Ian Flemming Gets Some New Skin

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of that guy with the license to kill, Penguin UK is updating their newest edition of James Bond novels with some sweet new cover art. The new covers, featuring the art of San Francisco-based artist, Michael Gillette, are decked out with beautifully-rendered, colorful femmes, possessing a "sensual in a way they might decide to kill you any minute" kind of appeal.















The entire collection must be stunning in the flesh. Now us stateside just need to figure out how to get them over the pond.

(snatched from The Publics)

Political Design

I generally avoid blogging about anything political, but this article by the New York Times was simply too interesting to pass up:

"Is Obama a Mac and Clinton a PC?" by Noam Cohen
Picture by the New York times

This article looks at the candidates from purely a design perspective, having several designers critique the websites of the two democratic primary candidates. Considering that this may become the first political race ever to be won over the internet, I find this a fascinating and pertinent dialog. One day, we may look at these factors with the same importance as the television was for Kennedy against Nixon.

The consensus of opinion is, of course, that Obama's site is gorgeous.

Barackobama.com

I have been a long admirer of this site. It is diaphanous and stylish. It gives the effect that the entire thing holds a kind of aura. It is incredibly 2.0. This was a great direction to go into for OBama, considering that the majority of his supporters are young and web saavy. It was a bold move on the side of his campaign to create a site like this, though several designers in the article wonder if this site may create the "Mac" effect - essentially, that it could deter a section of the population that finds such high design almost offensive (in a way, like the way many consider the Mac guy annoying rather than a protagonist). I personally don't believe this to be the case, as the Mac guy is annoying because he's a smartass, not because he represents an aesthetic. Of course, I also want to be Mac's baby mama, so I am a bit biased.

Clinton's site is much more typical of a political website. Which in terms of her supporter base, also makes sense:

Hillaryclinton.com

I feel the site is a good one in that is well laid out and can handle a lot of content. But the design is not very interesting, and really it's a lot of the same old thing in terms of site design. However, this may be an entirely conscious choice on the part of the Clinton campaign, as they are trying to brand Hillary as the "blue-collar candidate." Boyfriend Kaboom, even went so far as to describe it as "folksy," which I thought was an interesting insight.

There is one thing that bothers me greatly about this site - the contribution buttons. With so much information on the page, the design of the buttons give the effect that they are screaming for importance, much more so than any other candidates' in the primaries. The fact that there are three (THREE!) on the immediate page is already surprising, but that someone chose to style them all differently is not only poor consistency, but creates a rather garish effect. And I think it was a terribly tacky move to put a dollar sign on the large one. Other than that though, I feel generally lukewarm about this site. It takes no risks, and there really isn't much I can say about it.

After reading this article, I decided to take a peek at the McCain site. And I have to say, out of all three, I find his the most surprising:

Johnmccain.com

Black... Conceptually, I would immediately reject this choice. If someone were to say to me, "I am going to design a political site where black is the main color, and I depict the American flag in the top banner in greyscale," my first reaction would be to balk. But I have to say that the results are much better than I would ever would have imagined. In fact, I find McCain's the sleekest of all three sites. Like the website equivalent of a Porshe. I do wonder however, if the all together effect isn't a bit too somber, perhaps even funerary. I feel the design might profit from some altering to brighten the page, and make it feel a bit more hopeful.

Next week, I'll give my review of the Christopher Walken in '08 campaign site. Creepiest. Candidate. Ever.

Grand Imaginers: James Jean & Prada Make Some Magic

By far, my favorite professional artist in the field today is James Jean. I have been a die-hard fan since I picked up the first edition of his art book, “Process Recess”, on a whim at the MOCCA comic art fest several years ago. I was immediately captivated by his style - an ability to make drawings that combine the immediacy of a chaotic sketch with some of the cleanest drawn lines I have ever seen. The man simply cannot put down a stray line. Add to that the fact that he is a pop-whiz at digital editing, and I was smitten.



That he also happens to make the covers of my favorite comic book, “Fables,” is simply the icing on the cake.



