Act.

Speaking of inspiration, I've been thinking a lot about some of the great animated short films I've seen over the years and the level of respect I have animators. I have no idea where they come up with some of this stuff. From old Disney's shorts like Tortoise & the Hare and Mickey & the Beanstalk (which you can now get on iTunes), to Wallace & Gromit claymation and Pixar digital shorts. Luckily, I came across one of my favorites that you can now check out on the web. It's an Academy Award winner from 1989. About 6 minutes of so. I love a good metaphor.

Balance

The Creative Shroud.

The impending duties of fatherhood are upon me...and Ian hasn't even been born yet. It's only 10 after 10 in the evening and I feel like a hand towel wrung up and ready to dry. It's not any different from what everybody else does: laundry, cleaning, household chores. What's draining is that it happens every weekend. With school and projects clouding over my mind for 3.5 days (sleep fills the other half Monday-Thursday), and family man rounding the week, balance is lost. That's not like me. I've often said that family is my biggest inspiration; can you believe film is a distant second. But I can't seem to be inspired in my current projects. Challenged. Yes. Excited. Yes. Inspired. Not quite.

I finally finished McLuhan's "The Medium is the Massage" after wanting to read it since Hank's class 5th quarter. I finally got the book yesterday, and read it in 3 hours. It's over 150 pages and mostly a picture book, so don't get too excited. But it's the pictures that tell a great story. The few words that invigorate the mind. Occasionally, a page and a half of classical poetry not even Mozart could compose. If only I could harness it. My goal would have been to remember a simple 6-word phrase to fill you in on; alas, I would have to grab the book to find it. It's my mind that needs massaging. As an amateur designer, I worry about the real world. I worry about finding inspiration in the everyday. All I can think about is joining my wife in bed, comforting her during these last few weeks before Ian is born. Perhaps he'll be the inspiration I've been looking for.

Celebrity Seins.

There are 3 signs to look for when spotting a celebrity: sunglasses or glasses (if they don't normally wear them in the public eye), baseball cap, and an untucked screenprinted t-shirt. They don't often come into our bookstore, but being located in the heart of the city, near a train station and up the street from the Fox Theatre where artists often perform, makes for a good place to hang out during the day of a show. I've seen a few here and there like T-Boz (the 'T' in TLC), Colin Quinn, and Vern Yip (from the original Trading Spaces), but today was something to report about.

I was on the other side of the music department when I heard Elton say, "Hey, you're Jerry Seinfeld, nice to meet you. Yeah, the soundtracks are right around here." W H A T !? I peeked over the soundtrack sign, saw a baseball cap, then glasses, then the comedian himself. And I can't believe I didn't offer my usual over-the-top customer assistance! As an employee in a retail shop, yes, we're supposed to greet and offer service to every customer within 10 feet (it's in the handbook); but as a celebrity (or any other person for that matter), they don't always want to be greeted by every employee within 10 feet. So I headed back towards the information booth disappointed that I headed right towards the cafe when I should have gone left towards soundtracks.

A few minutes later I noticed Mario Joyner was perusing the shelfs behind him. For all the SEINFELD fans out there, Mario was the driver of the 'Maroon Golf' in the episode "The Puerto Rican Day" when Jerry and the gang get stuck in traffic during the middle of a parade. Of course Jerry was driving his "Black Saab." Mario is also a comedian, you may have seen him back in the day on MTV. He's opening for Jerry at tonight's show at the Fox Theatre. Both are great LIVE, saw them in Dallas 2 years ago. It was quite a morning seeing the king of my all-time favorite television show. The only words I got to tell him were that I was excited for his animated film coming out this year called "Bee Movie". I asked if there was a release date yet, and he answered, "Yeah, it's coming out November 6th."

"That's great," I replied with a smile, "I can't wait to see it."

Didn't get into my previous internship with Dreamworks Animation (who's producing this one), or my collection of all the Seinfeld DVD's so far, or that I wished they could organize a reunion. I did however give my props to 'Maroon Golf'. His simple response was, "Heh, yeah." I can only imagine what he said under his breath. Oh and, Jerry purchased the soundtrack to the film "The Wizard of Oz", in case you were wondering.

Blinded by Chester.

Ranger & the Cat
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Chester is the neighborhood cat that drives every dog on the street absolutely crazy. Ranger's favorite thing to do when he sees the cat is make an attempt at jumping through the window, only to find a plate of glass fogged by the warmth of his barking breath. On an occasional afternoon while Ranger is tanning on the back patio, Chester will scurry around the corner appearing face to face with our orange & white pushover. It's a Mexican standoff without guns and moustaches. Today was the mother of all cat teases. Someday I'll unhook the beast and give Chester the scare of his nine lives.

Halfie with a Mission.

I was on my way home today around 1:45pm and desperately needed to get a Borders Scholarship Application into the mail by 5. There's a P.O. on Dresden, just off Clairmont a mile or 2 from my duplex. Upon exiting 85-N I notice the whole off-ramp is backed–up like getting preshow tickets to Episode 1. I think "accident", no big deal. 5 minutes later I get to the light and cops have the left turn blocked off. I'm forced to go straight to Shallowford and turn around on the feeder. No big deal. Getting back to Clairmont there's more cops, but traffic is moving. No big deal.

I see muchos gente de Latino Americanos walking around wearing white t-shirts. Brain flips on. Immigration law, Atlanta Farmers Market, barricades I saw leaving my house this morning, Dresden Rd, Buford Highway, Taco Veloz, QT @ Buford and Clairmont, pan dulce, elotes, Brownsville, Charro Days, Elizabeth street, parades, P R O T E S T, post office.

Traffic halts.

A Very Big Deal.

As the Tripping Daisy disc I started when I left school fades into The Verve Pipe, I inch closer to Buford @ Clairmont, it's 2:38 and the rest of Clairmont is closed to thru traffic. Without lunch and an umpteenth personal realization that I'm Hispanic and wish I spoke Spanish, I call Lyndsey for assistance. She wants refreshments and offers a potential shortcut to her office (which come to find out everyone else knows) where there's a PO box that picks up at 4:30.

I'm there by 3:25 and Lyndsey gets her Dairy Queen Chocolate Sundae. I hope I get the scholarship.

Addendum:
Funniest thing I saw while in traffic (at least it's funny to me): guy-in-a-tie steps out of a silver Land Rover, passenger side, to smoke a cigarette. Driver rolls the window down as not to halt conversation. As the car crawls, smoker hops onto the side rails grasping the luggage rack, takes a drag. Apparently you should not smoke in a Land Rover. Got that, Anne?

Holy Stock, Batman!

Sweet & Sexy Duplicate
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

One of the perks of working mornings at Borders is that I get to unbox and tag New Release CD's and DVD's before the Tuesday shelf date. I smirk at the new Troma film, gasp at 100 copies of Chronicles of Narnia (in 3 editions no less), and get a quick glimpse a lot of new CD cover art.

