HIPSTER RUNOFF » design school humor

I have no home. I have created a new home. This is my home.

Carles — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:13:36 +0000

‘There’s no such thing as home.’
– Zacharias Braff, The Garden State of Friendship movie film

This is the story of how Carles gave up his prestigious position at a leading architecture firm and eventually ended up living in this temporary cardboard structure attached to a wall in the subway. A story about giving up everything 2 find urself.

Photo via Ivan Rodic

I went away to the city. After I finished the 5 year architecture program at Rhode Island Institute of Design, I got a job with one of the most prestigious architecture firms in the world. They were known for their innovation, ‘kewl looking buildings’ and sometimes downright zany/dangerous design decisions. I was the understudy to one of the most respected architects in the world, and he really taught me a lot–how to challenge norms and how 2 transcend society. How 2 value public space and how not 2 care about material things. He taught me about how to use the Adobe Creative Suite, as well as how to use ‘actual Adobe’ to create a shelter. The truth is, when u architectify a beautiful building, it doesn’t need to stand out–it needs to be functional and cheap. This is the beauty behind architecture.

After I ‘matured’ into a true designer, I resigned from my position, and decided to go to a suburban construction company who designed ’shitty buildings’ that people take for granted. I made a lot of structures that I was very proud of. I did not make as much money as I could of, nor did I design museums or investment banking facilities, but I was truly happie.

Here is a strip mall that I designed.

I redesigned the space within 24% of Subways in the USA

I designed a space in which Chicken and Tacos could be served.

Here is a concept Chinese restaurant that I embedded within a now defunct mall.

I even revolutionized the storage industry by inventing something called ‘Portable On Demand Storage’ (PODS), where people can put all of their shit in a huge box.

As you can see, I designed things that real people use on a daily basis. It was as if I had ‘mastered’ architecture, and there was nothing else to achieve. I felt like I was on top of the world, much like after most architects build their ‘master building.’ I was truly on top of my game.

This was when I decided to challenge norms for the rest of my own life.

I created a temporary structure within the local subway system. It was made out of cardboard and duct tape. The purpose of this structure is to promote ’sustainability’ and ‘portability.’ One of the walls of my new home was ‘already built’ and I could theoretically live any where in the world, just as long as there was some sort of ‘wall’ where my home could be attached. I did not need multiple rooms, a restroom, or even many furnishings beyond a bundle of cloth to sleep upon.

No longer do I need to be ‘connected to a world’ so I no longer require television, internet, nor radio. I am truly free. I have formed a small bartering community with other ‘underlings’ and we trade essential goods and services.

I am finally home. This is my structure. It took me 20 years of being an architect to finally realize what it means to feel ‘at home’ within a structure. After years of searching for a place where I belong after the death of my mother, I finally felt ‘free.’ While many people within society would thing that I am ‘a piece of shit’, they don’t realize that until you have learned what it takes to create+alter space, u don’t truly understand how ’structures’, ‘buildings’, and miscellaneous portals of space have changed U as a person.

U R Where U Live.
This Bro Is Me.

Previous homelessness coverage
http://www.hipsterrunoff.com/2008/12/homelessness-big-in-2k9.html
http://www.hipsterrunoff.com/2009/06/my-parents-kicked-me-out-of-the-house.html

Feeling nervous abt design school. Not sure how much debt I want 2 accrue. Is it worth it? [CARLES VLOG]

Carles — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:26:58 +0000

So many questions in my head. Decided to use some ‘vlog therapy’ 2 get all of my questions off my chest.

Am I a ‘failing bro’?
Are my life experiences unique, or should the keyboard cat meme ‘play me off’?
Should I goto Parsons, SVA or Pratt?
Will I learn the things I need 2 learn in a fancy skewl, or should I stay at a state school even though I h8 all of my mainstream classmates who don’t ‘get’ why the world is beautiful in the way that I see it?
What should I study in design school?
Do I h8 my parents for not being rich enough 2 support my dreams?
How do college loans work?

Whenever I do something vulnerable on the internet, am I just a meme?
Play me off, yall. Gnite world/moon.

