Crew Design

The Stickuation Room

2012-01-01T21:12:00.000-08:00

If you were anything like me as a kid, you loved stickers. Maybe you had a sticker book where you would place them all carefully, as the precious items they are to children. Now, what would you do if you had unlimited stickers at your disposal? You heard me. Unlimited. Stickers. That was the idea behind Yayoi Kusama's exhibit at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane. After painting a large, domestic space pure white, she armed the museum's little ones with stickers and let them have at it. The results are incredible, and make me wish I were a kid again. Via This is Collosal.••••

The Making of a Banana Font

2011-12-14T14:17:00.001-08:00

Chiquita - Making of Banana font from Erik Post on Vimeo.

a Plastic Perfect Wedding

2011-12-13T07:17:00.000-08:00

I love looking through photographer's wedding portfolios, but no matter how unique or quirky the couple, you can pretty much guarantee that each album will contain just a few of the same staple shots (the shoes, always the shoes). I think that's why I got such a kick out of Barbie and Ken's wedding album. It's well shot, but also has a sense of humor about industry standards. Click here to poke through all of the shots taken on this special day for B&K. ••••

#christmaswishlist

2011-12-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

Brand Memory is a great idea, and a perfect gift for the designer in your life this holiday season. Hint, hint. ••••

But I don't like Place Kittens...

2011-11-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

No worries! Bacon Mockup is here for all your design and development needs.

-Created by my coworker, Pete Nelson ••••

Hey Girl

2011-11-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hey girl, thank you for creating this tumbler...the combination of Ryan and Typography is awesome.

A need for the office

2011-10-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

Created by

Bowled Over

2011-10-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for a well-designed ceramic piece, and this is one clever and playful idea—these bowls fill up with your morning cereal to reveal a hidden animal in their design. Kudos to Geraldine de Beco for a stellar idea. ••••

Once Upon a Minimalist

2011-10-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

Minimalist. check. Modern. check. I'd like each of these children's story posters framed in my house one day.••••

Practice Makes Perfect

2011-10-11T14:40:00.000-07:00

Think you can kern a mean sentence? Practice here.••••

Better than Splash Mountain

2011-10-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Halloween, a Flickr stream of amazing mid-scare shots from a Canadian Haunted house. Via The Orlando Egotist ••••

All Tumblrs are the same except this one.

2011-10-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

Cubicle Refugee focuses on color instead of subject. Grabbed a lot of inspiration from here today. ••••

The Hue Test

2011-10-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

This made me blind because I stared at it for so long. I love a challenge. Read this first in case you don't know what hue is. Cant. Stop. Seeing. Spots. Worth it? I'm not sure, I only got a 40. ••••

stocking is the new planking

2011-08-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

I have never been more jealous of an idea. www.stockingisthenewplanking.tumblr.com••••

In Living Color

2011-08-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

I will never cease to amazed away by trompe l'oeil sidewalk chalk, or Baroque ceilings, which trick you into seeing depth where there is none. But here is a twist I like— painter/photographer Alexa Meade's subjects live and breathe, but you might not realize this at first blush. After some impressive brush work, her models easily pass for two-dimensional in a photograph. You might think there is some Photoshop involved in creating these images, but think again!

Check out Slate's slideshow for more of Meade's work. ••••

Talking with pots

2011-06-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

This is a post I’ve been long overdue writing, since it’s been on my mind quite a bit these days! This summer, I began taking a pottery class at Mudflat Studios in Somerville— a class that coincided with a trip to Seagrove, Asheville, and Penland, NC (pottery meccas). For household items, I’ve always been drawn to clean lines and shapes— the Crate and Barrel aesthetic, if you will. And while I still plan to frequent C&B for cooking utensils and linens, this year I’ve made a total 180 and come to appreciate handmade pottery more than ever before. Much like quilting, I think that these artists are often unsung, or at least undervalued, partially due to the lack of ego associated with this craft. Below is a video by a potter who’s work I saw recently at the Lacoste Gallery in Concord, MA, Warren MacKenzie. MacKenzie talks about the communication that exists between a handmade piece and the person using it, and I think this is what makes pottery (and handmade functional objects in general) so special and unlike anything mass-produced.

And, while I’m on the subject, let me also share the work of a personal favorite I visited down in Penland, whose pieces I am minorly obsessed with at the moment. His name is Shawn Ireland, and his pieces are rooted in folk tradition. Seriously wonderful artistry. Enjoy! ••••

Old Masters, Remastered

2011-06-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

I was recently introduced to two new (to me) artists on a trip to Raleigh’s North Carolina Art Museum — which, by the way, has an amazing collection. Vik Muniz and Tom Hunter, two contemporary photographers, were both exhibiting large scale images that re-imagined Old Masters painting, each in their own way.

Vik Muniz’s Pictures of Junk Series are reproductions of these paintings in—you guessed it—junk, or sometimes garbage. Poke around his website and you’ll find some amazing examples; here, are Atalanta and Hippomenes, after Guiodo Reni, and Saturn devouring one of his Sons, after Francisco de Goya Y Lucientes. Incredible use of white space, and testament to the theory that art can be made out of anything when you’re creative.

