A Hot Cup of Jack Squat » graphic

If You’re Feeling Blu…

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:56:19 +0000

…then this should do the trick. Big thanks to Stephen Chow who introduced me to the artist Blu a while back. And thanks to Jeff for sending me Blu’s latest stop-motion video.

Besides the art and the use of the environmental space, I love the sound design. It’s been such a long-time (relatively) convention to use music as a backdrop that I’ve kind of forgotten that well crafted sounds can fill that space just as compelling-ly. (I have two certificates from two different higher institutions of learning that qualify me to wordsmith my own words. So back off.) I especially dig the texturized tone that is used behind the more foreground sounds.

I feel bad about this, but…

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:12:06 +0000

…the design gods over at Pentagram have it right. If tobacco companies are going to fall under the FDA’s jurisdiction now (yay), rather than fight their unhealthy image and the new restrictions, they should fully embrace them. Go with it. Tell me these sample packs Pentagram designed don’t knock you off your feet. I think MORE people would buy cigarettes if the brand and packages acted like this. Full-on bad ass. Which is why I feel terrible about highlighting what a great job Pentagram did, because I think the tobacco industry are a bunch of evil pricks. Oops, tripped onto my soapbox.

The moral of the story is…Pentagram is right. Don’t run away from your nature. Be who you are and your people will come.

See more at Pentagram

21st Century Fairytales

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 23:15:33 +0000

Love this video by Swedish design student Tomas Nilsson. It’s a re-imagination of the classic, and pretty horrific actually, Little Red Riding Hood. The story is dimensionalized into an amazing conduit of detailed information and graphic charts for an information-driven era . My favorite being Grandma’s nutritional make up.

Music by Royksopp