Week #10 Late nights in the theatre

This week, I spent all of my evenings in the Claire working on New Slate. Unfortunately, given that New Slate corresponds with 10th week this year, I was not able to devote all of my evenings to the show and spent a lot of time working on my computer, in the dark.

The pictures I have shared this week show the lighting provided by the glow of my computer screen. The digital lighting is cold and harsh, especially in contrast to the quality of light on stage. Even though the computer screen is overly intense in the setting, the screen draws me in; it is almost mesmerizing and makes me feel like a moth drawn to a light.

It gave my skin a cold and sickly glow. It doesn't light any dark shades whatsoever only casting light on my face.

Overall, the emotions I get from this lighting are intense, cold, and serious.

Week #10 Anteater Pride

I was walking through from the bookstore on campus to cross the new bridge they build going back to CTSA. It was in the afternoon and noticed how well the anteater was lit from the sun.  I thought it was interesting lighting from my perspective. I was walking from in the shade while the Anteater was displayed for all to see above and in the sun. 

It brought a sense of satisfaction and pride. It was a moment of reflection and nostalgia as we near the end of Fall quarter. The angle of the light is what I thought was the most eye catching. The display was not lit front on, but from the side bringing a sense of realization and softness in warm ambers from the sun, but then contrasting with lavenders and blues in the shade. 

Week # 9 Sunsets and Vistas

This Friday, I went for a hike at Will Rogers National Park in Los Angeles. I went with an old friend I went to school with in New York and we spent the day catching up. We talked about about memories, how far we've come and where we are going. I snapped this pick at inspiration point, the highest point on the hike, overlooking the park, LA and the ocean.

This is one of my favorite pictures I've included in this blog. I love the colours and the horizontal divisions in the composition. The warmth of the oranges and reds give me a sense of comfort, satisfaction and happiness and the blue add balance to the composition. The lens flare and back lit trees gives the image an epic quality. Overall, this image gives me a sense of triumph and accomplishment.

Week 9: Missing longer nights

The changing of seasons always make me miss the days when the sunsets can be clearly seen through a cloudless sky. As I thought about how gloomy and grey it's been getting, I thought back to a calm, warmer night by the beach a couple weeks ago. I captured this photo when my family and I were surrounding a fire by the water. In comparison to a day like today, there is so much more vibrance and color in the sky and reflected on the water. The blues, ambers, and purples remind me of this relaxed feeling of ease. The ambers in the sky are concentrated at the horizon, while the softness in the sky grows darker, creating a feeling of winding down. The streaks of amber reflected across the water make me think of gentle brushstrokes creating a smooth pathway to serenity.

Week 9: MORE Disney Fun!

This Thanksgiving Weekend my family and I went to California Adventure to celebrate my mom's birthday. It was an interesting experience, because the park was so crowded that it was virtually impossible to do anything but walk around the park to look at the Christmas decorations. I found myself most interested in the lighting design, and felt that the most cohesive area of the park in terms of lighting and decor was Car's Land. As soon as I entered this land, I was taken back to the 1950s, because of the use of neon lights/pastel colors. Along with neon signs, I noticed that the canyon (in the background of the picture) is lit to communicate a sense of source, and to me the sun (or source) colors the canyon in a way that makes it seem as if the sun is setting. I very much appreciated the cohesive look of the entire land because (besides the awesome neon signs) the lighting is very simplistic with not much flash or effect. The simplicity of this design truly allowed for me to feel the sort of buzz and excitement that I feel this land, or world, represents. This allowed for me to reflect on my project designs this past quarter, where I feel that I often attempted to create very sophisticated looks using many sources and many colors within one cue. Though this is very thematic lighting, I appreciated the reminder that I received from visiting Car's Land-- to keep it simple and to evoke emotions, which seems to be a constant lesson for me in all of my artistic work this quarter.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!- Week 9

 

Christmas decorations are my favorite.  I love driving around neighborhoods this time of year, and seeing houses and lawns decked out in glowing red, green, blue, and yellow lights.  Because it is so dark and cold outside, I find that these Christmas tree lights warm up a room- they provide comfort and joy in comparison to the gloomy weather outside.  For some of us these lights are tradition and remind us of family.  They also remind me that the year is coming to an end, which brings the end of a chapter and a start of a new.  When I have these Christmas tree lights on, I like to turn off all the other lights in the room and let this light radiate and fill the space, as it brings me joy and excitement for the holidays to come.

