IcecreamDesignblog

How to make a bell?
In 2008 a group of friends of the New Culture Foundation restored the stolen bell in the village of Gorna Bela Rechka in Bulgaria and built a new bell tower.
The images below show the book which collects the lessons and stories born in the process of making that new bell.
We decided to share them with more people, because making a bell turned out to be a profound almost life-changing experience for all of us. The book combines design, details of stories and photography.

you can also find information on the website made after this project: search among many other interesting projects on  www.e-rayo.net

This project named “Light Design Lab” is a part of team project ” How to script De-Sign in Bulgarian”. “How to script De-Sign in Bulgarian” is a project-study with an exhibition and a panel lection/dicusion.

Stages of the project
1. Stage 1 – inquiry (in process) 01.08-30.09.2006. Preparation, realization and popularization of online and offline inquiry. Collection of data: http://www.designfield.org/de-sign

Inquiry topics:
- VISUAL COMMUNICATION / GRAPHIC DESIGN
- UTILITARIAN DESIGN. DESIGN OF DAILY ROUND
- CITY DESIGN
The inquiry topics and the questions of the inquiry was consulted with sociologist.

2. Stage 2 – analysis
Analysis of the inquiry data received. Team work with a professional sociologist.

3. Stage 3 – visualization of the data and of the inquiry questions. Series of team meetings. On a basis of the analysis we created art projects on the base of visual language of design as well as the visual language of art.
There are two directions of inventing and realization of the visualization projects:
1 – original art interpretation and visualization in various original conceptual forms of the sociologic data from the inquiry.
2 – creation of works with ideological basis connected with a question or a group of questions from the inquiry.

4. Stage 4 – Exhibition. Concomitant discussion. Lection.
Results from stage 3 was exhibite in RED HOUSE – Center of Culture and Design;  ALTERA Galerie – Interpred Office Trade Center.
Means of expression: photography, collage, large format printings, lights, space and multimedia installations, 3D objects, etc.
I made Art visualization of the question:
“What’s really selling a product?
The main reason to choose this question was the results of answers: Only 45% from the people employed in marketing and advertising field believe that advertisement selling.

http://www.designfield.org/de-sign/projects/dona.html

NEW – EUBG – URBAN COMMUNICATION : Off-line and on-line urban action/installation

The concept of this project focuses on Sofia as a place of different conflicts and contrasts; a place where it’s increasingly hard to live in, breathe, move and consume. I made series of graphic signs printed on stickers (9×9 cm). The idea of the project is to mark different urban design or architecture object in the city of Sofia and to provoke communication and reflection.

(Why not some other city ). Conceptually, they cover part of the titles:

An ugly building / An ugly architecture / Inhumane architecture
Grass plots – “NO”/ Grass plots forbidden
Forbidden for mothers with prams / Inaccessible for prams
A killer-building / A crumbling building
A city design that has fallen ill / A sick city design / A city design with prosthesis

I present the most resent project I have been working on.
We had to build up a complete campaign for a “CO2 diet” – identity, web site, brochure and fliers.
I present only the fliers as the rest was a team work.
The idea is that we have to spare the Planet’s diminishing resources, as we are destroying it. 
Visually, I emphasize the overall feeling of the identity with the covers while the message in the back is more intense and specific, while not heavy.
I worked on this with a lot of inspiration but, unfortunately, in a very short time. We first came up with the messages, then we adjusted the vision to all the rest and finally we made the back broken up.

courtesy of ilyan.com

This is one of the projects which makes me happy, that’s why I decide to use as description of the process. The idea came during a stroll in a lovely Bulgarian city. We walked and shoot, but my attention was captured of one old wooden gate with amazing handles. I was curious for other gates like this one with ring handles made from wrought iron. I was surprised, because all doors had similar handles with different accessories – padlocks, piece of strings, chains and wooden sticks.
Everywhere had a trace of time.
I start to shoot and the result was interesting.
I decide to make a mix of pictures and after mixing the result came with this shape. I specially broke up boring pictures; I ordered pictures one over another, and suddenly the old wood came in front, came to life, different colors, nails and etc.
But this work needs a title, I started to think and after a little time I found it:
How the door can be locked?
The question was to provoke a man to think, how many alternatives can be used for one and same thing.

Two of my realized average projects.
The first is a logo for chain of stores for luxury lingerie, unfortunately it failed to become a large company.

The client wanted to have logo which will represent hers attitude and affinity to Buddhism, and in same time to suggest the elegant design and quality of it’s products.

The second project is a stand for a biggest leasing company in Bulgaria, for international exposure of heavy machinery.
This small stand was used for information on leases and as a place to complete the documents.

A project for the university I made this year. It is a type of add which you recieve at the streets walking around. The other sheets are supposed to be an article for the same designer in a design magazine or somewhere else.
I’m not sure if thats the best and the correct work I’m sending but I really enjoy doing it and I like how it came out. The process of making it- random, cup of coffee in front of the computer, stuck on the chair days and nights.

I send you a picture of a very simple work that I like very much, it is called
“Allo Tesla, here is Bel”. It is a work inspired by a special person in my life and also it is made for a few hours.
It was just experience of the experience. Attempt for simplicity or communication with the electricity..:)
The third picture is just because of  improvisation.

The arts cause us to think, to feel, express and to re-examine. They can
bring out our best and expose our worst qualities. A world without art is a
world without culture, without heart, without passion, without creativity.
It is just  based on the need to improve the creativity and innovativeness
cause it has become a matter of self importance.

ICECREAMDESIGN /Henk Groenendijk /Dima Stefanova / New Obstructions - A workshop in 2 parts

How do we approach our working process? Do we go for a walk or do we open a A4 document? Where does the work start and when does routine kick in?

This workshop invites you to leave your comfort zones, to question, and to experiment with yourself working under extreme limitations.
We are not setting new rules here, we are just posing limits. We play with confrontation, seek simplicity, reflect on discoveries and discover hidden passion. This is how Icecreamdesign works. This is how we like it too.
The workshop New Obstructions will take place in 2 parts - on Friday the 5th and Monday the 8th in the afternoons (June 2009).

Part 1 will start after the lecture Exellent View by Dima Stefanova/IcecreamDesign. IcecreamDesignblog presents a platform from which all participants will present themselves. For that reason all approved and confirmed participants will have to send an image of their most interesting work with a desciption of 100-150 words. After presentations and discussion of entered work Dima and Henk will present new obstructions for a complete remake. The participants will also be invited in this process

Part 2 will take place on Monday afternoon. Participants will present work results. The experiences will be discussed and a presentation will be prepared as a inventory into the process and results.

Participating in this workshop is like signing a contract. Once approved and registered, you and your final work will become published at ICECREAM's Designblog.
Additional information, instructions and the results of the workshop has been published on the Sofia Design Week blog as well.

Where: National Academy of Arts

Registered participants can send their chosen "work" and the "discription" directly to: Icecreamdesign > home

Welcome to Designblog

Welcome to the “New Obstruction Workshop”

We are Dima Stefanova and Henk Groenendijk. Together we form Icecreamdesign. A design studio focussing on media-design, education and research.