This was the first time I saw this: 2 albums with the same stock image. Witness Poison's new 'Best of' record and a 'sweet and sexy' collection of New Urban Jazz, both released this past Tuesday. Reading the stats on the back of one of the albums gave photography credit to Getty Images, the stock capital of the web. So I went and found it with 3 key words...can you guess them? Yep, legs, sexy, and stockings. I figured 'sweet' might not exactly work.

As a student designer, stock photography websites are great places to find images for projects. Depending on the subject matter, it can take 3 minutes (like above) or 8 hours. Often times, 8 hours. As a personal goal for this quarter, if I need an image, I'm going to try and take it myself. I hope I don't need sweet and sexy legs with stockings.

Georgia Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Pops-In-Law came to town last week and we made a little visit to the new Georgia Aquarium downtown. Billed as the largest aquarium in the world, this place was very cool. It was setup like any other theme park with different themed sections. Very interactive, and with some great aquariums overhead and down below. Here's one of them. On the left is a 'people mover' where you can stand and be taken through, or you can walk at your own pace on the right. Very, very cool.

Getting Older.

Yesterday was the first day of my 7th Quarter at Portfolio Center. Turns out things were a little hectic. Schedules weren't completely ready, some instructors were taking a quarter off from particular classes, and some of us were still waiting on financial aid to come through. Most of that has been taken care of; but I'm still waiting on my schedule. Had my first class last night though, thanks to a call I received. BRAND INTERACTIVITY, exploring how a brand can translate onto the web in a world that is no longer based on simple functionality. How can you create a brand experience? What does it mean?

Funny thing is that half the class are a 4th Quarter group. Folks that that have pretty much grown up on the web. I was first introduced my senior year in high school. Our school got connected and our whole class registered for FREE Hotmail accounts. It was unbelievable. Most of these guys were designing web pages by their senior year in high school. That's unbelievable. For the first time, as far as I can remember, I feel old. And that idea of the young guys taking over your job is on display right in front of me. Thankfully, I'll be graduating first.

Criti–Size Me.

Panelists
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Thursday night I completed mt 6th quarter with a critique of my final work. Only had 3 panelists this time around as the 4th got moved into another group. From left, Scott McBride, Linda Doherty, and Gary Weiss provided me with one of the best crits I've had during the program. Not that my work was the best its ever been, but the discussion was the best. It wasn't so much of a critique as it was a conversation; which is strange because that's something I refer to on my website. They loved my presentation, could sense the pathos in my process and brand understanding; but some of the work fell flat. The hype didn't equal what I showed.

What you see here are the panelists wearing 3-D glasses I provided them to use for my Atlanta Symphony Orchestra poster. Check it out at my website. On the table you'll also find some of Kraft Food's pieces, ASO book (by Gary) and postcards with a slight hint of my Mondavi wine bottles. The magenta mini-books are a promotional piece I worked with Nick Skyles (Boats and Stars blog) on. From a 2-day workshop, in which Nick and I completed the piece in 2 days, 5 weeks later, we created a Be A!ert campaign on how young girls can protect themselves on the web. Came with a button to add to their fashion accessories.

Now we get a 2 week break before the next quarter and it is welcomed. It's going to be an exciting and strange quarter starting in April. With Ian on the way, tough classes on the roster, and some close friends out of town on internships, I'll be spending a lot of time at home.

Ready, Set, Launch.

Welcome to Puckett Design

Enjoy.

Observation of D.

Everone has their own unique way of listening to music. Thanks to iTunes, you can also have a unique way of organizing the music that you listen to. From 5-star rated playlists, to everything by R.E.M., to specific lists you make with Sinatra followed by Soundgarden. Most of the time I put it on shuffle and let the gods do the playing. My friend Joseph, has all his tracks rated and occasionally checks out his 0-star list for songs he hasn't ever listened to. Mike on the other hand has a strict "no-shuffle" policy and must listen to an entire album chronologically before going on to something else.

To shake things up a little, I've been picking a letter. Last week I started with 'M', and listened to all my tracks that start with the letter M. When I get to the end, I choose a new letter. It could be at home, at school, my laptop, or directly from my iPod. The other day I went to 'D'. The first track was "D'yer Mak'er" by Led Zeppelin. Then came U2, Depeche Mode, U2 again, Led Zeppelin again, not too bad. 2 hours later, I noticed I was singing a particular word quite often. That word was "Don't". Out of the 70 tracks starting with the letter 'D', 10 of them started with the word "Don't." I haven't been through the entire alphabet yet, but that seems like quite a large percentage.

Don't Cry
Don't Do It
Don't Fade on Me
Don't Follow
Don't Go Away
Don't Know Why
Don't Look Back in Anger (twice, studio and live unplugged version)
Don't Speak
Don't Stop Till You Get Enough

2 of those are songs by OASIS. They obviously feel very strongly about certain things that should not be done. If I come across any other letter anomolies, I'll let you know.

Online Portfolio Addendum.

So I previously mentioned that I'm finally working on an online portfolio, something I've been thinking about for a while and apprehensive about taking on. It's actually going pretty well. I've got my concept and the layout figured out, just need to photograph some of my work to get on there. Hopefully in about 3 weeks, I'll launch the website and all of you can finally take a closer look at the work I've been doing over the past year and half.

Recently, a friend of mine named Dave Werner graduated from PC. Dave is truly a web masta (as well as a lyrical gangsta). In lieu of a printed portfolio, Dave opted for a full blown, interactive, online portfolio; a digital job application + interview that is a virtual representation of who this guy is. Absolutely amazing. I mean, he's practically documented every project he worked on during his time at PC and has included video clips of his process, research, sketches, and concepts to accompany the actual printed work. I urge you to take a look at the future of design portfolios: OkayDave

Mine won't be nearly as fun, but I'm still learning.

Things Are Heating Up.

It's week 8 and the quarter is on the downhill slope. This means it's time to get picky with my projects, get color prints tested, order paper, and finalize design schemes. In other words, STOP BEING LAZY. The Olympics are almost over, the Oscars are coming up, only a couple more childbirth and parenting classes left, but lots of work to do. Add to that today's seminar from Microsoft, which ought to be interesting, and a 2-day workshop I was invited to take part in. By 2-Day, I mean, we actually meet on 2 days, but we have the rest of the quarter to finish the project for critique; i.e., an extra project that wasn't originally on my schedule; i.e, almost too much to handle.

So, let's review:
Professional Practices: Robert Mondavi Wines, a 3-bottle series, picnic set with small bottle, 2 wine glasses and wine key, and a 3-Ad campaign.
Type & Image: 48-page Atlanta Symphony Book, 8 postcards, and a promotional poster.
Advanced Packaging: Kraft rebranding, 5-package series, plus point-of-purchase display (hand rendering), and still possibly a 3 page Brand Positioning Statement (which we haven't really talked about)
Internet Design: Fully functional personal website for use as an online portfolio (I'm about halfway done)
PLUS the Workshop: Graphic Agitation piece, which I'm working with Nick on (see Boats and Stars in the blog list), will be a complicated piece that we haven't quite figured out yet.

Whew, are you tired yet?

Do What You Feel.

Wow, sometimes I feel I have no idea what I'm doing or why I'm doing the things that I feel.

Today in Professional Practices, I may have done something right. All it took was some assurance from my classmates.

