Design and digital culture NEWS // November 2006
To
the men and women who design, must see video! We need to rally
the value of design at all costs. Like Michael Beirut said: “There
is so much redesign going on, no wonder clients don't see
its value... since if you remove (change) it, it does not leave a hole...”
Don't know which year it was filmed, well it does mention Technicolor...
which is probably in the early 50's, since it's in 1952 that it stopped
being used in Hollywood films.
If you're curious about this process, suggest your read the 'history'
section
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
via Plasticshore which has
now become a blog.
While
doing the research on Technicolor found the parent company Thomson and
their corporate video.
On a side note, maybe someone could be bold enough to offer to bring
their website up to par with the video... it would be phenomenal.
Listen to text while looking at the images... They know their stuff
of images and beyond. Can you tell, I'm fascinated by the light ball!
What
is luvable, huggable, stands 3" and can be carried everywhere and
will be shipping sometimes
in December? Treeson! The cutest figurine is built from recycled material
too and designed by Crazy
Label.
The taller version has a branch stemming from his heart and has to do
with the friendship of its creators.
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
If you like designers' toys consult Vinyl
Pulse or Toy Plastic for news
about this fascinating industry.
cheekyDsn
is the winner in the 2006 Personal category of the 2006
Pixel Awards.
I'm
a huge fan of painting oversized canvas and Identity5 came
up with delicious pop art to dress up an entry, studio or living wall.
Joyous colors, forms and huge formats.
A must see!
You
are probably familiar with the [ Mutabor
HH ] agency that specializes in brand identity and editorial design.
Listed for a number of years on netdiver, it is still going strong after
all these years.
_ _ _ _ _ _
They
have published a couple of books and one of my fav is the Lingua
Universalis: Global Wordless Understanding. In the same vein as Los
Logos and Dos
Logos, this little jewel is all about how to design great logos;
examples are from their own client work and experiments.
Read the review.
Irrepressible.info is
an Amnesty International campaign on Internet freedom.
“I believe the Internet should be a force for political freedom,
not repression. People have the right to seek and receive information
and to express their peaceful beliefs online without fear or interference.
I call on governments to stop the unwarranted restriction of freedom
of expression on the Internet – and on companies to stop helping
them do it.”
Support & sign the pledge!
Color
Theory by Janet Ford
“If you are involved in the creation or design of visual documents,
an understanding of color will help when incorporating it into your own
designs. Why some colors worked together while others did not always
intrigued me and I found the study of color theory fascinating.”
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
Quick read and short articles with examples.
Mark
Bannerman is an award winning illustrator and graphic artist who
has worked professionally in London for over twelve years before recently
returning to his native Scotland.
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
via Pixartisan
Update
your bookmarks, i love colette 
has
launched the dancing robots version of her site where you can find urban,
fashion curiosities and if you happen to be in France, visit the gallery.
She curates up and coming artists since 1997.
Outstanding
casts of photographers, stylists, hair & make-up artists, hair only
and costume designer are available under T
H E N A M E S A G E N C Y banner.
You
have to see this fantastic video: 1
week of art works!
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
via the newly launched TORC acronym
for Things of Random Coolness.
An
absolutely gorgeous collection of fonts designed by Jack Usine aka SMeltery.
Some are free to download too like the AUdimat v2.
Yummy!
From
trendy to cutting-edge to wild and kitschy NOTCOT is
a superbe assemblage of visual filtration of ideas + aesthetics + amusements.
Initiated and co-founded by super powagirrrl Jean Aw and Daniel Frysinger.
As
I'm revisiting sites that were posted in the galleries without comments,
perhaps you will agree with me that it is hard to keep in mind that Monoedge website
was built back in 2001!!! If there were a Netdiver hall of fame directory,
it would be there.
I do miss the days when pushing the envelope was the norm, not an extra
item on a RFP as it is today.
Visit it with a new perspective and appreciation.
Web
2.0 Thinking Game by Jeffrey Zeldman.
Slickier
than any I've seen! We know how real estate agents excels at putting
a good show, but nothing - really - ever comes close to Corey
Wecler!
Impeccable photography, thoroughly enjoyable properties section and
description with really nice use of flash.
Luv the fx of the type slowly scrolling up in the background.
Elegance!
Extra
talented Qian Qian has redesigned
his portfolio site and the redrawing bar code graphic on the index is
in itself worth visiting.
Communicating
With Pattern series: Circles
and Dots + Stripes by
Keith Stephenson and Mark Hampshire
What an intringuing concept! With flying colors this serie of books
published by Rotovision, will
lead you down the path of history, cultural context and how and where
some familiar forms related to circles, dots and stripes were used.
