All Tumblrs are the same except this one.

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

Happy Friday!

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! ••••

Sick of Helvetica Yet?

I've come across quite a few "handmade" typefaces over the past few days, and have been saving them all up for one post! Above, my favorite: an eyelash typeface from Amitis Pahlevan, via Typograph Served. Below, some additional proof that you can make type out of pretty much anything.


From top to bottom: High Heel typeface by design student Zumra Waheed, via Uppercase Journal. Thread typeface via HandMadeFont. Two experiemental typefaces by a rather ambitious designer over at Type.fwis.com. Chris Papsadero is attempting to create a typeface a day for 31 days straight. They are available for download. The first is actually comprised of type boxes which you can fill with your own text. The second is based on Dutch Colonial Architecture. ••••

Screen(saver) Gems

For Crew devotees, you may remember a post several months ago with a round-up of desktop wallpaper favorites. As you might imagine, a designer has an equally important decision to make for those (rare) times her screen goes idle. Choosing a suitable screen saver is somewhat more challenging than wallpaper shopping (with fewer quality options available), but there are a few standouts I would like to suggest.


For months now, I have been rocking the mesmerizing Drop Clock at work. You can download it here free of charge (although it will prompt you occasionally to purchase it). But if you aren't sold on that, there are a few other timekeeping options that would make good choices. Check out Simon Heys' Rotary Word Clock and Word Clock (both free downloads), a standard flip clock from Fliqlo, and the Polar Clock from Pixel Breaker.

If none of those float your boat, we're moving on to my top five non-timekeeping screen savers. Also from Fliqlo comes a fun lego building screen saver called Briblo. You can try out a Kuler screen saver that generates a feed of popular color harmonies from the Adobe Kuler website. For die hard fans like me, download the opening credits of Mad Men from the AMC website to set that as your screen saver (my choice for my home computer at the moment). There is an unusual, fun screen saver of Japanese girls dancing available at Uniqlock (you're just going to need to check it out to see what I mean). And finally, perhaps my favorite choice: Veer has created a screen saver that is simultaneously eerie, funny, and clever. Like something out of a cheesy horror movie, the eyes of offbeat portraits will follow you around the office until you return to your desk and get back to work. ••••

Small Doses of Inspiration

I've been putting a lot of thought recently into designing my personal business card, and while searching the web for inspiration the other day I hit the jackpot. Daily poetics has a flickr set consisting of 874 very well-designed cards (and counting). The set features many types and styles of cards, ranging from those that are clever (but sometimes gimmicky), elegant, amusing, or even downright funny. This is just a sampling of a few of my personal favorites, but if you have some time to kill, you won't regret browsing the set in its entirety to choose your own. ••••

From the Mind of Stefan Sagmeister...

A few months ago now, Meghan B and I ventured out to the ICA in Boston to hear a lecture given by a Design Great— the one, the only Stefan Sagmeister. The website for his NYC based design firm Sagmeister, Inc. will give you some idea of his unique approach to design— he is perhaps best known for his album covers or the AIGA lecture poster in which he famously carved typography into his body with an X-acto knife (ouch).

This weekend, I finally read Sagmeister's most recent book, Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far, and it is something I would recommend to designers and non-designers alike. In his straightforward, honest tone, Stefan writes about his thoughts during a client-free year. Twenty of these musings were transformed into some of the most impressive typographic creations I have ever seen— videos, billboards, murals, mailers, etc. The topics he touches upon relate to the creative process and life in general. Below are two of the fantastic video pieces that resulted from the project.







Stefan has also launched thingsihavelearnedinmylife.com, where anyone can share their own typographic reflections. ••••

Found Across the Globe: Mystic, Connecticut (with a short lesson on "nautical typography")

There is nothing like New England in the summer. My city of Boston comes to life after a very, very long winter and I remember again why it is I choose to live here. But one of the greatest advantages of the location is its proximity to so many amazing summer day trip destinations. The weekend comes and Bostonians flock to the Cape or the beaches of Rhode Island, and this past weekend I found myself in the lovely town of Mystic, Connecticut.