Tom Hunter’s work more subtly references the paintings of such artists as Andrew Wyeth, the Pre-Raphaelites, and Vermeer. Without referencing the original work in the title, or exactly replicating the piece, Hunter will stage photographs that remind you of something you have seen once before but perhaps can’t quite place. See his website for more of his work— there is no specific series for the Masters, but interspersed throughout his Gallery you will know them by the sense of deja vu they provoke. ••••

Unique Fruit

2011-06-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

German artist Uli Westphal started noticing how lawfully enforced standards of agriculture made every lemon, lime and tomato look exactly the same. "The complete absence of botanical anomalies in our supermarkets has caused us to regard the consistency of produce there as natural," he wrote. So, he went to Berlin farmer's markets and photographed a dazzling array of fruits and vegetables, in an effort to document the "last survivors of biological variety."••••

Bacon Ipsum

2011-06-07T12:29:00.001-07:00

A "meatier" alternative to Lorum Ipsum. My coworker, Pete Nelson, had this brilliant idea to substitute Greek gibberish for meat cuts.

http://baconipsum.com/

Enjoy!

Neon Boneyard

2011-06-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

It's like the graveyard of awesomeness. I want to go here.

Also a great place for wedding pics. Kind of makes me want to get hitched in Vegas...

Beautiful Stop Motion Animation

2011-05-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

Enjoy.

Chalkboard Art

2011-05-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid I used to love writing on chalkboards (minus that awful scratching noise). My best friend growing up had a chalkboard in her garage and we used to spend hours playing school, both fighting relentlessly to be the teacher. Little did I know I could have become a professional chalk letterer. Dana Tanamachi from Brooklyn, NY did just that. I am OBSESSED with her work. Thank you to Grain Edit for introducing me to her work. Now someone give me a chalkboard asap. ••••

Stand Up Designers

2011-05-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

Next to being four highly talented designers, the Crew is above all else VERY funny. (Did i mention we're also modest?) Ok, so maybe our humor is better represented in the form of dry, clever wit, but regardless, get us together in a room and you'll be thoroughly entertained. This being the case, I found this recent Design Observer article to be spot on. Although the Crew isn't about to take our act on the road, I do think there are a surprising amount of similarities between stand up comedians and designers, as Michael Bierut so perfectly articulates. ••••

Holy Home Depot

2011-04-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

I love this redesign!

Fantasy Floorplans

2011-03-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

Every so often I think about what it would be like to hang out with Monica and Rachel in their awesome NYC apartment (that was clearly out of their price range), or chill on Jerry's couch as Kramer came busting through the front door, or better yet, share a martini with Carrie Bradshaw in her stylish, rent controlled apartment. Yes, it might sound delusional (ok, it is) but I like to believe these places really exist. Fortunately, someone else shares my same active imagination. Thank you Poppytalk for introducing me to Fantasy Floorplans, a set of drawings/drafts inspired by popular TV shows. I love these. So clever and so NOT helping in bringing me back to reality. But come on, who doesn't want to hang out in Greg Brady's room?! ••••

Back To The Future

2011-02-21T21:47:00.000-08:00

Irina Werning is an Argentinian photographer whose recent project has been to recreate people's childhood photos. The attention to detail is really amazing. Even if a specific piece of clothing or prop, is a little off...it is pretty darn close! It must be really fun to do these. Really great work. Via fucking young! ••••

Another One Bites the Dust

2011-02-17T17:04:00.000-08:00

Goodbye, peacock! With what seems like little fanfare, this bird was recently nixed from the NBC Universal wordmark completely. However, he will be retained for the stations of NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC—a fact I missed initially when writing this post, but which relieves me significantly. Still, the bird is not the corporate logo, which begs the question: what ever happened to loyalty?

I can't help but think that the heritage of the peacock logo was too casually tossed aside. By no means do I hate change, but if my brand had such a universally recognizable symbol, I would think long and hard about the decision to discard it. I can't help but think there may have been ways to update the mark without doing away with the image completely. Not even a feather remains! I am also not the biggest fan of the new typeface, "Rock," created by Bold Monday for the mark. It strikes me as a face that may quickly become dated. Read more about the redesign at the source for all branding changes, Brand New, which takes the opposite opinion. And leave your thoughts here. ••••

J-E-L-L-O

2011-01-28T14:41:00.000-08:00

When life gives you Jell-O, you make edible cities. Or at least that's what Liz Hickok does with this wobbly food found most often in school cafeterias and hospitals. Liz is a San Francisco-based artist who transforms Jell-O into fun, colorful cityscapes, complete with wobbly buildings and edible bridges. San Francisco, New York, Wilmington. Liz has constructed each one out of Jell-O.••••

It's Funny Because It's True.

2011-01-27T12:49:00.000-08:00

This video from Portlandia may be making the rounds on the internet—I haven't had the chance to extensively explore design blogs to find out—but I just had to post it regardless of over-exposure. I think every designer has been guilty of this one—I definitely have—but we need to be able to laugh at ourselves, right? It's too funny not to.

On a related note, I was reminded by this of a link I saw quite some time ago but never posted on. We live in such a connected world that you can't help but be affected by ideas you see floating around on the internet. You would need to live in a vacuum not to be. Two designers, Elliot Scott and Christopher Doyle, created a book entitled This Year I Will Try Not To— designed to inspire us to avoid trends in favor of true innovation. Resist the urge to "Create collages of solar systems, triangles, and wistful looking European Women." But I am still carrying my Crew tote to work every day. Because it is awesome. ••••

Make It Rain

2011-01-24T19:57:00.000-08:00

I'm probably just posting this for the Crew's benefit (I think one of our very first graphic design projects in school was to redesign the US currency) but it's still a fun idea to ponder. What do you think, does the US currency need a redesign? ••••

Years in Review

2011-01-14T09:57:00.000-08:00

I like this.••••

We like you, why don't you like us?

