friday blinks – 8/10/12

Here is a list of sites we’ve come across throughout the past couple weeks that we think are worth sharing. We call it friday blinks.

Mars Wallpapers
Tymn Armstrong, an earthling designer, made some desktop wallpapers from the high-res panoramic photos that NASA released earlier this week, which were taken by their newly-landed rover, Curiosity. Thanks dude!
(via Tymn Armstrong/twitter)

Loyola community service site
Designed by Philadelphia-based designer Justin LaFontaine for the Philly-based 160over90 ad agency for Loyola University Maryland. Slick stuff.
(via 160over90/twitter) (via Justin LaFontaine/twitter)

Geometry Daily
No homework needed, just simple geometric shapes, every day.
(via Nate Navasca/twitter)

Jeff Rogers interview with The Great Discontent
The Great Discontent completes another great interview; this time with NYC-based designer, letterer, and maker Jeff Rogers. I felt a warmth run over me (no I didn’t pee myself) after reading his interview. He’s obviously proven that hard work and wanting to continually do better will get you around. Awesome body of work and wonderful advice, Mr. Frogers. Thank you.
(via Jeff Rogers/twitter)

Water Light Graffiti
http://vimeo.com/47095462
Created and by the team at the French-based agency Digitalarti at the ArtLab studio. The ‘Water Light Graffiti’ surface is made out of thousands of LEDs illuminated by the contact of water. You can use anything from a paintbrush, a squirt gun, your fingers or anything else that is damp to make the lights light up. Sweet idea.
(via Creative Bloq/twitter)

friday blinks – 8/3/12

Here is a list of sites we’ve come across throughout the past couple weeks that we think are worth sharing. We call it friday blinks.

Making Geometric Type Work
Examples of some of the issues you will face when designing geometric typeface. Set up a strict set of rules, then break them.
(via Lost Type Co-op/twitter)

NASA makes “art”
NASA used Landsat satellites to monitor and document the changes taking place across the planet. In addition to doing that, they have captured some of the amazing aerial landscapes that Earth has to offer. Pretty amazing.
(via It’s Nice That/twitter)

Hampton Creative 10th anniversary chalk mural
Impressive time-lapse chalk mural. (sorry, couldn’t imbed the video)
(via Type Everything/twitter)

The most 80s-style commercial…ever

This spot for Hahn Super Dry has the most 80s references in it of any other commercial I’ve ever seen. Totally rad.
(via Mike Metz/twitter)

Bob Noorda overview
Bob Noorda was co-founder Unimark with Massimo Vignelli in the 1960′s. Check out the incredible logos, posters, and symbols he designed in his 56-year career.
(via Keenan Cummings/twitter)

friday blinks – 6/1/12

Here is a list of sites we’ve come across throughout the past couple weeks that we think are worth sharing. We call it friday blinks.

For startups (or anyone, really), this is how design works
Great overview of what roll design plays in business, and how important it is to successful.
(via Candice Chu/twitter) (via Wells Riley/twitter)

Make a better creative brief
Keep it simple, keep it flexible and include strategy, rules, and dates.
(via Division of Labor/twitter)

Octo sketch process by Brandon Rike

Awesome process hand-drawing to vector illustration by designer/illustrator Brandon Rike.
(via Brandon Rike/twitter)

Advice for designers getting ready to start a studio
Some wonderful tips for anyone wanting to open their own design studio, or even how to run a studio.
(via Alonzo Felix/twitter) (via Rob Giampietro/twitter)

The Great Discontent interviews Dana Tanamachi
“Sometimes your limitations can be a launching pad into an unexpected story.” A wonderful quote and an absolutely fantastic interview with the extremely talented chalk artist/designer Dana Tanamachi. Do yourself a favor. Sit down, take a nice, long break, and read this interview if you haven’t already. Dana has some really good insite. She mentions speaking at some universities…wondering if she would travel to southwest VA to speak to the VCD students at Virginia Tech? Let me know if you’re interested, Dana!
(via The Great Discontent/twitter) (via Dana Tanamachi/twitter)

friday blinks – 4/20/12

Here is a list of sites we’ve come across throughout the past couple weeks that we think are worth sharing. We call it friday blinks. Looks like I almost made an all-video post without trying. Huh…

Portland Creative Mornings with Kate Bingaman Burt
http://vimeo.com/31610153
Create. Share. Repeat. Draw every day. As you can see from the video, Kate is extremely entertaining and super energetic! I’m super excited to see her speak live at WMCfest 2012!
(via Adam Garcia/twitter) (via Kate Bingaman Burt/twitter)

Good Books “Metamorphosis”

An insanely-visual trip to a rather normal book website, Good Books. Also, the Behind-the-Scenes look from concept to completion. Concept by String Theory and directed by Buck.
(via Chris Allen)

