Design Benign

Using Cute Design Theory

2010-06-06T11:38:00.004-04:00

When I started this blog, I posted the taxonomy of cuteness, a chart of visual elements that most often appeared in cute images, or lent to the overall cuteness of an image- from specific facial features like big eyes, to general elements like roundness and bright colors. Knowing these properties is very helpful in creating cute illustrations and graphics, and knowing exactly what is cute.

To demonstrate how useful these properties are, I will explain how I used them in the creation of the illustrations posted below.

Above is a polar bear illustration I did for an acquaintance. Polar bear themselves are already cute, so the trick was to tweak what a polar bear already has to make it extra-cute. Starting off, I knew that the bear's body would have to be comprised of circles to give it a fat, round shape. Having the bear sitting with its feet out emphasizes the roundness of its body.

For the face, I imitated the proportions of an infant's face: high forehead, large low-set eyes and a small mouth. While this in no way resembles a polar bear's face, it gives it a teddy bear look, further emphasizing its cuddliness. The contrast of the harmless face with the dead fish also adds to the overall cuteness (going with the "shock-cuteness" principle I've discussed before).

I chose simple colors to make more apparent the simple shapes. The stark whiteness also makes the black eyes and nose stand out more. And then for the setting, having the bear sitting along on a floating iceberg makes it seem isolated and helpless.

The final reaction to the drawing: "Awwwww!"

This next illustration presented its own special challenges. It depicts cute, childlike versions of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, as depicted by Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in the 2009 movie adaptation. The main problem in creating this picture was making the two characters cute without making them look infantile.

I achieved this by downplaying several cute characteristics, namely a high, rounded forehead, and by making theirs a bit more in proportion with their bodies. Some attributes of the original characters are also brought over into the their cute versions that seemingly clash with cuteness, but only serve to heighten the cuteness- Holmes' pipe and beard stubble, Watson's moustache and frown.

The clothing is also a bit more detailed than would be on a typical cute illustration (simplicity = cute), so I made their hands and feet into simple shapes to balance it out.

More in, "Things That are Cute That Should Not Be Cute but are Cute Anyway"

2010-05-13T07:39:00.002-04:00

This has been around the internets before, but it's always awesome: Lil Cthulhu

I gotta say, Lovecraftian lore makes a lot more sense to me now.

The cute Cthulhu thing is, of course, not new.

Anime Boston 2010

2010-04-17T22:33:00.003-04:00

Over Easter weekend, I was at Anime Boston, an annual three-day convention in Boston, MA for Japanese animation, comics and pop culture. This was my first year going as a convention staff member. I was brought onto the convention staff in the summer of 2009 as their new graphic designer, mainly tasked with developing a new brand image for the event.

The positive response to the new brand image (and increase in sales of official Anime Boston merchandise, as reported to me by the merchandise team) again proves the powerful hold cute has on people, especially for a crowd of 17,000+ hyperactive teenagers.

More images from the rebranding and convention can be found on my Flickr.

Design Benign at Anime Boston 2010

2010-02-26T21:37:00.003-05:00

Kawaii Culture: Cuteness in Japan will make an encore appearance at this year's Anime Boston convention, April 2-4.

Cute is everywhere in Japan: corporate mascots, safety warnings, political campaigns, and even recruitment for the military. Learn about the role cuteness plays in Japanese society, the cultural and economic impact of Hello Kitty, and how this brand of cute is steadily taking over the world.

Q & A with "Kawaii Not"

2010-01-30T21:53:00.004-05:00

Kawaii Not is a webcomic about, in its own words, "cute gone bad." Each comic usually features an every day object with a face, saying something funny or shocking. I recently asked its creator, Meghan Murphy, a few questions about the relationship between cuteness and irony, a common topic on recent entries on this blog.

Design Benign: What do you find compelling about the juxtaposition of cuteness with not-so-cute or questionable elements?

Meghan Murphy: That juxtaposition adds levels of interest/fascination for me, and gives the art more options. Cute things are cute, it's true, but at a certain point plain cuteness has no where else to go. Add a dash of darkness, or oddness, or naughtiness - and all of a sudden there are so many more directions in which to take off.

DB: How do you find a balance between just the amount of cuteness and the right amount of dark humor? Was there a time when you thought it went too far on the dark humor side?

MM: I'm still figuring that out with every strip. Kawaii Not has been a kind of exploration of cute for me, both the love and the hate. I don't think Kawaii Not has ever gone too far to the dark side, but of course that is completely subjective. What I find still adorable might push all the wrong buttons for some one else. That is probably part of the reason "cute" is so hard to define.

DB: Do people tend to come to your comic first for the cute, or for the humor/weirdness of it?

MM: It probably depends on the individual reader. Some people react more to the visual side (which tends to be the "cute" part) while others zero in more on the words/action/situation (the "weird" side of the equation.) But of course, like peanut butter and chocolate I feel one really only gets the full taste if they are devoured together.

DB: "Ironic cute" - or as your comic states, "cute gone bad" - seems to be an increasingly popular subject for artists and illustrators.
MM: Have you noticed any trends?
Oh sure, but it's only a natural reaction to such a strong and persuasive style such as kawaii/cute. Artists are often inspired by a style, but then want to start pushing it in different directions to see where it can take them. And irony is one of those directions.

DB: Many of your illustrations feature inanimate objects with faces. Why do you think such a simple device can instantaneously make anything cute?

MM:It must be how we as humans are hard-wired. We see a face, and tend to immediately empathize with it. Even if that face is on something we know is inanimate. That's some pretty deep biological programming.

DB: What do you think makes something cute?

MM: That is a tough question. I could say a smiley face, big eyes, round features -- but those are just visual elements. It's also part contextual. If you put a simple smiling face on a picture of the sun, then add the caption "I love sunny days!" it'll probably be perceived as cute. Take that same smiling sun and add the caption "I can smell you burning" -- cute might not be the first word that come to mind.

Trading Stocks with Subversive Cute

2010-01-23T16:20:00.002-05:00

Above is a commercial from the popular E-Trade "talking babies" advertising campaign. Each commercial centers around an infant, sometimes joined by other babies, talking about how easy the E-Trade web site is to use to trade stock. The overall message of the campaign is that "it's so easy even a baby can do it" (to partially paraphrase another famous ad campaign).

But what caught my attention most about the campaign was its use of cuteness for a usually cute-free industry: stock trading. The "talking babies" advertising campaign, however, still falls into the conventional "ironic cute" style that I have discussed before on this blog. Though the baby is cute, his dubbed voice is that of a man in his thirties or forties. This gives the character an air of authority (important when talking about a subject like stocks), and the contrast between the infant and the mature voice provides humor.

There are numerous examples of juxtaposing infantile characters with seemingly adult items or situations: Happy Bunny, Smorkin' Labbits, and Gloomy Bear, to name a few. It's interesting that this device would be used for a traditionally conservative institution like stock trading.

Cuteness in Vancouver

2010-01-13T20:09:00.003-05:00

With the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver coming up, let's take a look at the mascots for this year's games.

Based on mythological creature, Miga (a sea bear), Quatchi (a sasquatch), and Sumi (a Thunderbird). A fourth mascot, a marmot named Mukmuk, will only appear on the mascots' official web site. The characters were designed by the Vancouver- and Los Angeles-based design team Meomi.

So far, the mascots have appeared in a series of flash videos posted to the web, and some of the usual merchandise like plush toys and pins. I will be interested in seeing how they are used throughout the Olympic, and will keep tabs of that here during the games.

The Non-Evolution of Hello Kitty

2010-01-06T06:56:00.005-05:00

2009 was a pretty crazy year for me: I held five different jobs, and headed the rebranding of the Anime Boston convention. This resulted in sparse updates. But now that it is 2010 and things have finally settled down a bit, I can resume regular posting about cuteness research. I'm planning on having one or two posts per week, so check back regularly!

So without further ado...

The above video depicts the Japanese cuteness icon Hello Kitty traveling through various scenes while the date progresses from 1974 to 2009. It was created by the character goods company Sanrio to showcase the "evolution" of the design of Hello Kitty since her creation 35 years ago by Yuko Shimizu.

It is common for cartoon characters to go through re-designs in the years after their introductions, as a way to keep people's interest as times and tastes change. Sometimes it works well (Mickey Mouse's design has been changed to make him cuter and more baby-like); other times it inspires ire (Strawberry Shortcake, Dora the Explorer). As the video above shows, Hello Kitty remains unaltered. Outfits and backgrounds are updated to fit fashion trends, but the feline retains the same proportions, small round eyes, red bow and - notably - no mouth. (Hello Kitty was given a mouth in her animated adaptations.)

A possible reason for Hello Kitty's lack of evolution is the place of nostalgia in Japanese culture. In Western culture, as I have written about before, adolescence is typically fodder for nostalgia. But in Japan it is childhood, a time when one is free of obligations and responsibilities. Many people who consumed Hello Kitty products as children and teenagers likely continue to do so into adulthood. Hello Kitty's unaltered design is appealing, bringing people back to their childhood when they used their allowances to purchase stationary and coin purses adorned with the iconic feline.

Hello Kitty's simple, iconic design is also versatile. The character can adorn anything from plush toys to high-fashion make-up. While other cartoon characters are usually re-vamped to appeal to different audiences, Hello Kitty is the same for children, teenagers and adults, from low culture to high culture.

Cute Advent Calendar

2009-12-25T20:26:00.002-05:00

click to enlarge

Regular posting, with new articles and musings, will resume on the new year! Sorry for the radio silence and sporadic updates these past months, but I'm going to get back on board.

May you all have a safe, happy and adorable holiday season.

Adorable Inglourious Basterds

2009-11-05T19:02:00.004-05:00

Click to enlarge

An experiment in making something not cute (or shouldn't be cute), cute.

Also viewable at my Flickr.

This and Ponyo are my favorite movies to have come out this year, whut.

Assuaging Privacy Fears with Cute

2009-09-13T14:56:00.003-04:00

Above is a video created for Google Maps in Japan. It depicts a man with a security camera for a head, going about the daily business of snapping photos of streets and scanning them into a computer for the street view of Google Maps.

The street view function on Google Maps in Japan has received a lot of criticism about invasion of privacy- showing people's faces, mailbox address, license plate numbers, etc. The character in the video is shown erasing this troubling information from the photos, and updating older photos once complaints are received- all in a cute, fun and friendly way.

