Netdiver (ISSN 1911-866X)

May we all have a better year, filled with rewarding challenges, finding our voice and continued determination in our search for bettering ourselves and our skills. By the way, Typozon sent his 2010 wishes and the card is so beautiful, I wanted to share it.

Let’s not take life for granted! Be grateful to be alive.

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Shortly after writing the above, Michel, my little brother went to the Lord at 9h45 this morning. Love you always sweetheart.

Victim illustration series by QQ Zhao is a striking social comment and somewhat sinister realistic look at the current state of “many young people today in China (who) have no sense of self-worth.”

In my view, this may even reflect a more universal and overlooked syndrome. Splendid execution.

Posters for the many events and concepts of one of Stockholm’s loveliest restaurants by Daniel Carlsten.

Ohmori Seiko exquisite figurines are mostly 3d illustrations executed for advertisement in department stores, PR magazines, books and CD jackets, etc.

As you can see, her works is strongly focused on the female (gender). Some people might wonder “Why?” but the answer is very simple.

“I was born a woman.” says Seiko.

Trust and Meet Matter poster series made for the Great Particle Collider in the countryside of Geneva (CERN) by Mathias Clottu.

Why create the Global Rich List? “We wanted to do something which would help people understand, in real terms, where they stand globally. And make us realise that in fact most of us (who are able to view this web page) are in the privileged minority.”

You are richer than you think! Please support!

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via: Poketo

Light up the future! Tsutomu Mutoh is a product designer who explores dynamic form and vision on computer and electronic media. Optone Waft for example, is a full color led lamp that when you toggle creates a beautiful light aura. Check the other products as well.

5 Predictions for the Music Industry in 2010 by Nick Crocker who runs Native Digital which in their own words are:

“Born into an analog world, we were kids in sandpits and backyards. Coming of age with technology, we now combine the best of these worlds as true digital natives.”

And co-founder of the emerging music chart platform We Are Hunted which has some very smart and cool functionalities!

Justin Cooper aka un. ti. tle. d. has made these posters reminescent of the air travel scare. So appropriate considering the latest news.

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Featured: 1% Free

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Featured: BLKLNG

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Featured: National Anthem

Charles Clary aka Paper Extravavangaza is doing just that! Using paper to create extra intricated paper sculptures, experiments and designs. Check this collection as well, images available for print. Gotta luv the palette and compositions and the little line drawn inserts.

Duly impressed! Must see!

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via: dsgnWrld

From us to YOU — PEACE AND LOVE!

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Wishing you loads of lovely new challenges
Much inspiration
Thanks for a great year.
We wish you PEACE
and whole lots of LOVE!

Mag+, a concept video on the future of digital magazines by Matt Jones and Berg.

“Magazines have articles you can curl up with and lose yourself in, and luscious photography that draws the eye. And they’re so easy and enjoyable to read. Can we marry what’s best about magazines with the always connected, portable tablet e-readers sure to arrive in 2010?”

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via: DesignObserver

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Magazines going digital as a sign of the times? R.I.P. I.D. Mag.

What do you think?

After the frenzy of the past year (economically wise), isn’t it time we find the new way to work? Here is a list of the top 5 trends to watch in 2010:

(1) Organizations will embrace Design Thinking.
(2) Women will play a more important role in re-defining traditional notions of work.
(3) Small business owners will become the new stars of economic growth.
(4) “Happiness” will become a way to measure economic prosperity.
(5) Personal branding will become the buzzword of talented workers around the world.

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via: missrogue

Superb is the work of Katrin Olina a multi-disciplinary designer that has pretty touched just about every media: illustration, graphic design, environmental design, animation, interior design, fashion, textiles.. The Cristal Bar (Hong Kong) is a fantastic example!

“An interior based around graphic art and the application of a visual language in an entire space. In this project she exploits the film and printing technology of 3M to create a huge seamless painting that expands throughout the four interconnected
areas that cover a floor area of 1200 square feet!

The bar countertop is encrusted with more than 300,000 Swarovski crystals, which are illuminated from above by a ripple projector, and below by multicolored LEDs, in that way the counter’s surface changes hues while shimmering in undulating waves over the course of the night. ”

Gotta luv the Tickle Tap Apps developed by zing Roe Design. Age-appropriate educational games preschoolers can play anywhere.

“These apps kept our very small (and rambunctious) game testers entertained for hours, making it clear that iPhone is a terrific platform for the 3- to 5-year-old snack bracket. It’s so easy for them to hold a device, touch, tap and play!”

Because new media is for kidz too!

Nice advert Play the Button illustrated by Timo Boese aka Lowerground.