Smokeable book for Snoop

Leave it to Snoop (with help from creative agency Pereira & O’Dell) to think up this doozy. A book made of rolling paper pages, a hemp tweed cover, and a matchstick striker spine. I don’t think this one will last very long in the public library system. Posted this on 4/20 without trying. Self high five.
(via Drea Zlanabitnig/twitter)

Erik Spiekermann puts the face back in typeface

This is always teamwork. Work in teams and change the place you live in. Get in there and break things open. Graphic design CAN changes lives. I hope I’m in the right place at the right time and work with some fantastic people as Mr. Spiekermann has.
(via Erik Spiekermann/twitter)

Prima Peaches packaging
Awesome 3-color packaging, label, and set of icons for southern California grower, Prima, designed/illustrated by Patrick Macomber.
(via Patrick Macomber/twitter)

friday blinks – 3/30/12

Here is a list of sites we’ve come across throughout the past couple weeks that we think are worth sharing. We call it friday blinks.

App that locates NYC subway art
The ‘Arts for Transit’ app, “created by the Metropolitan Transport Authority and app firm Meridian, tells the locations of hundreds of artworks throughout the historic New York subway.” Find the sculptures, murals, installations and other works dating back to the 1980s, as well as background info, photos, and audio or video podcasts about each artist. Nerds will also like this app. It will guide them to bookstores and help them find a particular book in the store. It’s like a nerd magnet.
(via The Creative Finder/twitter)

How Creativity Works
Interesting NPR interview with author and editor Jonah Lehrer, about his new book called Imagine: How Creativity Works. I think I need to take more breaks. It seems like I’ve been overwhelmed lately, hitting more walls (creatively and physically) than usual. Also, a short promo video from Jonah Lehrer.
(via my wife, Holly Gatton) (via UCDA/twitter)

Tiny cards
What a better way to make a point that you work with small businesses than to get super tiny business cards? That’s what one Alberta, Canada-based bookkeeping business did. Measureing 1” x .6”, these little guys were letterpress printed by Minneapolis-based Studio On Fire. They had to make a special die just to cut them down to size. Brilliant!
(via Cranky Pressman/twitter) (via Studio On Fire/twitter)

Ten Steps to Becoming the Designer You Want to Be
Great list of 10 things to do on a regular basis to be all you can be, design-wise.
(via Linda Sanderson)

Dan Cassaro rides the Highway
Designer, illustrator and highway extraordinaire Dan Cassaro shows off his newest type masterpiece. Highway, which was initially created on the road, traveling across the U.S. of A. this past summer, then completed in his home studio in New York. Check it out and safe driving.
(via Grain Edit/twitter)(via Dan Cassaro/twitter)

friday blinks – 3/2/12

Here is a list of sites we’ve come across throughout the past couple weeks that we think are worth sharing. We call it friday blinks.

Jumpman HTML5 site
WOAH! Super slick.
(via Chris Streger/twitter)

Triforce Tribute
Design + crafts + everything Zelda. I never played the game (ZELDA NERDS REVOLT!), but can get behind some serious geekery for the game. This show is sure to be very successful.
(via David Sizemore/twitter)

Jeff Rogers makes a font baby
Beautiful two-ply, hand-made font by NYC-based designer/illustrator Jeff Rogers.
(via Ryan Feerer/twitter)

Annual report powered by the sun
Austria Solar commissioned the first annual report powered by the sun. Its content remains invisible until sunlight falls on its pages. Design work by serviceplan campaign. This is really cool.
(via David Sizemore/twitter)

Weapons Declassified: Jeff Finley
Weapons of Mass Creation Fest founder Jeff Finley gets featured, and talks about how WMC Fest came to be and the concept behind it. Pissed I won’t be able to make it up to Cleveland this year for WMC Fest. Next time, Gadget…
(via Jeff Finley/twitter)

friday blinks – 2/17/12

Here is a list of sites we’ve come across throughout the past couple weeks that we think are worth sharing. We call it friday blinks.

The Pauses “A Cautionary Tale” CD packaging
Album made to look like a beat up Golden Book and a cd that looks like a vinyl record, featuring design & artwork by Travis Lampe. Really cool looking piece. I had to look them up and listen to a few tracks. Pretty good stuff.
(via Tymn Armstrong/twitter)

Inconceivible wine package design
The Princess Bride Custom Wine Packaging System for Alamo Drafthouse Cinema highlights this hilarious movie with awesome illustrations, type, and a wonderful 3-color design. The overlapping heads to form the chalice is fantastic.
(via Mike Metz/twitter)

Buddy League documentary
The trailer gave me chills. What a great story and idea. Type by Jeff Rogers.
(via Jeff Rogers/twitter)

Explosions in the Sky poster process
Another amazing “making of” video from DKNG for their Explosions In The Sky gig poster.
(via Mathew Shamloo/twitter)

New Theatre’s new look
Created by the Sydney office of Interbrand, this fresh look on an 80 year-old theater is incredible. From the mark down to the signage, buttons, stencil, clothing, bags, and tickets. Ughhhh, those tickets. So good.
(via David Sizemore/twitter)

friday blinks – 1/27/12

Here is a list of sites we’ve come across throughout the past couple weeks that we think are worth sharing. We call it friday blinks.

