Labor&Curse

Labor&Curse has moved!

2011-02-27T21:35:00.000-05:00

Please visit www.laborandcurse.com

Artifacts: A Short Dedication

2011-02-02T22:44:00.003-05:00

Guest post by Dan Newcomer

When I was a senior at The University of the Arts (Philadelphia), our prestigious design program was making a transition to a new level, both figuratively and literally speaking. The department's faculty had spent the week rooting through about 10-15 years worth of design history in its dusty floors and tack marked walls in exchange for a sleek new floor. A shift in both study and medium.

While I waited for an elevator at the end of the day I noticed a trash can was filled to the brim with old slabs of illustration board, rubylith, and design magazines. The contents of a department's office who have produced some incredible work. I rooted through the trash shamelessly like there was treasure at the bottom. There was. I picked up two artifacts in particular; both almost foreign.

The first (pictured above) was a creased paste-up of a poster Hans Allemann had created sometime in the early 1980s (1976? -ed.). It was on thick illustration board, now weakened by time and the folds that followed. It had layers of acetate with the red overlays carefully cut and placed perfectly on the collage below. Scrawled on the sides were the thoughts and information clearly necessary at the time; things like quantity, size, etc. the shapes cut and lines drawn with incredible detail and care like a surgeon had created them.

The second (pictured above) was a torn orange folder with similar scribble and thoughts jotted on any surface possible. It was a collection of mock-ups and original art by William Longhauser, a former instructor and now current designer and artist in ~~New York~~ Los Angeles. I never had the opportunity to meet him, however this folder gave me an impression I could already find an appreciation for. It contained multiple mock-ups and sketches for posters and postcards representing past design events in Philadelphia. It was a time capsule to say the least. One portion of a larger poster design caught my eye, it was a tactile, coarse charcoal shape of a half C. The contained energy in this gestural drawing was inspiring. It turns out it was a poster for designed to promote a workshop held by Chermayeff and Geismar, the same year Hans began his studio.

Chris Zelinsky, a former instructor, caught me rooting through the trash can and she immediately insisted I also take an illustration a former student created using gouache and plaka. It was beautiful, it had the fine, pressed, flat quality of a screenprint.

I have held on to these artifacts since. There are a lot of reasons why they remain so valuable to me. They are gifts, you have to understand, a large part of defining who you are is through what inspires you and what you in return create.

Growing out of the academic bubble, I have started to think about my own artifacts; a closet filled with drawings, sketches, school work, sketch books, posters from lectures. They are a chronicle, however important or not important, that is worth saving.

GVA Studio

2010-12-01T11:14:00.001-05:00

The work of Geneva-based GVA Studio has got me all a-tremblin' with joy. Above is a just a tiny sampling of their work... how great is that PhotoRotation logo? Oh, it's great.

Fangohr

2010-10-12T12:11:00.005-04:00

Brooklyn-based Fangohr not only has a portfolio full of thoughtfully executed projects, but they have a beautiful site to match. Command-D, my friends, Command-D.

Carlos Estévez

2010-10-11T11:48:00.005-04:00

Wow, I love the drawings and paintings of Cuban artist Carlos Estévez.

Your Friends

2010-10-05T09:55:00.000-04:00

So my friends Liv and Scott recently visited their friends Your Friends in Oslo, Norway. Yes, there's a whole lotta Norway goin' on at L&C lately, and for good reason. I found it difficult choosing images from their portfolio to feature here, so be sure to make your way through their site.

Neue

2010-10-03T10:20:00.003-04:00

Chillingly stunning work from Oslo, Norway's Neue. Read about their identity work to promote tourism for two municipalities in Norway (called Visit Nordkyn) at Brand New. Great stuff, indeed.

Alvaro Sanchez-Montañes

2010-08-29T16:51:00.000-04:00

An beautiful portfolio of work from Spanish photographer Alvaro Sanchez-Montañes.

Grandpeople

2010-08-04T07:55:00.000-04:00

Wow, Norway's Grandpeople have a ton of great work showcased on their new site. Be sure to dig through their archive, too.

Curtis Jinkins

2010-08-01T13:01:00.003-04:00

Digging the work from Austin,TX-based designer Curtis Jinkins.

via @BlackMarmalade

Because Studio

2010-07-27T08:54:00.000-04:00

Because Studio is the work of England's Loz Ives, who has an impressive selection of work to sort through.