Car "Faces": Cute vs. Angry

2009-08-03T08:31:00.003-04:00

Some employment promotion first: I am currently available for any freelance design writing (anywhere), or graphic design work (Boston area). I work hard and don't complain, and I'm comfortable with tight deadlines. If interested, please send an e-mail to design.benign at gmail.

Writing Samples: Cuteness and Green Design for a Brighter, Cuter Future / A Letter to President-Elect Obama from a Young Designer

Graphic Design Portfolio: link

Now, onto the post!

An interesting post on Boing Boing about how cars are designed to have "angry" faces, i.e. the headlights and grill on the front of the vehicle are arranged to appear intimidating.

A famous exception to this trend is the Volkswagen Beetle, which I've mentioned before has similar proportions to a baby's face: a high forehead, low-set eyes and mouth, and lots of soft, fat curves.

Cute for Crystals

2009-07-19T12:10:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the radio silence. I've been busy at my job, and currently searching for a new job. If anyone is looking for a designer/design writer in the Boston area, send an e-mail my way!

Now onto some new cute news...

Following Louis Vuitton's example, Swarovski recently commissioned an animated piece featuring cute cats to promote their latest crystal collection.

House of Cats from Courtland Lomax on Vimeo.

I am looking forward to more cute + high fashion collaborations.

Photos from Anime Boston 2009

2009-05-26T20:17:00.006-04:00

Some pictures of my presentation, "Kawaii Culture: Cuteness in Japan." It was a very fun panel. I even had a full room!

There may also be video footage of this presentation uploaded to Youtube soon. I will post links when that happens.

Breaking News: Cuteness Can Help Your Hand-Eye Coordination

2009-05-26T15:12:00.003-04:00

"The secret to better performance: kittens" (Scroll down to the last article on the page.)

"A study at the University of Virginia suggests that experiencing cuteness can actually change how we behave. Students who watched a slideshow with pictures of puppies and kittens scored higher in the board game "Operation" - which requires manual precision - than students who watched a slideshow with pictures of mature cats and dogs."

Photos from my presentation at Anime Boston are coming. And thank you to the young woman who attended who pointed out this study to me.

Design Benign at Anime Boston, May 22-24

2009-05-19T13:01:00.004-04:00

Three days until Anime Boston! Just a reminder that I will presenting two panels at the convention, which takes place May 22-24 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA.

Friday, May 22 at 6:00pm in Panel Room 207
Kawaii Culture: Cuteness in Japan
A presentation on Japan's favorite cute mascots - from Hello Kitty to "Pipo-kun" - and why cuteness is so prevalent in Japanese culture.

Friday, May 22 at 8:00pm in the Constitution Ballroom, Sheraton Hotel
Akiba Empire: The Otaku Influence
Presented with Alex Leavitt, a discussion on how anime and manga fans in Japan have influenced that country's economics, politics and mainstream culture, and what this could mean for worldwide anime fans. But mostly I'm going to talk about moe rice, Vocaloid and K-On.

If you're planning on going, please come by and say hi!

"Hating you makes me all warm inside." - Happy Bunny

2009-05-13T11:33:00.002-04:00

Image from Kawaii Not

Japanese cute has crashed onto American shores like a tsunami. Target and Wal-Mart are filling up with Hello Kitty and Domo-kun merchandise. The Japanese cute pop aesthetic is inspiring many American artists, who put their own dark twist on the innocent, childlike aesthetic.

As popular as cute characters like Bob the Builder and Elmo are in the United States, there seems to be an underlying distrust of cuteness in American culture. Cuteness, associated with childhood, carries connotations of helplessness and neediness, undesirable traits in America's individualistic, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps culture. Japan's collectivist mentality fosters interdependency, having a greater tolerance for childish helplessness (called "amae").

Thus, when Japanese cuteness is adopted into American culture for consumption by teenagers and young adults, it's given an ironic twist. Characters like Happy Bunny and the Kawaii Not series demonstrate this trend: cute smiling, seemingly-innocuous characters spouting expletives and malice, giving an adult-like wink behind their childlike facade. Web sites like Hello Kitty Hell seek - in a tongue-in-cheek way - to expose the darker side of Japan's favorite commercial character. Violent cute characters like Gloomy Bear do exist in Japan, but they're in the minority of the greater Cute Commercial Complex.

"Cuteness and Green Design for a Brighter, Cuter Future" on Design Taxi

2009-05-04T09:46:00.002-04:00

My article "Cuteness and Green Design for a Brighter, Cuter Future", originally written for Speak Up, is now also published on Design Taxi.

Acceptance and Rebellion: The Two Faces of Cute in Japan

2009-04-29T11:20:00.004-04:00

One of the central themes in my lecture "Kawaii Culture: Cuteness in Japan" is the polarity of cuteness in contemporary Japanese culture. On one end, cute mascots prance around the military, major corporations and the police force. On the other end, young people utilize cuteness as a way to stave off entry into the adult world.

Childish mascots give an endearing, welcoming face to the stressful, rule-filled, work-a-day nature of modern Japanese life. They adorn the logos of corporations where salarymen spend the majority of the day at their desks. These characters represent the ideal characteristics of the modern worker: loyalty, working hard, and deference to authority. They fit perfectly into the obsession with "saving face", always acting polite and courteous, and willing to do what's best for the group.

But young people in Japan are increasingly resisting this way of life. They see the stress on their fathers' faces coming home late after working all day at a job they hate (followed by drinks with the boss), and don't want that to be them in 20 years. Rather than be chained to their parents' expectations, and with the Japanese economy in a decade-long recession (meaning lifetime employment at a company is no longer the norm), they want to follow their own pursuits. With the age of marriage in Japan rising (as well as the number of people just not marrying at all), and the plummeting birthrate, this individualistic zeitgeist is taking hold- and their flag of rebellion is cuteness. Teens and young, unmarried women adopt signifiers of cuteness and childhood - reading children's manga, wearing "childish" fashion styles and carrying Hello Kitty-bedecked cellphones, indulging in cakes and creamy pastries - as a way to proclaim, "I am not mature enough for the adult world."

Childhood, rather than adolescence, is viewed as the time for freedom. As movies like Freaky Friday and 17 Again demonstrate, in Western culture adolescence is the desired time to return to in one's life: one begins to gain independence from their parents, can earn a drivers license, take on a part time job. In Japan, as a child enters secondary education, the responsibilities of homework, cram school, entrance exams and preparing for the future take hold and can be crushing.

In Western culture, to rebel during adolescence is to act more adult: drink, smoke, stay out late at night, become sexually active, watch movies with swear words in them. For many young people in Japan, to rebel is to revert back to childhood, purposely remove oneself from the adult world and the responsibilities and obligations that come with it.

Further Reading
Cuties in Japan by Sharon Kinsella
Cute Inc. by Mary Roach at Wired.com
Inside Look at Japanese Cute Culture by Diana Lee

Experiments in Cute: Tweenbots

2009-04-19T22:58:00.002-04:00

[Tweenbots], proof that even hurried, pushy New Yorkers are weak in the face of teh kwoot.

Check out that video!

We're All Pink Inside (Our Pants)

2009-04-09T20:20:00.005-04:00

Jockey has reportedly seen a [boon in sales of pink underwear for men] (Note: Article has not-so-safe-for-work images) over the last six months. They attribute the rising popularity in colorful briefs to the sinking economy, and the need for men to privately cheer themselves up as their futures look grim. Apparently, in times of crisis, women purchase more lipstick, and men turn to flamboyant undies- Who knew?

I have noticed a trend in men wearing more pink lately. I obviously can not attest to what they wear under their clothes, but I have seen more pink dress shirts and ties out and about.

Cuties Take Over

2009-04-02T09:58:00.002-04:00

A fun post from Print magazine editor Steven Heller on the trend of naming foods and other consumer goods "Cuties", and the confusion it can lead to: [link]

Lecture Nibbles: Western Characters vs. Japanese Characters

2009-03-29T08:49:00.004-04:00

One of the things I will be discussing at my lecture "Kawaii Culture: Cuteness in Japan" is the difference in design between the majority of Western cartoon characters and the majority of Japanese cartoon characters.

As the chart above shows, while both sets of mascots are cute, Japanese characters tend to have more infantile characteristics (bigger heads, rounder bodies), as well as characteristics that make them appear more helpless (lack of mouths, stubby limbs, lack of fingers). Even Western characters geared towards young children tend to be more "adolescent" in their designs: articulated limbs, lots of movement, loud/verbose.

As noted above, this affects how the character interacts with its audience- Japanese characters tend to more about the viewer projecting their emotions and desires onto the character; it's the opposite with Western characters. The creators of Hello Kitty have said [similar comments] when asked about Hello Kitty's lack of a mouth: "Hello Kitty speaks from her heart."

Ada Lovelace Day 2009: Susan Kare

2009-03-23T11:32:00.006-04:00

[Ada Lovelace Day] is a worldwide blogging event to celebrate the contributions women have made to technology.

Talking about women and technology on a blog devoted to cute things, it's only natural that my post be about computer interface graphic designer Susan Kare.

Remember MS-DOS, a black screen on which you had to input white lines of text to run programs? That was in the days before graphic computer interfaces. Then the Apple Macintosh's classic Mac OS came along and changed all of that, making computers easier to use by replacing command lines with cute, clickable icons.

Those early examples of pixel art were designed by Susan Kare: the "Happy Mac" icon, the Chicago screen typeface, the command symbol, and many of the tool icons still seen in graphics programs such as Photoshop. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College and New York University, Kare worked at Apple as a Creative Director from 1982 to 1985. She went on to do work for other computer companies such as NeXT, IBM and Microsoft (where she designed the graphics for Window 3.0's solitaire game). Currently she is helping to develop the Chumby computer, and has done some icon work for Facebook.

Apple's reputation for cute, nonthreatening computers owes a lot to her pioneering graphic work, and that's why she's my pick for Ada Lovelace Day.

[Susan Kare's Portfolio Site]
[Wiki entry]
[Interview with Susan Kare]

Lecture Nibbles: Japan's Cute Ambassadors

2009-03-19T15:10:00.002-04:00

Up to the time of AnimeBoston, I will be posting little details and links of topics I will be discussing at my lecture "Kawaii Culture: Cuteness in Japan."

