Animated Wallpaper

Some interesting and beautiful new media work from design team Non-Format. This project was to create a set of animated wallpapers for Japanese mobile phone company Iida. Great typography brought to life by animation.

About Non-Format: Kjell Ekhorn (Norwegian) and Jon Forss (British) have worked together as the creative direction & design team Non-Format since 2000. They work on a range of projects including art direction, design, illustration and custom typography for arts & culture, music industry, fashion and advertising clients.

I'll be gone

An absolutely beautiful, mesmerizing video created by Korb. Everyone should see this, it's amazing.

Bemboszoo

Bemboszoo is a must see website to simply make you smile.

Tapeography

A typeface created from cassette tape by Ersinhan Ersin. More great work to check out, including 'I hate 2D posters' on website.

HMF

Great collection of fonts created by Estonia based design company HMF (HandMadeFont) who specialize in developing unique, untraditional fonts generated by the inspiration of everything that surrounds them.

Brock Davis

Amazing self-initiated projects in a variety of mediums produced by artist and musician Brock Davis. His work is a must see.

Zebra

Work produced by designer Måns Wikström.
"This was made one night when the expression “It’s raining cats and dogs” just didn’t cut it, it rained more then that, it rained… uhm.. …zebras!"

ART WORK SPACE

An upcoming exhibition, the 2009 Sony World Photography Awards, caught my attention in the London Metro this week. A collection of photographs documenting our world, from both established and aspiring photographers, have been selected for this year's awards, covering a variety of subjects but united in celebrating photography.

Whether a self-initiated project or an aid to the news and media, a photograph often has a social responsibility to inform us about something we wouldn't normally see, should look at differently or simply view again. While not all the work from the Sony awards are from the media, these, and similar projects (for example those supported by the World Press Photo foundation) play an incredibly important role in communicating to a large audience what our world is like.

A 10-day exhibition of the 2009 Sony World Photography Awards (finalists and winners) starts this week, which led me to the discovery of a gallery space worth sharing; the exhibition is being displayed at ART WORK SPACE, an art gallery situated within the Hempel Hotel, West London. Aiming to showcase emerging artists from a variety of fields, watch this space!

The photography exhibition runs from 20 January – 29 January 2010.

If You Could Collaborate

If You Could Collaborate is the fourth annual exhibition and collection of work in the If You Could series. While every year's body of work builds on the foundation on collaborating, bringing together creatives from different disciplines to submit work in answer to a theme or queston, this year's work has felt more compelling by reinforcing this foundation.

If You Could Collaborate didn't set a theme but emphasised collaboration by asking work to be submitted not by creatives working on their own, but by bringing people together join forces.

The body of work that has been produced (pairings such as Anthony Burrill and John Griffiths, Ian Wright and Riita Ikonen) is eclectic, and with work from different mediums and in different styles, and with time to nuture the projects (12 months), the work expresses the contributor's freedom and creative flair.

The work is being exhibited at: A Foundation Gallery at Rochelle School, London E2 7ES and is open until 23 January 2010, 12–6pm (open late on 21 January, 12–9pm).

Chop Cup

A great little movie called CHOP CUP from :weareom: on Vimeo.

Vote For Art

President and founder Jeremy Parker of Vote For Art, a new startup backed by the large apparel company David Peyser Sportswear have partnered with Purdue University to launch their first major contest of 'Create the new Purdue basketball t-shirt.'
The winners' artwork will be printed on t-shirts and sold at the University bookstore. (Winning designers will earn $500 and 2% of t-shirt sales). All artists no matter where they are from and what school they go to can submit designs into the contest. Check out the website for more information.

Lucky

Brilliant stop motion music video, animated entirely with glow sticks by Darcy Predergast, an animation company in Melbourne, Australia. More stop motion cartoons with a twisted sense of humor are also a must see.

Oleg Medvedev

Illustrator Oleg Medvedev creates stunning illustrations, with beautiful line textures and colouring.

Eolo Perfido

Great photography by Eolo Perfido

Blossomwell

Inspirational typography by designer Craig Ward.

Chris Gilmour

Amazing craftsmanship by Chris Gilmour. Check out his website for more incredible creations and work in progress. (Cardboard and glue life size, 2003)

Bjorn Johansson

Beautiful typography by designer, illustrator Bjorn Johansson.

Greengaged 2009

London Design Festival's sustainable design hub - Greengaged is making a big return for 2009. Co-designed with thomas.matthews and web designer Daniel Howells, I'm pleased to announce the launch of the brand new Greengaged website!

Arts University College Bournemouth

I have just discovered the news that my undergraduate college The Arts Institute at Bournemouth has gained University status and is now The Arts University College Bournemouth, interesting how its name includes both a 'university' and 'college'. This is great news for Bournemouth, congratulations and what a beautifully executed new brand and website!

A View on Harvard GSD

Tank Books- "A View on Harvard GSD is a new publication documenting the work of students and faculty at the Graduate School of Design. More than 350 people submitted pages to the project, which showcases the creativity and diversity of the research conducted there."