Hauser Lacour

2010-07-25T14:31:00.003-04:00

German design firm Hauser Lacour has a portfolio full of clean and sophisticated work. Pictured above is the identity and some of the collateral materials they created for the Museum of Contemporary Art Siegen. I think I will open up a museum just so I can take on a project like that...

Rowan Mersh

2010-07-19T10:26:00.006-04:00

A strange start for the week— Rowan Mersh is a sculptor who works mainly with textiles, though there are a few projects on his site using other mediums (matches, glass, corn). Interesting stuff.

Quick note

2010-07-18T20:24:00.000-04:00

Labor&Curse now has a separate Twitter account— @laborcurse and a Facebook page (where I will be posting other things besides what appears here)— http://www.facebook.com/laborandcurse...

May+Steinmüller

2010-07-16T08:53:00.000-04:00

One of the first things I noticed when I visited the site of Berlin-based May+Steinmüller, was the work they've done for the German Toilet Organization (pictured above). I wasn't sure what to expect with a name like that, but quickly realized that it's an important organization that focuses on sanitation and waste management issues around the globe. I look forward to seeing more from May+Steinmüller...

Hinterland

2010-07-15T09:41:00.002-04:00

New York-based Hinterland has a range of interesting projects featured on their site... pictured above is a fold-out brochure for Kobuchizawa Art Village in Japan, as well as a book about the connections between the work of Keith Haring and Japanese culture. They've also done illustration work for Wired, New York Times, and Paper.

Soulellis Studio

2010-07-14T08:51:00.002-04:00

Wow... not sure how I've missed seeing the work of Soulellis Studio before. I don't think I need to get into why exactly I'm posting their work. It must be nice to work on a project as large as the Cornell College of Architecture, Art and Planning. Good, good stuff.

Area 22/ Sonia Chan

2010-07-13T09:17:00.001-04:00

Some very nice work from San Francisco-based designer Sonia Chan. All of the work is beautifully minimal and highly refined... though I wish there were some notes about the work (such as the logos presented above).

Soon

2010-07-12T19:02:00.003-04:00

The work from Belgian studio Soon is quite varied: a clean, minimal approach on some projects, and a hands on, playful approach for others. Of course I chose images of the former, but I'd advise you to take a look through their portfolio to see what I mean.

All The Way To Paris

2010-07-06T11:31:00.003-04:00

I love the work coming out of the Danish-Swedish studio ATWTP. The images above don't do them justice, so go spend some time on their site. (Projects pictured: Teik, In Praise of Shadows, Residency Farawaysoclose )

Philippe Apeloig

2010-07-05T10:27:00.002-04:00

I never tire of the work of Philippe Apeloig. It's especially nice when I visit his site and find the word "NEW" next to a ton of projects. I need to seek out the Feb 2010 issue of Creative Review (sold out!), which features an interview and monograph of his posters.

Swollen

2010-07-05T09:53:00.001-04:00

Excellent work from Dublin-based studio Swollen.

Daniel Higgs

2010-06-27T14:28:00.001-04:00

I recently procured another hefty dose of Higgsian joy in the form of Soundscreen Design's Artist Music Journal No. 3. Comprised of photographed-to-scale works from his notebooks and archives, this journal is a must have for those of us who appreciate not only Higgs' vast aural output, but also his poetry and tattoo art. Pretend that you can pretend to understand and just order it.

Benjamin Edwards

2010-06-27T14:07:00.005-04:00

The glorious return of The Baffler brought with it the incredible work of Benjamin Edwards on it's cover (The Tower, 2009, pictured above, top). There is a ton of work to get through on his site, but you should at least watch this short video of the artist discussing his series The Triumph of Democracy.

Also— "Lately it’s occurred to me that the world my paintings have been about all these years is crashing down before our very eyes. If my work was ahead of the curve over the last ten years, visualizing capitalism and consumerism on steroids, now it seems that things have passed me by. Whatever paintings I make now necessarily look back on this era that is ending rather than anticipating something to come. The world as I have always known it, one of growth and sprawl, technological acceleration and anxiety, ever-increasing complexity and capitalist frenzy driven to unseen, dizzying heights—that world has been turned on its head. When I was making Convergence, I wanted to express a feeling that energy and speed were so intense that a flurry of fragments was momentarily held aloft. Now we see that when the consumption stops, it’s all just an illusion." -B. Edwards

Dimitri Kozyrev

2010-05-17T09:11:00.004-04:00

Incredible work from Tuscon, Arizona-based artist Dimitri Kozyrev that uses modernist/constructivist methods of rearranging space. From the artist's statement:
"My interest in the intersection between actual, physical landscape and mental landscapes, coupled with recent world events, led me to reflect on the ruins of war and the human impact wars leave behind on landscape."