While they already have Hello Kitty as a tourism ambassador to China and Taiwan, [Japan has picked a new trio of cute young woman] to act as its cultural ambassadors at Paris' Japan Expo in July.

Touchy-Feely 2.0

2009-03-03T17:26:00.002-05:00

The Twitter bird and the Fail Whale. The cheery blue Livejournal pencil. Even the Blogger "B" icon is kinda cute. These friendly logos are like a beacon of light in the vast, tangled jungle of the Internet, signaling where users can sit down and relax in their little online homes.

A quick survey on social networking and blogging site logos reveals several popular themes: rounded corners, simplified human forms, and blue. Lots and lots of calming blue. Air-y and cute, they're a perfect compliment to posts about your pet cat and recent trip to the sushi restaurant.

The names of many of these sites are cute, too. "Twitter" pulls up images of a sparrow chirping merrily. Others like Facebook and Myspace emphasis the personal nature of profile pages, literally transporting your real life into html and CSS code.

But as social networking sites move from the personal to the professional and political, will these cute icons and names suffice? Or will their novel nature be dropped as twittering and uploading photos to Flickr become a common fact of life?

Off Topic: Sita Sings the Blues

2009-02-28T23:57:00.002-05:00

Something not cute- or anime-related on this blog, but important nonetheless. Everyone reading this, go [here] and watch this wonderful animated film.

DO IT NOW OR YOU WILL REGRET IT

A new post with actual content coming tomorrow, I promise.

Video- "The Science of Cute"

2009-02-27T16:52:00.002-05:00

From Popular Science, a charming little video about the "science of cute"- probably basic stuff to readers of this blog, but a good watch nonetheless.

Via [Cute Overload].

Design Benign at AnimeBoston 2009

2009-02-22T08:56:00.016-05:00

I will be running two panels at this year's AnimeBoston, a convention celebrating Japanese animation, comics and pop culture. This event is taking place at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA, May 22-24.

Discover why cuteness is ubiquitous in the land of Hello Kitty, what cuteness means in Japanese culture, and how this brand of cute is invading American shores.

Otaku spending pumps over 4 billion dollars annually into Japan's economy. Discover how nerdy anime fans went from basement dwellers to a powerful cultural, economic and political force. I will be co-hosting this panel along with [http://alexleavitt.com/].

Note: The image in the banner is from "moe rice". The small farming town of Ugo, Japan was suffering economic woes, unable to sell much of the rice it produced, until it started bagging its rice crop in bags decorated with [moe] anime characters. Within the first month of sales, 36 tons of rice were sold, compared to the 18 tons they used to sell annually. [Source]

Dates and times are subject to change, but this is what was given in the confirmation e-mail from the panels coordinator.

Update 4/24/09: The location of "Akiba Empire" has been changed from Ballroom A in the Hynes Convention Center, to the Constitution Ballroom in the Sheraton Hotel. The date and time remain the same, as of now.

Information about AnimeBoston can be found at [www.animeboston.com].

Material Cute

2009-02-19T15:19:00.002-05:00

[source]

Cuteness may have a signature color - pink - and a signature animal - kittens and puppies - and even a signature shape - round. But does it have a signature fabric?

It sure does, and it's not lace or tulle or anything else found on a dancer's tutu. The favored fabric of hat makers of centuries past (and of course [conceptual artists]), felt is cute's signature material. The oldest known man-made fabric, prized for its durability and affordable manufacturing, felt has become the darling of the modern crafting scene. A quick search on Etsy for felt crafts turns up hundreds of entries. The hipster crafting vendor event [Felt Club] is even named after this material.

It's no surprise that felt has grown to such a status. Cheap and available in a rainbow of colors, it's easy to manipulate and can be sewn without the aid of a sewing machine, making it perfect for constructing dolls, [teeny plush cakes], and [palm-sized pets]. Felt brings up memories of childhood- felt puppets and cut-outs used in preschool play.

This mix of accessibility, ease of manipulation and nostalgia makes felt the cutest fabric material.

Personal: Accepting Pink

2009-02-15T18:33:00.001-05:00

I pretty much grew up - and still am - the dictionary definition of a tomboy. My hair has not grown beyond three inches in years, dresses are absent from my closet, and the only "make-up" that touches my face is chapstick.

Like most young girls, though, my parents dressed me in pink. I even had a pink tutu during a brief stint of ballet lessons. But entering elementary school, when I began to develop a sense of autonomy, I realized that although girls were "supposed" to wear pink, they were not granted any respect for it. Girly things were mocked, viewed as a sign of weakness. Fed on a diet of Ramona Quimby and Roald Dahl's Matilda, I didn't care for that notion. Thus, I shunned all things pink, wrapping my life in dark blue and black.

However, over the last two years, I have developed a strange attachment to the color. It started with choosing the pink Nintendo DS over the black and white versions, and later acquiring a pink cell phone and pink laptop case. Pink shoes and clothing have snuck into my stark wardrobe. Just recently, I purchased a light pink luggage set.

So what's with the sudden turn of heart? The Design Benign project obviously has had some influence, diving into the world of Hello Kitty and cute electronics all in the name of research. Over the course of time I've realized that not all cute, pink stuff is "bad."

Of course, pink is still seen in the West as a feminine color. Cell phones and gaming devices make half-hearted attempts to market to women by offering pink versions of their products. The trademark soft shade of pink of breast cancer awareness adorns everything from travel mugs to coffee makers. But as I explored in an [earlier post], pink - particularly the ironic eighties-inspired hot pink - is treading where pink was previously absent. And I have adopted it into my personal style.

My fashion style is a cross between stereotypical designer and British school boy- lots of black and grey and navy. However, I also like bright colors, and a splash of pink goes nicely with most of my clothes. Combining that with my usually masculine attire creates a nice contrast. I still enjoy the looks my parents and peers give me when they see me in pink, after expressing disgust with the color for most of my life.

But I have a practical reason for liking pink, too. After frequently losing my cell phone in my apartment, its pink case acts like a beacon, allowing me to find it easily. This is also the thought behind my new pink luggage set. Set among black and navy suitcases on an airport carousel, I would be able to spot it from the other end of the terminal.

Though I do complain about the lazy practice of marketing electronics to women by making them pink, I'm tired of white and black being the standard colors for computers, phones and gaming systems, and will try to find alternative colors, even if it's just pink.

So, while I doubt I will reach Elle Woods-levels of pinkdom anytime soon, I've realized that pink is a fun, useful color, and one that I will continue to adopt and explore in the future.

Change has come to the American internets.

2009-01-20T16:02:00.002-05:00

Congratulations, Mr. Obama.

Now make all of the other government web sites this pretty.

[Whitehouse.gov redesign]

Off Topic: Anime Designers Can Enjoy, Part 4

2009-01-19T18:05:00.004-05:00

Since I started working, my anime-watching has dropped off considerably, but I've still been able to follow a few series. Below are some that may appeal to designers, with styles and art direction that veer away from "typical" anime.

Michiko to Hatchin

Plot: After a woman breaks out of a high-security prison, she rescues her daughter from abusive foster parents. Together, they search for the man who may be the key to their pasts.
Style: Colorful pop, heavily influenced by Brazilian design.
Where Can I Watch It: It's not out here yet, but I'll be surprised if this isn't licensed soon.

Soul Eater

Plot: A group of students at a school for "shinigami" (kind of like grim reapers, but with cooler weapons), train to build up their powers and battle enemies.
Style: Very "shounen"-y (lots of fight scenes, big spiky hair), but it's colorful and bright with a dash of juvenile humor. Excellent fight choreography and characters. If you like Tim Burton, check this out.
Where Can I Watch It: Good news! This one has been licensed by [Funimation] for release in English. So, hopefully, it will be out soon.

Akagi and Kaiji

Plot: Both based off manga series by Fukumoto Nobuyuki, Akagi and Kaiji center around the underworld of gambling and life-or-death bets.
Style: Pointy noses, questionable anatomy, and butt-ugly men. I LOVE it. If you think that anime is too "pretty", check these out.
Where Can I Watch It: Kaiji is being released subtitled in English through the online video service [Joost]. Since Akagi is all about mahjong, I doubt it will ever be released in North America, sadly.

Previous posts of "Anime Designers Can Enjoy":
Part One
Part Two
Part Three

Selections from the 2009 Ikea Catalog

2009-01-17T11:48:00.010-05:00

Better late than never, I finally got my hands on the 2009 Ikea catalog. The "design for a budget" home goods retailer is known for their simple, innovative and - yes - cute designs, but I noticed this year a distinct lack of cute in new items, opting for more sleek, mature styles. Lots of molded plywood and stainless steel. I did find a couple cute items, though:

[HERMAN chair]
While not exhibiting any of the classic characteristics of cuteness (roundness, etc.), there's something charming about the newcomer to Ikea's line of sitting implements.

[GRIMEN bed frame]
Soft and round and looks very comfortable. It also reminds me of a bento box.

[TRIPP storage tins]
Cute cute cute. I was tempted to pick these up during my last Ikea trip.

And Pantone's [prediction] that yellow (or, specifically, PANTONE 14-0848) would be this year's "it" color is showing signs of being true.

Also, I have a new article at SpeakUp: [A Letter to President-Elect Obama from Young Designer]. Check it out!

cute: ur doin it wrong

2009-01-16T08:16:00.001-05:00

[no]

Design Benign on Twitter

2009-01-08T22:10:00.002-05:00

http://twitter.com/DesignBenign

I'll mostly be using to post links to research and ideas for posts.

Cute Collections- Food

2009-01-05T00:15:00.002-05:00

Cuteness and food go together like, well, peanut butter and jelly. I've explored this sweet relationship before with [bento boxes]. Below are some other examples of cuteness good enough to eat.

Cupcake Dance

Sweet Packaging

Pentagram's Paula Scher cranked up the cuteness on no-calorie sweeteners with this [delightful packaging] for Truvia.

Huggable Desserts

Soft, squishy felt pies, cakes and other sugary goodies [have been popping up] on handmade goods web site Etsy.

Kitty Sushi

Sushi and dumplings are cute enough on their own, but add a kitten into the mix (as character franchise [Nyan Nyan Nyanko] demonstrates)? That's just asking for trouble.

