The first episode of, “Abstract: The Art of Design” follows the unique thought process of a German designer, Christoph Niemann, who is creating a 3D cover for the New Yorker magazine. Throughout the episode the viewer gets an in depth look into what a professional needs in order to find his/hers inspiration into creating a work of art. For Christoph he constantly says that he wants to be in control which means that he wants to have a firm grasp of his own mind when it comes to planning out what he envisions will appear on paper. Christoph says it is important to make mistakes and take chances on drafts because you never know if something magical might happen, he does admit that sometimes it doesn’t, but it is better to attempt to reach for the highest branch and fall rather than to stay safe on the ground. Christoph draws a lot of his inspiration from his surroundings, as do a lot of professionals. He finds beautiful art in objects that otherwise might be looked over. The New York subway is an example of this as he focuses on the train and the track as a symbol of the city in which he is living in. Most people in the city might overlook that beauty because in most cases they are in a rush to work. Christoph works 9-6 everyday but not all of it is sitting behind a desk looking at a blank sheet of paper, Christoph takes time to walk around and observe the world around him. Personally I think that approach is the best way to find ideas in everyday life, it also makes the art more relatable. I think the thing that stood out to me the most in this episode was when Christoph talked about being “stuck” either hitting a mental road block or perhaps needing a change of scenery to get back on track and get your creative blood moving again. That wouldn’t have been possible without the support of his family who were willing to move to Berlin with him which helped tremendously and gave him an outlet of relaxation. I find that a support system can come in handy when hitting that creative roadblock. Most of the time you want to be alone when working on a project but in some instances another persons help or idea can help you to look at something from another angel. I think the most important part of this episode was seeing the process of another artist. In most cases we will see the finished product and think “wow, I could never do something like that” but having an inside look into what the artist actually went through to get to that point makes them seem a little more normal and I definitely gained a respect for the art that Christoph made but also the determination in which he had plenty of.
The second episode of “Abstract: The Art of Design” follows the footwear designer Tinker Hatfield who got his start at Oregon running track and field and then pursuing a path of Architecture at the University. He just so happened to be at the right place at the right time because the founder of Nike went to Oregon as well and started the company with the mindset of creating a better running shoe for the track and field team. The stars aliened in this case which brought multiple parties together to create a million dollar organization. Tinker in general went after the abstract construction of a shoe with his first design being the Air Max. Nobody would ever think to put an “Air Bag” visible from outside the shoe but Tinker saw this as a unique way to show the customers how this shoe will perform better and also look better than the competitors. Marketing goes hand in hand with the design of a product because people want to be like their idol and if a product gets endorsed than it is more likely to be bought. That it how the company exploded because they became the sponsor of Michael Jordan, and we all know how much the Air Jordan brand is worth. I think the biggest part I got out of this episode was to always push the boundaries and not be afraid of the trial and error process because it could lead to something great. The back to the future self-laced design is years in the works but the team of creators is constantly looking to make that product even though it started as a far off dream. I think in designing it is very important to keep a level head and remember that there will be roadblocks, but it will be worth it in the end if you have a clear vision.