New Folder

2010-04-25T14:57:00.001-04:00

Amsterdam-based New Folder is the work of Timo Hofmeijer. I'm not sure when he changed his site to this latest iteration, but for those who remember his old site, I'm sure you realized then that he had lots of coding tricks up his sleeve. Check out this site and this site if you're not sure what I mean.

Roberto Mollá

2010-04-25T14:38:00.002-04:00

Spanish artist Roberto Mollá's work is simply incredible. Using grid paper as the foundation, his exploration of space sets up a "multi-dimensional world – which allows our minds to grasp what time might look like if it is layered rather than linear, or how space might appear if dimensions existed one upon the other"(via whitewall). Urban Omnibus has a great interview with Mollá that is well worth the read.

Method

2010-04-21T11:24:00.000-04:00

Stunning work by Method for the 2006 San Francisco International Film Festival. Take a look around their beautifully-crafted site... there is whole lotta stuff to see and read.

Processed Identity

2010-04-14T09:13:00.000-04:00

I was asked to contribute a process study on the logo I designed for Track House to the site ProcessedIdentity.com, which HOW magazine recently named a Top 10 site for designers.

Helmut Schmid

2010-04-14T09:03:00.001-04:00

Helmut Schmid is an Austrian designer who studied under Emil Ruder and Kurt Hauert, among other notable Swiss designers. The "Schmid Today" project is an exhibition, an archive, and book. A ton of incredible work is featured on the archive, so settle in and enjoy.

Note—

2010-02-25T20:35:00.000-05:00

I've been busy, hence a lack of new posts on Labor&Curse. Soon, though!

Jan C. Almquist

2010-01-22T14:55:00.000-05:00

Jan C. Almquist, a partner at Allemann Almquist & Jones, has just launched a new site showcasing some of his absolutely stunning photography work. I am grateful to have had Jan as a teacher in my final year of study at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where his unique insights into not just design but all modes of thinking were a constant source of motivation.

Carine Collin

2010-01-21T07:46:00.000-05:00

Carine Collin from Belgium got in touch to share her beautifully minimal publication work. Also of note are her drawings. While her site is a bit clumsy navigation-wise, it is definitely worth checking out!

Allemann Almquist & Jones

2010-01-16T17:27:00.003-05:00

A hearty congratulations goes out to Philadelphia's Allemann Almquist & Jones for not only their new site (though I still wish the images were bigger!), but for being featured in the new Graphis anthology DesignersUSA3. (Download PDF here)

I was lucky enough to have a summer internship at AA&J back in 2008, and the invaluable critiques and advice I received still resonate to this day.

so+ba

2010-01-13T20:35:00.000-05:00

Not much information on this "Swiss made in Japan" studio so+ba, but that's okay, because it won't stop me from gawking at their work.

Bisgràfic

2009-12-29T13:23:00.000-05:00

Barcelona-based Bisgràfic has a portfolio of beautifully minimal design work. Along with the projects pictured above, I really love this logo for Waterfilter.

Wojciech Kubrakiewicz

2009-12-29T12:50:00.002-05:00

I discovered the incredible work of Wojciech Kubrakiewicz, an artist/printmaker from Poland, today via flickr. He uses both linocuts and screenprinting (with old photos/etchings as source material) to great effect.

From the artist's statement:

"My graphics depict war without literal representation. Years of excessive exposure to suffering images have not changed anything. In the context of war atrocities it is far more important to show something unobtrusive and trivial. It helps us to understand that evil resides in reality and that it is present in everyday life."

Inspiring work.