Recently, James Jean paired up with Prada in the creation of their Spring 2008 line. The results are nothing short of wonderous.







Along with apparel and illustrations, Jean created a wallpaper for Prada (I believe to be used as the background for the product line). It is currently hanging in Prada’s Beverly Hills and Soho Epicenter stores, and is a whopping 17 x 200 feet. NotCot has the entire incredible wallpaper in digital format on their site, here.


Excerpt of the wallpaper James Jean created for Prada. Click here to see the whole piece.

If all this wasn’t enough, Jean and Prada put together this short film promoting the line, featuring the music of the sister duo, CocoRosie. One of my favorite bands, backing my favorite artist, and collaborating with one of my favorite fashion houses. Someone please get behind me – I feel a swoon coming on…

The Best Spam Ever

Ok, so spamming is evil and horrible, and anyone who partakes in it should be dragged out and beaten with a baseball bat covered in flesh-eating fire ants. But today I found this in my inbox, and I have to just take a moment to show the world how brilliant (and hilarious) this piece of spam is:


Click here to see full size.

You have to hand it to this guy (or gal; don't let it be said I am sexist about my slimy slimebags). This is by far the greatest piece of phishing spam I have ever seen. I mean, it has it all - the White House banner, the FBI address, ROBERT MUELLER. The person who made this is by far the most ambitious spammer in the field. But the piece de resistance has to be the final note at the bottom of the email, warning the recipient about email imposters!

Bravo, slimy email spammer. Though one note for next time: the FBI probably doesn't use "gmail."

When Good Logos Go Horribly Wrong

The story: Last April, the United Kingdom's Office of Government Commerce begins a rebranding campaign, spearheaded by London-based design firm, FHD. One of the major pieces of this new visual identity is, of course, a logo. The new logo, a stylish and rather simple affair, is launched with much fanfare to the company and public:




The logo is well-received, and production is started to put it on all sorts of office doo-dads. A spokesman for the OGC reports, "The new identity has been extremely well received, as it presents a very clean, uncluttered and modern identity."

An uncluttered, modern identity.

And then someone turned their head a bit:


O snap.

It turns out that the logo has a bit of a hidden "visual identity" - the kind you don't want your mother to see.

Remarkably, the Office of Government Commerce has chosen to move forward with the logo, and issued the following statement regarding the "gripping" graphic object:

"The proposed version, which you have sent over, has been shared with staff, and is now going through final technical stages. It is true that it caused a few titters among some staff when viewed on its side, but on consideration we concluded that the effect was generic to the particular combination of the letters 'OGC' - and is not inappropriate to an organisation that's looking to have a firm grip on government spend!"

(Snatched from The Register, thanks Hutch!)

My Daily Covet: Rachel Comey Schindler Sandals

The only thing that is preventing me from falling over and weeping that I cannot afford these is the looming pile of shoes in the apartment, threatening to engulf Boyfriend Kaboom, Haiku and myself in one giant avalanche of footwear.

We like our shoes 'round these parts.


Rachel Comey Schindler Sandals

Jorine Oosterhoff's Mad Tea Party

I adore whimsy. It's the one pervasive thing in everything I do and like. And you can't get much more whimsical than the work of Jorine Oosterhoff, a graduate of the Academy of Arts and Design Arnhem in The Netherlands. Extremely playful, yet consistently mindful of its design aesthetic, Jorine's work is a cross between MOMA and a trip through the looking-glass:


TeaTime3 by Jorine Oosterhoff



ThreeMadHatters by Jorine Oosterhoff



DearDeer coat hooks by Jorine Oosterhoff



T(r)eacup by Jorine Oosterhoff


Now, I just need to find myself some talking mice, and I'll be set.

(Snatched from Design Milk)

Advice Posters Get Some Style

We're all familiar with those advice posters that they hang in banks or at that corny corporate job you worked in 1997. You know, the one with a boat on it, cutting through choppy seas, with some bold serif font that says something like, "DETERMINATION: Bring the Team a Sandwich," or some nonsense like that. They're terrible. The person that designed them should be dragged out and shot. Just thinking about them with their dumb black borders makes me want to start beating something.