Cute Can Piss You Off: How Cuteness is Subversive

2008-12-29T17:56:00.002-05:00

Several weeks ago, [Boing Boing has a post] featuring [this photo] of a pair of felt plushies meant to represent the World Trade Center on the day of the 9-11 attacks. Anthropomorphized with faces and arms, the Twin Towers express shock and disgust as they are hit with miniature airplanes, holding each other's hands as they are doomed to collapse. I very much liked these crafts, thinking they displayed a child's interpretation of 9-11, that sense of hopelessness, confusion and empathy that was swept under in favor of jingoist patriotic horn-blowing shortly after the attacks. Created by an adult, the plushies are a reminder that, No, we grown-ups don't have all the answers, and sometimes we can be just as scared as kids.

In the comments on the post, I saw a different reaction: "Nothing that happened on 9/11 was cute."; "I find this couple's work infantile at best, and entirely lacking in profunditiy."; "They are basically saying the suffering involved is trivial and stupid." Though attraction to cuteness is programmed into our brains as a survival mechanism, ensuring that younger members of the species receive protection and care, there is still a strong, negative reaction against cuteness, especially when cuteness treads where it dare not.

Of course this reaction will be stronger towards "sacred" topics - religion, politics, horrific events - but I've seen it directed towards Apple computers, cute mascots, and even children's toys.

It's a little odd that cuteness would incite such a reaction. By its nature, cuteness is weak and non-confrontational, but why does it inspire such vitriol? In Western culture, cuteness occupies a very specific space: that of children. (Cuteness in Japanese culture is a topic for another post.) Cuteness is simple, ignorant and easy to control. Complexity is seen as a sign of maturity: a child starts out doing simply finger paintings of blobs, but graduates to still lives and portraits.

Incorporating cuteness and "childish" assets into the domain of adults creates an uncomfortable juxtaposition- the 30-year old who collects action figures and comic books as a developmentally-stilted basement dweller. Embracing cuteness beyond childhood is seen as a step back to helplessness and naivete, a sign that one can not handle the complexities of the "adult" world. Only recently have the virtues of "childishness" been considered important in adulthood: companies encouraging playfulness to improve creativity and productivity, for example

Taking a sunny view point in a world of tragedy and pain is viewed as suspicious. Cuteness is happiness. Happiness can be threatening to the status quo. Cuteness is a sign of not taking things too seriously, or lacking the understanding to realize the severity of certain topics (a common sentiment in the comments on the Boing Boing post). Cuteness is an attack on the message, "Don't be weak; be suspicious; only care about yourself."

2008 Year in Cute Review

2008-12-10T11:32:00.007-05:00

2008 was a year of contrast: the victories at the Beijing Olympics, and the devastation of record job loss; the elation of a historic presidential election, and the disappointment of Prop's 8 passage. Combine that with the continuing war in Iraq, growing violence in the Middle East, and a looming recession, and 2008 was a year in desperate need of some cuteness.

Thankfully, it delivered cute on many fronts, such as politics, technology and culture. Here an overview of the Cutest Things of 2008.

Automobiles
Smart Cars were seen zipping around American cities in increasing numbers this year. Designed for squeezing into tight parking spots, Smart Cars were a popular choice for traveling to business meetings or doing errands around town, without the hassle of maneuvering a larger vehicle through the urban jungle. With its affordable price, good gas milage and easy customization, the Smart Car's popularity looks only to grow in the coming year.

Technology
Apple released the latest generation of its iPod Nano, slimming the MP3 player and painting it in a variety of candy colors.

Sports
For all the controversies at the Beijing Olympics, there was one thing that could be agreed upon- these games had perhaps the cutest Olympic mascots ever devised. Though blamed for a [series of disasters] that rocked China prior to the Olympics, the mascots proved to be marketing juggernauts, appealing to people all over the world. Time will tell if the equally adorable [2010 Vancouver mascots] prove to be just as popular.

Medicine
Taiwan recently opened a [Hello Kitty-themed maternity hospital], featuring bedsheets, hospital scrubs and birth certificates with the Japanese mascot's iconic face.

Internet Culture
Cats are always a popular form of online entertainment. In 2007 it was grammatically-challenged [cat macros] and [kittens playing in tissue boxes]. In 2008, overweight felines diving into empty boxes were all the rage, the most famous being in Japan, where Maru the cat has a penchant throwing himself [face-first] into drink boxes.

Of course, cats did not steal all of the online cuteness this year. The [Shiba Inu puppy cam] become an internet sensation, chronically the day-to-day sleeping, eating and playing of six growing shiba pups.

Food
For all of its popularity as a boutique snack item, the [cupcake] may lose its title as the king of desserts in 2009. The frosting-covered confection had a good, long run, but what will become its heir? I say [macarons].

Politics
Barack Obama's phenomenal presidential campaign was able to reach across boundaries of race, class, and yes, even species. From ["Bark Obama"] shirts for dogs, to Obama's iconic "O" logo sprouting a pair of [cat ears], everyone was showing their support.

Toys
Though possessing many of the characteristics of cute design -big eyes, large heads, bright colors- Bratz dolls were an affront to sensibly cute design everywhere. Thankfully, they may disappear from toy shelves in 2009, as [Mattel recently won a lawsuit] against Bratz dolls manufacturers MGA Entertainment, Inc., baring them from producing the toy and any other related franchise materials.

What cute trends does 2009 promise to deliver? Will Apple release yet another cute computer accessory? Will the bailout backlash force major corporations to soften their public image? Stay tuned to Design Benign to find out!

Long Time No See

2008-12-06T20:16:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates lately! I've been super-busy with work and the holiday season. I have some new essays in the works, though, so keep checking back for brand new, cute content.

Pink Beyond XX

2008-11-02T18:23:00.004-05:00

The first “cute” color that springs to most people’s minds is pink.

Marketing to girls and women is a plethora of pink, from the Barbie aisle at a toy store, to breast cancer awareness. Despite being viewed as soft and unthreatening, pink is perhaps the most divisive color of the spectrum.

While far from a girly-girl myself, I’ve come to love pink over the years after detesting the color - and everything else considered feminine - as a kid. Now I own a pink DS Lite and a pink cell phone. My business note cards and envelopes are bright pink. I’ll include a pink laptop travel case in the purchase of my new MacBook this coming weekend.

The “girl-ifying” of pink is a relatively recent phenomenon. Originally viewed as a lighter form of red, with its connotations of strength and virility, it was more appropriate for boys, while blue (calm, quiet and the signature color of the Virgin Mary) was a color for girls. This became reversed in the mid-20th century, and a tidal wave of pink crashed into advertising aimed at women. (Pink, however, did enjoy a short-lived burst of popularity among men in the 1950s with Brooks Brothers’ classic pink dress shirts.)

Pink is in. It’s not only being used to target female consumers. Traditionally “masculine” areas of business, such as banking and technology, are turning to pink.

Since becoming the color of choice of major retail chains, red has almost lost its association with passion and energy. Bright pink has stepped in, adding a wink and a smile for design-saavy consumers. Pink is now the color that sets you apart from the competition, shows that you’re a risk-taker, that you don’t take yourself too seriously.

Consider the bright magenta-pink of WaMu compared to the tired navy, gray and dark green of other banks. Preceding WaMu’s rebranding by over one hundred years, however, the London newspaper Financial Times is printed on pink paper.

The explosive use of this color has created a hierarchy of pink, though. Magenta and purple-tinged pinks straight out of the 1980s are favored by designers as an ironic color touch, while soft pinks are strictly targeted at girls and women.

Quick Link: Spark Some Cute

2008-10-19T09:16:00.003-04:00

Japan has done it once again. First there were [cute garbage bags], and now cute matches. What will be next?

Via [Cute Overload].

Pack Up Your Troubles: Cuteness, Optimism and Economic Crisis

2008-10-13T14:17:00.002-04:00

As corporate giants merge in an effort to ride out the recession wave, an interesting conundrum for branding arises: As these myriad of companies become one, what will happen to their branding?

David Sherwin of [ChangeOrder] brings up this issue [in a post] about the fate of Washington Mutual’s (WaMu) distinctive branding. WaMu made a splash with its nontraditional identity, using a friendly, casual voice and bright colors. But will the bank’s merger with Chase and the subsequent economic downturn force it to adopt a more mature, cautious brand voice?

Will friendly, cute branding and advertising -especially for larger corporations- be able to survive the economic recession?

Cuteness relies on hope and optimism, which often relies upon prosperity and stability. The last thing most people want to see after losing their job and life savings is a smiling infantile face telling them everything will be okay- especially if that face belongs to the organization that screwed them over in the first place. People want something adult, something stable, something to guide them through their troubles.

But, like Don Draper, the main character of the television series Mad Men, has said, “Advertising is based on one thing: Happiness. […] It’s freedom from fear. It’s a billboard on the side of the road that screams with reassurance that whatever you’re doing is okay. You are okay.” Even in the most troubled economic times, happiness and prosperity remain the center of advertising.

The trick, however, is to remain sensitive to people’s uncertainties and concerns.

Target has been able to continue using its signature stylish advertising, adapting its message of design for less to the changing worries about the environment and economy. One of the company’s newest ads shows activities such as going to the gym, getting gourmet coffee and camping shifted to the home (with help, of course, from products purchased at Target). The message is staying close to home saves resources by not having to drive, and being with one’s family instills a sense of safety and comfort in these troubled times.

So, while people may immediately start out feeling averse to cuteness, it’s difficult to remain pessimistic for a long period of time. Eventually, they will turn back to smiling faces and happy jingles, because sometimes optimism is all you have.

Design Benign Loses One of Its Own

2008-10-10T21:37:00.002-04:00

Rocky II
1993-2008

Rocky passed away this afternoon at the ripe kitty age of 14. He had been living a comfortable life at my parents' home. We had him since he was a small kitten, raising him to become a cow-whale-cat hybrid. He enjoyed sleeping, eating and rolling around in catnip.

Rocky was the inspiration for the Design Benign logo and the [taxonomy of cuteness icons].

Are You Still There? Fear, Anxiety and Cuteness in "Portal"

2008-09-28T17:19:00.004-04:00

A staple of the horror genre is frightening, disturbing children. As stated in a [previous post] on this blog, combining cuteness and adult behaviors can result in terror and/or irony. Horror movies are expert at exploring this device, but today I would like to explore how it is used in the video game Portal. In some ways, Valve’s smash hit RPG employs “scary-cute” in a more subtle way than do horror movies, making it disturbing and oddly compelling.