Büro Uebele

2009-12-22T23:08:00.000-05:00

Büro Uebele is the visual communications agency of Andreas Uebele, located in Stuttgart, Germany. Pictured above is the new identity for Deutscher Bundestag, based on the original three-dimensional form created by artist Ludwig Gies.
The project descriptions on Uebele's site are actually worth reading (such as this one, about the work for Parrotta Contemporary Art):
"art writes its own laws. familiar everyday things are removed from reality. in the wordmark for the gallery for contemporary art the letters are removed as well. abandoning themselves to the rhythm of a siren song, they have sailed away from their standard spacing. through the apparently random blacking of the counters – the white spaces in the letters – the wordmark with its irregular spacing seems somehow syncopated. plain information is transformed into contemporary art."
Sehr gut!

League

2009-12-21T10:15:00.001-05:00

Some beautiful posters by Swiss studio League. Be sure to check out their type design, too.

(discovered via OriginalLinkage)

Friends on Etsy

2009-12-18T10:14:00.008-05:00

Since most people are in full-blown holiday consumer mode these days, I thought I'd post a few links to some friends who have made their goods available on Etsy.

First up is Dete Clothing, my mother-in-law's line of children's clothing/toys hand-knitted in Serbia (pictured above). This is high-quality stuff...

My friend Dee Duncan, a designer/artist living in Chicago, has these awesome multi-colored screen prints available in his shop.

Durham's own Bigwig&Silver has a ton of paper goods on his shop, including these great "Thanks from space" cards (pictured above).

The Big Harumph is my friend Georgia's shop, full of hand carved linoleum prints. Pictured above is a print entitled "Too Many Buttons".

And last but not least, my friend JT Yost, a Brooklyn-based illustrator, has a shop called Peculiar Pet Portraits, which despite the name, also has non-pet items like the beautiful accordion lino cut pictured above.

Matthew Leibowitz

2009-12-17T10:09:00.003-05:00

I consider Matthew Leibowitz one of my design heroes. I was lucky enough to see the exhibition in 2007 at The University of the Arts, Philadelphia. The playfulness and tension in his work is a continued source of inspiration. YOU WILL browse the archive of his work, and YOU WILL get excited.

Mission Design

2009-12-14T10:29:00.000-05:00

Excellent identity work from Norwegian studio Mission Design. (Browse their work a bit quicker at Behance...)

Happycentro

2009-12-11T13:22:00.003-05:00

Some great work from Italian studio Happycentro... the Alphaposter series is wonderful!

COÖP

2009-12-11T11:36:00.006-05:00

Coöp is a design studio based in Melbourne, Australia. Pictured above is some of the identity work they did for 1:1 Architects. So, so good.
via FPO

New work from Notter+Vigne

2009-11-22T21:41:00.001-05:00

Looks like Notter+Vigne (who I featured here before) have a new site up, with some new work as well. Not really a fan of the navigation, as it takes a bit of effort just to browse through the projects, but the work is top notch, as always.

William Longhauser

2009-11-14T17:12:00.007-05:00

From his site:
"William Longhauser received a BFA degree in graphic design from the College of Design, Art, and Architecture at the University of Cincinnati, and an MFA in design from Indiana University. He has also completed two years of post-graduate study at the School of Design, in Basel, Switzerland. Before moving to Los Angeles in June, 2000, he was a tenured professor at the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, where he taught in the graphic design department since 1977 and was chairman of the department for three years."

His site has a ton of incredible work, so prepare to spend some time!

Brendan Monroe Show in LA

2009-11-05T10:04:00.000-05:00

Brendan Monroe (who I featured previously here) emailed to let me know of his show that is up until November 14th in Los Angeles at the Richard Heller Gallery. I would love to be able to see it in person, but I suppose this slideshow will have to do! Amazing work, Brendan!

Thirty Conversations on Design

2009-10-30T16:57:00.002-04:00

Thirty Conversations on Design features short videos with a wide array of creatives from around the world speaking about inspiration and problem-solving. Ten videos are up so far, so be sure to bookmark!

Stuart Kolakovic

2009-10-29T12:35:00.001-04:00

I'm excited about the work of Stuart Kolakovic, an illustrator from the UK. Much of his work draws on his Serbian and Ukrainian roots... the second picture above is a spread from his comic "Ja Ljubav Te". Be sure to visit his blog, too. And his etsy store...

Unimark International Book

2009-10-26T11:24:00.005-04:00

I'm looking forward to the early November release of Jan Conradi's new book on the history of Unimark International, from Lars Müller Publishers.
(See earlier post)

L2M3

2009-10-25T11:11:00.004-04:00

Some really great work by Stuttgart, Germany's L2M3.There is a ton of work to explore on their site, so get to it.

