User:Carlosbenjamin
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Carlos Benjamin (born Carlos Benjamin Walker, August 23, 1981 in Ashland, Oregon) is a product and graphic designer, and student. Currently residing in Bethnal Green, London, UK, he is working towards a Master's Degree, at Brunel University, West London.
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[edit] Biography
Of Scottish and Mexican decent, he grew up speaking primarily English, with periodic use of Spanish during visits with his maternal family. After three years in Ashland, his family relocated to Los Angeles, California (staying with his maternal grandparents) and then to North County, San Diego, where he spent the majority of his formative years. He is the only child of Bruce James Walker and Rebecca Ann Dominguez.
Inspired by his maternal grandfather, Ildefonso Guytan Dominguez - who was an aerospace engineer for McDonnell Douglas and worked on the Apollo 13 project for NASA - his first choice for his future career was "design engineer," a position not far from what he currently practices. As a consequence, and combined with his father's long practiced carpentry skills, much of his youth was spent either making things, or taking things apart. As time progressed this hands-on approach would manifest into an analytical approach that paved the way for everything from various skateboard ramps and boxes, garage bands and a hand built cross-bow, to finished furniture, computer based sequencing and musical production, and classic car repair.
In late 2000, he relocated to Davis, California to finish the last semester of his Associates of Art, in Art degree, and then moved to San Francisco to pursue a Bachelors of Arts in Industrial arts, With an Emphasis in Interdisciplinary Environmental Design, at San Francisco State University.
In September 2005, he began his Masters degree, at Brunel University, in Design Strategy & Innovation, focusing on the relationship between design theory and sustainability, graduating in November 2007.
[edit] Carbon Based Design Technologies
While taking classes at MiraCosta College, he noticed the niche market need for in-home computer and networking tech support, through their job board. After taking on a few clients, and within a manner of weeks, this proved to be much more lucrative than his part time job. Needing to look professional, he created 'Carlos Benjamin Design Technologies' as a semi-fictitious front company.
After nearly a year of work within the consultancy he founded, Carlos Benjamin Design Technologies had shifted almost entirely from one off jobs to longer term client oriented design work, and needed to expand (personnel wise) to handle the increased load, thus negating the presence of his name within the companies title.
After meeting Alex Zeh in a product design class at SFSU, the company was re-thought based on new credentials and new ideas. Zeh was brought on board to give the company perspective, and the company's name was changed to "Carbon Based Design Technologies" to reference both the inclusion of multiple parties, and the companies broader interests in sustainability. With a new name, and a new set of motives, Carbon Based Design Technologies was born. A new logo, new website, new business cards, and promotional buttons (badges) were made and distributed - all based on a new identity and continuity of modus.
Currently the company resides at http://carbonbased.biz, working both for its customers and its members as a resource for solutions.
[edit] Miscellaneous
- Began studying piano at age 5, alto saxophone (and later tenor) at age 11, and guitar at 13.
- During the years (1991- 1993) he collected (and still owns) complete sets of comic cards mostly from the Marvel Universe including (but not limited to): Marvel Universe Series' I, II & III ; Marvel Masterpieces x2; Fleer Ultra X-Men Series I & II.
- Credits the official advent of applied art & aesthetics in his life to his experiences doing graffiti throughout North County, San Diego, the consequential discovery of piecing (see graffiti terminology), and the general art theory it required (layout, balance, color use, shadow, perspective, etc). Within a year, this career came to a quick end due to legal issues. Although there were no legal ramifications, the importance of graphic theory would never leave him.
- While living at the corner of Carl and Cole - the heart of Cole Valley , San Francisco - he hosted a free wifi broadcast titled, "105 carl, bring beer" [1], with the intent that passers by, patrons of the coffee shop across the street and anyone within range was welcome to use the internet connection, as long as - at some point - they returned the favor with beer. The tactic proved fruitful on numerous occasions.
- Has one tattoo of Ganesha, designed by him and all his friends at the time, and done by a then little known tattoo artist (but widely respected graffiti artist), Mike GIANT, in the artists living room. The tattoo was prompted by a dream that occurred less than a month earlier.
- Since the adoption of his 'shorter' name in 2000, he has continued to use this version for almost everything casual and non-legal: chatting, blogging, power bills, mobile phone contracts, library cards, and even socially (in the real world). However, he did not change his name, he simply does not use his last name in casual circumstance (which constantly misleads people to incorrectly address him as "Mr. Benjamin").
[edit] Internet Contributions
Carlos also contributes to a small number of galleries, weblogs and webpages:
- Carbon Based Design Technologies: Company site Moderator and main project contributor
- Carbon Based Blog: Moderator and Contributor to a design / sustainability focused blog.
- Bikes & Beers Blog: Administrator and Contributor of the blog for the international bicycle club, Godless Idols.
- Carlos Benjamin's Photosets on Flickr
- Carlos Benjamin's Photosets on Yahoo! Images
- #3999 - 1980 Peugeot PX-10 on Fixed Gear Gallery
- #2338 - 1976 Atlantica on Fixed Gear Gallery
- Carlos Benjamin on Myspace