Released in late 2007, Portal -by the game company Valve, who also did the Half Life series- is a “first person shooter” game in which the player uses a gun that shoots portals into walls and other surfaces, in order to solve a series of puzzles. The player is mocked throughout the game by a computer system named GLaDOS, who is revealed to be maniacal and blood-thirsty.

Clocking in at around three hours total of gameplay, the design of Portal is also sparse and clean. Taking place in a laboratory testing facility, the surroundings are bare white tile, chrome and glass, as if Apple had a hand in designing the place.

There are three distinct “characters” (a term used loosely since the player is the only human in the game) or objects in Portal that exhibit “scary-or-distressing cute” characteristics.

Most of the puzzles in the game involve moving a large heavy block called the “Weighted Companion Cube” from one part of a testing room to another, using portals to get through walls and other obstacles. Bedecked with pink hearts on each side, the player quickly grows attached to the Companion Cube, and it is revealed that previous test subjects developed an unhealthy relationship with this inanimate object. However, the player must eventually incinerate the Cube to advance to further levels, which players have told Valve is “more emotional […] than to harm one of the "Little Sisters" from Bioshock” [1].

Next are the safety icons displayed at the start of each level. Humorous in an info graphics kind of way, the icons illustrate the hazards of the level, such as being attacked by lasers or falling into pools of poisonous gas. The distant, harmless design of these icons only enhances the threat to the player's wellbeing.

Probably the most characteristic of the "scary children" horror trope are the laser turrets (pictured at the beginning of this post) that attack the player throughout the game. They taunt the player with child-like voices lifted straight from the Grady Twins in The Shining, saying things like "Are you still there?" and "I'm not angry" (when the player knocks out a turret). Rather than a testing procedure, this is all a big, sadistic game.

Because of all of this, I think Portal is one of the most finely designed games ever created, relying on sophisticated spare-ness to create the mood of anxiety and fear. There is almost no blood shed shown in the game. Instead, it's scary because the player is so isolated and has so little information about the outside world, or even why they are in the testing facility. Like all good horror movies know, there is nothing more frightening than one's own imagination- with maybe a bit of cute thrown in for bite.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal_(video_game)

Dante Book Covers for Sale!

2008-09-19T12:47:00.001-04:00

Due to popular request, I am selling high-quality poster prints of my Dante book covers. They are available through Lulu.com.

INFERNO: www.lulu.com/content/4153979
PARADISO: www.lulu.com/content/4154478
PURGATORIO: www.lulu.com/content/4154873

Quick Link: Cute "Mad Men" Illustrations

2008-09-16T21:42:00.004-04:00

Another filler post for the time being. I started a new full-time job, so I have been very busy with that. But a post with actual content will be coming soon!

In the meantime, I am loving these [illustrations] by [Dyna Moe] that combine cuteness with my other current obsession, the television drama [Mad Men]. Enjoy!

Design Benign on design:related

2008-09-05T11:24:00.003-04:00

I set up a page on [design:related]. If you're on there, add me!

Off Topic: Edible Eames

2008-09-02T15:39:00.003-04:00

I've written about [bentos] [on this blog] before, and it was only a matter of time before I was bitten by the cute lunch bug.

But instead of making a bento resemble a cartoon character, I went with something a little closer to my interests.

Cheese and nori over jasmine rice. Edamame, cheese and veggie meatballs in the other section.

Quick Link: Making Garbage Cute

2008-08-30T17:35:00.002-04:00

And of course the Japanese are the ones to pull it off.

More examples of cute trash bag design at [Pink Tentacle].

B-52 Schoolgirls: Moe Anthropomorphism

2008-08-24T18:43:00.009-04:00

Ludwig is a stern, rule-driven young man. Feliciano just wants to goof around and eat pizza. Alfred thinks he’s the only person in the entire world. Arthur is good-hearted but has a habit of swearing.

If this sounds like the set-up of a television comedy, you’d be almost right. Ludwig, Feliciano, Alfred and Arthur- otherwise known, respectively, as Germany, Northern Italy, the United States, and England- are the stars of a hit Japanese web comic, [Axis Powers: HETALIA], about pre-World War II world history. Characterized as military uniform-clad young men (with Hungary as the lone girl in the cast), the world's major players star in four-panel comics about war and wacky international politics.

The practice of turning inanimate objects, abstract concepts or anything else that doesn’t have a ready physical form into cute, anime-inspired characters is called “moe anthropomorphism”. Depicting non-human things as human beings is not at all new. Political cartoons of old and recent times often draw countries and political concepts as people, but this practice has taken a decidedly cute turn in the hands of “otaku” (fans of Japanese anime and manga) culture. Anything, it seems, can be transformed into a cute character. Some examples are below.

OS-tans: Originating on Japanese online message boards, computer operating systems are depicted as young women imbued with the “personality” of the OS they represent. For example, Windows Millennium Edition is shown as a clumsy girl, Windows XP has large breasts (a comment on the memory usage of the OS), and Mac OS X is usually seen holding a book or other publication.

Habanero-tan: Inspired by the spicy snacks of Japanese snack manufacturer Bokun Habanero, a hot chili pepper in the form of a cute, peppy little girl.

Mecha Musume: Girls with bodies fashioned out of military weapons, vehicles and aircraft.

Afghanis-tan: A Japanese web comic that explained the history of Afghanistan, using little girls as stand-ins for countries in the development of Middle Eastern politics.

Off Topic: Anime Designers Can Enjoy, Part 3

2008-08-24T17:51:00.002-04:00

Actual articles of substance are coming. In the meantime, have some filler.

Gankutsuou

Plot: The Count of Monte Cristo but with vampires and space ships. No, really!
Style: Hallucinogenic moving patterns mixed with Art Nouveau, insane Baroque-futuristic architecture, and sparkles.
Where Can I Watch It: The entire series is available, subtitled and dubbed in English, in North America.

Samurai Champloo

Plot: A samurai, a vagrant and a young girl take a journey across Japan.
Style: Hip-hop meets ukiyo-e.
Where Can I Watch It: The entire series is available, subtitled and dubbed in English, in North America, and is occasionally shown on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim line of late-night programming.

Hakaba Kitaro

Plot: A demon-borne boy tricks supernatural creatures and humans into living together in (relative) peace.
Style: Golden-Age comic books and classic horror movie posters.
Where Can I Watch It: Anime licensing companies in North America are horrible with bringing over classic old series, so this one isn't available here yet.

Competition in Cuteness

2008-08-14T17:16:00.006-04:00

With the Beijing Olympics in full swing, I would like to dedicate an entry to past and present Olympic mascots. They’re what give the games a cute, cuddly face, and have evolved over the past forty years to be an important promotion tool.

First, some back story: The current idea of the Olympic mascot began in 1968 at the Grenoble winter games with Schuss, a cherry-headed skier. The large round head, big eyes and patriotic colors would serve as a template for many Olympic mascots to come. Using such a method to promote the games was still a novel idea, and Schuss was only featured on pins and as toys.

The first real fruition of Olympic mascots came during the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics. The games’ cuddly bear cub mascot Misha became an instant international sensation, appearing not only on merchandise but in an animated television cartoon.

Now a critical part of the games, mascots for future Olympic events were developed with varying degrees of cuteness and success. One of the most disastrous Olympic mascots devised was Izzy for the 1996 Atlanta games. Deviating from traditional animal mascot, many commentators were confused as to what Izzy was supposed to be, referring to it as the “sperm of sports” because of its strange shape.

While animals have proven to be very popular choices for Olympic mascots, and can often yield the most successful results, other choices for mascots have been used more in the recent past games. Athena" and "Phevos for the 2004 Athens Summer games were based on ancient Greek “Daidala“ figurines. An anthropomorphized ice cube and snow ball, Neve and Gliz, were created for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

The Olympic mascot has fully crystallized with the marketing juggernauts that are the Fuwa for the 2008 Beijing Summer games. Introduced first in 2005, 1,000 days before the start of the games, the Fuwa have been made into numerous promotional materials, including a currently-running animated TV series, and they were featured in a video game. Not to be outdone, the mascots for the 2010 Vancouver games were released late last year, matching the increasingly cute, sophisticated designs of the recent Olympic mascots. A kid-friendly [Flash website] featuring games and short animations about the mascots has also been released.

While some may find the idea of marketable Olympic mascots silly, taking away from the “seriousness” of international sports competition, a lot of importance can be placed on a game’s mascot. The horrific events at the 1996 Atlanta games were blamed by some on the questionable mascot Izzy. The natural disasters than plagued China before the Beijing were [thought to correlate] with the regions the Fuwa mascots represented- the panda Fuwa was partly blamed for the earthquake in Sichuan Province, the panda bear being a native animal of that region.

Advertising has become as big a part of the Olympics as the games themselves. With all the marketing and advertising, at least the mascots are one part that can make you smile.

Off-Topic: Anime Designers Can Enjoy, Part 2

2008-08-08T19:05:00.004-04:00

Going to do a write-up on cute Olympic mascots in honor of the Beijing games, but in the meantime, here are more anime recommendations.

Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei

Plot: A suicidal teacher is put in charge of a classroom of students who have more issues than he does.
Style: A mish-mash of Art Nouveau, traditional anime, comic books, pop art, fabric patterns, and subliminal messages.
Where Can I Watch It: The anime is not yet licensed for release in North America, but Del Rey Manga (part of Random House) has licensed the manga for English release.

Kaiba

Plot: A boy wakes up in a strange location with no memories of his past and no recollection of how he got there, but he's somehow part of a grand conspiracy to rid the world of memory-storing technology.
Style: Osamu Tezuka on acid.
Where Can I Watch It: Not licensed yet, and I doubt it ever will be, but you can find it through various means online.

Mushishi

Plot: A traveling medicine man helps those affected by "mushi", ghost-like creatures that are the very fabric of the natural world.
Style: Somewhat traditional anime mixed with Japanese brush painting. The natural motifs and use of color in this series are absolutely gorgeous. A perfect anime for those wanting to check out anime but are wary of the "anime style". Very relaxing to watch, good to tune out with.
Where Can I Watch It: The complete series has been licensed and released by Funimation in North America. Del Rey is also doing an awesome job with translating the manga into English. Edit: If you're in the United States, you can watch all of Mushishi dubbed in English on [Hulu.com]!