However, the idea has been saved. Salvaged. Reborn like a beautiful butterfly so stunning that we can forgive and forget that time they were a big, swollen, squirmy pile of gross insect. And the ones initiating this change are none other than a bunch of university design graduates.

Each year, the graduates of University College Falmouth design advice posters for the purpose of passing on advice and inspiration to new first year students. Since 2006, an "Advice to Sink in Slowly" poster is given as a welcoming gift to every student enrolling on a BA course at UCF. The result, advice posters that you would be proud, nay, EXCITED, to hang on your wall:


Poster design by Jane Laurie



Poster design by Daryl Waller



Poster byTemujin Doran



Poster design by Farion



Poster design byDave Bain



Poster by Mark Agnew

To see all the posters, click here.

Because of the great response to the project, they've also set up a poster shop, so one of these beauts can adorn your wall. If you can bear to take down that kitten hanging from a rope that says "Hang in there!" Man, gets me everytime.

My Daily Covet: Jean Paul Gaultier Open Toe Ankle Strap Pump

Torn between a pump or an oxford?
Why not wear BOTH.


Jean Paul Gaultier Open Toe Ankle Strap Pump

My Daily Covet: Pixel Sofa by Cristian Zuzunaga

There are two things I love: color and pixels. Therefore, it's practically mandatory for me to love this piece of furniture :

Pixel Couch by Cristian Zuzunaga

I want to point out how clever Cristian Zuzunaga was in the design of this sofa. Notice how the two seat cushions are not symmetrical. Had they been I think this couch would lose a lot of its charm. Through this, and by creating a gap between the cushions for the eye to rest, he manages to successfully break out of the grid he creates through using such a boxy fabric. It makes me love it all the more.

Prairie Underground

Prairie Underground is the brainchild of Seattle-based designers Davora Lindner and Camilla Eckersley. I have been a huge fan of this design duo for some time now, and it seems every season their collection is better than the last. But this Spring collection simply has me floored. The pieces are divinely elegant and full of whimsical detail, yet preserve the soft, comfy knits that made me fall in love with the line in the first place.


blitz knit dress



jazzy jersey dress



funnel dress, denim street girdle



cloak hoodie



long cloak hoodie, craft tunic, rauched legging

I foresee a season of treasure-hunting to get a hold of many of these pieces for my own closet.

Mac Tools: 100 Mac Keyboard Shortcuts for Creating Symbols

As a designer, I am often need to use all sorts of wacky text symbols whilst working on projects. And though I and many others have been in the biz for some time, the honest to god truth is I am yet to meet a designer that actually knows all of them off the top of their head (if you happen to be a designer that does, I tip my hat to you, in all your compulsively-anal craziness). Nary a month goes by in the shop when one of us isn't shouting to another something along the lines of, "WHAT THE HECK IS THE SHORTCUT TO A DOUBLE-DAGGER!?!?!"

Suffice to say, for the designer that doesn't want to memorize about 80+ key-commands, this site is a godsend:

UsingMac.com: 100 Mac Keyboard Shortcuts for Creating Symbols

Not only does this site give the commands to a majority of common shortcuts, but it's also rather easy on the eyes. And as a Mac Nerd, you can imagine my delight when I discovered there was a key command to create the apple logo:



The fact that's it's completely and utterly useless just makes it that much better.

Inspiring Words by Zolton

I came across this post from Zolton of Lost at E Minor yesterday, and knew completely where he was coming from. I am quite an A type, and I feel like these words really sum up what it's like to live every day on that level...


Out of the whirlwind, Originally uploaded by mseidman

"On my best days I feel just like a great white shark. Not all-conquering and indestructible — though I have my moments — but rather that if I ever stop moving, if I take a moment to correct myself in the full glare of the light, I’ll probably sink. I think this a sentiment typical of our time: we’re a people of movers, a swarm of busy-ness. We’re motivated not so much by greed as we are by an overriding fear of failure. And as a result, we create, we experience, and we consume far more than anyone else before us. We’re individualists, yet form clusters within. We’re dreamers, wheelers and schemers. We’re movers. Generation text? The baby boomboxers? Whatever. We defy categorisation because we don’t stay in one place — neither physically, mentally nor emotionally - long enough to own it. Our world gets smaller by the second and as it does, the mystery … the joyous excitement of new discovery, becomes less definable. How nice would it be to strip back the fine layers of resilience to leave us all vulnerable for a while. To feel the rawness of each new breath as it surges through our lungs. To be exposed to the realness of it all. At least for a day or two. Or until the next series of Temptation Island hits the screens."

