February 2009 Archives

9021-d'oh!

A tasty little morsel on this Friday.

Shannen Doherty Takes Second Job As Magazine Art Director.

My favorite part: "What's next? Brian Austen Green working the lunch shift at Olive Garden?"

DWI: Under the Influence with Today's Most Arresting Illustrators

Some fun additions to our upcoming DWI: Do It With Illustration night next Tuesday: since we're showing the AI25 Anniversary Timeline movie at 6:45PM, Yuko Shimizu will be signing 25 of her AI25 posters, while they last, starting at 6:30PM when the doors open.

We'll also have 50 signed AI27 posters by the artist Ted McGrath to give away, again, while they last -- obviously, the early arrivals get the bounty.

You'll also be able to order copies of the latest volumes from American Illustration (AI 27, designed by Open NY) and American Photography (AP 24, designed by Scott Dadich).

All info about the night, including how to RSVP early & save $5 off the price of your tickets, here.


Above, samples of Yuko Shimizu's AI25 poster (top), and Ted McGrath's AI27 poster (bottom). Get there early!

One Foot in the Gutter...

...and the other on the lanes! Winter is retreating, daffodils are peeking up and fashion week is finally almost over. The time has come to be leave our computer stations, office Nerf wars and gray cubicled confines and take our business to a new arena: to the former commuter purgatory, to the home of Invisible Jesus, to the Newly Renovated Port Authority©.

Tonight is the official opening of the New York All-Media Bowling League's 4th season. While last year, yours truly (H-Bomb) and the Best Life team had the honour and privilege to be sponsored by Altoids, (and the pride / horror of wearing "Curiously Strong" on your back sides was fodder for many jokes to come) this year is understandably a little leaner...I think the grand prize is a handle of Jack Daniels. But no worries! There will be spirited competition, laneside massages, expert bowling shirt design, BenGay distribution, and morning youtubing forever ingrained on the interwebs.

Stay tuned and see how your colleagues show the old salty dogs at Port Authority what happens when 3 ft. beer towers meet the Muscle of the Media.

Schedule and a few images from last year after the jump.
 
Bring your nacho money.
Bring your copy editors for trivia.
Bring your Purell.
Bring it! /// HJ
… MORE

Best Life

Brandon Kavulla, Design Director at Best Life, sends some of the work his team's poured some love into over the past few months....

Typically every issue of Best Life, at the end of a production cycle I shoot around some feature layouts to a few trusted colleagues to get opinions and feedback. (Thanks Rem, Flo and Rocky.)

Here are a few of the most recent...

… MORE

'Question Everything': Shepard Fairey on What's Next

There have been hundreds of stories on Shepard Fairey and his historic poster, but this profile of the artist from last week's CBS Sunday Morning had a nice, relaxed feel and some great early photos. So get your latte and press play, video after the jump. Enjoy!… MORE

Popular Mechanics

From the creative team at Popular Mechanics, some new work featuring, well, UFOs (let your inner MythBuster loose, ok? We all have one). And other fun stuff, courtesy PM Design Director Michael Lawton:

We've worked hard since coming to Popular Mechanics to revamp the look and feel of this century-old magazine, so it was a bit of a challenge when we were presented with the idea of running a UFO feature AND cover. How do you package a clichéd story in an effective, modern way?

more after the jump...
… MORE

This %^@!ing Economy

A curious story in the NY Times this morning about "Art Capital Group" and their business, which seems to be, tell me if I'm wrong here: Art Pawn Shop. Not only current owners, but also artists like Julian Schnabel and Annie Leibovitz, are trading in their collections for cash loans -- but in Ms. Leibovitz' case, not only her own artwork is on the table, but, per the Times,

according to loan documents filed with the city, one of the world's most successful photographers essentially pawned every snap of the shutter she had made or will make until the loans are paid off.

(empahsis mine -- on FUTURE prints, as well? Wow.)

Up, Down and All Around

When I'm running out of the subway, walking to work, riding in a cab (which is quite often), I wish I could save a few images captured in my mind of all the various (and interesting/attractive/riveting/compelling) type I see around me and archive it for those special moments when the inspiration is needed.

As it turns out, Mandy Milks has done just that in her blog, Villatype where she has (what seems) so effortlessly done for herself.

She's wonderfully created a forum where we can view and discuss type and lettering found in the public domain. Kudos, Mandy!