Off Topic: Anime Designers Can Enjoy, Part 1

2008-08-03T09:10:00.003-04:00

In addition to discussing cuteness and its place in design, I see this blog as a place to promote my strange little hobbies- one of which is watching anime. I've been into anime since freshman year of college, and over the years have seen dozens of series. Some are good, most are bad, and some are particularly... interesting. I've grown attracted to series that have a unique style and art direction, something different from the usual giant fighting robots and cute girls wearing cat ears that infects most anime.

So I've decided to start a mini-part series on Design Benign: Anime Designers Can Enjoy. Each post in the series will highlight several anime series that set themselves apart from the typical anime fare in terms of art style. So here we go.

Mononoke

Plot: A mysterious medicine seller uses tricks and spells to ward off the evil. It draws mostly from Japanese horror legends, focusing on the demons haunting people's lives.
Style: Art Deco-meets-Alphonse Mucha-meets-ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Very minimal animation, but heavy on mood, composition and suspense.
Where Can I Watch It: Mononoke's prequel, episodes 9-11 of the anime series Ayakashi, are available on DVD in North America (with English dub voices and English subtitles). Mononoke has yet to be licensed in North America, but you can watch it through various semi-legal means (English subtitles only).

Utena

Plot: A girl who wishes to be a prince duels to protect the "Rose Bride" in this surreal fairy tale.
Style: Art Deco-meets-shadow puppets-meets Baroque-meets fairy tale symbolism. Like Mononoke, very minimal animation (caused by a limited budget), but the repeated sequences, like in the duel scenes, just add to the surrealism and beauty of the series. Also, ROSES EVERYWHERE.
Where Can I Watch It: The entire Utena series, including the movie, is available on DVD in North America. One of my absolute favorite shows, I highly recommend it.

FLCL

Plot: Puberty welcomes a young boy by having robots emerge from his head and a strange alien girl move into his home.
Style: Actually, out of all of the series I'll review here, I think this one has the most "normal" style. But the way the animation is used and the editing and pacing is absolutely fantastic. I am completely in love with how pauses and quiet moments are used in this series, and how it gives the viewer just enough information to keep them engrossed and wondering and somewhat confused.
Where Can I Watch It: FLCL is a six-episode series available on DVD in North America. It's a very good introductory series for those wanting to get into anime, too.

Design Benign on Speak Up

2008-07-31T20:32:00.002-04:00

I expanded an earlier Design Benign article about how cuteness is used to promote the green movement. The end result was published on the design blog Speak Up.

[Check it out here!]

Bunnies with Machine Guns: Cuteness and Irony

2008-07-23T17:57:00.005-04:00

Want to be ironic? Just use cuteness.

Cuteness may normally contain the traits of innocence and harmlessness, but paired with something dangerous or illicit can make it funny. This is a popular motif in urban vinyl toys, pairing cutely designed characters with cigarettes, weapons and other items related to hip-hop/hipster/graffiti culture. Like a toddler wearing its father’s over-sized shoes, putting cuteness together with danger and destruction raises a little chuckle- and it can be disconcerting.

I’ve noticed that “cute irony” has risen in popularity in recent years. Urban vinyl toys are more popular than ever. There is also the curious phenomenon of “gothic cute”, pairing typical gothic themes of death and horror with cuteness- possibly influenced by the works of Edward Gorey.

Since I’ve been in a video game mood lately, I will observe how “cute irony” is used in the game [Portal]. Portal is a first-person shooter in which the player uses a portal gun to create holes in the walls and other surfaces of a testing laboratory in order to solve a series of puzzles.

While solving the puzzles, the player must dodge iPod-looking gun turrets (pictured above) that speak in [high, sing-songy voices] like a child playing hide-and-seek- while trying to kill the player. The eyeball-like spheres that make up the laboratory's murderous computer AI system, GLaDOS, are also shown as being [childlike] and inquisitive. Within the setting’s sterile white-and-chrome setting are little touches of cuteness that only heighten the isolation and terror the player feels.

Infectiously Adorable

2008-07-14T19:04:00.003-04:00

Originally created as novelty toys, the [GIANTmicrobes] line of plush toys has become popular with doctors and health educators. The toys depict various microbes and viruses that affect human health, anthropomorphized with big eyes and humorous appendages associated with the diseases they cause. The plushie of Infectious mononucleosis (the "kissing disease") has [long, flirtatious eyelashes]; Necrotizing fasciitis, flesh-eating bacteria, has [a silver fork and knife] embroidered onto its body.

Because of the toys' friendly, cuddly demeanor, GIANTmicrobes have been very successful as health education tools. Prompted by requests from doctors, the company created a line of "professional" plush toys for public health education. These include HIV and Tuberculosis. The company states on its web site, "[W]e believe that GIANTmicrobes™ can indeed be used effectively to convey information about public-health diseases in a unique and memorable way" (1).

Perhaps one of the reasons these toys work so well as health education tools is that they give a more amiable face to disease, something that is normally feared and reviled by people. They're also humorous, lessening the negative impact information about these diseases could have. And people can relate to them more: the toys have facial features, they're soft and one can hold them and interact with them.

1. http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/main/professional/

One Step to Cuteness: Add a Face

2008-07-09T13:49:00.003-04:00

Image from [15 Shapes]. (Hat tip to [Drawn!])

Apples. Oranges. Candy. Clouds. Rainbows. All of these things are cute in their own right, but there is a very simple way to make them even cuter: Add a face to them.

Adding a simple, smiling face to inanimate objects has become a very popular illustration choice. It's a quick, easy way to make anything cute. Just a little smile and two bright, round eyes is enough to imbue any object with personality.

But it's not just any face. Studying a variety of these illustrations, the faces placed onto the inanimate objects are similar:

Eyes: The eyes are always flat black circles. There is no iris or pupil. The eyes are also spaced far apart according to the shape of the "head". This helps give the object a "benign", unthreatening appearance.

Mouth: The mouths can vary a bit, but they are usually either compact, staying in the center of the "face", or stretch wide across the width of the object. The eyes are also always placed at either end of the mouth- never above it.

Someday, I would like to do a little study of eye-mouth proportion and composition and which variations of this are seen as the most cute. *puts that on the to-do list*

OT: Video Game Interfaces

2008-07-03T20:54:00.003-04:00

I am spiraling into a video game binge, so updating may become sporadic in the coming weeks as I play through [Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice], [Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection], and [Shadow of the Colossus].

Colossus pushes not only my gaming buttons -one of the best I’ve played- but my design buttons. After playing other Japanese RPGs/adventure games -with their bloated charts and diagrams mapping everything from character, weapon and armor stats to potions inventory- the incredibly sparse interface of Colossus is a breath of fresh air.

The plot of the game is simple: The player controls a young warrior who has to seek out sixteen colossi. Not enemies other than these gigantic monsters exist, and the only goal in the game is to kill them. No side quests, no character development, no items to collect or buy, no real story line. The interface of Colossus matches the simplicity of the game: a health meter (for the player and the colossus), a box showing which weapon is equipped at the moment, and a circle that doubles as a grip and weapons strength meter.

It was a little alarming for me at first, being accustomed to complicated game play and information design. When traveling to the first colossus I spent a good deal of time riding around trying to find hidden potions or other items that would help me in my battles. But no- all I had was a sword and a bow to defeat the colossus, and nothing to help my health meter should I become injured. So in lieu of assistance from items or armor, the player relies only on they dexterity and puzzle-solving abilities when battling the colossi. You're pretty much left to your own devices.

This can be very scary and overwhelming at times. The colossi are huge, and move around a lot during battle, and the player is constantly in danger of being stepped on. The camera being from the player's POV adds to this sense of full immersion in the game. It's definitely different from most RPGs, in which the player and enemies stand politely on either side of the screen, taking turns exchanging attacks.

But, back to the interface. The lack of information cluttering the screen lends to an incredible sense of freedom in the game play. I've found myself just running around the expansive landscape for up to an hour, just exploring without the goal of finding anything (other than the colossus). Of course there is a map, but it's not needed for finding the colossi, really. And the beautiful design of the interface rewards players for getting lost and exploring.

So, uh, if you get the chance, get out this game. I was lucky enough to get it for $0.89 at Gamestop (using an $18 store card from trade ins). I also want to get a copy of its sister game, [ICO], but it's harder to find.

Moe: I’m in Love with Cartoon School Girls

2008-06-30T16:45:00.005-04:00

Lucky Star figurines on my book shelf. Accompanying Fukumoto manga to combat loli vibes.

Being an avid anime fan, I am well aware of the phenomenon of “moe” (pronounced “moe-eh“) (1). Definitions of moe differ slightly from source to source, but simply put it’s an attraction to anime characters. Anime producers have capitalized on this by creating shows with characters that blatantly display popular moe characteristics.

While moe has strong connections to cuteness -the big eyes and small noses and mouths that are common to anime designs- cuteness does not always make something “moe”. But moe can elicit feelings of protectiveness from the viewer, similar to the way one would feel towards a helpless kitten or an infant. This also does not have to apply to human anime characters. Chi from [Chi’s Sweet Home] gives me feelings of moe (it’s also just that I love cats).

Moe, however, can also be defined a collection of characteristics rather than an overall character. Feelings of moe can be triggered by certain factors. For example, anime viewers can develop moe feelings for characters who wear glasses, or clumsy characters, or “big sister/big brother” characters. Oftentimes, characters are loaded down with these “triggers”, creating bloated character designs that can rival [Tetsuya Nomura]. [Here’s] an excellent article on this matter, using two characters from the series Di Gi Charat as examples.

One of the things that I love about anime and manga is that it is self-referential and self-critical. Numerous series have been created critiquing the moe phenomenon. One of my favorite series that does this is [Lucky Star], which does it in an extremely subtle way. It takes occasional jabs at the audience, “poking fun at them for finding this sort of thing titillating” (2). The main characters -four high school girls- display stereotypical moe characteristics -glasses, pigtails, clumsiness, [“tsundere”] personalities- but the plot of the show (or lack thereof) renders these characteristics incidental to the characters, not a critical part of the story. Instead of the typical plotlines of a lot of moe anime (e.g., falling critically ill, falling in love with boys), the viewer is forced to watch these four girls go about their daily lives in an almost “Waiting for Godot” fashion- attending classes, riding the bus, [talking about food]. It completely defies any expectations one would have from the design of the show, and I personally think it’s brilliant for doing so. It's like cock-blocking fanboys.