This week has been a particularly rough whirlwind, and I find myself continuing to return to these words, as if they were some sort of spiritual anchor. Thanks Zolton :)

Site Luv: Polyvore

I love...

this site...

so much!


Polyvore allows its users to build outfits, using the ENTIRE INTERNET as your closet. It’s as if someone took my forgotten love of doll-dressing and my present-love of computers and made them get it on, and this divine love child was the result of the pairing. I have not had this much fun playing with a toy since I was six, wearing scrunchies and eating mayonnaise sandwiches while getting the crap beaten out of me by my little sister (too much info, huh?).

After you make these outfits, you can post them for display on the
Polyvore community, where others can “Ooooo” and “Ahhh” over your latest masterpiece. And if you have deep enough pockets, you could even go ahead and BUY all the stuff you made the outfit with, since the images still DIRECTLY LINK to the original websites. How’s that for marketing? Particularly when said marketing is defined as, “Making me strongly consider that maybe I CAN afford a Stella McCartney piece, and that food is a rather overrated commodity.”

I could tell you that this site has not taken over every spare minute of my life. But then I would be a filthy, filthy liar. And I would never lie to you, baby.

My Daily Covet (Claimed!): Delia's Solid Skirted One-Piece

Apparently, one-piece bathing suits are made from unicorn hair, which is the only rational explanation I’ve come up with as to why every one I look at costs about a thousand dollars. However, I have finally triumphed! I recently picked up this little number from Delias.com, which rang in at a lovely 40 chicken bones:




Here are the things that are awesome about this suit:

BLACK. Never goes out of style

If black isn’t your thang, they also have this in an edible candy apple red heart pattern:

the neck strap is removable, so one can get a sweet tan but not lose the suit when you decide to take a dip.

The SCRUNCHING. This suit is double lined with an outer scrunching layer of suit-stuff, which means the bottom frill is actually length-adjustable. The above image has the fringe worn rather high, but when I tried it on I was delighted to discover I could pull it all the way over my butt for a totally retro-looking little skirt-suit. (Like this, but without the torpedo-boobies):

That’s totally what's it's like when I am at the beach.

Though they don’t have it for this suit, Delia’s also offers many of their other one-piece’s in different trunk lengths, which is a dream-come-true for a petite little dwarf like myself.

Now I am counting the days until I can get some sand in my butt…

Link to This

Amazing Example of System Typography

My friend John Hutch showed me this link to the invite to the SEED Conference. It's simply brilliant, and by far the best example of system font design I have ever seen:



That's not an image - it's all coded. I can't even imagine how long it must have taken to get this to look right, but it was worth it. It's simply gorgeous. I want to shake the hand of the designer that made it, then promptly cut off their head and steal their powers. Link
Link to This

I have seen the future: and it is a creepy Japanese girl

Motion Portrait says about their services: "MotionPortrait is the technology that automatically creates 3D face model from one single picture, which can be animated in a variety of facial expressions."

What that translates to is "HOLY FUCKING GOD MAKE IT STOP"
Link





If you'll excuse me, I need to go cower under my desk.
Link to This

Font <3: Boc Rounded

I am such a sucker for a chunky font. Not only is this font chunky, but I love how by nixing the inner negative space it also manages to feel minimal, which is a hard combo to find in a fat font.



The lack of negative space separates the copy out enough that the forms feel like unique graphic objects, without dramatically losing their readability. I find myself continually gazing on the letterforms, wishing I had a project they were appropriate for so I could play with them. I’m sure something will come up, but in the meantime I’ll just obsess over them internally.