This looks and sounds like an incredibly beautiful book. A must have!

Pop-Up Typography

A recent addition to my book collection was a pop-up typography book, ABC3D by French designer Marion Bataille, video shown above; a brilliant exploration of the process of construction and interaction, through the letters of the alphabet.

Each letter is carefully constructed using only paper and minimal colour (red, white and black). Its ability to combine a primitive feel through it's use of materials, with a bold and clever outcome in this book, is what makes this example of work a great resource for reference and inspiration.

Another typographic piece featured on design blog It's Nice That, Alphabeta Concertina, pictured below, follows a similar journey through the alphabet, cutting the letters out from the paper – one of a few variations from Circle Press.

In Three Words

Last weekend saw the graphic design graduates from the Arts Institute at Bournemouth, newly named as the Arts University College, move their end of year exhibition in Bournemouth to the D&AD New Blood exhibition in London this week.

Entitled 'In Three Words', each student has identified themselves and their work by describing their individual aptitudes, methods and virtues in three words. The projects are divided into six categories; generative, human observation, identity, language, social issues and user centred.

A fantastic exhibition and collection of work; visit their website, inthreewords, to see more.

Andrey Kawasaki

Illustrator Andrey Kawasaki creates innocent yet erotic images which are all contradictions within themselves. Influenced by both Manga comic and Art Nouveau, Andrey combines her sharp graphic imagery with the natural grain of the wood panels she paints on. Creating this beautiful effect above.

Sara Watson

Student Sara Watson is currently studying for a degree in drawing and image making at the University of Central Lancashire. This amazing photograph illustrates three hours work, spray paint and a recycled car from Recycling Lives. A brilliant, imaginative illusion.

Adam Simpson

Amazing illustration work through out the incredible collection of posters featured on Illustrator/designer Adam Simpsons website.

Johan Prag

Swedish Art Director Johan Prag now living and working in Tokyo, Japan has an incredible collection of stunning typography, photography, Print and Film. Really great Work.

Candice Leick

The beautiful, inspirational work of Minneapolis-based designer Candice Leick was recently brought to my attention. If your in need of some packaging, branding or illustration inspiration then checking out her work is a must.

Kept - Things Don't Have to Be Rubbish

Kept is a new movement celebrating the “stuff” that can be kept in the world, stuff that isn’t rubbish. “Together we will help the people who still design and sell rubbish to embrace the change”.

To get involved, tell your stories and share what “things” you have kept, big or small, by visiting www.kept.it or if you use twitter just add #kept to your tweet! You can also follow project news on Twitter and please join the project on Facebook where we will be raising questions and sharing news, insights and debate.

Recycled Cardboard Macbook Case

Architecture student Alastair Hunter has recycled some cardboard to create this beautifully crafted macbook case! More images here!

I Am Free, Are You?

Working with the team behind London's Affluenza Exhibition last month, graphic designer Chris Clarke produced a magnificent 16 page tabloid for the show.

Printed on 48gsm Ayelsford 100% recycled newsprint, post consumer waste, the tabloid featured information on the team, speakers and events for the week, as well as biographies from the 42 multi-disciplinary exhibitors. Well done Chris.

The Fedrigoni Mountains

British Graphic Designer and Art Director Alex Ostrowski, and Illustrator and Set Maker Hattie Newman have just finished building The Fedrigoni Mountains, an impressive model mountain range, fashioned using Fedrigoni papers.

The pair also commissioned twelve intrepid illustrators to 'explore' the paper slopes and visualise their discoveries on B1 sheets of paper. Each paper peak was peppered with tiny model clues, including a plane, a native village and an abandoned camp. The illustrators elaborated on these landmarks to conjure an imaginary adventure up the mountains.


The exhibition of the mountains and their explorers' artwork opened this week, at Fedrigoni's London showroom (5th Floor, 36-38 Hatton Garden, London), and will be open until April 30th (open weekdays 9:30-17:00).

The Affluenza Exhibition

The Affluenza Exhibition is a multi-disciplinary visual arts exhibition and series of talks and events taking place in Clerkenwell, London from the 19th – 28th March 2009.

In collaboration with the Samaritans, talented photographer Hege Sæbjørnsen is organising ‘Affluenza’… THE exhibition. With an aim to promote “creative self-expression as a powerful tool to develop an understanding of ourselves and the world around us”, an exhibition of works from over thirty international multidisciplinary visual and performing artists, “…aims to inspire an open debate about the destructive impact of consumer values on our emotional well-being and our integrity as human beings.”

For full details about the project visit TheAffluenzaExhibition.org, or the newly launched blog.

Do Good Design

"Do Good Design: How Designers Can Save the World" is a new book authored by David Berman with a foreword by Erik Spiekermann. What a fabulous way to start 2009!

"Design matters, like never before. Designers create so much of what we see, what we use, and what we experience. In this time of unprecedented environmental, social, and economic crises, designers will choose what their young profession will be about: inventing deceptions that encourage overconsumption -- or helping repair the world. Today, everyone is a designer. And the future of civilization is our common design project."