Week 9 Strangers in the Night

     This photo appeals to my eye in various ways. The lighting source in the middle of the space casts stark, industrial lighting texture to the display that grabs my center of focus. Choosing to use side lighting that reaches the mannequins in both directions makes the monochromatic clothing and the lack of facial features on the mannequins mysterious and exclusive.  Overall, this dark and powerful lighting statement symbolizes how fashion and lighting can work together.

Week #9 - Brushstrokes in the Sky

These are pictures that I took of the sky as I was driving home from Idaho this weekend. The designs of the clouds caught my eye, but the sun shining through made it almost majestic. As I continued to look at the light in the sky, I thought about the different brushstrokes that we learned about at the beginning of the semester. The sun in these pictures makes me think about a PAR can brushstroke with the harsh edges. This raw edge allowed the light to spread through the sky and reflect off of the clouds that filled the space. This is a good example of how to use a brushstroke that I may not always think of or want to use.

Week 9: Statue

This is a photo taken on a spontaneous trip to Las Vegas, in the atrium of the Palazzo hotel. I found the lighting to be interesting, because of the way the light primarily hit the statue. This made the statue the focal point of the large space, and gave it a feeling of reverence and awe. There was natural light coming from the windows in the background, which added another dimension, but did not detract from the focus on the statue. On the ceiling, there were small, concentrated lights which added subtle detail, contributing to the opulent aesthetic of the space. The sign on the side wall was lit as well, perhaps taking us out of the old fashioned, royal world, and reminded us that we were in a Las Vegas hotel. The overall lighting scheme was fancy and regal, but still warm and inviting because of the yellow and gold tones. While Las Vegas is normally associated with loud, neon lights and flashy, bombastic people and performers, this scene was classy and refreshing. This space provided the calm and serene feeling that a vacation should have.  

Week 9 Outdoor Hallways

I got this shot on Halloween and have wanted to use it but kept forgetting. I love the shadows on the floor and the height and shadows on the wall, i love the colors in the distance, and the colors leading down this outdoor hallway. It was a festive day and with everybody in the spirit this moment seemed to encapsulate how i feel about celebrating halloween on the west coast. It is warm and bright compared to the colder, grayer halloween days i remember while in NYC. This moment is alive with greenery and activity and light and made me want to remember this fun day!

Week #9 - It's Red

This is something I see often. Red break lights in traffic. Since daylight saving, the sun is going down earlier and break lights can be seen with more intensity since it is darker out. Often times, if I see a sea of red lights, it is a sign that I should avoid it and turn away, but on this day, I wanted to just get home.

For me, the red blurry break lights represent a barricade and road rage. The feelings evoke a frustration, but knowing what the red lights mean, I must accept my fate. I will be in traffic for a while. This means, I must calm myself and submit to the fact that nothing can be done except to have patience. The dusk light in the sky with the blues, lavenders, yellows, and oranges juxtapose what is directly in front of me. It makes me feel as if there is hope and it will bypass.

Week #8 Calm after the storm

I snapped this pic early one morning after a night of rain. I was on my way to an early meeting; the campus was desolate and quiet. Although there is a lot darkness in this picture, I get an overall impression of calmness and serenity. The darkness starts at the bottom of the screen and moves toward a bright sky, this trajectory gives me the impression that a journey has taken place. Even though there are dark, heavy storm clouds in the sky, the way the light is breaking through gives a sense of hope and resolution.

There is also nice contrast between the darkness in the foreground and light in the background. In the extreme front of the frame, on the bridge, there is some soft lighting. The interplay of soft blue light and shadows in this segment of the frame adds to the overall calmness I get from the picture.

I see a lot of blue in this picture with a little bit of yellow and lavender.

There is something magical about campus at times like this when it is so quiet and still.

