Animal Instinct

While I was teaching graphic design, one of the lessons that I was trying to teach was Kerning (spacing between individual letters). To try to get students in the habit of looking at type as shapes instead of just letter forms, this is an exercise that I had them complete. Construct an animal form out of a typeface. Often times, you will get a certain "feel" from a typeface, what is it saying to you, what kind of animal is it?

This is a sample I used to illustrate the lesson. What kind of animal would you create? Is there a font that "feels" like an animal to you?

You have GOT to be kidding me.

OK, as much as I am an Apple Evangelist through and through and it pains me to even talk about Windows on this site, I just had to put this out there. I am not sure how exactly I got to this site, or found this link, but I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it.

This is a childrens book entitled "Mommy, Why is there a server in the house?" promoting Windows Home Server. You just have to see this and read it for yourself. Fully illustrated the book delivers lines like; "Big people have a server at the 'office'. The office is a boring place where big people go and do boring things. Offices are why big people get grumpy and say bad words."

Hello, this is the funniest thing Windows has put out since Vista.

Check it out at http://www.stayathomeserver.com/book.aspx 

Meet your new spokesmodel

OK, I just have to say, when I first saw this I vacillated between being intrigued, and absolutely creeped out. This is very interesting technology, and seeing it side by side really shows the impact. Facial expressions are so difficult to achieve in animation, getting the eyes, eye brows, and mouth all syncing at the right time to achieve that lifelike state.

 So, what good is the technology if you aren't an all out animator? Well, I think there is potential for this technology to be utilized in marketing of products to particular audiences, including children. Want a spokesmodel for a childs product that never grows up, shaves their head or gets pregnant before they can leagally vote? Why not.

I think the possibilites are endless and love to see the progress that has been made in digital animation over the years, although I am not an animator, you can still appreciate the work and technique that goes into creating such a detailed and dynamic piece of work.

Check out the site at http://www.image-metrics.com/