2011-01-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

If you are like many members of the Crew, you might follow many of your favorite blogs on facebook. Why not follow us too? Click here to "like" us.

••••

Graphic Design, San Francisco (circa decades ago)

2011-01-12T16:44:00.000-08:00

I'm a graphic designer and I live in San Francisco. So one would think I would know the book titled Graphic Design, San Francisco. A whole book dedicated to San Francisco designers! Amazing. Ok, so in my defense I wasn't born yet when it was published, but I need to get my hands on it now. Luckily, Grain Edit is starting a series of posts focused on Bay Area designers and firms. (can.not.wait.) Check out the first installment here, featuring Harry Murphy + Friends. ••••

(Look! It's a vintage Gap store!)

Snow Day Etsy Finds

2011-01-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

Today was the perfect day to be on conference calls while looking at Etsy. So I did! Here are some lovely design goodies. ••••

1. Necklace from spinthread

2. Letterpress posters from Aardvark

3. Customizable Pillows from Love, California

4. Life Calendar from Brigada Creativa

5. Vintage French Trays from Sadieolive

6. Letterpress cards from Yeehaw Industuries

Horrible Logos

2011-01-12T13:48:00.000-08:00

Craigslist Ad: $100 to design our company's logo!

I believe it's safe to say that all designers all appalled by the minimal prices that company's try to pay for a decent logo. Do people really not understand how long a logo takes to design or do they not see the value in a well designed logo?

That being said, I love the idea of Horrible Logos. The company's tagline says it all: Drawing bad logos for beer money since 2010. This is a craigslist company's dream come true! For only $5, you will receive the worst possible logo imaginable. Bonus features include no color and misspellings. Payment is simple...hello Pay Pal. Delivery even better...3-4 business days. You can't beat that!

The moral of story: You get what you pay for. ••••

Less Is More: In Your Pantry

2011-01-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

Sarah's post earlier this week on the Starbucks redesign got me thinking: when is less more, and when is less just less? The folks at Antrepo, a design consultancy with a minimal approach, put that subject to the test with a recent project. Antrepo took ten existing package designs and reduced them in stages down to the bare essentials. On some products, the result is a cleaner, and has a more expensive look than the original. For example, I would definitely spend forty cents more on the new Schweppes bottle (just think of the mark-up on an Izze). On others, I can't help but feel they are stripped down to the point that actually begin to look cheap, like a bargain brand (Nutella). While only a hypothetical, it raises some interesting questions about our supermarkets' visual clutter, and how product designers may be able to cut through the noise with a cleaner, more focused design— if done well.

Of course, you could always go this route, and relabel everything with the DHARMA brand. It's definitely cleaner (and no, I am not going to stop blogging about LOST just because the show has ended). ••••

2010 - A Designer's Perspective

2011-01-11T13:57:00.000-08:00

If I had it in me I'd love to review the good and bad designs of 2010. But let's be honest, I probably wouldn't get to it until the end of 2011. Therefore, I'd like to pass along this great review brought to you by the good folks at Johnson Banks, a London-based design firm. (Just a note, I am an avid follower of the Johnson Banks 'Thought for the Week' series, and I think you should be too. I had the pleasure of going to the Johnson Banks studio when I was studying abroad in college and I'm so happy to see they're still creating inspiring designs and sharing their interesting and poignant opinions on art and design. Keep it up, JB. Oh, and if you ever want to employ an American designer I'd be happy to relocate.) ••••

Barry McGee

2011-01-08T13:05:00.001-08:00

A lovely little video with one of my favorite artists, Barry McGee. I love watching an artist work. via booooooom. ••••

Fonts In Use

2011-01-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

Fonts In Use is an amazing reference website for type geeks. If you are interested in current type trends and reading other's opinions on type, this is the place for you. You can organize posts by type, industry or format. It's hard not being a millionaire because I can't buy every typeface I want, but this way I can at least make a well-informed list. The authors have a very sharp eye for kerning, you can't get anything past them! Didoni might be my new favorite. Samples below. ••••

The Naked Siren

2011-01-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

To coincide with its 40th anniversary, Starbucks unveiled a new logo today that removes the words encircling its iconic siren. The updated logo will be featured on products starting in March, and the siren will be a bit larger now that the name “Starbucks Coffee” won’t be surrounding it.

According to chief executive officer Howard Schultz, the revised logo reflects the company’s growing emphasis on selling Starbucks-brand products in grocery stores and other channels in addition to its retail stores, as well as its further expansion into offering more non-coffee drinks.

The million dollar question: Is the Starbucks "siren" recognizable enough on its own that the text isn't necessary?

My opinion: I am not a fan of making a change just to make a change. This wasn't a major redesign (thank god), but still a major change from the logo we have all been looking at for 19 years (see Illustrated history). The new logo looks a bit naked now. ••••

Message on a Bottle

2011-01-05T06:52:00.000-08:00

Don't get me wrong, I love a good Malbec. However, it is my opinion that wine labels get all the glory. Beer is where it's really at. I am currently trying my hand at homebrewing (I now have TWO failed attempts under my belt), but let's be honest: more than half of the reason I'm doing this is so that I can design my own labels. I just can't get enough of the intricate, ornamental designs you can find on so many bottles. Piecing one of these labels together is a designer's dream come true.