Week 8 Shopping, Shopping, Shopping

Here is a wonderful display of different types of lights and how to arrange them. The well lit canopy opens up the space making the shopping corridor less confining. The use of lighting with the center piece displaying a horizontal casing of bright white light grabs the attention of the shopper passing and lights up their products as much as the big name brand stores.

Week 8: Lamp light

As deadlines and assignments begin to creep up, I noticed a daily stress-relief routine of mine that depends highly on lighting. Every night as I begin to settle in, I turn on this lamp in the corner of my room. It's the only light I have on, and with all the holes in the ceramic cylinder, the lamp creates shadows across my walls. With the placement in the corner and the single bulb in the center of the lamp, the light that pokes through the openings cast different sized shadows. The ones that are furthest stretch along the walls and lose clarity. The dim, darker atmosphere this lamp creates gives me a sense of calmness. It serves as a transition from the bright sunlight, to indoor light, to dim lamp light, to darkness that I experience throughout the day. I appreciate the calm, comfort that the design of the lamp creates which eases me into thoughtful reflection.

Week #8 - Projections

These are some pictures from the new Frozen musical at Disneyland that I took a few weeks ago. When we talked about projections in class this week, I thought of this production and remembered that they had used a lot of projection technology, so I went back to look through the photos and was very impressed with the success they had with the projections, especially after realizing how hard it is to balance light and projection. They must have had some very powerful projectors, because the picture was always very clear and bright while they were also using quite a bit of the stage lighting. The projections allowed them to transition between scenes and worlds within seconds, like the Summer scene that happens as a daydream from a world of snow and ice. Overall it was really impressive, though I'm sure it was quite expensive to be able to have all of the technology needed for this level of production. I never really thought about using projection in any of my pieces, but after the lesson this week and looking back at these pictures, I can definitely see the additional production and artistic value that it can bring to a work. 

Week #8 A Little Light

Due to recent events, there had been a lot of tension on campus. As a response to this, one of the second year graduate students organized an "improv jam" for everyone in the dance department. This was a time for all to put aside their judgements, negativity, and feelings of hopelessness, and engage in the art of dance; something fruitful and positive. The student leading the improv jam turned off all the lights in the dance studio, and hung strings of Christmas lights in the space. The music being played was a variety ranging from soft and subdued instrumental, to songs with lyrics carrying hopeful messages. The group that gathered to take part in the jam were undergraduate students, graduate students, and even a mother and her child. The sentiment of the evening was beautiful, and the minimal lighting of the space enhanced that beauty. The silhouettes of the dancers in the room were clear enough to see their shape, but left left each individual with a sense of anonymity, and therefore a sense of freedom to express themselves while dancing. Each dancer had the option to dance in the shadows, barely able to be seen, or assert themselves closer to the light, bravely revealing their faces. Everyone in the room was moved, some to tears. The message of the evening was that hope and light will inevitably shine through, even in the darkest of times. This inspiring message was reflected in the lighting of the room. 

Week 8: Water and Reflection

After an evening of rain and rehearsal, I stepped out of the studio doors and saw the reflection of these hallway lights on the wet cement. Each time that I see the reflection of lights on pavement, I think about the ways that I might communicate this image/setting to an audience. It would obviously be very difficult to re-create this picture in the theatre setting, however, as we have discussed in class, it is important to think less about the image literally, and more about what it evokes. For me, this picture summons feelings of 'simplicity,' 'acceptance' 'peace' and 'hopeful reflection' within the realm of the unknown due to the darkness. These words make this picture much easier to design because they do not limit (as attempting to recreate this image might), but allow for freedom and interpretation to make more out of something as three-dimensional as what is seen in this photo.
This reflection of design got me thinking about the awareness of word usage from both the choreographer and the lighting designer viewpoints. I am realizing that words carry an incredible amount of weight in creative processes because they summon up personal memories and thought. This is why I am realizing that even within words such as 'acceptance' and 'peace,' these words can be incredibly broad, and it might be difficult for a designer or a choreographer to contextualize these words. I want to think about being specific in regards to my language in design, to contextualize emotive words (without limiting)  to aid in the creation of a cohesive piece.

