I work in advertising, but try not to make it my life. I love writing, art and design - and focus my time on these when I'm not working or hanging out with my family.
Want to show the world your drawing/concepting skills? Enter The Sketchbook Project, plunk down the $25 entry fee and get to it. You'll get a few things for your money, including a brand spanking new Moleskine (Mo-Lay-Skee-Nay? Mole-Skine? Whatever), your sketchbook goes on a national tour and becomes a part of the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Library. Get busy ...
Don't let the David Lynch videos scare you off, this album is worth the price of admission. Danger Mouse strikes gold ... again.
Around The Spot, by Johann Volkmer blends a loose illustration style with a simple stop motion technique. The result is visual jubilation.
Chicagoans celebrate the summer like sugar buzzed kindergartners at recess. If you live in The Chi, you've got one more reason to blow off work - Pitchfork. Tickets have been sold out (for 2 of the 3 days) for a bit, but they were nice enough to hold a few back for purchase, if you're willing to stand in line. Here's their email:
Although Saturday and Sunday tickets have been sold out for weeks, and Friday will be gone very soon, we’re going to release a limited number of tickets for all 3 days that you can buy in person at Union Park on Thursday, July 15th. The box office will be open from 11 am to 6 pm on Ashland Ave, in the middle of Union Park. First come, first serve, cash only, while supplies last.
No Refunds. No Exchanges. No Re-Entry.
The best blogs let you feel like you're meandering through them, stopping to virtually pull things off a shelf to catch a closer look. the constants kept hits that mark, putting it right up there with one of my other favorites, A Continuous Lean.
Kinda goes without sayin' - but men never really do grow-up. Stay golden Pony Boy.
Essen's work is reminiscent of the Atari 2600 games look & feel, but still remains fresh and modern.
A long, computer free holiday weekend means I'm playing catch up on a few things. Looks like Bogusky left the building over the weekend.
Now, I've hated on the man. As a scrappy young bastard running from one shop to another, I may have curled my lip and dismissed his vision as less than stellar. I've also jumped on moving freight train ladders, flipped strangers in LA traffic the bird and dined on roadside Tijuana tacos. You know, stupid shit that somehow makes sense in the moment.
In an industry where rebelliousness that was once embraced is now replaced with under developed, Orwellian MBA visions of blah-blah-blah, here's to hoping the man creates a new category of creative outlet.
Much has been discussed in the press about the aging internet companies. You know the players. At one time they were the big kids on the block, making deals and keeping things "interesting." Web users put them on pedestals, and sort of like the original tech bubble, people thought the wave would be ridden forever. AOL was, for many, THE internet at one time. Not so much anymore. Throw MySpace and a growing number of others in there with them, too (Hello Yahoo!, has the fat lady sang?).
Maybe I'm a bit of a masochist, but I actually enjoy seeing what these companies go through to try and catch at least a smidge of their one time greatness. If they take AOL's approach to the music site Spinner - they may stand a chance to regain ground. Forget trying to appeal to everyone, Spinner plays down who owns them and focuses on a narrower, almost niche music market. Interesting writing, breaking news and free tunes? Check. If they find their footing across enough points on-line that take the same approach, they might stand a fighting chance.
Now, being 25 years old for people may seem like an odd time for a mid-life crisis. Online, though, it's a good time to shake it up and try and get back into the game.
Take a trip with the chefs from Percy Street as they hunt down BBQ styles they hope to replicate (as well as they can) in Philly. Their approach is respectful and inspiring to the Texas Hill Country establishments they visited on their trek. Click on the video tab above to check it out.