Feld introduces award-winning Monarchy stool designed by Yiannis Ghikas. “Monarchy is a stool, it is a rocking stool. It rocks sideways and it rocks back and forth. Monarchy also swivels. Monarchy is designed not to be overturned but at the same time allows the user to escape the dullness of the ultimate stability.”

Now that is a cool concept!

Naughty inoffensive character designs by Aaron Miller.

Featured: Monstar!

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Featured: 24/7 Magazine

Really like what Anthony Dimitre did with his trademark fatty iconic illustrations for the Arapaho Skateboards brand.

“Shot on location at the historic (and scenic) Glen Echo Park for the Washingtonian Bride & Groom Magazine, My Fair Lady was a two day fun fest. Working with the concept of the “fair queen” we showcased a series of contemporary and classic wedding gowns in a not-so formal (but very memorable) manner. Prior to the shoot we spent over four weeks searching and pulling and building props — we even drove 150 miles to get a swan boat!

Working with limited producion budgets pushed our creative and DIY skills as we are always seeking new ways to enchance our photoshoots/creative. For instance – the stacks of benches, bumper car, and trolley car were all at the park so we looked to ways to incorporate them to the theme. Other props like the oversize target wheel and kissing booth we had to build, paint and assemble on site. And that swan – well, it weighed 300 pounds and we had to maneuver it down a 150ft ravine to get on the waters edge, get the shot, and then get it out of there before it got dark.

On both days we worked from dawn to dusk and had to really push the schedule along to get every possible angle/shot we wanted. In total we had 14 images for the featured editorial – and yes, we prayed to the rain gods to stay away on both days!”

A super fun and not your typical bridal editorial. Download the full catalogue and see it up-close.

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My Fair Lady
Creative/Concept/Art Direction: Design Army
Photography: Cade Martin
Client: Washingtonian Bride & Groom Magazine

Back in 1982, the Hisptamatic was legendary, well with at least a few hundred small town kids in Wisconsin. Known for its ability to swap lenses and take multiple film formats, this plastic camera was well on its way to being a big deal. Sadly less than 200 cameras were produced.

Just released the Hipstamatic iPhone app! Digital photography never looked so analog! The application brings back the look, feel, unpredictable beauty, and fun of plastic toy cameras of the past. The application keeps the quirks of shooting old school but gives you the ability to swap lenses, film, and flash settings all with the swipe of a finger.

Peace and tranquility to Earth objects for Industreal designed by FxBalléry who studied science previous to joining ESAD.

“The collection helps to cut things in equal parts at home and therefore avoid the risks of tension between family members or friends.”

Now that’s quite a concept!

Inspiring story published by the NYT! It’s all about living the dream (this thing you are so passionate about). Read on.

That hobby looks like a lot of work by Alex Williams.

“Ms. Gibran, who is in her 30s, had been selling her hand-knit scarves and accessories on the site for less than a year when she decided last November to quit her day job at a copy center in Atlanta. Thirteen months later, she would seem to be living the Etsy dream: running a one-woman knitwear operation, Yokoo, from her home and earning more than $140,000 a year, more than many law associates.”

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via: Poketo

North Kingdom sensational showreel with selected cases covering 2003 – 2009 projects! Wanna see great live action, animation and motion graphics? Hit it!

Is EMOTICON a study in facial movements? One thing though, the woman in the illustration is extremely beautiful and of perfect proportions, but the animation? Mmm.. as you will see, a bit weird and off. What do you think?

Chrissie MacDonald paper sculptures and staging are little jewels. The ‘believability’ level really makes them stand out! To have an idea of the scale, check out the Creative Review cover pictures. Who would have thought so?

From now until December 25, I’d like to publish on Netdiver posters or postcards that express LOVE! LOVE of design!

If you want to contribute send me a message via our voxform and I will have a look.

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Featured: Shane Mielke, creative director at 2Advanced Studios

Illustrations featured in URB Magazine by Nigel Evan Denni aka Electric Heat who implements a variety of elements from photography to typography to free-hand illustration, attracting corporate commissions and the cultural underground simultaneously.

Featured: MOBY

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Featured: Cool Kids

Past September there was an eerie duststorm that sweeped over Sydney, AU. Now that’s of apocalyptic proportion. See the Red Dust and The Red Sydney project for amazing pictures shot by different people of this freak weather event.

Coarse unveils their long anticipated ‘false friends’ series, a set of two original vinyl figurines. The design is made by german artists Mark Landwehr and Sven Waschk. They started a distinct style of sculpting that looks almost as if chiselled and exposing the figures out from a three dimensional rock.

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via: IdN

Falling for the geometrically shaped based illustrations by Graphic Nothing which is the ‘nom de plume’ of English graphic designer Gary Clarke. “On some days he describes what he is doing as Retro Futuristic Folk Graphics – until that is, he can think of an even more absurdly pretentious description.”

