App stores are full of nifty tools for travelers, investors, gamers and sports fans. But what about design lovers? We filtered through the goods and narrowed down the choices to five of the best for this discerning group.
1. Interaction of Color by Josef Albers
Josef Albers said direct perception is key to understanding color. The Bauhaus professor's iconic tome "Interaction of Color" was published in 1963 and is considered a revered reference for artists, instructors and students half a century later. Now anyone can access Albers' lessons on the Interaction of Color App, which teaches through text, short video explanations and hands-on activities that touch on topics like geometric relationships and light gradients, for example. Free for the initial download on iTunes, $13.99 for the complete edition.
2. Design Museum App
Design icons like the Thonet chair, the Polaroid camera, and Shepard Fairey's "HOPE" poster are among the 59 objects analyzed, examined, discussed and applauded in the London Design Museum's new app. Launched on the occasion of the museum's 25th anniversary, the app features exclusive video interviews with design luminaries. See what Paul Smith has to say about Dieter Ram's SK5 Phonosuper music player, and watch Morag Myerscough discuss the Singer sewing machine. The Design Museum releases two more interviews every month on the 25th. Available for the iPad at the iTunes App Store.
3. Bolia
The furniture firm Bolia makes sofas, coffee tables, chairs and more that salute Scandinavia's design heritage with clean lines and functional forms. You can buy their goods through their app, but the best thing about the mobile tool is the "see it in your home" function, which let's you snap a shot of any room in your house with a piece of Bolia furniture superimposed into the space. Free on iTunes, Android app in the works.
4. Ignant
A digital pocket magazine is just the thing for a quick design fix. Full of exquisite original content that features exciting new architecture, wondrous art and photography and other creative endeavors by innovative people around the world, Ignant is a great blog to follow, and the free app makes it easier than ever. Free on iTunes.
5. Notegraphy
Turn basic text into stylized typography with this clever note-sharing app. Called "the Instagram of words" by Lifehacker, Notegraphy adds graphic style to your statements. The app makes it easy to dress up simple invitations, celebratory announcements, or just send out a fancy little hello. Just type in your message, choose a theme and publish to one of your social networks. Free on both Android and iTunes.
Explore more of ARTPHAIRE's Top 10 lists here.
--Celeste Sunderland has lived in New York, Berlin, Paris and the San Francisco Bay Area. A graduate of The University of Rhode Island's Journalism School, she spent nearly a decade working in digital media production, and has been writing professionally for print and online publications for over fifteen years. In addition to writing for ARTPHAIRE, Celeste has her own blog Tidepooler.com, Inspired by a photograph by the German photographer Olaf Otto Becker.