Mystic is a leading New England seaport with a history rooted in the whaling industry. It is also home to Mystic Seaport, a large maritime museum (Wikipedia refers to it as the world's largest, in fact) with some amazingly preserved ships. The museum is incredible, informative, and wonderfully kept up— and you'll see from the photos that the town is equally charming. Hand-painted signage, beach kitch, and bits of preserved history make Mystic well worth the visit.
In addition to learning all about the whaling industry, shipbuilding, scrimshaw, figureheads, and Mystic Pizza, I was given a short lesson on the "nautical alphabet." Before my sister clued me in, I never knew the meaning behind these small flags which you often see displayed on boats or used in preppy patterning. These flags can be used in combinations, just as letters are, to spell out messages between two ships or between ship and shore. Used singly, these each have individual meanings— for instance, the letter L alone means "Stop Instantly." For a full lesson on "nautical typography," visit this helpful site. ••••

San Francisco Design Week

Good news for anyone on the best (ahem, I mean West) Coast next week... Mayor Gavin Newsom, has declared June 11-17 Design Week in San Francisco. In an effort to promote design and the San Francisco design community, AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) will be sponsoring a full week of events including exhibits, lectures, receptions, short films and more! Sign up now for an event that interests you.

As a designer, I'm thrilled to see the city come together to promote and encourage the design community. I strongly believe that design can make a difference and this is the perfect example of a community taking notice and encouraging our efforts. Fortunately, endeavors are being made all over the world to promote the impact of design on business and society. If you are aware of other cities, communities, or individuals sharing in this effort please share your thoughts and comments with us. ••••

Found Across the Globe: Beijing

The Crew is going global! I recently took an amazing, all too short, work-related trip to Beijing. When I wasn't working (which was never) I was able to appreciate the beauty in the details of this very very very large city. It is truly a different world over there, literally on the other side of the planet. I was able to see the Bird's Nest and the Aquatics Center for the Summer Olympics; true architectural gems! The Forbidden City is ridden with gorgeous patterns, like none I have ever seen in the States or Europe. I became slightly obsessed with Chinese food packaging while there, as you might be able to tell from the slide show. The more colorful, the better; and totally in-your-face. I was on sensory-overload the entire trip, didn't know one word of mandarin (now I know 3), but I have returned feeling truly enlightened. And jet-lagged. Enjoy these tidbits of vibrant design in Beijing!

Beautiful Minds: Stephen Wiltshire

An amazing video— watch British artist Stephen Wiltshire draw an exact panorama of Rome from memory after viewing it aerially from a helicopter for only 45 minutes. Wiltshire is an autistic man who has channeled his uncanny memory into some seriously meticulous drawings. Below are his panoramas of London and Rome, respectively— click on the images for a much larger view. You can visit Wiltshire's website to learn more about the artist and his work. ••••

Found in San Francisco: Haight-Ashbury

Historically known as the center of the 1960s hippie movement, San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district is still one of the most colorful and diverse areas. Today, the Haight continues to absorb the bohemian culture created over 40 years ago. Walking around the Haight-Ashbury district you will find numerous colorful buildings often covered in artful graffiti and storefronts with unique signage. In the few blocks surrounding the intersection of Haight and Ashbury is an abundance of independent local businesses including restaurants, hooka bars, music and book stores, and clothing boutiques. The collection of photographs I have taken in and around the Haight represent the architecture, art, and lively culture of this purely unique San Francisco district. ••••

An Interview with Blythe Russo

CrewDesign is pleased to bring you an interview with Blythe Russo, a Graphic Designer and Illustrator from Waltham, Massachusetts. Blythe is a good friend and a coworker of mine, whose work in the field of publishing and beyond never ceases to impress me. Enjoy reading more about Blythe, and when you're finished, you can view more of her work on her website: www.blythedesign.net

1. Who or what inspires you?
I find inspiration walking around Boston and taking photographs; flipping through design magazines; visiting galleries and museums; shopping in thrift stores and collecting vintage house wares; collaging and scrap booking; enjoying the amazing work that House Industries produces; getting turned on to new music; checking out cover designs on older albums, as well as book covers from the 50s/60s; studying decaying or distressed textures and surfaces; del.icio.us bookmarks; images posted on Ffffound and Drawn. I’m mostly a shut-in, and get a lot of joy spending time at home with my boyfriend. His constant support and dedication to his songwriting and recording keeps me focused, and our goofball cats are the source material for an animated project that’s in the works.
2. Do you have a favorite designer/artist?
Neville Brody – I’m very drawn to his design sensibility. He’s a British designer and typographer who started his career designing magazines and record covers in the early 80s. His layouts and typefaces have always been very radical and experimental. The Macromedia logo is probably his most recognizable work. I love the angles and shapes he creates with the placement of his type – lots of layered elements and bold colors.