Bored at summer school. Decided to make a music video with my bros on campus.

Carles — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:29:08 +0000

Hey yall. Went away to design school…had 2 take summer school because I needed to learn the Fundamentals of Art History and Photoshop. Fortunately I met a few bros who I have a lot in common with. We love music, design, and youtubin’. Know it’s not much, but I think it’s good to stay creative.

Decided to make a video. Do u like it? Glad we all have the same personal brand of ‘bros who are zany and possibly listen to mightmightybosstones/blink182/Tom Green ‘bum bum song.’

Dorm life is chill. My parents didn’t cook much, so I’m not missing any food. Getting used to sharing space with some1. My roommate is a real mainstreamer. Going to talk to my RA about changing my roommate. Hopefully I can pull a double-swap with a bro who I have a lot in common with. Every nite would be a sleepover, and we could play chill music while we study instead of having to use headphones.

Feel lucky to have to take summer school. Probably gonna have a ‘core group of friends’ before every1 else gets here. so I’m happy 4 that.

What r u and ur bros doing to ‘pass the time’ in the summer?
Do u have any tips for selecting a sweet college roommate?

Will a Helvetty tatty improve my personal brand?

Carles — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:10:52 +0000

As yall know, I am a graphic designer for a cutting edge advertising and mixed media firm in the greater Tri-State area. I am interested in letting the world know what I’m all about, not only as a human, but also as a designer. It’s important to let people know what font I will use if I have to design a logo for them. Just want people to know that I will make ‘a perfect choice’ by choosing ‘the perfect font.’ Might be a good idea to choose an ARIAL tattoo so that it is compatible on windows PCs.

Do yall have a fave font that u would want to chill on ur body for the rest of ur life?

Wonder if I should write the actual font name, or possibly something else sweet, like a Dave Matthews Band lyric.

Feel ‘tired’ of blogging about ‘body art.’ However, I think that tattoos are becoming a ‘normal part’ of our modern culture, and more mainstreamers than ever are getting ’shitty tatties.’ Sorta wish I could be a mnstrmr, so I would just have to get like a ‘barb wire tat’ or a ‘butterfly tatty’ or something. Feel pressured to get a conceptually well-executed tattoo.

Just trying 2 be an individual. Might just let the world know that I ‘h8′ America.

Tattoo on Tao Lin’s body

Do yall know of any sweet tatties that are more than just ‘a doodle on a body’?

My first design school project.

Carles — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:03:45 +0000

Photo via the Style Scout

Hey yall. Had a super busy weekend. I have been awake for the past 72 hours, doing tons of addy (adderal), a lil bit of blow, 5-hour energies, Diet Red Bulls, and even tapped into my ‘emergency reserves’ of Sparks. My first design school project is due tomorrow, and the critique is gonna be super hard. My professor was a guest judge on Project Runway, so I really need to impress him if I want to get an internship with some1 relevant.

The assignment was ‘make a piece of clothing that represents u.’ I chose to make a sweet jacket. I’m new to sewing, so I needed something that would rlly ’stand out’ without exposing my technical flaws. I think the rugged aesthetic of my jacket really works. It looks formal, but also ‘chill’ since there is some denim. There’s also a patch of my fave game, Super Mario World, on it. Really feel like this jacket is me.

I am afraid of my critique, yall. Afraid of ‘having to justify’ why my work of art exists. Not sure if I will ‘get fucking grilled’ for some of my design decisions. Worried that there will be some hi level art fggts who make better stuff than me. Worried about ‘not being the best’ in my class. Don’t want 2 b made fun of. This jacket is ‘actually me.’ Just hope people accept me 4 who I am.

Do yall think I can get into a top tier architecture school if I assemble these LEGO sets?

Carles — Fri, 22 May 2009 00:41:36 +0000

Yall. I think I have found what I really want to do with my life. I want to design buildings. I want to affect/effect space. I want to challenge reality. I want to tell the world about my strong philosophical viewpoints [via building buildings that look kewl/modern/nontraditional]

I was thinking about getting my portfolio ready 4 submission. Might create some Frank Lloyd Wright buildings out of LEGO

Should I live an efficiency designed by Rem Koolhaus? ($950/month)

Should I specialize in AZN design?