Week 8- Fabric and Color

This weekend I attended an event in LA hosted by Airbnb that consisted of food trucks, boutique vendors, and (to my pleasant surprise) Lady Gaga!  As soon as I saw this installation, I made sure to take a photo for class, since it was the perfect example of what we talked about with lighting fabrics last week.    This was one of the main attractions at the event, people were walking through, having photo shoots, and batting at the fabrics while they turned every spectrum of color in the rainbow.  The sheets themselves were almost opaque white and a cotton-like fabric, which reflected the colors of the lights beautifully.  Because the sheets were all the same, you could really see the contrast in the different colors.  I found myself wondering what it would look like with satin sheets instead, and if that would have given even more richness to the colors.  Regardless, the variety of colors and the shadows they created in the fabric were exciting enough to attract people and make them want to play around in it. Therefore, this installation was successful in bringing joy to the guests, which added to their overall experience of the night.

Week #8 Carefully Carefree

This is another shot from Downtown Disney that I loved but didn't get to use.
This was the outside of a restaurant that had poor lighting on the inside but fabulous lighting on the outside. It reminded me of DIY weddings that has that county feel, outside a barn, with a cheap string of lights, a relaxed feel, cozy and inviting.
I also remember seeing these at the nicer restaurants in NYC, if you had an outdoor space big enough for this kind of lighting, it was going to be expensive, but went after that same cozy inviting feel, of playful relaxed, but curated to be specific in its presentation and mood. it feel like it was carefully designed to feel carefree.

Week # 8 - Glory in Colorful Light

Over the past weekend, I was out for dinner and walked by a church with stained glass windows. My eye caught the circular shape and the bright colors coming from the window.

I am not quite sure if there is supposed to be a meaning or picture to be made through this specific glass, but I enjoyed the joining of the colors used. In the colors, I noticed up at the top of the circle, there are warmer colors of amber, red, and orange. It then progresses into blues and purples down at the bottom. It reminded me of water and the sun. The amber colors might represent God as it shows holiness, halos, and heaven. The purple and blue might represent love, justice, or purity.

It brought feelings of pleasure, calmness, and stillness. The colors and the light of the glass window popped out in the evening and was different from the houses surrounding it.

Week 7: Spectrum of Light

                                                            Spectrum of Light
Never before have I been so cognizant of light and its arrangement and affect in public venues.  Tonight, while visiting the Irvine Spectrum, the idea of lighting consultants once again entered my mind and I thought of how fascinating it was that a seemingly innocent overlook [lighting design] in the business development stages could for a new entrepreneur, truly have a hazardous effect on  profit outcomes.  Observing the lights on the ferris wheel at the Irvine Spectrum and their vibrant, color changing design, it is evident that thoughtful avoidance of the aforementioned mistake was at play. Forethought, thematic imagining and strategic planning is credited to the fact that the ferris wheel and its color changing lights an be seen from the freeway at dark, and such an attraction draws children and tourists, as well as seasonal and personal celebrations to the Spectrum.  In addition, the mini white lights that adorn the palm trees and foot paths of the Spectrum provide for me, an invitation to a pleasurable and peaceful shopping experience - providing the "feel" of classy night life/being out on the town (even in this incredibly suburban shopping center, well done, lights!)  and a simplistic, "clean" touch of elegance, enhanced by the monochromatic color scheme.  I think lights like these have a touch of sophistication and warmth all in the same breath.

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Maverick in the making: my positive AND negative critique of lighting design actually come from the same venue: Capital - Dim Sum, Seafood and Bar.  I believe I chose this restaurant in part because it offers Asian cuisine and decor, and I have spent much time in Asia: living in Japan for nearly nine months and Hong Kong, China for fifteen months.  Here is the first set of photos in the bar, patio, and front of the restaurant.  

