When inspiration takes shape

Let's talk about sketches.
PROCESS Joel Escalona PROCESS Joel Escalona

Let's talk about sketches.

Designing is not just about flawless outcomes; it's about the beautiful process of failing, learning, and growing. Dive deep into the world of sketches—those unrefined, raw bursts of inspiration that fuel creativity. These seemingly simple drawings are rich with possibilities, inviting interpretations and nurturing evolving ideas. Much like this text, every sketch tells a story of exploration, a narrative of design in its purest form, always seeking, never settling.

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From Art to Design
INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona

From Art to Design

Design, spanning from practical industrial design to emotive art, is a complex constellation rather than a linear spectrum. While industrial design delivers mass-produced items, art stirs emotion through aesthetics. Bridging these extremes are three pivotal pillars: radical design challenging conventions, studio craft emphasizing individual creativity, and practice-based research propelling intellectual rigor.

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Three types of objects
INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona

Three types of objects

There are three types of objects: functional and rational aligned with the Bauhaus school, romantic and metaphorical like Starck's (in)practical juicer, and those we treasure because they inexplicably make us remember. Those that solve, those that opine, and those that represent. Those that have characteristics, those that have concepts, and those that we permeate with our memories.

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About NFT
PROCESS JOEL ESCALONA STUDIO PROCESS JOEL ESCALONA STUDIO

About NFT

The fact that someone has sold an NFT for $69 million does not mean that your art will finally be worth something. Your art will only be worth something to the extent that society has already reached a consensus that it is valuable.

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Two types of furniture
INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona

Two types of furniture

"The imitation of antique furniture symbolizes aspiration and the imitation of modern furniture symbolizes status. Generally, the first is in the home and the second in the office, sometimes one or the other in both, and rarely the reverse".

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What is a designer?
PROCESS, INSIGHTS, PROJECTS Joel Escalona PROCESS, INSIGHTS, PROJECTS Joel Escalona

What is a designer?

After so many years of designing and teaching, I decided to start another project, bringing together all of the lessons, comments, texts, books, videos and other information that has served me to be a better person and, as a consequence, a better designer.

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What is happiness?
INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona

What is happiness?

Happiness is an abstract term, meaning different things to different people. Everyone has preconceived notions of what happiness is and how they can achieve it. Happiness is more like poetry than science or math. That's why there is no algorithm for achieving it, but we can compare concepts to understand it, practice it, and achieve it.

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The Commercial Value of Design
INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona

The Commercial Value of Design

In an article published by McKinsey, the authors point out that value design must encourage analytical leadership, it must be trans-discipline or rather trans-departmental, it must happen at all times and it is better if it merges the digital world with the physical one to enhance the experience of the entire service.

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AI VS Designers
INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona

AI VS Designers

After doing some exercises with DALLE where the result is something that I would have liked to have drawn, I get the question: could artificial intelligence replace designers at some point?

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Design Manifesto
INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona

Design Manifesto

As you can see, I like rules, order, and lists. Because there are things that are important and there are things that are not, and it's good to write them down to remember them. Now more than ever, we must focus on things that deserve our attention.

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Manifesto
INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona INSIGHTS, PROCESS Joel Escalona

Manifesto

My father taught me three things very well: first, perfectly organizing a toolbox (an activity that everyone in my studio must do at some point); second, greet everyone when you arrive somewhere, it's a matter of education and humility; and third, rigor. My father knew very well how to teach me the meaning of rigor through example and compliance with rules.

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