Atelier Aquarium

2009-10-18T15:26:00.003-04:00

Paris-based studio Atelier Aquarium was kind enough to send me a copy of their new promotional poster "The A From Outer Space"... now I just need to figure out where to hang it! They do a lot of interesting type design and identity work, so check 'em out.

Okay Type

2009-09-30T19:27:00.006-04:00

I love the work from Brooklyn-based Okay Type. Pictured above is a sample of Alright Sans (top), and Alright Display (love that lowercase g!). Available for purchase from MyFonts and TypeTrust.

Book Worship

2009-09-28T19:09:00.007-04:00

Book Worship is a new site by graphic designer Shawn Hazen that features his growing collection of books from the 50s, 60s and 70s. I actually need the book pictured above, and not just because it looks great!

via @alvinmartinez

Merrick Angle

2009-09-25T11:27:00.005-04:00

Illustrator Merrick Angle got in touch to show some interesting new editorial work.

Bauer

2009-09-25T10:39:00.003-04:00

Bauer Concept & Design from Vienna does some really fantastic identity work. Pictured above is work for architecture firm Sputnic (including a custom typeface), and work Syntax Architektur.

100

2009-09-24T11:03:00.004-04:00

Ah, the joys of minor milestones. Thanks to all of you who continue to read Labor&Curse... leave a comment to let me know you are out there! Oh, and follow me on Twitter if you haven't already. Keep on keepin' on--

Annis

2009-09-23T15:54:00.006-04:00

Very nice collection of print work by design studio Annis, based in Copenhagen. (Top photo: Cover of "Interrupted Game"; Bottom photo: Spread from SUM magazine)

León Ferrari and Mira Schendel

2009-09-23T10:27:00.004-04:00

Flipping through the latest issue of Art On Paper, I came across the work of León Ferrari and Mira Schendel, which according to one review "deal with the intricacies and ambiguities of language". I would have loved to have seen the exhibition at MoMA earlier this year, but this interactive gallery will have to do.

Filipe Carvalho

2009-09-19T12:29:00.004-04:00

Great motion graphics work from Portugal-based designer Filipe Carvalho. Watch the 2 sequences pictured above here and here (Load times are a bit slow).

Mina Arko

2009-09-11T19:17:00.005-04:00

I used to follow Slovenian designer Mina Arko's work at her old blog Playground15, so I was glad to see that she has a proper site up now at arkomina.com. Pictured above are samples from a specimen book for her wonderful typeface Nouvelle... Now, how does one get a both a copy of the book AND the typeface?

Hey Studio

2009-09-08T14:20:00.004-04:00

Great work from Hey Studio in Barcelona...

Stefan Kanchev

2009-08-24T14:43:00.006-04:00

Bulgarian designer Stefan Kanchev (1915-2001) was known for his clear, folklore-inspired work. Visit the ongoing archive to view a collection of his logos as well as his work on postage stamps, posters, and book covers.

Cole Pierce

2009-08-10T09:25:00.004-04:00

Chicago-based artist Cole Pierce works in various mediums, including video, painting, sound, and installations. His "Tape Epiphany" (2007, pictured above) is currently installed at Antena in Chicago until September 5th. Go check it. (Update: Cole also has a blog...)

Álvaro Domínguez Gámez

2009-08-06T13:55:00.004-04:00

Spanish illustrator Álvaro Domínguez Gámez dropped me a line to show me some of his work... very nice!

Matt John Gill

2009-08-05T12:56:00.003-04:00

I love this identity and promotional book for a property developer by London-based designer Matt John Gill. Go check his portfolio for more great work...

BachGärde

2009-07-30T12:11:00.002-04:00

Excellent work from BachGärde, based in Stockholm, Sweden. Be sure to read Marcus Gärde's essay on grid systems, too.

Surface

2009-07-29T11:43:00.007-04:00

Surface is a German studio for "Corporate Culture Design", led by designer Markus Weisbeck .

Chris Ballantyne

2009-07-27T10:40:00.005-04:00

Brooklyn-based artist Chris Ballantyne's paintings offer a new look at the seemingly mundane American landscape... pictured above are "Untitled, Lot (Bus Stop)" and "Untitled, Neighborhood (Tight-knit)".