I've been scouring the web, and Mall Discount Liquors on Harvard Ave., for inspiration. I absolutely love the vintage look of a beer like Anchor Steam (and just take a look at their original label. Gorgeous!). But when the time comes to make my own, I don't think I will be able to resist trying my hand at a more current approach. Two of my favorite takes: some very handsome, textural labels designed by the Austin's Ptarmak (below, top, via Ubersuper), and a sleeker, graphic approach by Brandhouse (below, bottom, via the dieline).

Ever bought a six pack for the label alone? Share your favorites in the comments! Also, quick plug here for the Brooklyn Brew Shop, whose amazing kits and well-designed branding have inspired me to get brewing! ••••

Stop! Thief!

2011-01-04T07:30:00.000-08:00

I am a bad Pennsylvanian. Having always been an art lover and sponge for art history, I spent my youth going to every art museum you can think of. Despite having gone to the Met, oh, maybe 300 times in my childhood, I never quite got around to making the two hour trip to Merion, PA to visit one of the greatest collections of Post Impressionist art in the world: The Barnes Foundation. And now, time is running out. This weekend, I finally saw the documentary The Art of the Steal. By the time it was over, I was full-out outraged, mouth agape, ready to take to my soap box (Crew Design) to lambast some Philadelphia establishments.

So gather round readers, and hear the gist of this crime: before his death in 1951, Albert C. Barnes writes a will protecting his personal collection from ever becoming a commercialized museum, instead mandating it be preserved for education and only open a few days a week to the public—never to be moved from it's original, idyllic location in Merion. If you've ever been to the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum in Boston, you may be aware that she set up similar mandates for her collection, and her predecessors have taken great care to adhere to her wishes. Not so for Barnes: having had no family and no one to fight for him after he was gone, his $25 billion dollar collection is being moved to Philadelphia by some VIPS and government officials with lots of money but little compassion for a dead man's wishes. Or for art! One of our nation's great museums will not be preserved, and yet another generic, white-walled piece of architecture will pop up in it's place by the year 2012. The documentary may be biased, but there is little room for debate—this is a case of flat-out theft.

Sadly, the film comes too late for activism, but my personal New Year's Resolution? Without being TOO dramatic... eh, what the hell—to get to the Barnes Foundation in it's original location now, before it's too late. ••••

Happy Crew Year!

2011-01-02T18:40:00.000-08:00

Hello, twenty eleven! This year marks nine years since the crew members originally met at BU, five years since we parted ways after graduating and three years since we started blogging. Yikes. We might have slowed down over the past couple months, but fear not, the Crew is still going strong after all this time. So here's to an exciting and creative new year! As always, the beginning of the new year is a time to set resolutions (knowing perfectly well that you'll probably only stick to half of them)...so hop to it, people! Set those goals! Need help? Here are 11 well-designed and clever postcards that map out some of the most common New Year's resolutions with an optimistic and "realistic" option for achieving each goal printed on the back. Check out the entire series here. ••••

Comic Sans - An Education

2010-12-21T13:52:00.000-08:00

Click here to continue. ••••

Yes Please

2010-11-11T09:41:00.001-08:00

Notepad Table.

Mashed Up Type

2010-11-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

Just doing a little online shopping and came across some sassy typography at Madewell. I know it is the cardinal rule to limit your type to 1 or 2 faces...but I love this mixed up treatment! ••••

Chokladjitterbugg

2010-11-05T15:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! I leave you with a genius take on a cook book. Obscure instructions but a beautiful, functional product??? You guessed it...Ikea. Check out a few spreads here.

••••

Facts I know about designer Nick Feltron:

2010-11-01T14:10:00.001-07:00

In 2005, Nick rocked out to 16,862 songs on iTunes. He killed 4 plants during 2006. In 2007, he ran 190.5 miles, but only watched one sporting event—the Superbowl. In 2008, Nick drank 408 beers, 9% if which were Sierra Nevada. And last year, he estimates his focused to distracted ration was 9:2.

Nick sounds like a cool guy, but unfortunately we've never actually met! I know all this information because he chronicles it meticulously in the Feltron Annual Reports. Since 2005, Nick has produced these letterpressed reports yearly, and they track every possible detail you might want to know about his life—and I do mean every possible detail. Spend some time with them and you'll see. From maps that follow his every movement across the globe, to the milligrams of caffeine he consumea per year, it is all there.

Nick's obsessive tracking of data has help, and herein lies the double beauty of the Feltron Annual Reports. Nick, along with designer Ryan Case, is co-creator of the website Daytum.com. Daytum is a website for personal data tracking. Aha! To my eyes, these reports are the best advertisement for their product imaginable— well-designed, wryly funny, and unbelievably, unbelievably thorough. ••••

Four Eyes

2010-10-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

When I was in 5th grade my school tested my eyesight and hearing in a routine check up. They came to the conclusion that I was in dire need of glasses. I guess it wasn't normal for far away objects to be blurry. Made perfect sense to me... (yikes). My first pair of glasses filled my entire face. (Thanks, Mom.) Due to the trauma of this unfortunate time in my life, I opt for contacts now. Which is somewhat surprising since glasses are a key accessory item...and I love a good accessory. In fact, many people are identified by their choice of glasses, as seen in these clever posters:

Almost makes me want to sport glasses again.... well, not really. ••••

Sears Goes Zombie?