3. What frustrates you most about design (or your biggest pet peeve)?
People with unrealistic expectations. I often look for freelance jobs on Web sites like craigslist to help build my portfolio. It’s difficult to not only find a decent job and client, but to get them to accept a reasonable quote. I learned early on not to low ball myself or get taken advantage of by people who ask for excess design changes they don’t want to pay for. I remember quoting a low $500 for a full identity package design and Web site creation a few years ago, only to hear back “Ohhh, wow … that’s MUCH higher than I anticipated. I’ve got several other designers who gave me lower prices. I will get back to you…” Total headache. The problem is that too many young professionals under price themselves, creating lower paying entry level positions which leads to a more competitive industry, but only in the negative sense of the word. Out of desperation, many designers end up devaluing the design process itself. Some clients think they shouldn’t just get professional services for under $100, but also feel that they can be overly demanding because they’re paying.

4. What is your favorite website to visit daily? Why do you like it?
I discovered The Consumerist about a year ago and visit several times a day. It’s a consumer affairs blog that posts reader-submitted tips and complaints about companies and corporations. I can stay informed, avoid scams, share my experiences, and occasionally find shopping deals and discounts. After reading that a customer found a metal machine bolt in their package of Perdue chicken breast, it boggles my mind why people choose to buy their produce at Wal-Mart. Yeck.
5. If you could design or redesign anything, what would it be?
The streets of Boston – traveling in town makes me crazy mad sometimes. The roads are all a giant mess of one-way loops, the Mass turnpike’s city exits get backed up for miles, and the commuter subway has the most inefficient, outdated system imaginable. I appreciate the colonial history of the city, but the street layout causes so much traffic everyday. It would be ideal to have Tokyo’s lightning fast on-time train systems combined with Chicago’s easy exit highways.

Also, I really like supermarket shopping – I think it would be interesting to redesign the layout and interior of one to see how it affects shoppers’ behavior.

6. What's the strangest request you've received from a client?
I’ve had a few bad experiences with clients that either ask for too many adjustments, or have no idea what they want from the beginning. The most annoying experience I had was with this woman who found me through craigslist. We signed a contract and I agreed to redesign a logo for her husband’s wedding photography business. She went on and on about how amazingly creative his vision was ... however the only proof of his supposed design brilliance was a desperately ugly black & white 8-ball (made up of two circles) with his initials in the middle. Again, this wasn’t for a pool-hall, it was a wedding photography business. Not a promising start.

Anyway, the visionary’s wife was disappointed with my initial designs, claiming that they “look like every other wedding logo out there – he wants something that stands out!” She even had the nerve to suggest that my work “couldn’t possibly have taken me as long as I had billed her for.” The fonts I used were “very typical and boring,” and my mock-ups were not far off from her husband’s existing logo. On top of that, it turned out that the logo redesign was to be a surprise birthday gift for her husband The Genius… so my instructions were based on what she thought he’d like!

I agreed to call her husband to discuss his ‘vision.’ I remember the night I had planned to, I got in from work late and decided to shoot him an email explaining so and that I’d be able to chat tomorrow. He wrote back, “Hehe … party girl!” Gross – I don’t even know this man! Amazingly, he was just as vague and directionless as his wife. He was sure to mention how accomplished he was in Photoshop, and how impressed he was by his own lame 8-ball. I agreed that it was ‘unique’ and served a purpose (certainly not a positive purpose), but he couldn’t seem to grasp that an 8-ball had nothing to do with weddings. Instead, he agreed with his wife - my logos were too cliché and ordinary. And goody for me, he had designed more 8-ball logo variations that night, which he proposed I modify free of charge since his wife had already paid for my first round of ‘unusable’ mock-ups. It was obvious that no matter what I designed, this guy would be unhappy if it was too similar to his logo, and disappointed if it was too different. To avoid further hassle, I emailed his wife to say that I would not be able to help. Luckily we had a contract, and she paid the kill fee built into it. Always have a contract!

Unfortunately this guy has repeatedly sent me friend requests on Facebook and his mini-feeds fill up my home page. I’m sure he’ll find this post at some point, but for the sake of comedy and to top off a lengthy story, I have to post this image. Douche chills.
7. Favorite font?
Futura – and any sleek/thin font like Avant Garde

8. Do you have any advice for people just entering the profession?
Purchase this book: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines. Published by the Graphic Artists Guild, this is an essential reference book for people in the design and illustration field. It definitely helped me start my freelancing business. I love that it has standard invoice, contract and legal letter templates in the back that anyone can use with their clients. Most importantly, never sell yourself short - don’t underestimate the value and quality of your services. And always use contracts, no matter what the job is!
9. If you were to change professions, what would you choose to do?
A musician. I love to sing and want to get back into playing guitar.