Now that I’ve completed outed myself as a sad dork, I will get back to writing about iPods and food.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_(slang)
2. http://miss-arel.livejournal.com/195095.html?thread=1501207#t1501207

Book Review- Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes

2008-06-16T22:16:00.006-04:00

Photo from the [Face Food blog]

My mild obsession with bento -cutely arranged lunches in portable, stackable boxes (think Lunchables, but healthy)- has lead me to purchase a bento set and accessories, and to pick up the new book [Face Food]. Written by Christopher D. Saylers, Food Face explores the wide range of "character bentos", or "charaben"- literally, rice, nori, vegetables and other foods arranged to resemble a child’s favorite cartoon characters. These painstakingly detailed lunches are the result of hours of work by a parent, for the sole purpose of the child’s enjoyment and nutrition.

Saylers interviews several charaben creators about how they got into the hobby and their reasons for making intricate boxed lunches. One interesting reason was concern over a child’s nutrition, battling against the wave of unhealthy pre-packaged snacks marketed to children. Charaben mimic the bright colors and characters of commercial snacks, but in a much healthier packaging.

I've briefly written about [bentos before], but Face Food got me thinking further about the connection between cuteness and eating- particular when it comes to getting children to eat well. The photographs of bentoes in the book come with a partial list of ingredients, and it’s amazing to see how boring or otherwise unappealing (to a child’s taste) ingredients can become cute and appetizing: green beans for trees, carrots for a penguin’s feet, ears made from hard boiled eggs. Integrated into a design, it effectively "disguises" the food without really changing it.

And that’s one of the major reasons for using cuteness in design. Cuteness can “soften the blow” of an object or concept -technology or food- to make it appealing to someone unfamiliar with it. So it makes perfect sense that this is used to get picky eaters to expand their palette and improve their health.

Cute Medical Equipment

2008-06-11T21:28:00.002-04:00

Filler post for now! I'm planning on some new entries soon (a review of [Face Food] and an article on cuteness' connection to the [Uncanny Valley]), but I've been busy lately and haven't posted in a while, so here you go.

Medical equipment is typically cold, distance and clinical, white and gray boxy monstrosities that frighten off anyone trying to use them. But medical devices that are used daily, not under the supervision of a doctor, are changing this. It's important to foster a good relationship between a user and a life-saving medical device, so cuteness is often used to do this. One area in which this can be seen is home glucose testers for people with diabetes.

One company that produces home glucose testers is LifeScan. They've succeeded in making the testers smaller and easier to use and conceal. A product that demonstrates this is their "OneTouch" series, which require only the click a button to test blood glucose levels. The devices are small and resemble other electronics, like stop watches and MP3 players. The testers feature round shapes, making them easier to hold and use one-handed, and come in different colors, like deep blues and grays.

LifeScan's "UltraMini" series breaks away from this, though. One of the main selling points for the device on the company's website is that it comes in a variety of fun colors, like bright green and pink. "Take the dull out of diabetes testing," the website proclaims. The colors and improved shape - long and thin like a pen, to make it easily portable in a bag or pocket - help to foster user-product relations, especially for a product that does a painful, monotonous task.

Baby-Face Bias and the Volkswagen Beetle

2008-05-30T11:43:00.003-04:00

Facial features that are considered "baby-like" are constant throughout cultures and even species. Baby-like faces are associated with "naiveté, helplessness, honesty and innocence", whereas mature features are considered authoritative and intelligent (1). These features are not just limited to character design. They can also be applied abstractly to make an object seem friendly and simple. For example, a computer or a television with a large screen (mimicking large, bright eyes) appears to be more "open" than one with a small screen. The front of the Volkswagen Beetle, with its large round headlights and smoothly arched front windshield, closely resembles an infant's face.

For more on the cute characteristics of the Volkswagen Beetle, check out this chart.

1. Jill Butler, Kritina Holden and William Lidwell. Universal Principles of Design. Gloucester, Massachusetts: Rockport Publishers, 2003.

Cute 201- Cute vs. Quaint

2008-05-25T12:04:00.002-04:00

I’m a big yard sale and flea market junkie. My apartment is filled with vintage knick-knacks I find odd or charming or -yes- cute. But looking at these objects again while conducting my research into cute design, I wonder if they can truly be classified as “cute”.

I think cute is often mixed up with “quaint” -those gold-painted plastic picture frames in your grandmother’s house, an olive green refrigerator, a retro can holder shaped like a Tootsie Roll- with “quaint” signifying charmingly old-fashioned or out-of-date.

Both cute and quaint exist within the context of weakness. Cute is helpless little puppies and babies who need to be cared for lest their perish in this cruel world. Quaint shows the weakness a design holds when it is no longer able to stand in the decades after its creation. An olive green refrigerator is quaint and charming precisely because it looks out-dated, and it’s amusing to think that such an item was once the cream of the crop (particularly in today’s world of spaceship-like stainless steel iceboxes).

But true cuteness relies on being fresh and new: just-born kittens and infants, whose cuteness will only fade as they grow older and mature. Cuteness seems to rely on naiveté a lack of life experience, while still being biological ingrained for survival. Kittens are cared for because they are cute, and then grow up into mature, independent cats. Olive green refrigerators are unable to stand up to decades of changing design sensibilities and become “quaint”, out-dated but still strangely lovable.

Is Apple Becoming Less Cute?

2008-05-24T21:27:00.002-04:00

Today I checked out the new Apple store that opened in downtown Boston. It’s a huge, glass-fronted facility, open and airy and covered with more stainless steel than a trendy restaurant kitchen. A clear glass staircase spirals up two stories through the center of the store, seeming to float in the air. It’s possibly to match the look and feel of Apple newest product, the Macbook Air.

I walked around the store for a little while, before noticing: Where is Apple’s cuteness?

Looking at Apple’s recently released products -the Macbook Air, the iPhone, the Apple TV- they are stripped of the bright colors and groovy shapes that made the iMac so popular and revolutionary. Indeed, the only bit of color really in the whole store was the row of cracker-sized iPod Nanos, amidst a sea of steel, white plastic and unfinished plywood.

What’s going on with this? What is changing in Apple’s market position to cause them to all but drop the bright colors and happy Rolling Stones music? I can see a few reasons for this:

1. Computers are a lot more common place now than they were even ten years ago. It’s not longer a question of owning a computer, but having the latest model, and consumers are becoming more knowledgeable of different brands and specs. Computers are no longer big technological monoliths, so it’s not necessary to make them look like pieces of candy so they won’t scare off hapless consumers.

2. I think it’s also an effort to make their products seem “serious”. Some criticism of the iMac G3 was that is was “baby-ish” and too “simple”- which could appeal to designers, but not so much to professionals and computer people. With Apple products constantly pushing the bar of what is technologically possible, it’s important to have their designs be open to consumers. And sometimes that means going to route of somewhat boring -but still clean and slick- white plastic and steel.

3. The monotone designs help the products look less disposable. With people changing computers every two years now, the cleaner designs of Apple make the products appear sturdier- physically and hardware-wise. It also places the computers in the realm of “tools”, rather than novelties (which was one of the selling points of the G3). Apple now seems to use color only on its iPod series, which makes sense: the iPod is small and portable, mostly used for entertainment.

This isn’t only an issue of color, of course. Apple still retains rounded shapes for a lot of its products, but it is constrained. This seems to be mostly for portability issues. A flat iPod or Macbook will be much easier to carry in a pocket or bag if it is relatively thin and flat, not rounded. And the rounded corners help prevent pokes and bruises caused by sharp edges.

And now a break from design babble...

2008-05-22T23:07:00.004-04:00

...to discuss kitten anime! Yes, two of my favorite things in the world -kittens and anime- finally come together in one of this season's newest anime series, Chi's Sweet Home. Based on the wonderful manga by Konami Kanata, it chronicles the cute, day-to-day adventures of a kitten exploring his new home and the surrounding world.

I heartily recommend it for anyone who likes cats or anime, or both. It's not licensed for release in the US, but you can check out the anime on Youtube, or Bittorrent [here].

Happiness Through Sustainability- Cuteness in Green Design

2008-05-21T14:01:00.006-04:00

Green is in. Global warming grabs news headlines; auto makers are seeking to design efficient hybrid cars; organic food markets are enjoying a boost in popularity. Everyone is looking to “green up” their image.

And green is cute: bright colors and friendly, nature-inspired shapes, conveying a message of happiness and hope in sustainability. The biotech giant Monsanto changed its logo from a stern block “M”, to a spry little vine, growing upwards.

One corporation that has made a dramatic environmentally-concious change to its public image is BP (originally called British Petroleum). Up until 2000, their logo was a shield, reminiscent of old, hard industrial gas and oil companies. With the greening trend, BP sought to re-brand itself as a contemporary, progressive energy company.

What resulted is the “helios” logo, a radiating geometric flower done in hopeful greens and yellows. The new logo is expressive and memorable, symbolizing hope and dynamism, the message BP wishes to convey in this new environmentally-conscious age. Their tagline reads “Beyond Petroleum”, playing off of the initials in the corporation’s name.

BP’s new series of [television commercials] also convey this. A commercial of theirs from the 1980s used a lot of industrial imagery, such as big, heavy cars, airplanes and spaceships. The new commercials feature a colorful, fun animated world, pop music playing in the background telling us “to make the day a little better”. Several babies in a car, singing along to the music. They pass several dangerous-looking, run-down traditional gas stations, before pulling into a clean, white BP station, a shining beacon on the horizon. Anthropomorphized gas pumps fill up their car while whistling to the music. The style of the commercial is cute and cartoon-y, making the energy corporation appear friendly and approachable.

This cute approach to environmentally-conscious design is used with other consumer goods. This is perhaps done to get people to “warm up” to the idea of purchasing an environmentally sound product, to make it appear non-threatening and easy to understand.