2010-10-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

The spirit of Halloween might be in the air in October, but Sears took a very healthy dose of Halloween spirit with their new social site dedicated to zombies.

Click out the Zombie gift guide, the blue zombie crew, ohh and you can translate the site into zombian (the official zombie language, of course).

Seems to me a marketing department or few graphic designers had a lot of extra time on their hands this year.

Nah bra bram. Bragz harrh nah! (good luck figuring that out). ••••

Camping Season

2010-10-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

I love this illustration by Adam Simpson; it reminds me of a Wayne Thiebaud painting.••••

Are we being punked?!

2010-10-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

WHY, Gap? WHY? Need I get into the iconic elements of their old logo? I'm speechless.

Do you "heart" NY?

2010-09-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

Now that JetBlue Airways is using Milton Glaser’s famous I ♥ NY logo in a new advertising campaign, the new York Times is asking readers to combine Milton's logo with other New York brands or slogans.

Professional and amateur designs unite. Click here to view and submit your own version in of this iconic logo.••••

LA Plastic Camera

2010-09-21T18:39:00.001-07:00

Some shots I took in LA back in the spring. I never know what is going to come out of my cheap plastic Yellow Peace camera, but I sort of like these! Some things you just can't recreate in Photoshop. ••••

Fred Perry Heritage

2010-09-21T18:12:00.000-07:00

It seems to me that most brands are playing up their heritage pretty hard these days. Don't get me wrong, I love a heritage story, but it is quickly becoming white noise. Fred Perry has a nice twist on it- bringing your stories to them. I really like the aesthetic they are using on the site, but I am a sucker for most things handmade I suppose. I like seeing handmade things on a digital space, call me crazy. ••••

Enchanted Forest

2010-09-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

Fall has only just begun, and already I am feeling nostalgic about the summer. These photographs by Kristian Cvecek of Germany capture one of my favorite summer memories from childhood— chasing fireflies. Really beautiful images captured with a slow shutter speed. Thanks to Daily Mail. ••••

Playing in the Street

2010-09-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

I've seen a million of these chalk perspective drawings, but they continue to amaze me.

Happy Sunday.

2010-09-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Swanky design by Olly Moss for his friend's Mad Men party. I hope everyone is enjoying Season 4 as much as I am! ••••

Greetings from Boston

2010-08-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

This was my lucky day. In need of a new book and new outlook for my commute home (which I was not looking forward to, due to the ugly combination of a Sox game and rain), I stopped off at my favorite place in Boston— the public library, of course. The BPL is already amazing for many reasons. The Sargent paintings, the dvd collection, and the antique book room come to mind. However, today it was extra EXTRA amazing—when I entered the lobby, I was very excited to see they are currently hosting an exhibit of vintage Boston postcards! As some of you may know from a previous post now deep in our blog's archives, I love an antique postcard. So I was happy to stumble upon this well-curated show, and to have the chance to see a truly a great collection of these tiny pieces of history.

Call me a nerd, but there is something amazing about seeing a vintage postcard of the library IN the library. If you live in Boston, stop by the BPL in Copley any time between now and March to check it out. And in the meantime, check out the flickr set re-posted from their website to get a glimpse. ••••

Vintage Social Media Ads

2010-08-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

These are perfectly ironic and well-designed. ••••
[via My Modern Met]

Here's one way to entertain yourself on a long flight.

2010-08-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

I am horrible flyer. I can't sleep. Ever. I always get stuck in the middle seat or worse next to the bathroom. Christoph Niemann’s appears to feel the same way. Click here to read the whole story. (highly recommended).

P.S. Please don't be that person that's sitting in row 35 and jumps up when the plane is at the gate and tries to get off before every one else. Wait your turn! ••••

Tom Foolery

2010-08-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

Click. Swoon. Drool. Need. Click. Add to bag. Click. Submit Payment. Click. At my door in 5-7 business days. CAN'T WAIT! (pick one up for yourself here.)••••

Food Babies

2010-07-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

At first glance, these might look a lot like the ultrasounds you've seen popping up where your friends' Facebook profile pictures used to be. The miracle of birth is interesting, sure, but these are actually way cooler. At Insides Insides, a blogger with access to an MRI machine had the brilliant idea to use it on your average fruits and vegetables— with awesome, hypnotizing results. Seriously, I want to get a drink with the guy who thought to do this and pick his brain. Click here to see the alien fruits and veggies in action. Thanks to Very Short List for sharing. ••••

Mo Fro Yo, please!