10. Tell us three things about yourself that no one else knows.
I’m pretty open and share everything with my partner. I’ve wracked my brain and anything personal I’m keeping to myself. Sorry Crew!
Oh wait … I heart 8-balls.

[If you, or someone you know, would like to be a featured artist on CrewDesign, email us at thecrewdesign@gmail.com] ••••

Found in Austin

Flash Slideshow

The key area of Austin that stands out to me as the most design oriented and artistically based is South Congress street, or SoCo as the locals call it. I have posted about specific sites on South Congress in the past, Hey Cupcake! and Uncommon Objects. This streets stands apart from your typical Texan streets, because of the array of colors, unique stores, galleries, and interesting people that share a fondness for the arts, quirkiness, and enjoyment of life. It is not uncommon to hear people refer to SoCo as "hipster" and "alternative," but I suppose any artsy area of a city holds that title. Being one of the only streets in Austin that you can leisurely walk down and window shop, it is no stranger to large crowds on the weekends. People come to peruse art from the street vendors, buy novelty candy at the Big Top, drink margaritas at Gueros, and then maybe have a whipper snapper at Hey Cupcake.

In these photos I wanted to capture those fun feelings of SoCo through the design, colors, and flair. ••••

Penguin Masterpieces

I have a new design hero within the field of publishing. His name is David Pearson— which is a funny coincidence, I think, because Penguin is also owned by Pearson Publishers— and he is the man behind all of Penguin's amazing cover series. I was positively drooling over the nature imagery and color palatte used for the Great Loves series (above). But to get the full effect of how brilliant he really is, you need to view the full set here.
I went on to learn that Pearson was also behind the covers for both of Penguin's Great Ideas Series. What I love most about these covers is that they are driven mainly by typography, with plenty of white space and subtle, appropriate imagery for each subject. Very smart designing. Each cover is both beautiful in its own right and fantastic as part of the whole. Here for the full series of Great Ideas Volume 1 and here for Volume 2.
And because I really am just that obsessed, here are a few more from his Great Journeys series.

An Interview with Tai Snaith

CrewDesign is proud to present our very first featured artist: Tai Snaith. Australian artist Tai Snaith has an extensive portfolio ranging in performance art, installation and illustration. Her wide range of work is imaginative, playful, and truly original. Please read our interview with Tai Snaith and visit her website at www.taisnaith.com for more information. Enjoy!


1. Who are you? (name, occupation, and city you live in)
My name is Tai Snaith and I live in Melbourne, Australia. I work as an artist/ producer/designer. I like to draw, design objects, make large installations and paint walls. I also work as a visual arts producer for an arts festival here in Melbourne called ‘Next Wave’.

2. Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by a range of weird influences; for example I love finding images of animals dressed up in costumes and other visual anecdotes on the Internet. I tend to just search random combinations to do with animals and then use those ideas as the basis for some drawings. I also collect all sorts of old black and white books about animals and plants. I also spend a lot of time rummaging through op shops and markets looking for old postcards, music sheets, pianola rolls, packaging and bones. I am also inspired by abandoned spaces.

3. Do you have a favorite designer/artist?
That’s a hard one. I really love the work of another Melbourne artist Ghostpatrol (www.ghostpatrol.net) at the moment. I also love the installation work of US artist Phoebe Washburn and the drawings and installation of Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara ( I was lucky enough to meet him last year too). That’s just to name a few.

4. One word to describe your style:
Playful

5. What frustrates you most about design (or your biggest pet peeve)?
Computers and money

6. If you could travel anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go?
I’d really love to go to Spain, it’s next on my list for sure.

7. What is your favorite website to visit daily? Why do you like it?
I don’t visit one website daily. I tend to shop around… I often check the weather, but that’s practical boring. Lately I have been reading www.somethingawful.com - a very funny look into how retarded the internet can be, especially the weekend web page. I also like Wooster www.woostercollective.com to keep in touch with what's going on on the streets.

8. If you could design or redesign anything, what would it be?
I would love to design a new breed of animals. Half horse, half giraffe.

9. What is the strangest request you’ve received from a client?
To design a collar made from plastic spoons.

10. Favorite color?
The crispy brown/cream colour of faded pages of old books.

11. Favorite font?
I have an old 1940’s Tippa typewriter that actually has a running script font, it’s unusual and beautiful.

