Bona Fide Drifter

Type Fight

2011-12-29T08:30:00.000-08:00

Type Fight is one of my "must check on today before I do anything else" sort of indulgences. Much like my numerous style and design blogs, I have to do my daily routine check and see who the newbies are going head-to-head.

Type Fight is a project to distract Drew Roper and Ryan Paule from their day-to-day grind. Every so often, they will design the same letter and pin them against each other in the typographic ring to battle it out for best looking character. It's fantastic! Each letter designer has their own statistics (nickname, rated at, height, weight, birth date, stance, reach, university, and current location) and a short biography.

The latest post was a "Guest Fight." Number 10 to be specific. It featured two very different designs of the letter "N" by Taylor Goad and Scott Hill. Take a look below at the two designs and their background information and go on over to thetypefight.com and vote for your favorite.

Be sure to drop by Type Fight every now and then to see who's battling!

Designer of the Day: Jude Landry

2011-12-28T20:39:00.000-08:00

Jude Landry is one of the most refreshing and versatile designers and illustrators I've ever come across. It's very common to pinpoint a style when browsing most portfolios and almost expected, but when it comes to the work by Jude, good luck trying to figure him out. You can literally view a perfectly crafted letter composed of delicate swirls and intricate lines printed with a silver spot color on fudge brown paper promoting a lecture by the wonderful Jessica Hische, and right after, a bold illustration of an oil covered octopus gripping five coastal states, created to raise awareness and funds for the cleanup of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill.

Native to New Iberia, Louisiana, Jude completed both a BFA and an MFA in Graphic Design from Louisiana Tech University. Not long after graduation, he got married and moved to Illinois to work as an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Illinois State University. In 2009, he accepted a tenure-track position as an Assistant Professor of Art at Mississippi State University.

With recognition from Communication Arts to Print to CMYK, Jude has made waves with his wonderful work. It's evident he simply enjoys designing and illustrating. Take a look at some of my favorite pieces of his below. You can also view the remainder of his portfolio at his website judelandry.com. Enjoy!

Katerina Sokova

2011-12-27T20:52:00.000-08:00

I don't know much about Katerina since most of her personal information is written in Russian, but I do know that I fall in love with almost every photo of hers I come across. Her compositions are so unorthodox and each create their own avant-garde world with unique colors, form, and motion. Her subjects are ever changing and always beautiful. Photographers like Katerina are truly artists behind the lens and can profoundly impact a design.

Below are a few of my favorite photos by Katerina. You can view more at her website sokova.com. Enjoy!

Kinfolk Vol. 2

2011-12-21T21:59:00.000-08:00

My husband and I always have our own little Christmas before heading to the mountains to celebrate with my family and of course, every year, we can't wait to give our gifts. This year we made it to the 20th before almost exploding with excitement.

It just so happened that one of my wonderful gifts was Volume 2 of Kinfolk Magazine and I was so happy! Kinfolk celebrates the beauty and simplicity of small gatherings between artists and other creatives. It truly is a special relationship that artists have with each other. No one quite understands you like another creative and it's such a unique thing. This beautifully laid out magazine is filled with stories and fantastic photos of people just enjoying getting together. It's a glimpse into those special moments where good friends and creative people simply delight in good food, nature, table settings, and conversation.

Volume 2 includes stories about assembling during the fall and winter months: morning walks, using natural candlelight, escaping with friends for a weekend retreat in the mountains or on the coast, and revisiting nostalgic traditions.

My favorite article is titled "The Season of Intentional Gatherings." There is a quote at the beginning by John Berger that says, "Every city has a sex and an age which have nothing to do with demography. Rome is feminine. So is Odessa. London is a teenager, an urchin, and in this, hasn't changed since the time of Dickens. Paris, I believe, is a man in his twenties in love with an older woman." I love the personification of cities in this quote and throughout the article and how different the gatherings are throughout the seasons because of the particular "qualities" of a city. It's so beautiful and I can't help but smile every time I read it.

Obviously, I really enjoy getting lost in this magazine and can't wait to be a part of a creative community that holds such gatherings. Maybe one day I'll contribute to Kinfolk but for now I'm perfectly content with having my own lovely copy. Look forward to Volume 3!

The Staves

2011-12-11T14:16:00.001-08:00

There is nothing like beautiful music to inspire great design and ideas. The Staves are one of my favorite up-and-coming groups and lately they've been my go-to sound for the inspiration of my most recent sketches and type pieces. There's something about their fluid vocals and simple sound that is absolutely mesmerizing. The perfect mashup of Birdy and the Civil Wars, these ladies will make you fall in love with them again and again. I know I do.

Also, their Benji Davies and Jim Field-directed video "Mexico" is alluring. I'm absolutely infatuated with the natural beauty contrasting a bleary setting. As the song continues, simple animated illustrations bring the setting to life until it's fully vibrant with illuminated patterns. It's a beautiful video for a beautiful song.

Along with the "Mexico" video, I've included their most recent tour poster as well as "The Motherlode" from Mahogany Session and "Winter Trees" from Songs From A Room London. Enjoy!

The Staves - Mexico (Official Music Video) from The Staves on Vimeo.

Charmaine Olivia

2011-11-11T11:52:00.001-08:00

I've been a long time admirer of Charmaine Olivia. Years ago I did a painting of a woman in a knights helmet with feathers and was compared to her in class. Curiously, I looked up some of her work and was instantly captivated and in awe of how similar we were in so many ways right down to the serious dreamer attitude. Now all I need is a badass tattoo.

Here's what she says about herself:

"My name is Charmaine Olivia. I’m a full-time artist living and loving in San Francisco. I am inspired by skulls, glass bottles and messy hair. I dream every single night and I never get bored.

I work in a variety of media, my favorites are oil and ink. I am currently preparing for my solo show at “Shooting Gallery“, San Francisco in January 2012. My illustrations, photography and paintings have appeared in magazines throughout the world. You can find my prints and designs at Urban Outfitters, Volcom Stone, Element, Nylon Magazine, Eyes on Walls, Envelop, Threadless, Bolia, Society6."

Charmaine has also recently opened her own online shop which you can visit here.

Like myself, the majority of her work is of female subjects. She doesn't really go into why she chooses to illustrate mainly females, but I would imagine it is because it's directly relatable. Personally, I'm constantly changing in my mood, experiences, appearance, opinions, and then simply dreaming of what was, is, or could be. To manifest those into actual figures can be beautiful and fulfilling. That's what I see when I look at her pieces and that's what I feel when I create my own. I'm flattered to be compared to such a great artist.

So check out her gorgeous pieces of art. I'll try not to go crazy posting everything I like. Hopefully I'll have many hanging in my home one day. You should too!

Invisible Creature: Don & Ryan Clark

2011-10-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

If you have good taste in music (or design) then you've more than often come across some of the amazing work by Invisible Creature. Brothers Don and Ryan Clark, influenced by generations of creative passion and skill, combined their love and time in the music scene with design and settled in Seattle’s ever-blossoming artistic frontier. After years of experience and growth with their first company, Asterik Studio, the brothers split from their good friends and launched Invisible Creatures together.

Since then Invisible Creatures has received 4 Grammy nominations for music packaging, and have worked with clients such as Target, Nike, New York Times, Esquire, Wired, Interscope, Sony, Universal, Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon, Nordstrom and MTV- to name a few. Their work has also been featured in the pages of Print, HOW, Communication Arts, IdN, Step, in addition to publications of the hard-bound variety by publishers such as Chronicle, Juxtapoz, Die Gestalten Verlag and Fantagraphics.

They're style is clean yet colorful, packed yet controlled. I guess you could compare it to that of good punk music, which they also succeed in creating.

