Art Director & Designer in MD & DC. MichaelAleo.com for my portfolio, work experience and more about me.Tumblr (3.0; @michaelaleo)http://blog.michaelaleo.com/<iframe width="400" height="225" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OEGP6nBiub8?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p><strong>COOOOLLLLD BLOODED</strong></p> <p>(HD) Isaiah Thomas GAME WINNER PAC10 Tournament Championship Washington-Arizona </p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/18092187173http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/18092187173Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:34:46 -0500<p><img alt="Band in a box" height="612" src="http://distilleryimage4.instagram.com/e9aeb62c5d8511e1abb01231381b65e3_7.jpg" width="612"/></p> <p>Took delivery of my pre-ordered Fuelband this afternoon. I’m always into new fitness gadgets, and Nike has some of the best of those, but the UI/UX on this thing is what I wanted to see more than anything. The screenshots of the interface look beautiful and I had to check it out firsthand. Could be the cornerstone example of interactive lifestyle tech. I’ll spend a few days with it and then update.</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/18081725299http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/18081725299Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:27:27 -0500<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzhwnw9yad1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Mac OS X Mountain Lion sounds really cool, but didn’t Lion just come out? Are we going to 10.8 already?</p> <p>(via <a href="http://uncrate.com/stuff/mac-os-x-mountain-lion/">Mac OS X Mountain Lion | Uncrate</a>)</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/17715706044http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/17715706044Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:02:20 -0500<img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzgaihTuCb1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Anyone have $1500 to spend on me? This bag is awesome.</p> <p>(via <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/MULHOLLAND-BROTHERS-Hand-Made-Bridle-Leather-Briefcase-Satchel-Messenger-Bag-/280826859990?pt=US_CSA_MWA_Briefcases&hash=item416295d1d6#ht_4932wt_1413">MULHOLLAND BROTHERS Hand Made Bridle Leather Briefcase Satchel Messenger Bag | eBay</a>)</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/17668109611http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/17668109611Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:06:15 -0500<p><img alt="Dieter Rams" height="350" src="http://asset1.vitsoe.com/store/assets/files/29/three_fifty/Dieter-Rams-001.jpg?614cbda" width="350"/></p> <p><strong>Good Design:</strong></p> <ul><li><strong>Is innovative</strong> - The possibilities for innovation are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end in itself.</li> </ul><ul><li><strong>Makes a product useful</strong> - A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy certain criteria, not only functional, but also psychological and aesthetic. Good design emphasizes the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could possibly detract from it.</li> </ul><ul><li><strong>Is aesthetic</strong> - The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products are used every day and have an effect on people and their well-being. Only well-executed objects can be beautiful.</li> </ul><ul><li><strong>Makes a product understandable</strong> - It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product clearly express its function by making use of the user’s intuition. At best, it is self-explanatory.</li> </ul><ul><li><strong>Is unobtrusive</strong> - Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should therefore be both neutral and restrained, to leave room for the user’s self-expression.</li> </ul><ul><li><strong>Is honest</strong> - It does not make a product more innovative, powerful or valuable than it really is. It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept.</li> </ul><ul><li><strong>Is long-lasting</strong> - It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years – even in today’s throwaway society.</li> </ul><ul><li><strong>Is thorough down to the last detail</strong> - Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance. Care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the consumer.</li> </ul><ul><li><strong>Is environmentally friendly</strong> - Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimizes physical and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_pollution" title="Visual pollution">visual pollution</a> throughout the lifecycle of the product.</li> </ul><ul><li><strong>Is as little design as possible</strong> - Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity.</li> </ul>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/17552325967http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/17552325967Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:07:39 -0500<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz2bbfGrNc1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Holy guacamole (Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a>)</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/17255681254http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/17255681254Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:57:14 -0500<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyrup3is0O1qzleu4o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/16924561474http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/16924561474Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:03 -0500<p>Tomorrow starts a huge new chapter in my life and my family’s lives. Tomorrow I officially start working from home - and with an entirely new group of people. I’m ready for the challenges and rewards that come with it. I’ll be talking non-stop about my upcoming positions and projects very soon, once the dust settles.</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/16909594572http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/16909594572Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:50:51 -0500“Spending of the best part of one’s life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of it.”<br/><br/> - <em><span>Henry David Thoreau</span></em>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/16396689925http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/16396689925Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:51:16 -0500<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvj4swC9ed1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>No blur filter (Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a>)</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/13589957357http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/13589957357Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:41:19 -0500<img src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvgkip4Wgr1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Bella’s perch (Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a>)</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/13535225232http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/13535225232Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:28:01 -0500<img src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvgkghdByZ1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>The tree (Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a>)</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/13535179800http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/13535179800Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:26:40 -0500<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt9i8lvVSL1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>traffictraffictraffictraffictraffictraffic (Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a>)</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11610743686http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11610743686Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:48:21 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt4zg2hChh1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a></p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11505593667http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11505593667Sat, 15 Oct 2011 22:12:02 -0400<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt4zcoL4KG1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a></p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11505504762http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11505504762Sat, 15 Oct 2011 22:09:59 -0400<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt266oWEcK1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Started pouring five seconds later (Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a>)</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11435006278http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11435006278Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:44:48 -0400<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt1frm40gI1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a></p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11425609739http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11425609739Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:14:10 -0400<img src="http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt1fmjoUQC1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a></p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11425519605http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11425519605Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:11:07 -0400<img src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsv0elLWRe1qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a></p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11277577898http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11277577898Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:56:45 -0400<img src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsus5ofkq81qzkgyno1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Morning (Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a>)</p>http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11272285331http://blog.michaelaleo.com/post/11272285331Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:58:35 -0400