Hybrid vehicles use cuteness in this way. While most auto makers try to have their hybrid cars look similar to their standard cars, there are some subtle differences that work to make the hybrid car appear “cuter”, but not “weak” or “wimpy”.

In 2004, Ford released its first hybrid sports utility vehicle, the Escape. While it looks remarkably similar to Ford’s other line of SUVs, it is differentiated in some ways to make it appear friendlier. The Escape was the first American-produced hybrid vehicle, so its design was most likely made to be less alienating to Ford’s existing customer base. The front bumper of the Escape was rounded and smoothed, giving up the “indestructible barrier” look that their other SUVs have. The body of the car also shortened slightly, making the wheels look bigger, giving it a “stout” appearance.

The Toyota Prius, however, flaunts it eco-consciousness. Released in 2003, it is the best-selling hybrid car today. Sleek and pod-shaped, it stands out from anything else on the road. It’s unique design is one of its main selling points. But to some, it’s smug and showy. The next incarnation of the Pruis looks to go further with the distinct, futuristic design of the 2003 Prius5. That car is shortened and the back rounded out. Windows stretch over the roof of the car, giving it the appearance of a futuristic spaceship.

Also, thank you to [Heroine Sheik] for featuring me on their blog!

Charting Cute

2008-04-28T16:36:00.002-04:00

I've been super-busy working on my portfolio for college graduation, so I don't have any new content for this post. So instead, here are some charts I did as part of the research for the original project this blog is based on. The first one depicts a variety of cute products and their corresponding cute characteristics (which helped me to determine which cute characteristics were the most common); the second is the same idea but with Olympic mascots. Click to enlarge.

Excerpts from the Design Benign book

2008-04-17T17:08:00.006-04:00

I put up some photos of the book I originally created for this project, my senior graphic design thesis. Excerpts from the book are posted here, as well as new material as I continue my research into the subject of cuteness.

You can check it out [here], as well as my other graphic design work [here].

Cute 101- The Taxonomy of Cute

2008-04-12T17:02:00.003-04:00

Like beauty, everyone knows cuteness when they see it. But can cuteness be broken down to its basic properties? I compiled a list of what I found to be the fundamental characteristics of cuteness, what can be seen in anything from kittens to Volkswagen Beetles.

Symmetry- Symmetry and balance is one of the basic principles of any successful design. It is fundamental to human’s perception of the world. Faces that are symmetrical are considered more attractive than faces that are asymmetrical. Symmetry makes a design look stable and harmonic, simpler and easier to understand. Various electronics that employ buttons use symmetry to help make the layout easier to comprehend.

Simple Silhouette- Simple outlines are easier to read and understand than complicated outlines. They can also be easily remembered. Think of the shape of a Coke bottle or the silhouette of the Empire State Building.

Bright but Unthreatening Colors- Color is very important to design. Symbolically, it can indicate the function of something, like a warning or a “go” signal. Color can also bring life to an otherwise stall product. Bright colors are seen as fun and playful, but they should not go too far. A bight orange can be invigorating, but too bright and it resembles the color of prison jumpsuits.

Roundness- Round, fat shapes and bodies imply harmlessness, the opposite of threatening sharp angles and claws. Roundness is one of the fundamental properties of cuteness. Simply rounding the corners of an object immediately makes it look cuter and more approachable. Even something like the Hummer, in its transformation from military vehicle to consumer car, was “plumped up” a little. It still looks big and threatening, but “softer” for general consumers.

Simple Shapes- Like with the silhouette, simple shapes are easier to understand and recall. Simple shapes also imply simplicity in use, and an overall harmonious design.

Smallness- Small things are easier to control, so they seem less threatening. Like infants, small things inspire feelings of protectiveness by someone in a position of authority and power.

Facial Features Close Together- Babies have squashed faces, their eyes, nose and mouth close together, so this characteristic is considered “cute”. It is also seen in baby animals. However, the facial features must also be concentrated in the lower portion of the face. Facial features close together, but in the center of the face or top of the face just looks weird and threatening.

Large Forehead Area- Along with large eyes, a large, round forehead is the other main characteristic of a “baby face”. As a face matures, the facial features become less squashed together, so the forehead becomes smaller. Infant humans and animals also have heads that are proportionally larger to their bodies, so this characteristic is seen as infantile.

Small Nose- The nose is an awkward-looking body part, so having it minimized or gone altogether makes it cuter. Babies and infantile characters will usually have small, round “button” noses.

Small Mouth- Like the nose, the mouth looks awkward, so making it smaller transforms it into a cuter facial feature. A small mouth, or the complete absence of a mouth, could also represent that the character is less likely to speak up for itself. It will be docile and easier to control.

Small Ears- Last in the small facial features groups is ears. Making ears small and round makes them less noticeable, and therefore cuter. All of these facial features combined form to make a face in which nothing really stands out- there are not any surprises, so it is easier to understand and empathize.

Big, Bright Eyes- Big eyes are mostly associated with children and baby animals, so they signify innocence, honesty and happiness. People with large, clear eyes are thought to be trustworthy than people with small eyes.

Stubby Limbs- Short, stocky limbs are almost always found on infants and immature animals. As an organism grows, its limbs become longer and refined. Stubby limbs signify helplessness, clumsiness- like a toddler learning to walk. Sometimes, a cute character’s limbs will end only in stumps, not fingers or toes. This adds to the “helplessness” of the character, inspiring feelings of protectiveness in a viewer. It is also non-threatening, not having any way it could harm someone.

Oversized Accessories- Like a toddler wearing its parent’s shoes, small things paired with larger things are charmingly humorous. It’s an amusing façade, something small and weak trying to pretend it’s older and stronger. The larger object also emphasizes the smallness of the accompanying object or character.

Softness/Fur- Baby mammals are soft and furry. Baby humans typically have soft hair. Teddy bears are furry. Softness and fur imply friendliness and innocence- a cute, soft thing would never harm anyone.

E. coli Never Looked Cuter

2008-04-06T21:36:00.002-04:00

I think anything can be made to look cute. Whether it can be done free from irony is another debate. But it fascinates me to see how people’s reactions to a particular topic can change once it is made cute. This can be especially useful for educational purposes.

One area I’ve seen this happen in is microbiology.

Moyashimon (or Tale of Agriculture) is an anime that came out last fall (yes, I am an anime nerd). It follows the college hijacks of Sawaki Tadayasu, a teenager who has the ability to see microbes without the aid of a microscope. The microbes are depicted as cute one-inch tall creatures with eyes and who can talk (usually to annoy Sawaki). The show features a lot of information about the functions of various microbes, especially for food fermentation and sake production. These may seem like dry subjects, but the cute squeaking microbes make it very endearing and engrossing.

Then, of course, are the [GIANTmicrobes] plush toys. Originally created as novelty toys, they have been adopted by doctors and health educators to teach people about microbes. The fuzzy plushies are certainly more fun to look at and handle than illustrations in a science textbook, and the design of the toys helps to make the subject of dangerous microbes less alarming. GIANTmicrobes also has a set of plushies specially created for doctors to teach about common but deadly diseases, such as tuberculosis and hepatitis.

So Cute I Could Eat Its Face Off

2008-04-04T20:20:00.003-04:00

Why does cuteness seem to inspire a mind boggling desire for consumption and/or destruction?

How many times have you seen a small cute puppy, or a stuffed toy, and had the sudden urge to squeeze it as hard as you could?

If cuteness evolved to insure the survival of infantile animals, why is there this bizarre parallel feeling for the destruction of cute things?

One area where this is seen a lot is food. Few things are fun as biting off the heads of adorable animal crackers or slowly gnawing away the body of a cute chocolate Easter bunny. Humans seem to have an insatiable desire to consume cute food items.

The Perfect Form of Cute: Cake
I’ll admit that I am a HUGE Food Network dork. My favorite show on the culinary channel is “Ace of Cakes”, a weekly documentary about the ins and outs of a specialty cake shop in Baltimore. The shop excels in making cakes that look like things that are not cake, and one area where they are especially talented in is making cute cakes.

Well, all of their cakes, to some degree, are cute. It’s difficult to be a cake and NOT be cute. A lot of the discussion by the employees on the show centers around the cuteness of particular cakes they are working on. But still- it seems strange to see these cute cakes -often in the forms of dogs and other animals- eaten voraciously by the people who order them. This is also commented on by the shop’s workers.

Bentos and Sweets
Japan, of course, has us beat in cuteness. This also applies to cute food. Bentos, beautifully arranged lunchboxes, are something of an art form in Japan. Sometimes taking hours to assemble by parents eager to please their child (and the child’s friends), bentos employ a host of tricks to make food cute: from flower-shaped vegetables, to hot dogs cut into the form of little octopi, to rice balls shaped and decorated to resemble favorite cartoon characters.

These cute arrangements serve not only to be visually appealing, but to be healthy. Parents observe how their children will eat more fruits and vegetables when the food looks cute and harmless (and often not like fruits and vegetables). The central idea of bento-ing is to take ordinary food and make it cute and attractive and easily-portable. Bento boxes and accessories are typically small and decorated with cute designs.

But no bento would be complete without a small pieces of candy included. I’ve been fascinated by candy manufactured in Japan for a few years, particularly the packaging. It follows the philosophy of self-containment and impeccable presentation. In a pack of fruit gummies, for example, each individual piece of candy (often a half-inch across) will be individually wrapped in brightly-colored wrappers. While this is practical, and a lot of Western candy follows this practice, Japanese candy differs a little. Western candies are typically wrapped in clear wrappers, so one can still see the candies. The wrapping on Japanese candies is opaque, printed with colorful designs. A lot more attention is paid to the presentation of the candy than the candy itself (though the candies themselves are very tasty).

Welcome to Design Benign!

2008-04-04T16:17:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Design Benign, a blog for the study of all things cute in contemporary design.

My name is Nicole, your resident cute design analyst.

Design Benign started out as my Senior project in art school. It has since evolved into a somewhat obsessive research project.

Design Benign is about the who, where and why of cuteness in design, be it an iPod, a cute hybrid car, or a corporate mascot.

Cuteness is an important part of contemporary design and culture, one that deserves in-depth analysis and discussion.

Remember:

Hello Kitty makes over one billion dollars a year.

The Apple iPod had sold over 110 million units worldwide.

I Can Has Cheezburger gets 1,500,000 hits a day.

Cute is serious business.