If you're not impressed by their long list of high end clients, featured publications, or awards then check out the work for yourself. I personally guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Designer of the Day: Ryan Keightley

2011-10-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

I ran across a piece by Ryan in my usual blog stalking for the day and immediately had to find out more about him. Ryan Keightley, a recent graduate of the University of Florida, is the mind behind some really great design in a very wide range of areas. When I first clicked on the link to his website, I was expecting to see the usual work of a recent grad; being mostly a plethora of print pieces with a couple of identity and web projects thrown in the mix. Clearly, Ryan wasn't the typical recent grad. His website includes experimental (and very well done) projects ranging from furniture, publications, identity, illustration, informational, apparel, packaging, industrial, toys, signage, and photography. Incredible! I was floored by his range of project experience but it just proves that a truly good designer can design anything well.

Presently, Ryan is looking to be hired, but I would bet money that he'll have a number of great studios looking to swoop him up quickly. This kind of talent won't go unnoticed very long. Take a look at some of his pieces below.

You can also view more of his work at ryankeightley.com.

FREVER

2011-10-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

-Steve Jobs

Thank you. Thank you for your grace, intelligence, creativity, and courage. Thank you for creating the tools that allow me to do what I love everyday. Thank you for sharing your life.

FREVER

Ode To a Letter

2011-10-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

Vincent de Boer loves letters so much he just had to let them know how he felt. For his "Ode To a Letter" Vincent wrote a letter to each of the 26 characters of the alphabet, starting with ‘Dear A…’, Dear B..’,’Dear C…’ etc. For these letters he used the most personal typography he has, his own handwriting. A 3D-wooden sculpture was created for each single character to accompany the letter as well.

Someday, I'll let letters know how I feel. For now I'll just enjoy this great project.

You can view some of Vincent de Boer's other projects HERE.

World Barista Championship Promo Campaign

2011-09-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help but stop and admire the winning poster for CMYK's first ever Poster's Only Competition designed by Theresa Decker, a recent graduate of Tyler School of Art's Graphic and Interactive Design program. Above is the winning poster itself and below is the rest of the fantastic campaign. I absolutely LOVE the color palette.

Color Palette Inspiration: Gucci

2011-09-14T14:39:00.000-07:00

One thing I've been doing a lot of is moodboards. I've been gathering so much inspiration bits and pieces to create my moodboards for all sorts of projects. One of the biggest factors in my boards and in my design foundation is the color palette. So I figured one of my continual post themes could be dedicated to a color palette and since this week is the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2012 in NYC I figured it would be appropriate to kick of my first Color Palette Inspiration post with these palettes inspired by the beautiful fall/winter 2011 line by Gucci.

*Note: the rings above are not Gucci. They're by Kenneth Jay Lane

images via kiristinaklarin

Mind your Ps and Qs…and their kerning

2011-09-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

When it comes to my opinions on typography friends laugh, family think I'm pretentious or arrogant, and some people think I'm being down right ridiculous. Sorry but when you're out being a doctor and you point out that the hematoma is occurring because heparin is given via an intramuscular route and to avoid this, heparin must be given intravenously or subcutaneously, I'm not going to tell you that it really doesn't matter. (I watch way too much Grey's Anatomy) But seriously people. It's not just about looking pretty or aesthetically pleasing. There is a purpose to each typeface and when I go into my day job, it really is that decision that will make or break the success of a piece. The difference between our working opinions is that a designer's can't stay in the operating room like a surgeon's. What we deal with and specialize in surrounds us everywhere, everyday. Bad type bothers me and it should.

Below is a wonderful infographic designed by someone who simply calls themselves Noodlor, which lays out all the basics of typography, some layout direction, and ends with a quote from the one and only Paul Rand. There is much more knowledge to be gained on the subject, but this is a perfect place to start for anyone not familiar with typography. Enjoy!

Explore

2011-09-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

Last month my husband and I took a vacation with my parents to their condo in Flagstaff, AZ. We had a great time hiking around all the great areas the land hand to offer including The Grand Canyon, The Painted Desert, Oak Creek Canyon, and an amazing volcano cave that my parents found a while back that is a bit dangerous to crawl down into but totally worth the risk. It was incredible. I was instantly inspired by all of the beautiful forms and colors and contrasts of the land. It was amazing to be able to go from such a hot, dry environment in the Painted Desert too the wet, lush trails of Oak Creek Canyon. Arizona truly is beautiful and I'm so glad we were able to spend a wonderful week there.

I'm attempting to go through all of our photos to edit and crop them properly and today I came across one I snapped while drifting off behind the group when we were hiking through the Petrified Forest. Above is the photo and a bit of my design touch. Hopefully more to come.

Designer of the Day : Bri Emery

2011-08-18T18:15:00.000-07:00

So, Bri Emery is basically awesome. Yes, that's my best description of her, awesome. I discovered Bri through her blog Design Love Fest - where type and images totally make out. Although she widely appeals to the blogging community, her fundamentals are in graphic design. Like so many of us interested in both fashion and design, Bri started by keeping inspiration journals of curated images torn from magazines and collaged together with scotch tape.

She graduated from FIDM with a degree in Graphic Design / Branding, and very quickly earned a reputation as the go-to gal for innovative and stylish design. She consistently brings fun and fresh creative solutions to every project, infusing them with her signature charm and clever eye for color.

I can't help but smile or sigh deeply when I see work by Bri. They're balanced so wonderfully in every way. They have that hand-crafty aesthetic, but without losing the clean and modern feel that comes from structured design.

Her studio, Designlovefest Studio, officially launched in January 2011, offering full-service graphic design and branding. She also is Art Director for the popular web-based shelter publication, Rue Magazine and authors the Closet & Casa column on Oh, Joy!, as well as the designlovefest pins column found at sfgrlbybay. An active alumness, Bri transformed the bi-annual FIDM Alumni Newsletter into an award winning print glossy called Dialouges. In the spring of 2011, Bri teamed up with photographer Angela Kohler, whom you'll recognize as a great half of the team behind the creative "moving pictures" commercials for The Amazon Kindle, to create Blogshop, a one-of-a-kind 2 day workshop offering Photoshop classes tailored to the specific needs of bloggers. Blogshop is being hosted in major cities all across the United States and Europe and has become a huge success, not to mention an absolute blast to participate in.

You can view Bri's portfolio here. Be sure to stop by her blog every once in a while for a refreshing look at what's going on with design in her world. Also, if you have the chance and are interested, sign up for a Blogshop and learn how to utilize Photoshop in a way to specifically benefit blogs. Below is some of her work.

COMMON Pitch: This Friday!!

2011-08-17T17:13:00.000-07:00

This Friday, August 19th, COMMON will welcome the cleverly curious to Boulder Theater for a night of ideas, creativity and collaboration. One part social change, one part creative problem solving and lots of moving parts (there will be music), COMMON Pitch brings mighty minds to the stage for the opportunity to rouse, rally and inspire.

COMMON Pitch from COMMON on Vimeo.

I discovered COMMON a little while back when I started getting into Project M and Ride Alabamboo and other connecting social design networks. They all instantly captivate me enough to want to drop everything and join in the action. Well, here's the chance where people can! If you're in the Boulder area I highly suggest heading over to the Boulder Theater Friday night for a party full of amazing ideas to make this world better, a room full of so much innovation and creativity it's impossible to imagine, and of course free drinks and awesome music! Could you spend you're Friday night a better way? Uh, I think not.

MORE INFO: common.is/pitch
TICKETS: bit.ly/commonpitch

Anatomy Inspired: Nervous System

2011-07-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

I about flipped when I saw some of these jewelry pieces and home decor works by Nervous System. One can't help but admire the amount of craftsmanship and obvious care it took to develop them conceptually and physically. The contour interacts with light and shadows and even the integration with whatever background it may have at the moment.

The human nervous system is electric and alive. It is the gateway to every physical experience we will ever have. It knows every story our bodies have ever told. I can't even fathom how intimate and romantic the reality of that relationship really is, so to celebrate it by wearing or displaying such a symbol is simply beautiful.

Founders Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg created Nervous System to "explore a design approach that relates process and form in a context of interactivity and openness. Our trajectory focuses on generative design methods using both algorithmic and physical tools to create innovative products and environments."

