NEWS // January 2008
Tokujin
Yoshioka is a product designer extraordinaire who has dealt with
space, architecture, packaging and more and recently was crown Designer
of the Year 2007. Some of you may be familiar with his installations
using straws.
Be amazed!
An
update from the front: I will be attending the Sundance
Festival from the 17-27 January and just heard that I
Met The Walrus, will be part of the screened films.
What is great is that a 14 years old convinced John Lennon to give him an interview, which has, 38 years later, been turned into an animated short with the interview as sound track!
Oh
me oh my! Gorgeous! Absolutely brilliant! What a splendid flash based
website for KOKO3 is a Helsinki-based
design office working locally and globally since 1997. Pay attention
to the fluidity of it all from the flash counter to the big numerals
that indicates additional view to choose.
At the heart of their activities 'superb interiors and intellectual concepts'. So they say, so they DO!
Boico is
the portfolio of Michael Bojkowski who has designed very good print projects.
An
upcoming photographer, Andrew
Hefter is very good with portraiture and some of his still life are
brilliant.
Simon
Wild illustrations exploding with bright, bold colors and uncanny
characters, reminder of kitsch meets psychedelia era.
TOKO minimalist
portfolio with interesting projects in different media. Their tee designs
are pretty nice.
Elmwood is
a kewl flash website for an agency not short of bravura and gutso. Big
bold titles and visuals with loads of excellent branding projects.
You've
gotta see the almost too good to be true work of John
Offenbach. As you will see, his portfolio is bursting at the seams
with not only loads of different projects, but will keep stumbling on
extraordinary photography.
His sense of drama and refinement, his outstanding and often times, surprising locations, framing and staging.
Humbling and inspiring!
Joël
von Allmen is a lifestyle photographer whose commissions are mainly
of high end products such as watches. Lots of watches.
Another
stunning photographer, Marc Paeps'
work is charged with surreal ambiance and his retouching works - chef-d'oeuvres.
David
Harriman captures the mundane and sometimes beautiful hiddden in
unexpected places. It's all about locations and finding the right angle.
Part
of another HP campaign, Serena,
yes da girl who cam slam her opponents to dust, is the center character.
Gotta luv her attitude, she's a winner and ain't shying away from challenges.
The visual effects are stunning and produced by extra talented Stardust! Don't miss their reel to see their capabilities.
Creative
Senior Designer required for Neocreative,
a forward thinking ethical design agency. If you are conceptual and resourceful
with exceptional print design, typographical and branding skills, then
they want to hear from you.
Oh
the lovelies! Monoblock describes
itself as industry of imagineering and they have these nice notebooks
to offer.
Laura
Varsky 
is
a graphic designer from Buenos Aires and she graduated cum laude from
the School of Graphic Design of UBA.
Although the website is a bit ackward - worthy projects inside. Her editorial work is excellent!
Patricio
Oliver illustrations are very well executed and diversified.
Neural
Brand is a directory of dreams filled with graphic design, gentle
monsters, illustration and corp identities.
North
Kingdom - claiming to be designer's first monarchy has got job
openings. Wonder who they are? Famously behind the Get
the Glass fantastic micro-site and On
Toyota's mind amusing micro-world, amongst others.
March
Castle has developed an eccentric approach to his art most with
some pretty deep thoughts behind them. Excellent mix media illustrations.
Well
as you can guess SHCH is a graphic
group completely enamored with the swirly-swirlies and that's what they
do.. and show! They focused on their skills and it seems, obsessed with
the possibilities
Must
read .pdf! Nick Bell presentation Cause
and Effect was given on Pecha Kucha NIght D&AD President's Lecture
in Manchester, November 2006.
“We think of design as a way of improving the quality of life. Not until we judge design from the point of view of the user is it possible to fully grasp its power.”
Because
the heart knows no end when embarking on a humanitarian journey that
will bring viewers to a new level of awareness, compassion and action.
Intentionally undesigned, the LUNAM
DOCS is a website dedicated to all the children - who like Punam
- grow beyond their age in a social landscape of child labor exploitation,
famine and misery and the school that attempts to make a difference.
Beautifully filmed by duo Lucian Muntean and Nasa Stankovic which was screened at the UN Headquarters in New York, on the International Human Rights Day, December 10.
