getting caught up...

Originally I was going to call the rings Aegis,

which means a shield or guard but ended up

ditching the idea. Bathat seems less

complicated and more playful.

When looking for a font, I wanted

something cleans and round,

nothing too busy.

This is a mock-up of the product.

This is one of my original ideas for packaging. The rings would be in a envelop-ish package but after thinking about it I wanted the package to be green conscience. The new idea would use less material.

This is one of my final ideas for a promotional item.

It would be a package of three one-zies.

This is the packaging

for the bathat.

The pack would come

with two bathat rings in it,

the rings would be

pink and blue.

Design Brief

What? The product is a hat you put on your infant while bathing them. The product is worn around head, positioned from forehead to base of the neck. The hat is worn to prevent soap and studs from getting into your babies eyes. It is make out of a soft foam matherial that is easily bendable and easy to clean.

Where? The product is originally made and sold in Japan. The product sold as a bathing accessory, the same marketing techniques will be used to sell it in the United States.

Look and Feel- The original product's marketing technique is to use a bright variety of colors, They use cartoons on the cover with music notes to give the product a playful appearance. The original product looks like the packaging for a children's toy. For our new marketing strategy in the United States, we decided to market the product using bright colors and a clean simple layout. Inspiration for or marketing strategy was pulled from the cleanness of Ikea's designs and bright and modern designs of boon sold at target.

New Stuff

Here's a peek at the web banner and package, it's a rough so I still want to try out some other things. I want to achieve a slightly imported look for this product. I definitely need to add "made in Japan" somewhere on the package.

bento box

I was thinking of aiming it towards kids.. Honestly is this product lack luster??

EYE NV!

EYE NV!!!!

So this is my product, I decided to re-design the mascara guard. I added a brow pencil and a mascara brush with eye lash, and brow comb. I really wanted to go towards a pop art/ Andy Warhol feel to the product. Because I am advertising towards younger girls I wanted to keep bright colors and a youthful look.

The right photo is the potential packaging.

And the left pic is the magazine ad. I really like the magazine ad. The Barbie turned out to be really cool in my eyes, i feel like she is an iconic figure in most girls eyes and i like that i was able to use her face in my ad.

I am really going to re-work the packaging, the over all look isn't where i want it to be.

TravelWare Update

Hello everyone, here's what I have for today-

I mentioned that I wanted to update the logo slightly. Here's what I came up with:

I changed some of the letters so that the bottom looked like a silverware handle. I also added a spoon silhouette to the inside of the letter a. This should help in promoting the TravelWare brand as a certified provider of all your portable silverware needs.

I also updated the case. Thanks to Derrick's suggestion, I went with a sleeker model of case, something that you might see from a very fancy pen:

Not only is this one smaller and more compact, it also looks more nicer and would be perfect for storing the TravelWare fork.
You might notice that the old logo is still branded on the case. Keep in mind that this is only a sketch and the finished version will show the updated logo and will be better integrated on the case, so that it looks like it was molded on. Another thing I like about this case is that it is a lot more silver, almost chrome, compared to the first one.

The last thing I want to show is the magazine ad I'm working on.

I finally settled on a mechanism to connect the tip to the base, and I wanted the magazine ad to show the function. The fork tip will have a connector very similar to a headphone jack. The ad will be playing off of the very famous iPod ads that we've all seen. The copy at the bottom reads, "The TravelWare Portable Fork connects just like your headphones." I plan on placing the updated logo either on the lower left corner, or slightly above the copy.

Any suggestions for improvement are welcome.

Humanifiers: The Evolution Continues

What an epic blog title, yeah?

I've begun work creating the figurines for my "Humanifiers". So far one is completed, but due to time constraints I'll probably only be able to create two of the original three sketches. I haven't decided what the second one will be yet, although I'm partial to the guy with the cigarette. (Yet the boy with his hair on fire has more of a shocking quality. You can see my dilemma here!)

Here's the completed model for the robot sketch. Below is the wireframe model to give you an idea of what the finished product will be. (He hasnt' been textured yet.)





