Thank you, we'll see how it goes.

Blogging is Connecting.

It's amazing how blogging has impacted our lives today. Every person, every industry, every idea is discussed, analyzed, and commented on everyday. And if you're like some of my dear old friends, you'll type in people's names checking up on them. I wonder if so-and-so has a blog? What are they doing now? WHAM! There they are.

On my previous post talking about my packaging projects, a lady known as the "Packaging Diva" posted a comment on some ideas to consider with my designs. Turns out she's from Atlanta. I mentioned her to one of my instructors, she called her, and now she'll be visiting our class in a couple weeks. Blogging is connecting.

So for those of you that have found this, thanks for thinking of me. Don't forget to bookmark it for updates. If we haven't spoken in a long time and you have some extra time to kill, check the archives to really follow my life each and every day [almost].

Packaging Decisions.

So I'll be doing some packaging for 2 classes. For Professional Practices I've chosen to rebrand Robert Mondavi wines. This was to be our 4th project in my Design History class last quarter, but we didn't get to it...and I was pretty bummed. So I'm using that for this class. Should be interesting. Mondavi is into a natural process of winemaking and environmental safety, so I think I may go for a little Jugendstil (German Art Nouveau) inspiration and perhaps a completely hand-done look. Big props to Doobz for his suggestion, he was reading my mind.

Secondly, for Advanced Packaging, we were to choose a nationally known brand to rework in a mass-merchandising format; i.e., products of the same brand found in different areas of a store. I'm gonna take a stab at KRAFT foods. First off, the logo is fairly dull. Secondly, they've been around for over a hundred years, generation after generation of families have passed down the name in their homes. How about a nostalgic approach? Kraft is about comfort; about family. Perhaps the packaging could be a celebration of its heritage? We'll see. The hard part for me is actually doing it.

QUICK: Rebranding Ideas!

I've got till Tuesday morning to choose a brand, research and analyze for a packaging project. And I have till Wednesday night to choose another brand to research, analyze, and begin sketching ideas on new packaging for an Advanced Packaging class and I can't think of anything. I'd like to do a wine label, or something for women, or a food that might be better in a bottle. Do you have any ideas! I'll give you 24-36 hours to post.

It's A Boy!

Ian Matthew Puckett
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Today was the big day, and boy was it. Let me just mention two things: 1. Lyndsey noticed it before the nurse did. 2. Ian was not shy at all. Oh, and if you can't figure out the perspective, this is actually looking up from beneath him.

Anticipation Exasperation.

I am so happy to have come across a repeat of INSIDE THE ACTOR'S STUDIO with special Guest Mike Myers. I first saw it in May 2004 and wrote about it on this blog, check the archives. Just great great stuff. Watching Mike and James Lipton riff off each other in and out of his beloved characters is sheer genius.

I also find myself typing up some notes and homework for my classes tomorrow. My 9am is ready, my 7:30pm is not, at least it's not quite organized yet. Both classes, Professional Practices (the business of design) and Type + Image are very serious projects with extremely organized, respected instructors. If I can get these classes right, I can get my projects right. First I have to stop my hands from shaking and get these concepts straight.

The Paradox of Choice.

Well, school has started up once more. Picked up my schedule on Monday and I don't really have too many complaints. Would have liked to added Systems Design, but apparently it's already full and those of us that didn't get it THIS time will get it NEXT time. I'm skeptical, as this is not the first time I've heard this, but next quarter will be my last chance to take everything I want to or have missed. Next quarter, I'd like to have an internship. Next quarter I'll also become a Dad. Choices, choices, choices.

Speaking of choices, I picked up a book before the year ended, "The Paradox of Choice." Been great so far, just tapping into the meat of the book. A sociological look into how the increase of options in our consumer world doesn't make things easier on us. Why more is less. Just thinking about it is overwhelming.

This quarter boils down to this: 4 Classes. Professional Practices, Type & Image (a whopper), Advanced Packaging (Do or DIE), and Internet Design. Hopefully in ID, I can create a site for myself and my work instead of choosing a pre-packaged design as you see here.

Saying Goodbye.

As the night goes dark, a new day arrives, thus marking 2005, the last year I will live without being a father.

Yep. These 26 years have been quite an adventure. Scarred chins and bike flips. Sports teams and acne creams. Prom King, college ring, marriage zing! This last hour of the year I find myself playing Domino's with my in-laws while eating chocolate chip cookies with ice-cold milk. In about 6 hours we'll be on the road back to Atlanta ready to start the next quarter on Monday.

At least I got to be an Uncle before the year ended. I'm not sure I could have handled TWO major events in one year...wait a minute...I'm having a baby in May AND I'm graduating in October, holy cow!

R.I.P. Patrick Crenshaw

Patrick Crenshaw
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Most recently known for his role as "Blue" in OLD SCHOOL, Mr. Crenshaw, 86, died Wednesday at his Fort Worth home. Lyndsey was looking through the Ft. Worth Star Telegram when I noticed the obit. It seems like this guy was in everything, or at least he stood out in everything he did. Back in the old days he had guest appearances in ALICE, DIFF'RENT STROKES, and MORK & MINDY. There aren't too many 'seniors' that can steal a moment from Will Ferrell the way Mr. Crenshaw could. Rest in peace.

Parenthood.

The Baby
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

I think you've seen my brother, Chris, once before, well now you get to meet Danielle, his wife. Last night; actually, this morning they witnessed the birth of their first child. In the nursery, Chris mimes through the window that Spencer is 6 lbs. 13oz. After his first bath, the baby gets to visit mom for the first time since delivery. Un-friggin'-believable.

I Am Spencer.

Spencer Thomas Puckett
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

And you can call me Uncle Jason. Meet Spencer Thomas Puckett, my first nephew. The first grandchild for my folks. They've told the story 3 or 4 times already and have nailed the wording and inflections. Mom, dad, and baby are all doing well. Lyndsey and I are excited to be aunts & uncles and have a new perspective on our forthcoming birth in May. Just being in the waiting room, and checking out the other newborns, listening to them cry and watching them stretch and yawn was surreal. Congrats Chris and Danielle.

Waiting.

WaitingRoomPan
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

That's why it's called the waiting room. There's nothing else you can do. I guess you could read a book, access the web via wireless connections, or sleep. We got the call at 2:45am, Danielle's water broke and she was 6cm dialated. Did you know that my brother and his wife were expecting?...today? We got to the waiting room around 3:30am, the baby was born at 4:26. This panoramic is also a test in the digital capabilities of our new camera, a mighty good Christmas present. 3 shots, 'stitched' together.

Movie Ketchup.

Before the holidays began I had been a little behind in my movie watching; I still am actually. But this time off has allowed for a little more movie time. The strange thing is that now I'm on the verge of fatherhood and my perspective is starting to skew.

Take 1: DVD's. I rented "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" last week; both pretty good. VIRGIN was hilarious, with defintely some classic moments. It was the Unrated virgin, uh, version so I'm not sure what was new to the DVD, but it was more raucous and vulgar than I had imagined. 3 years ago I might not have said the same thing. SMITH was smart and had some well-crafted action sequences; but I couldn't help but wonder, "Could Lyndsey be a hired assassin?" She always comes home tired after work and has a propensity for lists of detailed wonder. Hmm?

