Kickstarter Launch of the Muse Clock

So, I've been working on launching this clock for about a year. Everything from designing the clock, choosing color schemes, materials for the clock, scripting and directing the video, searching for manufacturers, sourcing... everything that goes into taking a product from concept to placing it in the hands of the consumer.

It's been a ton of work and finally yesterday I launched the clock at noon with a funding goal of $10,000. Like anything you hope for the best but fear for the worst. The response to my clock and all of my hard work has exceeded my expectations. The funding period for the clock will be 30 days. In less than 24 hours I have raised 49% of the funding goal and have landed in the Staff Pick spot where the staff of Kickstarter chooses projects to feature.

At this rate the clock is projected to raise about $70,000 by the end of the funding period. I plan on getting it up on design blogs like Core77 and other sites like Reddit. Hopefully, with further publicity I'll make it well beyond that projection and raise a lot of money.

Below is a link to my Kickstarter page for the Muse Clock

Designer of Note

Marc Newson (www.marc-newson.com)




Born October 20th, 1963 (Sydney, Australia)
Based in London
Work includes, products, furniture, aircraft, interiors, jewelry, clothing


Characteristics of design: Smooth flowing lines, transparency, translucency, and an absence of sharp edges.

What I like about his design. Clean and concise. Use of bold color and color accents in design. Also like the range of his work. Inspiring.

Known for Lockheed Lounge Chair











More Examples of Work

Photos: Adamant CrossFit

Yesterday I checked out Adamant Crossfit. I've been taking fitness photos for a few years and had yet to get anything pertaining to CrossFit. So I called up Adamant, and Jordan (the owner) was more than willing to let me cruise around the gym with my camera as he and others did the Workout of the Day. Pretty intense stuff! Here are a few images from the short time I was there. I'll definitely be back for more photos... and to accept the invite to join a W.O.D. Thanks for the hospitality Jordan.

Berry Plastics

This was a really cool tour. I think in part due to my choosing of my tour guide. I chose to go with the plastic engineer in hopes that he would divulge and be able to answer questions of a more technical manner. Again, I am amazed at production, and in this case the sheer volume of it. In just a matter of minutes, it goes from a tiny pebbled raw material into a useable designed container. Not just one, but thousands and even millions! It's absolutely crazy and at the same time disturbing that we as a society use that much plastic. Sure it provides jobs, but at what cost? I would be willing to wager that not even 50% of the plastic that leaves that place gets recycled.

Oh look! I'm drinking out of a thermoformed cup and there isn't even a recycle bin at this place of origin to throw it out. Just a common trash bin. What is the hold up with instilling a common mentality of taking care of the earth? It seems as there are a select few who really give a rip about what's going on and no matter how hard (we) they try, it won't change the big picture until a broader portion of the population gets involved.

So, Berry Plastics... a company that exists because we are a disposable/on-the-go/wasteful society. The people have the power to change "the machine" it's for each one of us that these cups are made, that the landfills are littered with trash that can be reused and not add to the abysmal landscape of our collective disregard for the volume of trash that we produce!

I just can't seem to get off this topic this post can I?

Alright, so Materials: Plastic, lots and lots and lots of plastic. Ink.

Processes: Injection Molding and Thermoforming

Manufactured Landscape

As a photographer I found this video very interesting. It's intimidating how many people are involved in some of his shots. I prefer to document what's going on and mostly stay out of the way. It was somewhat of a letdown to see that some of his shots were staged, such as the guy guiding the donkey. Even though, that scene probably plays out a hundred times each day, it was sad to see that he staged it and what we saw as a scene of toil was somewhat staged and the guy was paid to play himself.  Can't exactly explain why it bugs me, but it just seems a little fabricated...

Concerning the magnitude of many of the projects, it was utterly mind blowing the scale of the dam and the number of people it was displacing. Added to that, the fact that they had to destroy their own towns with hammers and other human powered means. Similar to the way the Indonesians disassembled the gigantic cargo ships. They were driven as far up the beach as possible during high tide and then left to be gutted by men and boys with little or no safety equipment. Which is absolutely insane! OSHA would have a hay day!

From the point of design, it makes me question it all. Is all of the scarred landscape worth whatever raw material or structure is effecting the landscape? Is there a better way to do something to leave less of a footprint?

They are important questions that seem to come up time and again in discussions about responsible design.