Experimental Jetset

2009-07-26T10:37:00.006-04:00

New work from Experimental Jetset for the Heimo Zobernig exhibition in France.

Lorenzo Petrantoni

2009-07-26T10:18:00.005-04:00

Very nice work from Italian illustrator Lorenzo Petrantoni. He has done work for The New York Times, Harper's, and Urban Outfitters, among many others. Oh, and this cover for Newsweek.

Bob Dinetz Design

2009-07-25T10:28:00.006-04:00

Some excellent work from San Francisco-based designer Bob Dinetz... You can read about the print process of the Mika Tajima/NewHumans poster (pictured above) at FPO.

Tom Fowlks

2009-07-20T17:32:00.004-04:00

Great Sternfeld-esque work by photographer Tom Fowlks. We just ordered a print of the top photograph, "Perimeter Road, Winnipeg Canada", too!

Stadt Alphabet Wien

2009-07-14T14:29:00.005-04:00

When in Austria last month, my friend Milica presented me with this awesome book of typographic goodness from around Vienna: Stadt Alphabet Wien, by Martin Ulrich Kehrer. You can see more photos here...

Gavillet & Rust

2009-07-12T09:59:00.004-04:00

Some pristine (yeah, that's right!) work from Geneva, Switzerland's Gavillet&Rust. They are also the ones behind Optimo, the type foundry responsible for Dada Grotesk.

Studio Punkat/ Hugo Roussel

2009-07-08T11:57:00.007-04:00

Beautiful work by French designer Hugo Roussel. Be sure to check his flickr!

(Found via graphic exchange)

Richard Mia

2009-07-08T07:34:00.005-04:00

I came upon the work of illustrator Richard Mia while reading the latest issue of Harper's. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Forbes, and Business Week, among many others. Good stuff.

Igor Milovanovic

2009-07-03T10:20:00.006-04:00

Passing by the Yugoslav Dramatic Theatre the other day, I was impressed with the posters on display, especially those by Belgrade designer Igor Milovanovic. (Pictured above are two posters from 2005 and 2006.)

Ok Great Blog New Feature Launch+Giveaway

2009-06-30T11:20:00.005-04:00

Those always-up-to-something folks at OkGreat have launched a fun new feature called "Hello Operator" that allows you to call and leave a voice mail that will then be posted in the sidebar media player. To go along with this launch, they are giving away a ton of design-goodness, (Richard Perez poster? Yes,please!) which you can win by leaving a voice mail and blog comment. So hop to it, and tell 'em Labor&Curse sent ya!

Polite Design

2009-06-30T06:31:00.004-04:00

Philadelphia-based Polite Design has completed a beautifully functional new site for architecture firm Kling Stubbins, as well as their complete corporate identity. Also pictured above: a poster for AIA, circa 2001. Check back often, as they are quite prolific!

Hominid Studio

2009-06-29T09:39:00.006-04:00

While walking around downtown Belgrade over the past month, I've been repeatedly struck by the nice graphic presence of the Belgrade Cultural Center (KCB). And so a quick look at the KCB site and I discovered the designers responsible: the Belgrade-based Hominid Studio. Go have a look at their portfolio... great work!

Found type: Serbia

2009-06-04T12:45:00.005-04:00

I've created a flickr set of various type I have found in Serbia. I will be adding to it as the days go on.

Stay tuned!

2009-05-24T17:35:00.003-04:00

So, I just graduated, moved to Chapel Hill, and will be spending the next 6 weeks in Belgrade, Serbia... I will post from time to time while there, so keep checking back! Cheers!

Nivard Thoes

2009-05-14T16:13:00.004-04:00

Based in China, Dutch graphic designer Nivard Thoes has an absolutely incredible body of work on his site. This site makes me light-headed with joy. Yes, joy.

(Found via FPO)

Caroline Fabès

2009-05-13T22:21:00.003-04:00

Beautiful work from French designer Caroline Fabès. Though I can't read French, I can read good design!

Typologia by Frederic W. Goudy

2009-05-06T12:21:00.004-04:00

Back in 2005, a friend gave me this first edition (1940) copy of Goudy's "Typologia: Studies in Type Design and Type Making". In it, he discusses the history of type, his methods of producing type, as well as the story of his exclusive typeface for the University of Caiforna, which the book is set in. If things like "attention to detail" and "fine craftsmanship" mean anything to you, this book is definitely worth seeking out.