Take 2: In Theaters. Had a 2-for-1 day with "The Chronicls of Narnia" and "Syriana" last week. NARNIA I really had no interest in seeing. Hadn't read the books, and the previews didn't tell me what anything was about. It had done so well, and the timing was perfect for my 2-for-1 day that I had to check it out. Great. Great. Great. I was sucked in immediately through the conflict and misunderstanding of the 4 children. No one believes Lucy and her adventure in the wardrobe, Edwards constant bickering with Peter, and his introduction to the White Witch just killed me. The idea of the Witch luring Edward into her carriage with candy made me think of all those horror stories of child abductions. "Come here little girl, I'll give you a ride home." OH MY GOD! My Parental Guidance level shot through the roof. Needless to say I got way too involved in that film but it was a great ride. SYRIANA was a completely different type of film. A great film, yes, some extremely intense moments and excellent writing. In one scene, and I'm not really giving anything away, a child dies in a swimming pool with a loose electrical circuit. A Child. A Swimming Pool. Scared me to pieces! Lesson: Do not go into a swimming pool at night that does not have a light on inside of it. A complicated picture about Oil and Foreign nations, and this is the scene that struck me.

Take 3: King Kong. Though their aren't necessarily any kids in this movie, one could easily argue that KONG is just a big kid in this picture. That moment on the cliffside when Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) does her vaudeville routine for KONG was sheer pleasure. His giddiness, his laughter, his playful side is done so well, I couldn't help but picture myself cooing and giggling and making faces for our little baby and watching the joy in their eyes. I mean, I do that when I play with our dog, Ranger. It's fantastic! Their are truly some precious moments in this delicate and adventurous film. 3 years ago I might have said the most pleasurable moment was the Kong v. T.Rex fight...that was actually the 3rd best moment.

Critique Mystique.

So I'm down to one last project to finish before critique tomorrow night. It's my chair. It's a chair. One I've designed about a largely controversial topic amongst the shy. Interaction. Discovery. The fear of the next step. I've been in an out of this phobia all my life. Generally after a major step, I hide, until I build the strength to do it once more...which is 2 minutes, 2 weeks, or 2 years.

I've kept this final part of the quarter to the end hoping my Architectural skills will spring into place and knock out these final drawings. There are some sketches on the table, a phase One model, and a mind soaked in anticipation. Time to take that next step.

Family Matters.

As I post tonight after a long hiatus from blogging, a pumpkin pie bakes in the oven, 3 dogs sleep in the basement, my wife's parents and my dad sit at the table watching the nightly news while Lyndsey and my mom have crashed for the evening. It must be Thanksgiving! Actually, this is the first of its kind. Since Lyndsey and I have moved into our new place, much bigger than before, we decided to host Thanksgiving lunch this time around. The news of our latest creation caused no sign for argument; in fact, Lyndsey's 3 grandparents chose to join us as well. This means not only quality home cooking, but the added pleasure of grandchild-in-law spoilage. I guess my school projects will have to wait till...sometime.

A New Addition.

lil_PuckettCrop
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

So they say a picture is worth a thousand words. This one says a million! And in this case, what you're reading is every...bit...true, and we couldn't be more excited. This ultrasound was taken at 8 weeks, and as of today, Lyndsey has completed her 1st trimester. We're expecting the baby at the end of May. Wish us luck.

MoMA Walk

MoMA Walk
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Since I missed the previous group photo, I took a self-portrait in the rollercoaster-length line at the MoMA. Saw some truly great work there including some highly-regarded chairs. I never thought great design could bring tears to my eyes.

Two Guys With Glasses.

4 Eyes
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

It worked out that while in New York, Manny was able to meet up with us from Brooklyn on 2 occasions. Wearing Dave's hat I had a Michael Stipe moment; and in true architect form, Manny sports well crafted lenses for purely aesthetical reasons. Don't tell his date.

New York Trip

NY Group
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Did I tell you I was going to New York? Again, I'm talking about Hank's class. On October 25th & 26th, class convened in Manhattan and we had to get there, put ourselves up, and pray for an agenda. Above you'll see half the group in line at the Museum of Modern Art New York with 350 other people. Target sponsors Free Entry Friday's from 4-7pm and we were jumped at the chance. A couple others got there before we did so they missed this paparazzi moment. From left, John, Christine, Kathleen, Nick, and Boris. Over those 2 days we visited 7 design firms of all shapes and sizes. Extremely inspiring, great work spaces, cultures, and good times on the side.

The Waiting Test.

Part of taking Hank's class is a lesson in patience. Patience with research. Patience with ideas. Patience in waiting...actually, patience IS waiting. My teammates and I have been patient with Hank this morning as we sit on the steps of school under the orange shine of telephone posts. It's 7am. Class starts at 5:30am. Hank is not here and his voice mailbox is full. Now is the time to take action. A few of us have begun talking about a book we're reading, WISE BLOOD by Flannery O'Conner. We've discussed our chairs and the background stories that have inspired them. It's clear who cares about this class. So far, there's 3 of us...3 out of 10. Sure, we've only done 100 sketches, haven't really gotten into project 2 (out of 4, and we have 7 weeks left); but those sketches had no meaning. In fact, there was so much emptiness in our sketches that only ONE person actually showed them. It's a lesson in patience.

You probably have some preconceived notion of our Chair Design project. Whatever that may be, throw it away. It boils down to this. Research a design movement, in my case the Swiss International Style of the 50's and 60's, study it, soak it in, establish relationships and discover motives and principles for that movement during that historical period of time. Somewhere in that discussion, make a connection between them and you. This connection becomes a story, with a central concept, that is then embodied through the design of a chair. Ponder this next time you sit down on what was conceived as "a chair." It's a lesson in patience.

Another 5:30 Morning.

Well, I guess it's about 6 now. Hank drove up a bit late, it's about 55 degrees and I didn't watch the news in my 9 hour run of homework time overnight. But the Astros and White Sox each won in fantastic games. It's hard readjusting to a new class and work schedule, homework load, and family time. I know most of you probably won't understand, but that's ok. You've been reading this journal for a while now and better be familiar with how things work at PC. Next week I'm off for New York with $20 in my wallet. Is that enough?

Soul Explosion.

And by that I'm not referring to a new Aretha Franklin album, I'm referring to the start of my 5th quarter at Portfolio Center. Unbelievable. 4 classes. Corporate Communication - evaluating style and function and the essence of a brand; Message and Content (first class is next week); Adobe inDesign - a multiple page layout program that is finding its way into the industry; and Modernism Theory & Criticism, a.ka Design History, a.ka Hank's class. Hank Richardson, the president of our school and highly respected individual in the field. We met this morning at 5:30am, yes 5:30, A.M...and we continue to do on Fridays. I have never taken so many notes in a single class on a single day and felt so motivated afterwards. We've 5 books to read over the course of the quarter, 4 large projects, and a trip to New York to visit some firms. This class is a PC staple I'm glad to have found my way into.