I've also created a logo for the Humanifiers. I wanted something playful, bold, and unrefined. The lack of 90-degree angles gives an informal and somewhat childlike aesthetic, which definitely goes along with the overall feel of the product.











That's what I have so far. I look forward to seeing what the rest of you guys are putting together.

~Laura

MAGIC STIX

The way im going to promote my Magic Stix product is by store, im thinking it could be available anywhere that sell's silverware. And my second promotion will be a website, so people can look up information about them as well as be able to customize their own stix any way they want to; such as color, design, and even an inscription with their name on them. So everything is still in production right now, ill have more info later. thanx

HypnosEye Portable iPhone Projector

The HypnosEye is a nifty little gadget that allows you to instantly turn your iPhone into a projector! It relies purely on the light from the iPhone touch screen so it doesn't require any power. (However, it will only work when the environment is relatively dark).

Use it in your office, in a bar, or virtually anywhere! It's perfect if you want to share your photos with friends. 

So, i kind of wanted to do something techi. i found this product and i feel that people will be interested in this product. i will try to promote this product to consumers in the business world. i think this will be successful in the USA.

To Bee or not to Bee

So I decided to scrap the idea of making a Bee Buzzer Ear alarm. I'll have to do that on my own time. So i will go with the dispensing stick idea. I have a few questions for my fellow GD peeps....

What sounds better Dispensing stick or tube (subtitle) for the product?

In addition would it be better to have a stand alone dispensing stick that had multiple condiments or individual flavors.

Furthermore what condiments do you guys consume the most?

Design Brief

What
Dispensing Stick/Tube. The device dispenses condiments such as hot sauce, lemon/lime juice, soy sauce, pepper,salt,etc. The idea is to have a minimalistic device that one can travel with without messing with over sized bottles that never pour out the right amount, take up space or most importantly are not available. This invention alleviates the need to worry about having that food or beverage topper you need to make that exquisite meal or bad cooking that much better.


When
Now. time cannot wait. the world needs this now.


Who
Everyone that enjoys meals on the go. Or individuals that prefer to stay clean and precise with their condiment portions and distributions.

Where
Fast Food, Restaurants,home, anywhere food is served.

VINTA Butterfly Lamp

So i found out that my digital cutting board is already an invention in the states. As much as i liked it, i just cant do it. So I decided to check on other elegant items that were made in japan. I came across a website and found this object. Its called a butterfly lamp. It was first created by having people just fold papers in half, and see what would come out.

My target audience is more elegant. This item would be seen in Art gallery museums or million dollars homes.

The price range that I have for the lamp, is between $799-1299. Yes I know its a lot higher than other lamps, but the quality is worth it.

I am also thinking of making different geometric shapes such as circles, triangles, squares, etc. The different shapes will open and close different ways so that they have a different lighting experience. I've been sketching my geometric shapes and see what i come out with.

Color wise, I was to keep it really elegant. right now it just shows the stainless steel color, but i also want to make them all white or all black.

Like I said before, the name for the lamp is Butterfly Lamp, but I feel like that is not elegant. If you have any suggestion on the lamp name, please don't hesitate to tell me.

Mascara Guard

So i decided to not do the Scary Toilet paper.... awe i know right! But turns out the direction i wanted to go with it is already available here in the states..... Great Minds think alike i guess :) So in my quest to find the Greatest invention of all, I found a mascara applicator. Not the GREATEST invention all, but pretty cool.

It is a plastic guard that keeps a girl from getting mascara on her eyelid, which seems to happen a little too often.

My redesign will hold mascara in the handle along with a brow pencil. The comb will have a built in brush and i will try to make it an eye kit all in one.

The product has no name, so I'm thinking about EYE ENVY.... not sure ow I'm going to spin it yet.

"I ENVY" "EYE NV" "I N V". JUST A THOUGHT.

SO here are some pictures of the original product.... Still working on sketches.

I will be advertising to girls in the age range of 12 to about 17.

I'm going with a pop art culture feel to it all. I will redesign the product, the packaging , name and logo. I know that a magazine ad would be the best bet for this product , but i will also go a point of purchase ad as well. I will keep the product cheap, practical and youthful. I think this product will do great with all it's new redesigns!!!