Behind the Scenes look at Treasure Island for iPad
Matt Cruickshank takes a look back through his process of illustrating Treasure Island for the iPad by Space Dog Books. I got the book and started checking it out with my 3 year-old son. We’ve been having a lot of fun with it. What a wonderful experience.
(via Tymn Armstrong/twitter)

Aesthetic Apparatus Kickstart a kick-ass typeface
The Minneapolis-based design/poster rock stars are at it again. This time, designing a slick, bevelled typeface, which was featured on their wildly-popular “Yes, We’re/Sorry, We’re” vinyl signs. Go on, you know you want to back this project and support the AA guys in their global graphic design domination. This project has been 100%+ backed, so you have a few more days to get a good deal on some other goodies.
(via Aesthetic Apparatus/twitter)

The Scamihorn’s Christmas Card
The super-talented illustrator and designer Aaron Scamihorn created a tasty holiday card.
(via Riley Cran/twitter)

A Hundred Monkeys Glider
Designed by Mikey Burton, letterpress printed by The Cranky Pressman. Awesome detail, and all in 2-color. Very impressive!
(via Mikey Burton/twitter)

How Pencils are Made
I love the show How It’s Made, and what an interesting process.
(via UCDA/twitter)

FREE FONT FR-FR-FRIDAY
Static by Slava Kirilenko (via Hannes Beer/twitter)
Woodshop, handmade by the generous and super-talented Nick Slater (via Nick Slater/twitter)

In other news…
I saw a great quote on twitter from Denver-based designer Scott Hill:
“Not allowing employees to claim their work, discouraging outside design work, and brow-beating is the design of old. Respect your employees.”
Amen, brother. The aforementioned scenario sounds a lot like my previous employer. Glad I (and others I worked with) moved on.

friday blinks – 1/20/11

Here is a list of sites we’ve come across throughout the past couple weeks that we think are worth sharing. We call it friday blinks.

A Journey in Typography
A blog curated by U.K. designer Ged Palmer. What a fantastic collection.
(via Jeff Rogers/twitter)

The Master Cleanse
Awesome short film with titles by Erik Marinovich, ½ of Friends of Type. Wear your headphones…NSFW stuff.
(via Friends of Type/twitter)

White room + stickers + kids
Artist Yayoi Kusama constructed a stark white space installed in the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art. Then over two weeks time, gave child visitors thousands of colorful stickers to decorate however they wished, resulting in an extremely brightly-colored room. Very cool.
(via Stephen Kissel/twitter)

Fotoshop by Adobé
Jokes and jokes and jokes and jokes.
(via Evan Stremke/twitter)

How to Make a Font
Minneapolis-based type designer Chank Diesel makes a 5-point list on how to create your own typeface! Easy peasy.
(via Chank Diesel/twitter)

In other news…
This is my 100th post here on designblinks! Thanks for all of the sharing and support. I hope to make this into an even better-running blogity machine in 2012.

friday blinks – 12/2/11

Here is a list of sites we’ve come across throughout the past couple weeks that we think are worth sharing. We call it friday blinks.

2012 Studio On Fire Desk Calendar
The 2012 letterpress desk calendar, the Positive Apocalypse Edition from Studio On Fire. Killer colors. Lovely printing.
(via Tuesday Bassen/twitter)

Hairy Lipsum Generator
The manliest of greeked-in text, Hair Lipsum has some serious chops. Mutton Chops, that is.
Plus, any latin text containing Ned Flanders, Milkshake issues, and Ron Burgundy wins.
(via The Creative Finder/twitter)

Type Fight
Really sweet idea. Designers Drew Roper and Ryan Paule  go head-to-head with their type creations every week and lets the internet decide the winner.
(via Riley Cran/twitter)

Thanksgiving Name Cards
These amazing little cards were hand-created by the very talented James T. Edmondson.
(via Dribbble/James T. Edmondson/dribbble)

Staying Strong Under Stress
Wonderful article about how to keep calm and have rational thought when things get nuts.
(via James Victore/twitter)

Þorsteinn Beer Brand concept
Single color ink on clear bottles. Line drawings, patterns, or shapes. So simple, so freakin’ awesome.
(via Tymn Armstrong/twitter)

In other news…
I made a post about the Moveable Type Truck’s visit to Roanoke this past Saturday. It was my favorite post to write so far and I’ve been getting some really nice feedback about it, too, which is really nice to hear. Thanks again to Ad2Roanoke and Kyle Durrie (Miss Moveable Type Truck) for making this extremely awesome event happen! And thank you to all for the lovely comments.