Support the Do Good Design project on FACEBOOK, take the professional social responsibility pledge, view or post Doing Good examples and stories for the microsite on the "Tell Us Your Story" FLICKR group.

Tie Me To Your Favourite Thing

As part of her Douceurs post graduate service designer Lauren Currie (a.k.a RedJotter) took a dozen balloons to a park in Edinburgh and asked people she met to tie them to their favourite thing. Lovely!

Marian Bantjes Designs Practivism Poster

Famed Graphic Designer Marian Bantjes designed this poster for last week's Practivism event, a speaker series talk on Sustainability run by The Society of Graphic Designers/BC Chapter. Guest Speakers included Marc Alt, Brian Dougherty and Eric Karjaluoto who presented their strategies and suggestions for practical activism within a design practice. This poster is a refreshing example that Green graphics don't have to be green.

ColaLife Project Gets Animated

This 30 second animation has been created to support the ColaLife campaign. Support ColaLife by joining the Facebook Group.

Moving Showroom

Swedish furniture giant IKEA converted the Kobe Portliner Monorail into a moving showroom before the opening of a new retail outlet at Port Island in April 09.

Michael Bosanko

Beautiful Light Sculptures created by Photographer Michael Bosanko.

Shapeflow Typeface

A well thought through typeface created my French designer Thibaud Cartigny.

UK Print Design Competition

"Participate in Optimalprints first annual print design contest for professional graphic artists and amateur designers. Create a design for an event card not presently offered by Optimalprint. Entries in this category should employ unique design elements and should be relevant to one or more of the following age groups: Babies, Children, Youth, Adults or Seniors. Design competition categories are Business card, Invitation card, Christmas card.

The grand prize winner will be awarded up to 1000 GBP in prizes.
The top 100 entries will win a T shirt and have their design displayed on our UK website.

All designs must be submitted by 12:00 Noon GMT on November 14, 2008 via online entry form." Visit the website for more information.

Design for Social Change Workshops!

On Friday 21st November, final year and graduate designers will run simultaneous workshops up and down the country, in an exciting stage two of thinkpublic's Real Work Experience! What do designers and graduates need, to be able to use their skills to tackle social issues? What does a movement toward socially responsible design look like to you? If you'd like to attend, sign up on Facebook or email kcandr@gmail.com

Animating the Built Environment through Conversation

Earlier this month, Minimaforms presented their Memory Cloud installation in London's Trafalgar Square. Icon Magazine explained, Memory Cloud set out to "create an interaction between a 5,000-year-old kind of communication – smoke signals – and a new one, SMS."

Kyle Cooper Showreel

Last night the celebrated movie titles designer Kyle Cooper presented his work at D&AD President’s lecture. Via Eye Magazine Blog

StudioMatador

StudioMatador have collaborated with international artists and designers to create a collection of beautiful limited edition notebooks called Unfinished and Unpublished. The collection of notebooks are inspired by the philosophy of Wabi Sabi, 'a celebration of the unconventional and imperfect.' The incomplete nature of the notebooks allow the user to add to the creation, making the unfinished finished.

People's Design Awards - Design Observer

Design Observer has been nominated for The People's Design Awards, part of the National Design Awards from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Please vote here.

Pixelnotes Wallpaper

Created by Sirkka Hammer & Duncan Wilson, Pixelnotes is: "A wallpaper consisting of four layers of varying grey tones on a bright primary backing. Each layer is perforated in a grid format and backed with a tacky adhesive similar to ‘post-it’ notes. Pixelnotes is inspired by the way we work within a space. The walls become functional, an integrated noticeboard that documents our activity within the room. Pixelated formations and shapes develop according to our patterns of use."

The Joy of Not Being Sold Anything!

Sophie Thomas (thomas.matthews) showed this image at Greengaged this week, makes you think twice!

Image: 2008 © Greengaged

What Do You See in 2058?

On Monday evening, London United took a group of Greengaged participants on an inspiring journey to 2058.

Consider it yourself, what does the city of 2058 look like? What sounds are about? Where are the people, and what are they doing? What clothes are people wearing? What emotions do you get? What emotions do you see on others? Are people happy, are they talking to one another? Where can you buy some food? Is there any transport? When you look at the sky, what colour is it? What is the weather like? Post you stories to Greengaged.com

greengaged, the BIG BANG breakfast!

After much anticipation, London Design Festival's sustainable design hub 'Greengaged' kicked off this morning! With over 40 events happening here at the Design Council over the next week, the debate over designs ecological responsibility is sure to take a huge leap forward. Follow the happenings at Greengaged.com, see the photos on Flickr or follow us on Twitter.

Scenes of Graphic London

Teal Triggs (Professor of Graphic Design, University of the Arts London) has written a timely editorial for the London Design Festival 2008. Highlighting the importance of Graphic Design to the UK capital. Read the full article.