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This first set of pictures reveal one thematic idea, a secluded night-life feel provided by the backlit bar with neon base lighting (which looks purple in the photo, but I believe it was blue in person) and enchanting red lanterns that dangle from the ceiling (red symbolizes good luck in China).  Lights that adorn Capital's front end, bar and patio bring me back to the nights I spent out in Central, Hong Kong - going out in the Midlevels where small bars and pubs are open into all hours of the night, where investors finish their trades at 2am before joining their friends for a beer on the streets, where Aussies and Brits and Germans and Chinese sit outside and enjoy their beers amiss charming, internationally abuzz streets, and where a perfect date spot with candles and a table for two can be found wedged in between two sports bars.  To provide reference, below are two of my personal photos below from Hong Kong - a night out in the Midlevels (left) and a group of friends at a wine bar in Macau, China (right).  Though Capital restaurant was clearly not attempting to make the inside of their space as vibrant as the streets of Central Hong Kong, one can observe a thematic similarity in enchanting night environments with red and yellow accents (frequently observed in China), as well as beauty in hanging lanterns as one enjoys food, drink and company.  

Capital has a jarring surprise in store, however, if you venture to the back part of the venue.  It is a sit-down dining area that, in my opinion, has a choppy change in ambiance as far as lighting is concerned.  Though the lighting fixture that hangs from the ceiling is of asian style and a unique conversation piece, my $.02 is that the restaurant lost its thematic integrity in this room: there was too much light: too much yellow and too much exposure in the dining area when compared to the rest of the space.  Geographically speaking, I am taken out of the Midlevels in Central, Hong Kong and into Hong Kong's Tsim Tsa Tsui, a vastly different area (though equally enjoyable, admittedly) where there is less western influence: street shopping, little spoken English, food carts with delicious seafood, and several smaller Dim Sum family businesses that may give little attention to ambiance, but offer food that is second to none.  Both Tsim Tsa Tsui and Central are treasures in their own right, and offer something unique and irreplaceable to Hong Kong, but they are NOT the same (not even close), as each has an entirely different appeal and experience.  My humble critique of Capital's lighting design is that they ought to have had more consistency throughout their restaurant - so that both bar and dining area keep the consumer in the "same world", not just the same country.  And, thanks to lighting class I now want to stay in the same world - even if there are changes within that world.

Geisha House in Hollywood, is a great example of doing just that: thematic consistency can be observed from bar area to dining area to restrooms, and while there are slight differences in each room, the restaurant keeps the consumer living in the mysterious romanticism of Geisha dolls (whether they ought to be romanticized is a different topic) in all rooms throughout the venue.    

 

Week #7 - Unexpected Findings

I was planning on going to Downtown Disney or Disneyland to find an area to do this assignment, because I originally thought the Spectrum might be a little boring in comparison. I even went to Disneyland on Saturday morning and planned to stay until the sun went down to get some pictures, but, long story short, I ended up having to leave long before it was dark and realized I would have to settle on going to the Spectrum for pictures.

I actually worked at this mall over the summer so I was there almost every day, and I didn't ever notice lighting that the stores and restaurants used. I assumed that they must use just plain lighting that had a purpose of only making sure you can see what's in front of you. I was quite wrong in my assumption. Once I opened my focus, I found so many stores that I thought had really great lighting I had a hard time choosing which one to use for the blog. In contrast, there were a few stores that really missed the opportunity to use lighting to draw people in.

The first thing I saw when we were pulling in to the Spectrum was the sign. This is not really very close to where I took the other photos, but I thought it was a good representation of the feeling of the entire mall in general. It really stands out where it is placed, and the bright and saturated colors that they chose to light it with are used throughout the inside of the mall. It's also a little bit over the top with its size and the changing of the colors, which seems to be the feeling that the mall tries to create--almost an elevated lifestyle scenario.

Once I got into the mall, I immediately started noticing whether stores were successful or unsuccessful with lighting. One of the stores that I thought was most clever and successful with their lighting was Cream, an ice cream store that is in almost an alley of the mall with nothing else around it. Because of their placement that would make the store hard to see normally, they used lighting to draw people in and make their shop noticeable. Even several feet away from their door, they projected their logo onto the ground, which made it seem like the entrance to the store was much closer to the main part of the mall than it actually was. They also had light up benches shaped like ice cream sandwiches all along the alley that also bore their logo. The colors they chose were very strong but gave a fun atmosphere to the store. All of these lighting elements made this area all about this one shop, even though it was actually pretty small in reality. 