Another wonderful thing about their products is that they are designed to be affordably and ethically made. They use manufacturing methods that do not require large facilities or massive manual labor. They use inexpensive materials and believe that the value of their designs comes from the intelligent and beautiful marriage of form and function, not the current price of currency standards.

A little about the founders:

Jessica Rosenkrantz graduated from MIT in 2005 and holds degrees in Architecture and Biology. Afterwards, she spent 2.5 years studying architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Jesse Louis-Rosenberg also attended MIT, majoring in Mathematics. He previously worked as a consultant for Gehry Technologies in building modeling and design automation.

Jessica and Jesse live together in a house by a stream in a forest in Western Massachusetts.

Below are some of the products from the Nervous System line of jewelry and home decor. Enjoy!

Tour de France: Daily Design

2011-07-08T11:36:00.000-07:00

I look forward to the Tour de France every year now being a big fan of the cycling world. My husband is a cyclist and the community it creates has so many wonderful elements and attributes. One, it goes hand-in-hand with great causes like going green and being healthy as well as some of the most influential foundations and charities. Two, it appreciates the effort of good craftsmanship in everything from beer to technology. Three, it's a gentleman's (or gentlewoman's) sport. They have a lot of respect for one another and their fans are some of the most loyal. But lastly, and most of all, they endorse and appreciate great design!!

Bruce Doscher, a Digital Creative Director, stained glass window maker, painter, karaoke enthusiast, eight time marathon runner, and Ironman triathlete (among other things) started his "Tour de France - Daily Poster" project last year. The night before the 2010 Tour started he had an idea: create a poster for each stage! For those of you who aren't familiar with how the Tour de France works, there are 21 stages which are 21 races, one each day (not counting the rest period) of the 3 week tour. There are champs for each stage based simply on who crosses the finish line first that day and then champs for the total tour which are determined by points you earn throughout the 3 weeks. Doscher decided to create a poster illustrating the happenings of each stage everyday. In his description of the project he states, "A unique poster a day is harder then it sounds, but if these guys race hundreds of kilometers at top speed every day, I can turn out a poster a day."

Above is the poster from the final stage of the 2010 Tour featuring the champs of each stage and the entire race. I really enjoy his minimal, vectorized design and get excited to see the new one posted. They remind me of many of the vintage cycling posters. I'd love to see some of them screen printed. You can view the new posters on his facebook page and purchase prints at Zazzle.

Below are all the new one's so far for the 2011 Tour de France. Today was stage 7 but he only has posted up to stage 5.

Enjoy!

Ride Alabamboo: Launch of Common Cycles

2011-06-08T13:33:00.000-07:00

Ever knew Alabama produced bamboo? Neither did I. I also didn't know that the United States is the largest importer of bamboo in the world. As of right now, the bamboo of Alabama is just that...bamboo in Alabama. Changing that could not just impact an individual, but further to a community, state, and possibly country.

Alabamboo is a growing movement to bring sustainable bamboo production to Alabama. A collaborative effort by a number of participants (non-profit organizations and business in Alabama and beyond), the Alabamboo initiative aims to strengthen the economic and social fabric of the rural south by introducing a sustainable agricultural product that will lead to more jobs, more localized production, and cleaner air.

A couple of weeks ago, innovative designers and individuals, some members of Project M, HERO, and COMMON, all came together and developed a plan in just 3 days to launch Common Cycles, a not-for-profit bamboo bicycle company founded to empower the community of Greensboro, Alabama and beyond. Their mission is to create "bike-centric" experiences that employ the local residents of Greensboro and encourage people of all walks of life to fall in love with bicycling all over again. Customers will be able to build their frame, assemble their bike and customize their ride. It is all part of our plan to redesign our community and others with the trans-formative power of the bicycle.

Below is a video of that crazy/fantastic weekend.

COMMON MBA 001 from COMMON on Vimeo.

To launch the new company, a team of four young cyclists will ride across America on hand-built bamboo bikes to share the story of the Alabamboo initiative.

To track the team you can view their progress on TRACK MY TOUR.

This project is just a fantastic addition to the long list of other ideas and movements that are using the incredible power of design to essentially change the world. I hope to one day soon be a part of something so great as Alabamboo and wish them only the best.

*****You can directly support the team and the company by donating below.****

Here are some more photos from Common Cycles:

Illustrator of the Day: Daniel Egnéus

2011-05-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

Daniel Egnéus is an Illustrator who has traveled to so many places in his life and his work certainly shows it. Born in Sweden, Daniel has spent 20 years in Prague, London, Berlin, Bologna and Rome, and is now based in Milano. He has a variety of well known clients such as Haagen-Dasz, BMW, Pepsi, Playboy, and Penguin Books.

It's obvious in all of Daniel's vibrant illustrations how rich and colorful his life must be. He confesses of daydreaming a lot which usually find there way into his work.

The illustrations seem of a dream world and that's why they are so intriguing. You want to visit the places he creates and talk to the people you see. There's so much expression in his contour lines that it isn't a shock to discover he has no formal art education. It's obvious he draws what he feels in that moment.

My first thought when looking at his work initially was a comparison to Lewis Carroll and his Alice in Wonderland. Then to my pleasure I noticed one of Daniel's series of illustrations to be titled "Mad Hatters." How creepy and fantastic all at once. The dreamers always find each other.

Below are some of his illustrations. To see more, visit his website at danielegneus.com.

Joppa Co…etc.

2011-05-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

So…I'm sure you've figured out that I've been a bit preoccupied lately. The company I work for, Joppa Design, recently merged with Jesko Media to form a power agency called Joppa Co. It's super exciting and I'm really happy with the new direction the agency is going.

I actually did a video blog post giving a little more detail into what Joppa Co is all about. I know I've never done a video before and it's not something I'm entirely comfortable with yet, but I was experimenting with some things for a social media project I'm currently working on and I thought…what the hell. So, I talk some about Joppa Co along with a few crafty projects I've done and all about one of my new favorite purchases. So, if you're brave enough to watch me talk for 13 minutes (I apologize; didn't realize I was talking that long) then let me know if it's something you love or hate. I haven't decided how I feel about it yet so it's a definite experiment.

Untitled from Britt L on Vimeo.

Designer of the Day : Nazario Graziano

2011-04-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

Nazario Graziano is an italian freelance illustrator, art director, and graphic designer. I really love his style. Some of my own work has been compared to his because of that cut and paste integration of photos, geometric shapes, and illustration style we share (must be an italian thing), which I find very flattering. That style gives the artist a fun way to let loose and be highly conceptual with the choice of elements and placement. He is the master of it.

Here's what he has to say about himself as a designer:

"My world is romantic, ironic, no-conformist.“A dive in the past with Gore-Tex lifesaver”.
I take my inspiration from old books, illustrations for kids, sky, snow, rain and rainbows, my wife, my cats, music, old school skateboards, 80′s memories, 50′s sci-fi movies, old school tattoos, typography and so much more that happens day by day …"

Nazario is the founder of RevolverLover and ANTI as well as ADD Studio Creativo. You can visit his website and view more of his work and also purchase some of his awesome prints, shirts, or laptop skins.

Here's some of his work:

Flirting with an artist

2011-04-08T20:22:00.000-07:00

Shopping at the mall in Houston last weekend I was approached by a guy with the typical charming smile and googly eyes holding the skirt above out to me. He told me he thought I would look amazing in it. When I challenged his opinion, considering he knows less about me than women's fashion, he said I look like a woman who loves texture and form. Immediately, I went into artist mode and started to observe the skirt like it was being prepared for a critique in Scott Frish's class (he's my past, hard core art professor). With a quick and polite "thanks" I carried the skirt to the ground floor, put it on some random rack (since the pattern was hideous for anyone not planning an outfit for Cinco De Mayo), and began opening my eyes again to the brilliant textures and natural forms all around me.

So thanks random guy in the mall. Although you're flirting didn't charm me, your comment set off some inspirational thoughts.