2010-07-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

Before frozen yogurt shops popped up on every street corner in every city in America, there was really only one that I can think of – TCBY. Yes, The Country's Best Yogurt. Full Fat. Full deliciousness. And fully NOT Pinkberry. For some reason I remember TCBYs being prominent at airports (or maybe that was the only thing my mom could give us to stop our complaining during long layovers). But that was the 80s, times they are a changin' and so must our yogurt! It's safe to say we're in the midst of a yogurt revolution these days (something I'm sure our children's children will be reading in history books decades from now) and the birth child of it all – TCBY – doesn't want to be left behind! They've rebranded and opened up their first new shop in Salt Lake City. This isn't the first time I've blogged about the new yogurt fad and the amazing design that accompanies it. I have no idea who started this colorful and modern yogurt shop trend, but hat's off to you! And good luck to the Country's Best. ••••

Mad Men, Mad Modern

2010-07-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

Happy days are here again! Sunday night marked the premiere of the highly anticipated fourth season of Mad Men. Although I swoon over Don, root for Peggy and feel oddly uncomfortable by little Sally, the real excitement for me lies in the visual language of the show. First, let me remind you of my undying love for all things mid-century modern. Second, if I could meet the art director of Mad Men I'd probably go mute and lose the ability to stand on my own two feet. You know, the same way others might react to meeting President Obama. Since I probably won't ever get the chance to meet the creative geniuses of Mad Men, let me express my admiration here. Visually, Season 4 (well, the one episode I've seen) might be the best yet. Bolder colors, new set designs, better hairstyles (ok, mostly this is just directed at Peggy. Let's be honest, she's the Miranda of Mad Men – we love her, she's one of the best characters and yet it has taken FOUR seasons to make her look good. Sorry, perhaps I'm letting my vanity shine through.) I digress.... So yes, last night's premiere did not fail me. In perfect Mad Men form, we were visually brought into the year 1964 with every little detail being spot on. Clean lines, modern furniture and signs of pop art around the office... I loved every second of it. Oh, and I would be a terrible graphic designer if I didn't notice the new SCDP logo in large metal cut outs. Awesome. Buttttt.... one guy took it to a whole new level....click here for an in depth look at the typefaces of Mad Men. (A little crazy, dude, but I appreciate the effort!)

Now isn't it time for my afternoon cocktail and cigarette? ••••

Legos with Purpose

2010-07-22T13:34:00.000-07:00

I can't say I was ever really into legos, but my goodness, I am mighty impressed by this particular use of the mini plastic building blocks. Artist Jan Vormann set out with a mission: repair the cracks and holes in NYC with legos! What a success... I would love to stumble up on this on the street. Check out more images here. ••••

[via Plaid]

The Y

2010-07-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a post on a logo redesign in a while, but this one deserves a shout out. The YMCA (yes, the Young Men's Christian Association) has rebranded by Siegel + Gale!

"Although the YMCA has almost universal name recognition and public goodwill, Y-USA’s research revealed that few people understand what the nonprofit stands for and its scope of impact. Working with Siegel+Gale, Y-USA engaged YMCAs across the country to create a consistent, inspirational brand platform to elevate the YMCA’s cause and areas of focus."

In my own humble opinion of someone who took swimming and gymnastic lessons at "the Y" growing up, I love the new playful look of the logo. I think of the YMCA as a place for community,learning, and fun and this new logo succeeds at conveying those ideas. And I LOVE how the logo is now "the Y," does anyone actually call it the YMCA...except for the Village People?

A Photo A Day

2010-07-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

What if you were to take one photo per day of your life? What would you capture? What kind of story would it tell? Someone recently shared this post with me from Mental Floss, where a man documented 18 years of his life by taking one polaroid photo a day from from March 31, 1979 through October 25, 1997. Without words or narrative, the viewer is welcomed into his life, the good – friends, family, fun – and utimately, the bad – sickness and death. What a moving and powerful legacy he was able to leave. The photos can be found on this website and you can read more about the photographs and the man behind them here. ••••

2010-07-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

The work of Guido Daniele may look familiar to some of you from this earlier post by Meghan C, but I thought these most recent advertisements definitely had to be shared as well. What an amazing way to illustrate AT&T being used around the globe—and I just love how it straddles the line between commercial and fine art. Click here to see more images from the campaign (there are about 30 very diverse subjects), along with more of Guido's work. ••••

Sketchy.

2010-06-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

Bad sketchy: creepy bums on the subway, dark alleys, mid-to-late twenty-somethings at college bars (Crew-union Boston ::::head down in shame::::). Good sketchy: The Sketchbook Project! I practically jumped out of my seat today when my boss (sending her some link love) sent me this website. Sign. Me. Up. NOW. As you'll see on the website, anyone can enter and their work will be exhibited on the U.S. tour, and ultimately housed at the Brooklyn Art Library.

(Hey Crew-mates – didn't you just receive a fancy new, "branded" Moleskin notebook??? Pretty sure this is the perfect way to put it to use.) ••••

The Daintification of Masculinity

2010-06-22T13:50:00.001-07:00

Two things I like: gender studies and handicrafts. Thank you, Nathan Vincent, for combining the two. Vincent creates traditionally "masculine" objects using the traditionally "feminine" technique of crochet or sewing to explore "gender permissions and the challenges that arise from straying from the prescribed norms." Love the concept, and also simply WANT that bear rug in my home. My birthday is December 4th. ••••

CNN Logo

2010-06-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

The Crew knows a thing or two about designing a logo, so this article sparked my interest immediately. Turns out the highly recognizable CNN logo was created in only 48 hours. Yowza! As designers we've all had moments where our final masterpiece happened to evolve from our very first sketch. Rare, but it happens. I think it's pretty interesting that something as iconic as this was created in such a short time. However, it begs the question, is this logo actually a "good" logo, or has it just become such a recognizable mark that it has lasted this long? Regardless, I think it speaks volumes to the power and value of a logo.