SNL on LA

The new season of Saturday Night Live is underway with Steve Carrell and Kanye West in the hosting and musical guest chairs, respectively. Man, they have already touched on today's hot topics. Bush, Jet Blue, and now Katrina. This sketch is admittedly, hilarious, primarily taking aim at celebrities, or as SNL says "rich people helping regular people." Woah. I think it's great that anyone can help in any way possible; but I also expect to laugh at anything possible while watching SNL. I can't wait to read how the rest of the world will react in the papers tomorrow. And that Al Pacino imitation was dead-on!

And now, a Girls Gone Wild spoof on Katrina and Rita....wow, that is insane, and quite funny.

Mike Myers and Kanye West once more...brilliant.

The Audience is Key.

Sure, Borders is primarily a book store, but I am primarily a movie and music person; so working upstairs in the Multimedia department is fine with me. I get to open all the new release boxes, put our security cases on them, and shelve them on the popular New Release wall. The titles are specific to certain areas of the wall, but ultimate placement is up to me. So naturally, I put things I'd like to see sell on optimum eye-level shelves. In the end however, the target audience will seek the album they came for. Take for instance this week's music new releases. Top selling artists in Rock, Pop, Country, R&B, and Classical categories are all represented, and what I thought would sell the most in the first 3 days, didn't sell much. Once again I got the demographics all wrong....but so did corporate. (quantity sold/on-hand inventory.)

5/20 - Ryan Adams - "Jacksonville City Nights"
0/13 - Renee Fleming - "Sacred Songs"
6/8 - Toni Braxton - "Libra"
4/4 - Neil Young - "Prairie Wind"
0/14 - Gretchen Wilson - "All Jacked Up"
2/60 - Sheryl Crow - "Wildflower"

Critical Critique.

SouthwestLogo
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

4th quarter is complete, and I must say that this has been one of two very detailed critiques I've experienced so far. On the whole, my work was received about 50/50 with a couple of items working well and others...not so much. All 4 panelists agreed that my rebranding of Southwest Airlines was the strongest, which I was very happy about. In fact, I should have photographed some of it before I turned it in. Above you'll notice the logo, a new way of looking at SW. I interpreted the Prickly Pear Cactus, the official state cactus of Texas, for the look. A cactus that stores water over long periods of time allowing the flower to bloom even through droughts; not unlike SW's 32 continue years of profitability even post 9/11. That's also where the colors came from. The letterhead suite, luggage tag, ticket sleeve, airplane, and in-flight snack pack I designed followed the same look of safety and service. A couple of my other logos were highlights, as well as a book I did on Alcoholism. Type issues, thoughts on 'see/say' (what you say is what you see), and wrong audience were the weak parts of some of my other pieces. I just got a little too conflicted. Tomorrow, it's moving day.

Pack or No Pack?

As of midnight last night, my 4th quarter projects are complete. The final critique is tomorrow evening so I've got some presentation prep time. Lyndsey and I are also moving into our new duplex on Thursday, so it's not like it's lazy time around the apartment. We still have plenty of item to pack and get ready for when the movers arrive. Moving is such an insane event. What do you pack first? What do you still need to use until moving day? (of course that answer is "everything.") If you pack the kitchen, then you can't eat. If you pack the DVD player, you can't watch movies? If you pack your bathroom, you won't be clean for a few days. These are thoughts that run through my mind; and therefore, even if we have already packed 20 boxes, it still feels like nothing has been packed. Moreover, I forsee attending this same event many more times in the future. It's a show Lyndsey loves to experience. But I still have 2 days with a little Final Critique in the way.

Who Am I Going to Call?

broken cellphone
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

I've promised some of you that I would call you back, or you've probably called me, not left a message and wondered why I haven't called you back. Well the answer is simple...as you can see. The broken inside and outside screen on my cell phone, though a beautiful piece of artwork, does nothing positive for me. Luckily I can still receive calls; but it makes me wonder, how exactly was life before we all carried cell phones?

Did I really get frustrated not being able to call friends and family at the flick of a thought? Did I actually have numbers memorized since there was no digital storage bank? Are we this needy? I think the answer is yes. I've never been much of a phone talker, but if it's in my hands at all times, there's never been an excuse. I could call mom, or my brother anytime I had a question, wherever I was, wherever they were. After just typing that, another question came to mind, since when have we been anxious to be contacted whenever, wherever we are? Seems like quite a nuisance. Anyway, give me a call, we'll talk about it.

Wake Me Up When September Ends.

So I'm smack dab in the middle of Studio week and of my 2-year tenure at Portfolio Center. This time we have one extra studio week and one less week of break because of the AIGA Design Conference in Boston. Many students and instructors would be away from town for a week and therefore disrupting work and critique time. This change is both good and bad. An extra week never hurts, although it also means more time to tweak...and tweak...and tweak some more. This can easily get out of hand. The plan is still to complete the work as if the situation were normal and still take the standard break off; after all, Lyndsey and I have a whole apartment to pack by Sept. 22nd. So far, it shouldn't be tough...but I'm still planning to take my time so the craftmanship stays top-of-the-line. Critique is Wednesday, the 21st. and 7pm. 7 Logos, a Poster Trilogy, a Pop-up Book + Case, and an array of items for Southwest Airlines rebranding model. Wish me luck.

Where the Streets Have No Name.

Canal St. after Katrina
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

A view of Canal Street, 3 blocks from Bourbon St., on August 30th, 2005, after Hurrican Katrina hit the shores.

City of Blinding Lights.

Bourbon Street
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

A view of Bourbon Street, 3 weeks ago, Friday, August 12th, 2005.

Movie Maturity?

It's funny how your tastes change as you get older, more mature. Tap water become Perrier, while others switch from regular coke to Diet. Back seat to front seat; front row to back row in a theater; Dr. Seuss to Socrates. For me one of the most obvious changes has been in my taste in film. It's gone from scenery to story. As much as I love visual effects, production design, and gross out gags, I find myself questioning their validity. How does it help the story? What is the story? I bring this up because of 3 films I saw over the past week for the very first time.

"The Incredibles", from Pixar Animation, had a wildly imaginative story, very clever, and answered all my questions leaving me wanting more. "The Terminal" on the other hand did not. Mind you, I'm not one to ever question Steven Spielberg, until now. (and I haven't seen War of the Worlds) There were too many stories being told in the film, and I only really cared about one: Would Viktor Navorsky get out of the airport and into the U.S.?" I didn't care about the love story, I cared about his friends a little, and I really didn't care why he was visiting. Anyway, it was a beautifully shot movie, but there were too many things going on that didn't matter. Lastly, "The Brothers Grimm" from visionary Terry Gilliam. Bad first half, great second half, tons of great scenery but not enough story. I had too many questions here that made it hard to enjoy until the action really started halfway through....but then I just wanted to see action as the story got lost. 11 years ago, I would have never questioned that sort of thing. 11 years ago I also closed my eyes when John Travolta stabbed Uma Thurman in "Pulp Fiction."

