Rainbow Thoughts

I found this on Smashing from some album cover mock-ups. I just thought is was a great symmetrical layout that was quite captivating. I thought this mostly because of how easily made it was. With a little cut+paste+rotate, a rainbow and gradient, and some centered text... A great little idea is born.

Washing Machines

I adore the childish tone in this piece that I peeled from a blog. It is highly reminiscent of playing with felt in kindergarten, and it has a cool contrast between the colored excitement and the dull washing machine. I think the cutout look is pretty unique and suited for something like this. The cut-out, or analog look is utilized in design to take a piece farther from its digital roots. All in all, this is great and fun.

Poster

Repetition, repetition, repetition. The repeating element makes an appealing piece. It is titled, "Bottom of the Hill" and at first I thought the said element was a hill. It's a bird! The black overlays a lighter blue reflected version of the same pattern. It's a cool example of repetition that creates a texture within a piece. For a two color poster, I think it is executed well and after the visual delight, one is drawn to the center focus.

Owl

At first I thought this was forced into the shape of a continent or state, yet couldn't really connect anything. I like the stark look in the wise owl's eyes, and the almost completely symmetrical design of the owl. The mystery behind the jagged cut-out really makes the whole thing. Is he pasted on top, or under? Nice dull colors and shades of brown make it a very calm yet startling image.

M

I caught this randomly on Google images one day, and have wished to own something like it since. Although it's not entirely strange, it trumps the traditional storage unit and still remains somewhat practical. I'm sure there is a solid design philosophy behind that.

Retro German Covers

Retro design generally fascinates me with its simple nature and color use. The bottom two are my favorite optical illusions of the sort. Even though these 'tricks' have been played countlessly in design work, I've yet to see them presented so radiantly. I think the color choice is perfect in both cases and makes for an interesting cover... or poster... or whatever they are.

2001

This is a snapshot from the notorious 2001: A Space Odyssey. These modern chairs from the beginning of the film represent a small part of the entire films aesthetic.

Another cool match pack, when the top is flipped it is the ceiling, then it becomes a table in a pool? The man, if it is, over the lady combines with the sand or cement ground. It looks as if it wasn't fully edited, yet is a cool vintage piece. Also, a nice subtle use of red flares up the piece.

Garamond Poster

This is a poster for a lecture on Garamond. The pastel colors on black provide an high contrast, especially banked beside the tradition black text on white. It's an interesting combination that works well for an alluring poster. I like how the left side draws focus to the serifs and feet that make Garamond so distinct. I also like how the information is placed only on the blue parts, yet wonder if the yellow and white are readable. In any case, it's a pretty great promotional piece that would attract not only typographers but general public as well.

High contrast and great type make this great poster stand out. I like the boxed white space for quotes, as it is something you would never see these days. It really is the beautiful, almost fluorescent colors that are so appealing. I like the condensed type and just the overall vintage greatness.

VG>Book Covers

Video game covers, re-imagined as if they were Penguin Classics covers. I'm always fond of two color work, and I think these are clever representations of their products. They are part of a fan work series. I especially enjoy the Saul Bass-esque hand with a finely detailed smoke stream, the other really gives off the Vertigo/Saul feel as well. A simple, yet great contrast use of black and negative space makes these amalgamations of media so very grand.

Vinyl Poster

I enjoy the swaying alignment of the text.

i

Although it's just an 'i', or a few, this little piece of type carries quite an impact. They way knockouts are over printed cause a unique repetition. At the same time, it's a familiar shape. I reminds me of sci-fi movies and the top-view of an older iPod. Simple, yet 'i' like.

Arcade Expressionism

I've stumbled upon a few "make something everyday" type blogs, but this one by a guy named Brock Davis has impressed me the most. These two pieces in particular are wonderfully crafted. He pays homage to Dig Dug and Donkey Kong, with a respective choice of colors. I'm tossed up thinking whether or not i'd enjoy these if I did not play or know of the games. That said, I like them. He really does 'express' the simple shapes the games are built with using their roughly painted familiar color schemes. It's a great physical contrast, and contrast of medium too.

Press Photo - Jonsi

This is one of a few press photos for an icelandic musician, Jonsi. Beautiful colors is all I can really say. The image blurred, and somewhat dull allows the colors to release a powerful effect. The pose creates a motion of the eye that leads one to the gradation in the wondrous watercolor drops. I like the mood it creates, but most of all the colors.

Gordon's Restaurant - Matchbook

Perfect utilization of the full spread to print a beautifully detailed image of their deco inspired building. I really like the choice of yellow on cool colors, it makes the restaurant seem calm and enjoyable. The really structured, architectural look doesn't really convey restaurant to me, so I would suggest that the restaurant sign (tucked in the back) should be more prevalent. That aside, I think it has a great cool look.

Color Radio - Matchbook

This is a great retro matchbook design from a collection I highly enjoy. It's simple layout and sarcastic tone and image are all placed effectively. Its minimal use of color and sans-serif are very bold and direct. Above all, I think its the best use of a drop shadow.

The 'Wich' Stands - Matchbook

I'm not sure what this was promoting. That said, it's Futura, and the image is printed on the actual matches... that's just innovative design at its prime.

The Royal Tenenbaums

Straying away from printed design, I`d like to acknowledge the various design works that went into The Royal Tenenbaums production. Primarily the titling sequence, using Anderson`s now signature Futura Bold. Most of the setting was redesigned to keep some continuity in the same feel. School buses, text books, the hospital, banners and signs were all branded with the Futura Bold typeface. This use, something often overlooked, creates a new layer of style to the movie which in the end seemed essential. I`d also like to drop in two variants of the DVD cover done for The Criterion Collection. I think they were well produced in there respective formats, with one using a slip-box design. I enjoy both equally especially the soft colored illustrated one.

The Great Gatsby Cover

This painting is the cover art for The Great Gatsby. I really like the line work and the motion it creates. There are two nudes making up the irises in the eyes, creating a depth to the piece. The deep blue is perfect for creating the night feeling with saturation. The lips are contrasted very well, and balance as a focus. The amusement park lights below really have that realistic glow to them. I like this cover for a few reasons, even though its ties to the novel are somewhat lose. I think it really is one of the most striking covers.