The likes of a series of steady blog posts is in the near future. With the semester finale tomorrow, I stand utterly shocked on how the first semester sped by running over anything in it’ way. At this rate, I’m sure I’ll be a middle-age man by next week, I hope not. The Holidays are near, the warmth and jolly spirit lingers in the air of New York City, and might I say it’s always a happy feeling seeing everyone with a smile on. Until very soon…
Happy Holidays -Chris
I can only laugh, as my dad demonstrates the typical “true blue” expression after another disheartening one goal loss.
Ok, I figured in due time, I’d finally profess my love for hockey to all my Basis followers, but not just hockey, the New York Rangers. There’s no other team in the wide world of sports that I profoundly lose sleep over. I also figured what not a better time to rant on about how utterly despicable the Rangers performance has been in these past few weeks. Might I add the Rangers happen to stand at an epic 1-4 record when I have the privilege of spending hard earned money, to view in utter despair the struggling Rangers as they continue their, for lack of a better word, suckery. Time and time again, their General Manager, formerly known as Glen Sather, deconstructs and rebuilds the team’s chemistry in it’s entirety, resulting in an extremely poorly formulated team. Every season, it’s almost a guarantee that fans will have the honor of throwing out their rightly named Jerseys in the garbage, in that their favorite player is now, a Coyote. Quite frankly and I can truthfully speak in honor of all the fans of New York, that the Rangers are in call of distress, and need to claim mutiny on it’s head, sorry Glen, we Ranger fans can NO LONGER bare to see our players depart, and our team continue to roll down this hill of erroneous defeat. What is the logic behind signing Donald Brashear? A man in which took out the hardest working player of the 08-09 season, Blair Betts, with a cheap blind sighted shot, arguably causing us the 09 playoffs. This man, in m opinion shouldn’t be allowed to buy a Ranger jersey in Modell’s had he wanted to. Might I add yet again, Brashear maybe gets an average of 3 minutes ice time in a single contest, GRAND, good going Glen, kudos to you my good sir!
Losing Scott Gomez, Paul Mara, Blair Betts, I’ll go out on a limb but dare I say even Colton Orr, took a major blow to the core of this team. Maybe sign a phenomenal player as Gaborik, and add the rookie Del Zotto, lose the dead weight and in time, the paramount of a championship destined team is collaborated. Glen Sather, in my very own opinion, greatly needs to step down and reconsider his knowledge of this league and who’s in it. I’ve lost massive amounts of trust in the team ever since Sather yet again upset Ranger fans by refusing the return of #68 Jaromir Jagr. Chris Drury can’t merely fill the captain role in the most minute way that Jagr did.
It’s going to be an extremely drawn out season, unless the good Ol’ hot head fan battling coach, Tortarella, re-adjusts this fancy deep passing type of offense and gets this team a solid two way game because at the end of the day, Lundqvist can only bar off a lopsided score at the Rangers expense, for so long.
See you in a couple weeks had the Rangers turn this daily onslaught around fir the better…for now, Let’s Go Knicks!
Uno -Chris
I know, the blog is suffering way passed the point of a postless couple of days but in fact an epicly long duration since my last post. I apologize, and I’ll have you all know that school has been strangling the very last bit of life I have in me out of me. It’s been for lack of a better word, entirely hectic with the semester in closing. Final projects ensue along with hours of cramming, I haven’t had a “good” nights rest in I couldn’t tell you how long, in fact I’ve gotten the absolute bare minimum of the oh-so very precious resting time I actually do have. Coffee has become my dear friend the past few weeks, I’ve become something like a night owl since getting my fix of late night caffeine, awake and wired all through the night, attacking my mouse pad like the owl on his pray, ha. Anyway, back to the work for me y’all, take care until next time…
Uno-Chris
Sorry good folks, It’s been a hectic week, UPDATES SOON
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thanks for your patience
-Chris
So, it’s gotten to the point where my designing has hit full force, day in day out. Mayhem, have you will, I’ve been designing for hours and quite frankly the only thing I know for certain is that this routine will result in blindness, it’s like a burn to the point where someone is pulling on your inner eye from opposite sides until it’s ready to split, yeah. I assume staring into the lit screen until the wee hours of the morning could do only harm on one’s vision, real talk. But, plenty of Basis work and school work, have came near completion thanks to this overhaul of sleep deprivation and design dedication, everything has to be hella on point. Until I’ve reached the point where I feel a piece is almost portfolio worthy, I cease to work but than disregarding that I still keep going, a neverending cycle.
