Subscribe to Orange Element Insights via RSS and be notified of new stuff automatically!Close this message
A little bit Rauschenberg, a little bit Basquiat, a little bit Jasper Johns, and a whole lot of talent. Peter Tunney, a New York artist, paints large scale type by hand. Layering paint and found objects, all come with a simple and direct message. His latest book can be found on lulu.com.
If you happen to be in Austin, Texas tomorrow night around 7 p.m., you would be one fortunate person to attend the Pentagram launch party for Papers 39. The Pentagram Papers are always inspirational for designers, but this edition, created by DJ Stout, delivers a strong message that everyone can benefit from—awareness of the homeless community. The launch party is raising money for Mobile Loaves & Fishes.
The book features a visual vernacular we are all familiar with found around highway entrance ramps and busy city intersections—the handmade sign. (On a side note, I’ve always wondered where the creators come across multiple colored markers.) These signs are paired with the striking portrait photography of Michael O’Brien.
Read an interview with DJ Stout on GivingCity’s website:
Another example of how design can generate awareness and create action for the greater good.
We ran across a typography site today that could have easily occupied our entire evening. Handmadefont.com is an Estonia based design company that specializes in exactly what their name implies: making fonts by hand! They make fonts from grass, wood, wire, water, dust, donuts, petals and the list goes on. You name the material and they probably have a complete alphabet made out of it on their site. Work like this makes you really see the value of considering the simple ideas to produce absolutely stunning results.
Strathmore Paper has just undergone a brand refresh by Pentagram and illustrator Marian Bantjes. Their task was to reinterpret Strathmore’s “thistle” symbol and apply it across all of their materials. Marian Bantjes, known for her highly-detailed calligraphic illustration style, applied her design to a pattern that appears all over Strathmore’s new paper reams. Elegant and striking in color and detail, this redesign is sure to impress not only graphic designers, but all of Strathmore’s customers as a whole.
Marian Bantjes’ Sketches:
Her design in pattern form:
Keep your eye on the shelves at your local Target and other food stores–General Mills is introducing retro-themed cereal boxes! Among the re-designed cereals are favorites such as: Kix, Golden Grahams, Cheerios, Trix, Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, Wheaties, and more. I am a big fan of vintage food packaging, and I am really glad to see General Mills bringing back some of these classic designs. Walking through the grocery store today, it seems like every brand is in competition to create the most elaborate and complex packages, when in reality, something like the Kix box above will do a better job at standing out and expressing the true essence of the product. Each of these retro cereal boxes has its own unique voice and I think the design reinforces the fact that these products have been around for a long time, and are proven, popular brands. Especially in tough economic times, I think it’s important to show consumers you have a strong, reliable brand. Off to Target…I see some Kix cereal in my future!
An original Kix package design:
New Wheaties and Golden Grahams packaging:
Do you feel overloaded with “recession talk”? Do you find yourself turning off the radio or leaving the room during the news? “If I had a penny for every time I heard ‘in this economy’ I could have settled the federal deficit by now.” If you feel the same, then this post is for you.
The Morgans Hotel Group launched an aggressive ad campaign back in November with creative muscle from The Ito Partnership. The play on words RecessIsOn, is not just a campaign, but a state-of-mind. Morgans, where “Attitude is Everything.”, is in full swing and biting back at the recession. At their Hudson hotel in New York, guest are greeted by employees sporting RECESSISON t-shirts. They have also devoted an entire website to the idea. With a parental warning, watch an interview with Shepard Fairey: http://www.recessison.com/blog/2008/12/shepard-fairey-interview.html
So go out today and support a local business, find a way to be inspired and in turn inspire others. It’s all in how you spell recessison.
You are currently browsing the Orange Element Insights weblog archives for March, 2009.
Loading ...