Fwd: Re: [libreoffice-design] Re: Re: [libreoffice-design] Motif draft

Whoops, forgot to reply to Design-list instead of just to Jaron...


-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        Re: [libreoffice-design] Re: Re: [libreoffice-design] Motif draft
Date:   Sat, 05 Mar 2011 17:32:13 +1100
From:   Nik <nik@tdf.nikashsingh.com>
To:     Jaron Kuppers <jaronbaron@gmail.com>



Hi Jaron,


On 3/5/2011 6:37 AM, Jaron Kuppers wrote:
> Hi Nik,
>
> I would love to be involved but unfortunately I still feel that I 
> don't fully understand what is desired in the motif (what is the end 
> deliverable).  Of course, design is not my main background (mechanical 
> engineering is) so hopefully once design proposals go up I can 
> contribute.  I look forward to seeing motif's!
>
> Cheers,
> Jaron

Sorry if I've been unclear about what the Motif-Design task entails.
I think I've done a better job explaining it on the wiki 
(http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Design/Motif) than I have on this list.

So if anyone else was also wondering what a Motif is, it's basically a 
decorative visual element, usually quite abstract (curves, patterns, 
colour-combinations, shapes, textures, or a combination of all).
It usually gets used as subtle background elements in a Design 
composition, or as recurring content-separators.
This is what Wikipedia thinks it is; 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motif_%28visual_arts%29
More to the point, here is what a leading branding agency made when 
decorating a plane;
http://landor.com/index.cfm?do=ourwork.casehistory&cn=6147&source=enews&utm_source=mailer&utm_medium=email&utm_content=wv1&utm_campaign=SuperBowl2011&bhcp=1
(The ribbon that spans the plane is their motif, a very sophisticated 
way of saying "smooth ride" don't you think? =)

Essentially what we're aiming for is to create a pleasant vector graphic 
that is so subtle that it can occupy empty space in an elegant way.
*Sometimes it will be directly behind text so it needs to be 
low-contrast and low on "noise" (not very intricate or busy).*

You have probably seen vector-flowers or inward-curling leaf/vine 
shapes. Here is a typical example;
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/8603944/2/istockphoto_8603944-decorative-swirl-motifs.jpg

While flowers are nice, they don't say very much about Open source 
software right? =)
So our goal is to come up with a "theme", such as "freedom, 
collaboration, or independence" and create an abstract representation of 
that, which we can use as a basis for ... well ... everything!;
posters, banners, web-pages, business cards, CDs/DVDs, your slow-moving 
grandma, whatever really! =)

It is hard to create visual representations of intangible concepts, but 
that is our challenge.
I'll collect and summarise the feedback from the "brainstorming" phase 
tomorrow and present it to this list.
So if you want to add your two cents, feel free to dive in any time.

Hope that makes it a smidgeon more clear for everyone who wasn't too 
sure what I was jabbering on about.
And thanks for bravely piping-up and letting me know I hadn't defined 
the task to a wider audience Jaron!
Right now we need ideas, and once we've gathered some good ones up, we 
can start sketching.

By the way, if you're looking for a simply AWESOME implementation of a 
logo-brand turned into a motif (and everything else), look no further 
than Duffy & Partner's "Bahamas campaign";
http://sublimedesign.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/1273.jpg

Hope that clarifies and inspires =)
-Nik


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