Jeremy LaCroix on Web Design: Name that Site

A nice little clip from last summer. SPD's very own Pub 44 Online Chair Jeremy LaCroix dishes out a few great lessons on web design at the Stanford Professional Publishing Course. Video after the jump.  … MORE

PUB 44 Medal Finalists Announced!

Best in Show: A competition whereby dogs designs are judged as to which one is considered to be the most closely conformed to its written breed standard of excellence.

We've seen the best, and from a wider variety of magazines than before -- and we loved it! Now it's time to call out the best of the best, and prepare for the Gala on Friday, May 8th where we'll announce the very top dog, the Best in Show. Read on for a full list of winners...
… MORE

Boston Pops: A Conversation with Patrick Mitchell

Last summer Patrick Mitchell set aside his design firm, PlutoMedia, to become Creative Director of Boston Magazine. He spent the Fall redesigning the nearly 40-year-old magazine. The redesigned book launched in January 2009. When I asked about his inspiration he said, "Boston is an old city and its connection with history is palpable. We went back to the city's beginnings (the 1600s!) to find our typographic and design cues. We looked through all sorts of early published/printed materials to get in the right frame of mind, and then gradually worked our way forward."… MORE

WIRED

The San Francisco technology chronicle debuts its package about "design under constraint" on February 24, the March 2009 issue. Creative director Scott Dadich explains the thesis in his introductory essay (after the jump).
… MORE

Portland Monthly

Hector Sanchez, new Creative Director for SagaCity Media's Portland Monthly, shares some details about, well, beards:

The great thing about working on a city mag is the opportunity to observe and document a city's native culture. Having worked for three great city mags, I found that Portland is home to an amazing creative community and is truly, as we recently called it, the "beardiest city in America!" Shortly after arriving here, Editor in Chief Paige Williams and I noticed all these "beardos" (localspeak for beards + weirdos) and wanted to explore why beards are so rooted in the Pacific Northwest. We asked them how they felt about their beards and not only were surprised by their candor and creativity and eloquence--these guys really thought about their whiskers--but also by the response in Portland and around the country. Who knew beards could be so zeitgeist?

… MORE

Hockey Challenge

Lou Maxon of Maxon Inc. in Seattle sends along some samples from a magazine supporting the annual Hockey Challenge which supports Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington.

… MORE

Dog Gone Weekend

On behalf of SPD and the Pub 44 Co-Chairs (Judith Puckett-Rinella and yours truly), we'd like to thank ALL who took part in the three-day-long (yet very quick) judging last weekend. There was plenty of inspiration in the air from the more than 6,100 entries displayed, the captains, the judges, the volunteers, the pooches and the conversations that resulted.
Take a peek at a short film capturing some of these moments here and a gander at a few snapshots here.
Read more and check out the vid after the jump...
… MORE

Paula Scher: Raising the Bar

In the late eighties, Paula Scher came to SVA to teach portfolio.
 
When the semester began, the other students in Paula's class were Gail Anderson, Drew Hodges, Jackie Murphy, Jackie Seow, Mario Pulice, Archie Ferguson, Deb Bishop, Richard Baker, Frank Garjulio, Alexander Knowlton, Syndi Becker and a host of other current industry greats. Over the next twenty years of Paula's SVA teaching career, the sheer number of other stars to be taught by Paula would be legendary. This was a time at The School of Visual Arts when Richard Wilde had brought a host of new and visionary instructors on board: Carin Goldberg, Henrietta Condak, Louise Fili and Chris Austopchuk. Even Richard Wilde, Chairman of the Advertising and Graphic Design Department, will admit that it was the dawn of a new era in how Graphic Design and Typography would be taught at SVA.… MORE

Paula Scher: One of a Kind

In 1984 I moved to New York from Calgary to go to the School of Visual Arts. Richard Wilde said "I think we will put you in Paula's class." I had no idea at the time who she was or what I was in for. The whole move was a big adventure. I was actually following my talented boyfriend Garnet Henderson (AKA Eddie Guy) to New York and thought I would take a few classes to improve my portfolio. Who wanted a job in Winnipeg anyway????
… MORE

Paula Scher (class of '84)

I was one of those quiet, diligent students who worked hard, but said little in class. In the fall of 1983, my portfolio teacher at SVA, Paula Scher, wasn't having any of that; she actually asked me what I thought, and expected a response--out loud. That smoke-filled class changed my life.… MORE

Creature Feature Captain

Thought you all might like to see one of the faces behind the judging.
I snapped this pic of the Creature Feature captain...overseeing all pics of puppies, kitties, monkeys and ferocious sheep.

… MORE