Design and digital culture NEWS // April 2005
Wonderful!
David Hofmann started one of the funkiest project that recycles pieces
of cardboard or boxes - called The Box
Doodle Project which is now a winner of the prestigious D&D Pencil
Award! Proof that you never know how far a project you have a passion
for will take you!
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1: Congrats
to all participants in the project.
Design(Radar has
relaunched with a brand new site! Wow that is a big jump - interface
completely revised.
Short
list of recently updated illustration, industrial,
new media portfolios sites
in no particular order or flavor:
/
The Liquid Fridge is a non-profit organisation devoted to advancing
South African digital creativity, by encouraging interaction between
individuals and groups who explore the creative uses of technology,
and debating the issues of art, media, culture and society. The new
website relaunched with new events and projects for the next 2 months
include ICEBOX 01 movie night, UPLOAD 07 workshop and Frozen Goods
5 digital media showcase. Phew! :)
/
Sam Dallyn keeps it minimal to display top talent.
/
Diplomatic-cover French fresh flash company relaunches
/
Dodo Arslan visit the 7 new pieces
/
Julien Moulin one of my fav designer hits the new site button again!
/
Personal Space Invaders (PSI) now in a CSS layout!
Mmm...
that's interesting. Geez magazine is
a beautiful new magazine that serves a politically-charged readership
at the fringes of faith, based in Winnipeg, aimed at North America is
seeking some friendly hands to help design the site. Fit da bill???
Please contact Aiden Enns,
publisher.
Where
did the fun in advertising go? This was a great example for now defunct
Eaton's stores (economists have said that the
collapse of the Eaton’s retail dynasty was the result in part
of Eaton’s slow response to changes occurring in the retail marketplace...)
especially After
a long Winter.
NOOS
est un petit film flash intéractif qui par le biais de termes
et situations reliés à notre utilisation des technologies
tente de faire une métaphore forte sur des sujets actuels chauds.
La subtilité des contenus ne peuvent être appréciés
que si vous parlez le Français couramment.
Design
In-Flight 05 Issue is now available. The Change issue represents several
opportunities taken to experiment, explore and improve the magazine through
change.
OH!
That sounds like a new game of Megapoly! Adobe
to Buy Macromedia in $3.4 Billion Stock Deal by Terence Neilan
“Customers are calling for integrated software solutions that
enable them to create, manage and deliver a wide range of compelling
content and applications - from documents and images to audio and video,” Bruce
Chizen, chief executive of Adobe, said in a statement.
This is crazy... now I wonder what they're going to do with the Creative
Suite that has the GoLive wysiwyg app and Dreamweaver? Hopefully as when
such things happen - let's hope it's not only the shareholders that stand
to profit.
Official
Adobe and Macromedia release.
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
via Mau Sandoval
Ya
man!!! Sending a lot of positive words to all the juniors out
there!!! Must read article - especially for old hands! This is why the
challenge is so stiff and rethinking your perceptions are and reinventing
yourself ain't no option! Me is having a little victory dance around
me laptop!
The
Danger of Hiring Juniors by Geoffrey Roche, Applied Arts
“The energy that these new recruits will inject into your agency
will, I admit, be hard to deal with. There may be uncontrolled laughter,
far too many truly original ideas, boundless enthusiasm and seemingly
foolish optimism. In fact, you may even get to love what you do again...
they have been brought up with a mouse in one hand and a remote** in
the other.”
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
** What do you know - identical thinking :))
Excerpt from the article Visual
Architecture: The Rule of Three / published in Digital-Web Magazine.
“Recent generations have been trained to learn from digital interfaces
(e.g. games, educational CD-ROMS), and display a high dependence on concept
rather than core information for the acquisition of new knowledge - this
is the point-and-click generation...
After years of work in visual design - the constant learning
curve is to feed my eyes to train my imagination. The mantra is improve-improve-improve.”
What's
the always? or Here's a neat way to invent
a new Purple Cow by Seth Godin
“Figure what the always is. Then do something else.
Toothpaste always comes in a squeezable tube.
Business travelers always use a travel agent.
Politicians always have their staff screen their calls.
Figure out what the always is, then do exactly the opposite.
Do the never.”
Powerful!
Thumbnail illo “OK you're the Daddy” brought to you by talented I
Do Kung Foo illustrator - Simon Oxley.
Capture
the moment. Simple photography site from a duo called LiveLifeLike! 
I
like how the pictures are assembled side by side - making a more complex
visual story - often - as in the thumbnail - using similar forms.
You
don't want to miss this well sliced and very serious and short overall
article on how to go about naming that future company. Seeing names in
context - makes them a bit ridiculous... Mind you - even lot's of pseudo
or real big names - also loose their punch in that context. The best
analysis - is in compare-compare-compare and then I guess - choose the
obvious - what's missing.