Easy reading, yet overflowing with tidbits that are opening up a different
scope on some familiar items.
Well documented, proof of intense research, erudite detailling exposed
and demonstrated with tons of relevant pictures and examples makes these
two books a must have for future reference.
There is no discrimination as to the sources for constructing sharp
and witty arguments: textiles, fashion, interiors, architecture, graphics,
and product and industrial design... dizzying!
Truly the next time you will want to use these in your design, a newly
found depth will spring up and get you thinking before applying.
As you know, I personally have used circles a lot in the past couple
of years and it's rewarding to understand more what is behind my creative
process.
I recommend them highly.
_ _ _ _ _ _
More book
reviews?
Joakim
Oscarsson just received an industrial design award for an amazing
new bus! Check it out!
OK
we've seen avatars and beguiling nice looking people make their apparition
on digital screens and throw a pitch some good and some really awful
and we, well we get it: the slowly shoved down our throat homemade culture
of a particular company.
Indigo 6 attempts making the concept
at least somewhat believable: what they describe as first-class digital
treatment... and applied it to themselves first!
If
you're into pixel goodness you will appreciate rediscovering the /
l i t t l e f a c t o r y which has been published since 2000.
Don't miss the 'Little OS' section.
Proof that when a good concept is put in place, it never ages! Good
ideas are timeless.
They've
been around for sometime now and their output is still high caliber,
conceptually strong and extremely well executed design. That's why they're Superfamous.
Is
retouching equal to fake???
I am awed and disgusted at the same time. Nothing to do with the power
of Photoshop... we all know how that software is capable of supporting
the most audacious photographic manipulations.
But it seems to me that when it comes to fashion and
how being normal is now out of the question... even for the slender (skinny?)
models that are challenged to portray beauty standards (sic), which
btw, are all but unattainable for most of us... women.
Is the way to go to alter reality? I mean, have we got to a point that
we are profoundly incapable of supporting the mere sight of imperfections?
I've been tinkering on trying to assess this new virtual border that
is photography retouching for some time now. Nothing to do with the talent
involved.. I guess, this newly found example,
is the drop that pushes me over the edge.
So what is it that warrants these manipulations in the first place?
How and when and why was this new ipso facto established? Why do we have
to see this way anyway???
Could it be that since in our day and age we don't butcher or harvest
the food we eat, that we buy our food from marketing oriented nicely
packaged rows and sterilized cellophaned kept counters... as an example,
are we more and more, pushed and steered to distance and remote ourselves
from what is real?
Is it because we enhance and correct weak lighting, level colors, sharpen
or blur or clone in new perspectives to enhance the background and subject
that we are warranting alll kinds of fake
model photography?
The debate is certainly wide open! What do you make of this?
_ _ _ _ _ _
Mau let me in on
the Dove - Evolution
Commercial which is a campaign by Dove and
Ogilvy with videos/ads demonstrating the same issue of retouching and
how girls are trying to match beautifulness.
Jerome
Lagarrigue just completed his residency at la Villa Medici and
an exhibit followed. Discover an amazing plastician who sees landscapes
in faces...
His palette of choice is rich and subtle and his brush strokes and control
on multiple textures and light effects are as beautiful as striking.
Marimekko is
a leading Finnish textile and clothing design company that was established
in 1951. The company designs, manufactures and markets high-quality clothing,
interior decoration textiles, bags and other accessories.
Maija Isola designed her first fabrics for Printex. She continued to
design for Marimekko until 1987. Isola was an important reformer and
forerunner in the design of printed fabrics.
Introducing
a new generation of flash sites: well organized and lots of negative
space; high res pictures but not overcrowding; easy enough navigation
and making for a good shopping experience... almost like those minimalist
boutiques.
You've gotta see Shop Composition!
Michael
Bartalos sweet cubic like illustrations and installations are fresh, zesty and delicious.
Inventive,
bizarre, weird and funny applications atelier
v. have developed from everyday objects found around home and turned
them, into usefull even if somewhat wacky props.
You've gotta see this!
Silja
Goetz combines
line art and collage forms to create very interesting illustrations.
Byandreas is
the new domain of lindkvist where you can find multiple apps of his cutie
characters. Shown the 'suspenders'.
Absolutely
jaw dropping photography by SHU AKASHI who
masters the art of product composition in almost a myriad of different
markets.
Lovepics is
a portfolio site built with an interface that looks like an online mag
and in fact, Mira is publishing one
and if you wish, contact her to contribute to the second issue!
Saluting much talent from Italy.
Authentic
Jobs is a targeted destination for standards-aware designers and
developers and the companies seeking to hire them.
