Journal /

By Steve Tolleson
In my previous post, I wrote about how our studio arrived at the CS5 imagery by deconstructing the letterforms of the Adobe products. Here’s an “inside look” into the actual creative process.

We face a few interesting challenges with each Creative Suite release. We need to provide a strong conceptual system for the 14 – 20 piece product line and have it be fresh every time. We also need to give a voice to the individual brand identity of each component. The individual brand identities of the components must stand on their own, while also working harmoniously in the context of the larger system.

After the concept for the system was formed, we ran it through our creative lab in order to give it life. Our labs allow for experimentation in audio, video, photography and animation. They are set up for discovery, incubation and results – and many of our favorite ideas are germinated in these labs.

One of our designers on the east coast worked in a studio with a projector, a Canon 5D Mark II digital camera and a whole range of raw materials – plexiglass, foam core, paper, fabric and gels. From these, she built sets and projected the letterforms onto them. The shooting and capturing was very organic; there were thousands of shots and each one was unique.
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Adobe Senior Experience Designer, Shawn Cheris and Michael Gough, Vice President, Product Experience along with Steve Tolleson and Jamie Calderon of Tolleson Design, share a behind the scenes look at what went into CS5 – from the packaging to the desktop to the considered experiences of the UI.

About this talk
At the 2007 EG conference, Kevin Kelly shares a fun stat: The World Wide Web, as we know it, is only 5,000 days old. Now, Kelly asks, how can we predict what’s coming in the next 5,000 days?

Who is Kevin Kelly
Kevin Kelly has been publisher of the Whole Earth Review, exec editor at WIRED, founder of visionary nonprofits, and writer on biology and business and “cool tools.” He’s admired for his new perspectives on technology and its relevance to history, biology and religion.

Just Lay it On
Remember back in the days when you would buy this expensive $80-$100 keyboard reavealing the many shortcuts of Apple Pro applications, ie. Final Cut Pro, Logic, etc. Well now those days are gone while also being inexpensive! KB Covers has developed a quality product that lays right over your keyboard! Whether it’s a Macbook, Macbook Pro, Old gens, New gens, All Apple keyboard gens, your covered.

KB Covers is dedicated to providing the finest quality keyboard covers for Apple/Mac desktop and laptop computers. All their covers are ultra-thin and made with the highest quality silicone available. Their keyboard covers are made with stringent Quality Assurance methods, which help to ensure a tight fit, long-lasting durability, no paint cracking/chipping, a soft-feel, and ultimately a happy customer.

KB Covers are designed to fit all Apple/Mac keyboard layouts around the world, including US keyboard, European ISO keyboard, and Japanese JIS keyboard layouts. Since each cover is designed to fit the Mac keyboard you own, they will not slip or move around when typing. They fit like a glove.

Visit them online at http://www.kbcovers.com/

Change of Heart on Laptop Cases
I must say that when it comes to laptop cases, I usually go with the hardest, bullet proof, hit it with a truck laptop case. Quite alarming is’nt it. Currently I use a Storm case. It consit of hard military-grade plastic, with waterproof seals, and a pressure release valve just in case you kick it into your swimming pool.

The Great Surprise
I must honestly say that I actually found a more calm case that I like. Casauri. In 1999 Emily and Helena McHugh, Founders/Designers of Casarui, started a spark with this company when Helena was working on a class project in college. At the time Emily was at Columbia Business School, probally waiting for a fun chapter to begin in her life. Until her sister Helena, graduate of The Fashion Institute of Techonology, surprised her. Emily commented that Helena; “made me a bag that started to attract attention.” After that the rest was history!

The Bag’s
There case’s are quite fashionable. The Lord has truly blessed them with a gift, and I must say that I like these cool cases. They have somewhat of a retro 60′s-70′s look to them that set’s there bags apart. They are durable and made out of top-grade materials, which explains the price. You will notice on there website that the description of there bags begin with; “Why Where Me:” giving them a personal touch. “We bounce around ideas that are based on our own tastes, then make a sample and test it ourselves. Does this compartment need to be bigger? Should we take off that pocket? It’s this back and forth that allows us to make bags that work on every level.” Emily McHugh, Founder/Designer. Check it out! www.casauri.com.