Erik Scholz
If that’s really the new Windows 8 logo, something interesting is happening. It’s then inspired by Windows Phone new UI paradigm, Live Tiles. Basically Tiles are – similar to app icons – a starting point to dive into the app’s information space. But depending on a devices size they show much more without requesting to touch the tile/icon and by this opening an app. That could be a changed symbol in the weather app (sun, cloud, rain) or information as the headlines of received mails. The paradigm is – at least in my point of view - based on Jef Raskin’s (interface brain behind the Macintosh project in the 70ies) attitude not to hide information behind an abstract thing like an icon. In simple words: Microsoft’s Live Tiles might reduce the amount of timeconsuming tapping and clicking a lot. Because you already see what you want to know without opening an app. In fact there is no app any more. It’s more about how deep you wanna dive into specific information. Live Tiles are seen as powerful by the corporation to affect the logo design of the whole Windows 8 family. Maybe a hint for a revolutionary mobile first approach that can kill the whole outdated desktop/icons/trashcan metaphors. Or maybe just a puff of air.
(image via FastCompany)
User Experience The Don Draper Way
“User Experience is the establishment of a philosophy about how to treat people. Visual Design is the establishment of a philosophy about how to make an impact.”
The printer is dead, long live the printer. Just a tap on the button and get some nice piece of personalized paper, freshly printed for you.
(via FastCompany)
Samuel L. Ipsum is the new Lorem Ipsum.
“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know My name is the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon thee.”
Pixel by Pixel - Not Pixel per Inch
The stunning image above shows a selection of buildings from the pixel artists eBoy used for example in their beautiful Pixorama Work (Amazon Link)
What is a pixel?
Move towards the screen. Closer. Closer. Got him?
What is pixel art?
All in all the same like manufacturing a classic mosaic. Instead of using small pieces of stone or colored glass, electronic pixels are assembled manually. Select color, chose a position on the electronic canvas, klick. As soon as fancy helpers like Illustrator or the gradient tool within Photoshop are used, the art piece will be degraded to a classic NON-PIXEL-ART. Even if the result would be the same. The basic concept was created by some people from Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (Xeroc PARC) in 1972. By the way the same facility that invented the first graphic user interface for computers.
Pixel art can be found at different places. Illustrations in tech-web-art-magazines like Wired. Icons on your favorite Microsoft Windows 3.1 computer. A complete world in the teeny social network Habbo Hotel - having 118 million users. Blogs like mine. Advertisements by brands like Coca Cola.
It’s everywhere! Some more intel with a lot of examples on Smashing Magazine.
PS: If you’re hooked now you could start a career as a pixel maker.