The Swamp Man

The Swamp Man
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Last weekend in New Orleans turned out to be a blast! The W Hotel was modernly beautiful. Bourbon street was packed, the architecture was detailed, and the swamps were, well, swamps. The coolest swamps I never thought I would ever enjoy. Hungry alligators, huge spiders, and Devil's Horse Grasshoppers. Great tour Captain Derrick! Everyone should do this next time there in New Orleans.

The Big Easy.

In a couple hours I'll be on my to New Orleans to visit some friends and celebrate the end of bachelorhood for one of my high school/college buddies. Should be a blast as it always is when we get together. I haven't seen most of them in a year now since we've moved to Georgia. Got a couple errands to run today before driving to Birmingham for my Southwest flight. Hopefully I can do some research on the airline while I'm in the air for my branding class. Pretty much have my logo nailed down to a couple of choices. I'll try and post them next week for any feedback.

Right now I'm waiting to meet with a prof for my 'official' logos class and for the third time in 5 weeks, he's running 40 minutes behind schedule. Not good on a time tight day like this one. See you in a few days.

Let's Talk about Minimalism.

Minimalism is a rediscovery of the value of empty space. A radical elimination of everything that does not coincide with a program; extreme simplicity. And if I didn't have an emotional attachment to most of my stuff, I would be a complete minimalist. Ask me what kind of shirt I tend to buy, and I'll say a 'solid color.' Favorite kind of architecture? Simple, linear forms. One thing I do most at our apartment? Throw stuff away. Even in design, my heart yearns for simplicity and cleanliness. So how do I get rid of items that I haven't even looked at in a year? How do I toss those posters I haven't put on the wall since college?

Next month Lyndsey and I just might be moving into a new place, a bigger place, with room for me to work and not spill out all over the apartment. Our goal is to really cleanse ourselves of meaningless items. It'll help in our move, and make us feel better about our new place. Why trash up a perfectly clean abode with useless materials. I've already consolidated my CD's and DVD's into Case Logic books, ridding myself of plastic cases and 'most' liner notes. Hopefully Lyndsey and I can work something out with the rest of our junk (treasure?).

The Cost Factor.

Prototype Infill Housing Project
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Being a full-time design student, part-time Borders lackey, and excited married man doesn't bode well on the pocketbook. Am I the only person who feels like the rest of the world has no concept of money and prices? Why should we have to PAY for good design when it should be inherent in our everday lives? Just for tonight, let's talk about housing; apartments, townhomes, condominiums, lofts, single-family homes, et. al. I'm a renter. A design enthusiast, with a little architectural training, and dreams of a unique, functional, living space for me and my family. I also subscribe to DWELL magazine, a fantastic publication made for someone like me, but with money.

Pictured above is half of a small 4-unit project in Dallas that excited me. A dream concept by an experienced architect who wanted to "bring the single-family home back to the urban infrastructure." He adds, "Homes that are still somewhat affordable." Hopes rose from the grave until he mentioned they were $275,000. Ok, so I guess that is somewhat affordable for a 2/2 townhome, with 1,700 sq. ft. in the city. BUT it's not affordable for me, and that's why I'm writing here tonight. Isn't there anyone out there willing to take a risk for the young couples tired of wasting their low-salary wages on pet deposits, shared water meters, and rent that shows no return?

I know this is just a soapbox rant, but I'm tired of overpriced housing. I'm tired of overpriced good design. Good design should be for everyone.

The Slide House

SlideHouseBrownsville
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

In my previous post about the Top 5 Observations of Brownsville, I mentioned this house. The first house I have ever seen in Brownsville, Texas with a built-in water slide (lower left). This is a huge house with tons of east facing windows along the back. I'm pretty sure it's designed by the owner of this new firm in town. There's a large billboard in the front yard advertising all the features they can provide which also happen to be in this house. Things like a workout room, two-way built-in fish tank, porch water fountain and pond, built-in safe, audio/video system with electric projection screen, 3-dimensional artwork in the children's bedrooms, oh, and the slide. Also note the cubic wonder under construction next door. That may be the first of its kind as well.

Deep Sea Fishing Fun.

BoatTrip
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Did I mention that we went Deep Sea Fishing while on vacation over the 4th of July? It was a blast, except that 4 of the 7 of us got sick. I wasn't one of them. This photo is on the trip out to the deep. We were heading 20 miles out, went through some 8 ft swells, and got nailed with water blasts. It was awesome. From left you'l see Lyndsey, my brother Chris, and Danielle's half-brother, Andrew. He puked bigtime.

End of Week One.

School has started back up again this week, now in my 4th Quarter. Here's where things really take a turn for the serious. The lingering thought of graduation, creating my final portfolio, and the lackluster impact my work has had so far (according to me), it's time to delve a little deeper. I've only got 4 classes this time which means one thing: RESEARCH. Arguably the most important aspect to good design is knowing the who, what, where, when, why, and all that stems from research. So even though I have 400 logo sketches to bust out this week and I've only done 30, the important thing to remember is the research. I'm going to take a stab at rebranding Southwest Airlines, which will then include a new look on stationary, ticket sleeves, luggage tags, inflight meals, steward uniforms, and the plane itself. Also have a 4-project class that will include a Pop-Up book (completely by hand), and 7 new logos will be created for my Symbols, Logos and Metaphors class. So enough of this, time to get back to sketching.

Bridge Over Troubled Landings.

Just returned from my 4th of July break in Brownsville and South Padre Island (SPI), TX and heard an interesting story for the very first time. The Queen Isabella Memorial Causeway, a 2.5 mile bridge connecting Port Isabel with SPI, was originally designed to be a long, straight [read boring] structure. When the owner of the land where the bridge was to meet the island discovered this, he was furious. It was going to take up precious commercial space and devalue the property. Somehow he managed to convince the powers that be to move the point of contact further south, off his property, changing the path of the bridge. Now, the causeway is a more sensual, curvilinear road with varying views of the island, adding just the right amount of anticipation to the approach. One of the true design marvels in the Rio Grande Valley.

Top 5 New Brownsville Observations.

5. Houses, Houses, Houses. All the empty fields around town when I was younger are now being filled with residential developments; for better or worse.

4. Amigoland Mall, the older and less developed shopping center is now defunct. The University of Texas at Brownsville has purchased the building and has developed new labs, classrooms, and facilities for existing departments. The tire lube center on the campus is now the Mechanics department. This is also in addition to new buildings around the back of the existing college.

3. Hooter's has arrived and is now accepting applications. Oddly enough, it's located just down the street from Stiletto's, a gentlemen's club.

2. In a new neighborhood under construction, a monstrous custom home is being built on a resaca (oxbow lake). From the other street, looking into the backyard, you'll see the cities first built-in waterslide going from the second floor balcony into the pool, complete with steps back up. This house will probably be at least $350,000.

1. Muchas Taquerias. One new one in particular around town called
"Betty's Taqueria." The sign says their tacos are 'Betty, Betty, good.'
Welcome to Brownsville.

Kong Krazy.