Should I build tall buildings, or just stout ones that look kewl?

Should I build lil penis buildings?

Does n e 1 know where the best architecture school in the world is?
Does n e 1 know where I can study abroad to learn the most about space/public space/etc?
Do yall think people who go to archy school are either ‘fucking weirdos’ or ‘trying too hard’?
I need to get my applications ready. Might ask some of the commenters for recommendation letters [via comments].
Have yall read that Ayn Rand book ‘The Fountainhead’? Will my life be more interesting/transcendental if I study architecture?

I feel like archy school might be more authentic than design school cuz ur not just ‘fucking around in photoshop’ trying to make something on a screen look kewl. u actually get to leave a mark on reality. Feel excited about this new era.

Bad News–Got Expelled from Design School

Carles — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:40:32 +0000

Yall– got some bad news. Probably won’t be able to blog as much since I got kicked of design school (I usually do most of my blogging from public wifi or the Digital Imaging Apple Lab). I was actually a student worker in the lab, and decided 2 start a lil business where I would use the large scale printers to make custom posters for my friends. It has actually always been my dream to start a t-shirt/poster eCommerce website.

N e ways… was actually printing out a hi resolution image for myself. Just wanted to hang this picture of Crystal Castles lead singer Alice Glass on my ceiling right above my bed. A lot of mainstreamers have pix of Jessica Alba/Cindy Crawford/Bob Marley in their room. I just wanted to alt-ify my dorm room a bit [via tugging urself 2 sleep].

But yea… my dickhead professor walked in and ‘flipped a shit.’ I wasted s00 much of the department’s ink budget. He was angry, and said that my ideas were bullshit anyways because I just ‘put Helvetica over everything and call it ART.’ I was immediately called into the Dean’s Office, and had a talk. My grades were low, yall. Just been getting caught up in other aspects of life, and sometimes I just don’t care about meaningless Art History/Photoshop projects. Just want to get a Marc Jacobs/Urban Outfitters/Busted Tees internship. Got asked to resign from school so that they wouldn’t have to expell me. Had to clear out of my dorm room by 5 pm. sucked.

Going to pretend that I am still going to college for the rest of the semester, then just pretend to drop out so that my parents aren’t mad at me/stop paying my rent and make me move back 2 suburbia.

Have yall ever gotten in trouble for using resources that u weren’t supposed 2?
Have yall ever been in trouble? How do yall ‘deal with it’? Do u just try to say ur not supposed to fit in2 society and that every1 else is stupid and doesn’t ‘get’ what ‘truly matters’?

Not sure if this an advertisement for the band CUT COPY or some sort of meme/’dance sensation’

Carles — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:31:49 +0000

Memehijack via Swissmiss by Justin David Cox

Yall. Was just browsing the internet and saw this flyer thing. Does n e 1 know if Cut Copy has a new album coming out? Did they create a flyer to promote their upcoming album IN GHOST COLOURS? Kinda confused. I h8 the internet because nothing has an authentic context. u just kinda have 2 guess what everything means. The internet would be better if there was some sort of unified wikipedia tagging system that gave everything a bit more ‘meaning’/'context.’

Does any one know what the key on the bottom left corner is? My Dell desktop keyboard has a “C” and a “V” key, but there isn’t one with that weird symbol on it. Might have to get a USB keyboard attachment or download a ‘weird characters’ app. I hope that some1 makes an ‘app store’ for PCs. Personal Computers could use some of the functionality that iPhones have. Does n e 1 else agree/want to start a ’startup’ with me?

I have a lot of ideas about technology and user experiences, but need to go to technical college to be able to execute them. Might regret going down the ‘design school’ route. :-(

The Adobe Creative Suite May or May Not be Bad for Society

Carles — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:51:25 +0000

Image via Mouthpiece Sports

Sometimes I see images that are constructed for mainstreamers that they are probably supposed to think ‘looks cool’, but since I am so design-aware, I can’t help but think it looks tacky and uninspired. So while a person over the age of 35 will think ‘whoa–how did they get all of those players on that magazine cover? Totes looks like they are going after 1 ball…’ I think it is stupid because they just created a bunch of layers in Adobe Photoshop. Not very impressive, yall. coulda made that cover as the project for my first class at college–Photoshop 101: for design majors and non majors.