I've always been inspired by the human form and I don't know if it's because of the warmer weather and showing more skin or what, but the human body has really been inspiring me lately. There are so many beautiful things about our bodies and how they move when walking or dancing or how they display a piece of clothing that's designed with that perfect balance of thought and craftsmanship. Our color of hair or skin or the one of a kind profile our faces have. How could so many artistic elements and natural developments not be inspiring?

Below are some of my favorite forms and textures provided by the human anatomy, nature, and design. Enjoy and get inspired to show off your anatomy! :)

Austin: SXSW - StyleX

2011-03-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since my last post. Amazing restaurants, shops, people, projects, and events! Friday afternoon Quintan and I made a spur of the moment decision to hit the road to Austin to catch the last of SXSW and it's new event, StyleX.

If you're not familiar with SXSW it's pretty much a month of craziness full of the newest in music, film, interactive, and now style. In the music section alone this year there were 36,000 attendees with badges and wristbands and 2,400 official bands. Groundbreaking interactive projects were announced at the interactive part and brilliant indie films were premiered all over the city during the film weeks.

We arrived just in time to experience some of the music extravaganza and the new StyleX shows and products. I loved Print Row at StyleX which featured great graphic work and, my personal favorite, Sanctuary Printshop which screen printed shirts on the spot out of the back of their infamous El Camino which is rigged with 4 different screen presses. It was awesome. The runway shows were great and so were the products at each booth. Quintan and I couldn't resist purchasing a couple of TIKKR watches and meeting the awesome Cory Stout and his new iPad2. (Me = jealous) The nightlife in Austin is insane always, but during SXSW, the city never sleeps. And it's such a cool city to stay out all night in. I'm a vegetarian and Austin caters to vegetarians and vegans. I was so hungry at like 2am and actually got a veggie burger at the vegetarian only stand. Ya, a stand! Like a hotdog stand, but vegetarian. It was awesome. They also have vegan only stands and restaurants, but that will be in another post.

I'm so glad that SXSW is incorporating style to the list now. It's such a HUGE part of what the event is about anyways that I think it's about time to embrace it. For me, style is my love. It helps me to express who I am and relate to the world in my own special way. That's probably why design is such a huge part of my life. Anyways, below are a few photos from StyleX. I'll probably post some from SXSW in a separate post. One magnificent thing at a time my friends. :)

Oh, and I'm actually in the audience in the last photo that someone took from in the crowd. A free print of one of my designs to the first person to identify the back of my head. One guess per person. Put it as a comment to this post.

Jason deCaires Taylor

2011-03-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

Jason deCaires Taylor's underwater installations are hauntingly beautiful and explore the relationship between art and environment. There are so many changes involved when you place an object underwater and even more when they remain there over time. The way the light hits underwater objects is unlike any other, especially in the ocean. Colors are altered and so is scale. Over time, sea life inhabit the objects and they soon become a part of the environment. Taylor embraces all of these elements to create these amazing living works of art.

The waters of the Caribbean off the coast of Mexico are some of my favorite. They're so clear and warm and brilliantly blue. When you're there, you are truly in paradise. The statues above are those in Taylor's installation 'The Silent Evolution' and they live in those waters. I didn't get a chance to see them while snorkeling there, but I can only imagine coming across these statues while exploring the ocean floor. Incredible.

Below are some photos of his different installations including his latest 'The Silent Evolution.'

Related Links:
Jason deCaires Taylor - Official Site

Fun piece

2011-03-07T17:36:00.000-08:00

Had a little downtime today and did this for fun.

Rolling in the Deep by Adele

2011-02-27T13:37:00.000-08:00

Adele is one of my favorite music artists and for so many reasons. She's so charming, has one of the most killer voices, great style, and amazing artistic talent in writing music and allowing brilliant directors like Sam Brown to push the envelope in her videos (not to mention her totally awesome British accent!).

A few years back I was enchanted by the video for Chasing Pavements where a wonderful dance takes place between two lovers on the ground after an accident. The concept was fantastic and I loved the parallel of what was taking place and the lyrics to the song. Adele is wonderful and she has captured my heart once again with her video for Rolling In The Deep.

The visuals in this video are exquisite. It's almost the perfect mix of aesthetics that I strive for in everything I create or portray. There's a natural/rustic/vintage atmosphere with super clean edges and smooth details. There's motion, energy, emotion, heat, color, flow, form, vibration. There's so many beautiful contrasts I have a hard time keeping myself from continually pressing the play button just to get those gripping elements. Her voice is a rarity in itself. Then add in the passionate delivery and vulnerability of the lyrics...and well...it's almost too much to handle.

Here are a couple of stills of the video. I kind of feel bad for the intern stuck with the job of filling and placing the glasses of water. Sam Brown did a killer job directing such an amazing video.

Related Links:
Adele Official Website

stills via thisiscolossal.com

Illustrator of the Day: Sara Blake (aka ZSO)

2011-02-17T20:08:00.000-08:00

I find it so important as a designer to step away from all the digital tools and put your true self in your work. Like handmade gifts vs. something from the store; they just mean more because you can appreciate the time and thought put into it. Illustrator Sara Blake mixes her intricate hand drawings with digital techniques to do just that.

She creates striking typography and truly original illustrations for a long list of clients which includes Bacardi, Nike, Condé Nast, and one of my favorite fashion designers, Marc Jacobs. She was featured as one of the 120 of the most exciting female graphic designers and illustrators from 39 countries around the world in 2009 by Yen Magazine. Her long, impressive list of interviews in publications goes on and on.

But what inspires me the most about ZSO, besides her staggering illustrations, is her deep insight and incredibly conceptual intellect. She explains why she identifies herself as ZSO :

"ZSO (pronounced |zō|) is a collection of letters that I find aesthetically and phonetically beautiful. Together they make sound much like “so,” the adverb which means "to such a great extent.” I am a person of extremes, for better or worse (most often the latter), so the ring of it was fitting, and the moniker has since stuck for good.

Her blog is full of personal blurbs about who she is and what she makes. One post says:

The skin on my hands is rough and worn and I bite my nails. I don't wear manicures or jewelry, and when I draw for lots of hours I get graphite all over my palms and eventually on my face. I've been wearing the same pair of Levis every day for a while now, and I only brush my hair occassionally—and I think I'm happy with all these things just the way they are.

She truly owns the person she is and wears that with confidence. Her talents and being are much to be admired (and so are her awesome tattoos and great taste in music!). I am a bona fide fan. Below is some of her work and photos of herself and surroundings.

Filthy Process Sample from Sara Blake on Vimeo.

TEDx Brooklyn / Hello ZSO / The KDU from Sara Blake on Vimeo.

Before I get excessive with the images...well, I guess it's too late for that, but you should still head over to her website linked below and check out all that I didn't post (trust me, it's a lot and it's all worth looking at). Until next time, ciao beautiful people!

Related links:
Hello ZSO
Thee Blog Q&A Session

Style Fetish : Classy Chic

2011-02-03T23:36:00.000-08:00

I've loved Audry Hepburn since the first time I saw Breakfast at Tiffanys and that was before I could walk very well. After that, dresses, plastic pearl necklaces, winter gloves (or knee socks on each hand), and my mom's high heels would somehow end up paired with rockin pink sunglasses with star stickers stuck all over them. Thankfully I've come a long way from the plastic pearls or my mom's heels (and socks are now only worn on my feet), but Audry's sophisticated chic style with that confident attitude still remains one of the main foundations for my style choices now.

It's no secret Audry was a fashion icon, similar to that of Jackie Kennedy, in a way that radiated the all-around perfectly kept woman with just a hint of mystery. Desired by men and admired or envied by women. I'm am definitely a huge admirer. Her style is the perfect balance of attractive silhouettes, a variety of contrasting textures, a piece to give a hint of attitude or mystery, and of course that perfect accessory to top off the polish and class.

Below are some of my favorite looks from my favorite places that play off of the foundation that is "Classy Chic" invented by the queen herself.