Ryan
Robinson just blew my mind away! I've been introduced to his work
a couple of years back, and even then, I was strucked by the quality
of his photographic work and most importantly, the staging, lighting
and subject matters. After a couple of years, he relaunched a new website,
with an ever growing mastering of his craft.
The right place to see what professional photography is about as well as some uncanny shots, beautiful protraiture, product shots that are simply exceptional.
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Pure simplicity xml + flash website goodness designed
by xtra talented super powagirrrl Debbie Wagner from dstripe
Vascolo is
a well rounded design agency, and some of their motion graphics projects
are exceptionally well done. Don't miss their kewl 2007
Reel.
From Argentina with luv!
Sharilyn
Wright is the creator of lovelydesign who
does beautiful paper objects from found and used leftovers. All hand-made
to order.
Indeed, lovely!
In
addendum, and as it is the appropriate time to share what I {Wish} for and Project
1210: 'Human Rights for ALL' which is to this day - a cause - worthy
of support. See how this initiative contributed as
“Independent content producers lending their freedom to speak for those who can't in a concerted way, on a concerted issue, in a concerted time and space.”
HAPPY
NEW YEAR!!!
We wish you PEACE
loads of LOVE
and sweet new
challenges
Carl
Nielson dips into all kinds of projects ranging from print, illustration
and photography. Really like some of his print projects and as you
will see - he's capable of a wide range of possibilities.
Valerie
Le Heutre designs
her jewelry with the same attention a painter uses his palette. You've
gotta see this!
From Sao Paulo, Brazil with luv!
Pete
Barnett aka Media Made Me visual
work? Sweet and short (read his following bio).. and talented.
“Born in Arizona, 1981. Moved to England with family. Moved to Colorado with family. Moved to Seattle with rock band. Signed up to art school after failing to achieve rockstar status. Awarded a degree in graphic design. Moved to London for design internships. Moved back to Colorado. Worked as a product developer and designer. Started a t-shirt company. Worked as an art director at Factory Design Labs. Currently freelancing around town and around the country.”
Edith
Terrier designs
scenographic objects. Really gorgeous, artsy and innovative take on
environmental design, modern furniture, lush toys and more. The Proxémie
chair is amazing, and was designed to research human interaction.
Luv this simple website that draws you in which was designed by bfish, a freelance flash and webdesigner, who pulls a pretty stunning simple flash web site that plays his portfolio as a slideshow, complete with project info on mouseover.
Both extra talented, located in Rennes, and must see!
SonmiSonmi is
the visual art website of Julia Sonmi Heglund a 23 year old powagirrrl.
Her illustration style is emerging and it is showing a fertile imagination.
For now, ecclectic would best describe it.
Also if you want to promote your band or business, visit her I make buttons for more information.
Flink is
a design agency, based in Antwerp and their website is surprisingly simple,
efficient sprinkled with some unexpected functionalities (like the hand-written
little msgs appearing on the right). Very nice branding, corporate identity,
print, packaging and digital design projects.
Using
a split screen (when a movie is running click either side of it) Nastuh,
a visual effects artist, reveals the pre-post production screens. Capture
is from the Asian Games! Must see!
Good
old 50s vintage looking postcard like landscape interface for the flash
website of Prospect Denim. The
colours are splendid!
Using
an usual navigation system (shift+click to move it around) ASYMPTOTE is
an architectural, environmental and installation design firm. Some projects
are mind blowing.
The
Ultimate Guide to Designing Your Own Custom T-Shirts Outlined
by Gino Orlandi, written by Jessica Stockdale
“The custom printed T-shirt business is mega-huge.”
How-to article with loads of technical specs to take into account and resources.
Find
out how Thomas.Matthews design(s)
sustainably. Gotta luv their manifesto: “Design for communication.
Smart concepts. Groovy colours. All challenges relished. All media covered.
Saving the planet. Open 24 hours.”
Read the case studie for print which offers sensible solutions (if like me you still want to use print).
This
is just the kind of furniture I really like. Shown, a modular desk. For
more smart modern with very pure lines furniture, see what Martin
Holzapfel has in store!
I
just signed up for Earth Hour 2008 when
I commit to turn off the lights for an hour at 8pm on March 28, 2008.