I kinda h8 how my design school education makes me enjoy stuff that is ’supposed to look cool’ a lot less. Every time I see a flyer, an advertisement, a webpage, or a commercial, I know exactly how it is made since I am skilled at every Adobe Design Suite Program. So while images might ‘look interesting’, the process behind them seems so EZ 2 replicate that I am just way above it. Sometimes I feel like I need 2 ‘ditch technology’ and only design authentic things by manually cutting and pasting things together, but I am 0% skilled and kraftwerk.

It’s like u see a video of a kid AZN who can make all of these ‘amazing effects’ and then u realize that this standardized technology has gimmicked us 2 think that we are able to better express ourselves’ because the bottleneck of creativity has widened just cuz we have more tools, but still kinda just express the same shittie concept/topics + implement lamer aesthetics.

h8 creative azns. Isn’t it kinda funnie how teachers in high school are probably making poorly informed decisions to encourage kids who can ‘make laser fight videos’ to pursue a career in the arts/film, when there is actually a supersaturated market of ‘tweens who have an inaccurate self-concept in which they tell themselves that they are unique and creative because their parents bought them a high-end computer’?
(h8 tweens who brand themselves as ‘creative’ so that they don’t have to take Calculus/physics/math/science/etc)

Is Adobe + Apple bad for kids? Should ppl only be allowed to ‘make art’ after they are done with college because their ideas ‘probably suck’ b4 then, and u should save them the humiliation of displaying their naivety in a piece of work that will last 4ever?

<3/h8 Adobe Creative Suite

Adobe gives creativity 'a new life.'
Without the Adobe Creative Suite, I would not be able to make art/design/memes.
Without the internet, I wouldn't get the feedback from my 'art' which would give me the positive reinforcement that is necessary to 'keep going.'

Dear Lord,
Thank u 4 Adobe. I will use u. But when I create ‘art’, I will make sure to not make it so obvious that I utilized ur functionality, and try 2 have my ‘art’ exist in its own space to be evaluated. I value ur product, but I don’t want ppl to evaluate my technical skills in the final product.
Best,
Carles
Parsons / Pratt Class of 2011

Keut AZN of the Day (Bloghouse Bro Edition)

Carles — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:59:28 +0000

Is He AZN?
Or Is He Viral Meme?

I was watching this alternative viral meme by an AZN Yale graphic design student, and I think it was made to resonate with people like me. I think this meme is about being a lone bro, who listens to bloghouse + remixes + popular pop dance songs. For many days, u dance alone inside ur head [via iPod]. But sometimes (day 100) u get to dance with a group of your closest friends. Music sometimes seems pointless, but it is memes like this that remind u that music is kinda like a BFF-type of figure in most people’s lives’.

Wish we would stop ‘reviewing’ music and start ‘learning how 2 have fun with music’ again.

Anyways, this video also reminds me of the significance of tools like the hypemachine, mp3 blogs, and user-generated-content-centric communities like vimeo. All of these tools come together to make like more meaningful. I kinda want his life. U can see how he traveled from the suburbs to a well-respected university with a relevant design program.

After the jump, I have copied and pasted the bro’s playlist. I have colour-coded the songs which r bloghaus.