TravelWare Progress

Hello everyone, here's a logo I've come up with for the portable fork:

As you can see, I wanted to incorporate the fork shape so you'd instantly recognize the product for what it is, a fork. I'm still playing around with typefaces, so this may or may not change.


I've also made a bus stop poster based on one by the Hard Rock Cafe:

The fork is bent to seem as if it is giving the viewer the peace sign. The copy reads, "You remembered to bring a fork." The point I'm trying to bring forward is that the user is at peace because they are able to eat their food.

I haven't started working on the actual product, but like the TripStixx, it will have a detachable base for easy storage into its case. I was trying to find different methods for attaching the tip to the base, whether it would screw on, or simply snap together. I would like a mechanism that is quick and easy to come together without compromising the fork's sturdiness. The fork would be useless if it fell apart inside your Top Ramen, or if it become lost in between your croutons and cherry tomatoes.

I mentioned the case, it would look something like this:

A very simple yet sturdy case, very much like a sunglasses case. You would be able to fit a pair of forks, or the base and several tips. The color scheme used throughout the project will be silver, to emphasize the "silverware" aspect of the fork even though this one is portable.

As far as the promotional items, I will probably make a website and a point of purchase display. I imagine this sort of thing would be sold at Bed Bath & Beyond or The Sharper Image.

My proj

So i decided to do my project on bento boxes. I was thinking aiming it towards an american child audience via comic or current pop culture cartoons.

Tokaido Karate Logo

Ok so I've started the redesign process. Here's the new logo. I was inspired by traditional Japanese seals. Please let me know what you guys think.

Mini Chimney Humidifier: The transition to "Humanifier"

Mini Chimney Humidifier: Design Brief

The goal for the redesign of the Mini Chimney Humidifier is to expand the previously Japanese market, creating a new American consumer base for this product. It’s already functional in a way that is global, considering the need for a more humid environment is something that is spread shared among people in general, despite race or ethnicity. The main way that the redesign will take effect is in the aesthetic, name, and multiple options of the product.

Americans are interested in convenience, options, attractive form/packaging, and cheap prices. If these aspects are all taken care of within the redesign, it can be safe to say that the Mini Chimney Humidifier will have a higher chance of being successful in the American market.

Why would America make a good consumer base for the Mini Chimney Humidifier?

There are countless dry areas that contain large expanses of desert in America, including California, Arizona, Texas, and many other places. There are also individuals with sicknesses that require a more humid climate for relief from certain symptoms.

How can we interest them with the Mini Chimney Humidifier ?

We can appeal to Americans with this product by implementing the following points:

*Rename the product. “Mini Chimney Humidifier” sounds bland and generic. Something memorable and with more personality will aid with the overall aesthetic and desirability.

*Redesign the unit itself to contain a little more visual interest.

*Offer multiple models/options with this product, such as new scents, different shapes, and other variables that will give the consumer a sense of being catered to.

I've resolved to pursue something of a strange twist to this product. It may deviate a bit from the original product (well, it deviates a lot), but it's definitely more fun.

I've decided to fashion these desktop humidifiers into a series of figurines, caled "Humanifiers". Each one will be in a different situation that would result in smoke, which will be released as the humidifier's steam. They're a bit morbid...but who doesn't like a little morbidity now and then?

Here are some of my sketches:


These were early drawings, when I was unsure of what direction I wanted to take. I was torn between a normal desktop ornament (just a sort of vase-like item), something playing around with a cigarette in an ashtray, and actual human figures (which were holding cigarettes or simply on fire).






I ended up settling on the human figures, of course. In this particular sketch, a guy holds a long, thin cigarette from which the steam escapes.










Here's a robot figure that's sort of frying. The steam escapes from between his sparking antenna and the joints of his arms/legs. (The eyes could also light up.)





In this sketch, a boy timidly hunches down as his hair is engulfed in flames. (The hair would also light up.)










Those are my rough ideas thus far. I'm looking forward to creating the characters in 3D and seeing how they'll flesh out in a more dimensional way.