12. East Coast or West Coast?
In Melbourne its more Northside or Southside and I am definitely more a fan of Northside.

13. Name one product/gadget you cannot live without?
Size zero brush.

14. Do you have any advice for people just entering the profession?
Don’t make things for money, make them for love.

15. If you were to change professions, what would you choose to do?
I think I would work with animals or as a gardener.

16. What is one thing you wish you knew when you started your career?
How to write about what I do and also that you have to document every single thing you do, well.

17. Tell us three things about yourself that no one else knows.
1. When I was a kid I used to write letters to the moon in the sand every time I went to the beach.
2. This morning I stole a lemon from my neighbor’s tree.
3. Yesterday I wasn’t actually sick...

[CrewDesign is always on the lookout for creative talent. If you, or someone you know, would like to be a featured artist please email us at thecrewdesign@gmail.com] ••••

Found in Boston: Brownstone Typography

Welcome to the first in a series of weekly CrewDesign posts. Each Wednesday a different blog contributor will post something art or design related about the city they call home— a show and tell of sorts! This week I am kicking it off with a Flickr set of Brownstone Typography (and other miscellaneous findings). Nothing quite says Boston to me like our iconic brownstones, and the type on each building is just as quaint, charming, and classic as the city itself. So beginning at 00 Marlborough Street, enjoy some local typographic flavor (and a few other architectural features, too– I loved stumbling across someone's iron pet dog). ••••

Calling all Creatives!

CrewDesign is looking to add a new series of posts to our blog— interviews highlighting the work and ideas of other talented designers and artists. So to all the working creatives who read CrewDesign: we want to know what inspires you, too! If you are interested in being featured on our blog, we would love to see your work and send you our interview questions. Just drop us an email at thecrewdesign@gmail.com and you will hear back from a Crew member lickity-split.

2008 Olympic Games Graphic Identity

Graphic Designer Richard Doubleday - and our former professor - recently wrote an article for Baseline Magazine on the Beijing Olympic Games graphic identity. The task of creating an identity for the 2008 Olympic Games was given to designer Min Wang. Wang is also the Dean of the School of Design, at China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing. Click here for more on Wang and the 2008 Olympic Games identity system.
This article got me thinking about what an enormous task designing a graphic identity for the Olympic Games would be. For every Olympic year the identity system must be unique, individual, representative of the host city, and able to communicate to the single most diverse audience. That being said, I think that the design group led by Min Wang was highly successful in creating a dynamic graphic identity. The simple logo is elegant, expressive and representative of the Chinese culture. The painterly brush strokes of the symbol and the "Beijing 2008" logo are reminiscent of Chinese calligraphy and ink painting.

Personally, I think that London's 2012 Olympic Games identity could take a lesson from Beijing...

Spring Reading

Some springtime inspiration came in the mail today! Amazon.com, ever heard of it? It's an addiction.
Hand Job, a Catalog of Type, Michael Perry- Dubious title, AMAZING book. Flipping through it gave me so many more artists and designers to obsess over ( I hope to feature them in the coming weeks?) I recommend this to anyone who designs like I do...with paper and pencil first.
Fingerprint, Chen Design Associates- Gorgeous designs, with human touches. So tasty!
Banksy, Wall and Piece, Century- I never used to be into graffiti, until Banksy. It's not about his tagging skills, but about his sense of humor and poignant social commentary. Also his ability to hang fake works of art in museums around London and NYC...without getting caught...is awesome. This book makes me want to write in the bathroom stall at work tomorrow, but we all know that's not going to happen.
Gustave Courbet, Hatje Cantz- This book is completely comprehensive of his work, dividing it into subject matter as opposed to chronological order. It also places most works in the context of other works that may have influenced him at the time. It is a beautiful book, so inspiring. Make sure you see A Burial at Ornans at the Musee D'Orsay before you die. (Tess?)
Up top is some Amy Butler fabric I got from Reprodepot to make new kitchen curtains for our teeny-tiny window in there. Of course I wanted Marimekko...maybe someday!
"Sometimes I feel so sick at the state of the world I can't even finish my second apple pie." - Banksy
(Please excuse the messy room and crude MacBook photograph.)

I Am __________

I was able to participate in an exciting piece of collaborative community art today on 2nd street.

Jackie Young and Cybil Gustafson, part of the Art Alliance Austin, will present a collaborative installation titled I Am, an interactive photography exhibition that invites patrons to provide statements that describe themselves to accompany individual Polaroid portraits taken by Jackie Young. Performance artist Cybil Gustafson will hang the photos and statements. Some of the statements are serious, others witty, thoughtful and introspective.

Woah, who are those good looking people?!