 

In contrast, PF Chang's lighting was incredibly boring, and although they had a much better location at the entrance of the mall, I almost didn't notice it was there, and probably wouldn't have noticed it if I wasn't looking for examples of bad lighting. Their sign was lit, but the rest of their building had no lights. There was a statue of a horse on the side that was supposed to add to the theme of the restaurant, but it might as well not be there because there was only one tiny light underneath it that made it barely visible. Overall, they really missed an opportunity to use lighting to create more of a theme and make their restaurant stand out. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the use of lighting that most of the stores employed, and I'm almost glad I was forced to go to the Spectrum for this assignment because it opened my eyes to the fact that lighting is used, and used well, in a lot of places that are less theatrical than Disney. I will definitely be noticing lighting and architecture much more now that I have seen how it can be used. 

Week #7 A Night at the Spectrum

     Here is a picture of a great overall environment that attracts shoppers from multiple directions.  This movie theater uses design patterns, multiple colors schemes, and various construction textures to bring in customers. This building is centered around restaurants, shopping stores, and a lounge area to attract a high volume of patrons. The colorful uses of purple, gold, and blue adds a majestic quality to a common luxury. Every design has a border or outline that makes its pattern pop-out to the crowd. Overall, the use of bright lights with color makes this area of the Spectrum stand-out above the rest.



     This is a picture of the restaurant Johnny Rockets. Unfortunately, I think the lighting fails to create a fun, friendly eating experience.  The lighting sources are limited to certain areas of the ceiling, creating a shadow effect. Sometimes darker lighting is used in restaurants to establish a romantic atmosphere, but this is not the case for the popular hamburger joint. A lot of the material inside is industrial metal, which reflects the lighting in a stark/harsh way. In comparison to some of the more trendy restaurants in the area that offers a "lounge experience," Johnny Rockets doesn't not attract large groups or friends to hanging out at night because of the positioning and color of the lighting.



     This is a picture of my favorite store Barnes & Nobles. Most of the "no color" lighting is cased by different pieces of glass/plastic which distributes the lighting in different ways. Every time I walk into this bookstore, there are no shadowy areas in the store. Sometimes shadows evokes a feeling of "do not enter" which would affect sales for the bookstore. Being well lit, the store is able to position advertising and products effectively and efficiently.

Week 7: Architecture and Lights at the Spectrum

I visited The Irvine Spectrum over the weekend and I purposefully took photos of the area that was least decorated for Christmas. I wanted to capture the lighting and understand the essence of the Spectrum on any regular night. The first thing I noticed in the main walkway was the overhead lamp fixtures that were strung between palm trees. Since the lamps were scattered between the trees, there were shadowy areas where light wasn’t directly above me. The palm trees also had lights surrounding their trunks. Much of the surrounding light was spilled over from restaurants and the movie theater. I think the lighting for the walkway was designed in a simplistic manner so as not to drown out the space with too much light. Since much of the colored lights from nearby restaurants and stores poured out into the walkway, the lamps added a calmness to the chaotic lights around the edges. I think choosing simple, white light fixtures scattered throughout the area was a successful approach to lighting an otherwise chaotic, overwhelming atmosphere.

As I searched for a store with successful lighting, I was immediately drawn to Casey’s Cupcakes. As I glanced up at the Hollywood style sign, the pink and white glowing stripes on the face of the sign seemed to compliment the amber bulbs around the outside. This design was captured within the store by the pink walls and Hollywood-esque lighting fixtures. I thought the vanity style bulbs surrounding the back wall complemented the classic chandeliers. The styling choices of the hanging lamps, vanity bulbs, and chandeliers created a classic atmosphere. I didn’t notice the circular ceiling fixtures when I first admired the store, however, I now wonder how the lighting would have changed without them.

In search of a store with unsuccessful lighting, I noticed the bright, obnoxious lights streaming out from the window of American Apparel. When I walked inside the store, I wondered if the reason I had never entered this store before was because of the bland, overly washed out atmosphere. With the combination of the all white walls, industrial ceiling, and lined white lamps, the store came off as bland, bright, and unwelcoming. I think the purpose of the lights was to contribute to the industrial architecture of the store, but the quantity and color of the lights was too strong. The store seemed uninviting and the lights didn’t complement the presentation of the clothes.

