I was speechless when I came across Jen Stark's hand-cut paper sculptures -- truly exceptional and very inspiring! I read that Stark draws her inspiration from fractals, wormholes, and MRI scans. Oh, and dead bodes. How bizarre.
I can't even imagine the patience and dedication that goes into her works. Mass Overflow (above) is simply created using felt-tip pen on paper. I really like her choice of vibrant colours to complete the organic shape.
BBDO New York's very innovative campaign for BBC; "Connect with the World" using scenes from current news stories with actual cables. Who would generally look up and notice this advertising on buildings though?
This is a campaign for a nightlife guide. Innovative concept with a tagline that fits perfectly. The execution is amazing, with close attention to the tiniest details.
I was doing some research on the YCN Kleenex brief, and came across their 'Let it Out' campaign which I thought was great. It allows customers to fully interact with the product whether they're happy or sad or simply just want to blow their nose.
I'm currently reading the book Designers are Wankers by Lee McCormack. He states:
"Don't be a wanker! Embrace what it means to be a professional designer. Making the transition from design student to successful creative often involves a lot of reassessment, adaptation and resignation -- just when you thought you'd cracked it and got that qualification, you realise that your actual education starts here..."
I completely agree. Who needs that qualification anyway? Surely, you learn more from experience/ on the job. Do you necessarily need 'that piece of paper' to get the job though? This brings me to my dissertation topic debate..
"One doesn't necessarily need a degree in design to be a successful graphic designer."
While researching for the Elmwood 'brand a family member' brief, I came across Steve Pavlina's blog where he talks about branding. He asked visitors to his website to jot down three adjectives they thought described him. After 2 days, he collected more than 3,000 adjectives from 1,101 responses!
I agree when he states that "branding is something that exists only in other people's minds." How can one brand themselves? Although they do say that the closet person to you, is you..
During our first seminar with Jim today, we were talking about artists with great names: Andy Warhol, David Hockey, Picasso, Tracy Emin. It was hard for us to think of artists with 'boring' names.
Although Tracy Emin is a well known English artist, I've never really studied her work or know much about her. Well, it's never too late..
Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995
This is probably one of Emin's most iconic works. It is a tent with the names of literally everyone she had ever slept with. (Not necessarily in the sexual sense.) Owned by Charles Saatchi, it was destroyed in the 2004 Momart London warehouse fire. Emin has refused to recreate it.
My Bed
Another striking piece, this is an installation of Tracy Emin's own bed: unmade and ditry with used condoms and blood-stained underwear.
I find it amazing how a person becomes so well known after the most bizarre things. I guess it's all originality...
Hot With A Chance Of A Late Storm is an artwork created by The Glue Society in 2006 for Sculpture By The Sea, an annual public art event featuring work from international artists that takes place on the walk between Bondi and Tamarama in Sydney. The Glue Society's sculpture won both the public and children's prize as well as international news coverage.
At my first glance of this, while flipping through Creative Review, I thought it was a copy of Dali's melting clocks...!
This beautiful illustration advertises French Bocage shoes. Although the concept might suggest that the shoes are not durable enough to wear in the rain, it is overcome by the ad's layout and great art direction. It's all about keeping the small treasures from being damaged.
We had lunch at a 'Pizza Hut' over the weekend, and were confused with the whole 'Pasta Hut' scenario. I refused to believe that my favorite pizza restaurant was changing it's name, so I did what anyone in search for information would do: I googled it. There it read:
LONDON - Fifty-year-old restaurant chain Pizza Hut is temporarily changing its name to Pasta Hut in a radical £100m relaunch.
With the introduction of 8 new pasta dishes (but the same number of pizzas on the menu), Pizza Hut signs are currently being taken down in attempts to promote a new "healthy eating" image.
Pasta is not any healthier than pizza though, is it? It's all made of carbs. Although change is sometimes good, I think it will confuse the public. They will definitely have to do more than just a name change. It will be interesting to see how it all works out.
When you think of pizza, you immediately think of Pizza Hut..or maybe that's just me.
I thought this television advertising campaign was cute when I first saw it, but I didn't really understand the relation between the famous Paddington Bear and Marmite until now; Paddington and Marmite are two great British institutions. Paddington, who for 49 years has kept an emergency marmalade sandwich in his little lunch box, decides he needs to try something different and swaps his trademark sandwich for a Marmite one!