Club Monaco

Blanco

Country Road

Mango


H&M

H&M

Related Links:
H&M
Mango
Country Road
Blanco
Club Monaco

Streets of Sadness

2011-01-31T19:21:00.000-08:00

You probably recognize the work of Carlos Segura to be that of Jack Daniels, Harley-Davidson, or Nissan, but it's his new project that's stirred up a different way of thinking and unique way of using his talents.

The Streets of Sadness project was meant to bring awareness to the homelessness of the world. It is a fantastic thing that we have so many organizations going overseas to help the less fortunate, but those who are begging in our own back yards tend to get overlooked. Stories of heartbreak and tragedy clutter the streets of all countries, including America, and Segura is using his expertise and gifts to try and give those sad stories a happy ending. Motivated by his own personal experience with poverty, Segura reaches out to make a difference.

The idea: buy the cardboard signs created and designed by homeless people begging for money, and construct a traveling exhibit of those signs. Not only will this exhibit create awareness of the homelessness, but the project's leading sponsor, Chicago Apartment Finders, will pick a winner among the signs and give them and their family a one-year free rental apartment in Chicago.

Along with the inspirational typography and design work of Carlos Segura, I do hope his innovative ideas of change inspire even more. It is the age of change, but no one can sit back and expect things to happen. Designers have an obligation to be proactive in the events of today. We must act and react. Let's act to make this world a better place.

Below are some of the signs purchased by homeless Americans for The Streets of Sadness project. You can view more, read more about the project, and vote on your favorite sign at streetsofsadness.com.

Smart Design

2011-01-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

As a designer I know that creatives like myself often forget the power we possess when it comes to all influential elements of this world. 'Going Green' may be a current trend, but 'Smart Design' will never die. Creatives are problem solvers. Depending on what problem you choose to solve will determine what mask you wear when creating. Some of us become teachers, lawyers, athletes, or prostitutes. We learn to think like that of our audience and dive into what it is that makes them tick. We thrive on the challenge of making that group of people lick their lips at the sight of our creation and submit their perceptions to allow what ever it is you're telling them to become 'Truth'. That's what successful designers do. Successful meaning they sell things whether it be a product, idea, or emotion.

It's overwhelming and exciting and probably the biggest responsibility anyone can have. Like any job, designers will perform to what every moral standard they possess as a person or company.

Well, there are many creatives developing beautiful pieces that have good intentions in mind. Here are a few of my favorites.

Patagonia Men's Wanaka Down Jacket // Made with recycled polyester

Altanus Patch Watches // Biodegradable Paper Watch

The Peepoo Bag // Sophisticated & Sustainable Water and Sanitation Solution

Organic Bikes Biodegradable Water Bottle

Omlet Eglu // Designed to raise your own food

Windstream Bike Power Generator // Generate your own electricity

Elephant Poo Paper // Paper made from a renewable resource

Anthropologie : Harvard Square

2011-01-17T21:17:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd continue with the 'Great shop' theme and make this post about one of my favorite shops.

Like I said in my post about Black Ink, we had a chance to venture over to Cambridge on my visit to Boston a few weeks back and I had the opportunity to stop by Anthropologie in the Harvard Square. This location recently opened this past August on Brattle St. in the Design Research Building (shown below) which was designed by Ben Thompson in 1969. The building is seamless and flows so naturally that you can't help but recognize it as a piece of pure art. Like any piece of amazing art, it's difficult to add or subtract or rearrange without hindering the original beauty.

I think Anthropologie has done a great job being creative with their window displays and selection of colors and textures in presenting their personal aesthetic and obviously I adore their products, but it's evident that they struggle with the integration of their style and the design of this beautiful building. The open space seems to be difficult to incorporate when trying to create a window display. Like the building's previous inhabitants, Crate & Barrel, Anthropologie has constructed temporary background walls for the displays which, in comparison to the solid structure of the building, looks unstable and sometimes tacky.

I will say though, from the outside looking in, you can't help but stop and stare at some of the displays in awe. They were fantastic and I did snag some photos to use as inspiration to decorate my apartment. When the store finally gets comfortable with the space and really uses the building to it's advantage, I can only imagine how beautiful this location will be.

Below are some of my favorite looks and pieces from Anthropologie along with some of the store's displays.

Femme Trench Jacket // $188

Keep Close Booties // $118.00

Gull Wing Dress // $168.00

Radiance Flatware // $48.00

Neve Insipired

2011-01-14T19:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I saw a tweet from a twitter friend of mine about a new website gone live. Naturally I had to check it out. I had no idea I would be discovering an adorable and very well designed online boutique as well as a lovely array of unique children's clothes. Neve Inspired is delightful and all of the items for sale are handmade by husband and wife design duo Bob and Kris Galmarini in their own home studio.

These innovative designs are so fantastic in fact, they even give a person like myself who flinches at the word 'baby' actual desire to have children. How can you look at the picture above and to the left and not be like…"Awe, I want that someday." All I know is I should probably order some now because if that someday comes, I'm positive that these great clothes will be completely sold out (and being that my husband is from WV, he would be so sad we never got a 'Mountain Mamma' or 'Mountain Man' shirt for our little one). They're hip, creative, simple, and just flat out make you want to smile. They sell boys and girls screen-printed tees as well as custom made dresses and skirts constructed of mainly recycled materials.

So, if you have children, surf on over to Neve Inspired and get your kids some wonderful clothes made by a wonderful family. If you're like myself and still hold a child under their armpits two feet away from you like its a puppy that just made a mess, then buy a nice box, order tons of pieces from Neve Inspired, and stow them away until you finally grow out of your early twenties and discover that babies are not the plague.

Below are some of their items for sale. Also, be sure to visit the site to see how wonderfully it was designed!

Black Ink

2011-01-12T20:41:00.000-08:00

Black Ink was one of those stumble upon treasures I found on my first venture to Boston the summer I drove across the country. Sitting between all of the lovely shops and local taverns in the quaint neighborhood of Beacon Hill I couldn't help but notice the eclectic items dancing in the large window displays. It was like walking into a toys-r-us for creatives. Journals with quirky titles. Wrapping paper so beautiful you would want to frame. Rubber stamps, jewelry, pet toys, mugs, and office supplies so unique you wonder how anyone would have come up with them. I was in heaven.

Naturally, my recent Boston trip itinerary had Black Ink at the top of the list of places to visit. The Cambridge shop in Harvard Square is a lot larger and closer to the wonderful Museum of Useful Things, but they are both equally amazing. Leaving the shop, my husband surprised me with buying the Pantone Mug (below) when I was busy being completely infatuated with the rest of the fantastic objects. If ever in the area, I highly recommend stopping by. If not, check out their great online store!

My Favorite Etsy Ampersands

2011-01-11T18:03:00.000-08:00

So, I jumped on the typography bandwagon long ago because, well, type really is beautiful and being design obsessed it was only natural for me to embrace the trend. Ampersands have always been a favorite of mine. Here are some of my picks from the wonderful world of etsy that I hope to be the owner of in the near future.

Ampersand in Night // OhHiShop //$35.00

White Wood Ampersand // Hindsvik //$125.00

Moss Covered 18 inch Ampersand // Choosing You // $54.00

Ampersand Cushion // Aunty Cookie // $50.00

Initial Ampersand-Brass Vintage Letterpress Necklace // Gwen Delicious Jewelry // $35.00

Handmade Silver Ampersand Charm // Augurie // $38.00

Shepard Fairey's VIP Opening of "Printed Matters"

2010-09-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday was the VIP opening of Printed Matters, the first solo show of iconic designer, illustrator, street artist, and author, Shepard Fairey at his Subliminal Projects gallery in Echo Park. The creative that spoils the everyday pedestrian with beautiful displays of his distinguishable and sometimes controversial pieces features imagery printed on smaller-scale wood and metal panels in this solo show. The images may be recognizable from his recent May Day show that closed out NYC's Deitch Projects last may.