Extreme photo retouching and manipulation for the creation of PSY circus show posters by Varial.

The stunningly beautiful flowery powery flash website of xtra talented illustrator Lotie whose feminine yet edgy print work, animations and other projects breath fantasy and imagination.

This powagirrrl rocks!

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Her website was produced by the original REZO-ZERO from Paris.

EMPK is an art direction and photography atelier and their São Paulo Audio Session LP cover designs are sooo lovely!

Marshall Alexander is Dutch and titles himself as a Paper Engineer! Now that’s a first for me and how befitting. Hinting directly at what he does: DIY paper toys and figurines!

He either creates completely new characters from scratch or transforms existing characters into papermodels. His speciality is one-piece papertoys, models that consist of a single flat piece of paper, which by intricate folding is transformed into a 3-dimensional model. He also creates more complex templates consisting of several parts that are glued together to construct the final model.

There is even a fab collection to freely download and assemble. Check his Flickr stream to see more of his incredible paper creatures!

Taking nothing away from their portfolio pieces, what do you think of Studio Dumbar navigational system? Like or dislike? Works or not?

What is LOVE? Power to live? Inspiration to achieve and act above and beyond? Determination to overcome? Companionship and enduring friendships? Complicity, communion, mutuality? Generosity? Appreciation? Inconditional compassion?

However you describe it, LOVE has always been the most important ingredient of my life. When I started on the web 15 years ago, vouched to find a way to promote the gift of creators and leverage the talents and the contribution of we, as dreamers and doers, do to the world.

As the season is nigh to celebrate and as JF and I enter a period of mourning for the soon loss of my little brother, I want to share this special gift with you, the LOVE poster. Free to download, share and print.

My wish for us all? May LOVE prevail in abundance.

Totally impressed! Harry Nesbitt is an up and coming young illustrator who is preparing to take the industry by storm. His 3d like drawings are infused with such imagination and creativity on top of being technically excellent. Definitely someone to watch for.

Like his style? He’s available for assignments.

Lloyd Eugene was born and raised in the rugged mountains, desolate plains, and lush valleys of Idaho. He is a “creative who loves to draw, paint, craft, develop, build, construct, free-associate, critique, communicate, collaborate, play, learn and grow without boundries between art, design, music, technology, and my everyday life.”

His seemingly chaotic line strokes often output as remnant 70s psychedelia style mixed with ornate Art Nouveauesque details.

Featured: Child Bite poster

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Featured: Silver Apples poster

Wonderful! The pastel subdued chromatics of Pandayoghurt graphic design. Gotta luv the originality of their outstanding visual concepts with the mix of geometrics with retro insertions and vectors.

Probably one of the most inventive (and beautiful) wedding invitations, using a folded system I’ve seen. Smartly designed by Jordan Gray. Have a look to see how it works!

Keeping time with funky patterned and vivid colors clocks from Chroma Lab. Each of clocks are built by hand (and made to order) from quality birch plywood and then hand painted. They use American made quartz mechanisms that run on one AA battery.

Simon Oxley and I go way back, in fact just when he was launching his first online illustration portfolio filled the lovely characters that are his stapple currency sporting this tagline (that has endure as his key sig through the years):

“idokungfoo so you don’t have to”

Hailing from Fukuoka, Japan he has whipped some high visibility logos (iStockimages and Twitter) and now you can have an overview of his workspace via ShareSomeCandy.

Carefully Considered is an army of one or as tailored as a project requires, with a movable staff of five designers, production artists and thinking folks. Now when you hit the website, you will be met by a picture of an out of this world and oh so slick futuristic motorcycle! And that’s just the beginning. Pointing out that the navigation is not usual and that you pan across different interface area.

But coming back to the motorcycle, check the fairly unique identity solution for this new motorcycle company in the UK called Mac Cycles. Instead of pursuing the typical logo design and printed system, CC created for them an identity applied to the motorcycles themselves.

Oh and what about the design on applied on the Husaberg bikes?

In another life I used to luv riding (fast) bikes ;-D

Le Lab has issued a blank Playing Art™ DIY version of their platform vinyl toy to design and adorn as you wish. The articulated plastic figure about 8” tall, with a round head, flat face, arms waved and flexible tail. If you finish one, take pictures and let them know.

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Extras: Download .ai templates to practice

Totally digging these! Destilat series (Granma, Granpa, Aunty) of mirrored surface objects that shows the cut-out ornament only when the light goes on.

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Featured: Louise

Fantastic adverts with heads of state placed all over Copenhagen International Airport by the global coalition, tcktcktck.org and Greenpeace calling on world leaders to secure a fair, ambitious and binding deal at the Copenhagen Climate Summit.