~Laura

Design Brief

Design Brief

What: My product is Japanese Natural Beauty products. They have products for skin care, like Adzuki Facial Exfoliating scrub, and they also have bath care, like Japanese Onsen-Mineral bath Salt. I want to promo it here in American as a Japanese product for its authentic look and where the natural ingredients come from.

Who: Well I think this product is going towards more for girls, but I can see it for everyone. This product can also be in spas, so like that it can be use by anyone and everyone. I think it might be a little expensive, because its natural and its imported form Japan.

How: The way I want to do my poster and other promotional designs is to incorporate the Japanese art, Ukiyo-e. I think the images fits well with the whole natural scene. Also I want to let the audience know that it is a Japanese product.

Why: The reason I want to keep it as a Japanese product is because I want the audience to know where it comes from and where the natural ingredients is from. That’s why I think it’s important to keep it as a Japanese product.

Find out if your breath stinks.

The etiquette checker is used to test the quality of your breath and gives you a rating from 1-6. I plan to change the look of the product by creating a female and male version of it which will match its packaging. In addition, I will design its point-of-purchase display which will be a vending machine you would commonly find at a shopping mall. I want to design an 8.5 x 11 magazine ad for both the male and female versions of the product.

I would first like to change the name of the product. I came up with one possible name for it: Breather. In which case, I could use the phrase "take a breather" as a slogan. The female "breather" would feature a pair of red lips as an

icon. I have yet to think of what I could use as an icon for the male "breather." The whole idea of this product is that you don't want to be caught without it. It is useful mostly for the social lifestyle, where you'd find yourself in the position of being around a lot of people. You won't have the worry of wondering if your breath stinks, the device will tell you.

I might also include a small compartment to store a stick of gum as well. Maybe.

Feedback is appreciated :)

TripStixx: Travel Chopsticks

TripStixx™, an innovative, self-contained set of detachable travel chopsticks including both banquet and sushi style tips. Personal, highly portable and hygienic.

The product i found is called Tripstixx, and basically they are portable chopsticks that a person can use over and over for Banquet and Sushi style restaurants. basically to bring this product to an american audience i am going to make the chopsticks universal for the use with all types of food. I will make it compatible with the function of a spoon, soup spoon, fork, salad fork, knife, butter knife, ect. i want to make all kitchen utensil's portable

Graphic Design 2; Project 3

What I have chosen to do for Project 3 is Natural Japanese Beauty products. I want to keep it simply. The way I'm thinking to do my promotional designs is to use Japanese Art like Ukiyo-e artworks. With trees, flowers, and mountains. Since the beauty products are natural, I think the Japanese art is perfect to use for my images. I want to make a poster, webpage, magazine add, and a brochure.

CLOCKMAN: the talking alarmclock

Clockman is the alarm clock that will definitely get you out of bed. He wakes you up with an assortment of remarks designed to get you up and about, but with a smile on your face as you start your day.

Clockman is a buzzing character - his eyes roll and his mouth wobbles. And he comes in four colors, each one with distinct personality traits matching a blood type (a common belief in Japan). Yellow Clockman (blood type O) cuts straight to the chase and speaks rough. Pink Clockman (A) will put up with most things and is the politest of the bunch. Blue Clockman (B) is a bit of a buffoon. And green Clockman (AB) lives in his own reality! Choose your new bedside companion.

The Lo-JACKet

Although all modern gadgets have the goal to combine good-looks with multifunctional technology and effectiveness, this is so much better then the others! Why? Because you can actually wear it! It has all the cool stuff in it like a Bluetooth and built-in MP3 player or touch sensitive control pads. But the ability through which its promoted is its compatibility with GPSoverIP. It uses a hybrid GPS technology which enables you to look for the person wearing the jacket even inside a building. The person who wears the io-Jacket can upload the information to a mobile phone or to the internet giving the watcher (probably a deranged parent) the opportunity of observing his/her every move. Londefrey, the company which produces it has sold one for humanitarian causes carrying out an auction

Boblbee Solar Charger

I posted the biometric watch but came across this and thought this was way cooler. I'm still up on the fences about which one I should pick, so maybe you guys can help me out. This one really appeals to me because I go everywhere with my ipod and this would most definitely be useful. Heres the actual article:

This is an incredible invention! You will never have to run out of music ever again with this waterproof solar charger, Boblbee Solar. Imagine weeks in the wilderness and your iPod just keeps singing. Keeping you going with your favorite tunes. And look ma! No plug points!