I'm glad there's only about 5 months lefts until Peter Jackson's new movie, instead of almost a year for Ron Howard's "Da Vinci Code." This is about the standard, not-too-ridiculous amount of time to build a buzz about a bigtime, unbelievable, can't-wait-that-long kind of movie like "King Kong." And you can see the eagerly awaited first trailer for the film at www.volkswagen.com. I've never said this before, but I actually adjusted my evening schedule of packing, booted up my laptop, and stared straight at the television until the end of tonights Fear Factor, just to watch the debut trailer. And let me tell you, it was worth it. If Steven Spielberg is the master of the cinematic "push", Peter Jackson is the master of the "pull." When Naomi Watts screams, and we pull back from the cave as Kong screams...absolutely terrifying. Is it too early to promote Jack Black or Naomi Watts for an Oscar? (and she doesn't even 'speak' a word in this trailer) Perhaps. Am I crazy about this trailer? Yes. Kong looks phenomenal. This film will be huge. This film will be great. This film will blow your mind. I will probably try to see it more times in the theater than I did "Jurassic Park" in 1993....and that will not be good on the pocketbook. When you read tomorrow that over 50 million people logged on to watch the trailer again, I hope you think of me. God bless you, Peter Jackson.

Confirmation Affirmation.

I know we had something printed out. I remember seeing it. Lyndsey remembers seeing it. Sometime in mid-April we had made reservations through Travelocity.com for 2 roundtrip tickets from Atlanta to Brownsville, June 28th-July 4th. It wasn't until yesterday that we discovered we had, in our names, nothing of the sort. What we did have was a confirmed cancellation of an existing reservation due to credit card errors. At least this is what the people at Travelocity told us. Also, apparently we were to have received an automated email about such errors, which Lyndsey did not have, and she hasn't deleted a single one since 1998. Needless to say, Travelocity's attempts at retribution were short and hardly worth mentioning. This trip was to be our First Anniversary gift to each other, in celebration of using Travelocity a year ago to purchase our honeymoon. Now we're celebrating by paying 30% more for our trip 2 days away. I could have sworn we printed out a confirmation.

The Cruise Hasn't Sailed.

If I was a journalist on the 'Today' show interviewing Tom Cruise, my first question would have been a little different. "So, Tom, don't you have a little film coming out next week? And doesn't it involve one of the greatest masters of filmmaking and his greatest film subject? Tell me about it." And now that I'm thinking about it, my last question would have been a little different as well. "So, Tom, how's Katie doing? Did you think Christian Bale pulled off the character?" I think it's great that he's in love (again). I commend him for wanting to share it with his friends, even if those friends include Oprah's tv show, I don't care about his religious beliefs or what he says. I only care that he continues to make good movies with great people. I wish an interview, news segment, or magazine article would tell me about friggin' "War of the Worlds." I want to know. And you can add me to the statistic that will still see the film regardless of the mumbo jumbo. So, Tom, what do the aliens look like?

The Masthead

activityMasthead
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Here's the masthead for the magazine I concepted in my Publication class as described in the previous post.

Magazine Prescription.

I nearly had a heart attack at Borders this past Sunday. But to tell you that story, I have to first tell you this one:

I took a Publication class this quarter. We had to concept a new magazine, design a masthead (logo), 3 covers, a 3-spread feature, table of contents, editors letter, and a few department spreads. I first created "homeREC", a DIY recreational mag. that mixed "ReadyMade" with "Sports Illustrated"; but, I was having too many issues with the content and everyone would always laugh and say "home wrecker". So I changed it, turned it into a recreational mag that simply promotes getting off the couch. I called it "activity". The departments were based on the senses, ACT, SEE, EAT, HEAR....these are things you do when you go out, when you do something. It was for singles and couples, 20-40, that would have talked about Disc Golf, sports on a date, beach fun, museums, concerts, even had an article on new Rollercoasters coming out this year. Anyway, the concept and the masthead succeeded in critique last Tuesday night, but my layouts were weak and conflicting.

So...

At Borders, I was cleaning up the magazine rack and saw the July/August Premiere issue of "Weekend" magazine (weekend.net), 'the new magazine that makes the most of the time we call our own.' It talks about different things to do for a great weekend, home or away. It has an aesthetic style very similar to "Real Simple", feminine, for families, clean, and a good read. THEY STOLE MY IDEA! Or at least, the generalities of my idea. There was even a blurb about wooden rollercoasters around the country. How unbelievable is this? So I bought it, and I'll probably prescribe a year's worth of the mag to make me feel worse.

Beginnings and Endings.

Summer films are always filled with sequels, prequels, and somewhere-in-betweenquels. Luckily, I've been able to catch 2 of the big ones. "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" completes the new trilogy, confirming the creation of Darth Vader, and finishing the 6-film landmark saga. This film is emotionally heavy, action-packed, and filled with darkness; in turn, making it the best of the prequels. Everyone takes their acting up a level, except for Natalie Portman, and especially Ian McDiarmind as Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious. Everything comes full circle and blends into Episode IV without a hitch. The only question that remains is, in what order are we going to show our kids?

"Batman Begins" resurrects a dying comic book favorite from neon hell with a new star, new director, and everything in between. This film is absolutely brilliant. Roger Ebert was right on the money when he said, "This is the movie I did not realize I was waiting for." The history, the skills, the Wayne family, all the who-what-where-when-why are here without question as to the creation of Batman, and I believe it. Christopher Nolan and David Goyer convinced me. Christian Bale as the new masked avenger convinced me, and I've never been more excited about the character. This new Batman is emotionally heavy, action-packed, and filled with darkness; do we see any similarities? I'll probably write the same thing for Spielberg's "War of the Worlds."

New Look.

Well, it's the end of my 3rd quarter at Portfolio Center, and the beginning of something new. No, you have not accidentally typed in the wrong website, this is still the slow and sarcastic blog life of Jason Puckett, but a new Jason Puckett. One with a little more design knowledge under his belt. One with a better understanding of hierarchy. One who knows better than to use u.t's burnt orange as its primary background color, when I am indeed a graduate of Texas A&M's maroon and white. "But Jason, what's that orange rectangle in the upper left corner of the screen?" Well, I'm glad you asked. First off, it's part of the template, a template I think is phenomenal. Secondly, orange is blue's complimentary friend and therefore very pleasing to the eye, so I think I'll leave it right where it is.

This Week in 3 Weeks.

Couple of exciting things happening this week, one of which happened today. SEINFELD Season 4 is released on DVD today and Thursday marks the opening of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The mere mention on this website reflects the level of importance and anticipation I have for the subjects. Only to be followed with a quick sigh at the thought of not being able to partake in such greatness (or possible greatness for Sith) for a few more weeks. The clock ticks down on the spring quarter at school and my work load peaks as final projects filter from my sliced fingertips. What is a Seinfeld/Star Wars fan to do? Absolutely nothing, hoo-ah! Just have to be patientl. The Junior Mint, The Outing, The Implant, The Contest – all have to wait. Even Anakin has to wait a few more weeks before Darth Vader can rise. In fact, I invite all you out there to join in the waiting process. Let's do this together. Ah, who am I kidding.

Belated Birthday Greetings.