Feeling Festive at Irvine Spectrum

  Visiting the Irvine Spectrum this past weekend put me in the holiday spirit while also making me feel like I was at a town fair.  My town always decorates around the holidays by putting twinkling fairy lights around the trees, so whenever I see trees dressed this way, I think of Christmas (especially when it is right around the corner and I have been listening to Christmas music all day).  Once I moved past the trees and noticed the bright red, yellow, and green lights illuminating the Ferris wheel, I immediately felt as though I was at a fair.  It was exciting and inviting.  I noticed there were more people hanging out underneath these lights than there were inside the shops.  There was something magical and beautiful about the way they lit up the outside area, and I suddenly felt energized to shop after I spent time admiring them.  Therefore, I think these lighting designers were successful in making people excited about shopping and spending money, which is the point of a shopping center.

  Nordstrom was the first shop I popped into, as per usual, and I was immediately blinded by the light.  This shop was much brighter than the outdoor area and had overhead lighting, as well as lights highlighting jewelry, makeup, and perfume in the display cases scattered throughout the space.  They were all colorless, and although I did not particularly want to stay in the shop for too long because of their brightness, I did think they helped the space look large and clean.  When everything is white and bright, I tend to think it looks expensive and new.  This lighting was effective in making me want to go to every area in the store because I could see where all the different departments were such as the shoes, jewelry, clothes, etc.  However, it did not make me feel like I needed just one of these things, I felt I needed to see them all and that was a bit overwhelming.  I left telling myself I would need more time and would come back a different day.   

Anthropologie's lighting design stood out to me because it drew me in immediately.  It had pockets of darkness, unlike Nordstrom, with fewer overhead lights throughout the shop.  The one area I noticed where light was concentrated was the display for perfume, soap, and hair products.  Because it was highlighting a green wall decorated with plants, it really added to the earthy, calm vibe that Anthropologie's clothing reflects.  I immediately felt calm in this store, while wanting to buy everything because I liked how the store made me feel, and I admired the earthy, unique clothing.

Week #7 - Dare to DT Disney

Saturday night was probably the craziest night to go to Downtown Disney. The marathon races were this weekend and Christmas decorations looked to be getting set up. 

Above is a photo of the overall environment by the Uva bar. I used to worked for years at Fossil in this area so I am familiar with the layout of the area, but never noticed the lighting. The lighting in the area was intimate with Christmas lights everywhere, from framing the buildings to being wrapped in the trees. In this photo, the lights in the towers particularly struck me as interested. I enjoyed how the lights brought texture to the architecture. This was consistent throughout Downtown Disney. I believe the goal of Downtown's lighting and set up is to create the feel as if you are in the park and make all Guests feel special. Because each is themed, the trees and waterfalls transports the Guest into another world such as a garden. Disney is successful in their lighting tactics. The lighting creates a feel of cheerfulness, even when it is super crowded. The lighting also allows for a uniformity since there are many different stores in the area trying to exude their own brand. 

I know Ride Makerz is a popular store, especially with the young boys. To me, their goal is to have an adventurous, wild, and edgy look with the black, white, red, and chrome color scheme throughout the store front. I believe their audience would be obviously young boys, but also something that is appealing for all ages. I was surprised that their store did not have any light to highlight their theme or store name. The only light that caught my eye was the wheel sign in the right of the photo above. The idea of the sign was attractive, but the red in the dark of night did not attract. If the color of the red was at a higher intensity or different shade, I think it would highlight their brand. 

I have always been attracted to the Vault. I think this store front is successful when it comes to showing their brand and theme. I like their display in front to be the door of an actual vault and they use different colors to highlight the door creating curiosity in a customer like myself. The theme of the store reminds me of Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland. It has a unique gothic feel mixed with the friendly feel Disney portrays. I posted the photo above with the green light, but also posted the video below showing a time lapse of the store front as the colors change. When the colors change, I believe it invokes imagination, generating an interest to find out more of what is inside. I personally enjoy that everything else in the store seems large and simple with the windows, but the door is centered honing in on it as a focal point.