The
Little Girl Giant woke up in her deckchair at Horseguards Parade
after another good nights sleep, took a shower from the Sultans Elephant,
got dressed, and wandered off for a play in St James' Park.
Royal de Luxe is a
French mechanical marionette street theatre company. They were founded
in 1979 by Jean Luc Courcoult.
Incredible!
Stunning
non-linear approach for a graphic design portfolio by Gregory
Durrell. He chose small thematic sections where he affirms very strong
opinions / personal values and projects he completed, confirm, illustrate
and support these statements.
LUV it!
Marleen
Noordergraaf has
got an eye for capturing human expression and her portraits are ample
proof!
Gorgeous,
brillant and classy is design work of june
kim .
Her portfolio was listed a numbers of years back... and see for yourself
how far she has gone.
Prestigious clients and likewise projects. Not that names are
that important. What is important are the reasons why you get chosen
to do the work.. and in this case, self-evident: talent, lots and lots
of talent!
One
of the most creative designer has relaunched a stunning new version of
his site. Listed in the shortlist of BOTY
04 (Best of the Year), Jonathan
Yuen reinvents in a new inkblot like version.
Must see!
Less
Rain London is looking for an experienced Flash developer. You
should have been working a minimum of three years in Flash front-end
programming, have an eye for animation and detail, and a feel for good
interaction design and usability.
Send links to online portfolios with relevant examples
to jobs@lessrain.com. Please include
personal, artistic works, we prefer to see your favourite projects, not
your biggest brand names.
Gary
Taxali has been listed on netdiver for a long time and is part
of the unsong heroes, portfolios that were added to the directories
without appearing on the what's new.
In order to set things right, please discover the strange world of his
where characters inhabit his fertile imagination. Luv his colors and
often times, blunt and in your face designs.
His style is early toons and somewhat fiftyish!
How
specialization limited the web by Molly E. Holzschlag
“When the Web was new, skill integration was the
only way you could survive as a designer. The trend toward specialization
has been a tough transition for those of us who successfully handled
many skills in the early days. Many of us have scrambled to decide on
a specialty, only to find that it isn't necessarily a good fit.”
Introducing Firefox
2! The best browser ever!
Some
goes nutz for cars and Tom Hale illustrates
them in the most extraordinary way! His technique is like liquid art
because the colors are so fluid.
Have a look!
What
is nicely wrapped and nicely designed? Has myriad of possibilities and
makes for nice eye catching objects?
Announcing the launch of Stickylou,
a place to find the best stickers made by famous around the globe designers,
street artists and grafitti artists.
What
a great idea and initiative this is! Jon Meyer is part of Remediality,
Manhattan-based New Media Theory Reading Group.
What is it? As they say: “Maybe you've been reading too much New
Media theory. Why not join us in debunking the myths, questioning the
critics, and having fun.”
Can't make it and participate, check the list of read
/ discussed papers and be refreshed! Perhaps even start your own!
How
Good is Good? by Stefan Sagmeister
“One of the many things I learned in my year without clients,
a year I had put aside for experiments only, was that I’d like
a part of my studio to move from creating cool things to significant
things.”
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
In earnest, that is my current preoccupation (although article dates
back in 2002), from fluff to substance is a hard introspection to seek
in order to (re)define of our role as designers.
The
only way to make your dreams come true, is to do them. That
may be an oversimplified statement, but when one sets its heart to do
something... well something is bound to happen.
Stemming from such, SUKCESS launched
its own label!
cool site too!
An interview
with Sam Buxton not to be missed!
“From the MIKRO series of fold-up sculptures to his electroluminesent
tables and clocks, the work of the British product designer Sam Buxton
is dominated by his experiments with advanced materials and technologies.”
You've
gotta see G-Boogie little flash
intro filled with fluid fonts and beautiful vector illustrations. Smooth
and slick!
Nice
corporate website for graustich.
A bit of a complex navigation though.
Giants
can rock too you know!!! Yepp they are bigger than anyone, have voracious
appetite for anything they can put their hands on, sometimes clumsier
than a toddler learning to walk or more arrogant than ten nation states,
if not downright evil...
But a few others like Mohawk Fine
Papers have decided to keep up. Check their revamped image and
website (used to be Mohawk Paper Mills)! Gheez...
Luv the concept of the sliding cards that holds same navigation without
piling 100% over the last card and the jazzied up rotating effects as
well!
But what I found to be really impressive is the fact that they use windpower
for up to 38% of their electricity requirement and have an environmental
plan in place.
Now that's truly remarkable!!!
They've
been in active in the field for a long time and their evolution is simply
stunning. Factor Design is
a powerhouse for design, branding and have a truly beautiful website.