As journalists and delegates arrive in the airport, they find the first message from world leaders waiting for them…

This ad depicts Stephen Harper, Prime minister of Canada.

Caption: “I’m sorry. We could have soptted catastrophic climate change… We didn’t.”

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Photo credits: © Greenpeace / Christian Aslund

Lou Brooks is an experienced and talented illustrator, his style reminds me much of Roy Lichtenstein and Gary Baseman styles, was crowned the world’s oldest kid! (ain’t that terrific?) Why? Because of Twimericks his book of hilarious tongue-twisting limericks which would make a great gift for young and older kids to liven up any party.

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Wanna see funny (and intellectually challenging) watch the video.

Ijm (ran by Frank Visser) is a creative collective producing magazine stories, books, food, and retail concepts and taking props and staging to a new exciting level of fantasy and improbable reality.

Based in Amsterdam.

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One of their frequent contributor is Karin Nussbaumer a gifted photographer who creates stories. Sometimes fantastic, sometimes real. Often based upon and focused on small things.

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And Marlein Overakker for recipe and food styling. Check the cake section!

Juliette Borda quirky drawings “reveal the insecurities we have about our bodies and ourselves…her illustrations encourage us to laugh at our imperfections. (She goes) beyond the individual to deal with the trials and tribulations involved in relating to others. She moves through the various stages of interaction, from insecurity when meeting new people to the full flush of love or friendship through to the end of the relationship.”

Couldn’t have said it better.

From this to this, this and this, she photographs what she loves: food, travel and friends. Tara Donne stoops and stretches for the perfect angle and can do lovely picture perfect! She’s worked with major publications and has a penchant for capturing simple life pleasures.

Trained as a photographer, she has spent years honing her eye as a photo editor at domino, Real Simple, and Martha Stewart. She has been recognized in PDN’s 30 Photographers to Watch (2006) and Communication Arts’ Fresh Column (2008).

Oh and speaks conversational Spanish and basic Italian!

Daniel Egnéus was born and Sweden and lives and daydreams and illustrates in either Rome or Milano. The sheer quality of his sketching abilities and water color treatment are simply jaw-dropping. He seems to capture the essence of life with seemingly little efforts. Sure sign of a gift for observation that is above average.

He has no formal training

Balsamstudio is a small design firm based based in Krakow, Poland and they have opted for a simple yet very intuitive flash website to show their portfolio. Nice navigation, transitions and projects presentation.

Overall conveying they are skilled and serious professionals. Well done!

Maria Cristina Bellucci has worked for several years as a theatre costume and accessories maker, creating also a wide range of jewellery for stage use. She developed a strong interest for contemporary jewellery a she works on commission as well as design and create jewellery in collaboration with other artists and designers.

View her amazing collection of coloured pencils jewellry!

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via: dsgnWrld

loveshugahlovesyou (LVU) is a clothing line made by design couple loveshugah and yurra in 2006. We both love monsters and cuteness so we presents wearable artworks such as doodles and monsters on t-shirts for you to wear everyday.

Indeed genial the cute(ness) of the character masks! Gotta luv the new stuff they’ve released.

TobyHK is a native Hong Kong-based artist with an international sense; a designer with a blend of skills in graphic, illustration, characters and figure design; a multitasking man having a well-balanced path of design between professional and individual pursuits.

He created this fantastic character (figurine is 2.5M tall) for the KAPPA We are One event.

Check out what David Brownings has undertook! These kicks are made of paper! Wow! Check is other DIY: boxes and pop-up.

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via: The Science of Design

More diamonds or gems printed apparel for girls by Lazy Oaf. There are funky and cool shirts for guys too.

Featured: Zing a Bling

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Featured: Gemz

Jonathan Lewis did this series of WalmArt in different locations and generated pixel based beauty! So finding inspiration around you in the most uninspiring of places as in this case, is taken literally and turned into something of visual appeal.

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Don’t hesitate to have a look at this other series titled Designer Labels to view more pixel goodness.

Tonwen Jones studied design and illustration at Central Saint Martins and graduated with an MA in Sequential Illustration at Brighton University in 2007. Since graduating, she has worked for several London design agencies as well as working on a varied range of commissions from editorial, publishing and packaging to advertising.

Luv her retro-feel collages!

Poketo invites you to celebrate the Holidays with the Annual Poketo Holiday Warehouse sale!

Date & time: December 12, from 10-2 pm.

Location: 510 South Hewitt Street Los Angeles, CA 90013

Here is a photographer, Michael Alberstat who is versatile and accomplished in a rainbow of assignments: kids, lifestyle, food & drink, still life and interiors.

His shots are vibrant and shock full of life. He has a keen eye for color balance and perception.

Presenting the two cute tee-shirt versions of Diamonds in my Mustache designed by Julian Gese.