So I'm mentally in the dog house for not mentioning to everyone that my beautiful wife, Lyndsey, celebrated her 25th birthday last Thursday. I had planned to talk about it earlier, but didn't want to give the plans away in case she were to peruse this online periodical. It was a great evening. I surprised her with dinner at Benihana's, the fantastic Japanese hibachi grill, both our favorites . Our fellow Atlanta-Texans, Chris and Jana Duke joined us and I must say the Shrimps were top notch! I want a Benihana chef at home. Lyndsey opened only one gift Thursday morning after she woke up, a pair of pants that were too big and a blouse that was too small. Hey, it's my first birthday shopping trip as a husband, someday I'll get it right. The other presents she had already received within the prior three days. I couldn't help myself. Lyndsey, I love you, congratulations on another great year, this next one should be just as great. Although, we did get married during this past birth year...

Slice of Life.

Yesterday I found myself at a friend's house printing out a copy of a poster I'm working on. He was finishing some work for the same class that afternoon. I borrowed his Ginsu sharp X-Acto blade to cut my poster together. It was a different type of blade, never seen one like this before, with a subtle curve along the blade. The Grim Reaper of X-Acto blades, and likely so, for as I began my first cut, my right hand slipped from the surface and slashed straight through the soul of my left index finger. One, two, bleed. A homemade wrap worked overtime to keep the blood from rushing down my arm. We went to class and my peers were instantly shocked at the red Bounty around my finger. So I presented, got feedback, and headed towards the hospital. Of course I had called Lyndsey and her sister, since it was still bleeding, the ER seemed like the right decision. I've got three stitches and am heading back tomorrow for a check-up, hopefully it's healing well.

Package Tests

PackageTests
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

In my Packaging class, I've chosen Hanes Premium brand socks to redesign. They're only sold at Target in packs of 6 and in those blasted plastic bags. The Hanes Premium brand is said to promote comfort and durability so well, "your feet will forget that they live such a rugged lifestyle." I kid you not. Does the plastic bag promote a rugged lifestyle? or a Premium sock? I don't think so, and that is the challenge that lies ahead. The photo depicts a few physical packaging experiments I developed this past weekend. Obviously, some are NOT to scale. One of them though, with further development, may be in the right direction. We shall see.

The Wheel of the Woodlands.

Just a quick note really fast. Lyndsey and I were watching Wheel of Fortune when they introduced a woman, Amy something, from The Woodlands, Texas. Of course, you all know The Woodlands is where I used to live and work near Houston. Fancy that! Well, come to find out, she blows all the contestants away by solving every puzzle in the game, including the final one. Amy walked away with $55,000 in cash and prizes including a trip to Turkey. Lucky her. Oh, and she collects worms.

Bookmaking: Week One.

Books
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

Wednesday night I have a Bookmaking class where we do as the name says. Make Books, different types, with unique binding ways and styles; and we'll do a new set each week. A viable topic in the curriculum of graphic design, bookmaking is one of the most important aspects of any multi-page document. How will it be bound? Why did you choose that particular way? These are questions that will come up in our critiques, and it has to work right, have the correct meaning.

This is a collection of Single Section Pamphlet books that could used for a number of things. Small promotionals, note taking, journals. They were stitched together and I have the scar to prove. After this class, I'll never look at a book the same way again. Instead of opening it up to read the content, I'll be checking out the binding. Maybe you will too.

100 Ideas of Peace.

Last night we had our first Seminar for the quarter. Our guest was Josh Chen, principal of Chen Design Associates (CDA) in San Francisco. He told us a great story of his upbringing from Singapore to Belgium, Paris, and eventually to Springfield, Missouri. His interest in art began from painting ceramics in kindergarten to his week long field trip to a castle in Belgium sometime in the 3rd or 4th grade. Yes, we gasped too. Elementary in Europe seems much different than the states. Chen covered some of his firm's projects including a recent book they designed and printed called "Peace 100 Ideas." A brilliant collection of ways to practice or preserve peace interpreted through words and image by the firm. Inspired by a project from the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, CDA has created a welcoming piece with thought-smiling illustrations and mind stretching exercises. For more info on the book and to send your own e-peace card, check out www.peace100ideas.com. My personal challenge is #58. Clear Your Mind. What's yours?

Type is Mass.

That is the subject of my second class, learning to give character and meaning to large amounts of body copy. Taught by a great instructor, whom I had my first quarter. She's very talented, organized, demands a lot from us, and pushes us in new and creative directions. Perfect. The project this time around is to use a movie, play, musical, or opera as a subject. Find the text of our favorite scene, we'll be using this as visual fuel in our designs. One poster, a playbill (minus ads), a direct mail piece, and 3-dimensional version of the poster in the form of a mobile that would potentially hang inside the theatre. Very exciting, very emotional, and lots of sketching to do. Just the motivation I need.

Lyndsey and Ranger

Lyndsey and Ranger
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

So I'm trying to work out the kinks in posting photos to the blog here. Thought I'd try it out with this image of Lyndsey and our dog, Ranger. Just after a freeze this January they sat by the window looking at the ice outside. Don't worry, those aren't jail bars outside the window, just the railing across the door.

3rd Quarter. Day One.

All right. It's time to get back into the swing of things at Portfolio Center. Picked up my schedule for the quarter, even added a 5th class to bulk up my time, four just seemed to little. Tonight was a Packaging class. From the sound of it, it's going to be a winner. Choose an existing product, research the hell out it, become the product, become the target market, concept a re-design and do it. 5 pieces for the final deliverable. Tons and tons of conceptual work will be done on this one. I'm going to try something new, something I haven't done before, something I'm...dare I say it...afraid of. God help me.

Free Film Finales.

Knowing quite well I'd miss most of the big summer season of films this quarter, I tried to catch a few this weekend. Thursday, I had tickets to a sneak preview of "The Ballad of Jack and Rose", a coming-of-age drama with Daniel Day-Lewis written and directed by his wife, Rebecca Miller. It was the first time Lyndsey and I could make it to a sneak preview, since I didn't have class. The film was great! A rough and sensually shot story about a dying father, his innocent daughter, and how their lives change when he invites his girlfriend and 2 sons out to their commune to live with them. With a great performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, "Jack and Rose" will make you uncomfortable and sympathetic for the characters. That's what drama should do.

Friday, I headed out to see Frank Miller's "Sin City", a comic book translated almost frame by frame to the big screen by Robert Rodriguez and an amazing cast. Compiling three of the comics, pulp fiction style, Rodriguez brings the high contrast black and white stories to life with visual gusto not scene in a very long time. Sin City is violent, hilarious, and sensual with powerful characters who believe revenge is a dish best served right away, their way. Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, and Brittany Murphy give the best performances with short shining moments by Alexis Bledel of The Gilmore Girls and Josh Hartnett. I loved the film's style, humor, structure, and the short bit with Josh Hartnett that bookends the film is classic film noir and the perfect way to set the film. I read the graphic novels before I saw the film, and was still excited how it worked on screen.

Now, if all goes well, we have a pass to a sneak preview for "Sahara" with Matthew McConaughey tomorrow night. This will probably be the last flick I see till Star Wars, May 19th. Hope it's fun.