Top
Ten Tips for Corporate Naming by James Archer.
Mmm...
it's like a closer encounter with eclectism. Some '60s psychedelic meet
mean urban style. Results? Jackson
Chang who sure knows how to pack a full visual experience.
Make
somebody smile with a Tee or make them do music with a glass. ATYPYK everything
but typical - strikes again! To all those who have suggested, recommended,
pushed, nagged, begged...they finnally opened their e-boutique! Ah les
Français - ce sont les vrais nerds linguistiques.
Jort
Braam plays with clair-obscur contrast and his Aven'sys illustrations
are like surreal paintings that still hold enough of reality to make
the junction dense with originality.
Likemind
author - we share the same vision for the future. There is no IF - just
buy it! A Whole New Mind (The Rise
of Right-Brain Thinking and the New Way to Succeed) by Daniel Pink is
the must read of the moment! Guaranteed to get you to start thinking
and wanting to do different! Warp speed ahead on your dreams!
Read the full review.
Unfair
to this recording artist Leerone is
that the website is very poorly executed some links open external browser
windows with 404 content and 'ambiant' sounds that give no indication
of the music style...
Too bad the concept was interesting.
Oh!
Almost at each other's throat! Original concept to introduce their company
Cocos Brand is streaming 2 different videos that are somehow related
- giving you an impression of a real time conversation.
Appreciation for their determination in pulling this off!
Designed
to Help by R. Klanten (Editor), the book is released! Get yours
today!
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1: Visit
the DTOH site where the
project started in order to help and in reaction to the disastrous tsunamis
to hit Indonesia.
New
design collective on the block RB
/ ID have made their first exhibit.
LUV the idea of mixing urban shop with urban design! Congrats to all
participants. Publish globally and organize locally! From Indonesia with
LUV!
No
Logo. No Brand. Pure Concept.Giving brand-america the finger since 2001. Are
you generic?
“Are You Generic? is an organization that seeks
to protest, to question, and to disprove. Its nemeses are unethical corporations,
censorship, the slanted media, hypocrisy, excessive advertising, and
plain stupidity. Its heroes are art, discussion, independent thought,
and creation.”
IF/THEN// is
a new collaborative studio operated by one of the very early netdiver
community member, Andi Rusu from the RedOctober fame,
along with Ricki Castro and Jim Catel. They (try to) specialize in high
end interactive flash sites, along with all other interactive products.
Now that's what I call a really sharp flash site with it's mini anims
for main navigation!
I Like the punched holes fx around each content area. Rotating background
pictures are rad and the overall feel - techno edge with lyricism.
Follow
the story of a character that uses his brush as the chameleon tool and
extension of his imagination. Create
(styles) is the never without my brush home of talented illustrator
Ernesto Bello. Urban meets tribal and does skip a beat. LUV the fatty
lines. Don't miss his artist manifesto.
Follows
designers' portfolios sites
worth visiting, enjoy!
/
Nishant Choksi mostly retro comic strip illustration style
/
Neuarmy always high quality in selected projects
\ Bridge
House panning flash navigation
Retro--cool
in black & white for a Big
Fat Institute! Don't miss the little movies - they are hilarious
and efficiently work at pitching the agency!
This
powagirrrl sure knows how to design! LUV the new Jigaram website with improved,
improved and just improved projects!
You rule Tiffany!
Following
the setting up of their new office, TAXI
Design Network / Hills Creative Arts is currently recruiting an individual
for the following fulltime Editor position to better deliver the design
initiative to the international creative industry. To apply, kindly submit
your three of your best portfolio works, resume with photo (all documents
must be in PDF format) and a link to your homepage to jobs@hillscreativearts.com.
They
are luscious, extravagant, creative - you have got to see the dazzling
work of Friendswithyou!!!
Like everything they do - is outstanding from a design perspective: toys,
animations, illustrations, design.... Don't miss the gallery! WOW!!!
This
is a pretty audacious site for Tanner
Hecht an architectural firm. The navigation system is based solely
on words - that infer moods or conceptual ideas. The only problem - is
that it is really easy to get lost - even if the layover building of
the next images are pretty cool. Another item, identifying links to pdf
files which can be long to download.
Since architects are there to create order out of chaos - wonder if
that was the best approach!
Anyway - hats off for the originality of the concept.
Interesting
resource for industrial designers. “Publishing online for more
than eight years, VCR continues
to support value-created furniture manufacturing in Canada and beyond.
If we are what we eat applies to us as individuals, then we
take the view that as a society we are what we make.”
