Archive
Obama Print
August 29th, 2008Beautiful print by Scott Hansen.
Anyone watch that historic speech last night?
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A_B_ Peace & Terror Poster Version 2
August 28th, 2008Peter wrote in to let me know that there is a new version of his brilliant A_B_ poster available for purchase. It’s a limited edition of 50 posters printed by K2 London. Dual-sided silk-screen print on GFSmith Plasma Polycoat Glass Clear, 350 micron plastic. Sounds yummy.
On a side note, Peter has re-branded himself under the name The Luxury of Protest.
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Leterme/Dowling
August 27th, 2008Small but excellent portfolio by multi-disciplinary studio Leterme/Dowling.
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Retrospective — One
August 26th, 2008If you’re in London in the next week or so be sure to catch the Retrospective — One exhibit at Kemistry Gallery. I’d love to see what Experimental Jetset created. I wish they had an inline gallery.
Kemistry Gallery has asked eleven previous exhibitors to create pieces to celebrate four years exhibiting outstanding graphic design and illustration. With a lineup that speaks for itself, Retrospective — One is bringing together Experimental Jetset, Eine, James Joyce, Parra and Geoff McFetridge among others in a line up of graphic design all-stars. Pieces include hand-drawn typography, one-off collages, lightboxes, print editions, and objects showcasing the breadth of graphic design both as a communication form and as a aesthetic skill.
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History Of Graphic Design
August 25th, 2008I found this little site on the history of graphic design. Pretty good read. It’s unfortunate that the design of the site isn’t all that great.
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Sun Silo
August 23rd, 2008I used to be obsessed with photography, so much so that I was about to leave my career in graphic design to pursue a career in fashion photography. It didn’t end up that way and I’m glad, but I still have a great love for it. I use to have a nice pro camera and would snap tons of photos a day, but now I have a basic point & shoot that I use for family pics and I haven’t shot a nice photo in a while.
Recently I’ve been messing around with the camera in my iPhone and in certain situations I’ve been somewhat impressed. For instance this shot I took today of the NYC skyline. The light was amazing and it was the perfect time of day where the sun was creating some amazing silhouettes. So I launched the camera app and snapped away and got some excellent results. The resolution of the camera isn’t great at all but this photo is pretty much straight from the iPhone with some slight tweaking in Photoshop. You can see a couple of more photos from this series including a nice panoramic shot I stitched together in Photoshop.
On a side note, a lot of photographers frown upon the use of Photoshop to enhance photos. I think that’s a load of rubbish. I started shooting before the digital crazy and I love film but in the digital age, using Photoshop to adjust an image is the same as using a darkroom to adjust an image. Photoshop is the digital darkroom of today. Just how photographers keep the film soaking in the chemicals longer for different results, I adjust the levels, curves, color balance, saturation, etc. in Photoshop to achieve my results. In the end it’s all the same but just using a different tool.
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Neubauism Exposition Catalogue
August 22nd, 2008Neubau is releasing a limited edition boxset for their Neubauism exhibition. The boxset includes some books, dvd, poster, text and signature by Wim Crouwel and more! The packaging design looks very yummy but I’m not sure how much it’s going to be. You can preorder it by visiting Neubauism.com.
NBISM-Premium Box [limited to 100 copies]
Signed by Spaninks/Crouwel/Gandl/Gruenberger
Texts by Wim Crouwel/Gerrit Terstiege/Angelique Spaninks & Paul Heys
Includes.: 608 pgs/1 CDR/1 DVD/1 Poster (560 x 1000 MM)/1 NBModulmeter ™
Size: 240x280x85 MM
Weight: 4,35 KG
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Never Ending Friending
August 21st, 2008I absolutely hate MySpace. Between the ugly designs and the terrible usability, it’s a nightmare of an experience. That’s why it’s refreshing to see MySpace associated with something that’s smart and visually pleasing.
Area 17 was recently hired to develop the brand identity for a MySpace initiative called Never Ending Friending. Here’s some info on the initiative.
Depending on your vantage point, social networking means something completely different — a fad, tool, disruption, opportunity or some combination of them all. In 2007, MySpace embarked on a nationwide “listening tour” in order to create qualitative research among users of social networks. Additionally, they fielded a quantitative study among a national sample of social networking users and non-users. Together, these two methods uncovered a myriad of motivations, attitudes and behaviors that were presented through a book and at an exclusive private event in Beverly Hills.
Area 17 designed a book as well as all the printed materials for the event. Great use of Avant Garde and geometric shapes.
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Design Is A Hell Of A Drug
August 20th, 2008Design is powerful. Most people in this world don’t even know how powerful good design can be. It can be addictive like a drug. It can suck you in and make you do things without you even knowing. Design can make you buy something you don’t need or it can make you visit a place you don’t even care for. It happens to me all the time, and I know it’s because of design, and I love it. I welcome it.
Take for example this stunning packaging and store branding design by BVD for a cafe in Sweden. It’s gorgeous, absolutely stunning in my opinion. Black, white and flush left, ragged right type. Perfect.
For one, I would hang out in this cafe all day long, it looks like typography heaven. I’d eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in this place just so I could appreciate and enjoy the beautiful design work. I would then buy all sorts of things I don’t need just so I could get my hands on the brilliant packaging. I would be possessed. That’s how powerful good design can be.
By the way, who can name the typeface they’re using?
Anyway, check out BVD’s excellent portfolio, especially this.
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Across the Univers T-Shirt
August 19th, 2008From the makers of the insanely popular Helvetica Neue Descending t-shirt, comes a fun new shirt, Across the Univers.
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Jop Quirindongo
August 19th, 2008Amsterdam based designer Jop Quirindongo has recently updated his site with some fresh new work. Definitely worth a look.