PS - the designer only received $2,800 for the design. ••••

Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010)

2010-06-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the art world lost one of it's finest. Louise Bourgeois, French-born sculptor, passed away at the age of 98. Celebrate her life's work here. ••••

Up There

2010-05-18T16:27:00.000-07:00

This is a beautiful documentary about painting advertisements on the side of buildings.

UP THERE from The Ritual Project on Vimeo.

I am ashamed to admit that I had no idea this was an art still practiced. Watch the whole thing... ••••

O Morro

2010-05-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

Sequestered within the city of Rio de Janeiro, two men are giving the poor, compact community of Santa Marta a radiant makeover. Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn originally came to the favelas of Brazil in 2005 to film a documentary about hip hop for MTV, but after MTV left, they decided to stay. Soon after, the Dutch duo known simply as Haas&Hahn began Favela Painting, an organization dedicated to bringing “outrageous works of art to unexpected places.” And if you think they’re doing this on their own accord, they aren’t. Local youths are employed as an integral part of their various projects.

Below is an illustration of what they hope “O Morro” will look like if they can raise enough funds to finish the project.

••••

Crew Made

2010-05-14T08:07:00.000-07:00

It's a slow Friday...so this happened.••••

No pun intended

2010-05-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

yep. :)••••

Paper People Eater

2010-05-11T12:32:00.000-07:00

We've had a few posts on paper art in the past (here and here), but these creations really blew me away.••••

Kazuto Nomoto

2010-05-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

Kazuto Nomoto (or Nomoco) is a really amazing illustrator I recently happened upon. Nomoco has done work for some high profile brands including the Gap and Marc Jacobs. I love the playfulness of the gouache/watercolor technique. Also, her fearlessness of color is awesome, the crew really respects a good color sense. Her work has found a home in fashion, she has even done some work for my hometown mall (awesome) but it remains extremely delicate and genuine. Also, view a video of her Moleskine here. ••••

New Art!

2010-05-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

I acquired some new art last week, and thought I might give you all a little peek at it! First is "Gold Luck" by Scott Patt from his recent show at Corduroy. Second, an old print from an Audobon book framed by the nice people at Sunshine Lucy's with reclaimed wood. I think the two epitomize my taste... eclectic? ••••

Happy Friday!

2010-05-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but for me this week could not have been longer! I found this bizarro video that goes along with an old favorite. I love old music videos, they are so fresh. The gear visuals are awesome and the cardigans are second to none! Enjoy it! ••••

The Main Course

2010-04-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

In the 3rd grade, my teacher asked us to create a restaurant menu. I believe the idea of the assignment was to create groupings of items and lists (typical 3rd grade work), however even at that time I remember thinking of this assignment as one of my first design projects.

In 3rd grade I used Corel Draw and clipart to create my menu masterpiece. (hey, that was pretty hip in 1993) Now days, menus are designed by true graphic design professionals and I still consider it an art form. I won't lie; I will judge a restaurant by the design of the menu: the layout, the type, the paper, and even the binding.

I ran across these menu design examples on graphic-exchange.com and it brought back all those 3rd grade memories.

••••

Cut and Paste

2010-04-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

New York is absolutely brimming with terrific art exhibits right now—so many that you can't get to them all in one weekend, as I sadly found out the hard way. I am going to take this chance to point out just one must-see from my last visit. It's small in scale but not to be overlooked: Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage.

I first heard of this Victorian trend on my sister Kate's blog A List of Surprises (Mattern crossover, blog edition!), where she discusses one of the artists on view at the Met now, Lady Georgiana Berkeley. Long before Photoshop existed, Lady Georgiana and other forward-thinking turn-of-the-century women were getting all Creative Suite up in their personal scrapbooks. They created imaginary scenarios for their friends and family by cutting up and reassembling their (then precious) photographs. The results are often surreal and humorous. Learn more about the exhibit and view additional images here and here.

It's must be noted that their work also predates photocollage experiments by better-known (male) avant-garde artists of the 20th century by at least 60 years. You go, girls! ••••

C.H.A.D

2010-04-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

I am not sure how long Committee For Happy American Designers (C.H.A.D.) has been around, but I love some of the designs on their website...like these "motivational posters" for designers.

More here. ••••

Public Bikes

2010-04-22T13:43:00.001-07:00

In celebration of Earth Day, my company hosted a "green" celebration today featuring organic vendors, tasty farmer's market veggies and environmentally friendly products. I could go on a rant about the gourmet food trucks parked out front (I'm sure that's doing wonders for the environment today), but instead I'd like to focus on my new love, just discovered today – Public Bikes. If you've ever traveled to Amsterdam or Copenhagen, I'm sure the #1 thing you noticed was the abundance of cyclists all over the streets. Well, San Francisco (in all it's hippie "greeness") wants to follow the trend. Public Bikes is the new brainchild of Rob Forbes, founder of Design Within Reach (btw, my dream apartment – you know the one – is decorated in head-to-toe DWR). Mimicking the classic city bikes of Europe, Public Bikes offer two different Modern style frames, both unisex, but I'd say they're a tad more female-friendly (let's be honest, I only want cause I can envision myself wearing a really adorable outfit on it). They're offered in four different colors: orange, pale blue, lime green, and off-white. I sold my car awhile back, so I think it's imperative that I get one of these. And can you guess what color I would get???