Personally I find Shepard exceedingly inspirational. He represents the two of my foundational qualities being creativity and liberal thinking. His pop iconographic propagandist works are very well crafted and can be admired in skill, concept, and sacrifice of self for the life of the message.

Below are a few images from the opening night.

Above is an artist brief by Shepard Fairey on the "Printed Matters Show."

Here's the brief for you to read better:

"Printing has changed the world. With the invention of the movable type printing press around 1450, Johannes Gutenberg created arguably the most important instrument for the global democratization of knowledge. Not only did the printing press facilitate the spread of text-based information, it also spread images. Prior to the invention of the printing press, artwork had to be viewed in person, limiting the influence of styles and specific images to local audiences or those wealthy enough to travel great distances.

The printing press may have begun the democratization of art, but another printer evolved it both conceptually and practically. Andy Warhol made art based on accessible products and personalities from pop culture. In addition to his attempts to democratize art through his subject matter, Warhol used screenprinting to produce multiple versions of his images. Where elitism, preciousness, and scarcity had been the ruling principles in the art world, Warhol embraced commercial reproduction techniques and mass culture. Further down the line, two of my biggest street art influences — Barbara Kruger and Robbie Conal — used printed posters to spread their artwork and messages in public spaces.
I’m a product of the era of mass production and the mass culture it has created. I can’t imagine my art practice without the influence of, and the use of, printing. Some of my biggest art influences were not paintings, but printed things like album covers, skateboard graphics, punk flyers, and T-shirt designs. When I discovered stencil-making and screenprinting in high school, I used them to make T-shirts and stickers, but by college I began to use screenprinting to make art. I enjoyed illustration, photography, collage, and graphic design separately, but with screenprinting I could synthesize those techniques into an integrated final product. Screenprinting also provided latitude for experimentation and the ability to make multiples, and my style began to evolve as I explored the graphic nature of the medium. I tried to make images that would translate well to screen-print production. A harmony of beauty, power, and utility was my goal.

I always believed in art as a part of public dialogue, and my Obey Giant street art campaign aspired to arrest visually and provoke intellectually. With the need for me to compete with well-funded advertising, screenprinting posters myself was the only way I could afford to create large quantities of materials to share on the streets. My theory was that I could print an image on thin paper for the streets and on thicker paper to sell. I was broke, so I needed a process that was affordable and efficient. I printed my posters in a consistent size and color palette so I could build modular grids of images and constantly expand my image library for large outdoor installations.

Repetition, consistency, and persistence over the years yielded a growing audience for both my outdoor and gallery art. As people started to request more versions of my images, I began to embellish upon my utilitarian printing techniques by printing on wood, metal, and canvas, as well as incorporating stenciling back into the work. Some of these pieces began to function as one-of-a-kind mixed media paintings. To keep my work affordable and accessible, I also made screenprint-on-paper editions of my fine art pieces.

The Printed Matters show incorporates every variety of my printed works, including prints on wood, metal, album covers, and fine art collage papers. Some people say print is on its way out, that it will be wiped out by digital media, but I say you can never replace the provocative, tactile experience of an art print on the street or in a gallery. Printing still matters.”

Related Links:
Studio Number One
Subliminal Projects Gallery
Obey Giant

images via complex.com

Antonios Mitsopoulos Photography

2010-09-05T15:45:00.000-07:00

www.mitsopoulos.eu

Designer of the Day: Coralie Bickford-Smith

2010-09-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

I've been drooling over these specific book covers on so many blogs I figured it was only appropriate to moderate my saliva and feature their creator on 'Designer of the Day.' It's only polite.

Coralie Bickford-Smith is a senior cover designer at Penguin Books, where she has created several series designs. She studied typography at Reading university and has recently been sharing her experience with students at London College of Communication encouraging a sense of play in the process of design.

The designs for which she's best known are from the Penguin Cloth-bound Classics collection. She very strategically planned out each cover, first by simply reading the books. From there she paired with one of out picture researchers, Isabelle De Cat, and created mood boards full of ideas, narrowing it down from there. Their beautiful color schemes and intricate patterns make them appealing not only alone but populating an entire row together on a bookshelf.

Below are some of my other favorite designs by Coralie.

Designer of the Day: Jessica Hische

2010-08-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

"We are starved of tactile things." -JH

I really love the work Jessica does, but I really love her attitude the most. She's so passionate about what she does and very conceptual in her thinking, yet she doesn't enjoy doing deeply conceptual art. She's a difficult one to kind of put your finger on and I think that's what makes her most intriguing.

Here are a couple of videos and photos of her work to introduce you to this captivating Designer/Illustrator/Typographer...etc.

SP 2010 Speaker - Jessica Hische from Semi Permanent on Vimeo.

Art In The Age Presents... Jessica Hische from Art In The Age on Vimeo.

So as you can see she is extremely creative and has done some amazing work. Another thing that I enjoyed about Jessica was her apartment. Creativity isn't just something she conjures up when she decides to go to work, she lives creativity. Her eclectic style caught the attention of the infamous Apartment Therapy who featured photos of her original space on their website.

You can see the full tour they did HERE.

Related Links:
Jessica Hische - Official Site
Daily Drop Cap

Daily Inspiration: Design Matters Podcast

2010-08-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

Every day, when I come to work or when I sit down at home in attempt to create something, I love to have music or podcasts going in the background. Sometimes it's difficult to have podcasts because it's distracting to have people talking while I'm trying to be creative, and other times I love it. I'm not sure why it's different on certain days. My middle school creative writing/art teacher told me that because art and creativity is a right brain activity that the spoken or written word, which is a left brain activity, would hinder the right brain performance. She also was a very eccentric woman that, when angered, would rush out to the hallway and dance around in circles until she was calm again. So I'm not sure how solid that theory is.

Regardless, I am currently listening to another of Debbie Millman's podcasts on Design Observer today. It's one of her podcasts from 2009. She's interviewing the infamous Stefan Sagmeister. Not only is the interview extremely captivating (maybe I'm just bias because I worship both of these designers) but so is her short personal story at the beginning. Debbie Millman has a gift to bring the listener into her reality and make you feel comfortable. I highly recommend listening to all of her podcasts on Design Matters as well as buying her new book Look Both Ways. She's charming and unique and will inspire you to build that critical relationship between design and every day life.

LISTEN HERE

"Art-Like" things by Miranda July

2010-08-04T11:26:00.000-07:00

The installations by Miranda July challenge the everyday person to interact and volunteer themselves to become a part of the messages. I absolutely love her work because I appreciate the honesty they display and the time she took to develop such concepts. If you want to create something good, you should document something well. Below are two of her featured exhibitions (via mirandajuly.com).

Eleven Heavy Things

2009

Eleven Heavy Things, created for the 53rd International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale, is comprised of eleven sculptural works installed in an enclosed garden within Giardino delle Vergini. The cast fiber-glass, steel-lined pieces are designed for interaction: pedestals to stand on, tablets with holes for body parts, and free-standing abstract headdresses. A series of three pedestals in ascending height, The Guilty One, The Guiltier One, The Guiltiest One, ask the viewer to ascribe their guilt relative to the people around them. A large flat shape, hand-painted with Burberry plaid, hovers on a pole, waiting to become someone’s aura. A series of tablets invite heads, arms, legs and one finger: This is not the first hole my finger has been in, nor will it be the last. A wider pedestal for two people to hug on reads, We don!t know each other, we’re just hugging for the picture….
July assumes and invites the picture — these are eleven photo opportunities, in a city where one is always clutching a camera. Though the work begins as sculpture, it becomes a performance that is only complete when these tourist photos are uploaded onto personal blogs and sent in emails — at which point the audience changes, and the subject clearly becomes the participants, revealing themselves through the work.

Eleven Heavy Things has been installed in the Center Lawn of Union Square Park in New York from May 29 to October 03, 2010.

Production of this work has been supported by Deitch Projects.

