Each week we chat about the tools of the trade with one outstanding creative to find out exactly how they do what they do. The questions are always the same, the answers, not so much. This week: onformative.The Creators Project: Who are you and what do you do?
Cedric Kiefer: My name is Cedric Kiefer. I am part of onformative, a Berlin-based studio for generative design founded by Julia Laub and myself back in 2010. As our name suggests we are mainly focused on the use of generative design strategies in the fields of art and design. We believe the generative design process represents a new way of thinking and allows ideas to be effectively and efficiently implemented across all media. Generativity has its own intrinsic value, complementing established design methods while existing autonomously alongside these, creating new, previously unknown solutions that would be impossible using just traditional design methods alone.What hardware do you use?
Speaking for myself, I am a PC user and always have been. Even situations like teaching 20 students behind their MacBooks while I stare into their bright glowing Apple logos probably won't change that. Currently I’m using Win7 on a VAIO F1190X Notebook running on a i7 @1.73Gh and 8GB RAM. Beside that I don't need much. Although I own an iPad and an Android Galaxy Tab, which I choose depending on the needs and the fact of which one is easier to reach at that given moment.What software do you use?
We mainly work with Processing, writing our own software tools. Existing software solutions often restrict implementation possibilities and can even predetermine the solution. By writing our own software we try to break through such barriers and simultaneously create new ways of working with the design process. This process, in which the tools grow and develop with the design, is what excites us. Of course, we also make use of well-known, existing design software when it makes sense to do so. Especially in the post-Processing process, it plays an important role. We believe the skillful combination of existing software and custom written software tools is the most effective way to reach the best results.If money were no object, how would you change your current setup?
There is probably not much I would change, as I am quite happy with our office and the current setup we have. But that's one of the things that fascinates me these days. Even people working from home using an old computer and open source software can still create the most beautiful and amazing work without the need of a complex and costly setup, and share it with the rest of the world.What's your favorite relic piece of technology from your childhood?
When I was younger I collected all different kinds of little LCD electronic handheld games that didn't have much more than two buttons and a D-Pad to control some static graphics and move them back and forth across the screen. I’m still impressed how they were able to tell so many different stories from Donkey Kong to racing games with such a simple setup. I recently discovered the fantastic website Pica-pic.com, which currently offers 28 recreations of vintage LCD games from the 80s that can be played with your keyboard, to bring back those childhood memories.Is there any piece of technology that inspired you to take the path you did?
It’s probably hard to talk about one piece of technology that influenced me and made me take the path I finally took. But talking about those LCD handheld games, I can remember that it probably was the first time when I started to manipulate, you might even call it hack, those handheld games by opening up the housings and changing and replacing the background images or even drawing new ones using colored pencils and a small piece of paper to give the games a totally new meaning and story. This need of creating my own stories by manipulating and influencing existing systems or creating new ones is probably still the driving force behind my current work.What fantasy piece of technology would you like to see invented?
Something we’ve definitely needed more than once at the office would be something like a "mind printer", printing out the thoughts and ideas you have in your mind. Visual ideas often appear so clear to me but on the other hand, it's hard to explain them to somebody else. And even if you did a great job of explaining, it still looks totally different in someone else’s mind.
Cedric Kiefer: My name is Cedric Kiefer. I am part of onformative, a Berlin-based studio for generative design founded by Julia Laub and myself back in 2010. As our name suggests we are mainly focused on the use of generative design strategies in the fields of art and design. We believe the generative design process represents a new way of thinking and allows ideas to be effectively and efficiently implemented across all media. Generativity has its own intrinsic value, complementing established design methods while existing autonomously alongside these, creating new, previously unknown solutions that would be impossible using just traditional design methods alone.
Advertisement
Speaking for myself, I am a PC user and always have been. Even situations like teaching 20 students behind their MacBooks while I stare into their bright glowing Apple logos probably won't change that. Currently I’m using Win7 on a VAIO F1190X Notebook running on a i7 @1.73Gh and 8GB RAM. Beside that I don't need much. Although I own an iPad and an Android Galaxy Tab, which I choose depending on the needs and the fact of which one is easier to reach at that given moment.What software do you use?
We mainly work with Processing, writing our own software tools. Existing software solutions often restrict implementation possibilities and can even predetermine the solution. By writing our own software we try to break through such barriers and simultaneously create new ways of working with the design process. This process, in which the tools grow and develop with the design, is what excites us. Of course, we also make use of well-known, existing design software when it makes sense to do so. Especially in the post-Processing process, it plays an important role. We believe the skillful combination of existing software and custom written software tools is the most effective way to reach the best results.If money were no object, how would you change your current setup?
There is probably not much I would change, as I am quite happy with our office and the current setup we have. But that's one of the things that fascinates me these days. Even people working from home using an old computer and open source software can still create the most beautiful and amazing work without the need of a complex and costly setup, and share it with the rest of the world.What's your favorite relic piece of technology from your childhood?
When I was younger I collected all different kinds of little LCD electronic handheld games that didn't have much more than two buttons and a D-Pad to control some static graphics and move them back and forth across the screen. I’m still impressed how they were able to tell so many different stories from Donkey Kong to racing games with such a simple setup. I recently discovered the fantastic website Pica-pic.com, which currently offers 28 recreations of vintage LCD games from the 80s that can be played with your keyboard, to bring back those childhood memories.Is there any piece of technology that inspired you to take the path you did?
It’s probably hard to talk about one piece of technology that influenced me and made me take the path I finally took. But talking about those LCD handheld games, I can remember that it probably was the first time when I started to manipulate, you might even call it hack, those handheld games by opening up the housings and changing and replacing the background images or even drawing new ones using colored pencils and a small piece of paper to give the games a totally new meaning and story. This need of creating my own stories by manipulating and influencing existing systems or creating new ones is probably still the driving force behind my current work.What fantasy piece of technology would you like to see invented?
Something we’ve definitely needed more than once at the office would be something like a "mind printer", printing out the thoughts and ideas you have in your mind. Visual ideas often appear so clear to me but on the other hand, it's hard to explain them to somebody else. And even if you did a great job of explaining, it still looks totally different in someone else’s mind.