The charger has a curved panels which allows for charge cycle of 8-10 hours. When you think of it, 8-10 hour isn’t too bad at all since the iPod Nano has a playback of 24 hours. This means your iPod can be charged up to 3 times before your iPod’s battery drained even once. :)

There is no word on how much this costs yet. I think this is an awesome green solution than bringing AAA or AA batteries. Imagine throwing that around in the wilderness, a bear might choke on it, the liquid within the battery might pollute the earth.

Hitachi's Biometric Watch

For those of you who are monitoring your health, heart rate and what not, should look into investing in Hitachi’s Biometric Watch. The watch is equipped with accelerometer and temperature sensor, it monitors the wearer’s activities 24 hours a day and sends the information wirelessly to a personal computer where it can be analyzed (how much sleep, how much exercise, lifestyle rhythm).

This product is still in it preliminary stages but it is set to be out for mass consumerism by early 2008. Price unknown yet

With my product, I was thinking of keeping where its touch screen. but at the same time be able to search the web, and it would be able to connect your IPod to it

Ok so as I was searching for my product, I found a lot of interesting products. Some were kinda weirs while others were really interesting. I try to narrow it down. Right now I just have one that really interested me, and its called Digital Cutting board. This design has a built-in touch screen which allows people to search recipes and prepare food at the same time.

music or cushion?

So this is my first option, its an MP3 player called ”The Solar Digital Audio Player” and as you can see it has a solar panel, so itself powered. It has 4GB of internal storage and a space for a miniSD expansion slot. The product has not been put to sale yet, but it’s in the process. I think this would be a good product because I’m pretty sure most of us have had times that we just need a few more minutes of music but the battery dies on your mp3 player.

The second product/option is called The Lazy Geek's Cushion and its pretty much self explanatory. It’s a cushion that its going to make you feel more comfortable because sometimes we just get tired from our backs and we don’t want to seat all day/night working on your computer.

Mini Chimney Humidifier

"The Mini Chimney Humidifier from Japanese design house Takumi incorporates the health benefits of Negative Ions with humidifying moisture for dry winters. The Chimney is perfect for a desk or small table, and takes up very little space while exuding modern style. In addition to being a humidifier, the Mini Chimney also dispenses essential oil aromas when added to the water. Choose from five stylish colors to enhance your health and home decor."

Hey, I know what you're thinking. "No way, a portable humidifier? Score! Where can I snag me one of those?"

These actually seem pretty cool. If I were having nasal/dryness issues and didn't want to spend money on a giant humidifier, these would seem like a good option (although those penguin-shaped humidifiers at Target are pretty amazing). Not only are they compact and do the job, but they also release different aromas into the air, like Sugar, Berry, Mango, Melon or Soda.

I'm not completely settled on an idea for the revamp geared toward sales in America, but I'm considering a couple possibilities. The first is to stick with the basic idea, but change the shape of the humidifier to something a little more sleek and curvy, less of a cylinder with a stick coming out. The second idea is to take this concept and adapt it to portable on-person use, such as an in-nose insert (is that too gross?). Perhaps there could even be one disguised as a nose ring for the younger generation.

Here are the specs for the current product:

• Size: 63 x 63 x 513mm (2.5 inch x2.5 inch x20.2 inch)
• Weight: 215 g. (7.6 oz.)
• Power: 100V, 50/60 Hz, 12W
• Tank capacity: 45 ml.
• Humidification range: 1-2m
• Standard Mode: 1 hour
• Long Mode: 4 hours
• Automatic off when water is depleted
• Manual (Japanese)

I may change my mind, so we'll see what happens. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else is thinking of doing.

~Laura