Independent Study Project
CrowdNoize Designs
For my ISP I documented the design process of creating work to be used for the start up online business, CrowdNoize.com. CrowdNoize is a web based resource that lists electronic and hiphop events in Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and Minneapolis. The design work that I completed is being used on all four city’s websites as well as business cards and promotional material. For my ISP presentation I printed the highlights of this design work and suspended them using carabineers and fishing wire. On a television screen adjacent to the prints I displayed the home pages of the four CrowdNoize branches.
CrowdNoize was started my close friend of mine Domingo Meneses and friend of his Patrick Welby. Both Domingo and Patrick have experience and connections in the Chicago music industry so developing a resource to show case underground music events was a natural development of their interests. I was brought in help design the website and creative a visual identity for CrowdNoize. I wanted my designs for CrowdNoize to have a unique and elegant aesthetic. It was also important the designs were simplistic enough so they could use used effectively in various visual contexts.
My Engage Chicago is actually closely linked to my ISP project with CrowdNoize because it to was focused on connecting with live music in Chicago. Over the course of the semester I attended a variety of different concerts, shows, or house parties which hosted some form of live music. The videos that I captured from these events were later uploaded to a blog where I wrote a short description and review of my experience.
I really enjoyed all of the music that saw, but more importantly the Engage Chicago project encouraged me to experience new venues and music. Exploring Chicago through different music scenes was the best way, in my opinion, to witness the variety of creativity and eccentric beauty of this city. Whether is was a local dubstep DJ playing grimy bass heavy tracks in an underground bar or visiting the cultural center during the world music festival, the dedication and devotion of Chicago to music and art is undeniably unique and thriving.