001. Heart of Glass / Blondie
002. Jimmy / M.I.A.
003. Deceptacon / Le Tigre
004. Im on Fire / 5000 Volts
005. Je Veux Te Voir / YELLE
006. The Way I Are / Timbaland
007. Too Young / Phoenix
008. Over And Over / Hot Chip
009. Stick It To The Pimp / Peaches
010. Say My Name / Destiny’s Child
011. Pin / Yeah Yeah Yeahs
012. Geremia / Bonde Do Role
013. Let Me Clear My Throat / DJ Kool
014. Point Of No Return / Expose
015. Bubble Sex / The Seebach Band
016. Pump Up the Jam / Technotronic
017. Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above / CSS
018. Hella Nervous / Gravy Train
019. Me Plus One / Annie
020. Don’t Go / Yaz
021. Bootylicious / Destiny’s Child
022. Electric Feel / MGMT
023. Boys Don’t Cry / The Cure
024. Lose Control / Missy Elliott
025. Ride The Lightning / Evans And Eagles
026. Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough / Michael Jackson
027. Hearts On Fire / Cut Copy
028. Tainted Love / Soft Cell
029. Between Us & Them / Moving Units
030. It Feels Good / Tony Toni Tone
031. Polaris (Club Mix) / Cyber People
032. You Never Can Tell / Chuck Berry
033. Huddle Formation / The Go! Team
034. Pump That / FannyPack
035. My Love / Justin Timberlake
036. Hung Up / Madonna
037. Justice – D.A.N.C.E (MSTRKRFT Remix) / Justice
038. Cybernetic Love / Casco
039. Creep / TLC
040. When I Hear Music / Debbie Deb
041. B.O.B. / Outkast
042. Bubble Pop Electric / Gwen Stefani
043. Miss You Much / Janet Jackson
044. You Spin Me Round / Dead Or Alive
045. Slide In / Goldfrapp
046. Kelly / Van She
047. Mine Fore Life / The Sounds
048. Disco Heat / Calvin Harris
049. Nighttiming / Coconut Records
050. Club Action / Yo Majesty
051. Pogo / Digitalism
052. Lip Gloss / Lil Mama
053. Heartbeats / The Knife
054. Enola Gay / OMD
055. Goodbye Girls / Broadcast
056. Kids In America / Kim Wilde
057. Kiss / Prince
058. Tenderness / General Public
059. Push It / Salt N Pepa
060. Circle, Square, Triangle / Test Icicles
061. Day ‘N’ Nite (Crookers Remix) / Kid Cudi
062. Shadows / Midnight Juggernauts
063. Paris (Aeroplane Remix) / Friendly Fires
064. Out At The Pictures / Hot Chip
065. Me Myself and I / De La Soul
066. AudioTrack 10 / Diplo
067. Girls & Boys / Blur
068. Heater / Samim
069. I Wanna Dance With Somebody / Whitney Houston
070. Hands In The Air / Girl Talk
071. Limited Edition OJ Slammer / Cadence Weapon
072. Meeting In The Ladys Room / Mary Jane Girls
073. NY Lipps / Soulwax
074. Lex / Ratatat
075. Gravity’s Rainbow (Soulwax Remix) / Steve Aoki
076. Once In A Lifetime / Talking Heads
077. Leave It Alone / Operator Please
078. Half Mast / Empire Of The Sun
079. Hardcore Girls / Count and Sinden feat. Rye Rye
080. Dance, Dance, Dance / Lykke Li
081. Never Gonna Get It / En Vogue
082. Blue Monday / New Order
083. Crazy In Love (Featuring Jay-Z) / Beyoncé
084. 10 Dollar / M.I.A.
085. Love To Love You Baby / Donna Summer
086. Steppin’ Out / Lo-Fi-Fnk
087. Karle Pyar Karle / Asha Bhosle
088. Love Will Tear Us Apart / Joy Division
089. Straight Up / Paula Abdul
090. My Drive Thru / Santogold, Casablancas, NERD
091. Like A Prayer / Madonna
092. Freedom 90 / George Michael
093. Black & Gold / Sam Sparro
094. B-O-O-T-A-Y / Spank Rock and Benny Blanco
095. Great Dj / The Ting Tings
096. In A Dream / Rockell
097. Don’t Stop the Music / Rihanna
098. Hong Kong Garden / Siouxsie & The Banshees
099. It’s Tricky / D.M.C.
100. Bizarre Love Triangle / New Order

Do yall like his taste in music, or is it just 1 of those people who ‘want to listen to dancey music’ too much and end up going to mainstream 80s dance nights and ‘dancing too hard’ to obvious hits that aren’t that good?

Previous Keut AZNs of the Days
http://www.hipsterrunoff.com/t/kute-azn-of-the-day