Scooter Smiff, Chris Brown’s prodigy and up and coming artist actually saw some work I’ve done for him,and he really loved it. I linked up with the little homie and sent him out upcoming Basis gear, if you haven’t heard of him, google him and what not but, he’s really doing his thing with CB, well on his way!
As the website remains offline, dare I say that I’ve already attacked the idea of Spring/Summer themes colors, even designs? After heavy pentooling, I even managed to point some new logos in the past week. It’s like I’m working ahead of my own pace. But, It’s all the matter of striving for excellence, isn’t it? The sky is barely the limit… I’ll just a put up a small fraction of the work I’ve been doing and without entirely giving away the new Basis look, i’ll just post up one mark.
Uno -Chris
Well, Happy Thanksgiving to all I hope you have an outstanding warm Turkey filled holiday! As you all jam turkey foods down your throat with an appetite of the third world, I stay utterly stuffed, laid back on the couch, letting the wonderful viands of Thanksgiving finally settle as I get ready for dessert! Is it me or is the year 2009 being rapidly sucked into the vacuum of no return? I feel this year came and went in epic fashion, basically seeing myself age literally in front of my face.
The Red Bull BC ONE came correctly, everyone should check out Lilou absolutely destroy the competion! Cloud came proper as well, Lilou had to take it though. I know the announcer’s voice is quite unbearable but enjoy…
Uno -Chris
Ok, time for some more essential findings along the path of branding, design, and whatever else that I so willing, would like to inform to my followers. A phenomenon of color that you all so unwittingly have become accustomed to. How does the use of color and the way it makes you think help you interact in brands? When you think of Taco Bell, what is it that almost instinctively pops into your mind? At least for me, it’s their undeniable distinctive color purple. Exactly, BANANAS! Brands always do this, and you will begin to notice the process after I’ve just enriched your brain with such mind-blowing information, not really but, brands who are successful build their entire identity around these colors. McDonalds yet another prime example, if you see a McD’s logo in black and white your brain almost automatically fills it in with their red and yellow color’s, does it not? Never will another TV station use the color orange in such a manner that would undoubtedly tie it to the incredibly identifiable color that Nick has made oh so famous during it’s reign on TV screens across the world. It’s these colors that make us aware of a brand, name, logo, etc… and more importantly how it makes us interact/identify within it’s product, shows etc…
I feel my job as a blogger as well as designer, is to further enrich my following of process knowledge, to become aware of the process us designers go through in order to successfully design for the interactive viewer, customer etc… as well as fully appreciate how design works and the essence of it in it’s entirety.
Uno -Chris
I apologize for the lackluster of par on the blog folks, as I sit here on this almighty machine of the ages, I figured I’d update the blog. So, with the first semester in closing comes crunch time, getting myself inline and all design work on point. The first semester is already half way crossed out on my mandatory to-do list although, I’ve got this strong intent to land an internship of high prestige shadowing in a close second. Is the first semester almost over for real? Bananas that’s what it is! I feel like I’m just a week into the year, pure craziness… I’ll post up some design work in a minute… DOYOURWORK
Easy -Chris
Crawl | Chris Brown
Formally announcing my Filipino heritage I can say that watching Pacman fight brings a certain sense of self-esteem rewarding found pride in my heritage. I know my darker skin complexion, freckles, and my slightly almond shaped light eyes have most in confusion but, my veins actaully run with Filipino, Italian, and Irish blood.
Alright, as the world all watched Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao take his seventh weight class belt and predominantly set new boxing standards, Filipino’s all over the world reap in nothing but immense amounts of pride as their savior Pacman defeated Miguel Cotto in 12 rounds last night. Pacquaio has become nothing short of a god in the eyes of Filipino’s, and he shouldn’t be considered any less having reinstated the country’s already strong unity. Filipino’s around the world come together on the fight nights to see this fast jabbing quick stepping Pinoy utterly destroy anyone that happens to step in the ring against him.
It’s as if Pacman was teasing Cotto the first few rounds showing but a mere ounce of worry in Cotto’s heavy punch and minor height difference. With a victory last night, talk about the heavily anticipated and predicted epic follow up against Floyd Mayweather, almost immediately arose after the 12th bell sounded. With Boxing today, a Mayweather vs. Pacquio jar would be teetering on nearly the same plateau of an Ali vs. Frazier showdown! Until than…
Uno -Chris
As the finalized website is rapidly vearing its way into society’s sight lines, I’ve been frantically trying to promote the line in rather non orderly fashion. I’ve had an unbelievable response already, and I truly appreciate those who have already reached out to me and put down for some Basis threads. It gives me some what of a hope for the official launch. Anyway it’s back to the drawing board for me, i’ll put up some visuals, to keep the post somewhat of an attention capturing one! Enjoy!