Now this is what I called web design! Simple, lots of visuals that don't
overwhelm but draws you into visiting each of the projects, just enough
copy. A really good portfolio site. After visiting you're convinced:
they know what they're talking about.
More power to them and long live!
Staged
or spontaneous, photography suspends time, objects and subjects. Good
photographers make it look easy.
Tommaso Mei is no exception.
YO
CLAS! is a portfolio site for motion, illustration and design specializing
in entertainment mostly, assignments.
Always
been fascinating, how someone can put so much imagination in building
icons. If you're interested in a collection of desktop icons, have a
look at Most
Usable
& Most Original Icons - Top 10.
My fav by far is the Rounder -
I like the level of challenge and details into rendering familiar symbols.
Luscious and delicious, aren't they cute?
The
breakdown of modern web design! No comments necessary - careful
coarse language!!!
Olaf
Hajek is into a painterly style that often depict crowded over
spaces or sometimes, which I prefer, completely minimalist.
Overall is work is strong and bold and yet, can be very detailed and
refined.
Another
litteral translation! The sheet of paper folding as an airplane has been
used and used... but Capital
Corporate has decided that an origami based approach would exemplify
best who they are.
What does it indicate? They master the art of folding intricated forms.
If you don't know the right moves, the paper sheet will turn into everything
but... more likely as a non-descript crumpled ball of paper (which in
fact they use, to talk about failure). Interesting metaphor.
So qualities inferred would be imagination and skill that can fold,
shape, bend and bring to life complex information or mandates.
Luv the little floating pulleys system and the folding animations!
Miuro,
the music robot... is a wireless widget that has enough sensors
to literally make you fall off your chair!
“Equipped with a camera and sensor, the owner sends a call to
the Miuro using a wireless remote, which the robot responds to by locating
the owner neatly avoiding obstacles, then cleverly positions itself at
an optimum listening distance where it grooves around rolling and pivoting
to the tunes.”
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
via Tokyocube
Mom
knows best is a conceptual approach that conveys many qualities that
are, if you think of it, not such a stretch for a design studio: nurturing,
dedicated, involved, strong, experienced and last but not least, loving (you) through
thick and thin.
StudioMOM is a product and furniture
design studio that seems to have taken this concept as their core definition
and I admire their guts, because it will generate a much higher level
of expections from clients!
From Netherlands with luv!
5oup an
online community for students relaunches new site!
+DESIGN is
a new Icograda program that collects inspiring design solutions. It's
about leading creatively and celebrating creative problem solving that
makes a difference.
Icograda is inviting submissions that
showcase unique design solutions to complex communications challenges.
Since
I'm 14 have had but one dress code.. which has become my day in and out
uniform: jeans and tees. Apart from the explosion of available designers'
tees - I don' t have much care for fashion trends... well I do like shoes
but not anykind, those that will fit well with... jeans.
I just hapchanced on InstantKarma fashion
design by Francisca Huessar and
I must revisit my assumptions. What struck me is that... some of the
models have flesh and are not a pack of emaciated bones.
The second thing, is that she takes chances, meaning she utterly jumps
over the boundaries to explore how fabric, shape and cut should become
wearable garments.
She is a true visionary!
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
Her site was designed by dCTRL who
has been listed on netdiver since almost the onset of the magazine.
“You
have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime
in your life.”
- Winston Churchill
Oh!
I've never seen something quite like this! Fernando and Campana aka Campanabrothers are
furniture designers, well... ones that have an imagination on warp and
the guts to explore and stretch the very notion of what furniture is
about and can be.
On top, the website is a pure visual delight. Each project loading section
displays an unexpected sequence. Each section is a work of art and seems
to always expand on the concept of each pieces of furniture by intertwining
mix media collages, illustration and animation.
Wow the collaboration has given day to one of the most creative site
I've seen to date. The symbiosis between the furniture makers and their
(web site) designer is flawless. Everything seems to stem from the same
mind and soul.
This one is about celebrating the value of creativity, audacity, complexicity,
complicity and ultimately, delivery.
_ _ _ _ _ _
ndle1:
Designed by incredibly talented Mariana
Bukvic who
went on to receive multiple prestigious awards listing for this project.
This
strange world is filled with doodle like creatures and characters that
may look all the same to the unexercised eye. Look closer into MDRL,
home and playground of talented Derrick Hodgson.
Just
luv her style, Kate Miller a
prolific illustrator with a stunning array of projects in her portfolio
with a strong preference in her palette for all shades of tangy ochers,
shades of vibrant or muted blue and reds.
Josh
Cochran illustrations are reminescent of ink, cartoonistic lineart
laced with an ample dose of 70s pop-art poster style.
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news
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