The Hallway

A 125 foot hallway lined with fifty wooden signs, hand-painted with text. As the viewer/participant walks down the seemingly endless hall, weaving between the signs, the text acts as an internal voice, “It’s too late to go back now, but the end seems far away…” The “you” in text realizes that you’ll be walking down this hallway for the rest of your life. And like life, the hall is filled with indecision, disappointment, boredom and joy - and it does end.
English in one direction, Japanese in the other.

Commissioned by the Yokohama Triennial, 2008. In the collection of The Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan.

The Hallway from The Hallway on Vimeo.

The Honesty of Sally Mann

2010-05-11T12:37:00.000-07:00

Creatives. Artists. We are communicators. We are visionaries. We are active and alive. We are honest. None of these qualities remain popular with the entire society we live in. In fact, most of the time, they are downright shunned. I believe I've been given my talent by God and with that comes the greatest responsibility. With talent comes power and what you do with that power defines who you are as an artist and human. Being honest should never be wrong.

Sally Mann is one of the greatest photographers this earth has come to know. She has captured beauty in death, innocence in nudity, and has challenged people to trust rather than fear. With numerous awards for her breathtaking photos and books she's successfully inspired, shocked, and turned the heads of people in both awe and disgust. Her "Immediate Family" book featured photos of her family, mainly her children, in their everyday life. Many of these photos contained the children without any clothes becoming a controversy to some. To me, it was pure beauty and inspiration. The photos below come from that book and can't be denied the brilliance in concept and technicality. They are just gorgeous.

Here is a video of an interview from 2003 with Sally Mann discussing her book "What Remains" which is filled with photos of decomposing canine and human bodies; the canine being her beloved dog Eva and the bodies being corpses donated to a forensic research center.

As in the video, Sally Mann dedicated this book "To My Father, Unafraid." She also talks about how death is unmentionable in society and how it used to be sex, but death is now the last taboo. Honesty. Honesty in death and sex and life is what sets Sally Mann apart. Isn't it our responsibility as artists to do all we can to understand life, the good and the bad, and then to tell the truth we come to discover? You decide.

Yummy Typography

2010-05-10T09:31:00.001-07:00

My show is over, graduation is over, and I finally have time for the little things I love like sharing delicious type with you on my blog. Here's some to drool over.

Invite to the opening of a worship center called Lumen by Theis & Khan.

Identity for London cafe Milbar. Check out the 'mapkin'!

Custom Invites by Suzy Tuxen

Five Boroughs Shop's hand painted signs

friendsoftype.com

Slab Serif - friendsoftype.com

Designing for Me

2010-04-16T13:05:00.001-07:00

The most enjoyable designs are the ones I do for myself. To vent, to remember, to heal, to forget...there are so many reasons I love to design for myself. I think, also, I like how the pressure is removed from the situation and all you have is how you feel and what you know. It doesn't matter if it sucks. It doesn't matter if it's amazing. All that really matters is you doing it.

Honestly I think designing for yourself is so critical to being a successful designer. I mean, let's face it, not all clients are super exciting to create for. We all need time to ourselves.

Another fun thing I like to do is to design a non-objective thing in a very organized format that would be used to measure or document an objective thing. So that's what this design I quickly created was.

Above is what I like to call the First. It's that moment two people fall in love. Okay, so maybe not love at first, but it's definitely an intense interest in one another. My love story is rather unique, complex, beautiful, and very special. I guess it would have to be. I don't think I'd allow it to be any other way.

Here's another self-design I did. Music is such a big part of my life and I love to create posters for my favorite bands and try to bring the lyrics to life a little or at least point out my favorite parts regardless of whether they are recognizable or not.

The Fifth Element

2010-03-04T13:28:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems that things have taken a 'U' turn in the road to my show. The gallery is booked during the times I would want my show and the only open slot is early April which would only be convenient if I were superwoman. So, I've begun collaborating with the other four who are graduating and we have been planning our group show.

So far we've decided it will be held at Vermillion Press Limited at The Sunset Center in Amarillo on May 7th, starting at 5. We've also decided the name will be The Fifth Element.

The struggle right now is figuring out how our areas are going to be divided, how much money we'll get from the University and where it's coming from.

We haven't had any meetings this week due to our Advisor being in charge of the opening of the Vermillion Press Limited, which is EXTREMELY exciting for our department and all print students. I'll have to explain how and what that is all about in another post.

We're supposed to come up with a logo for the show and then collaborate next week to decide on one. Here's what I came up with today:

Ness Higson: IAAH

2010-02-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

One of the most inspirational designers today has done it yet again. Ness Higson has launched the newest version of his previous website IAAH as the new IAAH Version 7. It's brilliant! The obvious care and time he puts in his work (as you can see below) has carried over to his online presence. The old site was amazing and I'm blown away by his consistency to evolve as a designer. What an inspiration for us all in the creative community. Here's a little of what Ness has to say:

An explanation in brief. We find ourselves living in exciting times. We are currently in the midst of what feels to be a technological revolution of sorts. A time we have been calling 2.0, soon to be 3. As this particular medium has matured, the excitement and experimentation seems to have diminished, and has been replaced with usability standards and commerce. Rightfully so. The site / shell is a reaction to standardization. It’s meant to challenge the concept of space and how it’s perceived within ye olde browser window. It will undoubtably frustrate some, but may contribute to a large laugh and / or smile for others. It’s more experiment and temporary in nature than stiff and permanent.

Thinking Wrong

2010-02-08T11:09:00.000-08:00

As I've posted before, I've been reading "Never Sleep: Graduating to Graphic Design" by G. Dan Covert and Andre Andreev. In the book they talk about something called Project M that almost seemed like Graphic Design Summer Camp/Visually Conceptual Retreat. So cool right?! Well, I had planned on looking it up soon, but today I stumbled upon it while searching a little deeper into something I had planned on posting here as a relative project to my very own project idea. It's called PieLab. When I went to their website I discovered that PieLab is actually an initiative of Project M. What a coincidence!

So, I get to kill three birds with one stone today (that must be a REALLY big stone or really little birds). I get to share with you a little about Dan and Andre's book, let you in on what genius Project M is and all it entails, along with linking this idea my project shares with PieLab that conversation=design.

Here's is a little brief on exactly what PieLab is.

PieLab Promo from PieLab on Vimeo.

So, PieLab's goal of focusing on community development can easily be related to my own focus on relationship development. Both projects plan on gaining information (not always design related) for the betterment of understanding and possibly acting upon issues related to their subject of focus. For example, PieLab may unveil a problem with Greensboro's social habits or economy. Design may not be the whole solution, but it can certainly be part of it. They will find strengths and weaknesses, and visual and conceptual inspiration through conversation. That is my goal as well.

I'm doing all I can to 'Think Wrong.' This is what Project M says about Thinking Wrong:

"The human brain tends to think along pre-determined linear thought pathways. Such linear thinking can inhibit true innovation and creative exploration. Project M will encourage, and provide techniques for, “thinking wrong” to generate new ideas and design directions to challenge the status-quo."

Life is about connection and relationships. I want my design to embrace life don't you?

Test Creation: Take One

2010-02-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

Update on my Senior Project progress: I've come up with my six people to converse with. They are all very different and have very different types of relationships with me. I'm really excited to hear their responses to the questions I've come up with actually. Also, I'm working on a project website.

Below is an experimental creation. I've been thinking a lot about the vibe of this project and what I really want it to feel and look like. I've never been great at pinpointing a style that I'm strong at or one that I have at all. I enjoy experimenting with so many different styles that I never thought I had one of my own. So, I did what I knew to do...asked other people about my style. They gave me some great insight to my strengths and tendencies I have, good and bad. So, taking all of those opinions into consideration, this is what I came up with when thinking of the covers of the conversation transcripts. I think that each should be different but similar. They should be very personal to the relationship I have with each person. I can't decide how I'm going to place the text inside...if it should be hand written and scanned in, typed on a typewriter, or completely digital.