Innovation:
More than a New Year’s Resolution by Nate Burgos
Findings
from the Web
Design Survey 2007 by A List Apart is available as a .pdf you can
download.
“Close to 33,000 web professionals answered the survey’s 37 questions, providing the first data ever collected on the business of web design and development as practiced in the U.S. and worldwide.”
Journey
into the beautiful! Enrico
Pellizzoni flash website is like a rare gem amongst the rubbles.
Panning around the interface in a slow motion you can view elegant shots
of their furniture.
What
if a graphic design student was to embark building over 1,500 color palettes
based on The Sartorialist?
See for yourself at Wear
Palettes!
An
assortment of newly found talents ranging from illustration, product,
ceramics and graphic design portfolios.
designisfine is
home to Celeste Prevost fontydelicious designs
/
Finding Cheska almost exclusively white products
/
Stephanie DeArmond when
ceramics go font-ky
/
Alex Trochut crafts typography in bold, swervy or angular flavors.
/
Iulian Danaila from studying architecture to designing
/
Megan Bogonovitch out
of this world ceramics
Vance
Wellenstein aka Untitled2 focus
is typography projects
Don't
know what is happening - but I'm bombed! The 4th portal I know - is closing
down. Eric Steuten the founder of deLijst (Holland
based) just sent me an email that after 9 years publishing.. it is the
end - claiming not enough time and manpower to keep up the quality and
publishing schedule.
Now - perhaps you are not familiar with the pioneering design portals that became favorite hubs to distribute news and promote talent - basically acting as catalysts to gather and create a buzz around the possibilities that the Web affords designers, artists and all creative medias folks, around what I call the 'core' community.
Never before have I said this - but DO have loads of gratitude to all these generous and hard working folks from which you get your daily boost of inspiration. Perhaps now, is a good time to express this - if you haven't yet.
Make a quick photographic tour of the recent Singapore Design Festival provided by Pol Oxygen.
Hella Jongerius office pets and other material projets, like the props, might be perceived as a waste or over the top - if so - over the top creativity it is, and that - we never have too much of.
Luv the website precious sections that unveils her artistry and vision.
Illustration Career by Nate Williams
“When I first started, I wrote illustrators that I admired (Jordin Isip, Modern Dog, Kirsten Ulve) and they were very generous with their information/expertise .. so I would like to return the favor by helping out new illustrators.”
New movie released by Sweden-based mix-media masters againstallodds that explores what happens when “your thing plus my thing equals a whole new different thing” in “Intergalactic Swap Meet.”
Download the full movie and enjoy!
Another initiative by the good folks at Zune arts!
Krap! lounge72 has closed down! Kai and I always tried to help each other through the years and I know the decision to close a project is a thorny one and for sure, something exciting is looming.
You will be missed!
_ _ _ _ _ _
On a side note, don't know if you knew that I've been keeping a small directory of now offline sites (sometimes it does not mean the domain is no longer, just that that particular site design is gone - sometimes the domain is gone - sometimes the whole agency / company / freelancer is gone). In the early days of Netdiver - I would just remove everything but then for the past couple of years... I decided I don't want to forget all the talent, work and efforts that once was and now have disappeared and gone to reinvent elsewhere.
Head-up towards memory lane if you wish - the directory is called x_pired and see if you recognize some.
alfalfa studio is an interdisciplinary graphic design studio located in NYC and virtually every graphic medium is represented in their portfolio from print and web to motion graphics and environmental design.
Rafael Esquer is one sharp mind, brimming over with creative joy and like me, passionate about everything design!
How to think like a great graphic designer by Debbie Millman
This is the book I'm completely fascinated by at the moment. Written by Debbie Millman and based on her interviews for which she really shows great talent for debunking relevent tidbits, you will find insights, that will prove true jewels. Don't be fooled by the title... the content has more depth than just aspiring to be one of those.. or just another name dropping fest.
Here is an excerpt - to size the tone.
I am inspired and stirred and keenly amused and surprised all the while being poked at evaluating my own assertions about how to create great design.
For more of my favorite books - check my bookshelf.
“While
so much of today's media is taking up our space, dumbing us down, and
impeding our productivity, GOOD
Magazine exists to add value.”