I personally hate Marmite (it's true, you either love it or hate it..), but I thought it was very clever of DDB London to illustrate the concept in an innovative way, especially by breaking habits of the bear. Paddington is the most famous sandwich-eater around and has eaten marmalade sandwiches forever. If he can change his habit, so can anyone.
Michael Bond, creator of Paddington, disagrees however: "I have to report that although Paddington found the sandwich interesting, bears are creatures of habit. It would require a good deal more than the combined current withdrawals from Northern Rock to wean him off marmalade, if then."
Not only is the advert targeting children, but also encourage mums to buy Marmite for the family's sandwiches. I believe that anything that introduces a new audience to old classic should be supported. A marmalade loving, but Marmite hating individual would probably disagree.
During my dissertation research, I stumbled across David Carson, a successful graphic designer who graduated with a degree in sociology, NOT design. He was also a former professional surfer, ranking #9 in the world during his college days.
A tribute to other self-taught designers, Carson broke most of the rules of design and typography, as you can somewhat 'illegibly' read 'legibility' above. He experimented with overlapping and distorted fonts and intermixed these with striking photographic images.
I have mixed feelings about this WWF campaign. I grasp the concept with the trees being the 'marks' of each animal (snake, leopard, and giraffe), but hasn't it been done before? I think the giraffe strips are a bit too forced as tree shadows don't extend that long. Similarly, tree settings like the one in the snake campaign just don't exist. The 'accidental' layout is just too 'perfect.' The leopard one is the most natural looking. What do you think?
I've seen these Times ads around the underground several times, but I couldn't understand what they were trying to convey. The top one is of Barack Obama while the bottom one is a boy in swimming trunks.
Apparently this new campaign for The Times has been quite successful. The Times said:
"The purpose of the campaign has been to encourage readers to question and challenge, to think again about our times and to think again about The Times. The same rationale was behind the decision to drop the end line, Join The Debate. The paper wants its readers to make up their own minds about what the paper means to them."
The same day this campaign was revealed however, so were ads by The Times competitor: The Independent.
Using exactly the same layout to counteract The Times' campaign, "Ahead Of The Times" was The Independent's tag line. The Independent said: "The Independent has always had a reputation for innovation and quick thinking and these adverts are another example of that."
I spent the weekend in London, and every time I traveled by tube, I noticed one of these striking and thought- provoking messages. What are they all about??
Apparently artist, Anna Barriball, has selected a number of evocative phrases taken from the back of found photographs and printed them in London Underground’s classic New Johnston font as six black and white posters. "The texts are designed to adopt the distinct identity of the network, presenting domestic messages that work in an interesting contrast to the operational environment of the Tube."
I was recently invited to attend the presidential inauguration in Washington D.C. in January 2009 as part of my participation with the Global Young Leader's Conference since high school. As a result of this, I've been religiously following the presidential elections and am greatly in favor for Democratic Barrack Obama - change is essential.
I thought these pins were a lighthearted, humorous way of showing loyal unity within the different people of America.
October 23rd, 2008:
Although change is what America needs, I don't believe they are ready for a 'black' leader, as disgraceful as that may sound.
I'm not sure whether I'll be able to attend the inauguration in January, but it'll be history in the making if Obama wins!
I think this concept is great. Everyone gets chicken, beef, and pork stuck in their teeth after a meal (unless they're a vegetarian..) -- reach for it! Notice how the animals (made out of clay material?) form teeth.
Advertising for the Keep Holland Clean Foundation, the tag line reads:
Don't turn the bus into a garbage truck. It's just as easy to throw your trash in the waste bin.
So true. We always take garbage men for granted, when sometimes it just doesn't hurt to pick up after yourself. I wonder if there is any work to support this idea on the inside of the bus?
Boredom over the summer which, although incomplete, is actually turning out to be an interesting piece of art. The things that flow through your mind from pen to paper...
Browsing through the August issue of Creative Review, I came across these Harvey Nichols Sale ads, which I thought were great. DDB London always seems to create unique campaigns for this sale. These posters feature vultures pouncing on the hot sale items. This is further emphasized by the dominant black and red colour contrast.
These photographs of the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics are incredible. Notice how in sync all the performers are; symmetrical/ geometrical pieces of art. It was nearly a 4-hour performance.
Percussionists hit their Fou drums at the start of the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 8, 2008.(AFP PHOTO / Joe Klamar)
Drummers perform during the Opening Ceremony.
(Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
Artists perform during the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