The next step in my process is going to be documenting, through a voice recorder, each of the six conversations.

Most Recent 'Holy Shit' Moment

2010-01-29T10:11:00.000-08:00

In response to Mitch Goldstein's blog post here asking about our own 'Holy Shit' moments I had to post this. Plus it's good news about my senior project anyways. I've made serious progress.

So, my struggle with ideas had to do with the overwhelming amount of static ideologies dripping from graphic design all around us. 'Buy this because it tastes good!' 'Use this because it's better!' A culinary artist doesn't have a immense passion for creating food and make a burger and fries for their defining dish. I did not want to present myself as a designer through wine bottle label designs and fake brochures. Plus, this is my last semester as an Undergrad and one of the VERY few times I can create something I truly care about.

So, what exactly did I come up with? Well, I did a lot of research on other student's senior projects and ended up seeing some great designs, but no inspiration for a great idea. Then I did some searches on 'Graphic Design Thesis.' This was far more successful. I came upon a group called the Situationists. Here's a short video on this inspiring group of people.

The Situationist International focuses on reality and day to day activity which is constantly experimenting and correcting itself rather than just reiterating a few supposedly eternal truths. Static ideologies, however true they may be, become gross fetishes and just one more thing to passively consume.

By adopting the views of the SI it all became clear. I needed to celebrate the reality of my everyday. But what? What was so abstract and complex in my everyday to be interesting yet so simple and concrete enough to illustrate graphically and typographically?

'Relationships' was the first thing that came to mind. Like any human being I deal everyday with managing the many relationships I have with people. This then led me to focus on the miss communications I've had with others that effected my relationships, which then led me to conversations I've had that marked the moment of miss communication and the big 'change.' There it was! Conversations! How beautiful and complex and real are conversations? It was perfect!

From there I sketched and made lists. Now was time to come up with concrete pieces illustrating this immensely abstract idea. I was overflowing with them. From typographic installations to scripts of the actual, personal conversations with people I care about. It had everything I wanted.

Here comes the problem. Convincing my adviser to allow me to put this on as my own senior show. Sounds easy right? Wrong! See every year ALL of the students get together and put on one show. I have nothing against this, I just know that for this idea to work I needed my own space and control over that environment. It's critical.

So that's where I am right now. Soon I'll be posting some sketches and mood boards, developing my pieces for this possible show and, in the mean time, crossing my fingers.

Extremes

2010-01-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

I've been struggling. My time here at school is about to end and my show is coming soon. Problem:I NEED to push the envelope when it comes to the pieces I make and present at the show. I've never been the type of person to do the expected. Every average graphic design student does the same thing. And to be honest, exceptional students usually do too simply because of the exact struggle I'm having.

Pushing the envelope. How do we do that successfully? I think it's the same question every designer asks when they approach any project. In 'Never Sleep:Graduating to Graphic Design' one of Dan's mentors, John Bielenberg of C2 and Project M, preaches 'Thinking Wrong'. This is pretty much exactly what every designer strives to do but ends up failing (according to John). The very few who can train themselves to do this find great success.

I wish that this post was more of an intro to a solution then a problem, but unfortunately the struggle for me continues. I'll let you know when the light bulb goes on (or off I guess, since we're thinking wrong...ha ha).

In the mean time I wanted to share a picture of a piece of fashion design that inspired me to write this post. It's definitely 'pushing the envelope' and makes my mind wander. See for yourself.

Never Sleep: Graduating to Graphic Design

2010-01-13T14:03:00.000-08:00

I'm halfway through my new book "Never Sleep: Graduating to Graphic Design." by G. Dan Covert and Andre Andreev.

So far I'm absolutely loving it. For one the layout of the book is easy on a designers eyes (you know...unlike walking through the mall being bombarded with a mix of so many fonts and colors and overwhelming and often horrible design). Besides that, the way it's written doesn't put me to sleep and already I'm learning things that I think every design student should know but can't unless an experienced designer shares that insight.

The book (so far) is told from both Dan and Andre's perspective, separately, on their journey to who and what they are now. In between their own stories are inserts of advice and tips from other designers and mentors along with samples of work that Dan and Andre have done along the years.

I can't wait to get home and read more!

For those of you interested in your own copy go to www.half.com. I've found they had the best prices. Also, here is a post I wrote for the blog I run for our graphic design club and it has a little more info and also a link to an interview with the authors that you can purchase at a great price.

Designspiration: Type Posters

2009-12-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

The Student ADDY deadline is fast approaching and I've been hard at it researching inspiration to create more work to possibly enter. It's all up in the air right now as far as what I want to enter from the work I've already finished, so I want to make sure I have a really good variety to choose from. Right now my focus is of course my one true love in graphic design....typography posters! On my quest for 'designspiration' I came across some amazing pieces that I just had to share with you.

lorenzo levrero

zhishi

You Don't Matter

jeremy ayad

yapaestudio

My Identity

2009-12-07T07:53:00.000-08:00

As a part of my BFA Senior Project I created an identity for myself including a website (brittanyloar.com), stationary, business cards, and coffee cup sleeves that will hopefully be printed and slipped on cups of coffee for my guests at our BFA Senior Show. The time and place of the show is TBA but I'll post it as soon as I find out. For now, here's what I have of my identity pieces.

Jane Aldridge 'Sea of Shoes'

2009-12-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

I've become completely obsessed with Jane Aldridge's blog 'Sea of Shoes.' She lives the most glamorous lifestyle of any teenager I've ever seen and shares her experiences on her blog. Every piece of clothing she wears makes me fall in love with fashion more every day. Fashion has always been a love of mine. From the time I turned 13 I began making sketches and setting up a mock portfolio to 'present' to my 'clients.' I also started to sketch interior designs and industrial designs. Then I got really into publication layout and that's when my sketches became my main elements for graphic design. So I guess it's fair to say I'm just simply in love with design.

Anyway, Sea of Shoes is beyond wonderful. I'm quite obsessed to tell you the truth. Recently, Jane returned from her debutant ball in Paris where she was fitted to wear a Chanel gown for the night and tour Coco Chanel's apartment. Talk about a fairy tale! Here are some photos of her gown on the runway, her wearing it at the ball, and then a few from her blog which you can check out at Sea of Shoes.

Unforgivable by Ashlee Giglia

2009-12-04T11:13:00.000-08:00

On of the most inspirational things to me as a designer is beautiful photography. This photo was taken by my sister Ashlee Giglia. It's one of my favorites - visually stunning and so beautiful.

See more of Ashlee's photography at BlackandWhiteAshes.

Back in focus

2009-11-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

So today I came to the realization that it isn't only my eyes deconstructing from the hours of time I spend on the computer everyday, but my attention span too. Not such a great thing to have happen when you have to sit and read or listen in everyday situations. Using the internet, we are allowed to move information before us so quickly that our minds become trained to behave that way more and more. My eyes were 20/15 before I came to college. That's even better than perfect vision. Now, I could honestly tell you that I'd be lucky to maybe have 20/20. Like my eyes, my attention span has seriously suffered. I actually find it difficult to sit in a cafe and simply read or to do a tutorial. Not good! Plus, I LOVE to chill out with my coffee and read.

So, I've done research on decreasing attention spans and how to build it back again. I've decided to devote at least 1 hour to reading or doing word puzzles a day. Time is always an issue, especially as a student and employee, but I think that this is pretty important. Plus, I want to enjoy the things I used to. Time to get back into focus!

Finally have a blog!

2009-09-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

I'm finally making progress with my portfolio site and blog. My birthday is coming up and so my parents called and offered to pay for two years of hosting my portfolio site, so hopefully that will be done and up soon. I was pretty excited about that. My parents rock!

I guess I should at least blog my Student ADDY pieces. That should be blog worthy I suppose and appropriate for an intro. So below are the four pieces of work that were awarded by the AAF area chapter.

Gold Student ADDY Award

Gold Student ADDY Award

Silver Student ADDY Award

Silver Student ADDY Award