After
my own bout with similar activities and posting an editorial about
it, State-of-the-art
interactivity? by Jeff Veen, will perhaps bring some good points
home!
“As I clicked through the hundreds of submissions,
I started to get an uneasy feeling. Why was all of this so bad? I mean,
it was really bad. Could it be that what I have always believed to be
good interaction differs dramatically from what "professionals" believe?”
Web
design going in the wrong direction? by Jason Fried
“UI designers are making the same old fundamental “forgetting
about the human being on the other side” mistakes — except
this time their code looks better. Humans — not code validators —
use interfaces.”
“There needs to be more talk about people and goals
and scenarios and tasks and clear communication and clear function. More
talk about what it’s like to be a human clicking and pointing and
struggling to make sense of all this “stuff” that web sites
think we need to know and interfaces think we need to do.”
He's
back!!! Unplugged, makers of the original adventures Seinfeld
and Superman - have posted the movies on their site! I had the pleasure
to actually see one of the first iteration while visiting their studio
in Toronto. Wow! The work involved in 'reskinning' Superman from original
drawings and turn it into a full digital character is no less than phenomenal
work! Get inside information on the how to, concept and view some reels.
Cheers to the team!
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
(The original site is no longer online - get a look at the brief) The
Adventures of Seinfeld (and Superman???) guarantees a refreshing
moment! How about shorts (5 min) films for advertising using the product
placement model? Amex's done it! Don't miss the behind the scene footage.
What I like most about this project is that two artists (comedian + film
director) decided on pitching to a company to do something completely
original!
Do
you think they like music or what? From providing for private labelling
and corporate musak to licensing and securing rights to the whole spectrum
of design related services Rock
River Music is in the business of the know how to!
Written
and visualized by Till Nowak who has studied media design at fh mainz
- Delivery - is an animated
short movie part of his final MFA project.
You have gotta see this!
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
Insight? Direction? Proof that in our imagination - we designers - do
see good prevailing over evil???
étapes: aborde
le graphisme et le design à travers des articles portraits, historique,
ou reportage. Découvrez le contenu des numéros qui vous
manquent, les liens Internet et les précisions de chaque article
paru. Ce numéro offre un petit zoom sur les propositions de couv
des jeunes studios. Some excerpted content published in English - every
3 months.
Wonderful! Carmen
Consoli is
a famous italian singer-songwriter and I LUV her new very simple and
elegant website. Pure delight is the interface with its mini bevelled
buttons and 3D fx; the top CD like banner section is especially well
executed and designed and incorporates video!
Welcome a new powagirrrl!!!
You
have gotta see this! Circulo from
Grupow is an exploratory navigational system to display complex information!
Check the Circulo de Oro and the Television section to see it in action!
This new site was designed for the Association of Circulo Creativo in
Mexico, that represents all the advertising agencies of the country:
Ogilvy, DDB, BBDO, Fote, Cone & Belding, Mcann Eriksson, etc. Grupow
challenge was to create a portal that should download quickly, for it
is going to be used as a consulting tool.
The result? A complete system of navigation in just 80 kb.
If
you are into street art - head towards TEMBOKBOMBER which
is a street art community blog and a chill spot for Indonesian street
artists, urban-artists, and street art lovers.
I
really like the flash intro for Persaud
Brothers. Site design is ok and somewhat deceiving is the copy which
is tainted with world domination, perhaps a bit over the top, in my view.
They put a lot of emphasis on their storyboarding / animation skills
which are problably their strongest assets.
Rooty(delicious) is
a similar vector animated site but way more superior conceptually and
technically! There is an engaging appeal to relate mostly due to the
presence of the characters illos that adds curves and humanity to the
dedale of lines.
Mr.
Kid Wonder himself, Chuck Anderson (19), aka No Pattern, is an artist
living and working in the Chicago area and has done work with Absolut,
Microsoft, ESPN the Magazine, Audi, MacUser, The KDU, and more, is offering
a first run of lithographs on NP&CO!
Citric has
gotta a navigational system that makes the site and visit worthy. Starting
with a one color vector - intriguing the little spots of colors - then
on close-up - it all makes sense.
Some
of you might actually enjoy AudioBulb most
recent release the Intricate Maximals buzzing with deep exploratory electro
loops and sounds. It seems that many of the artists (including Curet
A.) are designers as well as musicians.
When
will they ever learn?!?! It's beyon me! Who's the copycat? #1 or #2?
This time around... not too hard to figure out.
SerumvsVenum is
a new line of clothing that is tinted with urban flare and ninjawear.
The photography is splendid and I like the addy campaign illos. Also
the little liner on the right... holds consumerism elevated liners...
scrutinizing present day culture?
-> more news
^