Formvermittlung

2009-05-06T09:56:00.003-04:00

Beautiful work from Hamburg, Germany-based studio Formvermittlung. I love the simplicity of their site, too.

391.org

2009-04-30T20:22:00.004-04:00

391.org is an experimental "multi/digital/'new'-media" site that is inspired by the dadaists and surrealists. Visit their site for "Issue 42: Reconstructing Mayakovsky".
(Some of my music, under the name Crna Trava, was featured in a dadacast back in 2006, so visit the archives at 391.org and look for dadacast #6!)

Rolando Galindo

2009-04-24T16:35:00.003-04:00

Rolando Galindo, a UArts graduate from 2008, has a new portfolio site up and running. Pictured above is a spread from an editorial on Univers, as well as his beautiful "Geometrico" typeface inspired by Mexican currency.

Plural Design

2009-04-23T10:26:00.004-04:00

Plural Design, a Chicago-based studio, designed a beautiful new guide to art spaces in Chicago called (Con)Temporary Art Guide.
Be sure to check out their site (nice navigation!) for more great work.

CCRZ

2009-04-22T10:01:00.003-04:00

CCRZ is an Italian/Swiss studio that has a pretty incredible collection of work on their site. One for the bookmarks, kids.

Videos/Interviews: 2 New Sites

2009-04-17T10:43:00.003-04:00

Two great new sites worthy of your attention: digup•tv features "digital design/ human stories"...and TheMarmaSpot has some great interviews with the likes of Stefan Sagmeister, YouWorkForThem, Upnorth, and more. Get to clicking!

Old Man Winter by JT Yost

2009-04-16T14:07:00.006-04:00

My good friend JT Yost sent me a few copies of his just-published 56 page comic "Old Man Winter & Other Sordid Tales". Visit his blog and BirdCageBottomBooks (whose logo I happily designed) for more info... Great job, Yost!

Onlab

2009-04-15T09:49:00.002-04:00

I've been a fan of the past few covers of Domus magazine, and so it is nice to see that Berlin-based Onlab is continuing their impressive work. Their work for Musee Des Beaux-Arts Le Locle is quite nice, too.

Gunta Stölzl Archive

2009-04-13T23:48:00.003-04:00

Textile artist Gunta Stölzl was the only female master at the Bauhaus. I don't know what else to say... just go spend some time looking through the archives of her work.

(via YouWorkForThem)

Hans-Ulrich Allemann

2009-04-10T09:17:00.006-04:00

To celebrate the 65th birthday of the always inspiring Hans Allemann, I am posting a few links to his work, as well as an excellent interview by David Oberholtzer over at VisualCulture.

Here is a brief bio and small archive of his work

PDF of a 2005 article in Print Magazine, entitled "Bits and Pieces of Basel"

Happy Birthday, Hans!
(photo above from Hans' birthday party tonight at UArts)

Edit: Images celebrating Hans' career... / video from the party...

SiteInspire

2009-04-09T14:04:00.007-04:00

My portfolio site was featured on siteInspire today! As the name implies, siteInspire.net is a great resource for inspiration, especially with it's use of different categories to help narrow the focus. Go check it!
(Edit: now also at Siiimple.com)
(Edit: now also at DesignByViva.com)

R2 Design

2009-04-06T09:34:00.005-04:00

Beautiful work from Porto, Portugal-based studio R2 Design. Browsing through their posters was both inspiring and time-saving, as now there is no need to go looking for other sites to gawk at for at least a few days.
Via Typeneu

Temporary Areas

2009-04-03T13:11:00.004-04:00

I love the site Temporary Areas by DZLV Studio. TA is a "new kind of production company" that "embraces different projects and directors who are experimenting with new kinds of cinema for the internet." Sounds interesting, yes? It has been in beta mode for quite some time now, so as of yet it only has the work of Vincent Moon.

Open

2009-04-02T11:02:00.004-04:00

Back in December, I had the pleasure of visiting Open in NYC. They are responsible for the design of GOOD magazine, the identity of the Bravo tv network, and a whole slew of other things. Their wayfinding system for Brown University's Friedman Study Center (pictured above) is especially nice, as they screenprinted various random images from books in the library on the walls and windows. They've also just created the new identity for WNYC.