If you’d like to own some of the Fall/Winter Line and want it before the official release please contact me at basisnewyork@gmail.com Thanks immensive amounts!
Uno -Chris
Comeback Season
Page layout is just as important as actual design. For all you aspiring designers and those who have not a clue, let me give you some insight into some real next level design material. Not until you’ve been enriched with such knowledge will you realize what you’ve actually been looking at and more importantly, truly appreciate it for what it is, have it be art, magazines quite possibly anything you lay eyes upon. You’ll start to see the pattern and like I’ve said time and time again, design is life.
Most popular for his career as an art director, Alexey Brodovitch, an absolute master mind behind page layout, has developed a very distinct style within in his work. Page layouts that will truly become of value once you’ve acknowledged his process and creative direction. Brodovitch used a process of laying images out on the floor and physically aligning photos and compostions in such away that forms beautiful rhythms. As a designer you become familiar with such elements in that everything matters, everything contributes to a sucessful composition. Brodovitch put together incredible page layouts that created undeniable rhythm’s and form that are without a doubt very clear once you’ve realized his control over your eye’s. Even in it’s obscurity, everything is entirely under control; as the designer you place and crop in order to get the correct perception through the viewer’s eye…
Notice the layout below, how the rhythm flows throw the shapes of the bodies from the upper left down to the right and right up the arm’s of huddled people in the right photo. Than notice how the shape of the arch takes you back to the text than back to the first photo. A rhythmic circular form starts to arrive all started by the placement of the text bodies.
Another fine use of direction here; from the top right to bottom left the hierarchy of size and color automatically gets your eyes to view the right image than with the direction of the character’s eyes, your eye moves to the bottom left. With this being deciphered, Brodovitch successfully lays out yet another composition.
Do you see the direction here? Notice how everything mimics each other the text, the image , the symbols, everything about this layout fits and works absolutely perfect. It becomes quite the personal phenomenan having become aware to such things. Even in your own experience’s whether you see it on an ad or simply flipping through a magazine. It keeps your eye aware to what designer’s do and making the viewing experience just that much more intriguing. Just sayin…
Uno -Chris 
I apologize for the past week, I just haven’t been able to find the time to squeeze in the writing to keep the blog at par. I’ve decided to dedicate this post to summarize my antic’s of the past week in it’s entirety.
It’s been quite the week, It has been nice to actually have time away from schoolwork, have it be a just a couple of hours. Halloween night, the one and only holiday that give’s underaged, overaged, beautiful and some not as privileged women, to dress in their absolute bare minimum, as Penn Station overflowed with outrageous whoreish outfits/costumes me and my cousin just reaped in all the sights as we made our way to the Knicks home opener. Despite the daily overcrowding of people on the rush to grab the last seat on the train, I can say I truthfully for the first time, I did not want to leave Penn station. Anyway, aside from the incredible Jabbawockees opening performance the Knicks home opener started off extremely slow, just as expected. The Knicks went down 20 by the end of the first quarter, what else is new? Although, Al Harrington and a couple of other noted players rallied back and managed to take the game to a very unexpected comeback. Unfortunately, by that time half of MSG had already left to continue their Halloween night doing something worth it. Giving me but mere ounce of hope in the team, they tied up the game with 5 seconds left, only to lose in epic fashion in overtime. Harrington fouled out, and it became an instant dead to the heart of the crowd. Yet another traditional New York Knick performance, it’s going to be a long season.
Onto some more design matter…
Kevin and I have been cutting, sewing, pinning and spending money on this design for a hooded scarf for some time now, generally a project that had been going no where due to budget issues. Sabit NYC, a line that focuses on raw, cut and sewn pieces with unique fabrics, has the look we were generally aiming for when designing the hood. So Kevin, who has actually been designing for Sabit, was able to propose this idea to the designer/owner of the brand. In which, having shown him the hood, he entertained it and showed some interest in our idea. From there we plan to redesign this to perfectly fit the aesthetic of Sabit.
I found the time to hit yet another SOHO art opening, “STAGES”, a collection promoted by Lance Armstrong in order to fit his Live Strong, cancer on-going campaign, with oh-so familiar artists like, Kaws, Futura, Shepard Fairey and more, collaborated and put together this show that has been themed off of the fight against cancer. It’s always take me back when I see how artist’s approach the task at hand through their pieces and how they end up with their final work. Which is why going to these openings and installations instinctively finds it’s way into my schedule.
I’m going to wrap up the post with a couple of logos I had been designing for a self made organization, fictional of course, that focuses on putting on an in air artshow, the Inter-City Propellers, just to add some more visual’s for an already long read. Enjoy!
Uno -Chris