Clothespins, Coasters, and Coin Wrappers: A Collection of Collections

2010-04-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

For all you collectors out there (and among designers I know there are many), do I have a blog for you. A Collection a Day features illustrator Lisa Congdon's impressive number of oddball collections. So far, there are a whopping 112 posted. Most are vintage, others are everyday, and some are drawn. The collection of Aubrey Beardsley matchboxes she posted on day 80 makes me want to be her friend. Click here to see the rest. ••••

Really Into Space

2010-04-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

I didn't need another reason to love NASA (growing up next to The Kennedy Space Center probably has something to do with that) but I just got one. This may be old to you, but it's news to me. The NASA Earth Observatory is a great place to go when you need color palette/graphic ideas. Yeah, I said that. The "Image of the Day" for today is the SUN. Doesn't that make you feel tiny? ••••

Erin Hanson

2010-04-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

Simple, good, funny design. Erin Hanson does that. Her photography is pretty exceptional as well. The "Reminders" series (below) is especially good, and something I should do in my apartment because of my forgetful nature. Check out her work here. Buy some of her stuff here. Via Notcot. ••••

Type + Book

2010-04-16T07:08:00.000-07:00

Yep. These are pretty cool.••••

Nerd Alert

2010-04-14T07:35:00.001-07:00

Why am I always more interested in the updated icons and packaging of the new Creative Suite packages than I am of the actual software improvements? ••••

Career Day

2010-04-12T16:28:00.001-07:00

The past Friday, April 9th, I had the privilege of speaking at a local Austin high school for Career Day. I was surrounded by presenters from all backgrounds, lawyers, bankers, accountants, climate control specialists, radio talk show hosts, etc...

Then there was me, the 26 year old designer, only a few years out of school. Not the most experienced of the bunch but young enough that I could at least attempt to relate to the students.

I spent a few days designing a presentation for the students (ages 14-18), only to tweak it last minute when I saw first hand just how young high schoolers really are...this is very easy to forget once you are out of school.

Topics included: why design? education. misconceptions. challenges. inspiration and next steps.

I think the reason this presentation was somewhat successful was because I featured all the lovely ladies that write on this blog. We are all designers, yet we all do VERY different things at our day to day jobs.

A few of the slide highlights below:

••••

Ampersand Print

2010-04-12T14:02:00.001-07:00

...annnnnd (pun intended) I want this! Get it here. ••••

Wallpaper Magazine Wants YOUR Help!

2010-04-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

Wallpaper Magazine is one of the leading publications on design, art, architecture and fashion. And what could be cooler than having YOUR design featured on the cover of this esteemed print masterpiece? Mmm, I can't think of much. Register before May 17th and start designing! The winning contestant's work will be featured on the August 2010 issue.••••

Conundrums

2010-04-07T21:19:00.001-07:00

Not sure how I missed this when it came out back in December, but better late than never! Check out these awesome typographic puzzles designed by Harry Pearce of Pentagram. Typography + puzzles + orange + Pentagram = a very happy Meghan. Luckily, Conundrums is still available for purchase at Amazon. I've already placed my order. ••••

Friday Fun Day

2010-04-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

Not an original post idea, but I still get a kick out of seeing peoples business card designs. Always inspiring. Enjoy some of these. More to be found here. ••••

Dalton Ghetti

2010-03-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

OK, these are just ridiculous. Ridiculously AWESOME. Dalton Ghetti carves these miniature sculptures out of the graphite tip of a pencil – without even using a magnifying glass! With the aid of a razor blade and some sewing needles he masterfully crafts these petites works of art. Amazing. My personal favorite is the alphabet. ••••

Crew Made, Office Edition

2010-03-31T15:19:00.000-07:00

Call this post Crew Made, or call it self-promotion: this is about as close to celebrity status as I'm gonna get. My logo for the Anthracite Heritage Museum in the beautiful city of Scranton, PA was featured briefly on The Office the other week during the St. Patrick's Day episode! The Anthracite Heritage Museum focuses on the history of Immigrants who came to America around the Industrial Revolution to work in the coal mines and textile mills of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The generous gift Michael brought contained a lump of coal. If you're ever in Scranton, pay a visit— or, barring that, pay a visit on NBC! ••••

To Die for Patterns

2010-03-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

Some people use dice to win big in Vegas, some use them to fool their opponent in an intense game of liar's dice, and some people – the very rare and unique individuals who fuel my creativity – use dice to create artwork. Check out these incredible letterpress style patterns created with dice. The artist arranges the dice in intricate patterns on a letterpress base, covers them with ink and voila! the finished product: a masterpiece of pattern and originality. And just think about all of the various pattern possibilities! Awesome! ••••

The Music Series

2010-03-30T11:10:00.001-07:00

I like these, but in my opinion I would have taken the "Indy = Indian approach" with all of them. That idea is a little more ironic and funny rather than literal. Check the rest out here. ••••

Sacrilege!

2010-03-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

Sure enough, Twitter employees were handing out business cards at SXSW this year!

"That may seem like a silly bit of news, but first consider the context. At SXSW, everything is going digital. Instead of handing out cards, many tech professionals just download a smartphone app called i-Nigma and then scan a barcode on other attendee's name tags. [In the past, Twitter] Employees just gave out their Twitter names instead."

That being said, I do like the card design and long live print!>••••